Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Tested in Fire ❯ Chapter 11

Tested in Fire: New Humanity Part Eleven

 

Jack Scott looked down into Heather's eyes, the two of them standing in Jack's office in the old Woodwards building. It had been a long night for both of them, in different ways, and Heather had gone to a fair degree of trouble to get there.

 

"I'm sorry," Jack finally sighed, sandy blonde hair falling into those piercing eyes, "I overreacted at finding you there at the club."

 

Heather shook her head, glossy black hair flowing around her. "And maybe I should have bee more honest with you about it," she answered. Heather smoothly went over to the desk, leaning up against the corner, "I started there not long after you left town."

 

"Why?" Jack asked her softly.

 

Heather's eyes flashed with a sudden anger, "Because I wasn't sure you were ever coming back here, Jack!"

 

"But... I said I was going to return," Jack blinked in confusion.

 

"You've always bee good to your word," Heather conceded, "but you never did anything like that to me before. You said good-bye, I tried to find you and you were just... gone. Overnight you had packed anything you wanted to take and just left."

 

Jack remembered that time, reluctantly, and again felt that urgency to flee the city. The role that she had worked so hard to build herself, the identity of a ruthless agent to the highest bidder, was slowly consuming her, eating her away body and soul. To save her sanity and what was left of her self she had said good-bye to Heather and her friends and fled.

 

"I wanted to come with you, Jack, but with how quickly you left you took the choice right out of my hands," Heather sighed.

 

Jack deliberately kept her distance, seeing the glistening of tears on Heather's cheeks. She had a weakness for crying women, always had, and she didn't want to say or do something that she might regret later. "I didn't want to hurt you," Jack said carefully, "and I had no idea what kind of trouble I might be riding into."

 

"You're too damn honorable by half, you know that?" Heather shook her head.

 

Jack shrugged, acknowledging the point. "So you went to work at the Nightingale after that?" she asked, getting back to the point.

 

"Yes," Heather nodded. She smiled faintly, "It's good work and I'm treated with respect, much more than at the waitressing jobs I had before."

 

"So you let the men and women wine and dine you hoping to bed you," Jack said with honest bitterness in her voice.

 

"They get the pleasure of my company Jack," Heather made her own voice firm as she continued, "and that's all."

 

"That's not what I've heard about that place," Jack challenged.

 

"Some girls may take it farther but I don't," Heather answered. She searched Jack's eyes as she asked, "Do you really think I would....?"

 

"It's been a few years...." Jack trailed off.

 

"Damn you," a suddenly furious Heather hissed out as she stepped forward and slapped Jack, stinging the taller woman's cheek. Before Jack could say anything more she was out the door and gone down the hallway.

 

Jack headed to the door to follow then stopped herself, cursing softly. Her duty was to stay here and guard Motoko, no matter what else she might want to do. Walking back to her desk Jack settled down into the chair, seething silently.

 

*Bring!*

 

"What?" Jack barked into the phone.

 

Max sounded amused, "What crawled up your butt and died?"

 

Jack puffed out a sigh, smiling in spite of herself. "Long story," she said before asking, "so how's it look outside?"

 

"Lisa and I cased the building," Max said cheerfully, "if there is someone out here they're better at hiding than I am."

 

"You brought your daughter along?" Jack blinked, thinking of the catgirl who occasionally watched the front desk of Max's hotel the Victoria.

 

"She wouldn't let me do this on my own," Max conceded.

 

Jack had to grin, "You're getting old, Max."

 

"Don't push your luck," Max said gruffly.

 

Jack snickered. "Do you want to come up for your marks now," she asked him, "or do it tomorrow morning?"

 

"Considering the look that Lisa is giving me, I'd say tomorrow," Max said a bit sheepishly, "good night, Jack."

 

"Night," Jack hung up.

 

It was a long night as Jack looked out the window, taking in the street below and the stars that broke through the crowd cover up above the city of Vancouver. She could manage without a night's sleep, she had done so before, but she'd have to pay for it eventually.

 

Dawn had just come when a sleepy voice asked, "Jack-san?" Motoko stood in the door between the living quarters and the office, holding a sheet around her protectively. "Do you have a robe I can borrow?" she asked.

 

Jack got up, shaking off her sleepiness. "Of course," she said as she followed the Asian redhead back into her living quarters. Jack found the robe by memory, passing it to Motoko then moving over to the suite's window to give the woman a bit of privacy.

 

"Thank you," Motoko smiled wryly as she took it from Jack.

 

In the reflection Jack could barely make out Motoko sliding the sheet to the floor then gracefully pulling the robe on, belting it around her waist. The robe was a glittering red, decorated with golden dragons and looked beautiful and just a little bit tacky.

 

"Fits well enough?" Jack asked curiously.

 

On Jack the robe fit like a sack, more or less, covering her well enough to maintain her dignity. On Motoko, on the other hand, it flowed over her many curves like water, looking as lovely as the young woman who wore it. "It's lovely," Motoko murmured softly, her hand smoothly stroking one of the sleeves.

 

Jack smiled to herself wryly, thinking of the various girlfriends and guests who had worn it over the years. "Did you sleep well?" she asked Motoko curiously even as she moved over to the still folded out hide-a-bed.

 

"Well enough," Motoko answered, watching Jack use brute force to fold the older bed away. A bit hesitantly she asked, "I thought I heard voices last night...?"

 

Jack shrugged, trying to keep the gesture as casual as possible. "I had a old friend stop by," she answered crisply, "as well as called in some help."

 

"Help?" Motoko tilted her head to the side.

 

With a smile Jack said, "I had a friend case the place for me last night, it looks like whoever shot at us bolted."

 

"Thank god," Motoko puffed out a sigh.

 

Jack walked over to a chair and sat down, gesturing for Motoko to do the same. "Mow comes the boring part," she said gently, "we need to sit tight until we hear from Davidson and or until something else happens."

 

"Fun," Motoko said dubiously, sitting down herself.

 

Jack smiled at her wryly, "Oh yeah. And we'll probably be driving each other nuts within a day or so, probably."

 

"You've done this before, then?" Motoko asked, studying Jack.

 

"A few bodyguard jobs," Jack agreed, "some more complicated than others."

 

To be continued....