Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Tested in Fire ❯ Chapter 15

Tested in Fire: New Humanity Part Fifteen

 

Susan paused in her paperwork, the slim blonde looking up with silvery eyes as she heard the sound of a knock on her door. "Yes?" she asked, her courier's guild tattoo bold on her cheek, her almost angelic features hiding a sharp mind..

 

"I'm sorry I had to ask to see you so suddenly," Heather answered mildly, her slinky red dress hugging the Asian woman from head to toe as she walked in. She smiled wryly as she took a seat across from Susan in one of the offices in Courier Guild headquarters, what was once the main post office in Vancouver.

 

"Is this about a job?" Susan asked curiously, "Or is it a personal matter?" There was no criticism in her tone of voice, instead just an easy familiarity. These two unlikely friends had had this sort of talk more than once over the years...

 

"Personal," Heather admitted softly.

 

"Jack Scott, then," Susan nodded firmly, sitting back in her chair comfortably, her simple clothes hugging her body.

 

"Am I that predictable?" Heather asked.

 

Susan gave her a scolding look, "The only reason we got to know each other was because you were checking up on Jack after she left Vancouver."

 

"True," Heather admitted.

 

"Is she in trouble?" Susan asked intently.

 

"I don't know yet," Heather admitted with a bit of frustration. She tried to compose her thoughts, "Jack's bodyguarding a friend of mine at the Nightingale, Motoko, who's been the target of attempts to harm her..."

 

"I know Jack's handled that sort of thing often," Susan said reassuringly.

 

"That's not what worries me," Heather looked faintly pained as she confessed, "I know Jack is just the type that Motoko likes."

 

"Oh HO..." Susan felt herself smiling.

 

"It's not funny," Heather scowled.

 

"Couldn't help it," Susan said as she fought back a chuckle. Giving Heather a considering look she said, "You were furious when Jack disappeared a few years back, are you seriously telling me that you've forgiven her and are dating her again?"

 

"Of course not," she sighed, Heather looking away uncomfortably. "It's just... as soon as I saw her again, my anger didn't matter so much anymore."

 

Susan shook her head, "Love makes us all fools."

 

"True," Heather didn't even deny it.

 

Thoughtfully Susan continued, "But I seem to remember there was more than one woman throwing themselves at Jack back in the old days and she never seemed to care. So what would make her take notice now?"

 

"We... fought," Heather finally said very quietly, uncomfortably looking away from Susan's penetrating gaze.

 

"Over what?" Susan raised an eyebrow.

 

"It was about the Nightingale, actually," Heather glumly continued to explain, "I not only didn't tell Jack that I was working there, when she first came back I sort of fibbed about working with the Shogun instead."

 

Looking off into the distance Susan mused, "From my experience with her I suspect that Jack was more upset about the deception."

 

"Hmm," Heather nodded.

 

"How did she find out?" Susan asked.

 

"She came to the Nightingale with Motoko," Heather sighed, "and got a little surprise when she saw me there." her lips curled up at the memory of Jack in that slinky little black dress, the tough woman looking surprisingly feminine, really.

 

Susan didn't even make it a question, "She was upset."

 

"Of course," Heather agreed grimly, "and when I tried to talk to her about it there, she just brushed me off."

 

"Knowing Jack she felt she was on the job," Susan reasoned, "talking to you about why she was upset would endanger Motoko in her eyes."

 

"Probably," Heather nodded glumly.

 

"I doubt you left it at that," Susan prompted her.

 

"No, I went to Jack's place at the old Woodwards building later that night... it didn't go as well as I planed," Heather said, just a bit of anger flashing in her eyes. "Jack all but accused me of becoming a goodtime girl... and I slapped her."

 

"Seriously?" Susan shed her relaxed posture in a moment, looking at Heather in surprise.

 

"You're surprised I did it?" Heather asked irritably.

 

"No, I'm surprised Jack didn't hurt you," Susan confessed. "Jack has a reputation for not tolerating attacks on her person."

 

"You don't think that she'd really...?" Heather looked at Susan in surprise.

 

"There are so many rumors circulating about Jack it's hard to tell the truth," Susan looked thoughtful, "but from the ones I've confirmed through the Guild Jack's actually gotten nastier over the years, in some ways."

 

"Do tell." Heather dropped her voice conspiratorially.

 

Susan looked amused, "Jack was doing a run out to Langley city, out in an area controlled by small gangs fighting over turf. Heading down Highway One a group of banditos hit, and one was fool enough to cut her cheek."

 

"What happened to him?' Heather asked, feeling a faint sort of fear within her heart.

 

"After Jack finished beating up his five buddies she went after the cutter," Susan took a drink of her coffee, "and proceeded to shoot him through the hand, crippling him."

 

"Good," Heather sighed, getting a surprised look from Susan. "There was a time," she explained, "when Jack would have just killed the lot of them."

 

"Seriously," Susan looked a bit startled.

 

"I wouldn't be betraying a confidence if I said that Jack was quite a badass in the old days... it was part of why she decided to leave for the courier guild." Heather shrugged, "So yes, I think your bandits got off lucky."

 

"Remind me not to annoy Jack Scott," Susan said, shaking her head. Giving Heather a smile she asked, "Have you decided what to do?"

 

"Well, I'm going to hope Motoko doesn't start to notice Jack," Heather sighed, "and once all this is over, I'll try to talk with her again."

 

Susan reached out and squeezed Heather's hand. "Good luck," she said softly, "and if you need to talk I'm here."

 

"Thank you," and Heather leaned over to kiss Susan's cheek.

 

Susan waited a few moments until after she was gone then dropped her head into her hands with a moan. "I have got to stop talking to her," she sighed, "or at least get over my crush on her first." She sat back with a sigh, "It was bad enough having her cry on my shoulder when Jack was gone, but listening to her attempts to win Jack back is torture."

 

Tidying up her desk on impulse Susan rose, collecting her suit's matching jacket on the way out. "Going home, ma'am?" her green skinned secretary asked pleasantly, so fresh from the typing pool that Susan hadn't even memorized her name.

 

"Yes, though if there's an emergency a runner can get me," Susan said crisply. 'I wonder if Cole will want to buy any tidbits about Scott?' she thought.

 

To be continued....