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On a Dark Horse	By : TarnishedArmour Category: G through L > Jericho Views: 1536 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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Chapter List
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Timestamp: Bombs + 3, cont.
Jonah & Aylah stood there for a long moment. When he wrapped his arms around her, turned and kissed her lips lightly, she didn't need any more. She knew she had his full attention and cooperation. It was the kiss as much as the last line that had caught the attention of the other two men.
"You keep the highways clear of danger-with assistance from a security patrol made up of townsmen. You have the heavy-moving equipment for the town. You locate necessities and bring them here for trade or use. You find things, like gas and ammo and other things that only you have the contacts to get on short notice. You provide machines, machine tools, and parts for the town, for a fair price. You get a little more flexible with the type of work you do, and in return," she lifted her head to look at Johnston, "Jonah and the boys are welcome in town. No vultures watching and no cops waiting to pounce. No doubled prices, no barred doors on businesses. They'll behave in town-Boy Scouts, even. They'll deal fairly with the people here, help little old ladies cross streets, save kittens from trees, the usual. In return, they get to go to the bar, dance with the daughters-the ones of age, Jonah, or I'll do the reminding-and create or repair their ties here. There are skills these men have that most people here don't. There are things in town they need, too, and it's more than women and alcohol."
Johnston was quiet. Jonah was quiet. Jake, however, was not.
"Define danger," he spat. "Does that include families? Women and children?"
Jonah released Aylah and stepped forward. "Be careful, Jake. I've never hurt a woman or a child."
"Except Chris." There was the challenge. "You pushed him to do that job-" Jake pushed forward into the older man's personal space. It was one thing to know what he'd done, it was another to listen to someone sticking up for Jonah when it was obvious the girl didn't know anything about him. From terminally shy girl in school to Jonah's sweet young thing-one helluva leap.
"And he needed a lookout, someone to watch his back. That was you-" Furious blue eyes accused Jake of running out. Johnston rose from his seat, ready to break up the fight that was brewing in the air, but it was a snapped comment from the side that broke the rising tension in the room.
"Chris made his own decisions, just as you did, Jonah, and you, Jake. Don't try to blame his death on anyone else." Aylah walked up and nudged between the men, both of them irritated at her intrusion. They glared at her, but looks couldn't hurt her anymore. "And you can settle this later. Yell, cuss, punch each other-I don't care. Right now, there are other worries."
"You seem to be pretty sure that this national emergency isn't going to be resolved in good time," Johnston said, curious about this young woman who seemed to be so fearless. He remembered the girl Jake had called 'Silence' so many years ago-and this wasn't the same girl. Couldn't be. Unless she was possessed, but then with the way things were going, that wasn't outside of the realm of possibilities. And why was she snuggling up to a man old enough to be her father?
"Let me put it this way," she breathed out heavily and continued, "we know of two bombs. Chances are there was at least one more. Best case, it was in some Godforsaken section of the desert and everything will be back together in a few days and we'll all be very depressed every year on the anniversary date. Worst case there was more than one, we can kiss at least five major cities-including D.C., New York, Arlington, Cheyenne, L.A., and others-goodbye, we're the last ones in the U.S. with working anything, a strictly limited amount of fuel that will not be replenished until we manage to create a refinery & oil well here, and a lightly contaminated water and food supply, which means we slowly amass enough radiation to die very, very slowly, thus ending life in the section of North America we call the U.S. I sincerely hope it's the first, but I'm preparing for the second. Reality should fall somewhere in between." Aylah was matter-of-fact. It was logic that was hard to argue with, and Johnston didn't waste time when logic was sound.
"And so you suggest letting Jonah and his men in town will create some sort of safety net for us, but keep the dangers in our immediate danger to a minimum." Johnston sat back down and leaned back in his chair. "Interesting. I hadn't quite thought of this situation in those terms, but then I've been a bit busy to get philosophical about it."
Aylah tipped her head to the side and smiled. "Time? Took too much just to get here-I live in the Rogue. It's my general philosophy of life-hope for the best, expect the worst, and neither one will happen." She shrugged. "No matter what, it's best to give a thought to security and egress now, instead of later."
"True." Johnston looked at Jonah, then said, "Any trouble in town and the one that caused it isn't welcome back."
"And if someone else starts it?" Jonah knew the cost of leading these men, even if he was riding on a reputation he'd long-since established, and their price was loyalty. Most of them had been screwed over by something or someone so badly they needed proof that someone was looking out for them. If he ever failed them, he knew it would be his last hours for this world.
"Then they'll be dealt with, and your boy will be allowed to return. But it will require more than just a he-said-she-said situation. No proof, and it's a probationary period." It seemed that Johnston was willing to be reasonable.
"For both parties," Jonah clarified, unwilling to let this go easily. He didn't dare let that last bit apply only to his boys.
"Depending upon the offense, it may be a few hours helping out someone who needs it or just not going wherever they came from for a day or so. If it's bad enough, then one or both parties will be sent to cool off." Johnston was reasonable. It surprised Jonah enough that he asked the next question as a statement.
"For a person inside the city limits, it's a bit different." The point was simple: Kicking out Jonah's guys was a lot more of a punishment than kicking out someone who had easy access to Main Street.
"House arrest, then, if we can enforce it. If we can afford to enforce it-for either party." Johnston added that last as a caution. "May be that your boys just go out on a long patrol, and when they come back, clean slate." It was more than reasonable. If Jonah's men were needed elsewhere, they wouldn't be able to stay in town anyway.
"Agreed." Jonah turned to Aylah. "Are you happy now? Ready to go?"
"Nope. You two haven't sealed the bargain." She smiled at them. Jonah had learned long ago to mistrust that big smile.
Jake snorted in the corner. "I can't believe you're doing this," he said to his father, just loud enough for Jonah to hear.
"You have no idea how many times I've said the same thing about you, Jake. Don't argue with me now." He turned back to Aylah. "You have a contract or something?" She seemed to have thought this out-who knows? Maybe she had gotten hold of a lawyer crazy enough to draft a contract.
"Nope." She paused, stretching the moment as long as she could. Three pairs of eyes grew narrow as the men glared at her silence. Jake's jaw was showing a distinct tic. "I have the address for Bailey's."
Jake suddenly laughed. He couldn't help it. Silence may be a lot of things, but she wasn't stupid. It was one thing for a man born in Jericho to give his word. It was another to drink with him after giving it. Now, in the eyes of all the town, Jonah would be seen as welcome in Jericho by Mayor Johnston Green. When they told the terms and conditions of their agreement to the people at Bailey's, the message would spread through town as quick as breath.
There was nothing left but to go to Bailey's. To do otherwise would put the whole question in doubt now. And this was something Jake just had to see…Johnston James Green, Mayor of Jericho, retired Army Ranger, father of the town's golden boy and the town screw-up, drinking with Jonah Prowse, the dark horse of Jericho, and the most feared local in seventy years. Johnston sighed.
"Let me get my coat. We may as well just walk." His actions suited his words, and Jake, still wearing his coat, fell in with his father. Jonah and Aylah walked out ahead of them, since they were closer to the door and still wearing their coats.
"Devious brat," Jonah muttered as he steered her to the door, his hand resting lightly on the small of her back.
"Only yourself to blame, Big J," she murmured sweetly, looking up at him and fluttering her eyelashes. "You taught me well."
Jake and Johnston both wondered what this little slip of a thing had said to make Jonah chuckle and shake his head. Whatever it was, they could both see Aylah Wilson as a prominent part of this agreement, but in what capacity?
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On a Dark Horse