Remnants

Captain Kevin

Anya came stomping into the inn, now healed and wearing two shoes. Jack and Evan shared a quick glance as Jase entered after her, head down, looking flushed. Clearly his efforts at healing had been successful but something had gone wrong with their interaction.

"Oh, sweetie! You look so much better! Now that all the unpleasantness has been dealt with, you owe me a proper hug!" Liza said, holding Anya by the shoulders before pulling her in for a hug.

Jack looked away from the two reunited friends and turned to Jase who now joined his father and the Cooper brothers.

"Good job with healing her, she looks all better now," Evan said, patting his son on the shoulder.

A forced half smile and a soft, "Thanks, dad," was the only reply.

"Everything okay?" Evan asked, ducking his head to try to meet Jase's eyes.

Jase gave a subtle nod, "Yeah, I'm just tired. From all the magic."

Evan's eyes squinted as they met with Jack's for a moment. "Alright, well I think you'll get a break soon."

"Yeah, once Kevin apologizes to Anya we can head back to our village. It should only be about an hour's ride from here. Even in the dark," Jack said.

Almost on cue, the man who led the group of newly hired town guardsmen, approached Anya as she separated from Liza's long embrace. His men were at his back and all wore the long faces of men who had been caught doing something wrong.

"Excuse me, Journeyman Thompson. My name is Kevin, I guess you could say I'm the leader of our group," he said somberly.

"And?" Anya asked impatiently, arms crossed over her chest.

"Well, I believe that we owe you an apology. Especially me. I was out of line when I said what I said," he rubbed his chin that had only just been healed. "You really proved me wrong. But even if you hadn't, it was wrong of me to say what I said to you. On behalf of myself and my men, I would like to say I'm sorry."

Anya's eyes shot to Jack, confusion furrowing her brow and leaving her mouth hanging slack. Jack shrugged his shoulders at her. The apology had been a requirement for employment, by Jack's suggestion. Kevin, a former Marine from a brief period when the United States had no war to fight, had been quick to admit his wrongs. Each of the men present had lost homes and loved ones in the raids and, as Jack suspected, were acting out of desperation. The mercy and kindness shown by the Journeymen, and from Mateo and Isabella, had been unexpected and transformative for the wayward men.

Jack watched as Anya's eyes scanned across the penitent group that they had just moments before been engaged in an all out brawl with. Her open mouth clamped shut as she looked back to her master. Her disbelief was transforming into visible frustration.

Jack gave her a look he often used when his children were pushing boundaries. He set his jaw and raised his eyebrows in a look that said, "Go ahead. Try it."

Anya must have received the message because she let out a sigh and said, "Fine. Apology accepted."

Jack waved his hand out in front of himself, open palm pointed upward in a motion of inviting her to say something further. He raised one eyebrow and waited, hand still outstretched.

Anya rolled her eyes at her master and nearly groaned, "I'm sorry for sucker punching you."

Kevin nodded cordially, "No apology necessary, but thank you very much Journeyman. I hope that you won't hold this against me too much in any interactions we have in the future."

Jack spoke up before Anya could say anything in response, "Yes, Kevin and his men will be staying on here as town guards. They have been displaced by the goblin raids and they were only acting out of desperation. They also know that we will be watching them. Closely."

Anya opened her mouth, likely ready to launch into another outburst but she held her tongue at the last second. Clinching her jaw tight enough to crack teeth, she only nodded and took Liza by the hand and led her out. Liza's bodyguards moved to follow her but were waved off by the alchemist as the two walked into the dark, Anya stepping in long, angry strides, Liza trying her best to keep up in her dress and high heels.

Jack briefly considered following her. She had seemed off for months but now under real stress for the first time since that morning in the pecan grove, she was crumbling. Evan must have sensed his concerns as he put an arm around his shoulders.

"Talk to her later. She still needs time to cool off," he whispered.

Nodding his head, Jack stepped away and turned to his brothers, the Haldanes, and Liza's bodyguards. "Well, gentlemen, I think we're done here. Let's get loaded up and head to our village," he reached over to pat Henry on the back before continuing, "If we hurry, we might actually get to bed at a reasonable hour."

Henry smiled a broad grin, "That's exactly what I like to hear. Saddle up, boys! It's almost bedtime!"

Henry led the group out, with only Evan and Jack remaining behind in the inn with Mateo, Isabella, and the new guardsmen. Evan looked from the dirty, half starved men to the innkeepers and back again.

"So we have a deal, right?" he asked, one hand rested on the pistol he wore on his hip, the trusty Browning Hi-Power pistol that was almost as much his trademark as his scarred cheek and red beard were.

"Yes sir. Your kindness, and that of our new employers, is more than we deserve. We'll do everything we can to keep people around here safe," Kevin said, answering for the group.

Jack spoke up now, "And you understand what will happen if we find out you are doing anything other than being helpful members of this community?"

"We understand," the new captain of the guard said, the threat not needing to be said aloud.

Mateo and Isabella approached Jack, carrying a wooden crate filled with jars of clear liquid. Mateo handed the crate to Jack.

"Here is some moonshine. You can sell it at your inn. Consider it a thank you gift. Not just for saving us but for coming up with an idea to keep us safe for a long time," Isabella said with a smile.

"Thank you. You know that you don't have to pay us anything at all," Jack replied.

"We know. That's why she said it's a gift. We, and everybody in the village, appreciate you for what you do. We only wish we could do more," Mateo said, offering a handshake to Jack.

Shifting the crate to hold it under one arm, Jack shook the innkeeper's hand. Isabella shook his hand as well. As the two master Journeymen left the inn, reward in tow, Evan nudged his taller colleague.

"If I had known showing up to visit you meant getting a crate of moonshine, I would have come a lot sooner!" Evan said, clapping Jack on the back as he pulled a jar of the clear volatile drink from its wooden home.