Blood-Born

Chapter XIX - Part 3

Poe pulled the rifle from its protective wrappings and laid it flat upon his desk.

It had been delivered by a soldier from the fort just that morning.

The public memorial service for those who had perished in the mine along with Running-Deer had been well attended by what few remained of the town folk, given the exodus that had begun as a trickle only to become a determined flow while his town withered and curled toward an inevitable death.

He sensed Abby's arrival as she leaned back against the door jamb.

"Sweet Maudette," She mused softly. "That's what he called her."

Poe laughed at the thought of an assassin having named his weapon so affectionately but could see the love as he examined the well cared for weapon and appreciated the workmanship of the Germans who had originally designed it.

"I saw her in action, he was good with her." Poe offered softly as he opened a drawer to retrieve bottled oil and a cloth.

"Is good." she corrected. "If it was that easy to kill him, even I would have done so, long ago.

"Sven mentioned he probably survived but would take a long time to get back to his usual stride." he mused.

"Valeria has made sure that all of the families have been well compensated for their losses." She offered. "A plaque will be crafted and placed with their names to remember our loss."

He nodded without a word.

"What are your plans, now that everything is as it is." her reluctance for having asked was clear.

With a gentle tug at the lever, he slid the bolt open and blew into it before he gently rubbed the rag through the chamber.

"Earlier today, Mister Dewitt requested my presence ... at his shop." He offered as he stood to set the rifle in the gun rack where he secured and locked it with a chain. "Although there seems to be fewer and fewer shops left of late, even his may be gone soon as we lose the need of his services directly."

"Poe, Valeria will have a position for you, if you were to choose to stay."

"Yes, she mentioned something of that to me in passing as well." He replied while he looked around the office that once had brought cheer but now seemed as old and worn as he felt.

"As constable or head of company security for whatever remains once the dust settles." He mused. "If I were a betting man, it will end up being nothing more than a glorified night watchman over an empty town when all is said and done."

"Will you take it?" She asked with some discomfort. "When we travel on without you, we'd like to know where to send updates as we go."

"You mean so that you can worry less than if I had moved on to another town on my own and found trouble that you were not there to save me from." He joked at her expense with a delayed smile as he raised his hand to stop any reply.

"I believe that I will actually take whatever the job is once I turn my papers in at the fort and consult with Bonnet."

"There may yet be value in what you see pass through what remains of this town." She replied with clear relief. "And you may have a budget larger than a drawer full of lost change."

"I've been given assurances that Valeria will not object to my continued involvement with the group at the fort. She also claims to be among the few people who will stay on when the dust of those who have left finally settles."

He pushed his chair in and looked at his deputy.

"When do you plan to leave?"

"When we've dealt with a few loose ends ..." She offered, "... then we head west."