Post by conansf on Mar 9, 2012 15:07:01 GMT -8
The year is 1943. Yes, it is a Descendant fic but our boys do turn up. How? You'll just have to read on...
The Night of the Sparkling Terror
The silence in the saloon was so thick you could cut it with a knife. In fact the very knife that Black Maguire was holding to the throat of Deputy Jensen Case. The young man’s strong, regular features were strained as his eyes showed he was thinking of a way to escape the trap.
“What’ll it be, missy?” Black Maguire growled to the young, dark-haired chanteuse who had backed up against the piano in fright. “Do yah want to tell me where the gold is hid or does yur young fella get an extra grin?”
“Don’t tell him, Melodia! That gold must pay for the new schoolhouse, not fall into outlaw hands!”
Hidden from the villain’s sight Melodia’s fingers found the piano keys, swiftly she played a cadence of four notes.
Black Maguire jerked in surprise “I’m warning you, missy!” he began but just then a magnificent black horse came crashing through the swing doors of the saloon! Black Maguire shouted in fear as Jensen took advantage of his distraction to pivot away and out from under the knife. Felling Black Maguire with a clean right cross, he moved to catch up Melodia into a crushing embrace!
“CUT!” Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen; that’s all for today. Check your call sheets in the morning. Misty, we’ll do your close-ups along with Harvey’s first thing.”
“OK boss!” Harvey Koehler known in Hollywood as Harve Cale aka Deputy Jensen Case, fearless leader of his beleaguered town in every Saturday serial in five states, grinned at his co-star, Artemis Arden; worshipped as Melodia the Chantreuse love interest of the hero, by her adoring fans, Misty Gordon to friends and family.
“We’re heading to the beach. Party at my place?”
“Later for sure. Tell Mandy we’ll be there.”
The assistant director surged up to Misty as she stood letting the wardrobe mistress relieve her of her jewelry and scarves, prior to heading to her dressing room.
“I did enjoy your performance, my dear. Did you know I have a little cabin where I invite only the very best talent to practice the true refinement of their art? Many young artists have found it a profound experience.”
He became aware that the horse wrangler was standing to one side. Looking up he met a pair of icy blue eyes that were quite unsettling in the intensity of their gaze.
“But perhaps we can discuss this another day. In fact, I think your performance is flawless as it is!” he added hastily. He dropped her hand and hurried away.
“Oh, Jai.” Misty rolled her eyes and sighed “I am quite capable of not falling for that old flirt’s line.”
“I should hope so. You promised to marry me.”
“I was four!”
“I was six, what’s your point?”
“We were a bit too young to know our own minds, do you think?”
“I knew my own mind,” his gaze held hers “Still do.”
Misty looked away first “Live for the moment, remember? That’s our deal.”
“I’ll pick you up in an hour.” Jai whistled to the horse which had been standing quietly as stage hands had set up around him. He headed for the on-set corral.
More than one person noticed the striking couples’ entrance to Harvey’s beach house later that day. Jai’s brilliant blue shirt was open at the throat showing a carelessly knotted silk cravat His jet black hair was brushed back but not pomaded. Misty’s own long curling black locks were plaited over one shoulder, her wrap blouse striped in orange and white tied at the waist over silky pants.
Thaddeus Bart, or so he now styled himself after attaining the post of assistant director, made a moue of disgust. “How could she date that stablehand?” he sniffed.
The photographer he had been talking to spluttered into his cocktail. “Do you know who that “stablehand” is?”
“I’m sure I don’t care.”
“Well you should. That’s Jai West. Of West’s Horses. Of the enormous horse breeding and training outfit in Mexico. His uncles handle all the horses for three movie studios, several circuses and I don’t know how many other places. That “stablehand” could buy and sell us both. Their families are neighbors, they grew up together.”
“Bah! A brat then, coasting in the family business...”
The photographer gave up “I don’t know what your problem is but that family didn’t raise any slackers.”
Mandy met them with cocktails as they stepped onto the terrace. He waved a be-ringed hand, taking in the sea backdrop and the revelers already gathering around the groaning tables set out on the sand.
“Eat, drink and be merry, my favorite people.”
“Manderville, you old fraud, you say that to all your guests” laughed Misty.
“But to you my lovelies, I mean it. Even though you will turn my hair white, quite white!” He leaned in conspiratorially, if tipsily to Jai. “I kept your name out of the papers after that little fight at the new bar, the one they had to rebuild after the last little fight? Yes, darlings. Mandy does it all and never complains but,” he shook a finger vaguely at Jai, “you should not take Misty to those places, yes?
“She took me!” pleaded Jai “Besides, we have you to look after our good names.”
“I’m mad darlings, quite mad. I should quit as your… your fixer, I should, but I cannot. Ask me why, go on ask me!”
“Why Mandy?” They chorused together
“Because, my darlings, you appreciate my creations. Have another of Uncle Mandy’s cocktails. Quickly, before I forget how much I love you!”
Chuckling they left Mandy to gush over the next arrivals and wandered down onto the beach, where they were soon included in a group who had found a guitar.
Jai took charge of the instrument and soon had the other guests clapping along with his spirited Spanish renditions. In a while he handed the instrument off to another willing hand and joined Misty at the food tables.
“Is it true all West’s were born in barroom brawls?” Thaddeus had imbibed quite freely of Harvey and Mandeville’s libations and was none too steady on his feet.
Jai smiled calmly and the rest of the crowd shuffled to put a little distance between them. “I can’t speak for all my family, but that was my start in life.” Jai shifted a little, Thaddeus flinched “Anything else you would like to ask?”
Thaddeus noticed that Misty hadn’t moved but was watching him the way a cat watches a toy she thinks might be entertaining. Suddenly he found the combination of drinks and sea air nauseating. “Excuse me.” he muttered and bolted into the house.
Jai exchanged a glance with Misty and matched her shrug. Neither noticed a couple of men who seemed very interested in the short byplay.
Later that evening the crowd singing around the bonfire was beginning to thin when Mandy plumped himself down beside the couple.
“Darlings, I have a little Mandy-sized favor to ask.”
Jai opened one eye “Little?”
Misty thumped him on the shoulder she had been leaning on “Don’t be rude. What do you need, Mandy?”
“Would you come and meet some people I know, who really need to talk to you about some business,” with emphasis “Old family business.”
Misty rose and dusted herself off “Now you’ve got us curious.”
Following Mandy into the front room of the beach house, Jai and Misty studied the two men waiting for them. Both were nondescript, they looked as if their casual clothes were costumes, as if they would be happier in suits.
“Miss Gordon, Mr West, I am Reeder and my partner is Watt. We work for the United States Secret Service!” Reeder paused dramatically but getting no reaction coughed and went on.
“Now, I trust you are familiar with your family’s history of service to this nation? That you are familiar with the need for utmost secrecy in this time of…”
“Oh, please,” Misty sighed “Our grandfathers were partners in the Secret Service; famous ones and my grandmother was assistant to their boss. My father never talks about his service record but the Battle of Ambros Nogales happened on our doorstep. If he was regular cavalry then I’m Alfred Hitchcock. I think we have the right pedigree.”
“Never the less...”
“My grandfather’s memoirs were required reading in our household.”
“Mine too. Other children grew up with Zorro and The Shadow, we had the real thing.”
“So if you think we don’t “get” “the service,” don’t worry.”
The agent was floundering under the banter and Mandy jumped in as much to stop the baiting double act, as to smooth things over.
“Please, darlings, for Mandy.”
“The United States Secret Service needs you to investigate what could be a weapon being developed under the guise of a circus act, right here in the heart of the US. A fifth column strike on the soil of the continental USA would be more devastating than last December’s events in Pearl Harbor. What we know is that a group calling themselves The Light Fantastic is traveling around, randomly joining circuses, developing a son et lumière show which utilizes electricity, naturally but has been causing some problems in that it electrifies the ground around it and there have been reports that it could be lethal when combined with humidity.”
“Can’t you just shut it down, if it’s that dangerous?”
“They haven’t done anything wrong yet, or nothing that can be pointed out as deliberate. But we have some concerns as the people running it are “persons of interest” you might say.”
“Unlikely, as we don’t know what that means.”
“Disaffected citizens and the leader is an Albanian scientist we lost track of after the Great War, who has been living south of the border.” Reeder looked significantly at the pair.
“Ahh,” murmured Misty
“Not that that is a cause for concern itself,” put in Watt hastily.
‘The …State Department is very sensitive to any potential weapons systems that might be out there, especially as if we move in officially they could move back to their base in Mexico and the US may be faced with a weapon on its border, in the hands of un-allied nationals during this time of war. We thought your dual citizenship might be useful. Your family has a history of service, I do know about your previous contributions from you and your brothers and sisters, spread over both countries”
Misty looked thoughtful. “Interesting, I thought those files were sealed as we were underage?”
Reeder shrugged, “War changes everything…I would advise you to not fully inform your family about this….”
“That won’t be a problem, contacting everyone is a mission in itself. Bettina is still painting in New York…”
“Cary has joined her there.” put in Jai.
“Yes, but he has joined the surrealists, I don’t think they will get on at all… Eugene is almost done studying medicine at Harvard. Alejandro, James and Dorothea are with one of the Big Tops; Uly and Grant are on tour, Zane and Esmeralda have just started school, Millicent and Jane are expecting again, Richmond and Phillip are in Hawaii and where did you say the twins were, Jai?”
Jai hesitated then smiled “I’d have to ask one of the Grandmothers.”
“He had five”, Misty cheerfully interjected, enjoying the confusion on the agents faces, “But we share one of the three left, so she will know.”
“So you two are related?”
“No, Misty’s father married Esmeralda Flores; she was the daughter of the original owner of the hacienda, the one whose death caused the place to be sold to Grandpapa West.”
Reeder shook his head slightly, dragging his scattered thoughts back on track. “Will you investigate this for us? We don’t have much more information but we’ll answer any question.”
“One. Why us?”
Reeder moved closer to the pair, “We need this looked into. We can’t spare anyone and besides we need people who have the ability to blend into the lifestyle and assess the threat. You seem to have remarkable skills for ones so young. I understand you have both worked in the circus?”
“We spent some summers traveling with a couple of Big Tops. As well as my family’s business, a branch of the family do a horse riding act.”
“Which you do too.”
Jai laughed, “No, though I could, with practice. It isn’t as easy as that to join a circus, most of these acts take years to perfect. You can’t just come in and expect to be part of an act with highly precise timing and skills. It would be quite dangerous. No, Misty and I spent our summers as a children’s tumbling act, with some little magic effects, courtesy of another uncle.”
“We do have careers that are difficult to put on hold…”
Reeder waved his hand “That will be taken care of.”
“Then we cannot in good conscience refuse,” stated Jai.
Mandy let out a breath he had been holding.
“What information we have will be sent to you. The Service thanks you in anticipation.” Nodding to Mandy the two agents took their leave.
“Thank you” murmured Mandy. “You don’t know how much...”
Misty forestalled him with an upraised finger “It’s a pleasure”. Besides we do hold dual citizenship, which was useful back when Pancho Villa was trying to break the hold of the habaneras.”
“I’ve never asked; how did your family ranchos survive?”
“Ours was less than 200 acres.”
“And at ours;” Jai smiled “When the officials turned up; every single soul on the ranch claimed West as their surname; all “owned” the Rancho and what business was it of the authorities, pray? It also didn’t hurt that we had enough numbers for a small militia if they had started anything. Discretion turned out to be the better part of valor and they left us alone.”
“It’s our duty. And it will keep Jai from doing something stupid a little longer…”
There was a short silence.
“I...” began Jai
“I saw the papers, Jai.”
“Ah, the ones locked in my desk? You know what they say about curiosity?”
“Yes, it’s my family curse. I’m going to assume you were going to tell me, before you actually were shipped to the front?”
“We can continue this discussion in the car. Mandy, thanks for….”
Jai turned and they both noticed that Mandy had slipped out. “Wimp.” Jai muttered, not unkindly and escorted Misty out.
Misty and Jai both received word that their Saturday morning serial was suspended due to a writer’s dispute on the following Monday morning. That there were discrepancies in pay between the writers working at the Republic Pictures in Tucson and the writers working at Republic Pictures in Los Angeles they already knew. What had caused it to boil over and halt work in the studios, they suspected had more to do with the Secret Service manipulating behind the scenes. It gave them an added sense of urgency.
The tent had seen better days but was clean and the animals practicing in the ring seemed calm.
Jai and Misty stood talking with the Ringmaster Petersen. A tall man, he slapped his leg with a riding crop as he interviewed the hopefuls.
“We get a lot of tumbling acts, what makes you so different?”
Jai produced a gold cigarette lighter from thin air tossing it to Misty who used it to light his cigarette; Jai then took the burning cigarette and stuffed it into his closed left fist. With a wink at Misty he spread his hands wide. The cigarette was no where to be seen!
“Magic tricks too? Could work. But living on the road is a hard life.”
“We are experienced.” Jai stated “We have done this before.”
“Hmmmm, you’ll need to stay in town. Henri is our fixer but I don’t know if there is much accommodation in town ….what do you say Henri?”
Henri nodded “Jus lemme git muh skinned mush, an’ light a rag…”
Misty handed him his cane with a brilliant smile “Here it is, would you like me to drive you?”
Jai smirked, “We are the real deal gentlemen, we grew up speaking carni cant as much as Spanish and English.”
Petersen nodded “Ok. Can’t be too careful these days.”
Jai and Misty spent the rest of the day wandering around getting to know the rest of the performers and crew. They were interested to learn that the son et lumiere folk were set up in a barn just outside of town, near the fields where the circus equipment trucks stood.
Later the next morning Misty limbered up while Jai asked the gymnasts for a turn on the parallel bars. More than one female stopped to watch him as he twisted this way and that on the bars above them, a faint sheen of sweat glimmering on his shirtless torso. He balanced a minute just using his stomach muscles, hands barely grasping the bar for steadiness, when he saw Misty engage a young girl in conversation. Dropping to the ground he caught the towel Misty threw him.
“Jai, let me introduce Cecie, she is with the son et lumiere.”
“Encantado.” he flirted
Cecie blinked “Oh you speak, um….Spanish?”
“Yes, I just said I was pleased to meet you.”
“Gee, thanks,” she looked nervously around “I m-must be going soon, my grandfather will miss me.”
“I’m right here, child.” With a wince an elderly man in a wheelchair pulled up beside them. “How do you do? My name is Mystrom. I developed The Light Fantastic.”
“Oh,” breathed Misty “I have always been fascinated by those, could I see?”
“Granddaddy never lets anyone see the machine,” prattled Cecie “But it may spark tonight, we’re having a test.”
Mystrom coughed “Cecie, child, run and get your old granddaddy his glasses.”
Cecie skipped off with a smile at Misty and Jai.
Mystrom uncovered his glasses from where they rested under his hand on his lap. “Cecie is a little…naïve. Don’t take her seriously.”
Misty made a sympathetic moue “I understand. Jai and I will look out for her.”
“Intelligent as well as beautiful, this is an impressive young lady, Mr West. Your family must be very pleased.”
“My grandfather had a reputation of setting the bar very high in that regard.”
Mystrom looked like he didn’t know if he was being mocked. He shrugged “In any case, you will be seeing little more of us; we are due to leave in two days. Good afternoon.”
Misty watched him wheel away. “Hmm, why do I get the feeling we have been warned off, threatened and lied too?”
“Because you are “intelligent as well as beautiful”.
“Thank you, kind sir. But you got one thing wrong.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, according to My grandfathers journals, Your grandfather’s “bar” was more of a “bar-none.”
“And yet Your grandfather always admitted Granpapa West had taste.”
“One of life’s mysteries.”
While they had been bantering they had walked casually back along the route to the exit; maneuvering so they were out of sight of Mystrom, who had been joined by two henchmen. They watched from a stand of trees as the three men and Cecie, went into the barn. They shared a glance.
“Tonight?”
“Tonight.”
Jai crept up to the barn door, slipping inside when the men working on the machine turned their backs.
The slab–sided heavy metal monstrosity hulked in the middle of the room, the cold smell of oil made his stomach roil. His sinuses itched. Rubbing his nose hard he ran his eyes over the machine looking for a switch. The only one he could see was well out of reach; a standard ‘Y’ shape, currently resting upwards in the ‘off ‘position.
Suddenly he sneezed. The workmen spun round and charged. Jai barreled into the first goon who tried to grab him, knocking the brute flying. The other one got in a swipe to his jaw that Jai desperately tried to roll with.
“Jai!” Misty sang out, running past him with a long pole Jai realized she must have stolen from the pole vaulter’s truck. “Why,” she panted, as she dealt ruthlessly with the second goon “didn’t you tell me your hay fever was acting up again?”
“It’s no secret,” yelled Jai ducking as his first assailant tried for a bearhug. “Your grandfather never let it stop him!”
“That’s a secret!”
Suddenly a small body flew into Misty knocking her backwards into a pile of parts where she lay still.
“Whoops! Save me!” Cecie jumped into Jai’s arms. Jai caught her awkwardly, then smelt sweet sickly chloroform. Her high-pitched laugh was the last thing he heard before passing out.
“Come now Mr West, I know you have regained consciousness.”
Jai jerked against the ropes tying him to the wooden chair.
Mystrom smiled, his accent becoming more pronounced as he strutted in front of the bound man.
“Your presence will hardly interfere with the experiment tonight. I suppose your tiresome government has dispatched you? I was told to be on guard for a West.” He hissed the name “It is not the first time your family and mine have been at odds.”
Jai cast his mind back “Oh yes, Albania, I read about that. Where is my girlfriend?”
“Still unconscious, I’m afraid my darling Cecie hit her rather too hard.” Mystrom gestured to where Cecie hovered over Misty’s limp form, giggling quietly to herself.
“Cecie my love, it is time for you to drive the truck out of town. We will meet you at the arranged time,” Mystrom smirked “She will establish my alibi. As she has before.” Cecie waved and skipped out the door.
The machine which Jai realized had been quietly humming in the background increased its pitch.
“Ahh, yes.” Mystrom rubbed his hands, looking up to study the sky. “See how the rainclouds gather, Mr West? My machine excites the atmosphere. When it starts to rain the water droplets will become charged, everything the rain soaks will be electrified. Earth, vehicles, equipment…people. The machine is left to increase its power and in 10 minutes from when the rain starts to fall…” he spread his hands, “Swift oblivion, Mr West. A deadly weapon yet able to be targeted to a mile diameter. Genius, if I say so myself.”
“What have these people ever done to you?”
“They are merely subjects for my experiment! When I wipe this circus and town off the map governments will seek me out, offer me any price! I have changed the face of modern warfare, Mr West. The future lies not in messy and wasteful indiscriminant, inaccurate bombing and shooting but targeting exactly where you want death to strike. Surgically striking terror into the heart of the enemy encampment!”
The machine hummed under a criss-cross of beams open to the night sky. Light flashed on the beams as the machine spat streamers of energy into the air. They played like ball lightening up and down the long chains which hung from the beams, suggesting the building’s former use. Jai glanced upward, gauging how much time before the rainclouds released their deadly burden.
“Don’t bother. Even if you could pull off one of your grandfather’s daring escapes it would do no good, the failsafe is on top of the machine, safely out of reach. To merely turn the machine off with the switch here would cause it to overload and the same result would ensue. But to be sure I have placed my off switch also out of reach. This ladder?” he indicated a metal ladder which had been bolted to the machine and was now lying beside it. “Behold.” He flipped switch and turned a dial. A fat spark lanced out from the machine and struck the ladder, it glowed white for an instant. Jai blinked tears from dazzled eyes. The ladder was now slag! “No way to reach it now, Mr West! You are in a unique position to be the first victim of my directed blast field. Donner! Blitzen! Like my little nomenclature joke, Mr West? My two men will keep you entertained while I make the final adjustments.”
“I suppose Cecie is Vixen?”
“Amusing Mr West, you are very amusing.”
“Laugh this off.” snarled Misty and catching a long sparking chain with the pole jumper’s bamboo, swung it at Mystrom’s chair! He reared back in shock and Jai sprang to his feet, untied ropes falling behind him! He slammed a fist into Donner, breaking his jaw; pivoted and yanked Blitzen into the path of the chain, now on its back swing. There was a splutter of electricity and Blitzen fell with a scream.
Mystrom howled in outrage; producing a gun from the recesses of his chair he took wavering aim at them both; shooting at Jai as he dived out of the way.
Misty ducked the chain on its back swing and sprinted behind Mystrom, jamming her pole into his wheels, she heaved and sent him sprawling. Jai knocked the gun out of his hand and scooped it up.
“You didn’t play fair, Miss Gordon!” Mystrom sobbed
“So sue me!” Misty snapped
A fat spark ripped its way out of the machine. The crack made them wince and the flare had them blinking bedazzeled eyes; when they could see again Mystrom was dead! “Scorched by his own machine.” Misty fought the urge to vomit.
“What the….” began Jai
“Jai; we’ve got bigger problems, the machine is going to fry everyone in range in 10 minutes if we don’t stop the build up of power! How do we get to the switch?”
Misty and Jai dodged another spark as she spoke.
Three figures stood together looking down on the unfolding drama. One was a tall middle-aged man in old fashioned dress, dark curls above fathomless dark chocolate eyes, the same shade as Misty’s own. He peered fascinated at the young couple below. “She’s definitely a Gordon,” he murmured “and he is the very image of…” he glanced sideways at the other silent figure, who merely nodded.
The third man beside them, looked normal until you looked closely at his eyes, then you knew him for an angel; even though he looked like a handsome, through careworn, young man in a beige overcoat of faintly military cut.
“He said the failsafe was on the top.”
“Jai it doesn’t matter, let’s just stop this thing and get out!”
“It could blow if it gets to full power and we just turn it off!”
Jai climbed the wall, using the wall studs. Ignoring the dangerously sparking cables and chains he swung himself up onto the beams criss-crossing where the roof should have been; working his way along them until he was above the switch on the machine. Flipping upside down he hung by his heels and caught the rope Misty threw to him, looping it around the beam he shinned down. But just as he was about to reach the top of the machine a drop of water fell onto the metal and it spat a shower of sparks!
“Jai!” Misty screamed “It’s raining, it’s alive!”
Jai twisted and went up the rope in record time!
“Mist, get off the ground!”
The machine hummed louder and shot out a trailing blaze of energy, it hit a beam above Jai, weakening the structure of the whole, which began to collapse.
“Jai, look out!”
Above him the two older men reached out their hands concentrating, grasping by will alone. Jai’s blue eyes with their long black lashes flew wide as the beam impossibly failed to fall, instead twisting back upon itself, to catch on the crossbeam. He never saw the eyes so like his, and the dazzling smile that was twin to his own. Jai kicked off from his precarious footing, using the rope to reach the wall and dropped to catch Misty’s hands in his, she kicked up into a handstand, balancing on his upraised palms; kicking the switch firmly upward and the crackling electric arc popped.
Amazingly the machine’s hum ceased.
Jai and Misty exchanged a look of profound relief “It failed. Oh, thank god. Jai, if you ever do that again…”
“Likewise.” panted Jai, pulling her close.
Above them the man with the dazzling smile flashed it at his companion. “Thanks Artie.” He vanished.
“You interfered.” Castiel’s voice was flat, an angel uncomprehending.
“Yes,” the tall man made no apology, smiling warmly down at the couple where they embraced. “They’re a good team. No. More. They’re Partners. They’ll be just fine.” He looked at the angel, “I’ve seen enough. Thank you.”
Castiel tilted his head “Why now? Why choose a time and place and people, so distant from your own time?”
“You wouldn’t understand.”
“Please?”
“My boy, there are some things that make the world go round.” Castiel opened his mouth to speak but his dark haired companion raised a hand to forestall him “Figure of speech. Let’s just say that a J West has an A Gordon by his side. All is well with the world.”
The Night of the Sparkling Terror
The silence in the saloon was so thick you could cut it with a knife. In fact the very knife that Black Maguire was holding to the throat of Deputy Jensen Case. The young man’s strong, regular features were strained as his eyes showed he was thinking of a way to escape the trap.
“What’ll it be, missy?” Black Maguire growled to the young, dark-haired chanteuse who had backed up against the piano in fright. “Do yah want to tell me where the gold is hid or does yur young fella get an extra grin?”
“Don’t tell him, Melodia! That gold must pay for the new schoolhouse, not fall into outlaw hands!”
Hidden from the villain’s sight Melodia’s fingers found the piano keys, swiftly she played a cadence of four notes.
Black Maguire jerked in surprise “I’m warning you, missy!” he began but just then a magnificent black horse came crashing through the swing doors of the saloon! Black Maguire shouted in fear as Jensen took advantage of his distraction to pivot away and out from under the knife. Felling Black Maguire with a clean right cross, he moved to catch up Melodia into a crushing embrace!
“CUT!” Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen; that’s all for today. Check your call sheets in the morning. Misty, we’ll do your close-ups along with Harvey’s first thing.”
“OK boss!” Harvey Koehler known in Hollywood as Harve Cale aka Deputy Jensen Case, fearless leader of his beleaguered town in every Saturday serial in five states, grinned at his co-star, Artemis Arden; worshipped as Melodia the Chantreuse love interest of the hero, by her adoring fans, Misty Gordon to friends and family.
“We’re heading to the beach. Party at my place?”
“Later for sure. Tell Mandy we’ll be there.”
The assistant director surged up to Misty as she stood letting the wardrobe mistress relieve her of her jewelry and scarves, prior to heading to her dressing room.
“I did enjoy your performance, my dear. Did you know I have a little cabin where I invite only the very best talent to practice the true refinement of their art? Many young artists have found it a profound experience.”
He became aware that the horse wrangler was standing to one side. Looking up he met a pair of icy blue eyes that were quite unsettling in the intensity of their gaze.
“But perhaps we can discuss this another day. In fact, I think your performance is flawless as it is!” he added hastily. He dropped her hand and hurried away.
“Oh, Jai.” Misty rolled her eyes and sighed “I am quite capable of not falling for that old flirt’s line.”
“I should hope so. You promised to marry me.”
“I was four!”
“I was six, what’s your point?”
“We were a bit too young to know our own minds, do you think?”
“I knew my own mind,” his gaze held hers “Still do.”
Misty looked away first “Live for the moment, remember? That’s our deal.”
“I’ll pick you up in an hour.” Jai whistled to the horse which had been standing quietly as stage hands had set up around him. He headed for the on-set corral.
More than one person noticed the striking couples’ entrance to Harvey’s beach house later that day. Jai’s brilliant blue shirt was open at the throat showing a carelessly knotted silk cravat His jet black hair was brushed back but not pomaded. Misty’s own long curling black locks were plaited over one shoulder, her wrap blouse striped in orange and white tied at the waist over silky pants.
Thaddeus Bart, or so he now styled himself after attaining the post of assistant director, made a moue of disgust. “How could she date that stablehand?” he sniffed.
The photographer he had been talking to spluttered into his cocktail. “Do you know who that “stablehand” is?”
“I’m sure I don’t care.”
“Well you should. That’s Jai West. Of West’s Horses. Of the enormous horse breeding and training outfit in Mexico. His uncles handle all the horses for three movie studios, several circuses and I don’t know how many other places. That “stablehand” could buy and sell us both. Their families are neighbors, they grew up together.”
“Bah! A brat then, coasting in the family business...”
The photographer gave up “I don’t know what your problem is but that family didn’t raise any slackers.”
Mandy met them with cocktails as they stepped onto the terrace. He waved a be-ringed hand, taking in the sea backdrop and the revelers already gathering around the groaning tables set out on the sand.
“Eat, drink and be merry, my favorite people.”
“Manderville, you old fraud, you say that to all your guests” laughed Misty.
“But to you my lovelies, I mean it. Even though you will turn my hair white, quite white!” He leaned in conspiratorially, if tipsily to Jai. “I kept your name out of the papers after that little fight at the new bar, the one they had to rebuild after the last little fight? Yes, darlings. Mandy does it all and never complains but,” he shook a finger vaguely at Jai, “you should not take Misty to those places, yes?
“She took me!” pleaded Jai “Besides, we have you to look after our good names.”
“I’m mad darlings, quite mad. I should quit as your… your fixer, I should, but I cannot. Ask me why, go on ask me!”
“Why Mandy?” They chorused together
“Because, my darlings, you appreciate my creations. Have another of Uncle Mandy’s cocktails. Quickly, before I forget how much I love you!”
Chuckling they left Mandy to gush over the next arrivals and wandered down onto the beach, where they were soon included in a group who had found a guitar.
Jai took charge of the instrument and soon had the other guests clapping along with his spirited Spanish renditions. In a while he handed the instrument off to another willing hand and joined Misty at the food tables.
“Is it true all West’s were born in barroom brawls?” Thaddeus had imbibed quite freely of Harvey and Mandeville’s libations and was none too steady on his feet.
Jai smiled calmly and the rest of the crowd shuffled to put a little distance between them. “I can’t speak for all my family, but that was my start in life.” Jai shifted a little, Thaddeus flinched “Anything else you would like to ask?”
Thaddeus noticed that Misty hadn’t moved but was watching him the way a cat watches a toy she thinks might be entertaining. Suddenly he found the combination of drinks and sea air nauseating. “Excuse me.” he muttered and bolted into the house.
Jai exchanged a glance with Misty and matched her shrug. Neither noticed a couple of men who seemed very interested in the short byplay.
Later that evening the crowd singing around the bonfire was beginning to thin when Mandy plumped himself down beside the couple.
“Darlings, I have a little Mandy-sized favor to ask.”
Jai opened one eye “Little?”
Misty thumped him on the shoulder she had been leaning on “Don’t be rude. What do you need, Mandy?”
“Would you come and meet some people I know, who really need to talk to you about some business,” with emphasis “Old family business.”
Misty rose and dusted herself off “Now you’ve got us curious.”
Following Mandy into the front room of the beach house, Jai and Misty studied the two men waiting for them. Both were nondescript, they looked as if their casual clothes were costumes, as if they would be happier in suits.
“Miss Gordon, Mr West, I am Reeder and my partner is Watt. We work for the United States Secret Service!” Reeder paused dramatically but getting no reaction coughed and went on.
“Now, I trust you are familiar with your family’s history of service to this nation? That you are familiar with the need for utmost secrecy in this time of…”
“Oh, please,” Misty sighed “Our grandfathers were partners in the Secret Service; famous ones and my grandmother was assistant to their boss. My father never talks about his service record but the Battle of Ambros Nogales happened on our doorstep. If he was regular cavalry then I’m Alfred Hitchcock. I think we have the right pedigree.”
“Never the less...”
“My grandfather’s memoirs were required reading in our household.”
“Mine too. Other children grew up with Zorro and The Shadow, we had the real thing.”
“So if you think we don’t “get” “the service,” don’t worry.”
The agent was floundering under the banter and Mandy jumped in as much to stop the baiting double act, as to smooth things over.
“Please, darlings, for Mandy.”
“The United States Secret Service needs you to investigate what could be a weapon being developed under the guise of a circus act, right here in the heart of the US. A fifth column strike on the soil of the continental USA would be more devastating than last December’s events in Pearl Harbor. What we know is that a group calling themselves The Light Fantastic is traveling around, randomly joining circuses, developing a son et lumière show which utilizes electricity, naturally but has been causing some problems in that it electrifies the ground around it and there have been reports that it could be lethal when combined with humidity.”
“Can’t you just shut it down, if it’s that dangerous?”
“They haven’t done anything wrong yet, or nothing that can be pointed out as deliberate. But we have some concerns as the people running it are “persons of interest” you might say.”
“Unlikely, as we don’t know what that means.”
“Disaffected citizens and the leader is an Albanian scientist we lost track of after the Great War, who has been living south of the border.” Reeder looked significantly at the pair.
“Ahh,” murmured Misty
“Not that that is a cause for concern itself,” put in Watt hastily.
‘The …State Department is very sensitive to any potential weapons systems that might be out there, especially as if we move in officially they could move back to their base in Mexico and the US may be faced with a weapon on its border, in the hands of un-allied nationals during this time of war. We thought your dual citizenship might be useful. Your family has a history of service, I do know about your previous contributions from you and your brothers and sisters, spread over both countries”
Misty looked thoughtful. “Interesting, I thought those files were sealed as we were underage?”
Reeder shrugged, “War changes everything…I would advise you to not fully inform your family about this….”
“That won’t be a problem, contacting everyone is a mission in itself. Bettina is still painting in New York…”
“Cary has joined her there.” put in Jai.
“Yes, but he has joined the surrealists, I don’t think they will get on at all… Eugene is almost done studying medicine at Harvard. Alejandro, James and Dorothea are with one of the Big Tops; Uly and Grant are on tour, Zane and Esmeralda have just started school, Millicent and Jane are expecting again, Richmond and Phillip are in Hawaii and where did you say the twins were, Jai?”
Jai hesitated then smiled “I’d have to ask one of the Grandmothers.”
“He had five”, Misty cheerfully interjected, enjoying the confusion on the agents faces, “But we share one of the three left, so she will know.”
“So you two are related?”
“No, Misty’s father married Esmeralda Flores; she was the daughter of the original owner of the hacienda, the one whose death caused the place to be sold to Grandpapa West.”
Reeder shook his head slightly, dragging his scattered thoughts back on track. “Will you investigate this for us? We don’t have much more information but we’ll answer any question.”
“One. Why us?”
Reeder moved closer to the pair, “We need this looked into. We can’t spare anyone and besides we need people who have the ability to blend into the lifestyle and assess the threat. You seem to have remarkable skills for ones so young. I understand you have both worked in the circus?”
“We spent some summers traveling with a couple of Big Tops. As well as my family’s business, a branch of the family do a horse riding act.”
“Which you do too.”
Jai laughed, “No, though I could, with practice. It isn’t as easy as that to join a circus, most of these acts take years to perfect. You can’t just come in and expect to be part of an act with highly precise timing and skills. It would be quite dangerous. No, Misty and I spent our summers as a children’s tumbling act, with some little magic effects, courtesy of another uncle.”
“We do have careers that are difficult to put on hold…”
Reeder waved his hand “That will be taken care of.”
“Then we cannot in good conscience refuse,” stated Jai.
Mandy let out a breath he had been holding.
“What information we have will be sent to you. The Service thanks you in anticipation.” Nodding to Mandy the two agents took their leave.
“Thank you” murmured Mandy. “You don’t know how much...”
Misty forestalled him with an upraised finger “It’s a pleasure”. Besides we do hold dual citizenship, which was useful back when Pancho Villa was trying to break the hold of the habaneras.”
“I’ve never asked; how did your family ranchos survive?”
“Ours was less than 200 acres.”
“And at ours;” Jai smiled “When the officials turned up; every single soul on the ranch claimed West as their surname; all “owned” the Rancho and what business was it of the authorities, pray? It also didn’t hurt that we had enough numbers for a small militia if they had started anything. Discretion turned out to be the better part of valor and they left us alone.”
“It’s our duty. And it will keep Jai from doing something stupid a little longer…”
There was a short silence.
“I...” began Jai
“I saw the papers, Jai.”
“Ah, the ones locked in my desk? You know what they say about curiosity?”
“Yes, it’s my family curse. I’m going to assume you were going to tell me, before you actually were shipped to the front?”
“We can continue this discussion in the car. Mandy, thanks for….”
Jai turned and they both noticed that Mandy had slipped out. “Wimp.” Jai muttered, not unkindly and escorted Misty out.
Misty and Jai both received word that their Saturday morning serial was suspended due to a writer’s dispute on the following Monday morning. That there were discrepancies in pay between the writers working at the Republic Pictures in Tucson and the writers working at Republic Pictures in Los Angeles they already knew. What had caused it to boil over and halt work in the studios, they suspected had more to do with the Secret Service manipulating behind the scenes. It gave them an added sense of urgency.
The tent had seen better days but was clean and the animals practicing in the ring seemed calm.
Jai and Misty stood talking with the Ringmaster Petersen. A tall man, he slapped his leg with a riding crop as he interviewed the hopefuls.
“We get a lot of tumbling acts, what makes you so different?”
Jai produced a gold cigarette lighter from thin air tossing it to Misty who used it to light his cigarette; Jai then took the burning cigarette and stuffed it into his closed left fist. With a wink at Misty he spread his hands wide. The cigarette was no where to be seen!
“Magic tricks too? Could work. But living on the road is a hard life.”
“We are experienced.” Jai stated “We have done this before.”
“Hmmmm, you’ll need to stay in town. Henri is our fixer but I don’t know if there is much accommodation in town ….what do you say Henri?”
Henri nodded “Jus lemme git muh skinned mush, an’ light a rag…”
Misty handed him his cane with a brilliant smile “Here it is, would you like me to drive you?”
Jai smirked, “We are the real deal gentlemen, we grew up speaking carni cant as much as Spanish and English.”
Petersen nodded “Ok. Can’t be too careful these days.”
Jai and Misty spent the rest of the day wandering around getting to know the rest of the performers and crew. They were interested to learn that the son et lumiere folk were set up in a barn just outside of town, near the fields where the circus equipment trucks stood.
Later the next morning Misty limbered up while Jai asked the gymnasts for a turn on the parallel bars. More than one female stopped to watch him as he twisted this way and that on the bars above them, a faint sheen of sweat glimmering on his shirtless torso. He balanced a minute just using his stomach muscles, hands barely grasping the bar for steadiness, when he saw Misty engage a young girl in conversation. Dropping to the ground he caught the towel Misty threw him.
“Jai, let me introduce Cecie, she is with the son et lumiere.”
“Encantado.” he flirted
Cecie blinked “Oh you speak, um….Spanish?”
“Yes, I just said I was pleased to meet you.”
“Gee, thanks,” she looked nervously around “I m-must be going soon, my grandfather will miss me.”
“I’m right here, child.” With a wince an elderly man in a wheelchair pulled up beside them. “How do you do? My name is Mystrom. I developed The Light Fantastic.”
“Oh,” breathed Misty “I have always been fascinated by those, could I see?”
“Granddaddy never lets anyone see the machine,” prattled Cecie “But it may spark tonight, we’re having a test.”
Mystrom coughed “Cecie, child, run and get your old granddaddy his glasses.”
Cecie skipped off with a smile at Misty and Jai.
Mystrom uncovered his glasses from where they rested under his hand on his lap. “Cecie is a little…naïve. Don’t take her seriously.”
Misty made a sympathetic moue “I understand. Jai and I will look out for her.”
“Intelligent as well as beautiful, this is an impressive young lady, Mr West. Your family must be very pleased.”
“My grandfather had a reputation of setting the bar very high in that regard.”
Mystrom looked like he didn’t know if he was being mocked. He shrugged “In any case, you will be seeing little more of us; we are due to leave in two days. Good afternoon.”
Misty watched him wheel away. “Hmm, why do I get the feeling we have been warned off, threatened and lied too?”
“Because you are “intelligent as well as beautiful”.
“Thank you, kind sir. But you got one thing wrong.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, according to My grandfathers journals, Your grandfather’s “bar” was more of a “bar-none.”
“And yet Your grandfather always admitted Granpapa West had taste.”
“One of life’s mysteries.”
While they had been bantering they had walked casually back along the route to the exit; maneuvering so they were out of sight of Mystrom, who had been joined by two henchmen. They watched from a stand of trees as the three men and Cecie, went into the barn. They shared a glance.
“Tonight?”
“Tonight.”
Jai crept up to the barn door, slipping inside when the men working on the machine turned their backs.
The slab–sided heavy metal monstrosity hulked in the middle of the room, the cold smell of oil made his stomach roil. His sinuses itched. Rubbing his nose hard he ran his eyes over the machine looking for a switch. The only one he could see was well out of reach; a standard ‘Y’ shape, currently resting upwards in the ‘off ‘position.
Suddenly he sneezed. The workmen spun round and charged. Jai barreled into the first goon who tried to grab him, knocking the brute flying. The other one got in a swipe to his jaw that Jai desperately tried to roll with.
“Jai!” Misty sang out, running past him with a long pole Jai realized she must have stolen from the pole vaulter’s truck. “Why,” she panted, as she dealt ruthlessly with the second goon “didn’t you tell me your hay fever was acting up again?”
“It’s no secret,” yelled Jai ducking as his first assailant tried for a bearhug. “Your grandfather never let it stop him!”
“That’s a secret!”
Suddenly a small body flew into Misty knocking her backwards into a pile of parts where she lay still.
“Whoops! Save me!” Cecie jumped into Jai’s arms. Jai caught her awkwardly, then smelt sweet sickly chloroform. Her high-pitched laugh was the last thing he heard before passing out.
“Come now Mr West, I know you have regained consciousness.”
Jai jerked against the ropes tying him to the wooden chair.
Mystrom smiled, his accent becoming more pronounced as he strutted in front of the bound man.
“Your presence will hardly interfere with the experiment tonight. I suppose your tiresome government has dispatched you? I was told to be on guard for a West.” He hissed the name “It is not the first time your family and mine have been at odds.”
Jai cast his mind back “Oh yes, Albania, I read about that. Where is my girlfriend?”
“Still unconscious, I’m afraid my darling Cecie hit her rather too hard.” Mystrom gestured to where Cecie hovered over Misty’s limp form, giggling quietly to herself.
“Cecie my love, it is time for you to drive the truck out of town. We will meet you at the arranged time,” Mystrom smirked “She will establish my alibi. As she has before.” Cecie waved and skipped out the door.
The machine which Jai realized had been quietly humming in the background increased its pitch.
“Ahh, yes.” Mystrom rubbed his hands, looking up to study the sky. “See how the rainclouds gather, Mr West? My machine excites the atmosphere. When it starts to rain the water droplets will become charged, everything the rain soaks will be electrified. Earth, vehicles, equipment…people. The machine is left to increase its power and in 10 minutes from when the rain starts to fall…” he spread his hands, “Swift oblivion, Mr West. A deadly weapon yet able to be targeted to a mile diameter. Genius, if I say so myself.”
“What have these people ever done to you?”
“They are merely subjects for my experiment! When I wipe this circus and town off the map governments will seek me out, offer me any price! I have changed the face of modern warfare, Mr West. The future lies not in messy and wasteful indiscriminant, inaccurate bombing and shooting but targeting exactly where you want death to strike. Surgically striking terror into the heart of the enemy encampment!”
The machine hummed under a criss-cross of beams open to the night sky. Light flashed on the beams as the machine spat streamers of energy into the air. They played like ball lightening up and down the long chains which hung from the beams, suggesting the building’s former use. Jai glanced upward, gauging how much time before the rainclouds released their deadly burden.
“Don’t bother. Even if you could pull off one of your grandfather’s daring escapes it would do no good, the failsafe is on top of the machine, safely out of reach. To merely turn the machine off with the switch here would cause it to overload and the same result would ensue. But to be sure I have placed my off switch also out of reach. This ladder?” he indicated a metal ladder which had been bolted to the machine and was now lying beside it. “Behold.” He flipped switch and turned a dial. A fat spark lanced out from the machine and struck the ladder, it glowed white for an instant. Jai blinked tears from dazzled eyes. The ladder was now slag! “No way to reach it now, Mr West! You are in a unique position to be the first victim of my directed blast field. Donner! Blitzen! Like my little nomenclature joke, Mr West? My two men will keep you entertained while I make the final adjustments.”
“I suppose Cecie is Vixen?”
“Amusing Mr West, you are very amusing.”
“Laugh this off.” snarled Misty and catching a long sparking chain with the pole jumper’s bamboo, swung it at Mystrom’s chair! He reared back in shock and Jai sprang to his feet, untied ropes falling behind him! He slammed a fist into Donner, breaking his jaw; pivoted and yanked Blitzen into the path of the chain, now on its back swing. There was a splutter of electricity and Blitzen fell with a scream.
Mystrom howled in outrage; producing a gun from the recesses of his chair he took wavering aim at them both; shooting at Jai as he dived out of the way.
Misty ducked the chain on its back swing and sprinted behind Mystrom, jamming her pole into his wheels, she heaved and sent him sprawling. Jai knocked the gun out of his hand and scooped it up.
“You didn’t play fair, Miss Gordon!” Mystrom sobbed
“So sue me!” Misty snapped
A fat spark ripped its way out of the machine. The crack made them wince and the flare had them blinking bedazzeled eyes; when they could see again Mystrom was dead! “Scorched by his own machine.” Misty fought the urge to vomit.
“What the….” began Jai
“Jai; we’ve got bigger problems, the machine is going to fry everyone in range in 10 minutes if we don’t stop the build up of power! How do we get to the switch?”
Misty and Jai dodged another spark as she spoke.
Three figures stood together looking down on the unfolding drama. One was a tall middle-aged man in old fashioned dress, dark curls above fathomless dark chocolate eyes, the same shade as Misty’s own. He peered fascinated at the young couple below. “She’s definitely a Gordon,” he murmured “and he is the very image of…” he glanced sideways at the other silent figure, who merely nodded.
The third man beside them, looked normal until you looked closely at his eyes, then you knew him for an angel; even though he looked like a handsome, through careworn, young man in a beige overcoat of faintly military cut.
“He said the failsafe was on the top.”
“Jai it doesn’t matter, let’s just stop this thing and get out!”
“It could blow if it gets to full power and we just turn it off!”
Jai climbed the wall, using the wall studs. Ignoring the dangerously sparking cables and chains he swung himself up onto the beams criss-crossing where the roof should have been; working his way along them until he was above the switch on the machine. Flipping upside down he hung by his heels and caught the rope Misty threw to him, looping it around the beam he shinned down. But just as he was about to reach the top of the machine a drop of water fell onto the metal and it spat a shower of sparks!
“Jai!” Misty screamed “It’s raining, it’s alive!”
Jai twisted and went up the rope in record time!
“Mist, get off the ground!”
The machine hummed louder and shot out a trailing blaze of energy, it hit a beam above Jai, weakening the structure of the whole, which began to collapse.
“Jai, look out!”
Above him the two older men reached out their hands concentrating, grasping by will alone. Jai’s blue eyes with their long black lashes flew wide as the beam impossibly failed to fall, instead twisting back upon itself, to catch on the crossbeam. He never saw the eyes so like his, and the dazzling smile that was twin to his own. Jai kicked off from his precarious footing, using the rope to reach the wall and dropped to catch Misty’s hands in his, she kicked up into a handstand, balancing on his upraised palms; kicking the switch firmly upward and the crackling electric arc popped.
Amazingly the machine’s hum ceased.
Jai and Misty exchanged a look of profound relief “It failed. Oh, thank god. Jai, if you ever do that again…”
“Likewise.” panted Jai, pulling her close.
Above them the man with the dazzling smile flashed it at his companion. “Thanks Artie.” He vanished.
“You interfered.” Castiel’s voice was flat, an angel uncomprehending.
“Yes,” the tall man made no apology, smiling warmly down at the couple where they embraced. “They’re a good team. No. More. They’re Partners. They’ll be just fine.” He looked at the angel, “I’ve seen enough. Thank you.”
Castiel tilted his head “Why now? Why choose a time and place and people, so distant from your own time?”
“You wouldn’t understand.”
“Please?”
“My boy, there are some things that make the world go round.” Castiel opened his mouth to speak but his dark haired companion raised a hand to forestall him “Figure of speech. Let’s just say that a J West has an A Gordon by his side. All is well with the world.”