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10. A Carriage Awaits

September 15, 2009

“Sh-Sh-Shinra’ere!” shrieked a voice on the other side of the room. Hank turned to see the short, bearded warden hovering halfway through the doorway to Holding as though undecided whether he should enter or flee. Face bright red and eyes round, he pointed a single quivering finger at Jinn. “Out!”

Hank ignored the man, turning back to level a glare at Jinn. “You’ve got a lot of nerve, showing up and expecting favors after the stunt you pulled. We wouldn’t even be in this mess if it weren’t for you!”

Jinn showed neither surprise nor guilt. “The outcome of our previous business is not my responsibility.”

“Incorrect.” Bones said, his eyes glowing a dangerous red. “The calculations for the deal included the assistance of your brother and yourself. Had you remained with us rather than departing unannounced, our plan would have succeeded.”

Jinn’s posture never shifted, arms still crossed over his chest, though his voice tightened with obvious displeasure. “Our deal allowed you the use of my brother’s status to gain access to the sky city. Your assumption of our involvement past that point was neither our intent nor our accountability. We upheld our end of the bargain, regardless of whether or not you are satisfied with your outcome. Your part of the deal is still pending. You still owe a favor. A favor which I am here to collect.”

Hank’s eyes narrowed. “The way I figure it, any favor we owed you flew out the window when we had to dump our payload to escape the goralor guards.”

Jinn’s weight shifted, his arms lowering deliberately to his side. His left hand grazed the handle of his weapon, fingers brushing casually against the bright yellow tassel tied to its hilt. “That is an unfortunate conclusion for you to have reached, Hank McCoy.”

Hank scoffed. “You aren’t going to start a fight in the middle of Holding on human-held soil. Your people would flay you.”

“Normally, that would be true. However, I am no longer Shinra,” said Jinn, voice level.

At that, Hank tensed. Just how much trouble were the Shima brothers in? He’d originally assumed they’d granted him the use of the authorization codes in order to cash in on part of the payload, but now he wondered just what it was they’d wanted on that sky city. If they were on the run from their own people, that was even more reason to get his ship and get out of this roith’delat’en town while he still had the chance. He was not risking his ship and crew for a pair of political outlaws that he already knew couldn’t be counted on.

“Out! Out! All of you!” repeated the warden, face now turning purple. Briefly, Hank entertained the idea of staying even longer and letting Jinn fight off the weight of the human wardens while he and Bones slipped quietly out the front door, but this particular warden was just as likely to stay safely behind the door waggling an impotent finger as he was to actually engage the Shinra’ere in battle.

A smart move, likely, even if it was motivated more by fear than logic. Even Hank didn’t want to face Jinn on even ground. He’d much prefer a pistol, a running start, and a wall between himself and Jinn if it came down to a fight. None of which he had right now.

“Excellent idea,” he said instead, nodding to the warden. “I’m leaving. Furthermore, I am not doing any favors for the Shima brothers, nor am I dealing with you,” he added, giving the almost-forgotten Remora what he hoped was a stern look.

“Don’t be so negative, McCoy,” chided Remora, waving a hand dismissively at him. “I have a carriage outside. It will take us to the Miraj. Jinn, I would appreciate it if you would join us for the trip. Perhaps we can reach a mutually satisfactory arrangement along the way.” She smiled, then stepped over to Bones, placing her hand on his forearm. “Come, Bones. I would be much obliged if you would sit by me.”

Hank watched Bones’ eyegleam face from red to pink, cursing. Bones was not allowed to make friends with wealthy, unhinged socialites. Maybe he should encourage the ticker to pick up a gambling habit instead. It would certainly be far less dangerous.

He wanted to argue, but since his first order of business was to reach the Miraj, it seemed pointless to disagree now. Not that Remora waited for him to disagree. She smiled impishly up at Bones and immediately led them out the door. Jinn waited until he’d passed before walking out himself. A quick glance back showed that the warden had almost completely retreated behind the door, like a tortoise retracting into his shell.

They stepped out of the cold stone prison and into the bright midday sunlight. A few children raced past at high speeds on hoverboards, shrieking with laughter. Traffic chugged past on the cobbled road, a mixture steam-powered carriages and coal-powered delivery vans, dotted by a few horse-drawn carriages from the very wealthy.

Parked neatly against the curb, a black wrought-iron carriage hitched to no fewer than six matched gray horses waited. A short, round man in a gray tophat and waistcoat perched like a chickadee at the front, holding the reins. He bowed, removing his hat and flashing a bald pate. “Welcome, Miss Price, and guests of Miss Price. Shall we be away to the wharves then, Miss?”

“Yes, that will be lovely, Arthur,” called Remora cheerfully.

“Splendid!” the man beamed, replaced his hat, and pulled a lever at his side. A sigh of escaping air whooshed past and the side of the carriage folded outward. The top fell to rest against the curb, a set of carpeted stairs leading into the belly of the carriage itself.

Hank snorted. Typical gentry. No carriage needed six horses. No carriage actually needed horses, for that matter. He was all too familiar with the pointless status games of the gentry. He’d worked hard to avoid having anything to do with them for years. He wasn’t about to be drawn back into their glittering, artificial world again.

Bones and Remora disappeared inside the carriage. Hank hesitated only a moment before joining them. Wherever this madness took him, he wanted to make sure Bones was with him.

Besides, once he got to the ship, he could put Miss Silver Spoon, Jinn, and this whole ridiculous situation behind him. Nobody could find him if he didn’t want to be found.