Disclaimer: Angel's Doubt (Tenshi no Uso) by Aki is currently running in Kurofune Zero. All properties and rights thereto are held by the author, the publication, and Libre Publication. No copyright infringement is intended, no monies have changed hands. I am still an unloved, unknown author. ^__^ Ah me.
Write me if you'd like: Stirling Twilight
Train Tracks
"Don’t sit there."
Lawrence paused beside the only light in the train’s salon car and twisted to face the speaker. The Fourth sat as far from the feeble glow as possible, his back to the bedrooms. Lawrence realized then that he had unconsciously walked right past his shadowed companion upon entering the room.
Over the steady clack of the tracks, a distant clock chimed 3am.
"I’m sorry, what did you say?"
The Fourth put a lit cigarette to his lips and inhaled deeply before replying. "Please don’t sit there." He gestured to a seat near him, exhaling smoke as he spoke. "If you insist on being out of bed, sit here."
Lawrence recrossed the car to take the seat offered. "Is there a reason why you’re in the dark?"
"Several."
"Care to tell me what they are?"
Fourth examined the cigarette, holding it perpendicular to the floor before knocking the ash into the large bowl on his lap. The glowing orange tip illuminated dozens of spent cigarettes before racing along the metalic-blue barrel of a pistol. Lawrence’s eyes grew wide for a second before meeting Fourth’s in a silent question.
"One of your many," a significant look punctuated this word, "kidnappers is aboard this train and plan to make their move tonight. The train will arrive at the next station predawn. It will be the best and easiest time to carry an unconscious man from the train without noontime crowds." He lapsed into silence, smoking, while Lawrence processed this information.
"And you know this how?" Lawrence asked, moving his chair to better face the distant doors that lead to the rest of the train.
"My brother. His latest letter warned me. He’s convinced that any training you may have received on avoiding capture would be useless in a confined space."
"Well, he’s right. So, what do we do?"
"You do nothing." He nodded toward the oil lamp. "They will naturally think you’re seated near the light which will give me a further advantage over their plan of surprise. I know their numbers, their weapons, their method, where they are coming from and what they are headed for."
"You’re rather cool about all this."
Fourth shrugged and ground out the cigarette.
"How did your brother know they were coming for me and not you?"
"A letter to their employer was intercepted, read, and allowed to reach its goal. The ransom letter will be in your brother’s morning post. My brother’s letter, alerting him to their failed attempt, will likewise be delivered."
"Your brother is that certain of your success?"
Fourth rose, the bowl in hand as he lifted the gun. "I’m the Fourth Caluanthes; failure is not an option."
Lawrence smiled at his bravado. "Have you never been kidnapped?"
"Never. The Caluanthes network is simply too extensive. Witness the fact that a threat to my traveling companion is known to us."
"Oh? Am I your traveling companion?"
"Rick would say as much."
"But I’m asking you."
Fourth look at him. Seated as Lawrence was, they were eye to eye. "You are the man who has been dogging my steps for months. What you plan or why you’re following me, I cannot guess."
Lawrence’s eye grew wide in surprise. "I’m following you?"
He nodded. "No matter what town I visit, no matter how long I stay, you arrive within the week."
Lawrence’s gaze turned inward for a moment but when he opened his mouth to comment, Fourth silenced him with a gesture. He jerked his head toward the back of the room and the crunch of someone stepping on glass. A faint curse followed, and a whispered exchange. Lawrence rose, moving behind Fourth.
Hefting the bowl, Fourth leaned back slightly, settling a portion of his weight against Lawrence. He spread his feet, solidifying his stance and timed the cocking of his pistol with the clicking of the train tracks.
One by one, three men detached from the darkness. Lawrence saw that they were indeed intent on the oil lamp. So much so that when Fourth threw the bowl of ash at the middle man, one of them screamed like a girl. More cursing ensued as they swatted at the stinking cloud. The empty bowl smashed to the floor. All three covered their faces and coughed as they struggled to breathe.
"Nasty habit," Fourth muttered, raising the gun. His free hand supported the first as he chose his target. "I will use lethal force," he declared over the coughing.
One of the men spun toward the speaker, his gun leveled.
Fourth fired first, hitting the man in the shoulder. With a scream of pain, the thug went down. Fourth aimed at the next man. "Drop your weapons and put your hands on your head!"
Both men, still choking, capitulated. Behind Lawrence came the concerned sounds of both tutors.
"We’re fine," Lawrence said, turning to Yoneda. "We’re fine, thanks to Fourth. See if there’s any rope to be had."
"Ziz has some," Fourth said, crossing to the kidnappers. "Lawrence, collect their guns, please." He kicked the weapons away from the men without taking his eyes off them.
"Rope," Ziz said from the doorway. "I’ll fetch it. Do we need a doctor?"
"He’ll live," Fourth said, backing to the oil lamp. He raised the wick, flooding the room with light, and nodded. "The men from the market. I knew you were up to something. You need to improve your trailing skills, gentlemen. My blind aunt would have known you were there."
Lawrence collected the three guns and was emptying them of bullets when the man on the floor, in his evident thrashing, slipped a hand into his jacket and pulled a tiny gun from his vest pocket. Twisting, he pointed it at Fourth. Lawrence launched himself at the target. The crack of a gun ripped through the car.
Again the man cried out, his hand a claw where the gun had been.
Lawrence collided with Fourth and they went down. The thunk of Fourth’s head connecting with the marble table shuddered through Lawrence’s body. Fourth became dead weight as they hit the floor.
<0>
"Does Ziz-san typically travel with a supply of rope?"
Fourth frowned, rubbing his head as he blinked. "What? What happened?"
"What happened," Lawrence said with evident delight, "was proof of the old maxim, ‘no good deed goes unpunished’. For you see, in my earnest desire to protect my protector, I managed to brain you on a table."
"Thus proving that the greatest threat are those closest to you."
"To paraphrase."
Fourth paused rubbing long enough to look around. "Your room?"
Lawrence nodded, rising to cross the room. "Once bound, the kidnappers were locked in Ziz-san and Rick-kun’s room. Which, we discovered, is the only room in the car with a lock. We hired one of the conductors to guard the kidnappers and keep them from making for the window. I have paid the train conductor a sizable bonus to get us to the next station in record time. He’s been laying on steam and we should be arriving within the hour."
Fourth pushed himself up. "My brother arranged for the constable to meet us there."
"I assumed as much. And I must say, I’m impressed by the Caluanthes network. I will have much to tell my brother in my next letter."
"You aren’t afraid this incident will make him recall you?"
Lawrence smiled as he shook his head. "There have been many kidnapping attempts, though none as flamboyant as this one, and he feels that when faced with such dangers the best thing to do is get back on the horse."
"He’s right. And starting tonight, I’ll teach you how to fire a pistol."
Lifting a picture of water, Lawrence poured a glass and carried it to Fourth. "I will happily submit to any training you have to offer."
Fourth smiled as he reached for the glass. "Shall we begin with your wardrobe?"
Lawrence bent, pressing his lips to Fourth’s gasp of surprise. It was the briefest touch, and Lawrence drew back, his eyes intent upon Fourth’s, desperately gauging his reaction. For a moment there was only the rhythm of the tracks.
"What was that for?" Fourth asked, his voice husky.
"Saving me."
"Saving you…and?"
Lawrence’s smile shone in his eyes before it spread across his lips. "And for being dead sexy while doing it."
Fourth also smiled, caught Lawrence’s lapel and pulled him close. "Is kissing going to be part of your training, too?"
"Do I need training?"
Fourth’s head tilted as he leaned in to return the kiss. "Hours and hours, I’m sure."