Silence before the storm

It was just one rainy November week, but a very long one for both Kame and Jin.

The young bartender was doing everything he could to avoid Grenet´s attention. It was almost beyond his abilities to stay calm and concentrate on his job, when the worries for Jin didn´t want to leave his mind and at the same time, he had to deal with shitty attitude of the cocky deputy. Even Kame´s mother and Lena had noticed that there was something wrong with him, but he didn´t say a word about what was bothering him and talked it out on the tiredness.

If not for the simple remark, which Kame had overheard from one of Grenet´s gunmen in the middle of week, about ´that newbie having the worst parts of watches´, he was quite sure that he wouldn´t have been able to stay in the town. He would have left eventually, to check on Jin himself. Thanks to that talkative man, he could presume that Jin had probably persuaded Karnaka about wanting to join his forces and started working for him. And that held Kazuya back. It would have been only troublesome, if he was found loitering around the rich fields of the powerful man. Not to mention that it was quite busy time in the saloon again…

The group of surveyors, who were supposed to carry out the final check of the planned route for Northern Pacific Railway in the near area, arrived to Bozeman from Washington and planned to stay for two or three weeks. They were also accompanied by six government soldiers as their guards just in case of any attack from the local Indians.

Moreover, those two explorers, who were Harada´s guests some time ago already, came back from their explore trip, which was obviously not very successful, as they were spending their last money for drinking every evening.

So, the rooms in the saloon were fully occupied, except the last room on the top floor, which was locked and hiding the stuff of a certain bear hunter...

As for Jin, he damned the tearful weather by all the curses he knew already during the second day of his duties. He assumed that Karnaka was probably testing him, waiting for the objections from his side against the tiring night watches and guarding the slaves during the days. But Jin kept everything behind the closed lips, looking for the comfort in Kuro´s presence and persuading himself that it would not last for long.

Fortunately, he was right, as he was called to the master of the white mansion on the sixth day and he received an order to bring the message to Grenet in Bozeman City.

Jin was so relieved that he could leave the rich lands at least for a while. During those few days, he noticed that the other guards were no better men than those around Grenet and even though he sporadically saw any open violence, the black slaves were clearly afraid of them, being careful about everything they did or said. It was like the air on the whole property was filled with fear…

At least the fact that his new boss let him go all alone could have been taken as a good sign.

***

Kame´s heart skipped a beat, when he looked up from who-knows-which-one-in-order tankard of beer and just from the habit that he had created during the past week, than with any hope, he checked up the newcomer passing through the swinging doors. He almost didn´t believe it first, but the wet coat and hat really belonged to the black-haired gunslinger he was waiting for.

A quick glance of the dark eyes, which focused on him as the first person in the taproom, made Kame more than sure about it. The relief from seeing Jin all right and in one piece flooded him from head to toes. Only after that, he noticed that the older one seemed exactly as exhausted as he felt himself.

Jin tore his eyes, which were framed by the dark circles, from the bartender to look around and then he headed to the table in the corner, where the usual bunch of loud gunmen was seated.

"Well, well! Our new buddy is back from his test ride!" Grenet with the cigarette in the corner of his mouth and with a slim blond harlot in his lap welcomed him loudly. "Make a place for him, boys!"

Through the general noise, Kame couldn´t hear Jin´s reaction, neither the conversation, which started between him and Grenet. He managed to serve other two tables, before Grenet´s voice cut through the smoky air of the saloon again. He was calling for Dana, another one of Madame Sukina´s girls, who was just entertaining the two explorers, but hearing the sheriff´s deputy voice, she left them with an apology and went to their table, swaying her hips sensually on the way.

Kame got out of her way, as he was collecting the empty glasses from the table nearby.

"What would you like, Math?" she asked with a dazzling smile, stopping between his and Jin´s chair.

"Our greenhorn here deserves some entertainment too, dear," Grenet announced with a dirty grin and impressed some coins into her white hand. "Be nice to him."

Jin looked up surprised to the girl, while Kame went back to the counter.

"That´s not really necessary… I´ve told you that I´m tired, Grenet and..."

Instead of paying any attention to the young man´s words, the deputy pulled Dana by a hand and literally made her sit on Akanishi´s lap.

"Keep your excuses, greenhorn and enjoy," he instructed him strictly.

Kame swallowed a bitter lump in his throat, when he turned around the bar and saw the girl wrapping her naked arms around Jin´s neck and whispering something in his ear. He made himself stop staring at the view and care for his duties. There was nothing special about it…

Shortly after that, Kame wasn´t very happy to notice that there were almost empty tankards at their table, but he didn´t want to risk to give Grenet another reason to scold him, so he rather rushed there with the new beers, avoiding to look at Jin. Eeven though, the bartender could hear Dana laughing at some vulgar joke together with her colleague, who was occupying Grenet´s legs.

Kame was upset on himself for being so emotional because of...

Damn, this is not my business… he almost ran back to the counter, telling himself to stop behaving like an idiot.

It didn´t take long before the girl obeyed the never-ending encouragements from Grenet and stood up, pulling Jin on his feet with her. Their steps towards to back part of the taproom, and to the door leading to the stairway, was followed by obscene whooping of the whole corner group.

Kame made himself to focus only on proper cleaning of the glass in his hand, but the more he rubbed the material, the tenser he felt. He put the glass back on the counter so hard, it almost broke. He had absolutely no reason to be upset. Jin could do whatever he wanted with that girl. He was a man with his needs, so it was only natural. So why… Why the hell did it make him so disappointed?

*

At first, Jin thought that he would excuse himself from the blonde´s company as soon as they disappeared from reach of Grenet´s eyes. And when he tripped over the very first stair, almost falling down, if he wasn´t fast enough to lean over the wall, supported by the pretty harlot from the other side, it made him only more convinced that it was not the best time for him to enjoy some sexual wassail.

"You really look tired, Mister," the girl said looking at his face carefully.

"Yeah," Jin nodded, quite grateful for her to be so observing. "I´m sorry, but I think you should rather go back. I won´t be a good companion this evening."

The slim blonde shook her head hastily, so that the curls falling from her complicated hair bun moved from one side to another.

"No, no, Grenet has already paid me to be at your service, I can´t go back!" the harlot seemed almost terrified just from the idea. "I don´t want to upset him..."

Jin sighed. The girl´s fear was understandable.

"But I..." he tried once again.

"Don´t worry, Mr. Handsome," the blonde smiled at him sensually and pressed against his body more. "You won´t do anything too exhausting and I will make you feel very very good..." she winked defiantly and led him upstairs right away.

Jin didn´t have any energy left to oppose the determined girl, so he just let her to lead their way up to his room. The truth was that he could definitely use some relaxation and nice treatment after that horrible week at Karnaka´s lands.

*

Dana didn´t lie when she promised, that Jin wouldn´t have to do anything and she would bring him pleasure anyway. The beautiful harlot knew her job well. She undressed the tired gunslinger from the wet coat, trousers and rest of his clothes slowly. Then she made him to lie down gently and her skillful touches of the hands with long fingers all over his body and her lips on his skin helped Jin to forget about the tiredness for a while.

It was a long time since the last opportunity he let himself enjoy some of the sexual services, which were provided by girls like Dana. He was amazed that he endured it for so long, when it felt so damn good...

But going down from the culmination of her successful efforts, Jin already felt like he wouldn´t be able to even move, let alone to get up. His body was asking for some proper rest.

"You know, if you would like to get more sometimes, just ask for me," Dana whispered into his ear hoarsely. "It´s been a long time since I´ve had such a good-looking customer," she giggled a little and moved her head lower.

At the same moment, Jin opened his eyes and from the inner impulse, which couldn´t be suppressed, he avoided her attempt to kiss him on the lips. The girl looked at him surprised a little, but with a smile.

"Oh, so you´re even this kind of guy?"

"Sorry, but I just don´t kiss with..." Jin didn´t finish the sentence, but it wasn´t even necessary.

This time, Dana laughed really heartily: "Oh, God, you don´t have to apologize! You´re cute, Mr. Handsome," she just kissed him on the cheek slightly, so that her strong perfume flooded Jin once again and then she got up from his bed.

"I´ll go and let you rest. You look like that you have had enough, anyway," she said straightening her red dress and altering a few loosened hairs. "Have a nice dreams, cutie," she waved at him from the door.

If his eyelids wouldn´t be so heavy and the sleepiness wouldn´t crawl around him as a hungry wolf, Jin would have objected something to such stupid nicknames. But so exhausted he fell asleep even before the harlot managed to go all stairs down.

***

The next morning Kame felt as if he didn´t sleep at all, despite managing to steal a few hours of rest after the last drunkard left the saloon, so that he could clean everything up and go to bed, before he had to get up again and rush into the stalls for regular grooming of all present horses. Apart from the fact that Mike had stayed at home since the previous day, helping his sick grandmother, Mr. Harada promised to raise Kame´s salary, so it was worth it.

Unlike cleaning up the dung or serving the rude guests, Kame enjoyed this job. The slow, long movements across the hair of noble animals helped him to forget about every day´s troubles for the time being. Actually, it was his most favorite duty in Harada´s Saloon. Thanks to that, he didn´t care for being sleepy and with a good mood, he focused on getting this task done properly.

"Good morning..."

Kame flinched a little at the sudden intrusion, as he missed the steps, which would have told him that somebody was coming. Nevertheless, he recognized the voice and knew who was standing behind him, even before he turned to face the man.

"Good morning," he smiled at Jin, who was leaning over the wooden counter of the stable.

"Every time I see you, you´re busy," the gunslinger stated shaking his head. "Are you paid enough for this, at least?"

The bartender and the occasional stableman nodded.

"My boss is quite generous," Kame replied and finished his work on the stout roan by caressing its combed mane.

"That´s good to hear... Do you have another scrub brush?"

Kame left the stable and looked at the older one questioningly: "Yes, right there, on that shelf next to the entrance," he pointed out. "But why?"

"Why do you think? You still have a good half of the horses left. I´ll help you."

"No way," Kame rejected the idea immediately. "That´s my work to do and..."

The young bartender was silenced by the sudden move of the other one, as Jin placed one of his arms around Kame´s shoulders and tilted to him pouting.

"You should already know that I do what I want. And I don´t care about your excuses," the older one informed him with the face right next to his, which brought the nervous shivering into Kame´s stomach. "So shut up, Kazu, and let me help you," he ruffled his hair gently and let him stand there totally dumbfounded, heading for the grooming tools.

Kame found his voice again only when Jin was already returning.

"Kazu??" he repeated, still standing on the spot shocked. "How did you manage to come up with this?"

"What? Don´t you like it?" Jin looked at him with a completely innocent expression.

"Eh..." Kame murmured something hardly comprehensible, somehow not being able to react properly.

"I knew you wouldn´t mind it," the satisfied smile curved Jin´s lips. "I will start from here, all right?"

The older one entered the stable at the end of the opposite row of which Kame had just finished, not even waiting for his reaction.

Well, that was a new mood of the young gunslinger for Kame. And there was something about it that made him concerned. He was watching Jin, who had already started to groom, for a while, before he approached the next horse.

"Did something happen, Jin?" Kame asked him on a quiet voice, starting the same procedure all over again.

The other one´s movements stopped for a second, before they continued.

"Not really..." Jin reacted much more quietly than before. "I´m just glad that I´m back here."

Kame glanced at him and figured that Jin didn´t want to talk about it yet. He decided to change the subject for that moment.

"So, did you have a nice evening yesterday?"

"Huh?" Jin looked up behind the horse´s back.

"I mean with Dana," Kame explained and avoided meeting the dark eyes. "You left with her, didn´t you?"

"Ah, yeah, she was..." Jin paused and grinned. "Very experienced. But I hope I didn´t disappoint her too much."

"Why would you?" Kame was not sure what to think about the statement.

"Well, I was too tired for any big performance, you know," Jin laughed shortly. "I fell asleep almost right after she was finished with my member down there."

Kame felt the hotness flooding his face and he lowered his head down hastily. He didn´t expect Jin to be so open.

"I see..." he murmured. "I doubt that she´d complain."

"I hope so," the short reaction from the other stall followed.

Kame didn´t have the courage to ask any other question after that, so they continued in silence. Both men focused on cleaning all horses from the dirt. In the end, Kame was quite grateful, as they finished it in the record time.

"Thank you, Jin," he said, when they were about to put the tools back on their proper place.

"Don´t worry about it," the older one reacted smiling. "It´s my thank you for grooming Kuro so that I almost couldn´t recognize him."

Kame had nothing to say on that. He wouldn´t have admitted that Jin´s precious horse was the very first one he took care about. Instead of that, he took a breath for a question.

"So, how did it go?"

Jin´s sudden change of expression was a sign that the older one knew very well, what his question was related to.

"Let´s go outside," he said and headed to the back exit of the stalls as the first one, Kame following him there.

Kame understood quickly, why Jin wanted to go near the dung pile, which was located on that side. It was very unlikely that anyone would have caught them there.

*

Jin searched in the pocket of his coat first, taking out the pack of cigarettes and lightening one up under the small roof, where the raining couldn´t reach them. He offered to Kame, but the younger one just shook his head in rejection. The young gunslinger hid the package again and crouched down, leaning his back to the wooden boards, which created the wall of the stalls.

Kame observed Jin for a while, wondering about his expression and behavior, which was kind of a mystery to him at that moment. What happened at Karnaka´s farm, that it made Jin behave in a way, which Kame hadn´t experienced so far?

He tore his glance away from the older one and focused at the ugly rainy view. Somehow, Kame felt that it was meaningless to try and force Jin to talk. So, he rather just stood there, looking at the heavy drops, which were falling from the edge of the roof above them, smelling the smoke from the older one´s cigarette and waited.

"It seems that old bastard believes what I´ve said to him so far," Jin spoke finally. "He accepted that head and hired me."

Kame considered it the good part of the news, and waited for more information.

"But he doesn´t trust me, I think..." the older one let go of a wide cloud of smoke, which swirled from between his lips up around nose and eyes into the damp air.

Kame moved and crouched down next to Jin into the same position.

"Why do you think so?" he asked.

"I don´t know, it´s just a feeling," Jin shrugged. "Anyway, he assigned me to the night watches around his fields for the past week."

"I´ve heard something in the saloon... But why do you have to guard them?"

"As far as I understood, there were some issues with Indians stealing from his corn fields," the older one explained slowly.

Kame knitted his eyebrows hearing that: "If the government and Karnaka himself didn´t take all possible fertile fields from them, they wouldn´t have to do it."

"So, you were aware of this?" Jin glanced at the younger one.

"I´ve just heard about a certain part of the tribe causing unnecessary troubles," Kame stated. "The Tribal Chief tried hard to keep them under control. I thought it was already solved."

"It was, probably..." Jin assumed. "But it seems that Karnaka is very careful. Anyway, he sent me back here with the order for Grenet..."

Kame turned his head away from the dripping water to look at the handsome gunslinger next to him, meeting his dark eyes finally.

"What order?" he asked with a bad hunch.

"To find out where the Blackfeet´s Tribe village is..."

Kame felt his blood froze in its cells.

"He didn´t explain the reason, but it´s not so hard to figure it out," Jin continued with the information gloomily.

Well, in that Kame was of the same opinion. The tribe already had to move their village once, because of the pursuit by Karnaka. That time, he was able to warn them to withdraw back in time and moreover, the old man´s goal back then was to scare the Indians off. But it was highly probable, it wouldn´t be so nice this time.

"I´ve heard about a certain incident with the group of Indians, which occurred two days ago. It was in the early evening, I wasn´t on the guard, so I don´t know the details, but it seems that it pissed Karnaka off," Jin completed what he knew and inhaled from his lethal pleasure again.

"Damn it!" Kame hissed out upset. "They wouldn´t have to steal, if they had enough food!"

"I´m not arguing with you about that," Jin assured they younger one. "I just thought you should know."

Kame breathed out deeply, dropping his head back on the wall behind him, a little hopelessly.

"Of course... I´m sorry. Thanks for telling me, Jin," he said already calmer. "They´re very well hidden, deep in the mountains. The tribe should be safe for now. Grenet won´t be able to find them easily."

"I´m glad to hear that," Jin stated, focusing his glance on the raining again.

Kame observed his profile for a while.

"You look quite tired," he informed the other one then. "Were you assigned with something else except those night watches?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Jin confirmed. "But I think that Karnaka is just testing me. When I get over the first phase, he won´t overload me so much. I hope, at least..."

"Yeah, that´s probable..." Kame reacted fuzzily, not asking Jin anything else. If the older one wanted to talk, he would.

"You know, when we got there, I was amazed with how large his lands are," Jin put out the rest of the cigarette in the moist soil. Kame was looking at him, while Jin started to play with a small stone, keeping his eyes on it. "He´s known as a rich man, and seeing everything what he owns was incredible. But... The people who take care about those fields and gardens... They are slaves," Jin hid the stone in the grip of his hand. "I knew that Karnaka had some, but seeing it with my own eyes... And that way in which his guards are treating them, like they´re nothing more than dirt on their shoes."

At that moment, hearing the tone of Jin´s voice, Kame understood what bothered the older one despite the fact that his plan had been going well so far. Jin was forced to behave as a bad guy, showing everybody around a face, which was not his, and pretending he didn´t care about others. It was against his nature, something he couldn´t accept easily.

Jin threw the little stone away, over the water barrel a few meters from them.

"And I can do nothing about it," he murmured with an unsatisfied expression on his face, confirming Kame´s assumption.

"I´ve heard there was some inspection at his residence because of the black slaves, but no bad treatment was proved," Kame said. "Is it that bad?"

Jin nodded his head shortly: "They beat them, throwing the worst insults on those hard-working people for nothing… God, how I hate this haughty attitude towards others," he complained hopelessly.

"You´re not alone in this..."

It was now more than clear to Kame, why Jin was so upset. It was damn difficult to pretend being somebody else. It was simply depressing to watch the bad things happening and not being able to do something about it. Neither he nor Jin could change it. But there was one thing they could focus at - showing Raynold Karnaka out to the Eternal Hunting Grounds.

"Did you have a chance to look around properly, at least?" he asked Jin after a moment, to bring him to different thoughts.

"Yes... It will be tough," Jin stated frowning. "I was looking for some mistake or weakness in the security system, but it´s done very properly. The high wall around the house and garden, the gates guarded day and night, nobody strange can get inside unnoticed, the least to Karnaka himself. They always took my guns before letting me go to him. And that creepy servant, Cameron, I think, he´s with him all the time, like a dog. I guess I have to kill him first, before I will have even a chance to aim at Karnaka," the older one complained in the long speech.

"There´s always some weak point," Kame assumed convincingly. "Just don´t stop searching for it. There may be a member of his forces, who is not so happy in Karnaka´s service anymore. Or some brave slave, who is fed up with that treatment. In both cases, it would be useful for you. Or some bad habit that Karnaka has and you could take an advantage of that. And other things... What? Why are you looking at me like this?" Kame fidgeted under the sharp observing look, which Jin focused at him.

"Nothing in particular... It´s just that you´re always able to find something positive and encourage me," Jin responded earnestly. "You´re right, there has to be something and I will find it. Thank you, Kame."

"Uhm, you´re welcome," Kame reacted sheepishly.

He avoided the dark look hastily and got up on his feet faster than it was necessary. With quick moves, he cleared his trousers from the dust.

"And how was your week?" Jin asked him, still sitting on the ground. "What about Grenet?"

"Not worse than usual," Kame murmured in a low voice, but it didn´t convince Jin.

"What did he do this time?" the older one urged again.

"Nothing, really..." Kame sighed. "He´s too quiet, actually. And to be honest, I don´t have a good feeling about it."

"You mean that it´s like the calm before the storm?" Jin suggested.

"Exactly," Kame nodded his head slowly. "Well, I have to go now. Thanks for helping me out again."

"Ah, forget it finally!" Jin reacted. "I´ll let you know if I get to know anything more."

"All right... See you later, Jin."

***

That evening Kame could stay at home. It was a lazy day for business and Harada gave him an off time after he took care of the horses. They prepared a dinner together with Lena, who insisted on it, despite Kame persuading her that he could do it alone.

Kame was glad that Lena stayed, in the end. She was trying to improve his mood without asking him for the reason of his silent and gloomy behavior. And his mother felt well too, so he enjoyed that calm atmosphere at home.

But of course, it just couldn´t last... Kame should have known that there always had to be something to destroy a good time.

Lena agreed to leave at least the cleaning up on Kame and left their house laughing, that he would break three plates from four. He broke one...

Kame was just putting the dishes into the water, when his mother, who was outside to throw the leftovers away, rushed into the kitchen pale and with a worried expression.

"Kazuya! I think I´ve just heard Lena screaming!"

A white plate with blue edges slipped out from Kame´s fingers and shattered on the floor. He didn´t pay any attention to it. He didn´t realize in how great tension he was through the day. It was as if he was expecting something bad any minute. And it was here...

"Where?" he asked through the narrow throat.

"On the main street, I think near the post office warehouse, but I´m not sure..." his mother didn´t even finished the sentence and Kame was already on the way out.

"Please, be careful!" he heard the worried voice behind him just after he flew out on the street...