07-17-2018, 08:03 PM
Ascendancy spoke the words, but it had been Jay who rode away from the refinery like a coward. Orders be damned. He knew all too well that he had the capacity to fuck orders when they were wrong. It lost him everything once before. That day in Masiaka, everything was wrong, he felt it in his gut, ones that twisted up even now that Ascendancy tripped the memory, but he rode away from those that needed his defense the most. Why people continued to believe he would earn some future honor was beyond him. But he wore the pin of the Ascendancy anyway. Jay preferred to lie to himself and say he had no choice, but it wasn't true. Nox could teach him control. Jared too. He'd never say it, because what good would that do, but he knew that after his sister was healed, he'd take up the uniform again. He needed Ascendancy as much as the man needed channelers to clean out the filthy places in the world. Unlike his family, Jay felt no strong objections to the CCD. Ironic given his patriotism, but the marines had been more a means to an end, a plug to the hole in his heart, than about deep-rooted love for the Constitution. For that reason, it was probably best that he no longer considered himself American at all. Iowa was home, but it would never be his home again.
Ascendancy and Evelyn's departure left him with the doubt that Jensen may not go. Maybe the man could teach him how to heal someone. Jay would do it himself, if possible. Thing was, he'd never heard of anyone learning how to heal. Jared could do some, but the man already admitted his limits. He'd healed Nox enough to preserve life, but stripping the throes of cancer from the dying was beyond his skill. Jay had to convince Jensen to come. There was no other way. If he refused, well, Jay wasn't above kidnapping. Surely a preacher couldn't refuse a dying girl to her face?
Natalie deflated. For a moment, tension hung on the air like humidity, until her insult tripped a wire in his head.
Jay erupted in laughter. Until tears touched the corners of his eyes, glistening them with the mirth of the moment. It was sure to die soon anyway. But for the few seconds they were alone, he clasped her hand and smiled, grateful. "Thank you. I don't know how you did all that, but it had to be you."
Lips twisted with half a grin, he squeezed her fingers before breaking apart.
"Ever been to Iowa? I'll tell you what. You'll see more corn than you ever knew existed. It's like a wonder of the world."
It hadn't escaped his notice that she had been requested to travel as some sort of unofficial ambassador, should it come to that. Jay had no intention of strolling into the United States wearing a Custody uniform, but he would wager good money that the Pentagon had a file on him. Any number of flags might be tripped when he crossed the border. Natalie's connections might become necessary, especially if some clerk thought to stand between him and Cayli over bullshit paperwork and a dead drug lord. That was unlikely to end diplomatically.
The power tugged the door open on their behalf just as he turned and offered a completely gentlemanly and not at all dastardly crook of an arm, grin inviting. "Here's hoping you can work your magic on Jensen, next."
Ascendancy and Evelyn's departure left him with the doubt that Jensen may not go. Maybe the man could teach him how to heal someone. Jay would do it himself, if possible. Thing was, he'd never heard of anyone learning how to heal. Jared could do some, but the man already admitted his limits. He'd healed Nox enough to preserve life, but stripping the throes of cancer from the dying was beyond his skill. Jay had to convince Jensen to come. There was no other way. If he refused, well, Jay wasn't above kidnapping. Surely a preacher couldn't refuse a dying girl to her face?
Natalie deflated. For a moment, tension hung on the air like humidity, until her insult tripped a wire in his head.
Jay erupted in laughter. Until tears touched the corners of his eyes, glistening them with the mirth of the moment. It was sure to die soon anyway. But for the few seconds they were alone, he clasped her hand and smiled, grateful. "Thank you. I don't know how you did all that, but it had to be you."
Lips twisted with half a grin, he squeezed her fingers before breaking apart.
"Ever been to Iowa? I'll tell you what. You'll see more corn than you ever knew existed. It's like a wonder of the world."
It hadn't escaped his notice that she had been requested to travel as some sort of unofficial ambassador, should it come to that. Jay had no intention of strolling into the United States wearing a Custody uniform, but he would wager good money that the Pentagon had a file on him. Any number of flags might be tripped when he crossed the border. Natalie's connections might become necessary, especially if some clerk thought to stand between him and Cayli over bullshit paperwork and a dead drug lord. That was unlikely to end diplomatically.
The power tugged the door open on their behalf just as he turned and offered a completely gentlemanly and not at all dastardly crook of an arm, grin inviting. "Here's hoping you can work your magic on Jensen, next."
Only darkness shows you the light.