...
It had officially been a week since her arrival. Buddy was installing her new carburetor, and things were starting to look up. Or so she thought. Actually, now that she thought about it, things weren't looking up. Logan still had his head up his ass, and she still hadn't figured out how to deal with the possibility of Zack's memory coming back. Or worse, the possibility of White coming after him.
All Buddy knew about her "situation" was that she had no place to go. She only knew one place she wasn't going, at least for a while, and that was Seattle. Other than that, she was open to suggestions. As much as she hated being in the middle of nowhere, she had to admit that it was a good place to hide. After all, what were the odds of a genetically engineered soldier being found at a farm? About two out of twelve.
She smiled to herself and went back to brushing Sunshine. The horse whinnied and tossed her head happily. She loved getting brushed. Jondy smiled and rubbed the horse's muzzle affectionately. She would miss Sunshine. She had taken to riding her almost every day once Buddy had found out she could ride.
The sound of footsteps behind her interrupted her thoughts. She turned around. Buddy was standing there, wiping his hands with a rag. "Hey, Buddy."
"Hello, Janie," he said. "Well, your bike's lookin' good. Just put in the new carburetor, and the engine's purrin' like a kitten."
"That's good."
"Yep." He paused, clearing his throat. "Um, Janie, we were wonderin', Mary and I, if you'd like to stay with us and work on the farm."
Work. On a farm. Riiight.
But, on the other hand, this would enable her to keep an eye on Zack. That way, if his memory started to come back, she'd be able to help him out. Of course, that would also mean that she would have to reveal who she was, but by that point, he'd probably remember himself. That way, he'd also have a little help if White came sniffing around.
"I mean, we wouldn't be able to pay you a lot," he continued, "but you'd get free room and board here, and plenty to eat. And you mentioned that you were between jobs—"
"I'd love to."
He smiled, obviously relieved. "Well, now, that's just wonderful."
"I should warn you," she said, "that I'm not much good outside of horses and cleaning dishes. I mean, if you expect me to milk a cow or anything, that's way out of my league."
He chuckled. "I don't think you'll have to worry about that. Me and Adam pretty much got that covered."
"Got what covered?" 'Adam' asked, entering the stables.
Buddy nodded to her, motioning that she should be the one to share the good news.
"Buddy offered me a job here."
He raised an eyebrow. "Did you accept?"
"Of course," she said with a grin.
A smile hinted at his lips. "So you're really staying?" Maybe it was just her imagination, but she thought he sounded almost...hopeful.
"Yeah," she said with a smile. "I'm really staying."
Well, that's it, folks, she thought. Now it's official.
...
"Hello?"
"It's me. I'm staying out here."
"Jondy..."
"Don't 'Jondy' me, Logan. You're the one who put him in this position in the first place. Buddy offered me a job, and I accepted. Besides, if Zack does start to remember, I'll be here to help him. And to make sure he doesn't compromise the others. I'm out."
She hung up before he could argue.
...
It had officially been a week since her arrival. Buddy was installing her new carburetor, and things were starting to look up. Or so she thought. Actually, now that she thought about it, things weren't looking up. Logan still had his head up his ass, and she still hadn't figured out how to deal with the possibility of Zack's memory coming back. Or worse, the possibility of White coming after him.
All Buddy knew about her "situation" was that she had no place to go. She only knew one place she wasn't going, at least for a while, and that was Seattle. Other than that, she was open to suggestions. As much as she hated being in the middle of nowhere, she had to admit that it was a good place to hide. After all, what were the odds of a genetically engineered soldier being found at a farm? About two out of twelve.
She smiled to herself and went back to brushing Sunshine. The horse whinnied and tossed her head happily. She loved getting brushed. Jondy smiled and rubbed the horse's muzzle affectionately. She would miss Sunshine. She had taken to riding her almost every day once Buddy had found out she could ride.
The sound of footsteps behind her interrupted her thoughts. She turned around. Buddy was standing there, wiping his hands with a rag. "Hey, Buddy."
"Hello, Janie," he said. "Well, your bike's lookin' good. Just put in the new carburetor, and the engine's purrin' like a kitten."
"That's good."
"Yep." He paused, clearing his throat. "Um, Janie, we were wonderin', Mary and I, if you'd like to stay with us and work on the farm."
Work. On a farm. Riiight.
But, on the other hand, this would enable her to keep an eye on Zack. That way, if his memory started to come back, she'd be able to help him out. Of course, that would also mean that she would have to reveal who she was, but by that point, he'd probably remember himself. That way, he'd also have a little help if White came sniffing around.
"I mean, we wouldn't be able to pay you a lot," he continued, "but you'd get free room and board here, and plenty to eat. And you mentioned that you were between jobs—"
"I'd love to."
He smiled, obviously relieved. "Well, now, that's just wonderful."
"I should warn you," she said, "that I'm not much good outside of horses and cleaning dishes. I mean, if you expect me to milk a cow or anything, that's way out of my league."
He chuckled. "I don't think you'll have to worry about that. Me and Adam pretty much got that covered."
"Got what covered?" 'Adam' asked, entering the stables.
Buddy nodded to her, motioning that she should be the one to share the good news.
"Buddy offered me a job here."
He raised an eyebrow. "Did you accept?"
"Of course," she said with a grin.
A smile hinted at his lips. "So you're really staying?" Maybe it was just her imagination, but she thought he sounded almost...hopeful.
"Yeah," she said with a smile. "I'm really staying."
Well, that's it, folks, she thought. Now it's official.
...
"Hello?"
"It's me. I'm staying out here."
"Jondy..."
"Don't 'Jondy' me, Logan. You're the one who put him in this position in the first place. Buddy offered me a job, and I accepted. Besides, if Zack does start to remember, I'll be here to help him. And to make sure he doesn't compromise the others. I'm out."
She hung up before he could argue.
...