The sun was still high in the sky. Jenni was supposed to meet the gang at 9:00pm. It was 3:00pm, Jenni sat on her bed staring at her family's picture. She glanced at the teenage boy and her ears perked up. She grabbed the phone on her desk and dialed a number. The line rang a couple times before a woman picked up, "Graves Railways, Manager's office." "Connect me to Mr. Graves, please. Tell him his sister needs to speak with him." Jenni said. The line clicked and a gruff male voice came through. "Jen? Are you there?"
"Hey JR, I just wanted to let you know I made it to Mississippi alright." Jenni said. "Oh good! I was getting worried! It's been a few days!" JR said. Jenni sighed and grinned, "How's everything at home? Is Louie feeling any better?" JR sighed, "I guess. He still can't leave his room. Doc says he has a cold but...I don't know how true that is." "I'll send him a toy or something. I'll talk with a medic around here and see if I can't help out." Jenni said. "Thanks Jen, did I remind you that you're the best sister a guy could ask for?" JR asked. Jenni laughed.
"Vin and Lucy are good too. Such good kids. Remind me of someone when she was...oh. Sorry Jen. I didn't mean to..." Bruce started saying but Jenni stopped him. "No, it's ok." Jenni frowned at the picture of her family. "I need to ask you something." "Sure, shoot." JR said. Jenni glanced at a marigold flower painted on her wall and glared, "You heard of Marigold before?" "Marigold?" JR said, "Yes, that was one of Dad's associates. Used to buy Whisky and Bourbon from us. Dad was good friends with its owner, Asa Sweet."
"What about Lackadaisy?" Jenni asked. "Atlas May and his, Lackadaisy were also a big client of ours." JR explained, "Why do you ask? You working with them?" "I'm working with Marigold...for now. I met Mr. Sweet and his employees. Everyone's nice...well, almost everyone." "Marigold huh?" JR scoffed, "Under what position?" Jenni scowled, "Protege. Under Mordecai Heller of all people. He's very skeptical and observant. He watches my every move. It's creepy. This job may take longer than I thought."
"Let me see if I have this right." JR began, "Notorious, Implacable, Bounty huntress/Assassin for hire/Serial killer; Jennifer Penelope Graves, master of stealth, marksmanship, martial arts, and acrobatics, is working as a protege under Ruthless, Infamous, Hatchetman; Mordecai Heller, Marigold's finest triggerman, training her to do the very things she's been doing for the past 10 years, and she's having problems getting to one of her targets because of this tiny fact?" Jenni scowled, "Yes."
Silence on the other end of the line before JR said, "Jen? Hold the phone away from your ear." Jenni did what her brother said. "HAHAHAHA!" JR erupted, causing Jenni to recoil; her fur stood up, her claws extended, her body stiffened out. "At least he warned me first." she muttered, "Mios Dios JR, this is serious! I got a problem!" "Oh, don't be such a drama queen sis'. If you could handle a pervert priest, I'm sure you can handle a stiff Gato Guapo." JR guffawed. "A Veces, Realmente Te Odio." Jenni said in Spanish.
"Lo Siento Jen" JR apologized, "Just trying to help bring your spirits up. I've never met that Heller, but I've heard he's no bueno. One of my guys and friend of mine saved a guy kidnapped by that stiff and this feller from Lackadaisy. Poor shmuck was bound and gagged in the back seat and Heller wouldn't shut up about the way he was sitting. Heller and his friend got into a fight and the car crashed in a corn field. My guy, Johnny witnessed the kidnapping and followed the gangsters' car with his headlights turned off. Smart kid.
Johnny and his partner stuck the two idiots up and rescued their hostage. Fortunately, no one was hurt or killed...except for Heller's pride. HA!" "Johnny? Johnny Grato? He's like 17, Right?" "18 and yes and he's doing well by the way." JR replied. "It's nice to know my mentor was bested by a teenager." Jenni said looking at her claws. JR chuckled, "Well, we all have our flaws I guess." "Yeah." Jenni looked at her watch, 4:00pm. "Hey JR, it was nice talking to you but I have to get ready. I have a Marksmanship test tonight."
"I know you'll pass. You always do." JR said, "And Jen? I'm proud of you. We all are. Mom and Dad would be too. I know you're doing all of this for us and I appreciate it. You really are a great sister." Jenni smiled, "Gracias Hermano." Jenni's voice nearly broke. "Now you go out there and kill this test Hermana! Show those Mari-jerks what the Graves family's made of!" RR said, epically. Jenni laughed, "I will Hermano, promise."
