Voudou

Sera could barely move her arm after the surgery, but luckily the injury was not too severe. Her lord had saved her once more… or at least her brother did. Had Nico not pulled her back behind cover then that bullet would have gone right through her chest. It was an odd feeling to be in such a vulnerable position and yet have people she begrudgingly works with make an effort to help. Though Mordecai didn't outwardly display any worry at her injuries, he did cover their escape to the car. And Ethan didn't think twice about performing first aid. Really, it was confusing. Now Heller was talking with Fresina and Weatherbird in secret while Nico and Ethan were trading advice for fighting.

"The bayonet is an extension of yourself, like a spear. You can cut, thrust, slash or parry with it. Go ahead, try to knock the broomstick out of my hand." Ethan said while Nico lunged at him. Despite being disadvantaged and without an actual weapon, Sera noted how quickly Ethan was able to use a mere stick to knock the rifle away from Nico and close the distance, ending the maneuver with the end of the broom handle squarely in Nico's chest.

"Mon Dieu!" He said in disbelief.

"See? The bayonet is a spear, and a spear is the deadliest weapon of war." I explained, backing off. "Now its your turn with the broomstick. I want you to—" I didn't get a chance to finish my sentence before the end of the broomstick came thrusting my way. I rolled to the side and let Nico stumble past me, falling on his face.

"Someone is sure eager! But without proper form you're going to be more of a danger to yourself than the enemy. Get up, keep your feet spread, and lunge at me with intention."

"Intention?" Nico asked as he got up.

"Yes. Right now you are moving on instinct. That might work in a boxing ring but it will get you killed in a battle. Think strategically about how you are going to get past my rifle and stab me."

I have Nico a few seconds to think. His stance was odd and he closed the gap like he wanted to punch me. I went to block with the unloaded rifle but he was able to deceive me into over-committing myself and in an instant, I found myself knocked over with a broomstick pinning me to the ground.

"Well… that was something. Unorthodox, but whatever works."

"He is a boxer, cher." Sera commented as I got up. "Heavyweight."

"Clearly. Next to Viktor, I can't see many felines being able to go toe-to-toe with you, Nico. Unless they've got a rifle, that is."

"I could teach you boxing." Nico replied, keeping himself limber with some shoulder stretches.

"And he has protection from our lord. Never been touched by a bullet." Sera declared as Nico revealed the protection symbol carved into him.

"What is that? A ruin?"

Both looked at me in shock. "You don't know what a veve is?"

"I know what Ogun's symbol is and a few others, including Maitre Carrefour. But I'm hardly an expert on voodoo."

The pronunciation seemed to grate on Sera's ears. "It is voudou, not voodoo. Who taught you of my religion?"

"A dead soldier. But he told me that Ogun was the god of iron and war."

"Spirits are not gods, cher. We thought you knew about voudou."

I scoffed at the assumption. "No, I used what limited knowledge I had to get the upper hand on you two back in June. As long as we're all on the same team now I might as well come clean about it."

"You should not… can not treat these spirits so frivolously!" Serafine raised her voice. "If you anger these spirits, they will have your soul!"

"Well, Ogun has had plenty of chances if that's the case."

"What, you think voudou is a joke?!" She steamed.

"Of course not! At least no more so that any other religion. I was raised Irish Catholic, but faith didn't help my father to see the error of his ways. A fatal infection did that and it was too late for him to fully make amends. And don't even get me started on Freckle's mother! The woman who fancies herself as being so devout and Christ-like kicked her nephew out of the house and hasn't talked to her son in months."

"They did not help those people because their beliefs are wrong." Sera sneered. "Disrespecting the spirits is a dangerous thing to do."

"It is also hurtful." Nico added, folding his arms. "Dat's our religion you've been stealing."

"Well, if you can get the visions out of my head, you're welcome to have Ogun. He's been haunting me for years, his symbol showing up in my mind every time I pick up a rifle or blade to fight."

Now their anger dissipated. "So you aren't using Ogun's veve to scare us, you really see it?"

"Yes, all the time. Any time I'm near death I see a flash of Ogun's symbol."

"We will help you. There is someone who knows more about the other Lwa than me."

"What? I don't help, I just ne—"

"No, you need help, cher. Please, we are on the same team, right?"

I thought about what she meant here. Would I be able to finally go a full week without being reminded of the war? Could I finally get this bloodied symbol of war out of my mind? That would be freeing…

"Okay, I'll accept your help if it means I don't have to live with Ogun in my head. But I do need to get going, my sister will be out of class soon."

I packed my rifle up and left the Savoys in Weatherbird's headquarters. A long rifle was a hard thing to conceal on the street, but luckily a modified guitar case was just long enough. So, taking a page out of Rocky's playbook, I could now walk freely down the street without drawing attention to myself.

The Devil Wears a Suit and Tie

On my walk, I got the sense that I was being followed. I turned around several times as I cruised down the lonely streets, making my way on foot to the speakeasy and to a vehicle. Suddenly, a well-dressed man in a fedora and trench coat was blocking my path. "Ethan Kelly. I've been waiting to meet you for a long time."

"Whoever you are, I'm not interested."

"Oh, I think you will be. My name is Ulysses Maher, federal agent with the Treasury Department. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions somewhere in private?"

"Are you asking, or demanding?"

"That depends on whether you say no or not."

"Look, I don't know what you want, but I've got a schedule to keep. So unless you've got a warrant, let's not make a scene here on the street."

"Agreed. And in fact I do have a warrant, just not for you. At this very moment my police colleague is back at the courthouse with warrants for Rocky Rickaby and Calvin McMurray. Associates of yours, right? Well, should I fail to return to the office or if I decide that you aren't being very cooperative, I've got enough evidence to put both of them away for the rest of their lives. You understand me?"

"I guess you've got my attention now. So what is it that you want?"

"There's a coffee shop up the block, why don't we sit and talk for a while."

There wasn't much I could do to get out of the situation. Even if I did kill him, I couldn't risk putting both of my brothers on a wanted list. They'd never be able to outrun the feds. So I complied, keeping the guitar case with me. In the shop, we took a seat in the back corner where there was some privacy. This agent seemed calm and confident, almost like Drago but without that Texan bravado. Coffee in hand, he sipped from the cup before continuing.

"I imagine you know why I sought you out. You're quite the killer, Mr. Kelly. Ever since you came on my radar, I've been following you closely."

"I suppose I should take that as a compliment. But I'm not going to admit anything to you. I'm not stupid enough to talk to a fed without a lawyer."

"Of course you aren't! And it is a compliment, by the way. The Ghost has been doing a better job of cleaning up these streets than the cops. Unfortunately, you've fallen in with a bad crowd."

"You just admitted yourself that the cops really aren't all that better than the people I associate with."

"Indeed. In many cases they are one in the same. But I am a fed, not some beat cop who gets paid pennies to lock up bums. I'm here because an agent, Dominic Drago, died on a train bound for Chicago several months ago. There are a lot of… interesting things in his old files. Stuff that doesn't quite add up, and I think you can help me out in a lot of ways."

"So you don't care about-"

"Oh, we'll get to your whole ghost persona at a later date. For right now, I'm just looking for answers about my colleague and maybe some information about your acquaintance, Heller."

"I'm no snitch, Ulysses. Heller is off the table, but if you want to know about Drago, I'd be willing to negotiate something."

"You are free to try."

"Whatever files you have on Rickaby and McMurray, destroy them. They aren't killers and both are trying to leave a life of crime behind. Locking them up would be cruel."

"What about yourself?"

"I have a feeling you are going to want me either as an ally or as a prisoner. I wouldn't dream of asking the same favor for myself."

"Smart man. Well, I'll tell you what. There are several murders those two have been associated with. Cooperate with me and I'll make sure that their worst deeds never see the light of day."

"Fine, and if not…"

"If not, I have no doubt you'll find a way to get me. It would be shame to leave this city without some representative of justice."

"Then we do understand each other. Okay, what do you want to know?"

"What's your history with Drago? Why was he pursuing you specifically?"

I leaned back and took a drink from my own coffee. "They say the devil wears a suit and tie, but in Drago's case the devil also wears a Texas grin. Before Drago became a fed, he was a private detective. A Pinkerton or one of their ilk. He and this other guy names Moreau were responsible for the death of my Uncle. They blew up a union hall in Butte, Montana in 1914. When I came to St. Louis and found out they were both working against my… associates, I naturally fell into conflict with them again."

"Are you admitting to murder? Even I would suggest having a lawyer here before doing that."

"No, I didn't murder Drago. You should know that he was involved with the mafia before I ever was. He was working with Capone to take over St. Louis."

I could see a lot of the puzzle pieces connect in his head. "That does answer a lot of questions. You he pissed off the wrong guy?"

"You could say that, yeah. But if you're research is as thorough as you claim, then you know I didn't leave St. Louis. I've had other matters to attend to."

"Yes, like cleaning up loose ends. So, where should I go to get more answers?"

"I'd say most of them are up in Chicago, if you have the ambition to find them. Now look, when it comes to cleaning up the streets and wanting this whole mafia war to be done, I'm all on board. I'm not admitting to anything, but whatever crimes you think I've committed, if I committed them, was to protect the people I love."

"And as noble as that might be, a crime is still a crime. Which leads me to the second topic on my itinerary."

"Oh?"

"I want you to work with me, Ethan. Help me take down the mafia in St. Louis. I can grant you immunity, erase any record you might have, help you move to a new town where these Sicilians can't get you."

"As tempting as that might be, I'm fully aware that a devil's bargain is only a fool's deal. The only reason you haven't locked me up yet is that you need me in some capacity. Making a deal now would just remove any leverage I might have."

"Well, that is a pity… It's too bad about your associates—"

"I'm not saying no, Ulysses. I'm just saying we had better negotiate a bit more. Perhaps you've got something I could use? A peace offering? A show of trust and faith? Give me something to work with and I'll find a way to work with you."

"Now you're talking like a true gangster, Ethan Kelly. I can give you a peace offering if you like. Rocky's father, Ransom, you know how he got out of prison?"

"He said he was released after five years."

"That is true, but he was released because I wanted him. Before I knew the Lackadaisy was hiding one of the greatest killers of our generation, I was just having him spy on Santino's gang and the Russos. But he was giving me information about your outfit as well."

"So Ransom was a spy?!" I growled.

"Yep. Quite an experienced gambler, isn't he? You don't see a poker face that effective very often. Anyway, I gave him his parole papers. His train was supposed to leave an hour ago, but I haven't heard anything from the cab driver. So if I had to take a guess…"

"He's probably headed to wherever Rocky is."

"That's what any father would do, no matter how terrible they might be. I have no more use for him, so you can do as you please."

"Any other spies I should know about?"

"Nope, not in your crew anyway. But just know that if you get in my way, I will bring the hammer down on everyone you care about. You might be able to shoot your way out of a mafia war, Ethan, but you can't outshoot the feds. Now, I'm thinking you probably want to get a move on. I'll give you time to think about things for a while and clean up a problem for you and a loose end for me."

"It isn't over." I said, standing up.

"That's exactly what I was hoping you'd say." He said with a smile, pulling out cash for the waitress.

Wrath of God

"Okay, good! Now, take the bow and run it across the strings like this…" Rocky explained to Joseph. He was sitting on the floor of the living room with Joseph on his lap. The violin was big for the boy, but he wanted to learn how to play and it's not like instruments were cheap. Helping Joseph stabilize the end of the violin, he guided the kid's bow hand so that the horse hair touched the strings ever so gently. A loud, warm tone formed in the violin as Joseph played his first note, an open D.

Joseph could feel the vibration in his chest. It had a powerful energy to it. He could only imagine what songs he might one day play on an instrument like this.

"Great job!" Rocky said, hugging Joseph. "Now try an 'A' note. Listen to how different they are.

The door burst open as Ransom entered unexpectedly. "Oh thank god, Rocky. We need to go!"

"Dad, what's wrong?!" Rocky asked, alarmed. He gently moved Joseph off of him so that he could stand up. "Did something happen to Ethan?"

"No, nothing like that. I've got a cab driver waiting outside, go pack your things and come with me."

"What's all this about?!"

"It's… complicated. I'll explain on the way."

"Okay. How long do I need to pack for? Joseph, start getting your things."

"No, leave the kid here. We aren't coming back."

Rocky stood fast, confused but determined to get to the bottom of this. "Dad, I'm not going anywhere until you tell—"

"Ransom! Either you come out or I'll drag you out!" I shouted from the open window of the farm truck.

"Oh shit…" Ransom said, raising his hands defensively. "I don't know what this is about, Ethan, but I'm in a bit of a hurry."

"You're right, you are in a hurry." I growled. "I'll give you ten seconds to start explaining."

"What? No, Rocky and I need to leave-"

I drew my revolver and grabbed Ransom by the collar, pinning him to the side of the house. "I'm going to start counting. I want the truth, Ransom. Why are you here, really? I want a confession from you."

"This is silly—"

"One…" I counted, cocking the hammer back. "Two…"

"Alright, alright!"

"Dad, Ethan, what's this all about? You're scaring me."

Ransom looked at his son as I gripped him tighter. "Tell. Him. The. Truth!" I hissed.

"Son, I-"

Another car pulled into the driveway with Freckle behind the wheel. All three of us plus the cab driver looked over at the woman getting out of the car and I nearly lost feeling in my fingers. It was Nina, and she did not look happy.

Rocky's face grew white with fear. "Uh, hi Aunt Nina, this isn't—"

I looked back at Ransom with a death glare in my eyes. "I'm sorry, Mrs. McMurray, but this is a really bad time…"

"Roark, get clear of the porch. Ethan, you can give that scoundrel his due punishment right here and now."

"What?!" Rocky, Freckle, and I all asked at once.

Ransom gulped hard. "Please, for the love of God Ethan, don't pull that trigger!"

"I've got a better idea…" I pulled him away from the wall and shoved him down the stairs of the porch. "Why don't you tell us everything and I'll decide if you're worth the bullet."

"Okay! What is it that you want to know?"

"What was the real reason you came to the Lackadaisy?"

"It was part of my terms to get parole."

"Yeah, by spying on us. Selling your own son out to the feds!"

"Dad, is that true? Please tell me it isn't true…" Rocky's face said all. He was hoping beyond hope that this was all some sort of misunderstanding.

"My intention wasn't to sell you out, son. It's just—"

"Maybe that wasn't your intention, but it wouldn't be the first time you put yourself before him, is it?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you abandoned him once, and then you come back into his life just to use him again. Or are you going to deny it?"

Ransom couldn't bring himself to look Rocky in the eyes, and Rocky in turn seems to deflate before our eyes.

"And you had me fooled as well." I added. "Getting any of us to think that you care about him is perhaps the greatest trick you've ever pulled. You just didn't count on that fed selling you out."

"I know I screwed up, but their all going to come down on you soon. I was trying to get Rocky to come with me."

"You mean drag him away from the people that care about him because you can't stand the guilt. Well, I have the answer to that." I raised the pistol up and pointed it at Ransom. He closed his eyes, preparing for the worst. Aiming skyward, I let the hammer down gently and put the gun away.

"Get back in your cab and get the hell out."

"You're not going to shoot me?" He asked.

"No, I'm going to make you live with that guilt. I can see it in your eyes."

Ransom scrambled to his feet and made for the cab but stopped just short of running into Nina. She wore an angry expression on her face which briefly softened.

"Uh, hi Nina. Would you mind moving so I can get out of here with my fur in one piece?"

"Certainly, but I have a long overdue gift from my sister before you step into that cab."

"You do?"

Nina wound up an uppercut, catching Ransom completely off guard and sending him to the ground once more.

"Just because Ethan decided to show you mercy doesn't mean you aren't getting out of here without some bruises."

Ransom held his jaw. "What the hell, woman? Why, I ought to—" He stood up and was about to give a receiving blow when Freckle and Rocky stepped in between. Ransom immediately controlled himself and tried to reason with his son once more.

"Rocky, I'm being serious about the feds coming. This might be your only chance to get out of here. We can still be a family…"

His fists tightened. Rocky was seething, and yet a pair of small hands held onto his. He looked down and saw Joseph, scared at all the yelling. "I have my family right here, dad. Leave or I'll kill you myself."

"Come on, Rocky. You don't me—"

Rocky lunged at his father, spun him around, and gave him a swift kick in the rear, sending the man stumbling toward the cab. "Get out!" He yelled in a tone that took everyone there by surprise.

Ransom climbed into the cab and looked back one last time as the driver pulled away. "Well, that was hard to watch." The driver said. "Train station?"

"Uh… yeah. Train station…" He said, looking away in defeat and shame.

Nina huffed and rubbed her hands together. "Well, that's one problem solved, now for the other. You three boys!" She bellowed. "What in the devil do you think you're doin' a runnin' round town, shootin' up places, stealin' liquor, killin', murderin', sinnin' like ye were devils!" She laid into Rocky, Freckle, and me, her accent now completely unchained.

Nina first went up to Rocky and stuck a finger right in his face. "I'd expect nothin' less from you, Roark. As disappointin' as it is. An trustin' that man, after all he's done to you an' your mother? An' that's on top of all the other devilry you've been up to, corruptin' my only boy and now dragging children, little children into this mess? I'd be ashamed, but I've long since accepted you have none!"

Tears welled up in Rocky's eyes and despite Joseph's best efforts, he couldn't stand being yelled at any longer, slinking off. I huffed, though she was laying into us like a drill sergeant. "Christ, Mrs. McMurray, he's just lost his—"

"And you!" She turned her attention toward me. "Take the name of our Lord out of yer dirty mouth. What in blazes is the matter with you? At least Roark has the excuse of being crazy. You have a little sister to care for, and I expect that if you were taking in my boys, you would've kept them outta trouble. But no, an' here we are. The police are onto ya, and I'll bet they ain't askin' for tea and cakes. My only son could be in prison right along side you and his cousin, and I'll blame you most of all should it come to pass!"

"I've… been a fool. It's true. We're trying to find a way out."

"Then you best hurry up an' find it, cause no lawyer is going to keep my baby out of prison for crimes of yer nature.

"Mom, please…"

"And you, Calvin. I know I taught you better…" She huffed. "Being used by lesser creatures for their own selfish goals, it's beyond the pale and a far cry from what yer father woulda wanted from ya."

"Selfish goals?" I growled.

"Yeah, you heard me. You've been using and abusing Calvin now for months. Tell me, how much money have ye made from my flesh and blood?"

"Now listen here, woman. I love these two like brothers! You're the one who kicked both of them out of your house, and I only asked for Freckle's help because Rocky and my sister were going to die that night without him. Ever since then I've done everything I can to protect him. I've made deals with dangerous people, I've almost gotten myself killed, all in the hope that Freckle and Rocky might get out of this."

"They aren't your brothers, Ethan! They are my son and my nephew. If you actually loved them, you woulda—" Nina's animated gestures caught Freckle of guard and she accidentally bumped him right in his healing injury. Freckle yelped and collapsed, bent over in pain. Before he could hit the ground, I caught him in my arms.

"Calvin, I'm so sorry!" Nina cried.

"It's okay, Freckle. I got you. Let's get you into the living room and make sure nothing is out of place."

I helped Freckle up the steps as he used his walking stick for balance and got him to the sofa, setting him down carefully so as to not aggravate the wound. Nina followed behind and, after letting Joseph inside, closed the door. "Are you okay, Calvin?"

"I'll be fine, mom. Ethan is just being cautious."

Satisfied with the answer, she took a minute to look around the living room. It was new and not quite finished, but even now there were photographs and other things she did not recognize. Her eyes landed on a newspaper article clipped out that showed Ethan, Rocky, and Freckle in the aftermath of the tornado. She hadn't gotten that day's paper and didn't know that they had helped hundreds of people. There was homework that Riley and this boy, Joseph, aced last week. The assignments were put in a place of honor next to a photograph which showed everyone who lived in the house which was only half-built in the background. Freckle had his arms around a young woman, while Rocky and Ethan each had an arm around the other's shoulders. It was signed by a "Miss M."

"So you have been busy since leaving home..."

"I've been trying to make a new one, mom."

"With criminals and delinquents?"

"Mom, you know now that Rocky wasn't responsible for what happened that day. It was a bad idea on his part, but we were just kids. He didn't know I was going to go crazy with a gun in my hands."

"And that's what happened at the police academy?"

"Yeah… pretty much. But I don't want to be a criminal either. Rocky and Ethan want to leave that life behind to. Rocky… he must be crushed by Ransom's betrayal."

"Where does he go in times like these?" She asked.

"Oh, he's usually out in the barn. There's a bench he likes to sit on outside the opposite door."

She sighed, shaking her head. "I suppose I should check on him…"

Nina's Wayward Boys

Nina walked out into the front yard, noting how picturesque the farm was even after the leaves had fallen. In the distance was the Missouri River, flowing down to meet the Mississippi. Even as a child, Rocky loved to watch the moving water. Of course, he'd usually come home filthy from head to toe, usually tracking mud in the house. She was still giving him outdoor baths until he was twelve, and only stopped because the neighbors started talking about how a half-grown boy was still running around in the yard naked. Every time Rocky came to mind she just pictured work. Tiring, nonstop work. And yet… the way he looked at that young boy. It was the same look Sofia gave him as a child. A tender protectiveness full of compassion that she had never quite mastered herself. And even after all the strife she and her nephew had gone through, Rocky was still there to keep Ransom from hurting her. He stood up to his own father, literally, to keep the fight from getting worse. Despite it all, Nina would have done the same for Rocky when he was a boy if that dreadful waste of a father had ever dared reveal himself on her property.

Coming around the corner of the barn, she saw Roark sullen and sad, not even looking out across the beautiful river valley. Sofia had the same look the first time her heart had been broken by some bastard. That first betrayal had hit her little sister hard and was part of the reason she had to go to the hospital for the first time. She couldn't handle having her trusting heart torn apart like that. Some of Roark's features were resembling Sofia more than Ransom, a change in late adolescence that Nina was only noticing now for the first time. He had been gone for several years, after all, before only coming back to St. Louis a couple of winters ago.

"Roark?"

"You've made your point, aunt Nina. I'm a failure and a disappointment. Just like my father…"

"No." Nina said as she sat next to her nephew, taking a deep breath. "Roark, you are nothing like your father. Calvin and Ethan still think the world of you. In fact, Ethan was just telling me how much he loved you."

"But do you love me?"

She was silent for a minute, contemplating the answer. Every passing second scratched at his soul. This was the woman who raised him… mostly. If she couldn't love him, what hope did he really have in the long run?

"Roark, I will admit that you were a hard boy to love and it is hard to love a man who has fallen in with thieves and criminals… but I do love you."

"Then why did you kick me out?" He said, sniffling. "I was still a kid, Aunt Nina. I was scared… terrified. I slept alone with those thieves and criminals. I know in those letters I sent Freckle I made it sound like an adventure, and it was, but I didn't want him to be worried or to blame himself. The whole time I just wanted to… come home." He explained.

Nina hadn't considered her nephew's perspective on the matter. He was a handful, and at least at the time she thought Rocky was a danger to himself, her son, and possible herself. But in the time since she had learned the truth of that incident.

"With experience comes new perspectives, Roark. In Calvin's absence, I've been thinking a lot about things and how they got to where they are. Of course, I was thinking about Calvin every day, but I thought of you as well. I'm sorry, Roark, I really am. That is, without a doubt, the worst decision I ever made."

"I wish that could make it all better…" Rocky said.

"Neither of us can change the past, but we can make a better future for ourselves. The Lord gave us free will, and all I've wanted you to do with it is become a fine young man. I am only just realizing that you've come a long way since I put you on that train all those years ago. That little boy, Joseph, right?"

"Yes?"

"How did you come to… take care of him. He's not one of Ethan's, right?"

"No. His mother died in that tornado a few weeks ago. He had no one else to take care of him so I volunteered. Ethan tried talking me out of it, and Freckle didn't like it at first either. But I wasn't going to let that boy feel alone and abandoned. I couldn't bear to see someone else feel that way."

"Then I have indeed misjudged you, Roark. Come here…" She reached out and pulled Rocky in close, ignoring the faint smell of maple syrup and sweat. "I've spent so much time trying to be a good Christian that I've neglected some areas of motherhood."

"You're good at both, Aunt Nina. For the most part. Really, I know I was a handful."

"Oh, you were a nightmare! But your mother loved you, Roark. She asked me to take care of you when she was gone… and I know now that in many ways I failed. So, if you and the Lord are willing, maybe we can find a way to be a family once more."

"Really?!"

"Yes, but on two conditions!" Nina straightened up and got that stern look back in her eyes. "First, you must cease with this devilry and go get a proper job as soon as you are able. That boy needs stability, structure, and a savings account for when he decides to dislocate both arms in a science experiment."

"Agreed and understood, Aunt Nina."

"Good. And second, you boys are coming to church with me every week until your sins have been washed away. Just being around your father was certain to have some sins on your soul by proxy! Joseph ought to be raised in a good Christian home, not some heathen gang den."

"I, uh… okay, Aunt Nina. I guess I can do that."

"That's a good lad. I suppose a third condition would be to keep your cousin from meeting the Lord too early, but that goes without saying."

"Of course it does!"

"Now, are you going to keep feeling sorry for yourself out here, or come back with me to the house?"

"And there!" I declared, replacing the bandages around Freckle's waist. "Nothing looked out of place, just an unlucky elbow to the side."

"Yeah, mom is… stout."

"Indeed, even I'm a bit scared of her, and I had to face machine guns! Speaking of stout and scary, I believe she's about to come back." I said, noticing her figure appear on the porch outside. Rocky followed close behind. Before she could start berating us once more, I raised my hand.

"Look, Mrs. McMurray. If you want to blame me for all this, you are welcome to do so. But Rocky and Freckle have been through enough."

"You're damn right they have, Ethan Kelly. But given that you've all lost a father and two of you have lost a mother, I suppose young men like yourselves will occasionally run astray."

"Oh great, here we go…" I muttered under my breath as she continued.

"So I have decided that you three need guidance. I expect to see you all at church this Sunday. Calvin knows where it is. Bring the children with too. Afterword we'll speak as a family."

"You aren't mad?" I asked, confused.

"Oh, there is plenty I can still be angry about, Ethan. But in the last few months I have had time to think about things and have been forced to reflect on certain… errors. We can talk more about this at a later time, but for now there is one thing I want you to know…"

"Yes?"

"Keep my boys safe and keep the law off of them. I realize it sounds hypocritical to what I said months ago, but I can't bear to see my boys get locked up for killing people who probably deserved it anyway. You said you were trying to find an exit? Then find it, for all our sakes."

"You have my word, Mrs. McMurray. That's a son's promise."

"And you best believe I will hold you to it. Now Calvin, are you able to drive?"

"Yes mom, I can drive,"

"Good. If you would be so kind as to bring me home, I would appreciate it. You are welcome to stay at the house too if you would like, your bedroom is exactly as you left it."

"I guess I can think about it on the way."

"Good boy. It's a long road back to righteousness, lads, but I will help you get there if you are willing."