Another Stray
"And this here is Viktor. Viktor, this is Mr. Ethan Kelly. Ethan, Viktor does a lot of odd jobs for us." Mitzi steps to the side and I get a full view of a cat standing a head taller and a hundred pounds heavier than me. "Holy shit…" I think. Trying to be polite, I extend a hand for the bear in front of me to shake but he doesn't move. Instead, Viktor just looked at me from head to toe and back with his one good eye before giving a grunt.
A Slavic baritone voice finally emerges, "You found another stray?"
Well, at least he can speak.
"Oh come now Viktor, we've really got to get you lessons on hospitality." Mitzi sighs
I retract my hand, seeing as it's clearly not wanted. "Well it's nice to meet you anyway, Viktor."
"Ethan here is our new cook in the café, but he can do a lot of handywork too."
The big guy huffed. "I show you tools." Viktor then walked out of the room toward the garage. I look over at Miss M. with some concern. "So, dare I ask what kind of work you have him do?"
"Viktor is sort of like a… customer service person."
"Really? Because he looks like nails are his preferred diet…"
"Viktor is a sweet and caring man, Ethan, but I'll admit it takes a while for him to warm up."
"Well, maybe a good dinner later will do the trick. Thank you, Mitzi, I'll get started on fixing up the kitchen tonight."
"That's the spirit dear. Viktor can tell you where all the tools are. Just be careful around the car, my… errand boy had some trouble yesterday."
"Oh really, trouble of what nature?" I ask, genuinely curious, but Miss M just ignores it. I guess it's better not to ask.
"You come?" Viktor's voice calls me back to the task at hand as he sticks his head back in the door with a look that could make a bear run in fear.
"Yes, coming Viktor."
Opening the door, I'm a bit nervous, but Viktor is quick to turn on the light in the middle of the room, exposing a car that's seen better days.
"Ooh, so let me guess big guy, you're fixing this thing up for Miss M, aren't ya?"
"Ya, crazy one, how you say, 'errand boy' find trouble."
"The one that looks like he took a leap into the river?"
His nod confirmed it. "Well, I suppose he can't be all bad. You just let me know if you need help..." His glare gave me the suspicion that he likes working alone. "…or not. Now, you mentioned tools?"
Viktor pointed over at the workbench in the back. A bit of a mess, but all the required tools seemed to be there.
"Very good, I'll be sure to put them back once I'm done."
"Ethan, Miss M said you were back here! Where are you?" We both turn around at the young voice beckoning me.
"Sorry Viktor, that's just my sister. Riley! We're in the garage!"
As Riley came through the door, I couldn't help but notice that Viktor's expression softened. Well, softened a little bit anyway. Maybe he's not as harsh around kids? Of course, the girl decided to say something awkward as she came up to us.
"Woah… you're so big."
"Riley! Don't be rude!"
Truth be told, I was somewhat concerned about how a big, irritable bruiser would take something like that, but he surprisingly just burst into laughter.
"And you very little." He said, smiling. "You are good kiddo. Remind me of Ivy when she was younger."
Well, at least I can find some relief in that.
"Riley, this is Viktor. One of Miss M's employees. I guess he's kind of like their shop guy."
She stuck her hand out. "It's nice to meet you Viktor."
Viktor readily took her hand and gently shook it like a proper gentleman. Well, color me surprised yet again!
"Riley, we should leave Viktor to his work. Poor man has the job of fixing this car after that weird guy put some dents into it. Here, help me carry the tools, and mind the broken glass."
Ten minutes later I had a tidy little workbench set up in the kitchen. "I thought you were a cook or something, Ethan?"
"Well sis, the wage is good enough that I'll probably have to do some extra things around here to earn our keep. Say, shouldn't you be catching up on school work? You know classes are going to start soon, and these big city folk have a bit more advanced schedule for teaches."
"Aw… but I've been up reading and writing most of the day. Do you know how boring math is?"
"Very boring, but it beats having to shovel out a new adit. And that's why you got to study hard, Riley, so you don't have to work yourself to the bone like me or our brothers, or our parents for that matter."
"Okay… but could I at least study here instead of in our room?"
"A fine compromise I'd say. Now go fetch your books, I'll fix us dinner once I fix the stove."
While the gas stove was new—ish, some parts needed tuning up to keep it burning clean. A couple minutes later, I was working underneath it, messing with the ignition when the door opened, and footsteps grew louder.
"Is that you Riley?"
"Hi Ethan! It's Ivy."
Trying to get up I banged my head on the cast iron.
"Ow, ow, ow, son of a—"
A gasp left her lips, "Are you okay?" Despite the pain I noticed a cool wet rag was quickly placed on my forehead.
"Yeah… I'm fine. But damn does that hurt! Hate it when that happens. Thanks, Miss Pepper."
It was then that I noticed the flashy dress.
"Wait, what are you all dressed up for? You're liable to get it all dirty back here in the kitchen."
"Oh this old thing? I'm just, uh, dancing tonight."
"No kidding…" I grabbed onto the counter as she helped me to my feet. "I assume you're waiting for a date then."
"Yeah, he should be here soon. Hey, how'd you guess?"
"Well, smiles back there in the garage doesn't seem like the dancing type. And I wasn't planning on dancing with anyone tonight except this stinking stove."
"You mean Viktor?" She laughed. "No, he's more like an uncle to me. Besides, he's got bad knees, so no dancing for him or I'll poke and prod until he sits down and takes it easy! Poor guy works far too hard for a man in his condition."
I heard the other door open just then, "Okay, I'm back… Hey, Ivy!"
"Riley! Are you still studying?" Ivy then let go of my arm and went to see what the girl was up to. After checking for blood on the rag, I followed.
"Yeah, still studying. Ethan says I need to get caught up before I go to school with the big city folk."
"Oh dear. You know Ethan, there's more to life than studying."
"You're absolutely right Ivy, there's also work. And believe me, working long and hard isn't all it's cracked up to be. Besides, what else is there to do right now?"
After a moment her eyes brightened with an idea. "Hey, how about if Riley comes with me and Freckle?"
"What, dancing?" I responded, still a little hazy from that bump on the head.
"Ooh, can I Ethan?! Please!"
"Well, I suppose you did earn it..."
"Yay!" Riley exclaimed.
"Fantastic! Come on Riley, you can wear one of my old dancing dresses. You'll look like a proper flapper girl!"
Soon I found myself alone again with the stove, and she wasn't exactly a conversationalist. Nevertheless, fixing the thing had it's own benefits. It was quiet, humble work. It wasn't hot, sweltering, dark, and I wasn't being shot at or freezing to death in a hole.
After a while, I heard the girls come back and carry on with their own conversation. The front door swung open again with a ring.
"Oh! You look nice tonight, Miss M!"
"Thank you, sweetie. Hand me that butterknife, please. Riley, where's your brother?"
"I'm under the stove, Miss M! Getting the old thing cleaned up. Shouldn't give us any more trouble starting up."
"That's great dear, keep up the hard work. If you want, raid the pantry when you get hungry. Just make sure you feed Viktor too."
"Of course ma'am! Thank you!" I said, though the movement caused some carbon to land in my mouth.
"Now, what are you girls doing all dolled up and waiting around upstairs? You haven't lured a couple of boys into meeting you here, have you?"
"Um, no… of course not. Riley and I were just doing some reading."
"You know, Ethan should really see Riley…" Mitzi suggested while motioning with her head to get the girl away from the hidden entrance.
Ivy took the hint and brought Riley into the kitchen.
"Alright Ethan, what do you think of my handywork?"
I heard something move in the main area, but my sister kicked me a little to get me out from under the stove. "Wow, Riley, you look like a proper city girl! Better stay close to Ivy and her date so the little lads at the dance stay a bit intimidated." I could see some red blushing on Riley's cheeks. Hard to believe she'd be getting more interested in guys in only a year or two.
"Well, I don't know where you're going tonight, but I trust you won't be out too late, right Ivy?"
"Pff, no. Just a little dance for a while. Heck, you might still be working on that stove when we get back. Besides… it's, close by."
"Okay then, you two have fun. Remember to stay with Ivy, Riley, don't get lost in a crowd or something. And Ivy, if any boys get the wrong idea about Riley—"
"I'll have Viktor give them a talk."
"Now there's an idea, Miss Pepper! If you do that, let me know so I can watch."
Ivy peaked her head out into the main area. "Hey, looks like Calvin is here."
"Best not keep him waiting, and I should get back to work."
The Lackadaisy
Outside, Ivy spied Calvin. "Hi!"
"Oh, um… hi…"
"So, were you previously engaged in sitting in that old flivver and looking contemplative this evening? Or were you maybe planning to join Riley and I?"
The footsteps then faded as I heard a door open and close. Back to quiet contemplation as a frustrating appliance puts up some stiff resistance. Soon, the stove was finally done. A quick test confirmed it, the gas ignited without even the slightest complaint. "That 'a girl! Now you'll burn a lot hotter and cleaner." Looking up at the clock I notice that it's already past 9pm. "Oh wow, that took longer than I thought. Whelp, better put this stuff away, clean up, and make a late dinner. Hopefully that boy with Ivy has enough sense to pay for some grub…"
"You two ready to see something cool?" Ivy asked her two companions.
"Yeah!" Riley exclaimed. Freckles was less enthusiastic. "Why did we go through an unmarked door?"
A rather rotund, but pleasant doorman greeted them at the bottom of the steps. "You found another one already Miss pepper? And who is the young lady with you?"
Ivy forced a smile while undoing Calvin's shirt. "Just open the door Horatio… if you could be so kind."
Walking in, the two newcomers were dazzled by the size of the room they were in. "Wow, Ethan would be amazed at the size of this mine."
"What is this? Is that a bar? This is some kind of Saloon?" Freckles asked whilst being pulled along by Ivy. She was eager to get on the dance floor.
"You two know the Breakaway, right?"
"What's that?"
"Oh, I can teach to you Riley. And you Calvin?"
"You mean dance?"
The boy tried to get away before he could embarrass himself.
"How about the Lindy Hop? That's the new one they're doing in New York. Come on, the dance floor is this way!"
Freckles was putting up some stiff resistance though. "I know…"
It then dawned on Ivy that something wasn't right. "Hey… where's the band?"
Fast footsteps then came from one of the caverns. Ivy noticed just in time to see the band, Rocky included, burning rubber for the exit. She quickly grabbed hold of Riley before she could get trampled.
"What's going on? Don't push!"
"Watch out miss Pepper!"
Rocky then looked at the guy he had just run over. "Freckle!"
"What are you doing here?"
"The… Lindy Hop?" Freckle replied, confused.
"Does your mother know you're here! And wait, who's kid is that?"
Pepper tried to help Calvin up while explaining. "I took the liberty of inviting them here…"
Of course, Rocky wasn't listening. He instead waited for Calvin to explain himself. "No, I couldn't sleep. I figured you'd be down here playing the violin so…"
"You've got a violin! We've got fiddles back in Butte!" Riley said excitedly, but no one was listening to her.
"…but this looks like some kind of gin joint. I thought you said you were a vigilante, and you were upholding justi—"
"Ha!" Ivy cracked, "Yeah, the violin vigilante huh? That's our Rocky alright. Did he tell you he was the Shiek of Araby too?"
"No?"
Rocky then stopped to think. "Vigilante? I don't remember saying that exactly, but uh… perhaps I used the term for ironic effect, or maybe I was speaking in metaphor, who can say? That's the thing about words, they're wishy washy!"
Three confused faces looked back at him.
"Maybe we'll have better luck with interpretive pantomime." Rocky then put one hand behind his head and another cupped around his eye. "Frantic arm gestures are for emphasis!"
Only Riley ventured a guess. "Is that a turkey with an eyepiece?"
"Okay, the kid is on the board. Any other guesses? No, not getting it? Give up?"
Three sets of eyes gave him the usual stare of bewilderment.
"It means pig farmers are coming to shoot my face off. Let's step out of the line of fire, shall we?"
"… so you're not a vigilant—" Rocky then grabbed Calvin's hand along with Ivy, who grabbed Riley.
"C'mon you three!"
In a flurry of excitement, Riley heard some guy yell "Raid!" and before she knew it, everyone was being pushed toward the exit. Just as she was getting near, Ivy lost her grasp on Riley, and she got left behind as Mitzi shut and locked the door after stomping on Zib's foot. She only realized her mistake upon turning around.
"Riley, what are you doing here?"
"Miss Pepper brought me here."
"That girl, sometimes I swear… Does your brother know you're here?"
"He knows I was going dancing?"
On the other side of the door, Pepper tried to get back in, but Horatio blocked her. "Hey, I need to get the kid out of there!"
"I'm sure they'll find their own way out, Miss Pepper." Said the doorman.
With a huff, Ivy followed the men up the stairs.
"Where are you going Miss Pepper?"
"I'll just get back inside through the garage." And with that she hurried to catch up with Sable and his peers.
Back inside, Mitzi was just getting over her lost opportunity at some customers to bankroll their operation, but Riley tugged on her dress.
"Miss M, what's going on?"
"Well Riley, perhaps you should ask Zib. Zib, you've managed to ruin that opportunity and the last vestiges of our reputation in one fell swoop. Impressive."
"Likewise. Thank you for impairing my ability to run for my life just when I needed it."
"I wish you'd stop being dramatic, I've got this."
"A pea shooter? Look at that kid, we're saved!"
"You have a gun Miss M?"
"For emergencies dear. Heavy artillery is in the caves in the back."
"Did I fail to mention we have one down in the garage already?!" Zib said. It was his last-ditch effort to get Mitzi to listen.
That stopped Mitzi cold. "What? Viktor?"
Before she could process it, Rocky came running past, grabbing both Mitzi and Riley. "Get down! Get down!"
Back Over There
I got the tools packed up neatly in the toolbox and the counters all wiped down. No soot or dirt was going to ruin this dinner! But first, I should put these tools back for Viktor tomorrow. I open the door to the back rooms and weave my way through the pantry and past the first-floor office. Just as I'm nearing the back door, a loud shriek catches my ear as well as a bang.
"Gunshot? Riley!" I think as I rush toward the garage, hair of my tail on end out of fear. I can already feel it coming on. "No, no, not now. Someone could be hurt!" I will myself to suppress the urge to fall into one of those many terrible memories. Grabbing a hammer from the toolbox, I rush into the alley only to find the door blown off.
"Dear God, Viktor!" I say as I rush into the garage. Things are knocked about, a couple of weapons on the floor. Viktor is stumbling, holding his side. Ivy is there too, and a stranger is coming to his feet.
The intruder comes about and attempts to reload his shotgun when I wrestle the weapons away. Confused, but also enraged, I slap him hard in the face with the side of the hammer, sending him to the dirt. There's a lot of questions running through my mind and there is one cat here who has the answers. I turn to Ivy and try to stay calm.
"Miss Pepper, what the hell is going on? Where's Riley?"
"I don't know Ethan, but Riley is… damn…"
"Ivy, where is she? Please!"
"I'm not supposed to say…"
"That doesn't matter right now, I need to know if she's safe."
"Okay, she's downstairs."
"Why would you two and your date be in the basement?"
"Not the basement! There's a gin joint downstairs."
Now things are starting to make sense. "Gin joint?" But Ivy is already running out of the garage. "Ethan, stay with Viktor. I need to call a doctor!"
It's then I look at the big guy as he holds his side. "Shit, Viktor, you've been shot!"
"Go find sister, naow. I'm fine."
I glance over at the poor soul Viktor has pinned to the wall. Maybe this guy will give us some answers? "There's no way you thought you could jump Viktor by yourself. How many of you are there?"
The guy squeaks out a number from underneath Viktor's grip. "There's five of us. Please, let me go!"
"Viktor, does that sound about right to you?"
He didn't take his eyes off the guy. "Ya".
I lean down to pick up the shotgun before fishing a couple of shells out of his pocket. It's like a switch flipped inside my head as training begins to take over. "If my sister down there is hurt, God help whoever sent you." I look over at Viktor who, despite the pain, is sporting a devilish smile.
Rushing down the stairs, I can barely keep my wits about me. The "cellar" quickly becomes a cave, and after sprinting through a short hallway, a massive room greets me. Chandeliers, a bar, gambling tables, a stage complete with curtains, it can hardly be real. But there's no time to admire the work as manic laughter fills the air.
It all starts to shift for me as I find myself back on the cursed hill in France. Gunshots ring out followed by the dreaded cannon. Everything feels dark, cold, and damp. The lights above are now stars. I remember it all, every scream, every roar, every death. I swing my gun around and fire into empty air just as a German infantryman emerges from the shadows. A bayonet tries to sink its way into my chest. Parry, pivot, thrust, the enemy is down. Yet my gun is yanked from my grasp and I feel it used against me like a club, striking a blow to my side. I duck and dodge as my new enemy empties a big Mauser bullet into the charred remains of a tree behind me, splinters flying everywhere. I need to get some distance, find a place to hide until the right moment. Out of ammo, no rifle, heart racing, it all feels too real. I duck behind cover and let the soldier draw near.
A creak from his boot tips me off. Training kicks in and I go for the rifle first, man second. In a swift motion I've caught the barrel even though it is searing hot from battle. A kick to the stomach later, I've got the bastard right where I want him. Using his own rifle, I squeeze the trigger, but nothing happens. Resolved to do this the old-fashioned way, I flip the gun around and use it as a club. I strike once, then again, and again. Each hit my frustration and rage grows. I need to find my sister and get her out of this hell hole before-
"Ethan! Ethan, stop!"
Strike after strike, blood stains my hands and face. "Ethan, please, he's dead…" I see Riley's face. My heart is still racing, but it's over now. I close my eyes and try to breathe. One, two, three, four, five, I finally drop the gun and things start to come back to me. The Mauser rifle turns out to be a double-barreled shotgun, but the blood is all too real.
"My god… what did I do?" What was once a cat now lays still before me. My knees give out and I collapse back into the oak side of the bar. But Riley is right next to me, trying to clean off the blood.
"You're hurt!" she exclaims.
"I am?" Now I'm fully back, so I give a rattling sigh. Head, check. Arms, check. Chest, check. Two legs, check. "No Riley, I'm fine. This isn't my blood."
"Here, help me clean you off then." The girl is so sweet, grabbing rags from the bar she helps me wipe off another man's blood off my arms and face. A couple of buttons later and my bloodied shirt is off too.
"Are you with us now, dear?" Mitzi asks. All I can do is nod my head.
"Riley… are you okay? Did anyone hurt you?"
"No, I'm fine Ethan. Freckle went crazy and got the guys who were after us."
"But you got the last one…" a tall cat smoking a cigarette shakily remarked.