~
I felt like I had bonded with Brodie. He was no longer one of the Scooby-Doo gang. He had real feelings under the rough exterior. I knew he would be there to back me up, so I wasn’t going to let him or Caiyan down. I had a job to do, and I was going to be brave and do my best. Well, after I found my key so I could actually do my job.
“What are we going to do now?” I asked.
“We are waiting on Ace to transport Mitchell back to headquarters. Hopefully, he will be here soon.”
“How is Ace a transporter? Isn’t he a guy?”
“Well, sorta,” Brodie said, then went outside.
Brodie stayed outside to keep a lookout for Ace, Caiyan, or any trouble that might present itself. I was inside keeping an eye on our captive. Every now and then, he would try to holler a curse word at me, but it was muffled by the gag. I would respond by poking him in the ass with the end of a hoe.
Outside there was a noise that sounded like a whoosh of wind, accompanied by a flash of lightning. I didn’t remember a storm brewing, so I poked my head out the barn door.
“What was that?” I asked Brodie.
“Ace,” Brodie responded with a cynical tone.
And then I saw him. About five ten, slightly muscular, dressed in tight bright-blue spandex pants, a sparkly gold-sequined top, and a feather boa. He had on a pair of Via Spiga black leather over-the-knee boots. I was green with envy. I wanted those boots, but looking at the size of his feet, I knew there would not be any swapping. He was coming from the direction of a carnival photo booth—the kind you get in with a friend, and you pull the curtain closed, then it spits out a strip of four black-and-white photos. The gold shirt was open to the navel, revealing skinny but firm abs, and around his neck was a key in the shape of a lightning bolt.
He sauntered over to Brodie. “Heeey, Brodie baby, what’s up?” This was kind of like a crocodile meeting up with Tinkerbell.
“What took you so long, mate?” Brodie grimaced and shifted uncomfortably.
“I had curlers in, hon; I can’t travel with my hair a mess.” He gave his long brown waves a toss, and then he noticed me.
“Well, what do we have here, another conquest from the past?” He circled around me, looking me up and down.
“Excuse us, hon.” He pulled Bodie to the side and spoke in a low tone, but the concern in his voice escalated, and I could hear every word. “I mean, really, Brodie, it’s not like you have a magic wand that can erase a memory with the flash of a red light. You really are being careless with the locals. She saw my ride and everything.”
“No, she’s one of us,” Brodie said.
Ace moved closer to me. “Nice hair.”
“Nice boots,” I replied.
“You like? I got them on clearance at Neiman’s, fifty percent off, girl, can you believe it?”
“No way?” I asked in awe.
“Um,” Brodie interrupted. “This is Jennifer Cloud. She is our newest transporter, and we have a bad guy to transport.”
“Why doesn’t she do it?” Ace asked, pointing my way.
“The Mafusos have taken her key,” Brodie said.
“And my cousin, Gertie,” I added.
“Damn thieves. Show me where he is, and I’ll get him out of here.”
As we walked back to the barn, Ace in the lead, I whispered to Brodie, “How come he isn’t in western clothes like us?”
“We can’t figure that one out. The vessel can’t seem to overpower Ace’s clothing. He always comes dressed as is… and sometimes it’s a little scary.”
“I heard that!” exclaimed Ace’s voice from inside the barn.
We walked together toward the wagon. Ace peered over the edge and got a glimpse of Mitchell. “Oh, he’s just a little thief. Come on over here to Ace, darlin’.”
This sent Mitchell into a kicking fit. “Woo, and feisty too! I like ‘em with a little spunk.”
Brodie got up in the wagon and pushed Mitchell to the edge. Mitchell tried to squirm, but Ace had him in a death grip. Brodie gave him a thunk on the head with the butt of his gun, and Mitchell was out for the count. Ace picked him up and threw him over his shoulder. “We need to blindfold him. Can’t have him waking up and gettin’ a look at my ride now, can we?”
Brodie found a feed sack in the barn and secured it over Mitchell’s head.
“That will do. How is Miss Priss here gettin’ back?”
“We are waiting for Caiyan,” I said.
Ace paused, then looked me up and down. “Of course you are. Call me, Brodie, hon, if I need to return, but make it quick; I’ve got a date with a rock star.”
We walked outside, and Ace said something in a language I didn’t understand. His photo booth appeared in front of us with a windy gust. He loaded Mitchell inside.
He gave me a wink and said, “Say cheese, baby!” There was a flash of light, and they were gone.