Chapter X

New Jobs

It was almost dawn by the time that Jack’s eye opened fully, he had been drifting in and out of consciousness for the past few hours, but he seemed to Vernon like he was fully awake now, which was good, as it meant that he could put his plan into action.

“Awake at last I see master Jack.” Vernon said smiling down at the hungover teen. Jack massaged his aching head, although he knew what was coming, and braced himself for the worst. However, it did not come, instead the old butler had something worse in mind for him, as he walked over with a bucket and mop.

“Please Vernon. I know you’re going to yell, so please. Yell at me quietly.” Jack said smiling as only a drunken can in a situation like this, and as if he had any real authority over what the old butler would do. In response the look in Vernon’s eyes told him that he had none. It was at that moment that he noticed the pools of vomit on the ground next to him, and groaned, realising what the bucket and mop were now for.

“Well master Jack I’m not going to yell. But as you can see, you’ve created quite a mess last night.” Vernon said as Jack sat up and took the mop and bucket. “So, you’re going to clear it up. Including the stuff outside.” Vernon said smiling, the old butler was enjoying this, and Jack knew it. The teen groaned and stood up.

“Actually, I’ve changed my mind. Can you yell at me instead?” Jack asked grimacing at the mess on the ground, wondering to himself, how he had made such a mess on only three mugs of that stuff. But Vernon wasn’t having it.

“Nonsense. Now…” Vernon said checking his watch before continuing. “It is five o’clock. I reckon you can have this done before everyone else gets up if you stop moaning.” Vernon said and walked away before turning around. “Be thankful kid. I made your father and Uncle clean the entire manor after they’re first drinking session.” Vernon said smiling and returned to his room in order to get at least a few hours of sleep.

Four hours later the group, minus Nick and Martin, who were still asleep waited in the living area as Stefan and Iver enter the room. Both looking weary, as if they had been up for most of the night. Still the title of the most tired went too Jack, he was exhausted and to boot his head was still killing him, he had about to try and get some proper rest when the two men had arrived.

“Right, we have your jobs sorted out. Took a bit longer than we expected, but we feel we've been fair.” Stefan said looking around at the room of newcomers

Charlie and Jimmy, you'll be in the labs two streets down, it ain’t big like the one’s you’re probably used to, but it will have to suffice.” Iver said, as Charlie looked up, the fact that this small town had a lab was surprising to her, before Iver continued on. “Codsworth, Bruce and Jack, you'll be employed in the town guard. Which leaves Barca, Dave and Abi, you three will be out hunting for food. Head for the city gates, where your supplies will be waiting for you.” Iver finished and pocketed the piece of paper. As Stefan stepped forward.

“You have your jobs, report to them in an hour.” Stefan said, although he fortunately didn’t hear the groan from Jack, unfortunately for the hungover teen, Dave did. As Stefan and Iver leave the house and close the door behind them. Dave turns to his older brother with a look of glee on his face. Any time his older brother fell on his face, it was always fun to watch, as Jack often had the uncanny ability to make the situation much worse for himself.

“So, brother. You're not too drunk to do your job then?” Dave said, a shit eating grin on his face. He had heard about what had happened last night, and the resulting lesson in the early hours of the morning. In his mind, it couldn’t have gone any better, as a grey faced Jack looks towards Dave.

“Fuck you.” Jack said, it had taken almost three hours to get all the vomit cleaned up, and to boot, his head was still pounding, Vernon had not allowed him to take anything for it until the whole place had been cleaned up.

“Right may as well head out.” Codsworth said as he walks up to Jack and hauls the hungover teen up onto his feet and walks him out the door, followed by Bruce, ho looked as tired as Jack felt, due solely to the fact that he hadn’t been able to sleep in this cold climate.

After a few moments Barca holsters his weapon and heads out with Dave, who still looked like all his birthdays had come at once in regard to his older brother’s current predicament. However, before Abi can leave with them, Vernon calls her back.

“Abi.” Vernon said looking exhausted as well, albeit this was mostly having been up for most of the night, thinking of ways to teach Jack a lesson for his poor judgement.

“Yes, Vernon what is it?” Abi asked.

“Look after Dave will you, don't let him do anything stupid?” Vernon said, he knew Dave, and he knew how reckless he was, in truth he wanted someone who was more responsible than Barca with the thirteen-year-old. Especially after what had happened last night.

“I'll look after him don't worry.” Abi replied and took her leave followed by Charlie and Jimmy. As both Nick and Martin hadn’t woken up yet, and Vernon had no intention speeding that process along, it meant that the old butler and Dmitri were left alone.

“So, the two cripples left behind.” Dmitri said hollowly, this was worse than Codsworth’s statement about him in the governor’s room, as now it felt all too real.

“Speak for yourself, captain.” Vernon said as he sat himself down and resting his stick by his side. “But you do have a job Dmitri.” Vernon said, trying to cheer the captain up somewhat.

“Fat lot of good I can do. At times like these I envy Alan, at least he had a metal leg.” Dmitri said gesturing at the stump, he wouldn’t be of much help in defending this place unless he was sitting down. Keeping a gun steady whilst one legged was proving a lot harder than he had initially thought. As many times last night, whilst practicing he had collapsed to the ground. And when he tried to steady himself by using the crutch, it meant that he could not hold the gun still for very long.

“Dmitri, I'm not getting any younger. There needs to be someone more capable and younger than I am to defend this house.” Vernon said, that was the truth, he had avoided death so many times that it was almost certainly only a matter of time until it finally came. He was a fair shot, but he needed a soldier to help him defend the house that they had moved into, if they were going to survive here. As the events of the previous evening at the inn had proven, they were not as safe here as they wanted to believe. At this statement Dmitri chuckled, it wasn’t a fully formed laugh, but it was close.

“Trust me old friend, you'll outlive us all.” Dmitri said, the old butler had a knack for that, if his past was anything to go by. That was proved by the injury he had sustained defending the manor, others had dies from less series wounds. But by some miracle Vernon had survived a stab wound to the chest and come out still breathing. Dmitri sighs at this fact and looks at the ground for a moment. “You'll certainly outlive me.” Dmitri said, there was no bitterness in his voice, no sense that it wasn’t fair. Just the sound of a man who had seemed to come to terms with his own mortality.

“How long do you have?” Vernon asked, he had guessed that the wound would have been fatal, but he had no idea how long it would take for that fatality to hit the captain.

“I don’t know, to tell you the truth... My guess a year, probably less. Charlie managed to stop most of the venom, but it was never going to work. I am... As they say... A dead man walking.” Dmitri said sitting down, it still felt weird, not being able to put two feet on the ground when he sat down. The walking, or hobbling was getting easier, but all the same, he needed something under his arm pit to soften he rifle, which had a knack of cutting into his skin if he didn’t hold it exactly right.

Codsworth, Bruce and Jack walk into the small armoury where Captain Idar Hagelin, a barrel-chested man with a walrus moustache and the local guard captain stands waiting for them.

“Bout time, I've waited long enough. What kept you so long?” Idar said looking up with a stern look on his face, he looked like a man who was not used to waiting on others, especially when those people he was waiting on looked half drunk and exhausted to boot. Trying to keep a confident persona Codsworth slaps Jack's shoulder, which makes the teen stumble forward a few paces before he takes the message and manages to straighten himself up.

“Had to get this one sobered up first.” Codsworth said, albeit they had not done the best of jobs on that particular front. Jack still looked very worse for wear, and was now soaked through to boot, as Bruce had insisted on chucking a bucket of water over him to help with the hangover, needless to say, this had done nothing but given the lad an involuntary shower. Idar looks at Jack closely before nodding, remembering oathing that one of the other guards had told him about the previous evening.

“Aye, you’re the lad that stood up to those thugs in the inn last night, eh?” Idar said, he seemed genuinely interest in what had happened the previous evening, although Jack couldn’t tell whose side this man fell on, his or the thugs, so he only nodded. And Idar smiles at him before continuing. “Well then, I'll give ya a pass for tardiness today then. But don't think about comin here drunk again.” The captain finished looking seriously at Jack.

“Okay.” Jack said and nodded, although he immediately regretted it, as the room began to spin again. As Idar nods in return

“I'm glad you did what ya did laddie. I've wanted to see those men brought down for a long time.” Idar said, making his views known, this surprised Codsworth, as usually the town guards that he had known tried to remain impartial on matters like brawls inside pubs and inns.

“They been causing you problems.” Codsworth said looking up, it was the only reason that he could think off as to why the local captain was taking such a vested interest in the previous night’s situation.

“Oh aye, getting drunk, attacking my men. What I'd give to see them all on the end of a rope.” Idar replied as he looks at the bemused faces in-front of him, before reaching behind the desk withdrawing three pistols and three axes. “Your tools of service. And please don't use ta guns unless you have too.” Idar said grimacing at the firearms. Codsworth picks up one of the axes and looks at it for a moment. It was a lot heavier than he had originally thought, but then again, the only melee weapons he usually carried before was a standard issue knife, and even then, he had hardly used the thing. He slides the grip of the weapon into his belt before returning his glaze too Idar.

“Having problems with the guns. We've got someone who can have a look at them if there faulty.” Bruce said before Codsworth could ask his own question. The translator was pretty sure that Dmitri would relish the chance to have a look at the weapons, just as something to do with his time. Idar sighs for a moment, before shaking his head.

“The guns are fine. We just don't ‘av enough ammo to go with them, that's why you've got the axes.” Idar said as Jack holsters both the pistol and the axe onto his belt, thinking. It had taken him this long to train himself to use a gun with only one eye. And that was dealing with stuff at range, which was easier. Now with the axe, he would have to deal with enemies a lot closure, meaning that his usual problem of depth of field, would now be compounded by a lack of focus. He was deep in thought as he left with Bruce, As Codsworth makes to follow the others out of the door Idar calls him back. “You... Erm... Don't need to return the weapons tonight. Keep them on you.” Idar said to the commander, who was taken aback, usually most weapons were to be returned at nightfall unless you had an overnight shift.

“Ok, why?” Codsworth asked, whilst he knew it wasn’t strictly above board, he felt that a few extra weapons in their house would make it more defensible. As they had been forced to abandon a lot of their guns and ammo back at the jet and had never had the opportunity to go back and get them.

“Because, you’re going to need them, keep you safe.” Idar said, speaking quickly as to get as much information as he had managed to pick up, into the commander’s ears.

“Safe?” Codsworth asked, he had known it, he had known from the start that this place wasn’t the refuge that had been promised, but he listened on, wanting as much proof as possible, for when the inevitable happened, and members of the group would want to remain here after winter was over.

“The lad's actions last night made him a very mad enemy. Who will not hesitate to do something rash if given the chance to get back at him.” Idar said quickly.

“Jack, he's only a kid.” Codsworth said, having heard about what had happened the previous evening, but all the same, to seek vengeance in the immediate aftermath was understandable, men did stupid things when they were drunk and angry after all, but to hold a grudge into the following day, seemed a little excessive, especially given Jack’s age.

“Aye, but that kid shamed a very dangerous man last night. So, I'd advise you to avoid the back street's if I were you.” Idar said, before returning to his usual brisk tone of voice. “You're dismissed former commander.” Idar finished and gestured to the door, and at this final note Codsworth nods and walks out of the armoury before turning back.

“Should I tell Jack about this?” Codsworth asked, he wasn’t sure on that matter, and wanted a second, and more importantly, neutral opinion on the matter. Idar pauses for a moment before answering.

“I don't know, can the lad handle it?” Idar said in response, which didn’t help Codsworth in the slightest, sure the lad had dealt with a lot of shit in his young lifetime, but an active death threat was something else entirely. He sighs and grimaces before leaving Idar alone once again.

As Codsworth leaves the armoury, he looks around at the buildings an alleys, they had been imposing before, but now looked practically terrifying with an active death threat on at least one of their group, probably two, if they were smart enough to identify Barca as one of them. He found Jack outside in the middle of the street, holding the axe in his hand and looking more miserable than he had done this morning.

“You alright kid?” Codsworth asked, wondering if he had overheard what he and Idar had spoken about back in the armoury.

“Yeah. It's just, how am I supposed to use this, when I have a shit depth of field?” Jack asked the commander as he stared down at the weapon. “It took me ages to re-learn how to shoot a gun after all.” Jack finished looking up at the commander.

“You want my advice kid. Try not to get into a situation where you need to use that weapon.” Codsworth said, before thinking of something. “If it’s still bothering you tomorrow, I’ll train you.” The commander said and Jack nodded and walked, mercifully avoiding many of the back alley’s. Codsworth followed him until he was out of sight and turned around and headed towards the main gates, to see if he could get any more information out of Barca before he set off on the hunt.