By Kirsten
Copyright 1999
The building was not much to look at from the outside, but the inside held a completely different prospect for viewers. Not one single passerby would have seen the structure for what it was; one of the most highly advanced offices in the United States.
Inside sat men of exceeding education and training. They were equipped as the government's top security personnel, and prided themselves on having files of every outlaw in the territory. There wasn't one secret that they couldn't keep, nor was there one secret that they couldn't uncover. They were the best of the best…and the pride of the President.
A young man not more than twenty sat at his desk meticulously analyzing a forged document to find its creator. He had been working with the government for several months on tracking down a man who posed incognito…stealing from banks in each disguise that he wore.
About to give up for the day, the man rubbed his eyes and stretched his arms. He'd been sitting there for two hours with maps and all of the information that he could find on this man. Needless to say, he was exhausted.
He stood up to get himself a cup of coffee…determined not to go home for another two hours when a rather husky voice interrupted his tranquil state.
"Joseph!" the agency's secretary shouted across the room. He hated it when she did that…after all, he did need to keep some discretion among the other employees of the organization. They never needed to know more about each other or say more than first names and short phrases or greetings.
"Just a minute," he mumbled, reminding himself that it was a Friday and he was going to remain calm. After all, there would be the entire weekend to be away from Matilda and her obnoxious voice. Just because she had a top-secret style job did not mean that she had gotten it from her brain skills or lack thereof. Joseph laughed inwardly at the cruelty that he was capable of. It wasn't as if he was a nasty person…it was just that some people brought out the worst in him.
He weaved his way through the desks and chairs until he reached her side. Joseph had a pretty good idea what it was that she wanted…or more specifically what he wanted. Matilda only came after Joseph when the boss was in a foul mood or wanted to take someone's head off.
She motioned towards the office door, and he knew what it was about. Reluctantly he handed her his mug of coffee and knocked on the door. After waiting for five seconds he let himself in. It was a tradition that had begun since his employment at the agency…never wait until the boss tells you to enter, you just do.
"What is it, Al?" Joseph began, not bothering with formalities in name titles. He plopped himself down into a chair and waited for the older man to yell at him or shove off some extra paperwork.
Much to Joseph's surprise, Allan got straight to the point without any of their typical cat-and-mouse run arounds. "I have a very important mission that I want you to start on tomorrow. You better pack because you're going to be gone for a few days."
Joseph shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He wasn't sure if he should step outside and check to make sure that he was in the right office or not. This was certainly not sounding like the boss that he had known, "What's up? Is this another circus performance that you want me to star in?"
Allan ignored the comment completely and tossed a file into Joseph's lap. "We have a file on a young woman that rode for the Pony Express a little over six months ago."
Having heard and seen a lot of things in his employment that seldom surprised him, Joseph suddenly found an exception, "The Express? Are you sure? They only hired men."
Shooting him a look of yes I wouldn't have said it if it weren't true, Allan continued. "That's why I want her. Anyone that could be so bold as to fool and lie to Russell, Majors and Waddel has got to be perfect for this mission. Her ability to disguise herself may come in handy when you two embark."
Joseph threw up his hands and leaned back in his chair, "Woah, wait a minute Al, you aren't hooking me up with another woman. Remember what happened last time? She demanded five hats and ended up costing me a fortune. If you want a woman, I'll get my sister, she can handle anything. Otherwise you can find yourself another man to do the job."
Allan was not the type of person to be threatened…such actions only made his will and determination stronger. "No, you will find yourself another job. I'm not asking you anymore Joseph, I'm telling you."
The pleading tone could not be concealed from within Joseph's voice. He might as well have been asked to walk across a pile of sharp rocks with his bare feet. "Why me?"
The reply from Allan came too easily and quickly, "Because you're a Pinkerton Detective, it's your job," he paused with some reservation. Allan was not the kind of man who handed out compliments on a silver platter. They were sparse and fewer still. "And I trust you more than any of our other men."
Allan motioned towards the door, "Find her Joseph, and don't come back until you have her."
"You going to tell me what it is that's on your mind?" Louise stated as she walked into the swampy blackness that flooded the room. "You've been up here for nearly an hour."
Kid sat in the corner of the room, his eyes fixed on no particular object outside as he stared unseeing. He vaguely acknowledged her presence with a faint glance in her direction and she took it as an affirmation to join him.
She walked over to his side and placed a comforting arm around his waist. Time had shown that whenever there was something on Kid's mind, he would openly discuss it when, and only when he was good and ready. Usually it took a while, but tonight, he opened up his heart to her without hesitation. "Are you content with your life here, Lou?"
The question took her back, and she looked at him, wondering how or why he should dare ask such a thing. Of course her life was a content one, in fact she had never been happier before. "Kid, what kind of a thing is that to be questioning me on? I thought you'd know by now that I…"
He didn't give her the chance to answer, "I saw you today, Lou," he began, the tone of his voice illustrating that there was a hidden meaning behind the statement.
Louise looked at him with her eyebrows wrinkled and her mouth opened slightly. She stepped back from Kid and glared at him confused. Naturally he would have seen her today, what was so unusual about that? "Kid, I don't know what you mean, you know that…"
"That's not what I meant, Lou," he stated emphatically, not meaning to hurt her in the slightest. His entire goal here was to give her all that she deserved, and the life that she had earned…not the unstable one they had shared over the past two months.
Lou crossed her arms and awaited this explanation that had better be a good one.
He saw her stern expression and continued without delaying, "I'm out of a job right now, and pretty soon our savings are going to run out," he glanced down at the ground, afraid to meet her eyes which were always so eager and willing to help. There were almost times when he wished that she would worry more than she did. "I can't give you all that you deserve, Lou. Not when times are tough like this and the Civil War is spreading faster than wildfire. I don't know where to go from here."
She clenched her jaw in preparation for the fight that she knew would sprout from this discussion. His unselfish thoughts and wishes for her were what caused Lou to respect him more than she had ever done before. Yet at the same time, she knew that she could pull her own weight. "Well," she began, trying to make some semblance of order out of the mess and confusion, "What if we both got a job? We could travel out West like we've talked about before. With the savings that we have, it'd be enough to get us out to California. They've got to need people working out there as well."
Kid felt his face and pride fall at the same time, "No you won't," he said harshly. "When you married me it was with the understanding that I would take care of you. I don't want to break that promise, Lou."
She remained unusually calm towards his response. "You wouldn't be breaking it…just delaying it, that's all. Kid, it's not like I'm talking about working for the rest of my life. I would like to eventually…well, start a family. And I can't work and do that at the same time."
"I still can't let you do it, Lou. Please don't mention it again. You've worked hard enough in your life, and it's time you started getting to be a real lady. I want you to have that," Kid said, trying to give her the best reasoning that he possibly could.
As frustrating as it was to hear him say it, Lou had to keep reminded herself that he was only doing it out of love; however, that didn't mean that it wasn't irritating her to the bitter end of her wits. "Kid, stop thinking of just me. Think about us. We've got to work together now, not alone, no matter what it may be."
He shook his head and refused to let his duty be taken from him. Kid was going to find a job, a home, and they would have the opportunities that everyone else did as well…regardless of the war. They still had their family in Rock Creek to depend on, and although they each knew that their ways would soon part, they also remained assured that home would always be where they made it.
"I am thinking about us, Lou, that's why I can't let you work. I'll figure something out, I promise," he walked over to her side and placed a kiss on her cheek. "I promise."
Lou could contain herself no longer. Why was it that Kid could never think of her as being just as much a part of their family? He always worked things out, often times without consulting her…it was almost as if he thought her incapable of using her own discretion. At least that is what she believed. With him it wasn't a control craze, he was just determined to do the right thing.
She rose to her feet, no longer willing to play the nice gal or put up with his stubborn nature. "Kid, how much is it going to take, huh?" The tone of her voice was enough to make him step back. "What's it going to take for me to prove that I can work just as hard and just as well? What's it going to take for you to let me help support our family? What's it going to take to get you to always stop thinking everything out with your head and start thinking about the fact that I too have my own head and therefore can make decisions too?"
He started to speak and she placed her hand on his chest…a sure sign that he wasn't about to get a word in edgewise. "And don't go telling me that you didn't mean it like that. I know you didn't, Kid. But what I'm telling you now is that unless you let me start helping out, this isn't going to work."
Kid reminded himself that he was the "head" of this family, and therefore she would go with his decision. His plans had been made, and now that she was trying to change them, he began to grow angry. "Can't you stop thinking that I don't believe in your abilities? I know what you can do, I've seen it…we all have! But Lou, things are different now. I can't let you go out and bring in money that I should be able to bring in," he covered her hand with his. "I want what's best for you. I hope you see that."
She pulled back slowly, needing space and some time to think on her own. "I know you do, Kid, but that's not the point. If we're going to spend the rest of our lives together we have to be able to discuss, communicate, and agree on serious things like this. It effects us both, therefore we should both be able to find the solution. It's plain to me that we'll never be able to agree on that unless one of us changes."
He could see her tension mounting and he softened his voice, "I love you, Lou that's why I'm so worried about this."
Lou paused and took an uneasy step towards the door. She needed to make him think and realize that this wasn't just about working and money…it was about their marriage. "I know you do Kid, and I love you too, but sometimes that alone isn't enough."
Kid felt his stomach lurch and his heart beat faster, "What are you saying?" he said timidly.
She grasped the handle to the door, opened it and let the light from the candle over the stairway illuminate her tear-filled eyes. Resting her head on the frame of the door, she tried to talk herself down from rushing over into his arms and crying as if the world had crashed upon her. It would be impossible for she, and for Kid, to carry on a normal every day life if all they ever did was disagree and everything they discussed was one-sided. She refused to live like that.
"I don't know, Kid." Lou finally stated not sure where to take this. At the same time, she was not about to take any hasty steps and do anything foolish. She shook her head and pulled a blanket and her pillow off of the bed, "I just don't know."
Kid eased himself onto the bed with weak knees and stared at the door not believing what she had just said. More than anything, it scared him to think that she was serious...and actually took it into consideration that their marriage might not survive. It had to, especially after all that they had been through together. Their love was stronger than any problem they would face, and Kid prayed that they would both never forget that.
No matter what might arise...
On to Chapter One
