A tall ply clock made of walnut wood standing in the corner of the room was creating the loud ticking noise, which would be considered as very annoying by most people. It reminded everyone around, that the time just keeps going forward, constantly shortening each human´s life and that it will never stop. But this steady sound had a kind of calming effect on the man sitting in the comfortable satin armchair near the window.
The human beings created that beautiful inanimate object, which didn´t care about anything, not even about itself, to measure the time. How foolish it was of them. To exhibit the proof of their short lives´ insignificance like that. They thought they would dominate the time with it and the very opposite was true. The clocks made from all people their personal slaves.
Raynold Karnaka was not afraid of the ticking sound. He was well aware of his past years without any reminder. He was also convinced that he used his own time the best he could. And he intended to do the same with the rest of it, too.
One of his many servants was responsible for keeping the ply clock in motion all the time. He was the most reliable Karnaka´s subordinate and also, he supervised the rest of employees. This servant´s name was Cameron and he knew him since the time he was only a fourteen-year-old orphaned brat, who tried to rob him once. Now Cameron was already over forty and his hair was only a little less gray than his own. He had stayed by Raynold´s side for more than twenty-six years and the man probably knew him better than he knew himself.
Cameron dressed in the white shirt and dark brown trousers approached his master quietly and offered him a plate with his regular morning dose of Scotch whiskey. It was better than any medicine. Raynold had been keeping this habit for many years and he was quite sure, that exactly because of it he had hardly ever needed a doctor.
The lord of the white mansion took the glass without even looking at it, he smelled the odor coming from the liquid and gulped it down in one smooth go. He put the empty glass back on the waiting plate and closed his eyes.
"Anything special for today?" he asked in a low voice.
Cameron was more than prepared for the question and started to inform Karnaka about the latest news.
"We have already started with the late corn harvest, as you ordered, sir. Since that last incident, none of our patrols spotted any redskin on your lands. The servant, whom you punished yesterday, is still kicking the walls, so with your permission, I would like to leave her in the cell for one more day."
After this sentence, the servant stopped talking and waited for his master agreement in the form of a short nod, before continuing with his report.
"Also, I was just informed that Math Grenet arrived."
The last information caught Karnaka´s attention as he opened his eyes and focused them at Cameron: "Did he bring that newbie with him?"
"Yes, sir," Cameron confirmed shortly.
"Good. Bring me only Math for now, I want to talk to him first."
*
"Good morning, sir," Math greeted the powerful man politely, taking the hat down from his head.
He was cruel, selfish and cocky; which everybody around knew except Math himself; but he wasn´t stupid. He knew very well how to behave in front of his boss. He learnt to be careful of the boundaries, which were not allowed to cross, quite quickly after he started working for Raynold Karnaka.
"Come in and sit down," Mr. Karnaka pointed at the chair standing opposite to his armchair strictly.
Math obeyed, while that creepy servant closed the door of the luxurious room and then moved to stand by his master´s side as usually.
"So, what can you tell me about that newbie?" the old man asked after his subordinate took a seat.
Grenet settled himself comfortably, putting one leg across the knee of the other one, letting his whole back rest in the chair, and started to talk after a short pause, when he reconsidered everything what he wanted to say.
"He´s twenty-three and he came here from Billings," he spoke finally, with the hands crossed over his chest. "He had been living there since he was ten years old. Both of his parents are already dead. I´m not sure about his mother, but his father shot himself in the head. His younger brother has been missing for almost two years now. I have no response yet, but I sent the telegram to Trent to find out any more details about him. He was not in the city, when Brad was searching for the information there. As for what he´s like..." Math went on to the next topic, while both his boss and the servant were watching him silently. "He´s arrogant, naive and he seems to be stupid to me from time to time. On the other hand, he is a great shot and rider with big potential. And also, he´s brought you a certain gift..."
"A gift?" Karnaka raised his eyebrow. "What is it?"
"Grizzly bear´s head," Math informed him. "And excuse my language, sir, but a fucking big one. He hunted it down in less than two weeks. I think he can be very useful under the right lead."
The master of the house nodded his head slowly: "Fine. You know I trust your judgment, Math."
"Thank you, sir, I appreciate that."
"What was his name again?"
"Jin Akanishi, sir."
"Akanishi..." Karnaka repeated slowly. "I think I´ve already heard this name... Cameron? Does it say something to you? Didn´t some Akanishi already work for me before?"
"I think you´re right, sir," his servant reacted. "I would like to check our records, if you please..."
"Yes, go and bring it," Karnaka sent him away and returned his sharp glance to Math. "Anything else about him?"
"Well, as every other youngster he thinks a lot about himself, but it won´t be hard to teach him the right manners," Grenet stated confidently.
"I´ll talk to him in person first and let him in your hands then," his boss closed the newbie topic for that moment. "What about the Indians? Any troubles in the city?"
"Not so much. I just had to remind one redskin that Bozeman is not the place for his demands, but no big issues, sir."
"Good. It seems that they finally understood," Karnaka reacted only in a little deeper voice than before and still it made Grenet sit with his back straight. "Anything else?"
"Actually yes, sir," Math nodded. "You told me to keep an eye over that pretty face Kamenashi..."
"And? Any issues?" Karnaka asked in the same calm way as always.
"I think that he forgot where his place is, sir. He got used to standing up against me more often now. Not willing to be helpful, defending those dirty Indians from Blackfeet Tribe and stuff like this. There were never problems with him, but recently his behavior has changed. I´ve already given him a lesson, but I think it´s not enough so..." Math let the sentence unfinished.
"I see," Mr. Karnaka focused his eyes out of the window for a while, thinking about something, before he spoke again. "You´ve got my permission to do anything what it takes to keep him obedient. If he causes any bigger fuss, report it to me immediately."
"Of course, sir, as you wish," Grenet nodded with a slight smile curving his lips, quite satisfied with the decision. "Should I remind him who is he supposed to be grateful to?"
"Not bad idea, Math. He´s alive only thanks to my good will. If he doesn´t realize this favor, you will make him remember it."
A very awful smirk appeared on Grenet´s face upon hearing those words: "No problem, sir."
"Great. Now go and bring that Akanishi here."
"Right away, sir," Math stood up immediately and in the door, he almost rushed into Cameron, who was just going back inside.
"So? Did you find anything?" Karnaka focused on his most loyal servant, when Math disappeared in the hall.
Cameron was holding the thick record book with leather binding.
"Yes, as I thought, my lord..." the servant went closer and opened the book. "A certain Akanishi was working for you from the year 1871 till 1875. He was very quick-tempered, but able to do what he was asked for. He had two sons, so that matches with the information we have from Grenet. And there´s something interesting..."
"Yes?" Raynold was looking only at his servant, not paying any attention to the records book.
"He was a member of the group which was supposed to take care of Kamenashi family. It was one of his very first jobs."
Raynold Karnaka leant into the satin armchair, showing only a small surprise at his face.
"Well, that´s indeed interesting. I´m even curious about this greenhorn now..."
*
Jin was nervous and he was trying hard to hide it.
Grenet let him wait in the company of his gunmen at the east side of the huge house, where the temporary shelter for the horses of visitors was built. Jin had heard some gossip about Karnaka´s Mansion, but he didn´t even imagine it to be that big.
The front of the house was dominated by the two pillars supporting the balcony, which was a part of the second floor. Many tall windows indicated that there was definitely enough space for an army inside. The walls were of pure white color, while the window frames were black. On the dark grey roof, the two chimneys could be seen and the garden around the whole building was simply gorgeous.
Jin had never seen a bigger and more beautiful house in his life and it impressed him a lot, even though he would have never admitted it aloud. But also, under this beautiful surface, much more hideous things were hiding, such as hard work of the black slaves and money obtained in very ugly ways. Money covered with blood of innocent people and of those not so innocent as well.
The young avenger pulled the grim of his hat lower, covering his the view at three slaves who were cutting the grass a few meters from them. He turned away and approached his horse slowly. Jin intended to check out the whole Karnaka´s property later, anyway. The observation could wait for the moment…
Kuro was obviously much calmer than his master, watching him with the warm dark orbs. Jin leant over the thick pole, which served as the footing for all horses´ reins, and pulled a small apple out of his pocket, offering it to his loyal friend.
It was nice to feel a soft touch of Kuro´s muzzle, when he took the sweet snack from his opened palm, chewing on it only for a moment, before he gulped it down. Jin smiled, when Kuro reached closer to him for a caress, which he gave to the stallion without hesitation, stroking the side of his head. And the unpleasant tightness in his stomach and throat eased up a little with each movement.
Jin´s smile went wider, when he realized that he felt much better.
„Thanks," he whispered into Kuro´s ear inaudibly, so that Grenet´s capers standing nearby couldn´t hear it.
The horse shook its head a little, so that its harness clinked. It was a clear ´you´re welcome´ to Jin.
„Akanishi!" a loud calling cut through the air.
Jin patted Kuro for one last time and turned away to face Grenet with a calm expression.
„You can go inside now," Grenet informed him with his usual smirk, when he came to the group. „But leave your guns with Brad here first."
Jin hesitated only for a moment. Of course they wouldn´t have let him go in front of Karnaka with his revolvers, that would have been too easy.
„I´m sure you understand that our boss must be careful," Grenet watched him closely, when Jin gave the weapons away involuntarily into the mentioned man´s possession.
„Of course," he shrugged. „It´s logical. I bet that he has many enemies..."
„Trying to be smart, greenhorn? Don´t do that in front of Karnaka," Grenet recommended him scornfully. „Take that stupid head of yours and let´s go."
Jin knitted his eyebrows a little before he realized that Grenet meant the bear´s head and not his own...
*
The interior of the house was not that impressive as the outside of it. Even though it was clear that Karnaka spends his precious golden coins only in case that it´s worth of it. Grenet led Jin through the huge but sparingly decorated hall, then into the long corridor and stopped in front of one door. He knocked at them shortly and went in without waiting for invitation.
Jin took a deep breath and followed him inside, into the lion´s mouth, where they were expected by the lion itself. He went forward, determined not to show off his emotions, which were shaking within his body. Grenet closed the door behind him and remained standing next to them.
Jin tightened the grip around the sac in his left hand, and with his right, he took the hat down.
"Good morning, sir," he greeted, thankful for being able to keep his voice steady, but avoided looking at the grey-haired man in the armchair directly.
He was afraid he might have revealed himself, that he would not be able to keep a low profile. He was so tempted to take Grenet´s revolver and start shooting right away, when he finally got so far... He had to wait; he had to be patient. When Grenet could have brought a weapon inside, it meant that it was possible to earn Karnaka´s trust to do it. But that needed time…
"Come closer, boy."
Raynold Karnaka´s voice was deep, serious and very composed. It was filled with experiences of age and with power, which the man was well aware of. It almost made Jin lower his head in front of such an authority.
He moved three steps forward, and stopped in front of the simple table, on which a plate with the empty glass and some thick book were put aside. Jin glanced at the tall man behind Karnaka, before letting his eyes meet with the old man´s stare finally. A strange shiver ran down his spine, when that happened. Despite many years, which were lying on the man´s shoulders, his eyes were lively, dark and kind of... Scary. Even though Jin was standing and Karnaka sitting under his level, he felt inferior to the older man immediately. He hated that feeling.
A picture of his best friend´s body bobbing from the rope came across Jin´s mind suddenly and it helped him not to avoid the piercing stare of older man. He repaid it firmly and waited for next words.
Karnaka kept silent for a long moment, just observing the youngster and probably judging him.
"So... Jin Akanishi, right?" he broke the silence finally.
"Yes, sir," Jin confirmed and he was almost surprised to hear his own voice to be calm and without emotions.
"I was informed that you brought some gift to me..."
"That´s right," Jin reacted and reached out his left hand with the precious sac. "And here it is. I´d like you to consider it as my introduction gift. I´d have appreciated, if you had added it to your collection, which is wide known all around."
"Cameron..." Karnaka said and reacting to that, the man behind his sitting place moved to take the bag over from Jin.
The servant opened the sac first, before showing it to Karnaka. Jin was trying to recognize their reactions, but the expressions of both men were unreadable. Raynold Karnaka only raised his eyebrows slightly, but otherwise his calm face didn´t show anything what would have suggested to Jin, what the man thought about it.
Then Karnaka moved his eyes to Jin again, while Cameron tightened the string around the sac.
"You hunted it down yourself?" the old man asked and Jin nodded.
"Yes. But I was lucky; the bear was sick and his mind wasn´t clear. It was easier to take it down like this."
"Good job, anyway," Karnaka said. "I have no such a big trophy in my collection yet. I accept it, boy."
Despite the light feeling of sickness from the way that man was talking to him, Jin knew how to react.
"Thank you, sir."
Maybe it was only because Jin needed to feel more at ease, so he was imagining it, but it seemed as if Karnaka´s expression became less strict after his words.
"So… Why do you want to join my men, Akanishi?" was the next Karnaka´s question.
"I´d like to earn good money."
"And how do you know that you will achieve that in my service?"
Jin opened his mouth to respond and he felt a sudden hunch, that he should rather tell the truth. It was only a feeling that this question was dangerous for him, but from experiences, he knew it was always better to listen to his instincts.
"Everybody within a few miles around knows that you appreciate your loyal subordinates very well. And also... My father was your employee a few years ago, and we were never hungry since the moment he started working for you."
"Is that so? And why doesn´t he work for me anymore?"
"He´s already dead," Jin reacted shortly.
"How did he die?" Karnaka asked coldly.
Jin responded after a short pause this time: "He shot himself, sir."
"Suicide, then? That´s feckless..."
"I´m not my father," Jin stated, not being able to cover that those words pissed him off.
Raynold Karnaka was observing his face for a while, before nodding his head: "Good. And how do you imagine your work for me?"
"Of course following your orders, sir," Jin replied.
"In anything?"
Jin kept his mouth shut this time and just nodded.
"We will see then... Math, show him the lands," his new employer spoke to the man at the door. "I want him to join the watches for the start, since this evening. Consider yourself as my subordinate from now on, Akanishi."
"I won´t disappoint your trust, sir," Jin declared in a serious tone, but he lowered his glance to the floor saying that.
"We will see..." Karnaka repeated and showed him out with a haughty gesture.
*
"Cameron," Raynold Karnaka turned to his servant, after the door closed behind Math and the new member of his gunmen. "Keep an eye on him. He was telling the truth, but I feel that he´s hiding something."
"Yes, sir, I will," Cameron assured his master. "You can rely on me."
***
Kame felt like a cat on hot bricks. Since the morning, when he saw the group of riders leaving the city, he was not able to focus on anything properly.
During his explanation to Mr. Harada about what happened the other day with Grenet, he felt stupid, when he caught himself apologizing for the third time, that he caused to the saloon´s owner the unnecessary troubles. Lena got upset, when he didn´t listen to her while preparing the lunch. His mother was watching him worriedly, when he forgot to remind her to take the pills as he always did and when the evening came and he started his usual job, he almost broke two glasses, when he made a sudden move following the swinging door´s opening.
Kame was trying hard to stay calm, but with each past hour, he was only tenser. Not to mention the full saloon he had to serve. The news about the re-opening of the local pub spread out fast. Even Mr. Harada helped him a little to manage all orders and that didn´t happen for a very long time.
Kame was simply unable to chase the worried thoughts away from his head.
Who knows what can happen to Jin at Karnaka´s place? What if Grenet was too suspicious after all, and interrogated him instead of the journey there?
It was Jin´s decision, his choice and risk, Kame knew that and he knew that the black-haired gunslinger wouldn´t have betrayed him, but still... Every time someone entered the saloon, Kame´s eyes glued to the person, hoping that it would be the handsome gunslinger.
It was shortly after dinner time, when somebody finally came back from the morning trip, but it wasn´t to Kame´s relief, more like the opposite. His stomach made a terrified somersault, when he noticed the sheriff´s deputy entering the saloon with his gunmen behind and that Jin was not with them...
Kame lowered his head down to the glasses before anyone could have noticed his reaction. He took a few of deep breaths, trying to keep himself calm, while Grenet´s group literally threw the two old men from their favorite table in the corner, settling themselves there noisily.
It didn´t have to mean anything. So Jin didn´t come back with them and...? He could be in the stalls. Or he had to stay at Karnaka´s place, appointed with some tasks or something. Or... He was forced to stay there...
"Hey, baby boy! How long do we have to wait?!" a nasty calling cut through his thoughts and made Kame flinch a little.
Grenet was sitting on the spot from where he could see the whole taproom and he was looking at Kame directly.
Kame put on his best neutral expression and forced his legs to move towards their table. On his way, he collected some empty bottles, before stopping as far from Grenet as it was possible.
"What would you like?" he asked hoping that his voice wouldn´t reveal his discomfort.
"A proper service, you clever dick," Grenet reacted scornfully.
From some reason, just at that moment, Kame realized that he was too naive to think that he couldn´t have hated that bastard more that he already did. He bit his tongue to keep the rude reaction back.
"Bring us some beers and whiskey. Pronto," Grenet ordered him, putting his dirty boots on the table.
Kame suppressed the raising anger with all his might, and just nodded. He prepared the glasses as fast as he could, trying to push away the depressing thoughts about Jin, but he wasn´t fast enough at all. Not according to Grenet.
"It took you quite long," the deputy said to the busy bartender rudely instead of thanks, when he brought the tankards on their table.
"I deal with our customers´ orders in the order, Grenet," Kame reacted stiffly and wanted to turn away, when a painful grip around his wrist prevented him from that.
"I told you to watch your manners, didn´t I, baby boy?"
That touch made Kame feel sick. He looked in the man´s eyes and noticing the dangerous shine in them made his stomach clench in the little hard lump. How could anyone be so... Evil?
"Come on, Math, he didn´t do anything wrong this time," surprisingly, one of his subordinates spoke up. It was the one, who worked as their sheriff´s deputy before Grenet was appointed to that position.
Grenet pierced the cheeky one with his eyes: "That´s for me to decide, isn´t it?" he asked a question, which was not question at all.
"Sure, Math, whatever... Just saying," the man backed off immediately.
"I´m serving you as any other customer, Grenet," Kame stated still calmly.
Grenet pulled him even closer roughly.
"I´m not any other customer," he hissed into Kame´s face. "Remember that or I will make you."
After that ugly threat, the deputy finally let him go.
"And we´re still waiting for those whiskey shots," Grenet informed him haughtily.
Kame returned to the bar, having a hard time to prevent himself from doing something stupid. When he was pouring the shots from the bottle, he noticed the red fingerprints on his skin, which were disappearing only slowly. He clenched his palm into the fist to stop it from shaking and with regained self-control, he brought the whiskeys to that hundred times damned table.
The young bartender couldn´t see it, when he was returning to the counter, but Grenet´s grin, with which he was watching him, wasn´t telling anything good...
***
Jin was trying to make himself as small as it was even impossible under the natural roof created from a few branches above his head, which were not helping from that shitty raining at all.
He was on the guard only for an hour, but he was already shaking from cold, wet from head to toes, pondering about if it was really worth of this. He really doubted that any Indian or thief would have been so crazy and come to steal something from Karnaka´s property in this fucked up wet weather.
It was good for him to know the range of these lands, where the other guards had their spots, the time gaps between the changes and such stuff, but if only it didn´t have to be repaid by standing outside for hours.
Nothing was heard around, except the never ending raining and the bleating of sheep from nearby shelter from time to time.
Jin made one fast circle around his area and returned under the poor shelter. He wasn´t supposed to be substituted in less than two hours. Imagining this, he started to shake even more.
How well he would have used Kame´s special tea right now…
The young bartender was probably working now too – in the saloon, serving the guests, and probably that shithead Grenet as well, as he was allowed to return to Bozeman.
Jin let out a deep depressed breath.
Of course that he knew it wouldn´t be easy. But he was hoping there would be some unnoticed mistake in security, which would have allowed him to deal with Karnaka quickly and get off before anyone would have noticed what he had done. However, after he saw all the guards and the precautions and especially after he saw Karnaka himself, he knew this would be a long-term open matter. It would take a lot of time and his patience to be able to get rid of the old man unnoticed.
Jin wanted to get the revenge for his friend, he wanted to kill Karnaka, yes, but he didn´t want to waste the rest of his life running from his angry subordinates. Therefore, he had to do it in a way no one would notice him, or even better, so that no one would ever suspect him. And he was determined to accomplish it. He just wasn´t sure, if he would be able to deal with the fucking tasks like this one in the meantime...
Moreover, there was one more thing to worry about – Kame. If it happened, that somebody would figure out he was helping Jin, it would have brought him even more troubles. Grenet was already focused at the young bartender much more than Jin liked.
Not only for his own sake and for his dead friend, but also for Kame´s sake he had to figure something out fast. Before this whole situation would get even worse…