Cassidy St. Claire and The Fountain of Youth Parts I, II, & III

by A. H. Rousseau

  Jebediah moved his head in her direction but didn't make eye contact. He didn't respond.

  “Well, in the bar, you accused me of being impulsive, and I agree. I also agree that you are not impulsive. Which begs the question as to why you would pull your gun and do something so positively... impulsive.”

  Jebediah still didn't respond. He just stood there, a dark frame against the fire.

  “You have a history with him. You have something that would cause an otherwise collected man to become uncollected, and seeing as that history nearly got me killed today, I'd like some information tossed my way.”

  Jebediah looked to the ground and breathed deeply. He turned his head slightly in Cassidy's direction, who was looking straight at him.

  “His name is Octavius Caesar,” Jebediah said solemnly.

  “Octavius Caesar?” Cassidy said with a bit of snark. “That can't possibly be his real name.”

  “It doesn't matter. It's the name we have and it is enough to send shivers down the spine of everyone who knows of him. Because I wasn't exaggerating. He is indeed the most dangerous man that I can think of. Dozens of agents have died at his hands. Police. Men, women, children. Dogs. Bears. He is the angel of death.”

  Cassidy nodded as she listened. “And?”

  “And what?” Jebediah asked.

  “What did he do to you personally?”

  Jebediah and Cassidy looked at each other for a few moments before Jebediah again looked away and sighed. “In a way, I'm disappointed that it is so obvious. Although I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. This was an... unexpected, situation in which to find myself.”

  “Certainly,” Cassidy replied.

  Jebediah said nothing for a moment. Cassidy waited. “He killed my partner. My partner of fifteen years. My best friend since childhood. He killed him right in front of me... by slitting his throat. You say that you've known death. Have you ever known death like that? A crippled, choking, terrified death?”

  Cassidy's eyes remained locked on Jebediah. “Yes. Yes I have.”

  Jebediah nodded, a fierce frown beginning to dominate his face, betraying his restrained tears. “It's something that gouges a hole inside of you. It's something that you want to fix, and the quest to fix it can grow to dominate a man's soul. It took all of my strength to not lose my life to that quest. It took all of my strength to stop and walk the other way. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to do it. I just couldn't... I just... couldn't.”

  Cassidy went to place her hand on Jebediah's shoulder but stopped, hovering just above him, and held it there for a moment before letting it fall back to her side. Instead, she just stood there, looking into the blaze with him. “I understand,” she said.

  Jebediah nodded. “Thank you,” he said.

  “I suppose that it ended as well as could have been hoped. He's dead. Your revenge has been had,” she added.

  “People have thought him dead before. I'll believe it when I see his corpse.” Jebediah turned to Cassidy. “Have you been drinking?”

  “A little bit,” replied Cassidy. “You want some?”

  Jebediah stared into the fire again, his head tilted ever so slightly to one side. “Yes. I think I do.”

  ---

  Evening was settling on El Paso. The fires were starting to subside as smoke continued to slowly rise from the scorched town while the parts that were still burning glowed ever-brighter in the falling darkness. Cassidy walked into the bar. The scorched bed was finally gone from outside and planks of wood had been placed over the large holes in the ceiling and floor. Damaged furniture had been removed and a few people rested at the remaining tables. Jebediah and Gideon sat at the bar. Jebediah and Martha were talking while Gideon leaned his cheek heavily on his hand, his elbow on the counter. Cassidy walked up and sat down next to Gideon.

  “As you can imagine, the trains are running late,” she said. “We won't be leaving for hours. Maybe five in the morning.”

  Jebediah sighed. “This turn of events is at least unsurprising, which is a pleasant change from the last twenty-four hours.” He let out a big yawn and got up. “I hope no one will think me antisocial, but I think that I would prefer to simply relax in my room until I fall asleep. Goodnight,” he said, with a bow. Everyone wished him likewise and he then walked out into the now-empty lobby and up the stairs.

  “Gideon?” asked Cassidy. “You up for any games?”

  “No. I think that I will follow Jebediah's lead. I am... beat.” As Gideon spoke, an older man in office clothing walked in through the hole in the wall and approached Gideon.

  “Excuse me, Mr. Atwater?” asked the man.

  Gideon turned on his stool to face the man. “Yes?”

  “You asked to know when the telegraph line was repaired. It's done and you have priority for first messages north.”

  “Oh, excellent,” Gideon said, getting up. “Are you going there, now?”

  “Yessir,” replied the man.

  “Good. I will just follow you.”

  “Very good.”

  Gideon turned to Cassidy as he adjusted and straightened his coat. “If perchance Jebediah comes down in the next fifteen minutes looking for me, tell him that I'm sending out the telegram.”

  “Got it,” replied Cassidy.

  Gideon walked out of the bar and into the evenfall. Cassidy turned to Martha behind the bar, who was leaning on it with her arms crossed over one another. They looked at each other, a mischievous grin on Martha's face.

  “Well what the hell you waiting for?” asked Cassidy.

  “You sure?” asked Martha.

  “Yes, I'm sure. Why are you so hesitant?”

  “Well, for one thing, I'm sobering up. For another thing, he seems pretty... cultured. Not my usual sort of man, as I'm sure you could figure.”

  “Clad in the finest cotton or the toughest leather, a man's a man,” Cassidy replied in a pedagogical tone. “Go work your magic.”

  “I'm going to go do it,” declared Martha.

  “I know you are.”

  “I'm not kidding.”

  “I know you're not kidding.”

  “So if you have any reservations at all, let me know.”

  “I have no reservations.”

  “None?”

  “None at all! Will you please go fuck him?”

  “Yes. Yes. I'm going.” Martha walked out in an exaggerated display of confidence.

  Cassidy turned her attention back to the bar, on which a bottle of rum was sitting. “Well rum, it's you and me, tonight,” Cassidy said.

  ---

  Jebediah stood by the window in his room, his coat and vest off. He had his hands in his pockets as he looked out over the gloaming with a weary gaze. He turned to the sound of knocks at the door. He walked over, grabbing his revolver from the chair against the wall and holding it in his right hand, hidden behind the door as he opened it. Standing there in the hallway, holding a large tray of food and drink, was Martha. She had done an impressive job both cleaning herself up and applying a degree of makeup. She had switched into a black top with white frill that heavily accentuated her already copious bosom.

  “Oh, good evening Martha. Can I help you?”

  “Well, actually, I thought that I could help you. Not much time for meals today, what with all the chaos, so I thought that I, um... that I could maybe bring you up something to... eat.” She said her last word looking up at Jebediah from under her brow, making fierce contact with her gaze, her green eyes glowing beneath her makeup, her seductiveness oozing out into the hallway.

  Jebediah looked back awkwardly, seemingly unsure of what facial expression to return. He blinked rapidly. “Um, yes. Food would be... food would be nice.”

  “Mind if I join you?”

  A look of concern was almost visible on Jebediah's face. After an awkward pause, he shook his head. “No. Not at all. Please, come in.”

  Martha gave him a sly smile as she walked into the room, rubbing her hip against Jebediah as she s
tepped past. Jebediah took a deep breath as he closed the door.

  ---

  The whiskey bottle was over half-empty, Cassidy's hand gripped strongly around it. Cassidy was asleep in her arm on the bar. Gideon trotted up behind her. “Cassidy!” he said.

  Cassidy lurched up. “Bwa! What?” she yelled.

  “Were you asleep?”

  “I think so... BWELFCH!” she fired a hot, moist burp up from her intestines straight into Gideon's face.

  Gideon coughed and waved the air. “Jesus Christ, I was gone for thirty minutes.”

  “Yeah, well you're the one who abandoned me!” Cassidy said.

  Gideon blinked at her for a moment. “What?”

  Cassidy furrowed her brow, realizing what she said made no sense. “I don't know,” she said.

  “I'm assuming that you didn't tell Jebediah anything.”

  “No. He never came down. Now he's busy getting some,” Cassidy shook her hips as though she were dancing in her seat.

  “Getting some what?” asked Gideon.

  “Some... some some... he's like, in... you know... he's having sex!”

  “What?” Gideon asked, shocked. “With whom?”

  “Martha. The owner of the bar.”

  “Wow,” Gideon said. “I would have never thought Jebediah to be the sort of man who has spontaneous sex in a frontier town.”

  “He's not!” Cassidy said, far more loudly than necessary. Gideon flinched a bit at the scream. “I had to arrange it.”

  “You arranged sex for Jebediah?”

  “Hell yes, I did!” Cassidy yelled proudly. “I'm a regular Cupid, ya' know, if Cupid were only interested in people fucking.”

  “He's not going to be happy about that.”

  “What, Cupid? You believe in Cupid?”

  “No, not Cupid! Jebediah, you drunken twit. He's not going to be happy when he learns that you did this.”

  “Sure he will. It'll do him good. Trust me.”

  “Oh yes, you look very trustworthy right now.”

  “I always look trustworthy. That's because I am a trustworthy person. I have earned the respect and trust of others.”

  Gideon looked at Cassidy with no idea how to respond. “Alright. Well, I'm going to see if I can get some food up in my room, then I am going to bed.”

  “That is an excellent idea!” said Cassidy, pointing at Gideon.

  “Yes it is. Thank you.” Cassidy stared it him with a look like she may suddenly vomit. “I'm going to go do that now.”

  “Yes! You go do that.”

  “I'm going to.”

  “You do!”

  “I will.” Gideon started to walk toward the restaurant.

  “Go!”

  Gideon turned his head to Cassidy as he walked. “I am!”

  Cassidy turned back to the bar. She looked at the rum bottle. “Meh,” she grunted. She leaned up and reached over the bar, rummaging around on the shelf. “Ooh, jerky,” she said, pulling out a bag of beef jerky strips. She pulled one out and chewed off a piece. “Mmmmmm. Yeah,” she said, satisfied.

  ---

  Cassidy was happily bobbing her head back and forth as she chewed her way through the bag of jerky when the sound of Gideon's voice behind her piqued her interest. She turned to see Gideon standing in the doorway of the restaurant, young Ethel standing there, dressed nicely with make-up giving her the look of a doll. Cassidy strained to here anything but could only make out a quiet mumbling. Ethel placed her hand on Gideon's chest, smiling. As they spoke, Ethel's smile disappeared and she removed her hand from his chest. Gideon took one of her hands in his and spoke to her with an apologetic look on his face. She nodded before walking into the restaurant, sad. Gideon stood there for a moment, watching her, before walking through the bar. Cassidy turned on her stool to face him as he walked past.

  “Did she just do what I think she just did?” asked Cassidy.

  “Yes,” replied Gideon.

  “What did you say?”

  “I said I had a sweetie back home to whom I would always be faithful.”

  Cassidy nodded. “How many times have you used that excuse.”

  Gideon looked at Ethel as she walked away. “Too many times to count.” Gideon turned back to Cassidy and sighed. “I'm off to bed. I'll see you in the morning.” He turned and walked toward the lobby.

  “Gideon,” Cassidy said. He stopped and turned. “I'm sorry.”

  “Don't be,” replied Gideon. “We all live our lives as best we can.” He then turned again and walked out.

  At that moment, the doctor walked into the bar. He was wearing tight slacks, polished shoes, and a fine, cotton shirt with the top three buttons undone. His hair was slicked back and his face freshly-shaved. He had a shiny, black leather belt with a simple, silver buckle just above a noticeably large bulge in his groin. He smirked as he saw Cassidy and walked up beside her. Cassidy looked to her side, surprised. He leaned seductively on the bar. He reached over and picked up the bottle of whiskey, grabbing a shot glass from the shelf behind the bar. He poured a small shot while maintaining constant eye contact with Cassidy. He delicately placed the bottle back on the bar before, in one quick motion, taking the shot and returning his gaze to Cassidy. He looked at her with a sly, seductive smile. She stared back with one eye half-closed.

  “I'm drunk,” she said.

  The doctor didn't say a word. He simply leaned in and wrapped his lips around Cassidy's. Cassidy didn't respond at first. She just closed her eyes and embraced the moment. The doctor bit down on her lower lip and pulled it away slightly. Cassidy suddenly wrapped her arms around the doctor like a bear and pulled him in, enveloping his mouth with hers.

  ---

  Gideon stood in the lobby, his bags at his feet, looking fresh and clean. Warm, morning sunlight beamed in through the windows and bullet holes and the sounds of work out in the street filled the air. He was checking his face in a large, lobby mirror, poking around in his nostrils for long nose hairs. In the reflection, he saw Cassidy coming down the stairs. Her hair was a mess and she looked positively unkempt.

  “You feeling alright?” asked Gideon.

  “I didn't get much sleep,” replied Cassidy.

  “Why not?”

  “I don't know. Just couldn't get to sleep.”

  As Cassidy said this, the doctor came stumbling down the stairs behind her. He looked as though every hair on his body had suddenly exploded. He hit the floor with a heavy foot before straightening himself into a semblance of respectability. He gathered himself for a moment before turning to Gideon. “Mr. Atwater.”

  Gideon nodded in return, obviously a bit surprised at his condition. “Doctor.”

  The doctor then turned to Cassidy. “Miss St. Claire. It's been a pleasure... meeting you.”

  “It certainly has. Perhaps I'll stop by for a visit on my way home so we can... meet.”

  The doctor nodded with a smile. “I would like that.”

  Their eyes lingered on each other for a moment longer before the doctor stumbled outside.

  Gideon turned to Cassidy with a raised brow. “Enjoy yourself?”

  “Of course. Where's Jebediah?”

  “Not down yet.”

  “Really? That bodes well.”

  Almost on cue, Jebediah appeared at the top of the stairs. He was trimmed, clean, and ready for the day. As he came down the stairs and neared Cassidy and Gideon, though, the dark circles under his eyes became apparent. After reaching the floor, he bowed slightly to the two.

  “Good morning,” he said.

  “Morning,” Cassidy replied with a big smile. “I'm glad that the trains were later than anticipated, since I don't think any of us would have made it for five.”

  “Perhaps. If we had needed to get up for that time, I have confidence that we would have,” replied Jebediah.

  “Well I'm happy that you have such unwavering confidence in us,” Cassidy said as she saw Martha appear in the stairwell. “Ahh, Martha. Good morning. Sleep well?�
�

  “Best night's sleep I've had in months,” she said with a big smile. At the bottom of the stairs, she smiled a broad, seductive and satisfied smile at Jebediah who awkwardly recognized her presence.

  “Good morning,” he said.

  “Good morning,” she replied in a smooth, erotic tone. She then turned to Cassidy and Gideon. “Cassidy, Mr. Atwater, it's been an absolute pleasure. If you're ever in town again, I'll get you free rooms in the hotel.”

  “Thank you,” said Cassidy and Gideon. Martha then walked out into the bar. The three stood there and looked at one another.

  “So, shall we go?” asked Cassidy.

  “Miss St. Claire?” came the voice of the hotel manager.

  Cassidy looked up the stairs. “Yes?” she said.

  “Oh, I'm glad that I caught you,” he replied, walking halfway down the stairwell. “The Marshal is awake. He would like to see you.”

  Cassidy looked at Gideon and Jebediah, then walked up the stairs.

  ---

  Cassidy knocked on the door.

  “Come in,” came Stoudenmire's voice. She opened the door and stepped in. The Marshal was lying in bed, grizzled and rough, with one of his eyes swelled shut.

  “Howdy, Marshal,” Cassidy said.

  The Marshal gave a faint nod. “So. I hear that half the town is destroyed.”

  “Yep. Mostly.”

  Stoudenmire sighed. “I also hear that you dragged me out of the thick of things after I went down.”

  “Me and a couple of your men. They brought you back here.”

  Stoudenmire didn't respond immediately.

  “How's your eye?” asked Cassidy.

  “Doctor tells me that once the swelling goes down, it should be fine.”

  “That's good,” Cassidy replied. They stood in silence for a moment before Cassidy broke it. “Marshal. I'm sorry.”

  The Marshal turned his head to Cassidy and lifted it slightly. “Why? You didn't do nothing except end what got started. No matter how much I want to, I can't blame you for that.”

  “I am surprised by your understanding.”