Assassins of History- Transference Read online

  Standing on the porch at the entrance to the hotel was Miss Daphne Jane Newcomer in all her radiant glory. And guess who was standing behind her. Yep, you guessed it, Ahab with his arm in a splint and resting in a sling.

  I came out of my chair like a shot and unbuttoned my coat, all in one movement.

  It startled them both. Ahab’s reaction was to step in front of Ms. Newcomer.

  I put my hands on my pistols, which were tucked down in my belt with the handles facing forward. I didn’t draw them out but looked to see what Ahab was going to do. His eyes widened when he saw the pistols and he went very still. It was like looking at a weaving cobra which is both dangerous and unpredictable.

  Daphne regained her composure and stepped to Ahab’s side. “Gentlemen,” she pleadingly said, “There’s no reason for any animosity herah.”

  Ahab and I just kept looking at each other. Neither of us was backing down. I knew he would kill me in a heartbeat if I let down my guard.

  Daphne finally suggested, “Ahab, why don’t ya pick up tha things we ordered at tha bakery and tha hardware store. I’ll be along. I need to talk with Mr. Hager in private.” Ahab nodded his consent and backed away a few steps before turning and walking away.

  Daphne uttered, “My, my. Ya’ve turned into quite a shootist in tha span of one day.”

  I slowly relaxed and buttoned my coat. “Ya can’t be too careful in this day and time, especially when ya’ve made enemies of one of tha most feared men in this area, a clan of robbers and killers and yar daddy to boot,” I intoned.

  She looked at me so intensely that I felt as if she stared deep into my soul and performed a total reappraisal of my character in a matter of seconds. I was totally mesmerized by her gaze. When suddenly she took my arm and declared, “Well, why don’t cha tell me all about it?” I was so completely surprised by her friendliness that without another thought, I went with her willingly as she directed me toward the hotel dining room.

  As we left the porch, I looked back at Caleb over my shoulder with an ‘I don’t know what is going on’ look. He just grinned.

  Daphne ushered me to a back table in the dining room. The place was empty except for us. The waitress came and asked if we wanted to order food. We settled for coffee. The waitress left and I looked long and hard at this vision of loveliness. Then I asserted, “Why so friendly? This is an abject reversal from two nights ago.”

  Daphne’s face turned red and she said, “I must apologize for tha way I acted, but Ahab was under strict orders from Father to keep us from becoming, how shall I say this, more involved.”

  I stared back at her and said, “Why did he do that?”

  She shifted in her chair and I realized this was a delicate family subject. She came to a decision and in a ferocious voice quickly stated, “Father and Mother have been trying to get me to marry tha son of a local banker down in Charles Town, but I can’t stand him.” After her truthful outburst, she looked down at the table and added in a low slow voice, “When I started to talk about yar help in rescuing me and how nice ya had treated me, I guess it scared ‘em.”

  I nodded and replied with a bit of sarcasm, “So, tha primitive from Arkansas was too much of a wild man to suit their tastes?”

  She kept her eyes averted and whispered, “Something like that.”

  I came to a sudden heartfelt decision. I finally gave up all hope that I could return to my universe and to my time. I thought, “I don’t really believe there is a way I can make it happen. What did I know about time and space travel? I’m just a lowly insurance salesman. I know nothing about quantum physics and all that scientific garbage. I’m never going to get out of here. So if there is any happiness to be had in this universe, it is sitting across the table from me, right now.”

  Leaning forward, I demanded, “Look at me Daphne.” Her head snapped up and she stared at me with trembling lips. “Do you believe in love at first sight? Well, I do. Ya are tha woman of my dreams. I know ya have been told that before and I know ya must have had a multitude of suitors, but I mean it from tha bottom of my heart.” I couldn’t believe I had uttered those words, but I meant them. I guess there are times when you just say what is truly in your heart. My face had taken on a fierce expression and I continued to look at her in that manner.

  She just stared back at me and then a tear escaped her left eye and slowly coursed its way down her cheek. “Oh, Jim,” she cried. And pulling out a handkerchief, she buried her face in it and began to weep.

  I was so ashamed of myself. I truly believed she wouldn’t have heard me out if I hadn’t forcefully expressed how I felt. I only wanted to get the truth off my chest, but I hadn’t meant to be so bold and such a bully. So I stammered, “Daphne, please don’t cry. I didn’t mean to make ya cry. It was heartless of me.”

  She ceased sobbing and looked at me. Choking a bit, she said, “No, no Jim. Don’t apologize. I feel tha same way too.”

  I felt like I had heard a crash of thunder and been hit by a lightning bolt at the same time. In all my wildest dreams I never thought I would hear those words from her. My lower jaw must have dropped to the point I looked ridiculous because Daphne sort of half chuckled which, thank heavens, brought her sobbing to an end.

  Her crying aroused Caleb because he stuck his head in the dining room and asked, “Is anything wrong?”

  I smiled at him and said, “Everything’s just fine.” He just shook his head in bewilderment and went back out on the hotel porch.

  Daphne dabbed at her eyes with her handkerchief and removed all the tear stains from her cheeks, but her eyes were red from crying.

  I continued to look at her in disbelief. Finally, I stuttered, “Daphne, what are we gonna do? Yar family doesn’t like me. I broke Ahab’s arm and he’s likely to kill me tha first chance he gets. Is our love doomed from tha start?”

  Daphne suddenly gathered herself together, sat up straight and proclaimed, “I don’t believe tha man that just expressed tha most beautiful and truthful passion of his love for me would ever quit until we were together.”

  I took a deep gulp of air and made another momentous decision. Looking her in the eye, I said ferociously, “I will never stop loving ya and I won’t rest until we are together in holy matrimony.”

  Well, I had taken another enormous step of breaking all ties to my past life in another universe. I felt a release as if the weight of a herd of elephants had been taken off my shoulders. I now fully accepted my previous reasoning and my new mantra was, “I won’t be able to go back and why shouldn’t I enjoy love in this universe.”

  Daphne’s eyes widened. I reached across the table and took her hands in mine. She looked as if she would start crying again. So I quickly added, “Please don’t cry again. If Ahab sees ya like that, I know I’ll have to kill him on tha spot.”

  This also must have seemed ludicrous to her because she started to laugh. “Ya don’t have to worry about Ahab,” she avowed. “His pride was hurt, but I think he respects ya in his own way. I can keep him in check because of something I know. So don’t think about him as a threat. As far as daddy’s concerned, let me handle him.”

  I looked at her for a long moment and then nodded my head. I was about to ask her what she knew about Ahab, when speaking of the devil, he made his appearance in the dining room.

  Just to make sure of my safety. I let go of Daphne’s hands, immediately unbuttoned my coat and pulled one pistol from my belt. I held it under the table and out of sight. He took one look at Daphne and then looked at me with the blood lust of a lion and began moving in for the kill.

  Daphne saw the look on Ahab’s face and yelled, “Stop.” The loud utterance must have jolted Ahab because, just as he had started his move toward me, he suddenly faltered and had to regain his balance to keep from stumbling.

  Daphne had come to her feet and swiftly moved between Ahab and me. She faced him and put her hands on his chest and said in a low voice, “I’m alright, Ahab. Mr. Hager has not hurt me.”


  During Ahab’s faulting move toward me, I had moved in a crouch to my left and out of the line of his attack as per my Aikido training. I also had a pistol in my right hand, cocked and pointed at Ahab’s head.

  With his eyes glued to mine Ahab stammered, “But yar eyes are red Missy and he’s made ya cry.”

  Daphne confessed, “I have been crying, but tha tears are tears of joy. We will talk on tha way home.”

  Ahab turned his head to look at Daphne and his face suddenly took on the protective look of a father. Then he acquiesced, ”Yes, Miss Daphne, if ya say so.”

  At that moment Caleb came into the room and beheld all of us standing in an awkward silence. He asked again, “Is everything alright?”

  When Caleb asked his question, I lowered the pistol to my side, but Caleb waited for me to indicate what to do. I couldn’t help but see a very long knife held in his left hand, which he held covertly next to his left leg. I raised my eyebrows at the weapon because, during our time together, I thought he was totally unarmed.

  I nodded to him that everything was okay. He nodded back and left the room.

  Ahab looked away from Daphne. His facial features went from one of endearment to a hard stare as his vision fixated on me. Then he asked, “Is it true ya killed Jones Gill?”

  “Yes,” I answered in a cold voice.

  Again he queried, “Is it true ya saved tha Throckmorton’s by doing this?” Daphne turned toward me to see my response.

  I just nodded in affirmation to his second question.

  Daphne smiled at me and said, “I didn’t know ya saved a family when ya shot Jones Gill.”

  “He and one of his gang were hurting my friends. It made me mad. I had to help,” I mumbled.

  Daphne’s smile widened and her face took on a heavenly light. The pistol suddenly seemed to weigh a ton and I felt weak in the knees.

  The look of respect, admiration and love that emanated from her face melted my heart. I must have had the look of a love-sick puppy, but I couldn’t help it. I didn’t even mind that Ahab was within five feet of me and could kill me barehanded at any moment, even with a broken wrist.

  Ahab looked from Daphne to me and back again. Finally, he just shook his head.

  Daphne turned toward me and said to Ahab, “Please wait on tha porch for me.”

  Ahab continued to shake his head and responded, “Yes ’um.” Then he left the room.

  With a shaking hand I gently uncocked my pistol and put it back in my belt. I turned to this dream of a girl, and said, “Come to me.” She rushed forward into my arms and we kissed like two frenzied star-crossed lovers. With all the obstacles in our way, I didn’t know if we would ever be permitted to have a life together, but I was going to give it one heck of a try.

  After we exchanged more kisses, I looked deep into her eyes and said, “How have I been so lucky to have ya love me. Ya are tha most beautiful woman in tha world.” Tears came to my eyes and I hugged her close to keep her from seeing a grown man with tear-stained cheeks. I was barely able to keep the crocodile tears from flowing.

  She let out a few sobs and then we released each other. Miraculously a handkerchief had appeared in her hand and she was dabbing her eyes.

  I smiled and said, “Well, I guess we have devastated the norms of acceptable courtship for one day.”

  She smiled and rejoined, “I hope ya don’t think me a wanton woman.”

  “Not in tha least,” I responded. “I don’t think I could have lived another moment without taking ya in my arms.” This brought a sly smile to her face which made me love her even more.

  She entwined her arm in mine and asked, “What will ya be doing now?”

  I responded, “I need to help Caleb and his mother get Joshua back home. Then I’ll be gettin back to Shepherdstown and get tha children, and I use that term lightly, signed up for school.”

  I suddenly had a brain storm and answered, “Can ya make up an excuse to visit yar relative in Shepherdstown?”

  “I’ll find a way,” she assured me.

  I kissed her one last time. She gripped my arm tightly as we walked out on the hotel porch and presented ourselves to Caleb and Ahab.

  

  The Dark Mage’s Log: ‘Earth 3’ Date: 18620920

  Jargunn didn’t turn on his directional microphone when the two lovers entered the dining room. He wanted to observe Lord Dendaras’ response, when he personally reported this newest exchange between the imposter and Daphne Newcomer.

  Jargunn smiled, and when the humans left, he slinked out the back entrance of the hotel to make his report.

  

  We both looked like the proverbial cats that ate the canary. Daphne was smiling broadly and I had a sheepish grin on my face. Some passersby saw us and turned to look at the odd couple: Daphne Jane Newcomer, the daughter of the local power mogul and James Hager, shootist and killer of the local terrorist, Jones Gill.

  Ahab just stared at Daphne and shook his head. Daphne grinned back at him.

  Caleb was smiling from ear to ear.

  I gave Daphne up to Ahab, who gave me a look of pity. Apparently he knew something that I didn’t.

  Daphne said, “Goodbye Jim.” It was all I could do to keep from taking her in my arms again. Then, she and Ahab boarded a carriage and drove away. It felt as if a part of me was leaving with her as she waved and disappeared around the corner, specifically that part of me was my heart.

  Caleb started laughing and slapped me on the shoulder, which brought me out of my reverie. He said, “Well, Jim, ya sure know how to pick em. Daphne Newcomer is tha prettiest girl in tha county and also tha richest.”

  I just scoffed at his declarations and said, “We better get back to the doctor’s office.”

  

  The Dark Mage’s Log: ‘Earth 3’ Date: 18620920

  Jargunn reported via his ACV to Lord Dendaras all that had happened between Daphne Newcomer and the imposter. The Ruler of the Eastern Third of the Fourth Galaxy turned away from the reflection of Jargunn in the monitor screen on Axeylon 5 and took a moment to assimilate this new information. He smiled, while running his right index finger over his chin, and murmured, “Very good.”

  Turning back to the screen, Lord Dendaras issued his commands, “You will continue to stay close to the imposter and protect him. When he finally leaves for Shepherdstown and is alone, capture him and bring him to me.”

  Jargunn was so startled that he dropped his guard and said, “A human? On board Axeylon 5?”

  However, observing the mask of anger this outburst produced on Lord Dendarus’ face, Jargunn bowed deeply and spoke in a mollifying voice, “Yes, Sire. It will be done.”

  Lord Dendaras broke communication with the Watcher and thought, “Jargunn will have to be eliminated when this mission is completed as well as all personnel affiliated with it.”

  

  At the doctor’s office, we found Mrs. Throckmorton had rested and was again attending to Joshua. The doctor said Joshua needed to stay one more night and, if he continued to improve, we could transport him home tomorrow morning.

  Mrs. Throckmorton wanted to freshen up and get a bite to eat so she and Caleb went to the hotel while I stayed with Joshua. He was still hurting from the facial injuries so the doctor had administered some laudanum to make him sleep and ease the pain. I basically just sat near an opened window with a view onto a side street and listened to Joshua snore. That was when I first spied two horsemen slowly ride by the Doc’s office and toward the hotel. For some reason, I just didn’t like the way they looked. Their hats were pulled down so that their faces were in shadow. And I had glimpsed, when they passed, that each of them had two pistols in holsters at their sides and a third pistol tucked in a holster attached to their saddle horns.

  I went in the back of the office and told the doctor to take over because we possibly had trouble brewing. Then I burst from the office at a dead run for the hotel.

  

  The Dark Mage’s Log: ‘Ear
th 3’ Date: 18620920

  Jargunn, petulantly following his Lord’s command and anticipating a boring night, powered his ACV back to ‘Earth 3’ in the stealth mode. He arrived just in time to see the imposter tearing wildly down the street. He thought, “What is this exasperating human doing now?” Hurriedly he landed his invisible ship in an alley behind the hotel and willed it into orbit. Then, implementing his individual stealth device, he entered the hotel backdoor in his cloaking mode.

  

  I don’t know why I had such an ominous feeling about the riders. But they just seemed to have a deadly aura about them.

  They had already turned onto Shenandoah Street and were headed for the hotel, when I finally reached the corner. I could see them in the distance tying up their horses at the rail in front of the hotel. I was about fifty yards from them and running like a scared jack rabbit in their direction, but their focus was on the hotel. They ascended the steps and I could see them pull their pistols as they went in.

  I was breathing like I had just run a marathon when I got to the hotel. I bounded up the porch stairs, pulling my pistols as I entered the front door of the building. No one was in the lobby. I peeked in the dining room, but no one was there either. Approaching the sign-in desk, I saw the clerk lying on the floor with a bloody gash across his forehead. I reasoned that the intruders had gotten our room number from him and were now stalking Caleb and Mrs. Throckmorton. I laid my pistols on the desk and quickly removed my boots. Then I picked up my pistols and tried to control my breathing. I cocked both Colts, and like a jungle cat inching toward its prey, I slowly stalked up the stairs toward the second floor landing but in a stooped position.

  The stairs were old and creaked a few times during my climb.

  As I reached the last few steps to the second floor landing, a figure suddenly came around the corner and fired his pistols in my direction, but he had not reckoned that I would be nearly supine to the stairs. His shots went over my head. Before he could cock his pistols for another barrage, I rose up and pulled the triggers on my pistols. The figure screamed and was lifted off his feet and thrown backwards. He dropped his pistols and grabbed for his legs. I could see blood spouting from between his fingers as he pressed down on wounds on both his upper thighs. He began to shriek and yell for help at the top of his lungs.