Dust and Mirages

**NOTE: This is a rough hashing out of an idea.  It's scattered.  Please don't expect a well polished operational piece.  It needs work, and any CONSTRUCTIVE feed back is very welcomed. **

Prologue:
         It was summer.  Hell, it was always summer.  The sun was always high and hot, the landscape a cracked, rust red stretch of hateful swelter.  Shade was a commodity afforded only to the mice and snakes who could monopolize the space under the scraggly half-dead shrubbery.  The land was flat and numbingly facetless; the kind of place where you eventually strike up a conversation with the wind just to keep from going crazy from the monotony. There were the occassional roads, cutting across the  sanguine landscape like long smooth scars on the back of the devil's hand, but there wasn't anywhere to go really.  To the South, there was desert.  To the West, there was desert.  To the East, guess what there was? 
         To the North...to the North there were rumors and phantoms and grand fairytales that drifted down on the wind; stories of rivers and trees, colors and visions the most recent generation here couldn't even comprehend. But it didn't matter if they were real, we'd never get to find out.  Those fantastic promises and glittering images drifted down on the wind only to wither and die out in the desert, just like everything else.
         Our land was rich with two things: dust, and mirages.  We were a land of temporary experiences.  Everything outside arm's reach shimmered and wavered.  You learned to never trust your senses, and never expect anything to last.  Even the people were transient, drifting in on a stale breeze and back out with the dust.  After a while those of us who settled often questioned if we too were merely mirages; some shimmering blur in another man's periphery.  If you thought on it too long it would drive you crazy so most of us just accepted the unknown.  We got used to feeling that our existence might be only as tangible as the oily shimmer on the horizons, and we stopped trying to explain most of what we saw and felt.  But every once in a while something strange enough would appear out of the heat and haze that would made the most hardened Southlander stop and take notice.



         I’m pretty sure the guys smelled her before they saw her.  Most of them were shoulders deep in an engine or just a pair of legs sticking out from under a car frame, but the soft scent of coconut and vanilla that drifted in out of the heat was as noticeable in the exhaust and grease as she was in the garage.  The short white dress was the cleanest thing that had probably ever been on the repair floor,  and this woman definitely had the softest curves and prettiest frame in the place, even including Rhoda, the Porsche up on block 3.  Heads rose from under car hoods and tools stopped banging and ratcheting as the figure clicked across the garage on perilously high heels, trailing her sweet scent behind her.
         I didn’t bother trying to disguise my assessing her as she approached.  Shit, I hadn’t seen something that fine since I was a kid and I was going to enjoy the view while it lasted.  She didn’t seem to be bothered  or even to notice as I gave an appreciative once over and slowly rose from my chair.  We stood facing each other for a moment, she staring intently at me with those big brown eyes, me trying to scrounge my attention back out of her cleavage.
         “Is, uh, is there somethin’ we can do for you?” I finally asked, looking away for a distraction and settling on a grease-coated rag I started wiping my hands on.
         “Oh I can think of a shit-load of things we could do for her,” one of the mechanics jeered from the group that had assembled in drooling slaw-jawed amazement around a rust-covered Cadillac .  The woman whipped her head around with nervous eyes.  She could see the hopeful feral hunger in the faces of the men and stepped closer  to me.  If she could have known what was going thru my head, she wouldn’t have felt safer nearer to me, but an age-acquired protective instinct kicked in and I gave the guys a stern look.
         “Knock it off,” I warned, squaring up my shoulders out of habit.
         “Ooh hoo, I don’t think the boss wants to share…”  Laughter rippled thru the men.
         I chuckled dryly and locked eyes on my crew.  “I will personally put my foot up the ass of the next one of you dumb bastards who can’t keep his mouth shut.  You wanna get down and dirty?  Change the fuckin’ oil in that Caddy…she’s the only dame within 100 miles who’s standards are low enough to include you.”
         The woman ducked her head slightly and I could see she was trying to hide a laughing grin. She gave me a sideways glance and there was gratitude in her smiling eyes.  The guys muttered and grumbled, but I knew they weren’t stupid enough to challenge me. 
         I sighed slightly when the boys still didn’t get back to work and I gestured for the woman to follow me into my office, hoping the horny idiots would pull it together if I removed the distraction.  As she passed I glanced out the front bay doors.  I didn't see any new cars, and I definitely didn't see anything classy enough for this woman to be driving.  My head mechanic saw me looking and strolled outside, returning with a headshake to answer my wondering.  I shrugged and closed the office door behind me. 
         The woman glanced around the small dingy office, benignly taking in my choice of wall papering which consisted of an assortment of curling yellow Coca-Cola calendars from the last ten years and faded magazine pin-up girls who were now old enough to be this girl’s mother.  I suppose I should've been embarassed at the state of my office, but I'd given up trying to impress people years earlier.  It was a garage.  If they didn't like it, they could fucking leave.
         I crossed to the window and opened it slightly, trying to decide if the stagnant heat inside was better or worse than the dusty blistering air eeking in from outside.  Unable to decide I left it as it was and stood watching the woman.
         "So," I tried again, shoving my hands into my pockets. "Is there somethin' I can help you with?"  She turned those big doe eyes on me and I took a step back, The trust in her gaze made me uncomfortable considering the thoughts I still had prowling in my mind. 
         "Well I was hoping to find a phone to call a mechanic...my car died about a mile or so up the road," the woman finally spoke.  God that voice.  It had been years since I'd heard anything that sweet. 
         I gave her a less conspicuous assessment, now noticing the red clay dust on her shoes and skirt, and the light sheen of sweat on her brow atesting to her recent hike. I'd been so preoccupied with the big picture, I'd missed the details.
         Her eyes roamed over me as she settled lightly on the corner of my desk.  I vowed to have the space bronzed for posterity. "But since you seem to be a mechanic, I guess I won't need a phone..."
         "Guess not," I mumbled thru the cigarette I was lighting.  She looked slightly surprised by my short response.  I took a long hard drag to take the edge off my attitude.  Remembering my manners I  offered the pack to the woman, who declined. "Well, the guys are out in the Red scrounging junkers but they'll be back soon.  Once the truck comes back, we can go get your car Miss....?"
         "Mendell.  But you can call me Elnora...or just El."  She offered.  She delicately crossed her legs and I frowned.
         "What happened?" I asked, jerking my head to indicate a series of  swollen bleeding lacerations on Elnora's ankle.  She glanced down and looked almost surprised.
         "Oh!  I forgot."  She blushed somewhat sheepishly.  "I got snagged by some strange plant with these horrible barbed pods on it.  I thought I'd never get it off me."
         I raised an eyebrow at her, sensing there was more of a story to be had.  "Were you walkin' on the road?"  Again she blushed.
         "Not at the time..."
         "You...took a little side trip through the Edenari snares for fun?" I asked warily.  Edenari didn't grow near the roadside.  Unless someone was being chased or they were intentionally avoiding the visibility of the main road, most people didn't go that far off path  and with either situation, it usually meant trouble.  I had enough trouble already.  I hadn't consciously changed my expression, but Elnora suddenly stiffened, a mild fear lighting in her eyes mixed with a charge of indignation.
         "Sir I'm not sure what you are specifically insinuating....whether you think me too stupid to avoid danger or think I'm trying to dupe you somehow..." Elnora stopped, her pretty face hardening with a fierceness that caught me off guard. 
         "I'm not insinuating nothing," I replied sharply, flicking my cigarette to the floor and locking eyes with this strange creature that had wandered into my world.  "I'm askin' a question.  And I'm not sure I even want to know the damn answer..."  I took an aggitated step forward and Elnora stood quickly, mirroring my movement.  I sighed and rolled my eyes, wondering what in hell I'd done to have this dropped into my lap.  I retreated back to the wall and the girl relaxed slightly. "All I wanna know is why were you out in the damn underbrush..."
         Elnora stood silently brooding a moment and I held her stalemate.  She fidgeted and gave a gusty sigh. "I somewhat misled you.  My car didn't really die..." 
         Great. I held a hard neutral expression, fighting a mix of  distrust and anger at myself for letting my guard down.  I knew better than to believe  beautiful women; most dangerous creatures on the planet.  Finding one alone this far into the Southlands should have been reason enough to stay suspicious and stay the hell away.  I glanced out the window half expecting to see some kind of evil force descending.  It's usually right after you find out the truth the shit really hits the fan. I crossed my arms over my chest and waited for whatever inconvenient problem this woman was going to bring into my life--she's running from her boyfriend who's the leader of an underground assassins guild, she was hiding from the government...there was always something bad if it was worth lying about.
         Elnora toed one of countless scrapes on the floor, keeping her gaze down. "It didn't just die...I kinda killed it."
         The comment threw me off completely and my expression crumbled into bewilderment.
         "...What?" This gained me another exasperated sigh .
         "I killed the engine...well, and the tires...and a lot of the body...stupid radio still works..."
          My anger was melting and I couldn't hold back the tiny amused smile pulling at the corner of my mouth.  "What did you do?" 
         Elnora could hear the patronizing snicker in my voice and shot me a withering look.
         "I ran off the road," she snipped defensively.  "It wasn't my fault!"
         "What, did a animal run out in front of you?"
         "No."
         "Fall asleep at the wheel?" I suggested again.
         "No."
         "Did your car see a snake and spook and go runnin' off into the desert?"
         "Oh now your just being a dick," Elnora retorted with a wounded expression.  I don't know why it didn't piss me off, but hearing those pretty lips so plainly expel that statement struck me as funny and I laughed out loud.  This of course did little to pacify my new office decoration and she huffed and turned away from me, staring out the window. 
         I chuckled again, starting to enjoy this game. "Oh alright, I'm sorry.  What made you run off the road?"
         "Like you care!"
         "Honey, I wouldn't be wasting my whole damn day playin' twenty questions with you if I wasn't at least curious..." I scoffed and lit another cigarette.  It was a total lie.  I would have stood there listening to her recite Shakespearian plays in a foreign language just for the view. 
         Elnora held the silence again but I had already learned she was a quick fold.
         "It wasn't my fault..." she at last mumbled, eyes fixed somewhere outside the grime of the window.
         I nodded. "I got that part already."
         Elnora suddenly turned toward me and looked defiant.  "It was a bug, okay?  A big big gross disgusting bug!  It flew in the window and landed on me and I might have panicked slightly and I ran off the road!  I ended up in the thistle things and got caught walking out...'
         Hand to God I tried not to laugh.  I did.  But it was too much.  I lost it.  I doubled over and almost pissed myself.  When I managed to look up I thought for a second that poor girl was going to burst into flames she looked so angry.
         "It could have been poisonous!" Elnora snarled furiously.  "It could have stung me and I have an alergic reaction and die!" Her vehement arm flailing didn't help my amusment.
         Brushing tears of laughter away I shook my head. "Honey, there ain't any poisonous stinging bugs down here...it's too damn hot.  The only poisonous things we've got are the silver snakes and  the snares...which I'm guessing you know cuz your ankle's probably burnin' like hell..."  It was just an offhanded addition to the conversation and had I known the effect it would have, I'd have kept my stupid mouth shut.  Before I knew what was happening, Elnora fell quiet and looked down at her ankle.  The feisty light in her eyes vanished, her shoulders hunched, her bottom lip quivered ever so slightly and a big tear sprang up and rolled down her cheek.
         "Yeah actually it really stings," she said shakily, sucking in a shuddering breath that choked off in a little sob.  She flicked her distraught gaze at me, eyes brimming with tears.
         I grimaced. "Oh crap..." 
         I hadn't meant to say it out loud but I couldn't help it.  If there was one thing I couldn't stand it was crying.  Men, women, children, deserved or not, I didn't care.  It was just fucking uncomfortable.  Even worse, I seemed a lot better at causing it than stopping it.  I stood stock still, mentally groping for some way to undo whatever I had done.
         Elnora sniffled and turned her head away from me. "Sorry," she apologized, swiping at her eyes.  "God, I'm pathetic.  I'm just really tired and angry and hurt and...I'm sorry, I"m sure you couldn't care less." Again she managed to surprise me.  There was a simplistic depressed acceptance in her tone where I had expected wounded anger.  I blinked a moment while she worked to get herself under control.
         "Well I wouldn't go so far as to say that," I said cautiously, trying not to set her off again.  Elnora didn't respond immediately.  I walked to my desk drawer and scrounged out a bottle of witch hazel.  I could see Elnora watching me.  "Have a seat."
         I straightened up and looked at the closed office door as a truck engine rumbled into the garage and cut off.  Doors slammed and voices echoed.  I recognized all of them and turned back to my task, taking my hand off the .38 snub in my top drawer.  It was half habit, half I still didn't trust this woman as far as I could throw her.
         "Would that be the tow truck?" Elnora asked quietly, still standing near the filing cabinet.  She cocked her head slightly and I nodded.  I came around the desk and gestured for Elnora to take a seat.  She looked wary and I sighed, gesturing again without a word.  She wasn't getting a "please" out of me.  This time she obeyed, slowly lowering herself into the cracked vinyl chair, staring expectantly at me.
         It took me a moment to find even a reasonably clean rag.  I soaked it with the witch hazel, sloshing half of it down my leg in my haste, and held the rag out toward her.
         "It'll take the burn out," I said gruffly in lieu of further explanation.  Elnora watched me for a moment before slowly uncrossing her legs and extending her injured ankle in my direction.  I almost back peddled. She didn't expect me to...? Hell no.
         For a man who's usually level-headed under pressure, this broad had me in a sweat.  I'm not saying I didn't want to touch her.  I'd have to be crazy not to want that.  But I didn't do that caring helping bleeding heart thing.  There was no room for it out in the Southlands.  I was a whiskey-drinking bare-knuckle brawler who would kick you in the face then spit on you and insult your mother when you were down.  I'd shoot a man in the back and sleep like a baby the same night.  Plus I hadn't touched a woman in...God, I don't even want to think about it.  And there was no way I was letting some dame make me her lap dog. Not even one this gorgeous. 
         Yet there I was, frozen, heart knocking, looking at that long shapely leg like it was wrapped with explosives. I was trying not to meet Elnora's gaze because I could see those big sweet eyes primed to completely ruin my resolution. I opened my mouth to speak, caught eyes with her inadvertantly and damned if she didn't break me.  Instantaneously. Bam.  Maybe it was not having dealt with many women for so long but I looked into that expectant angelic face and sighed in exasperated concession without any real fight.
         "Christ," I muttered at myself, flicking my cigarette all the way across the room and slowly fighting to get down on a knee in front of Elnora. 
         l dabbed at the cuts, making as little contact with her skin as possible.  I finally managed to relax enough to support her ankle in the palm of my hand and distracted myself with cleaning the wounds. She would occasionally flinch but I was almost impressed with her quiet resolve. 
         "Sir?" Elnora suddenly broke the preferred silence.
         "Kade."
         "Beg pardon?"
         I chuckled. "The name's Kade."
         "Oh!" Elnora replied pleasantly. "As in Mr. Kade or..."
           I shook my head.  "Just Kade.
         "Well, Just Kade, you're really good at that..."
         I raised an eyebrow without looking up, knowing my angle would have put my gaze straight up her skirt.  Sure it would've been a helluva view, but I also knew from long-passed experience It would likely get me kicked in the face.  Oh, and I suppose it would be morally indecent, too.
         "I mean it seems like you've done this a few times before," Elnora corrected, rubbing at a smudge on her skirt.  I nodded confirmation.
         "Army medic."  It was my turn to catch her off guard.  Elnora's eye flashed in surprise as she seemed to chew on this information.
         "During the war?" She at last questioned.  It was so quietly spoken I wasn't sure she'd said it.
         "Yep.  Probably before you were even born," I replied matter-of-factly.
         Elnora went silent and stayed that way until I finished cleaning her up.  Not that I minded.  Conversation was not a strong point of mine.  I did wonder what was going on in her head though.  She was clearly working on something up there in the silence. 
         I finished doctoring her ankle and tried to rise, my knees screaming obscenities at me and staunchly refusing to straighten.  I cursed under my breath.  Elnora watched my struggle then stood.
         "May I help you?"
         I jerked my head up almost in suspicion.  It was such a simple question; not 'did I want help', not 'did I need help', just a simple request for permission.  I suddenly saw a certain steely intelligence, and respect in the girl's gaze.  Maybe it had been there all along and I just hadn't noticed.  Maybe I hadn't seen the qualities for so long I didn't recognize them.  What I did recognize was I didn't have this woman figured out yet.  Not by a long shot.
         I nodded and without a word Elnora squatted beside me, put my left arm over her shoulders, her right arm around my back and stood.  I groaned and managed to stand, transferring my weight from Elnora's shoulders to the corner of my desk.  I blinked thru the aching pain of my still-enflamed joints and managed to shoot a half-cocked smile at Elnora.
         "Thanks."  I was surprised when she returned the smile.  We stood watching each other again, both seemingly looking for much different things than when we'd met earlier that day.  I was completely intrigued now and for some reason, she seemed to be also.
         "Guess we should probably go get your car," I at last said, reaching down to rub my knee.
         "Guess so."
         As I quickly helped Elnora up into the truck before the guys could even catch another whiff of her, I secretly hoped her car was a complete loss; strand her just long enough that I could somehow figure her out.  I didn't know why it mattered, what I was looking for, or what I was figuring out, but I knew somehow it was important. And an old instinct warned me I'd recognize it when I saw it.