Judgement (John Seed X Deputy OC)

3 - Prosperity

'And you're sure there was nothing there?' Running a calloused palm down my face, my brow furrowed in annoyance.

'I-I-I'm sorry Mr Seed! My sources thought they saw her but-' The young man shook on the spot, wringing his hands nervously. I was starting to wonder whether it was a good or bad thing that I could induce fear into anyone who set eyes upon me. Well, anyone except Carmina.

'It's fine Bean, just let me know if they hear anything.' Turning my back on the boy in yellow, I heard him take his chance to run away. Looking fixedly at the large map on the wall in front of me, my fingers wrapped around a red marker pen that lay on the desk behind me. Reaching over, I drew a big cross over Toothchapel. The felt nib scratched against the paper, a sound I'd become very familiar with. It had been eleven years now since Harlow had disappeared but my hunt for her continued. Unfortunately, the appearance of the Highwaymen in Hope County meant my search and rescue had been somewhat delayed. In return for providing me with resources to find Harlow, I'd helped the Rye's with construction and tinkered with machinery too. The people of Prosperity had also delegated me to keep an eye on my insane brother who was living far in the North, though it had been a few years now since my team of spies had seen him. Pinned to the side of the map was the picture of Harlow I normally carried with me. She looked so young and vibrant, sitting on the porch of the ranch in a long white jumper with a ball clenched in her fist. She wasn't aware that I'd taken that photo  through the glass of the door but in the moment I couldn't help myself. I recalled feeling so intrigued by the deep scowl that etched its way across her face every time she saw me. For a short time, that scowl was replaced with a tight smile as she cared for me in the wilderness. But after the collapse the scowling returned with a vengeance, as though it was now a permanent feature. My grip on the pen in my hand tightened with anger. Joseph had taken away the Harlow I knew and replaced her with a guilt-ridden woman who could barely look me in the eye. Exasperated, I lobbed the pen across the room and heard it thud against the wooden walls.

'Mom said if you keep throwing pens around she won't buy you new ones.' Seething, I looked over my shoulder at Carmina who was bending down and picking it up. Her freckled face looked at me expectantly and I let out a long exhale. My fingers swept through my dark locks, grey hairs beginning to tease their way out of my scalp. 'Still no luck huh?'

'She's out there, just proving to be a tougher catch than I expected.' Taking a final glance at the map, I turned my full attention to the teenager in front of me. 'What do you want kid?'

'The Cap wants to talk to you about something.' She said, placing the pen back down on my desk.

'Okay number one: you gotta stop calling her that, she's not a superhero.' Carmina frowned at me, placing her gloved hands on her hips. 'Number two: tell her I'm busy.' Returning back to the map, I was startled as she grabbed my jacket sleeve and tugged me towards the door. She was surprisingly strong for a seventeen year old.

'You've been holed up in that room for nearly three days straight now. Helping out the Cap will give you a break.' Pulling me along the veranda, I succumbed to her stubbornness and allowed her to drag me hurriedly. Stepping down the steps inside, we rushed past Kim who was studying a map. She gave an airy chuckle at the two of us. It was the most I'd seen her smile since Nick had been captured by the Highwaymen.

'Never in my life did I think I would see John Seed being sidekick to my own daughter.' The grimace adorned on my face made her laugh even harder. It radiated from her vocal chords and filled the room.

'Yeah, yeah, don't get used to it.' I grumbled over my shoulder as Carmina pulled me out into the courtyard where Lara stood expectantly.

'One grumpy old man as ordered Cap.' Carmina loosened her grip and swung me towards the young woman.

'Thanks. Go help your ma out Carmina, we gotta talk about grown up things.' Lara instructed and the Rye's daughter took her leave immediately.

'Why does she do what you say just like that but completely ignores me?' I asked, hitching a thumb over my shoulder towards the bolshy teenager who strode back into the main building.

'Because you're a pushover.' Lara raised a well-trained eyebrow at me before punching me in the shoulder.

'Ow!' I grunted, rubbing at the skin.

'See. Pushover.' She started to walk and I followed beside her. 'People told me to watch out for you, that you were crazy dangerous. That was bunch of bull crap. You aren't even mildly scary.'

'Bean's scared of me.' I deliberately shot a glare across the courtyard and watched the boy in yellow yelp out loud before running back up the stairs to his cartography office.

'Bean's scared of everyone.' Lara stated blandly, gesturing for the guards to open the gates.

'Did you bring me all the way out here just to rip the shit into me or can I get back to my work?' I asked, stopping and folding my arms across my chest. Lara rolled her eyes and tore one of the makeshift machine guns from her back. She chucked it to me and I fumbled with it.

'You and me, we have business to attend to.'