Aftermath

The three knights, Kristen, and Emura had been in her office arguing for over an hour now. John could hear their muffled shouts even over the room's sound proofing, so it must have been really heated.

He wasn't sure if this was the third or fourth time he'd almost died because he wasn't sure if he should count Nicaragua. The first time was in Kandahar when he was mortared. The second time, or third if he did count Nicaragua, was obviously the wendigo. Now he had almost died on a job shadow, on what was supposed to be a low risk operation.

Low risk to whom? Now that he knew Emura was an actual, honest-to-god dragon, he doubted she assessed danger the same way as himself, or her human employees. For all he knew, actually she had implied it, confronting lesser gods might have been entirely routine for her. On the other hand, given how angry the other four humans were with her, the might actually have been atypical for them. He remembered how he had flown off on a commanding officer who put him in undo danger that he wasn't prepared for.

Suddenly Kristen was practically shrieking and John heard the door to the office swing open and slam closed. Something glass shattered in the hall and Kristen stomped into sitting room where he was. She pounded her fists against the wall and screamed with fury then slumped into the nearest chair.

"I'm sorry," she said, "I didn't realize you were here."

"What's going on in there?" he asked as another round of shouting picked up.

"The boss forgets sometimes that we're all mortal even though she isn't," Kristen said.

"If that was supposed to be routine and low risk, I'd hate to see what a dangerous operation looks like," he said.

"Emura swore up and down she had taken care of Coyote and that he wouldn't be a problem," Kristen explained, "But even though she suspected he might, she didn't prepare for it. Are you still considering accepting the job?"

"It's weird," he said, "Killing those skinwalkers last night felt oddly cathartic. Like, I could see them as the wendigo, and it felt like I was killing it by proxy. I want to say no. I really should say no, but I want to kill that thing more than any enemy soldier or insurgent who ever pointed a gun at me."

"I can understand that," she said, "Hey, I didn't ever get the chance to thank you after last night."

"I didn't heal your wound or give you a transfusion last night," he said.

"But you killed more than one of those monsters that would have killed me," she said and crooked her finger at him. When he walked over to her she stood up and kissed him. He nearly jumped back in surprise, but she was gripping one of his shoulders. She held it only for a second then she sat back down.

"That's all you get though, mister," she said.

"Ok, where did that come from?" he asked.

"Don't you ever spur of the moment attraction to people you survived a near-****-experience with?" she asked.

"Not really," he said and shrugged, "No offense."

"Well, I'm just happy we're both alive," she said. Before John could reply, the door to the office opened again and the three men walked out, Clancy, then Aaron, and finally Jean Paul who he hadn't properly met in person just yet.

"Excuse me, Kristen," John said, "Hey, Jean!" The other man waved at him and took a seat.

"That was some excellent shooting last night," John said, "I wouldn't have survived if you hadn't been there, so thank you."

"Yeah, thanks, Jean," Kristen also said.

"You're welcome," he said, "But you're the one who cracked the skull of a god."

"That was just the axe though, wasn't it?" John asked.

"Perhaps," Jean said, "Perhaps not. Regardless, I'll be telling that story for years to come, and personally, I'd be honored if you joined our merry band. Although I understand completely if you want nothing to do with it after last night."

"I'm still undecided, actually," John replied.

"John?" Sama said from when she entered the sitting room, "Emura would like to speak to you now."

"Best make up your mind quickly," Jean Paul said. John nodded and entered the office.

Emura stood facing the floor-to-ceiling window while she idly bounced a small rubber ball on the floor. Her breath fogged up the glass then dissipated as steam, and he could feel her heat from across the room. She was angry, he could tell, and that made him very nervous.

Before he could so much as clear his throat she threw the ball right through the window with so much **** that it bounced up and out of sight on the other side. Her fists shook after that, and John was tempted to leave the room quietly when she finally addressed him.

"Sit," she said. He was far too scared to disobey.

"You wanted to see me," he squeaked.

"Yes," she said as she turned around. He remembered not to make eye contact and focused on her nose instead.

"My mortal employees think last night was a disaster," she said, "As an outsider, I want to hear your perspective."

"You won't incinerate me for speaking frankly?" he asked.

"Don't push it," she said, "but no, I won't harm you."

"Okay then," he said, "If that was supposed to be low risk, I really don't want to see what you think a dangerous mission looks like, and keeping me out of the loop for several days didn't do me any favors."

"You lived," she said.

"Barely!" he shouted, "You said nothing about fighting a god!"

"Because he wasn't supposed to be there," Emura said, "I paid someone to make sure of it."

"Someone you can trust?" he asked.

"Not anymore," Emura growled.

"It sounds like your knights didn't like being put in harm's way either," he said.

"They've encountered Coyote's kind before," she said.

"Then why are they so angry?" he asked.

"Because they weren't prepared to fight a god this time," she said, "And they're all trying to blame me, but I was only working on information that I knew."

"You said that facility belonged to him," John said, "So why didn't you prepare for the possibility that he would come?"

"I'll tell you what I told them, and this is the last time I will say it!" Emura said and leaned over him, "I. Was. Lied. To."

"And now you want to know if I'm willing to take the job?" he asked.

"You injured the head of a deity," she said, "None of my knights have ever done anything like that. I need you!"

"Are you begging?" he asked.

"I don't beg," she said, "But name your price. I'll pay you anything you want."

"It sounds like you're begging," he said.

"If that's what you want, yes! I'm begging you to take this job!" she said. He smirked and leaned back in the chair.

"You're **** after last night, aren't you?" he asked.

"That's none of your business," she said.

"If I join your organization then it will be my business," he said, "Especially if it's always as dangerous as it was last night." Emura rolled her eyes and turned to look out the now broken window.

"The biggest salary in the world is worthless to me if I don't live to reap the benefits," he said, "I need more than that, how much are you willing to do for me? Can you ensure my protection from supernatural forces?"

"Only if you join me," she said.

"And what if I don't?" he asked.

"Do you have any idea how pissed off Coyote is going to be now that you wounded and humiliated him on his home turf?" she asked, "I'll let you figure it out."

John didn't have to think very hard to understand he was in grave danger if he didn't accept the offer. Emura had turned the tables of the negotiation now.

"What if I left the country altogether?" he asked, "Would I be safe?"

"Maybe," she said, "Or Coyote could hire assassins to find you."

"Just how much danger am I in?" he asked, "And how much do you actually need me?"

"I already said you could name your own price," she said, "But maybe I can offer an incentive." With a snap of her fingers her clothing burnt away leaving her naked in front of him.

"Thanks, but it's nothing I haven't seen before," he said.

"What about Sama?" Emura asked.

"What?" both Sama and John asked. He didn't even know she was in the room, but as soon as he turned around she was already stripping off her clothing. A moment later she was completely naked for him, and staring out the window completely motionless and glassy eyed.

"What about Kristen?" Emura said then. A second later Kristen walked into the office in a trance and started stripping naked for him as well.

"What about Morgan?" Emura asked next. A second later a illusory image of the beautiful fey woman appeared standing next to Kristen and Sama. Naked of course.

"Or how about the good agent Marquez?" Emura asked as an illusory image of the woman from the FBI appeared standing next to the other three naked women.

"What about your lady friend," Emura asked, "Lana, wasn't it?" Finally Lana's image appeared with the other women.

"How do you know what she looks like?" John asked.

"From your mind of course," Emura said as she joined the line of other naked women, both real and illusory, "All of us, and more, could be yours."

"What about their say in this?" John asked angrily, "And Sama's married anyway!"

Emura rolled her eyes. Then without so much as a snap of her fingers, Sama and Kristen started making out like long-time lovers. The illusion of Morgan le Fay was on her knees with a ballgag in her mouth and a leash around her neck held by the illusion of agent Marquez. Emura was still stark naked, but suddenly Lana appeared next to him staring at him with a genuine mixture of true love and wanton sexual hunger. Most importantly, she was wearing a wedding dress.

"Isn't she too good to pass up," Emura said as she laid a companionable hand on his upper arm, "You're an extraordinary man, but you're still just a man. Come on, this is every man's dream. I know, I've looked at many of their dreams. All you have to do is come work for me."

"You can convince Lana to want to marry me?" he asked.

"Babe, you'd be a literal knight in shining armor," Emura said, "She be stupid not to fall head over heels for you all over again. And if she didn't... well I can indeed be very 'convincing.' So, what do you say, my knight in shining armor?"