Inheritance

Chapter 2: Jack (Part 2)

The tobacco shop sat on the far side of the mall. Jack threaded his way through the groups of shopping people. He passed store fronts already telling him Christmas time should be on his mind, even though Halloween was still two weeks away. Others told him how he should dress and what his girlfriend should look like. He passed booths which said he had the wrong cell phone, the wrong sunglasses and one guy offered to give him a manicure. Jack soldiered on by. He wondered if teens were listed in textbooks as easily influenced, pack animals as he navigated around large herds of them all trying to follow the instructions in the windows.

A loud laugh caught Jack's attention and he turned to locate the noise. Sundance, surrounded by a group of giggling girls, looked right at him and laughed as she came out of Victoria's Secret with a little pink bag. 

Jack wondered if he looked funny, but from the point of view of the popular circle, everyone looked funny. He felt hot meeting all the most popular girls at school as they exited Victoria's Secret. Wait. Sundance laughing at him? It clicked. Just a few nights ago, they rolled his house. Murder strips the non-important from the mind. He had totally forgotten the practical joke left in his front yard.

"Hey Jack." Sundance pranced by. "How did you like it?"

"Did your parent's freak?" another girl asked.

"Hope we didn't get you in trouble?"

"Did you fish that out of a dumpster?" The next girl changed the subject as she eyed his shirt with holes.

"No, Miki, it's the shabby chic look," said the next girl.

Jack ground his teeth together as the gauntlet of insults dressed in mini-skirts and ankle boots flowed around him. Thankfully, the football team came their way and distracted the gaggle of girls. Jack could not get out of this mall fast enough. He picked up his step and hurried to Gomez. Soon the wooden statue of a feathered Indian with cigars came into view over the heads of the shoppers.

Jack stepped into the shop and took a deep, deep breath of the sweet scent of pipe tobacco. He passed by all the silly knick-knacks of American icons, animals, dragons, fairies and things.

"Heya Jack!" the big man yelled.

"Hey Gomez."

"What! That's it? What's got you down, boy? You're not becoming one of those sulky teens are you?"

"No, just wasn't a good weekend."

"Ah, my friend, you are having lady problems." Gomez's half Spanish heritage made it his duty to help with issues of romance, and he believed all issues were romance related.

"I wish. Just let me get Mom's package. I'm on a timeframe."

"Okay, okay." He held up his hands theatrically. From behind the counter he pulled a paper sack with his logo on the front.

Jack thanked him and headed back across the mall. Just as he passed by a shop with mostly nude teens selling clothing someone grabbed his shoulder in a vice-like grip.

"Sir?"

Jack spun around and struck out with his left hand. He saw the badge and stopped his swing. The mall cop's eyes bulged as Jack's hand hovered inches from his face. His hand dropped from Jack's shoulder.

"Sorry," Jack muttered and lowered his fist.

The cop adjusted his belt which held nothing.

"I gotta tip you have tobacco in that bag, but you're not old enough to buy it, legally."

Jack sighed. Laughter floated through the crowd and he caught a glimpse of Sundance's golden hair. Man, he hated teens.

"Look, I picked up a package for my parents. My Mom is pregnant and will be going into labor soon, and so I came by to get it. I don't smoke. I can call them and they will tell you it's true."

The cop shook his head. "Let me have the package and I want to see your driver's license."

A switch flipped in Jack. He changed from teen trying to stay out of trouble, to the man who shot demons. To the man who helped bring Manson down at the young age of eight, or twelve, or whatever age Crow found him. Every bit of training they put Jack through screamed a warning about this cop.

Zephyr hissed and wiggled in his pocket. The cop reached out, but instead of taking the package he grabbed Jack's arm. Jack's eyes followed the movement. He grunted in surprise to see a tattoo, a servant tattoo. In perfect detail, color and design, the image of a cat's tail budding out covered the top of the cop's hand. Jack knew a witch's tattoo when he saw one. Sensing his distraction, the cop brought his other hand up towards Jack's side. Jack turned and blocked the attack with his arm. The cop pressed against his arm trying to reach Jack with an odd taser.

"What the hell?" Jack said.

The cop released him and struck at his stomach. Jack forced the punch aside and brought the side of his other hand down on the inside joint of the cop's elbow disabling his arm.

"I'm calling the police," the cop said.

Jack grabbed the man's useless arm and held it tattoo side up.

"Who do you serve?"

"How do you know what a servant tattoo is?" the cop asked, stunned.

Jack grabbed the front of his shirt and hauled him down a nearby deserted hall designed to give employees access to the back of their stores. He ignored the strange glances of the passing crowd.

"Who do you server?" Jack shoved him against the wall.

"It doesn't matter. She'll get you in the end."

The cop convulsed under Jack's hands as he turned the taser on himself.