Salvation by Aeon Igni Read Free Book Online Page A

or not. Where would I go?
    He gave me an irritated glance as he measured from my arm to my wrist. "What? I've been a tailor for 35 years. You think I don't know the body of a girl when I see one? Although I'll admit, I didn't pay much attention until you refused to strip." He continued his measurements, writing them on a small pad of paper.
    I stood still and let him turn me this way and that. Finally, I asked in a small voice, "You won't tell him, will you?"
    He huffed and looked at me over his glasses. "No." He held up a hand when I opened my mouth. "I'm not doing it for you. Captain Morse is a good man, one of my best customers, and I've known him for years. I'm not going to get in the middle of something like this." He put down his pencil and narrowed his eyes. "But I will tell you this. That man is sharp as one of my sewing tacks, and if he hasn't figured you out already, I'm sure he will. And I wouldn't like to be you when he does."
    A small shiver went through me, and I nodded.
    The process was relatively swift after that. The tailor took my measurements and helped me pick out some casual and dress fabrics. He promised that he would have several sets of trousers and shirts in the fabrics I had chosen finished before the next evening when we left port.

Chapter 9
     
    Upon their return , I knew something was up because Jeremiah had a broad smile on his face and the captain was also grinning. He clapped on large hand on my shoulder and said, "We've got a surprise for you, Simmons."
    I followed their long strides back to the jeep and, while hurrying to keep up, my mind was running through all the things that the surprise could be. I was half-elated and half-petrified.
    The captain drove the jeep slowly out of the small town, but then sped up as we reached the outskirts. We followed a small dirt path that was more like a trail than a road up and over a couple of hills.
    As we reached the top of the second set of hills, I looked down and saw bunch of men with rifles, firing across the valley at standing targets of varying distances. Jeremiah was looking back at me, and when he saw my eyes light up, he laughed.
    We parked behind the other shooters, and the captain looked over the top of the jeep into the trunk space. I leaned over the seat and watched as he pressed his thumbprint to the lock on a huge steel case. When it opened, I could see all kinds of guns of various shap es and sizes. He took out two handguns of different sizes, handing one to me and one to Jeremiah. Once he closed the case, he pressed his thumb into the lid, and to my surprise it opened, revealing a cache of knives. This time he stepped back and let Jeremiah pick several before picking out two of his own and putting them in his holster.
    The captain closed the lid and turned to me with a grin. "Well, Simmons, you ready to learn how to shoot?"
    "Yes, sir," I climbed out of the jeep eagerly.
    They both laughed hearty guffaws at my excitement, but I could tell that they were happy, too. There was nothing like little gunfire to brighten one’s day.
    I went around to the other side of the jeep and saw that the captain was holding an extra holster in his hand. He knelt down to fit it to my waist, but it was still too big.
    "Damn. You have got to be the smallest kid I have ever seen." He turned to Jeremiah. "Were we ever that small?" he asked.
    "No, sir," Jeremiah said with a grin. "I don't reckon we were."
    The captain walked around to the back of the jeep and pulled out a long, slender, round tool. He easily worked the tool through the leather, creating another hole for the buckle.
    "Come here, midget," he said gruffly, holding out the holster. It buckled easily around my waist in the same loose fit as his own.
    We walked over to the shooting range, and o nce again the captain proved to be a patient teacher. He gave me the smallest handgun, showing me how to hold it firmly and line up the sight on the target. It was hard to ignore the way his body felt as he