Cowboy Bebop Fan Fiction ❯ In a Sentimental Mood ❯ Chapter 5

"Yeah, I heard of a guy like that," the old-timer said. "Got a place north of here in the meteor zone."

 

"The meteor zone?" Spike asked.

 

"That's a barren place where there's constant meteor activity," another old man offered.

 

"Not safe to fly there," his friend added. "Not unless you're an ace pilot like me.

 

"You were never an ace pilot!" the first one argued. "You crashed half the planes you flew!"

 

"That's only because there was a war going on!"

 

"That there was," the second one said. "A lot of fighting back then."

 

Spike left the three old men to reminisce and argue amongst themselves as he took his drink to the other side of the bar. He sat on a stool and shook a cigarette from his pack. Before he even got it placed between his lips, a flame danced before his eyes. He lit his cigarette and nearly choked on the smoke when he saw the face behind the lit match.

 

Ancient images of another lifetime flashed through his mind. A kind face with long, golden hair. Soft hands touching his face. A sad smile that spoke volumes more than words.

 

"Heard you were looking for someone."

 

He shook his head and refocused his eyes on the speaker. Although the hair was similar, the face beneath it wasn't. The bartender gave him a wink as she blew out the flame and refilled his glass.

 

"That's right," Spike said, returning the smile. "And I'm beginning to feel sorry it isn't you."

 

Her laughter filled the near empty bar. Spike found himself chuckling along with her and realized she was nothing like Julia. As beautiful and caring as Julia was, he'd never seen her this carefree.

 

"The name's Valerie," she said, holding out a hand.

 

"Spike Speigal." He shook her hand briefly, then reached again for his drink.

 

"Oooh." Valerie raised one eyebrow and leaned over the counter, propping her chin on one fist. "Cop or cowboy?" she whispered.

 

"Excuse me?" Spike asked. He leaned slightly back in his chair to escape the woman's haunting perfume, but that only gave him a better view of the chest resting on the counter.

 

"Since I refuse to believe I've lost my touch with men…I figure you're either a policeman or a bounty hunter. So which is it?"

 

Spike smiled and set his empty glass down next to her elbow. He took a long drag from his cigarette before answering, the smoke gently curling around her face as he exhaled.

 

"Well, it's definitely not you," he said with a lopsided grin.

 

She smiled broadly and ran her fingertips lightly over the back of the hand still holding the glass. Spike returned the smile and sat closer. Just as Valerie was about to lean in for a kiss, she found something smooth and hard pressed against her lips.

 

"Refill this and tell me how to get to the meteor zone."

 

Valerie looked down into the glass and then into the strange man's eyes. Although his smile was warm and inviting, his eyes were cold as ice. There was something odd about them that she just couldn't pinpoint and a cold shiver ran down her spine. She forced herself to keep the smile on her face, but stood up straight to put distance between herself and those eyes.

 

"The meteor zone isn't a place anyone wants to get to," she said, forcing herself to steady her hand as she poured the liquor from the bottle into his glass. "But if this guy you're looking for is there, it can only be one person. Lenny."

 

~~~~~~~~~~

 

"So you're telling me you aren't the least bit curious as to where Spike went?"

 

"Nope."

 

Faye stormed out of the workshop and down the hall toward Spike's room.

 

"I can't believe he would leave any clues behind, Faye," Jet called out after her. "And you know it's none of our business. If he wanted us to know anything he would have told us already."

 

"Then what are these for?" she asked, leaning against the doorjam with a satisfied grin. In her hand she waved two envelopes with their names on them.

 

"What the…? Where did you get those?"

 

"They were lying on his bed in plain sight," Faye said, tossing Jet his envelope. "I knew he wouldn't keep us completely in the dark. It's probably instructions on how to pick him up once he gets in over his head."

 

Jet scratched his cheek as he inspected the plain white envelope with his name scrawled across it. Faye, on the other hand, ripped hers open right away. She shook out the single sheet of folded paper.

 

"Dear Faye," she read aloud. "I heard Mars Sky is racing at the track this week. Place 1000 woolongs on her to show for me. Spike. Why that…! He didn't even leave money for the bet!" Her face burned with anger as she crumpled the note into a tight ball and threw it across the workshop. "Forget him! He can crash his ship and rot for all I care! I'm going out!"

 

Jet watched Faye storm down the hall toward the docking bay. Soon the sound of her ship roared to life. He waited until she flew off and he could no longer hear the engine before carefully opening his own note.

 

"Jet. Use this to get whatever you want. Spend as much as you can. Spike. PS, Don't let Faye get hold of it. If they trace it to a track, they won't be too happy."

 

He took the cashcard out of the envelope and tapped it against the sudden ache that sprung up at his temples. He didn't have to huess who 'they' might be.

 

"Oh, Spike. What are you doing?"