Exodus: The Assassin's Path 20 Red Horse & Red Lipstick Part 1

Q jumped down and waved as the wagon pulled away. Jinn reached out and looped an arm through his as they walked toward the stables. A smiling Rhapsody did the same thing on his other side. Several people noticed the young man walking arm in arm with two beautiful girls.

"d.a.m.n man .. try sharing a bit."

"that guy famous or something?"

"Must be his sisters."

"I'd like you two to accompany somewhere later today, but for now, I have business here at the Stables." Q removed their arms and stepped away.

"I've got some things to do irl, what time are you thinking?" Rhapsody had moved over to stand next to Jinn. The two were truly inseparable. Wait... "Hey you two wouldn't be sisters, would you?"

Jinn gave him the biggest smile he'd ever seen. "You caught us, we are twins actually."

"Identical Twins." They said it in perfect unison.

Q stared at them. "You're messing with me right?" 'They couldn't be twins right? d.a.m.n people who don't use their real looks as avatars.'

Rhapsody couldn't keep a straight face any longer and started laughing. "Geez Q, you couldn't get any further from the truth."

Jinn nodded. "Right.. we aren't twin sisters."

Rhapsody sighed heavily, "we are twins brothers."

"Yep...I'm Herman and this is..." Jinn couldn't keep a straight face any longer and burst out laughing.

"Keep it together Herman..." Rhapsody joined her in laughing at Q, who looked decidedly pale.

Q stared hard at both of them. "d.a.m.n it. I'm removing both of you from the eligible list!"

"Huh? Wait.. I want to stay on the list Q!" Jinn was still smiling, her dark eyes laughing at him.

"Forget it Herman!" Q took a small step away from them.

"I meant we are from opposite sides of the planet Q. I'm from Rio de Janeiro, and Jinn is from..."

Jinn covered her friend's mouth with a hand. "Sorry.. that's strictly cla.s.sified."

"Yeah whatever, don't try and get all mysterious Herman." Q checked the game time, "back here in six hours, if you are coming."

"Got it Q." They both managed to say at the same time, causing them to laugh at Q as they logged off.

Q stood their for a moment watching them as they vanished. "They're messing with me right? d.a.m.n it!"

Q walked to the back of the stables where a small corral was located, there was a holding stall attached to it. "Perfect." He had just arrived when a stable boy ran out.

The boy had a mess of curly black hair and was as thin as a rail, with boots several sizes too big.

Q cleared his throat and puffed out his chest. "You must be the stable master around here! I'm here to fight you for all your horses." Q put up his fists in front of him.

The little boy gave him a serious look and then nodded while raising his fists.

"Jacob!! " An old voice that sounded like falling rocks, called out from the stable. "What the h.e.l.l are you doing son?"

"Um.. I was gonna fight him for the horses." The curly haired kid was eyeballing Q, giving him the stink-eye.

"They are already your horses, so what would you gain?" The old man walked out, he was as bowlegged a person as Q had ever seen. He could have easily fit in with any of the old cowboys that Q knew from Guns & Gore. Obviously he had been around horses his entire life. "Get back inside Jake."

Jake nodded and looked at Q, "it's your lucky day!"

Q scowled at the kid, "that right? It's your lucky day bush-head. Happy birthday, your present is not getting your skinny b.u.t.t kicked."

"Yeah? Well your prese..."

He was cut off by the old man grabbing him and pus.h.i.+ng him toward the stables, "get your b.u.t.t inside Jacob." The old man turned back to Q and stuck out a gnarled hand. "I'm Mo."

"Nice to meet you Mo, I'm Q. The man's hands were rough and hard, like the branch of an ash tree.

"Wonder if I could trouble you for a bag of grain, fully sealed, biggest one you have. Q walked over to the small stall that was attached to the corral. He slid easily between the rails. "And a blinding bag please."

The young boy ran out of the stables a minute later with a black bag in his hand. He was smiling at Q. Their prior argument completely ignored. "Gonna ride something?"

"Yep, wanna give it a try?" He grabbed the bag from the boys hand and took out the red bridle from his inventory.

"Well.. no one rides better than me, so if you need my help that's fine." The boy stuck out his hand, "I'm Jake."

Quinn shook hands while nodding. "I'll definitely need some help Jack."

"Jake." He corrected.

"Right." Q summoned the horse and quickly slipped the black bag over its head, tying it securely.

Scorch was a tall chestnut stallion. Standing nearly 19 hands, his coat a s.h.i.+ny deep red. Q ran a hand over its back. He lowered his voice "what a handsome horse you are, we're gonna be friends right Red?"

"You crazy or something?" Jake was missing his front teeth so it sounded like 'thomthing.'

"You're gonna help me ride him right? We'll take turns." Q patted Scorch's back.

Jake gave him a wide eyed look, "that devil is gonna eat you, forget I said anything!" He ran off without saying another word.

Q stood next to the red horse, patting him while speaking in low tones. He was making sure the saddle was secure when the old man came back out. He was pus.h.i.+ng a wheelbarrow with a large bag of grain on it. "That's the biggest bag we have, you plan on feeding him until he can't move?"

Q picked up the bag and hoisted it on the saddle, taking a few moments to tie it securely. He opened the holding stall gate and lead Scorch out into the corral. Then pulled the bag off and ran for it, he knew without looking the horse was in hot pursuit.

"d.a.m.n Red... don't hate." The ground shook as the charging horse closed on Q, he waited until he could almost feel the beast's hot breathe on his back.

*Blink*

Q appeared at the far rail, he waved to Scorch. " This isn't a good start Red. You trying to bite me?"

The horse spun and charged Q.

*Return*

Q appeared next to the rail and stepped through easily. Scorched charged up to the rails and reared back on his hind legs.

Q nodded in appreciation. "You should be feeling the weight right? Let's see what you got big red."

Sensing the weight on his back, Scorch started bucking, jumping high into the air and coming down with all four hooves together.

"Crow hopping? That's beginner stuff. Please tell me that you have a bit more." Q scratched his head for a moment, "a C grade is the best I can give."

The red stallion began to alternate front and back bucks, spinning around the corral like a top. Dust filled the air and the ground shook, as the two thousand pound beast ran amok.

Q clapped from behind the rails. "Those are some pretty good 'Cyclones', I can upgrade you to a B."

Scorch continued with the cyclones for a few minutes. He reared back on his hind legs and pawed the air, calling a challenge out to Q.

"Right.. I'll stay over here." Q ignored the blatant name calling.

Scorch leapt into the air and came down with all his weight on one hind leg.

"d.a.m.n Red, now I'm impressed. 'Sundowns' will get you upgraded to an A."

Q had been on a horse that Sundowned once, he had been pile-driven into the muck of the stable. It was fun to see, but a lot less fun when you were experiencing it. The old cowboys in 'Guns & Gore' had called him 'Sundown' after that.

The smell of horse and dust had completely filled the corral area, the breathing of the Red Stallion was becoming labored. Finally Scorch dropped on his side and quickly rolled over on his back in an attempt to crush the mystery rider.

"And the 'Widow Maker'...particularly vicious, that gives you an S rating in my book."

Q looked over at Mo who had been watching with great interest. "Leave him like this til I get back, no one touches him, no one talks to him.".

"Log-Off TAP"

Quinn stretched in place, of course Tal and Pops were long gone.

Taking a look at the time he decided to get his morning work-out in. A moment later the vid-phone in the kitchen went off, smoothing back his hair and tying it up, he looked at the caller. 'Don't recognize the number so…'

He clicked the reject b.u.t.ton and headed into the bedroom to grab his workout gear. A moment later he heard his vid-phone going off again. "You have to be kidding me…" By the time he had slipped his shorts and t-s.h.i.+rt on, the vid-phone had stopped and started again. "Fine, but don't expect me to be pleasant."

He walked into the kitchen with his running shoes in one hand and a water bottle in the other. Tossing his shoes on the floor he clicked the answer b.u.t.ton on his vid-phone. A young blond-haired man in an expensive suit was sitting in front of a desk.

"You have one minute to tell me why you keep calling me," Quinn frowned at man. He looked rich and arrogant.

"h.e.l.lo, are you Q?" His voice was somewhat nasally and sounded like someone who was use to telling others what to do.

"Are you looking for Q?" Quinn smiled pleasantly.

"Yes I am." The man didn't bother introducing himself.

"Then log-on to TAP a.s.shat, he's a character in the game." Quinn ended the call and finished tying his running shoes. He still had a smile on his face when he headed out the door a minute later.

Forty minutes later in an abandoned park 4 miles away, Quinn was doing pull-ups, his muscles straining as he finished the third set. Years ago he use to come here with Renri and Tal. He turned to the broken teeter-totter they had used. He laughed to himself as he remembered. Tal had sat on one side and laughed at three year old Renri and eight year old Quinn in the air. Even with their combined weight they were too small.

"It's because she's too fat." Quinn had stated.

"Mommy is big." Renri had agreed.

"…" Tal.

A moment later the two youngsters started laughing as they jumped off their seat.

"Hey careful, don't get hurt." She watched as Little Q jumped down and then caught Ren as she followed. Both of them tumbled into the dirt laughing before getting up.

"We were teasing mom, you're not fat." Ren leaped at her with her arms spread wide.

Little Q nodded, "yep, Tal is beautiful, and not even a little fat."

"Hmm? So sweet, are you going to marry me one day?" Tal held Ren close with one hand and grabbed at Little Q with the other.

"Huh? You are too old!" He ducked away from her and ran toward the monkey bars.

Quinn unlocked the door to his apartment and walked in, his mood was good. "Hopefully we will all be together soon."