Natalie’s eyebrows raised in surprise. That was definitely not what she had been expecting. She wasn’t absolutely sure what she’d thought they might offer, but this wasn’t it.

“You may have noticed, I already have a job,” she replied slowly. “In a bookstore, store being the operative word. They pay me pretty well for what I do.”

Jin adjusted his glasses again and smiled.

“Of course. I’m sure it’s wonderful and fulfilling work, and we wouldn’t want you to leave it, by any means. No, what we’re offering is to be in addition to that.”

Natalie paused a moment, confused.

“So… in exchange for saving your cat’s life, you want to give me more work?”

Jin spread his long fingered hands gracefully in a gesture of helplessness.

“We’d like to simply give you monetary recompense, but Lightning suggested that you’d be unwilling to accept it. And money alone would be poor payment for what you’ve done for us. So, instead, we offer both money and the chance to do work that is particularly suited to your abilities.”

Natalie’s heart leapt to her throat. She shoved it back down and kept her expression calm.

“Abilities?” she asked. She wondered if they’d guessed what had happened when Patrick had touched her. She wondered how they could have guessed.

“Bravery,” said Jin, smiling, “quick wittedness, compassion. These are important qualities, and Lightning says you displayed all of them last night.”

Natalie breathed a quick, silent sigh of relief.

“It wasn’t like that, really,” she protested. “Anyone would have done the same.”

“But anyone didn’t. You did.” Jin watched as Natalie struggled to find a way to reply. “Why don’t you come out with us once, just to see if you like it. No strings,” offered Jin.

“What, ghost hunting and killing rats?” asked Natalie.

“Something like that, yes,” smiled Jin.

“I’m not very good with rodents,” said Natalie. The ghost hunting was tempting though. She’d always wanted to go on a ghost hunt. It would probably be super boring, not like what she’d seen on TV, but she couldn’t help hoping she might see something spooky.

Hayato snorted.

“Don’t worry. It’s hardly ever rats,” he said smiling darkly. Natalie glared at him. She felt like he was mocking her unease with rodents even though she knew he’d said nothing wrong. In fact, he might have been trying to be reassuring.

Jin pulled a scrap of paper and a pen out of a coat pocket and wrote something down. He set it in front of Natalie.

“That’s the date, time, and address of our next job. Why don’t you think it over? Show up, or not, it’s up to you. Though, if you don’t show up, we’ll just have to come back to your bookstore and try to figure out some other way to repay you,” he smiled.

Natalie picked up the scrap of paper. She didn’t know the specific address, but she was familiar with the area. There were some nice little houses out there. And the job wasn’t until Friday afternoon.

“All right,” she said. “I’ll think about it.”

“Good,” Jin sat back. “I’m glad. I think you’ll really like it. You still have my card, in case you have any questions?”

Natalie patted her bag and nodded.

“Right, then. See you Friday, I hope?”

“We’ll see.” Natalie smiled and stood. She gave the cat one more chin rub, then headed out, across the park, leaving the two men behind her. A deep breath of cold, night air helped to clear her head. They’d offered her a job. In exchange for saving a life. And they named a black cat Lightning. She wondered briefly if they were a couple, then dismissed the idea. Natalie couldn’t imagine Hayato in a relationship with anyone, ever. He seemed the type to be too much in love with himself to ever fall in love with someone else.

She hadn’t made up her mind about going yet, but Friday still felt a long way off. Natalie stifled a yawn. Time for home, and homework, and food. Then sleep. Wonderful sleep. Tomorrow was another day.

・・・・・

Jin, Hayato, and Lightning watched Natalie’s form disappear into the night. With her gone, something in the way the trio held themselves changed ever so slightly. Lightning seemed a little less like a cat. Jin withdrew a little, deferring to Hayato. Hayato’s bearing shifted to command the space he occupied.

“Do you think she’ll come?” asked Jin.

Hayato smiled, still looking in the direction he’d last seen Natalie.

“She’ll come. She won’t be able to help herself.”

Jin adjusted his glasses, his hand hiding his face.

“Do you think she knows about us?”

Hayato snorted.

“How could she possibly know?” He threw Jin a dry look. “You gave her the ‘paranormal investigation and pest control’ card, right? That’s enough to cover any weirdness she might have picked up on.”

“You’re probably right,” said Jin. Lightning nudged Jin’s hand with his head, and Jin stroked him absently. “I’m just not certain this is a good idea, getting so involved with her.”

Hayato’s lips curled upward. “You could have fooled me. You were selling her pretty hard on the whole debt repayment thing.”

Jin looked affronted. “We do owe her a debt. Debts must be repaid. Balance —“

Hayato waved a hand at him dismissively.

“Balance. Right. Whatever.” He looked off in the direction Natalie had gone. “At least it won’t be boring.”

Jin sighed. Hayato rolled his eyes.

“Look, she saved that beast of yours, didn’t she?” Hayato gestured at Lightning. “She’ll be fine.”

Hayato spun and plopped down on the bench beside Jin. Leaning back against the edge of the table, he crossed his legs casually, pulled a short silver dagger from somewhere on his person, and started twirling it, sending it spinning and flashing between his fingers. Jin and Lightning shared a concerned look.

“And what if this job isn’t one of our usual ones?”

“What if it isn’t?” asked Hayato, bored and exasperated.

“She’s not like us. She’ll be defenseless,” protested Jin.

The dagger stopped mid-spin. Hayato smiled. He leaned in conspiratorially, eyes gleaming.

“Something tells me there’s more to that girl than meets the eye.”

Jin’s brow furrowed in confusion. Hayato leaned back, relaxed. The blade resumed its flashing arcs.

“She’s of the old blood. Didn’t you see her eyes? And her hair?”

Jin raised an eyebrow. “You don’t think that’s just the result of the genetic mishmash so common in this era?”

“With those features? Nah. She’s the real deal.” He looked over at Jin’s disbelieving expression and stopped the dagger in mid-flourish. “You really didn’t feel it?”

“Feel what?”

“An energy. There’s something about her that…” He paused, staring down at the blade in his hands.

“That what?” prompted Jin.

“Nothing,” said Hayato.

“Not nothing. What is it?”

After a long silence, Hayato answered slowly, “She reminds me of days long gone, that’s all.”

Jin squinted at him. “Perhaps it wasn’t such a good idea to invite her along.”

Hayato snorted and sent the blade spinning over his knuckles.

“You started it,” he said and smiled. “Besides, if anything goes wrong, you’ll be there to play Knight in Shining Armor to her Damsel in Distress, right?”

When Hayato was in this sort of mood, Jin knew it was no use talking to him. He obviously saw Natalie as a new source of amusement. Knowing that, Jin was even more doubtful about his decision to invite her to come on a job with them. Lightning gave Jin an unsympathetic look, stretched, and resettled himself on the table. Jin found himself half hoping that Natalie didn’t show up on Friday. For her own sake.