Bab 33: (XXXIII) The Proposal - Part 2
"Leave her alone!" Jackson shouted angrily, catching his breath. Alijah quickly hopped the chainlink fence at the distraction and looked back at the group as one of the three men following her began to run toward Jackson, yelling angrily.
Jackson shook his head at the man charging at him, fists clenched; he took two long strides, closing the distance quickly as he swung an elbow at his head with all his might.
The man, unable to dodge, flipped through the air, landing on his stomach. The next guy ran in, swinging an iron bar. Jackson dodged easily, rolling to his feet to avoid the attack.
Alijah quickly ducked around at the corner, peeking out nervously; her hands were behind her back, gripping the small bag she had stolen.
She looked like a rabbit that could disappear in a puff of smoke. Jackson smirked, his shoulders raised behind his fists, as the man on the ground sluggishly stood up.
"Come on!" Jackson shouted as all three men launched themselves at Jackson again. Jackson turned his body and blocked the strike from one of the men with one of his own. The other two punched and kicked at him repeatedly.
He intercepted each attack, backstepping slowly, kicking one away with a strong kick before countering the other with an uppercut, crashing the man into a pile of garbage cans and trash bags.
Jackson fell back and slid across the cement street as the man with the iron bar tried to hit him once again; this time, Jackson blocked the attack and caught him by his neck with both hands, lifting him into the air and slamming him face-first into the concrete, his bones cracking loudly.
The man groaned on the floor, gasping for breath as Jackson stepped over him to face the other two men. One was unconscious; the other was rolling on the ground.
The man on the floor slowly rolled over, holding his broken neck with a grimace of pain as he lay on the ground; his eyes were glazed, and his skin was pale.
Jackson kicked him hard, sending him tumbling down the street. The last man stood, backing away, raising his hands in defense, turned, and ran away. He glanced at Alijah momentarily before she disappeared behind the corner while he effortlessly hopped the fence.
"What did you do this time..?" Jackson asked, placing both hands on his hips as he stared at the younger girl sternly.
"Nothing!! I swear!!" She said, hiding the small bag behind her back with an innocent smile spreading across her chocolate face. Alijah was a seventeen-year-old orphan who arrived at Saint Mary's and quickly ran away and continued to escape until they gave up on bringing her back. She was a head shorter than Jackson, but her two large afro-puffs on both sides of her head made her taller than him.
"Yeah! Sure! Then what's this?" Jackson asked, grabbing her by the collar and raising her off the ground before he snatched the bag out of her hands, shaking it.
"Hey!! That's mine! Finders keepers!!" Alijah protested, kicking her arms and legs futilely as she hung in the air before Jackson tossed her on her butt and threw the bag into her lap.
"I need your help." He said flatly, smiling down at her as she winced in pain, huffing as she grabbed the bag and stood, rubbing her butt with her free hand.
"Why should I care?" She scoffed, crossing her arms across her chest and shaking her head in annoyance, turning her head and sticking her nose into the air.
"Because I'm going to give you food to eat, a place over your head, and a job," He said in an annoyed tone, flicking her forehead.
"You don't have any money and no possessions, and yet you want me to help you? Why am I not surprised?" Alijah replied, wincing in pain as she grabbed her forehead. Jackson shook his head, reaching into his white coat, and pulled out his Climber's Card, opening it and showing it to her.
"When did you become a Climber!?!" She shouted, her mouth dropping as she tried to snatch it, but Jackson pulled it away in time.
"You in or out?" Jackson asked, walking past her as he returned it to his jacket. Alijah chewed on her lip as she thought for a moment before chasing after him as they returned to Amilia and August's shop.
***
August was tending to a customer at an armor stand as Amelia and Natane gossiped, giggling at the counter. Upon entering, Amelia smiled, "Ah! Jax, you're back! Come on in the back; I have a room you and Natane can use."
She led the young man and two women through the back storage rooms to a small room with a simple table and two chairs, "I'll keep an eye on this troublemaker while you two talk!" She said with a smile, standing behind Alijah and patting the top of her head.
"Actually, what I have to discuss with Natane also involves you two, so please, stay..." Jackson said with a smile, taking a seat in one of the chairs as Alijah grinned, running out of Amelia's grasp, brushing past Natane and stealing her chair.
The two women shared glances as Amelia slowly closed the door behind her, "Is something wrong, Jax..?"
"No, I just wanted to see if you three would work with me." Jackson replied, looking at all three women in front of him.
"Why so secretive?" Alijah asked mockingly, reclining the chair back as she rocked on its back legs.
"I can't just trust anyone, you numbskull!" Jackson replied, shaking his head before he rubbed his forehead and eyes with his index finger and thumb.
"What do you need, Jax..?" Amelia asked, hesitating as she took a step forward, her hand fiddling with the small necklace resting in the center of her chest.
"Before we can get to that... I'll need you three to read these and sign." Jackson reached into his coat, pulling out three thick piles of papers. Placing them on the desk and spreading them out as he put a pen on each one.
"What are these..?" Alijah asked with curious eyes.
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