Down at the Twist and Shout Ch. 05

With an answering grin, Tommy Graves stepped out from behind the slender Jacaranda tree he'd been leaning on. Johnny was once again impressed at the big man's ability to just fade into the background with such sparse cover, and move so lightly, silently, through the crisp and crackling leaf litter.

"How the hell do you do that, John?" grinned Tommy, flicking a mock salute at him

"'s real simple, Tommy," chuckled Johnny, " I jes' listen fo' whut's 'sposed to be there; where it ain't, that where you are, make life much easier! So wassup, Tommy, them fellers stakin' out the crossin' like we reckoned?"

Tommy nodded, and drew Johnny closer into the shade of the trees, indicating the wall of cane -stands.

"There's two of 'em back in there a ways looking for you, they walked right by me, talking about catching up with you, big ugly bastard with a machete, and a little skinny rat of a guy with an Ingram; dunno what he's gonna do with it, I hear tell you couldn't hit a guy in a phone-booth with it if you were in there with him; maybe it's true what they say about little men and big ole guns..."

Johnny grinned. "An Ingram ain't that big!" and Tommy grinned right back.

"That's true, but he's a tiny little guy; maybe that's big to him? Anyway, BOLO, isn't that what you cop-types say? Or should I call you 'LEO'?"

Johnny smiled at Tommy's gentle dig at his law-enforcement past.

"You a cruel man, Tommy Gra...back up, someone comin'!"

Tommy slipped back behind the tree and Johnny faded into the brush just as a huge, brutal-looking man carrying a wicked Latin machete with a 2-foot blade stepped out of the dense stand of cane, followed closely by a small, skinny man in jungle camo carrying a suppressed MAC-10 in a neck sling.

*

Felipe Ribeiro glared at his companion.

"So you think they will come this way, do you, Edson? You tell me this is the way they must come, and so I follow you, and there is no-one here; tell me, canalha,(little turd) what is our next move, heh? Where is that camponê Bastine? Tell me, or tell this!"

He waved his razor sharp machete under the sweating, trembling little man's chin.

"Nós vamos encontrá-los, chefe, eles estão perto, eu juro (we will find them boss, I swear, they're close!") gabbled the little man, his prominent Adam's Apple bobbing up and down in his rush to speak.

Felipe sneered at the frightened little man, chucking him under the chin with the point of his fearsome Latina machete.

"Find them, canalha, find them now, or I will leave this place alone, and you, no-one will miss you..."

Stuttering with fear, the smaller man turned to look back into the cane brakes, and his eyes widened.

"Chefe...!" he choked out as Tommy reached out, grabbed him by the gun's neck-sling and yanked him face first into the trunk of the tree. Blood sprayed from his mashed nose and mouth, and he dropped, out cold, as Felipe roared and raised his machete. Johnny tucked and rolled, leaping up inside Felipe's swing, to slam the heel of his hand into the man's face, pulping his nose and staggering him back.

Felipe hissed and spat like a cat, swinging the giant machete in a vicious cut that Johnny hurriedly ducked to avoid. Even as he bobbed up again to close with Felipe, the huge man, moving with blurring speed, reversed his swing, crashing the thick spine of the bolo against Johnny's head with numbing force, dazing him and knocking him to his knees. His eyes blazing with bloodlust, his face contorted with a killing rage, he closed, raising the machete to finish off Johnny, forgetting completely about Tommy in his rage.

As Felipe raised his machete, Tommy cannoned into him, body-checking him and sending him flying onto the low, flood-damaged levee bordering the bayou. Felipe staggered to his feet, teetered, and slid off the crumbling, mounded earth bank into the bayou as the weakened dirt wall sloughed away under his feet and dumped him in the shallows. Roaring like a bull, he floundered through the water, clawing at the levee-side foliage to grab a handhold, and for a second it looked like he'd succeed, but then, with a hoarse scream, he was yanked back into the water, into a churning, confused maelstrom of flailing limbs and glimpses of dead eyes, wide-open jaws, and a huge, scaled tail; Tommy watched in horror as Felipe surfaced, gasping, streaming water and draped with water-weed and his eyes wide in terror, before the huge alligator rolled over him and took him under again, just a quick glimpse of vast jaws opening and massive, razor-edged peg-teeth clamping around the big man's head before the whole thing was over, and Felipe was gone; all that remained was a scummy froth where a man had been standing.

Tommy stared at Johnny in shock.

"Did you...?" he murmured, pointing at the frothed-up water, the only sign something had just happened, and Johnny nodded carefully through the ringing in his head.

"Gotta be fifteen-footer at least; I bin seein' him on an' off couple days now, we prolly in his range; he bin follerin' us fo' while, prolly jes' curious-like; guess he ain't that curious no more..."

Tommy carefully examined the welt on the side of Johnny's head. Felipe had hit him hard enough to daze him, but there was no blood, and he'd never lost consciousness, so, after sitting for a while to let his head clear, the two men set off to the cabin and check on the girls. As they set out, after having taken the time to strip the unconscious henchman of his boots, pants, and machine-pistol, all of which went into the bayou, and wedging him in a fork of the jacaranda tree out of reach of random reptiles, the sound of shots echoed through the brakes, so quickly capped-off they sounded like a drum-roll, five in all. Johnny glanced at Tommy, who nodded back.

"Yeah, I know, those shots came from Bouvaise' place, c'mon, the girls' got trouble..."

*

Back in the cabin, the four women were preparing to settle down for the night. Justine had initially been sceptical about the strength of the cabin door if any of those monsters in the lake decided to come calling, but closer inspection revealed the door was made of seasoned oak planks at least an inch thick, reinforced with steel stripping and hinges, set in a sturdy steel frame; it looked like an ordinary wooden door, but a cannon wouldn't get through those tough White Oak boards. Justine was also intrigued at the way Kelly had reacted to the threat, her obvious fighting skills, and she asked her how she'd done what she'd done. Kelly was happy to explain.

"It was Big Jon's idea," she started. "The first time I met Jonny I was doing something real stupid, some men had hold of me, Jonny rescued me, which is kind of how he ended-up being one of the people who looked after me. He sort of hinted pretty loudly a few times how I needed to be able to look after myself, in case he couldn't be there, so I started karate lessons, which was fine, but then I discovered Taekwondo, and that's when it all came together; I used to be a gymnast and cheerleader in High School, and that helped me pick up the moves and gave me the flexibility; I didn't get the lead in 'Demonslayer' by accident, you know; they needed someone who could at least fake the whole 'martial arts' thing, and I could do it for real. Johnny made sure I kept up my training, I even got my Black Belt 3rd dan."

Justine suddenly made the connection. After making her name playing cute, 'sassy little sister/sassy teen girlfriend/sassy sorority girl' parts in several blockbuster movies, and her breakthrough role as the heroine of a fantasy vampire movie franchise based on a best-selling video game, Kelly had made her television acting debut in a supernatural TV show with a huge cult following, 'Stormbringer', playing 'Morrigan', an old-time Death-Goddess banished to Earth and cursed with immortality, now living in Los Angeles and fighting demons and supernatural horrors sent against her and her friends by her old enemies. Now Justine realized the martial arts and action sequences were not camera tricks and CGI, it actually was Kelly doing those roundhouse kicks and high-kicking, spinning, cart-wheeling, athletic moves in the slinky leather outfits the fans and cosplayers loved so much. Kelly grinned at her.

"If it wasn't for Jonny, I wouldn't be where I am today; he gave me the push to learn what I know and how to use it, and for that alone I love him like the best big brother in the world. He's the real deal, and all his family are just like him. When I used to come down here to the Atchafalaya with him, mostly to get away from Hollywood and Beverley Hills and the gossip and the paparazzi and all that 'fame' crap for a while, his family didn't go all 'she's a movie-star, treat her special' on me, that would have been just as bad. To them, I'm just that little gal Jean-Bastiènne looks after, they treat me just like family, half his cousins and shirt-tail kin think I'm related anyway, so they just treat me like one of them. "

Kelly smiled wistfully at the memories.

"Johnny's uncles and cousins take me hunting and fishing and make me take my turn watching the stills just like everyone else, his aunties have me cooking, cleaning, and looking after the kids, I eat the best food in the world, cooked by the best cooks in the world, and when Lubin or Audhémar's boys take me off in the swamps and out on the lakes for a little gator-hooking, catfishing, or frogging, it's because they think of me like family, too, and they're teaching me stuff they think I should know. His folks are real, he's real, and I'm glad I'm part of his family."

Justine glowed at the description of her Jonny, and once again noted the love and hero-worship in Kelly's voice whenever she mentioned Jonny's name. Not wanting to explore that too deeply, she changed the subject.

"Kelly, where are you from? I can't place your accent, you sound Southern, then you don't, there's no East Coast or New England, and you really don't sound like you do in the movies, so...?

Kelly chewed her lip thoughtfully, before smiling.

"You're right, well spotted. I'm from a town called Springfield kinda near the Kansas-Oklahoma border, North and west of here, it's a nothing place, the town that God forgot. My real name's Kylie Dolan, and my family, what's left of them, all Dolan's, are probably still there, running mostly everything; it's their own little empire. I didn't like that, my dad was the mayor, but he's an asshole, the sheriff's his cousin, a gross, sweaty fat pig who used to look at me like I was his favorite lunch, he's an even bigger asshole, my whole family are assholes, and they pretty much did what they liked, to anyone they liked. I didn't want any of that, so I left, I just bugged out one day and kept running, changed my name, and thought I'd try and live the Hollywood Dream, because I had nothing to lose, and I sure as Hell wasn't gonna end up on the streets or doing what most girls with no skills end up doing. "

Kelly tossed her head, her black curls tumbling, and the faraway look in her eyes receded as she grinned at Justine.

"I got lucky, Justine, real lucky, a one in a million chance, I got spotted by the right people at just the right time, most girls don't, you know the rest. I changed my name, my look, the way I speak, I doubt my own family would even recognize me now. I used to be Kylie Dolan, I used to be a redhead, and y'know something? It's amazing how much veneers, a new hair color, and colored contacts will change how people see you; now Kylie Dolan's gone, I'm Kelly Delano, and I like my life, I have real people in my life, real family who keep me straight and aren't afraid to ask me why I'm being so all-fired foolish at times, I like it, it means I belong, right here; I think I'm done with Hollywood now; it ain't all that, as Johnny likes to say, and life here with my family is good."

Just then the sound Justine had been hoping and praying she'd hear came to their ears from just outside the heavy door.

"Hello the house! Justy, Miz Kelly, petites soeurs (little sisters) y'all OK in there? What y'all bin doin' out here, it's kinda juicy, thought I tole y'all sit tight an' wait!"

*

After a confused, teary, excited reunion, and only after Justine had checked the side of Johnny's head and convinced herself there was no serious damage and he wasn't going to die there and then, they grabbed up their gear and trekked up to the Basin Bridge, with Johnny leading and Tommy bringing up the rear. In this fashion they made good time, and thirty minutes after setting out, the bridge came in sight. At first sight, everything looked normal, quiet, too quiet, inn fact; Justine had expected a hive of activity, from what Johnny had said about his family and friends being all over this place, but it was almost eerily normal, not a soul to be seen.

"'s okay, fellers, we OK, all y'all came come on out, we done here!" grinned Johnny. Justine gasped as figures appeared almost out of nowhere, from cover she wouldn't have thought a rabbit could hide in, tall men, medium-sized men, small, wiry men, all grinning, all heavily armed, and, much to Justine's surprise, a contingent of heavily armed soldiers in full combat gear.

"Soldiers, Johnny? Really? Just who don't you know, baby?" asked Justine, and Johnny smiled at her.

"They not my idea, Justy, but they cleaned up them scum real fast and efficient like; every 'gator from Basin Bridge to Lake Palourde gonna be stuffed fat 'n' happy tonight, them boys sure took care o' that! They here 'cause Miz Angie an' Miz Cassie ask a favor, an' suddenly whole bunch o' these boys find they need 'specialist' combat trainin', so they CO send them here, they been real useful back-stoppin' us an' keeping maw-maw busy, too; she too damned busy feedin' soldier-boys to come up here an' cause trouble, so let's give thanks for small mercies!"

Johnny inclined his head toward the knot of people approaching them.

"Speakin' o' Miz Angie..."

Justine looked closer at the group of people, spotting two radiant blonde heads, Angie and Cassie, of course they were here too, why not, everyone else was, and then she grinned at the small, black-haired girl waving at her.

"Johnny...?" murmured Justine, astonished that all her ex-trustees were there, but he just grinned back at her.

"Ain't no mystery, Minou; noncle Alby, Tante Amice's son's place 'bout 3 mile east o' here, they all been sittin' there a-waitin' for the 'all-clear' to come on down an' make you welcome!"

Odélie and Mélette gaped as three of the most famous women in the world bore down on them, Angie Graves, Cassie Matthews, and Moonbeam O'Shaughnessy, and then they were hugging Justine and Johnny, combing her hair back out of her eyes to look at her, slapping Johnny on the arm, all the actions of a group of friends meeting up after a break, while Odie and Mellie stared in silent, pop-eyed amazement; Kelly Delano had been a big enough shock and now this...

Some of Johnny's cousins came bustling up, grinning and giving Justine speculative looks, and Justine was struck by just how similar they looked to Johnny; Lubin and Audhemar' were Johnny's daddy's big brothers, and their sons could easily have passed for Johnny's brothers too, that same heft, dusty blond hair, and pale eyes. Kelly noticed them giving Justine interested looks, and she grinned as she grabbed one by his ear.

"For shame, Jean- Noël Deaucette, clean you mind out! This Justine, she Johnny's girl, she gonna be Jean-Bastiènne's wife an' you cousin, show some respec' or I teach you some!"

Jean- Noël's face twisted in pain but he deferred to the much smaller girl, promising 'Miz Kylie' loudly that he was jes' being friendly, like, and that he was going to behave around Johnny's gal, of course he was, could she kindly let go please...

Kelly noted with interest how Kelly's speech had taken on that same bayou-intonation Johnny fell into when he was making a point, all trace of Hollywood was gone; she really had 'gone native'.

Kelly gave him one final twist, and a slap on his arm, with a reminder that any of those other ham-heads try anything she was ready to hand out some more; the looks they gave her were an interesting mix of adoration, amused tolerance, and outright fear; yep, Kelly Delano was right at home here...

*

The party that night at Tante Amice's son's place, as Johnny had said, just three miles east of the Basin Bridge crossing, was everything the girls could have wished for; it's an unwritten law that if more than 3 Cajuns get together, fais-do-do happens; when dozens of them are together, the party gets loud, everyone gets to do their party-piece, either cooking or music, and so the music and eating and dancing go on far into the night. Odie and Mellie were more than a little shell-shocked to see Cassie Matthews tending the roasting suckling pig and bantering with Johnny's cousins, and Angel Graves, THE Angel Graves, splitting her time between gossiping with wives and daughters who'd appeared from nowhere, wiping young children's mouths, and filling and handing out po' boys; the fact Johnny and Justine knew and were so easy in the company of such people was still only slowly working through them, but they noted how fond they were of Justine, how familiar they were with Johnny, and how easy they were in the family's company; obviously they were more than just passing strangers down here...

Mellie and Hecky had gone someplace private, obviously they'd had a conversation, because they were holding hands tightly when they came back. Mack Dubillier's face had fallen on seeing that, a sad, wistful expression flitting across his handsome face, then the three of them had gone off and spoken some more. When they came back, Macky had seemed disappointed, but he'd hugged them both and got a promise from them that he'd be the first baby's Godfather, so that triangle had been resolved.

Justine had been just as interested in the fact Odélie and the handsome young sergeant, Everett something, seemed to be hitting it off rather well; there was a lot of 'non-verbal communication' going on there, especially since neither of them had been able to take their eyes off each other since they'd first showed up. The other soldier-boys seemed to have picked up on that too, as none of them even attempted to chat-up the beautiful little brunette, they could see their sergeant had that situation fully under control. Justine smiled to herself; looked like Odie was about to find out there was more to life than hunting, fishing, and poling a pirogue through the swamps...

Her mind went back to a conversation she'd had with Kelly a couple of hours earlier.

Kelly had been bantering with Audhémar, sassing him when he asked her when she was going to give up all this Hollywood foolishness and come take up with him. She'd replied "Thanks, but no thanks; I do that and tante Clodille kill you, then she come kill me! I like my life, I ain't finished with it yet, so ya'll better back down an' go fishin', your time o' life that all the excitement you need!"

The place had erupted with laughter, and Justine grinned at how completely Kelly had immersed herself in the Cajun ways, all traces of Midwest and California gone from her speech. She and Justine were helping with the food service when Kelly revealed that Cassie had told her that she'd been selected to be UN Women's Empowerment Ambassador, and of course she was going to do it, but when her year was up, she was coming back, the Atchafalaya was her home now, this was her family, and this was where she belonged.

Justine had looked up sharply when Kelly asked her how 'Kylie Deaucette' sounded as her new name, a pang of anguish and her heart sinking when she thought of how Kelly regarded Johnny, and how she couldn't compete with Kelly's looks, her poise and limber athleticism, and her fame, but then she realized Kelly wasn't talking about Johnny at all; watching her closely, Justine saw how she couldn't take her eyes off of Audhémar's middle son, Remy, a boyish-looking younger version of Johnny, and almost a dead-ringer for Lubin's boys; she also saw how, every time Kelly looked away, Remy's eyes just seemed to fall naturally on her. Justine smiled and breathed a sigh of relief to herself; she had no competition after all, there definitely was nothing to concern herself with.