Les Yuex de La Chat

by Calypso Diangelos

*COMPLETED* Kenneth Iron's decides to play games with the Witchblade when Sarah Pizinni leaves the NYPD, what he doesn't know, is that he's not the only playing games.

Title: Les Yeux de la Chat
Author: Calypso
Spoilers: Up to episode four
Sequel info: None
Disclaimer: Witchblade and its characters are the property of TNT and it's affiliates. (I think) Well, whomever they belong to, they do not belong to me; I claim no ownership of anyone save Callie, Luka, and P.J.A. Tech.
Rating: PG
Summary: Kenneth Iron's decides to play games with the Witchblade when Sarah leaves the NYPD, what he doesn't know is that he's not the only one playing games.
Authors note: This is the complete and (mostly) edited version of Le Yeux de la Chat. Originally this was posted as sixteen separate chapters. I would like to thank everyone who did review this, you guys are what kept me going I would also like to ask all readers to please provide feedback.

~~~~~~
Kenneth Irons again awoke in a cold sweat, the silhouette of a woman ever present before his eyes. He knew that it was the silhouette of Dominique he saw she looked just as she had years ago when she had traveled with him. Worst of all were her words, her whispers of betrayal. Turning over he pulled the sheets further up, even in the warmth of his room he felt cold. Something was happening, if only he knew what. Turning his thoughts away from all unpleasantness, he tried to focus on something else... perhaps he could still persuade Sarah Pezzini to agree to his proposal.

***
Sarah Pezzini slipped through the city unnoticed, like a fish in a pitch-black stream. In her Biking wear not an inch of her skin was exposed. Wearily she sighed, the Witchblade still wouldn't let her sleep, nightmares and memories haunted her, keeping her awake at all hours. As Sara noticed that she was nearing her apartment, she decided that she didn't want to go home, she wanted to sleep, badly, but she knew sleep wouldn't come. Shaking off the weariness and frustration that surrounded her she changed her route, wondering what Jake was doing at three A.M.

***
Ian Nottingham smiled grimly as he watched - or rather felt, Irons turn restlessly in his bed. Iron's had trained him to be loyal, but he'd never trained him not to think treacherous thoughts. Iron's deserved this, for everything he'd done, for withholding knowledge, for misusing power. Iron's could do so much for the world if he tried, but he didn't and wouldn't. But something, he thought, will change; you will be forced to change.

***
Chap. 2 - Witches brew

Jake felt like he was looking into an aquarium full of murky water every time he tried to understand his new partner. She probably had more secrets then he'd care to count. To be fair he had his own share of those, but he didn't have that haunted look Sarah Pezzini did whenever she thought someone wasn't looking. Like when she showed up at his apartment last night, he couldn't explain it but she seemed pained, torn, like she was trapped in a city of steel and couldn't see the sky or tell where she was. Then there were the phone calls, she'd hasten away to talk in hushed angry whispers, like the one she'd gotten this morning. From what he could tell it was about some type of deal, or so that was what he'd gathered from Sarah's angry 'Like hell I will, I said no to your first offer, I'm saying no to this one.' Sighing, Jake was about to return to the files on his desk when he noticed people whispering and pointing out side, wondering what was going on, he stood up.
~

Sarah could tell Irons was getting desperate, his phone call this morning had proved that much. The question was why, his tone was controlled and haughty, but with the Witchblade Sarah was able to tell just how calculated and forced it was. Inwardly she grinned, he was loosing his own game and he knew it, with her sources Sarah no longer had much need for him. That is until this damned file had shown up on her desk this morning. She'd read it, slammed it shut and walked out the door. Thinking of the file brought anger to her mind, and with renewed purpose she marched towards Dante's office, running into him in the hallway "The hell is this?" She practically yelled

"Good morning to you to DETECTIVE Pezzini. May I help you?" He sneered in her direction. Behind him a few cops snickered, sharpening their ears, knowing an ugly conversation was likely to start.

"What do you think you're doing assigning me to something like this? THIS, is a babysitting assignment, I'm a homicide detective." By this point even Jake had come out of his office, a small crowd formed, drawn by the shouting, rumors spread faster then fire, especially in a police department.

"Of course detective, in the last two weeks however, you've had more 'accidental' deaths in your investigations then the rest of the unit combined." Sarah began to stew, knowing full well that it was due to the Witchblade. Rebelling she decided to throw all caution and subservience aside.

"The hell is your problem? I didn't kill those people." (At least not all of them) she thought, "and I'm not going to do this."

"Then turn in your badge." The statement was made flatly if triumphantly, Sarah knew that either way he won, and somehow, she was tired of it all, she felt defeated and angry, so nodding she backed up.

"Fine. Take It." removing her badge and gun she threw them at him, then stalked away. No one noticed that she still held the file in her hand.

~~

Frowning, Ian backed away from the building where he was watching Sarah, Iron's would be interested in this development, very interested.


Chap. 3 - Directions and obsessions

"Pez! What do you think you're doing?" Still whirling in shock, Jake had followed Sarah out of the station, still not comprehending what he had just heard. Never in he his wildest dreams had he thought that Sarah would quit the force just like that.

"Leaving that's what." Closing the bag into which she had just placed something she turned around and pulled out her biking gloves. "You heard him, they don't think they need me anymore, and I've taken just about all the b.s. I can from them. Don't worry you'll find new partner, s/he just won't be as good as I am." Flashing a halfhearted smile, Sarah pulled on her helmet and revved up the engine, zooming away before Jake could say anything further. (Now I just have to go job hunting) she thought. Well, it wouldn't be that hard, if Dominique was right, the Witchblade would point her in the direction she needed to go, and while she didn't want to be so quick to trust it, she did.

~~

"You're certain about this?" Kenneth Iron's was becoming very delighted, something which hadn't happened in a long time, something, which after the nightmares and hallucinations of the last few nights had become very needed.

"Yes. Their argument was loud enough the entire crowd around them to hear. He told her to comply or leave, so she left. From what I gathered, it was permanent." Ian Nottingham was not an easily unsettled man, his training and experience and jaded him to a point where very little surprised him and even less unsettled him. But the sight of Kenneth Irons with a delighted little boy grin on his usually stoic malicious face, was something which even he was not prepared for.

"Excellent, this now puts me in a position which the acquisition of..."

"Mr. Iron's, Ms. DeLancie from P.J.A. Tech. Is here." Came the voice of Irons' secretary before he could finish.

"Very well, send her in." Waving Ian away. He cheeked his appearance, put his usually nonchalant look into place, and sat back in his chair, awaiting his potential business partner.

Walking away from Iron's Nottingham began to wonder just what was up, Iron's obsession with the Witchblade was something Ian had been brought up on, anything pertaining to this no longer surprised him. However this woman, supposedly the senior VP of P.J.A. tech was an obsession he couldn't understand, from the scuttlebutt that always flowed around, she was young, pretty, and smart. Most of the people who worked for Irons assumed the relationship between the two was personal, but Ian knew both Iron's tastes and age didn't agree with this. He knew that the relationship was not intimate, yet why then did he insist on working with P.J.A. Tech of all the biotech companies out there? And why on earth did he insist upon this woman in particular? It wasn't likely that she was a blood heir of the Witchblade, but she was something to Iron's, and if he had his way, Ian would find out what.

Returning to his quarters Nottingham pulled out his cell phone, he had a call to make.

****

Arriving at her apartment Sarah Pezzini took a deep breath before collapsing onto her couch. Resting her head in her hands for a second she was startled by the ringing of her phone. "Hello?"

"Hello Sarah, we need to talk.

4 - Of Past and Future

"Joe?" Sarah was so surprised that she straightened up in her seat.

"Yeah Pez, it's me. Is it true?" Joe sounded agitated and worried, if Sarah didn't know better, she'd say that he was in trouble, or more accurately, she was.

"Is what true?" This wasn't good this couldn't be good.

"So it is true. You did leave the force, if you hadn't, you wouldn't be home at 11am." Damn. So Jake had called him. She should've known that this wasn't going to be as easy as walking out of the station, now she had to deal with the repercussions of her actions.

"Look Joe, I'm sorry. The truth is Gallot is dead, and I can't stand Dante. I joined the force for Dad, and now my vendetta is over. I have no more reason to be a cop, Danny's dead, you're gone, I have no need to be apart of PD anymore." Joe heard the flatness of her statement, and somehow he knew she was lying.

"Whatever happened to helping someone?" Sarah sighed. (I have the Witchblade,) She thought, (That's all I need to 'help'. For now at least.), Aloud she said:

"I don't know Joe, I don't know." Hanging up Sarah sighed, and putting her cell phone away she looked at the Witchblade.

"What have you done?" she asked it, "What have you done to my life?" As if in response it glowed, and Sarah Pezzini knew she'd made the right choice, lying down on her couch she turned her head, finally getting some long deserved sleep.
~~
Across town Kenneth Irons was fidgeting under the table. Silently he wondered what nut job named his daughter 'Calliope DeLancie', the person had to either be incredibly unimaginative, or an utter moron. Sighing inwardly, he turned his attention back to the young woman sitting across from him. She was pretty, and appeared much younger then a woman who was in her late twenties and from her features she was Asian. For such a young woman she was rather accomplished. "Please, Ms. DeLancie." He interrupted softly. "I'm fully aware of what P.J.A. Tech is capable of, and I have reviewed the materials you've given me already. After some thought, and your most persuasive arguments I've come to think that this partner ship will occur."

Looking at him thoughtfully, Calliope, or Callie, as she preferred to be called brightened. This was their fourth meeting and she had begun to think that any alliance with Vorschlag industries was impossible, they were an international logo and P.J.A. Tech barely existed. Self-consciously she realized that she was being studied, flushing she returned to the conversation at hand.

As she spoke Iron's continued to study her, silently he wondered if she knew that she was the only reason he was going through with this deal. Wearily he went through the motions of a prospective business partner, carefully hiding what he was really interested in.

~~
Ian hung up his cell phone. Frustrated at what he had, or more accurately hadn't learned. So, Calliope was adopted from China when she was three, she had lived in France for two years then come to the states when she was five. She had led her class at Yale and met a Luka Giamano in Sicily a year after she graduated, and with her help he started up P.J.A. Technologies. Five years later, here they were on the verge of becoming a large biotech company with the capital they'd likely make through a deal with Vorschlag Industries. A year ago her adoptive parents had died leaving her alone in the world. Calliope DeLancie had never tried to find her birth family. Taking off his hat, he grabbed one of his business suits, he was going to meet this Calliope DeLancie, and find out why the hell she'd become Kenneth Irons latest obsession.

~~
Waking up, Sarah realized she'd slept an entire half-hour without a nightmare, cheered by this thought she got up and decided to go for a ride. Maybe she'd go see Kenneth Irons. He'd asked her to come by this morning when he'd called. She had originally decided not to go, but now that she had nothing better to do, she thought it wouldn't hurt to just show up for a few minutes.

Arriving at Irons Office building she headed in the front door. Wrapped in thought she didn't notice the young woman rounding the corner in front of her as she walked towards the secretary that always told her to 'go right in' and banged into her.

A young girl smiles quietly, she sits in the back seat of a car with a smiling woman who has long blonde hair. "Is this your daddy?" She asks the child. The child shrugs.
"Xiang lier" She says in Chinese as she reaches for the locket. "Woi de." She says pointing to herself. Smiling indulgently, the woman gives the necklace to the child, closing the locket.
Turning to the front of the car she says. "She probably doesn't know who it is, no big deal. She'll probably loose it anyway. She's ours now, and no one can take her away from us."

Disoriented Sarah shook her head, wondering where that vision came from. "What?" she asks realizing that the girl was talking to her.

"I said, are you alright?" Looking up Sarah realizes that this is probably the girl in her vision all grown up.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. I should've watched where I was going." The girl smiled and looked at her thoughtfully.

"Don't worry, you're the second person I've bumped into in the last ten minutes, just one of those days I guess." Smiling again she left Sarah puzzling over the vision she just had. Who the heck was that? Rubbing the Witchblade underneath the extra long sleeves of her black shirt, she realized that it was radiating heat. Puzzled she kept on walking. Opening her mouth to speak to the secretary she was greeted with.
"Go right in Ms. Pezzini, Mr. Irons is expecting you." Nodding, Sarah headed towards his office then turned.

"Tell me something, why do you always say that?" Blinking the woman seemed on the verge of not saying anything then changed her mind.

"Because it's what he tells me to do." Realizing she'd gotten no answer at all Sarah continued walking, as the door opened she could here the two people arguing inside, and she identified the voices and Nottingham and Irons.

"Why didn't you tell me who she was?"

"I have my reason's Ian, besides, it's none of your concern."

"You should've told me none the less. I was afraid she'd bewitched you or something."

"Why would you think ---."

Iron's was cut off by the entry of Sarah Pezzini. "Not talking about me I hope." She said as way of greeting.

"You showed." While Iron's was surprised that Sarah had come after all, he was careful to give no betrayal to his surprise. "Good." Dismissing Ian he waved Sarah towards a chair she ignored him and sat down himself. "I've heard you've left the force, it was a waste of you talents I assure you. Personally, I have a much better business proposition for you."

Rolling her eyes Sarah suddenly regretted coming here. "This again, look Iron's I said no the first time, I meant it."

"Please Sarah, just listen. I need a bodyguard. Ian does well enough most of the time, but surely the incident with Moby showed you that even he has weaknesses." Sarah moved to refuse but he silenced her. "No, before you accept or decline, I have a routine diner tonight with a business partner. Come with me, it'll show you what my business dealings consist of. Please."

Sarah was on the verge of biting out a no, when the Witchblade began to warm, she could tell that it was warning her. Angrily she bit out a "Fine" and turned to leave.

"Oh and Sarah, You're a size four right? I'll be sending Ian over latter with appropriate clothing, my driver will pick you up at nine." Fighting down rebellion Sarah bit her lip; she hated others running her life, especially when it was someone she couldn't stand.

"I'm a six." She strolled out casually, then stormed down to her bike, angry thoughts seething through her mind as she berated herself for what she'd just done.


5 - Vanity and Fixations

Sarah had gone cruising around the city for most of the day, she was afraid that if she slowed down long enough to think, she'd not only back out of diner with Iron's but also go back to Dante. At four she had returned home to find numerous calls on her answering machine from Jake, calling him back she told him to come by at seven since they both had plans for later that evening. To occupy her mind until then she spent two hours cleaning up her loft and rearranging the furniture in it. When she was done her bed was no longer in the middle of her apartment but the end furthest from the stairs, where she could look out the window rather then having the window over her head.

Afterwards she soaked in the tub for awhile trying to relax the muscles that had become constantly tight and ready to spring of late. As she lay there she began to wonder how long it'd been since she'd done this and realized she couldn't remember because of late she'd always used a punching bag to de-stress. Exhausted she decided to close her eyes, if only for a second, an instant later she was asleep.

~~~

Ian Nottingham gritted his teeth; he had been trained to do a lot of things, but shopping for women's clothing was NOT one of them. When Irons had sent him to do this he had tried backing out in all the ways he could think of, in the end though nothing worked. (Why couldn't it have been assassins?) He thought as he fought back panic. (Assassins are easy, I've been trained to handle assassins, and compared to this Moby would've been a walk in the park.) Ian realized that his thoughts were nothing like his usual self, they were like the little boy that he'd once been, somehow panic did that to him. Gritting his teeth, Ian turned to see a sales lady heading for him. Bracing himself he forced on a smile and walked towards her. Murderous thoughts that he'd had in the past returned to his mind. He wanted to hurt Kenneth, it had happened before, but never with such intensity. Mentally he added this to the long list of grievances he had against his so-called mentor and turned his thoughts towards buying Sarah a dress, suddenly an evil grin spread across his face... Kenneth Iron's had made a very bad choice leaving Ian with a blank cheek because Sarah Pezzini would be wearing something VERY expensive tonight.
~~~

Watching from a distance Irons made a mental note never to send Ian out on a 'mission' like this again. He had a habit of occasionally following him on his missions; sometimes to admire a job done right, sometimes to assess just how closely his orders were followed. This time however, was neither, this time it was idle curiosity that drove him, well, that and a need for a new suit. (Not a 'need' exactly,) he thought, (it's just that I'd rather wear something new tonight in celebration.) In all honesty however it was vanity above all else that drove Kenneth Irons to buy a new $1,500 black Valentino suit. Smiling slightly as he paid the clerk he began to regret giving Ian a blank cheek, silently he hoped that his purchase would not exceed two thousand dollars.
~~~

Jake stood at Sarah Pezzini's door shuffling his feet, he'd already rung the doorbell twice and still no answer. A tiny voice inside of him said that she didn't want to see him, but Jake didn't want to believe that. He was truly, utterly worried about her, they'd only been partners for a little while granted, but he still cared. All of the whispers and stares that had followed him around all day at work hadn't helped much either. Sighing he rang again deciding that if she didn't answer he'd call her.

~~

As the ringing of the doorbell broke through the fog of sleep that surrounded Sarah, she had only one thought. (Oh god, Jake!) Jumping out of the bathtub, Sarah quickly grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her as she ran towards her closet and randomly grabbed clothes, not turning on the lights she literally threw her clothes on in the dark just as she heard the doorbell ring again. Running down the stairs she threw the door open at the same time her phone started ringing. "Hello."

Jake turned around to see Sarah Pezzini opening her door just as he called her cell phone. "Hi, why..." before he could finish his sentence however, he noticed what she was wearing, and had to stop and think.

"What?" Sarah's face held a puzzled expression as she held the door open for Jake to come in. Heading up the stairs she turned on the lights and picked up the towel from off her bed. Returning to her bathroom she hung the towel up and moved to turn off her bathroom lights before pinning her hair up. After doing so she returned to the where Jake was sitting and sat down across from him. "Sorry about that, I fell asleep in my bath tub and didn't wake up until about a moment ago."

Nodding, Jake still stared at her. Then and only then did Sarah notice what she was wearing and how she looked. "Oh God."




6 - Surprises

Jake was still slightly stunned by Sarah's appearance, never had he seen her like this before. She had all of her wet tresses of brown hair clipped up behind her, that coupled with her shirt gave her a look of vulnerability that he hadn't expected. Sarah herself looked shocked at her appearance, "Lemme guess, you dressed in the dark?"

Nodding dumbly Sarah tried to form a reply. "I... I didn't even know I still had this outfit... Danny gave it to me three years ago for my birthday, as a lark.... I've never worn it... I thought I'd given it to Maria." Sarah got up heading for her dresser to grab a different outfit to change into. When a hand on her arm stopped her.

"It's ok Pez, you look fine. Besides it's good to see you wearing color every once in a while." Sarah knew Jake was trying to make her feel better but she flushed none the less.

Looking down, she muttered "I still look like some teenager." Suddenly the ridiculousness of the situation dawned on her and she started laughing. "I'm sorry Jake, this just isn't something I would normally wear, ever." Flushing once again she sat down, staring self-consciously at her ensemble. It was a blood red tank top attached to the inside of a clear white shirt through which her black bra straps could be seen clearly, the over shirt had pink roses and green vines embroidered onto it climbing from her left shoulder to the right side of her waist. Her pants were white as well with the same embroidery around the pockets and bottoms of each leg as well as on her back pocket. "Well, at least it's not ALL red. Besides you came to talk, not hear me freak out over what I'm wearing." Smiling she sat down again. "Now then, what the heck happened to my manners. Want something to drink?"

Smiling back Jake nodded. "Yeah, beer would be nice." Sarah got up and went to her kitchen; Jake followed her with his eyes. Not quite sure anymore where to start or why he came. When she returned with two opened beers and handed him one, Jake leaned back and took a swig, and looking at her again, he was suddenly reassured. "So, let's talk."

~~

Calliope DeLancie combed her jet-black hair slowly as she sat in front of her mirror. She had stepped out of her shower fifteen minutes ago and was presently trying to untangle her semi-dried hair taking a deep breath she suddenly noticed that she was still wearing her locket. "Not tonight," She whispered to it as she took it off and put in her drawer, locking it in the secret compartment only she knew about. It was one of the only things she had left from her mother. As if by instinct she turned immediately to the Porcelain doll sitting on the other end of her dresser, holding it to her she began to caress its long black hair, so much like her own.

The doll was made of good porcelain and the face resembled her mothers impeccably. An appraiser once told her that with the dress the doll was worth a few thousand dollars. Calliope's mother was a lounge singer; there was no way she could afford a doll like this, so it must've been given to her by someone, maybe her father... Calliope always had to gather her self-control and pause her thoughts when she thought about her father, mostly because she had no memory of him. When she was twelve she found a secret compartment in the doll and in it she found two things, one was a picture of her mother, the other was a letter written in Chinese. She had told no one about the compartment, but asked her parents for a Chinese tutor instead. Six years latter she was finally able to read that letter and what she learned had made Calliope cry herself to sleep for days. She hugged the doll to her for a second she then put it down as she began to twist her hair around a curling iron so that it fell in soft waves. Then drawing one side of it back behind her ear she pinned it there with a clip that had fresh red roses on it. Taking the photograph of her mother out of the doll she looked at it carefully, it was black and white and Calliope intended to look just like her mother tonight.

Placing the photo back she heard the door open behind her, and looked into the mirror to see Luka walk towards her, suddenly she remembered something, the man she had bumped into today had looked so familiar, but she couldn't place him. Then there was the flashback she'd had when she bumped into that woman... where had that come from? Confused she turned behind her and asked "When Luka?" For a moment he didn't answer just caressed her hair.

"Soon love, soon." To him she seemed lost, it scared him, Callie had always been the strong one, she always knew what to do, but something had shifted he didn't know what was bothering her, but he intended to be there for her anyway. "I have a surprise for you." Callie tilted her head questioningly as he drew her out of her seat and led her out of her bedroom, wondering just what he planned on surprising her with.

~~

Sarah felt as if she had been talking to a lie detector test for the past half hour, Jake would not accept that she had left the PD simply because of this mornings incident, not only that but he seemed insistent on persuading her to return. "Jake please," She interrupted in pleading tones. "I just... I don't want to talk about this anymore ok? Please. What's done is done, besides I haven't been much of a training officer, I'm too independent for that I guess. I constantly leave you in the dark and I don't explain things. Your life would be a lot easier without me in it."

Jake just stared at her for a second, wanting to argue the point, but finally he relented. "Ok, fine then, want to tell me what you plan on doing now that you're off the force?"

Sarah just shrugged, not liking this subject any better then the last, suddenly an idea occurred to her. "Hey Jake, you play the drums?" Jake just looked confused. Smiling Sarah dragged him to his feet and led him upstairs. "I got these from a friend, a business deal of sorts." Jake looked at them, the surprise on his face apparent, in a second though the look turned to one of amazement

"Weren't these auctioned to John Bonham after Keith Moon died?" Surprised Sarah nodded herself.

"You're a music buff?"

"Well, only some. You know last time I checked these went for fifty thousand online. How did you...?" Sarah just gave him one of her looks. "A friend, right." For the next twenty minutes the two of them played around with the drums until the doorbell rang.

Sarah went downstairs and opened it to find a boy standing there with a dress on a hanger folded over one arm so it wouldn't touch the floor and a box in the other. "Here you go miss, the man in the black suit told me to give these to you, and he also said to tell you that there's a note on the box " Handing them over to her, he smiled waved and left. Puzzled Sarah Carried the armload up to her bedroom closing the door with her foot. Dropping it on her bed she looked at the box and took the folded piece of paper off of it, opening it she read.

Sarah,
Noticed you had a guest.
Didn't want to interrupt.
Hope you like the dress.
Kenneth doesn't know about the jewelry.
Ian
P.s. Nice outfit.

Sarah shook her head as she read the note it was short and abrupt. The postscript however was just enough to get on her nerves. "What's all this?" Remembering Jake's presence at the sound of his voice she crumpled up the note and turned around.

"Oh, uh, nothing." Jake neared the bed and looked at the black dry cleaners bag over the hanger. Noticing a tag sticking out of it he took it in his hand and gave it a look. "Geez!"

7 - Hidden Wealth

"What?" Asked Sarah in puzzlement she hadn't seen what Jake had done, only that he'd moved closer to her. When she turned around she saw that he wore a frown and was opening the box besides the dress. From it he took out two smaller boxes opening one of them he took a look inside and snapped it shut in surprise, quickly he turned to the smaller one and had almost the same reaction.

"Sarah, I'm really starting to wonder if you're honest with me." Jake's voice was bland and his face dead serious. Looking at him Sarah suddenly became worried.

"About what?" Was all that she could think to say.

"About everything, about why you left the force, even who you are." Seeing that she still wasn't getting it he started spelling things out, " Ok, that drum set was $50,000.00 on the Internet, you don't want to tell me how you got them, fine by me. That dress that you just came upstairs with is supposedly a Donna Karan Original, according to the price tag it cost $3,250. Then, there's these." Jake picked up the two small boxes and handed them to Sarah who opened them and looked inside while she wasn't shocked by the contents she was fairly surprised.

Inside of the larger box was a choker that was about half an inch wide made of silver that was formed into intricate designs set with a ruby at the front center and what looked like small red stones all around. Also in the box was a pain of matching earrings. Opening the smaller box, Sarah saw that inside of it was a watch the silver of band was as intricate as that of the choker. All around the watch face were small red gems. It was a beautiful set, and even Sarah could tell that it was expensive. "That set was auctioned off today for $1.5 million. Supposedly it once belonged to Cornelius Vanderbilt; he had intended it as a wedding present to his daughter when he married her off to some earl, but on her wedding day she wore pearls instead, refusing to wear them because she was being married against her will."

It suddenly dawned on Sarah why it was that Jake was angry, but before she could explain anything, he continued ranting. "Now if I add that up correctly, I've just counted $1,553,250.00. You were a cop Sarah, and so was your father. So unless you have some secret income, I'm really not seeing how you afforded all this, and I'm really beginning to wonder." Finishing his tirade Jake did his best to glare at Sarah who only smiled impishly in return, and somehow, even in his anger, Jake felt the beginnings of a grin breaking through.

"You want to know the truth Jake?" He nodded. "Truth is I CAN'T afford all this, Kenneth Iron's on the other hand can." Seeing the shocked disgust on Jake's face Sarah decided to change courses, fast. "Ignore that, it came out wrong. Remember when you asked me what I planned to do now that I've left the force? Well I went Vorschlag Industries today and Kenneth Iron's offered me a job as part of his personal security team. I wasn't sure if I wanted to accept so he invited me to diner with him and a business associate tonight, he said it was so I could see part of what his day's are like. Everything that I just brought in here is borrowed. It's here for me to wear tonight and then return to him tomorrow morning ok Jake?"

"Well... I still don't get why he'd go through so much trouble just to get you to join his security team, but that's not my business is it? Although I'm not exactly surprised, I mean let me see, The Rialto theater, Moby, Dominique Bouche, The Sullivan brothers, some how one way or another our cases always lead back to Kenneth Irons." Jake suddenly stopped, he had spoken the last two words carefully, as if something had just dawned on him.

Sarah shook her head as if to silence him, she had a pretty good idea what he was thinking and wished that he wasn't, unfortunately letting him think wrongly was safer then letting him know the truth. Abruptly Jake turned the course of the conversation. "You probably want to prepare for your evening. I'll leave."

Nodding Sarah stood where she was as Jake let himself out. She felt a sense of hollowness and sorrow, she hated lying to Jake, up until now she had only to leave out facts, now though... shaking these thoughts and feelings aside, Sarah picked the dress up off her bed and took the black laundry bag off of it. Staring blankly Sarah shook her head. "Oh no!"

A little distance away Ian smiled in empathy he'd had a feeling she'd react like this to the dress, he also knew that she felt badly about her partner. Ian understood Sarah better then she thought, better even then Irons would admit. Thinking of Ken brought bother anger and satisfaction to Ian's mind. Smugly he wondered just how Kenneth would react to the million and a half dollars he'd spent today. This would be a very interesting evening indeed.

8 - Dining on Visions

Kenneth Irons straightened his tie one final time before heading from his bedroom to where Ian was waiting for him downstairs. Unlike his usual clothing, this entire ensemble was black except for his tie that was a deep shade of indigo blue. Heading downstairs he gave Ian a once over and nodded, "Well, this is a change, for once you're the one wearing gray, and I'm all in black." Smiling as if he'd just made an interesting joke he headed towards the front door, grabbing a package he left by the coat rack as he went. Ian barely noticed the motion, thinking that Irons was acting much to arrogant, he was hiding something and it was most likely something important.

~

Sarah let out a breath of air as she put the finishing touches on her make up. (Finally,) she thought, (I'm done.) it had taken her the better part of twenty minutes to figure out what to do with her hair and makeup, then twenty more to actually do it. Standing up she looked inside her mirror to admire her handiwork, it wasn't how she usually looked on formal occasions but she had to admit that it worked for her. (Now all I need,) she thought sarcastically, (is an ermine lined cloak and a tiara.) A thought that she immediately retracted for fear that Ian would show up with one when the doorbell rang.

Sarah stepped downstairs wearing a black dress coat over her outfit, as she opened the door she was greeted with the site of Ian wearing a black windbreaker and gloves, holding a package out to her, as always his eyes carefully averted. His hair was tied neatly back as usual and his beard had been trimmed so that it was even and close to his face. "You'll have to forgive me, I seem to have forgotten to buy you a proper over garment today. I fear that this will have to do." Taking the package out of his hands she opened it to find a black cloak and with red satin lining.

"Do I have to wear this?" She asked incredulously. "And if you didn't buy it where did this come from?"

For the first time Ian looked up. "Kenneth would insist that you wear the cloak." Then turning his eyes back down. "As to where it came from... It was Dominique's." A chill swept through Sarah at that comment forcing her to harden her resolve not to wear it.

"I'd rather not." She stated rather flippantly as she headed for the door only to be blocked by Ian.

"I'm sorry Sarah," he insisted softly. Glaring Sarah almost told Ian to convey her true opinion of his employer to him and forget the whole thing when she remembered why she was going. Biting her tongue and seething with rage she very unwillingly complied. Changing her Coat for the cloak, she smiled coldly and exited her apartment after Ian.

When she got into the limo Sarah immediately sat next to Ian, giving Irons no more then a curt acknowledgement of his presence. In return he complimented her outfit to which Sarah only rolled her eyes. "Lovely Necklace, do you know, it looks just like the set Cornelius Vanderbilt gave his daughter for her wedding?"

Smiling mischievously Sarah decided to put Ian in the hot seat. "Actually, they ARE the set Cornelius Vanderbilt gave his daughter." Irons crinkled his brow, which in a moment changed to a glare as he fixed Ian with a look. Ian in turn pretended not to notice and stared at the carpet of the car.

Hiding a smile Sarah stared out the window, passing the rest of the trip looking out the window in silence. Once Irons had finished glaring at Ian he turned his eyes towards Sarah. To him she was like a prophecy come true; his way to finally being in control of the Witchblade, and tonight, in his eyes at least, she glowed. Sarah wore a long deep red velvet gown, it was opulent and sleeveless with a "v" front and back, bias cut and a fully flared hem, and the bodice was beaded with Celtic designs.

When they arrived at Lespinasse an Asian/French restaurant off of Fifth Avenue, Sarah couldn't help but sigh wearily. She felt as if Irons was trying to drag her into his lifestyle, blind her with the glitter and charm of his world, and while she felt uncomfortable in it she found that there was something seductive about it. She had been pondering what it was the entire way to the restaurant and as they sat down in the restaurant, she finally saw what it was: Control. From the way Irons had dictated what she was to wear, to how he handled the maitre d', to the difference the other businessmen at the restaurant showed him. He seemed firmly in control of his life, something Sarah wasn't, not since she'd found the Witchblade anyway. Deep in thought Sarah missed the look of mild shock that passed into Kenneth's eyes as he noticed the entrance of Calliope DeLancie and Luka Giamano, taping Sarah's arm lightly he motioned for her to stand up with him as he made introductions.

"Ms. DeLancie, Mr. Giamano, if I may introduce my future chief of security, Ms. Sarah Pezzini. Sarah, Ms. Calliope DeLancie Senior VP of P.J.A. Technologies and Mr. Luka Giamano, president of P.J.A. Tech." Sarah smiled as she shook hands with the two.

The apartment was quiet save for the laughter of two children, a boy and a girl, as they chased each other in and out of the living room; the boy appeared to be about eight and the girl about three. The entire apartment was furnished with Chinese antiques but the children didn't seem to notice, suddenly the girl bumped into a desk, and falling back the boy caught her. "Are you ok?" he asks. She nods.

"Hao ying de guo ze!" she exclaims, turning to it she picks up a box, opening it -

"We've met," Snapping back to reality, Callie realized that she'd had another flashback. Taking a closer look she recognized who she was shaking hands with. "Well, not officially, but we did bump into each other in the hallway today."

Nodding blankly Sarah wondered why she had a vision every time she ran into this girl, or more accurately woman. When they'd collided into each other today at Vorschlag Sarah had thought that she was a teenager, or possibly an intern, now though she could tell that she was a woman. The two sat down across from each other as if by mutual agreement each studying the other as the men held a conversation of little importance. Luka and Irons almost mirrored each other, they were of the same height and build and both wore black. Luka however wore a green tie, had icy blue eyes and dark brown hair, and was by far the more handsome of the two. Like Callie, he looked younger then his twenty-eight years and a serious disposition was well masked by civility. By the time Sarah and Callie returned their notice to them, they were already on a first name bases. Giving Sarah a 'Let's interrupt this ridicules male bonding look,' Callie softly interrupted the conversation. "So gentlemen," Saying the last word so politely one might interpret it as sarcasm. "Shall we get to business, or would you like to eat first?"

At the mention of food, Sarah suddenly remembered that she hadn't had anything to eat since the cereal she'd grabbed at Jake's this morning. Hearing Kenneth say that it was always hard to work on an empty stomach she assented. After ordering, she turned her attention to Callie as the men continued their conversation, not sure wear to start, she did what most women do when they are at a loss for words. "That's a lovely outfit you're wearing, it's late Qing dynasty isn't it?" Callie was surprised that Sarah knew anything about Chinese clothing but nodded.

"Yes it is. I had intended to wear a dress I'd bought earlier, but Luka surprised me with this - you know how men are." Sarah smiled wryly in agreement. Thinking about her dress Callie smiled to. It was exactly like the one her mother wore in her photograph, a traditional Chinese silk dress of dark emerald green that had embroidery along the neck buttons, slit, hem, and the end of her sleeves.

"P.J.A. tech is a bio technology company isn't it? Have you ever done any research yourself?" The ice was nicely broken and genetics, cloning, and business held the main part of the conversation for the next hour or so. The evening past smoothly save for one incident when Sarah and Callie had gone to the bathroom to freshen up. Realizing she had forgotten to bring any lipstick, she asked if she could borrow Callie's lip-gloss as it passed between them both were struck with another vision, or in Callie's case, a flashback.

Callie walks into the principle's office, in a pair of blue jeans and a white turtleneck. Her hair was tied behind her in a pony tale. As the door closes behind her a clean shaven man with short black hair stands and says "Congratulations Ms. DeLancie, you've just received a full scholarship to Yale University."

A smile breaks out on Callie's face as she hears the good news. "Really! That's great, where from?"

The man tilt's his head saying that he's not allowed to disclose her sponsor, but congratulates her.

The vision ends and both women lean against the sink for support. They stay silent for a moment, neither willing to brooch the subject, the moment passes and Sarah applies the lip gloss, passing it back, she made sure not to touch Callie, and went back to the dining room to discuss business.

~

On the way back to Sarah's apartment, she decided to tell Irons of a decision she'd made, it was risky but she wanted to find out where her visions were coming from, and where they intended to take her. As they neared her home she broke the silence. "I've decided to accept your offer."

The statement was made so softly that Kenneth wasn't sure he'd heard correctly, when he realized he had, it took all of his self control to keep from jumping for joy. "Excellent. I'm glad I've changed your mind."

Sarah only continued to look out the window. When the limo stopped she spoke again. "If you really intend to make me chief of security I hope that you'll let me work closely with P.J.A. Tech. I liked Calliope and Luka." Pausing for a moment she waited for the door to open, then said, "At least I liked them better then you." Getting out of the limo before he could reply she shut the door behind her.

Sarah entered her apartment to find a message on her answering machine from Jake, asking her to come over to his place when she got a chance. Changing her cloths she then headed for her door, deciding to go to his apartment now, opening the door however she was greeted by a flash of lightning and a sudden thunderstorm. "Great." She muttered. "Just my luck." Heading back in, she decided Jake would have to wait until tomorrow.

~~~

A woman stood over him, softly humming a lullaby. Whispering Kenneth's wrongs and betrayals at him. Waking with a gasp Kenneth tried to shake off the nightmare, only it had felt so real tonight. As if she'd actually been here, it wasn't Dominique this time though... Sighing he called for Ian. When no one responded he got out of bed. After a search of the upper floors he started getting slightly panicked. An hour later, Kenneth became worried. Ian was no where to be found.

9 - Friendships Old and New

At four A.M. Sarah Pezzini woke up, for once she didn't recall dreaming, looking at the clock she was surprised to see she'd actually slept five whole hours. Trying to rest once more however, she found that sleep would not come so she got out of bed, changed into a jogging outfit and went out for a jog in the light drizzle of rain that still fell.

~~
Sitting by the fire he always told his servants to keep burning Kenneth couldn't fathom where Ian had gone - or more accurately why he'd gone. Irons knew that Ian liked to keep an eye on Sarah, but he also knew that Ian usually stayed close by when he couldn't sleep, especially when it was raining. He had tried calling Ian's cell phone several times only to find that Ian's phone was not only turned off but in his bedroom. Turning to his chessboard, he noticed that a single piece had been moved. Intrigued he moved a piece of his own. Then turned back to staring at the fire.

~
Luka turned uncomfortably in the guestroom bed; he couldn't understand why Callie was so mad at him. He'd only done what he thought was necessary to protect her. Groaning he wished he'd never had a latch applied to the inside door leading of his room. She'd not only locked him out of her rooms, but his as well. The two of them slept at opposite ends of the manor that had been bought using money from a rather large trust fund of Luka's, left to him by his grandfather. Getting up he stalked to Callie's room, intending to get an answer out of her, no matter what. Knocking loudly on her door, he woke Callie from a deep dreamless sleep. Grumbling about the inefficiency of Luka's servants she opened her door to find him standing there. "We need to talk." Giving him a scathing look she slammed the door in his face locked it and headed back to bed.

~

Sarah didn't know how long she'd been jogging, nor did she realize how far she'd gone, her intention had been to keep going until she was exhausted enough to sleep. This however did not seem to be happening, as Sarah was so intent on wearing herself out, and since it was at four am, she didn't bother to watch where she was going, that is until she ran straight into someone. Looking up Sarah was surprised to find her former partner, who was looking too preoccupied to notice who he'd run into. "Jake, hi! Where are you headed?"

At the sound of her voice, Jake finally realized whom it was he'd run into and answered in a slightly flustered tone that he was headed for her apartment. "My Place? Jake it's four in the morning." Jake gave her a look about to comment about how HER morning visits had him setting his alarm clock for three A.M. when a sneeze caused him to notice that she was soaked through and through.

"You never returned my phone call. Listen we probably need to talk. Why don't you come to my place since it's closer then yours." Sarah nodded and followed Jake for two blocks, both quiet until they'd reached Jake's apartment. Borrowing some of his clothes Sarah hopped in the shower then sat down in the living room with a cup of coffee. "So," said Jake as way of breaking the silence, "I wanted to apologize about -."

Sarah rolled her eyes interrupting him by fixing him with a look. "Jake please, you don't have anything to apologize FOR. Besides I wanted to tell you something... I accepted Irons offer, starting tomorrow I'm Vorschlag's new chief of security." It took a moment for Jake to comprehend that in the past fourteen hours Pez had not only quit the force but gotten a new job as well.

"Oh...congratulations. When do you start?" Before Sarah could answer her cell phone rang.

"Hold on a sec.... Hello? ... No he's not, why? ... Bye." Hanging up Sarah looked at her phone digesting the information she'd just received from Irons. If Ian was missing, he'd probably gone to her place, only she wasn't there. "Look, Jake I should probably go. A... friend of mine is missing." The word 'friend' was said with some difficulty, but Sarah couldn't think of any other way to escape politely. "I'll return your cloths tomorrow. I'm sorry." Heading to the door, she suddenly found Jake barring her way.

"Like you said it's four in the morning not much you can do at this time of day." Surprised Sarah shook her head wondering why Jake wanted her to stay. "It's raining, why don't you at least stay until it stops. I'll stick your cloths in the washer if they don't dry by morning you can borrow mine." Seeing that he was determined she gave in, sitting on the couch, she fell asleep trying to banish a sudden assailment of questions, she'd always thought of Jake as just her partner, but now that they didn't work together why did he care so much what she did with herself?

***
Callie sat at one end of the long conference table staring at the two men on the other side, she had been here since ten in the morning, though it was only an hour ago, it felt like an eternity. Ken and Luka both looked severely sleep deprived, and as a result neither of them were trying to make this meeting productive. Thinking of Luka's lack of sleep brought a very satisfied grin to her face, Luka had stayed up the entire night knocking on her bedroom door, at first she had found it irritating, but after she'd put in her ear plugs it had been a very restful night. Turning to Sarah, who was seated across from her, she found a similar expression on her face. Noticing that she was being looked at Sarah turned to Callie who rolled her eyes and mouthed 'their sleeping in their seats' at her.

Sarah nodded, she had come in today at nine AM to find Irons sitting in his office with large, dark circles under his eyes, this had brought her some amount of pleasure, as had hearing that Ian had not returned. Secretly Sarah hopped that Nottingham had found a way to escape whatever bound him Irons, she also hoped that Irons would loose as much sleep as possible. Shaking her head at the scene before her, she put a finger to her lips and motioned for Callie to follow her lead. Getting out of her seat as quickly and quietly as possible she tiptoed to the door and slipped out, a moment later Callie followed suit. "So, do you think they noticed? Or can they can sleep with his eye's open."

Laughing Callie shrugged, "I don't know - nor do I care for that matter. Want to go get a cup of coffee?"

"Sure, and we can drink it in Irons' office where we can get some work done without waking the two sleeping beauties in there. - Although I can't really call Irons a 'beauty' without lying." Sharing a laugh the two made for said office, Sarah asking one of the secretaries to get them lattes on the way there. Iron's had given her all of the security codes this morning, which left her unlimited access through out the building. He had also told her that she was to share his office - done no doubt to keep an eye on her, but she had every intention of turning things around on him.

The two discussed how they were to keep the new Vorschlag/P.J.A. Project secure from other researchers as they waited for their drinks, Sarah talking from a security system/guard level, and Callie from keeping out spy's and protecting their research. When their drinks came they were chatting away comfortably, and momentarily forgetting the experience of the previous day Sarah handed Callie a drink. As she took it, both braced for a vision, when none came they were confused. In a second however, Sarah saw what had happened, on both previous occasions their right hands/arms had touched, this time she had handed over the drink with her left hand - on which there was no Witchblade.

"So, work aside, how are you liking your new employer." Callie drew Sarah out of her musings with a question that brought on a groan.

"Can you keep a secret?" Sarah decided to be totally honest, she had taken a liking to the young woman, and just now, she needed a friend - one she could talk to without the complicated issues that always arose with Jake. " How does 'I'm not liking him' sound? He's an unfeeling control freak, I came in this morning and he told me, TOLD ME that I was going to go out during my lunch break and buy a few dress suits for work."

"What's wrong with what you're wearing now? You're chief of security after all, you should dress in whatever's convenient." Callie was a little surprised by the force with which Sarah's words came out, but upon noticing that was wearing black rayon/spandex dress pants and a close fitting button up black shirt with a collar, she saw why the other woman was angry. It was not business attire to be sure, but hardly casual wear, and from what Callie could see she was dressed in the manor that her job demanded.

"He said he wanted to present me to the board, that he wanted me to 'look the part'." Rolling her eyes she sighed, then smiling, added, "He also offered to give me his Ferrari since it would be 'inappropriate' for me to ride my motorcycle everywhere."

Callie laughed, "It's a pity you refused the car. As to the clothes... Well, you're taller then me, but we're roughly the same size and body type, just borrow one of mine." Sarah was surprised that a woman who'd known her for less then forty eight hours would be so friendly, but then again, it'd been a long time since she'd been friends with someone who wasn't as jaded by the world as she sometimes felt.

"Thanks, that's really nice of you."

"Think nothing of it, you'll need try a few on though... you want to wait till lunch, or do we go now?" Sarah tilted her head, as if thinking.

"Now, while the boys have their nap time." Laughing the two got up from where they were seated and headed to where their cars were parked.

***
Ian moved groggily in a drug-induced sleep. Idly wondering when the storm had stopped, it was odd really, that he had been able to hear thunder in this room, there wasn't any windows, but then rooms in Kenneth's house didn't have windows, and he still heard thunder in those. He had no clear memory of anything, only that he'd been shaken to the point of consciousness by a woman and propped up against her as she fed him... or was that memory from his childhood. He couldn't be sure of anything, only that her hair held the scent of apple blossoms, and that her voice was soft as whispering wind.

10 - History Unraveling

"Nice place." Sarah said as she and Callie arrived at the manor, "I think it may be bigger then Irons'."
The residence was in a neighborhood that was the equivalent of what Gramercy Park had been in its glory days, and was by appearances huge.

"It may be," replied Callie, "I've never been to Iron's house so I wouldn't know, nor do I know how many square feet the house contains since it belongs Luka." Sarah gave a questioning look: If it belonged to Luka, why were they here? "But I stay here sometimes so a lot of my work cloths are here." Attempting to dismiss the subject Callie led Sarah up to her suite. Sarah however was not willing to drop it.

"How Irons affords a place like this I get, but P.J.A. isn't all that big..." Sarah left the sentence hanging, she didn't want to insult anyone but she was curious, after all, she had been a cop for a rather long time. Callie was reluctant to bring up the past, but after Sarah had tried on a few suits with minimum conversation between them, she relented.

"Luka's family is rather influential in Europe because they own several large businesses. When his father died four years ago he left the division of his companies to his sons, Luka didn't want something started by his father he was afraid..." Callie stopped, looking at Sarah. She wanted to tell her, tell someone, but she wasn't sure whether or not to trust her. Sarah didn't prod only looked back gravely, something told her she was about to hear something that as a cop she shouldn't keep to herself, but as a friend... "Can you keep a secret?" Seeing the slightest of nods Callie took a deep breath and the dam broke "He was afraid that they wouldn't be clean. The Giamano's are involved in the underworld; at least Luka thought they were. He told me he wanted something better for himself. So he settled for sixty million dollars and an even larger trust fund instead. There's more though. I'm not actually twenty-eight, neither is Luka, I'm twenty-three and so is he."

Sarah stared at Callie, not quite sure what to say. "Why did you want to make yourselves seem older? Not to mention how?" That part didn't make sense to Sarah even though to some extent the rest did.

"Why: So Luka could access his trust, we needed the startup capital for P.J.A, as to how... well that goes back to my childhood. I was adopted when I was three and lived in France for a year, when I was four we moved to Vancouver but when the move happened Father told everyone I was five. It made things easier as far as the immigration authority was concerned, and I was bright child so it hardly mattered as far as school was concerned. We moved enough so that the year I graduated high school I turned sixteen, but legally I was eighteen. Two years later I graduated leading my class at Yale. When I was nineteen I met Luka in Sicily, he had the vision, the money, and the practical experiences of helping run his fathers company. I had the research experience and the Business degree, not to mention a desperate need to make my own way. That was five years ago. When we decided to start a business here in the USA Luka changed his age, and I just kept up the charade my adoptive parents had started. After all, who would believe in a business started up by two nineteen year olds?" smiling tightly Callie felt a sense of relief, it felt good to tell someone her story, felt good not to lie to a friend.

"Wow." Sarah stood there blinking, so she wasn't the only one with secrets after all, Luka might be Mafioso, Callie was apparently some type of genius, how else could she graduate Yale at eighteen? And lead her class at that?

"So anyway have you decided on a suit." Callie stood and smiled, acting as if the past five minutes had never happened. "Personally I think you should wear the dove gray and borrow the beige, the white, or the light pink. They complement your skin tone and height. The black suits do that too but it's what Irons would expect of you, and personally I'd prefer to keep him guessing."

"You should have been a beauty advisor or a psychologist, not only do you have what I should wear pegged down, but you have what Irons would expect and my own preferences pegged as well." Callie's eyes darkened suddenly, she hid it well, but Sarah could see she was disturbed by this assessment.

"There's a lot about Irons that you wouldn't expect me know, and a lot about me you wouldn't expect him to." Sarah would've missed Callie's whispered words completely if it weren't for the Witchblade, and the expression on her face the next minute made her wonder if she'd imagined them. "So," Callie said with a forced cheer, "Why don't you change in the bathroom? Maybe we can make it back before the boys wake up."

Sarah assented and took the dove gray suit, as she changed three things dawned upon her. One: that Callie bore more pain then she'd first perceived. Two: she was a better actress then Sarah could've guessed. The third revelation came when she thought back to last night's vision, it was perhaps the most important realization of all. If she lengthened his hair, added a few years and a beard to the man that had given Callie the scholarship to Yale, then that man became Ian Nottingham.

***
Jake poked at his lunch too preoccupied with thought to eat. "Something bothering you?" Jake looked up to see Dante sitting across from him. "Would that something happen to be a woman." Jake didn't answer, so Dante continued. "Would that woman happen to be Sara Pezzini?"

Jake give Dante a withering look, he suddenly understood why Pez didn't like this guy. "None of your business captain. And are you always this nosy?"

Acting as if Jake had only made a joke Dante gave what he considered a good nature smile - to Jake it looked like the sneer of a wolf cornering its pray. "So how is the lovely detective - I mean Ms. Pezzini."

Jake was annoyed, but he had to keep up appearances after all, pretending to brighten up he leaned closer to Dante as if sharing a secret. "Actually, she got a position as chief of Security at Vorschlag Industries. Imagine that."

In a moment Dante became tightlipped, eyes flashing., "Vorschlag!? Are you sure?" Jake nodded, wondering at the sudden mood change. "Damn!" Getting up and strolling away, Dante muttered "What the hell does she think she's doing?" Picking up his cell phone he dialed a number. "Joe, we've got a problem."


11 - Headaches

Sarah escaped the board meeting with her self control barely in tact; she couldn't believe the type of questions she'd been thrown. 'What made her think she was fit to be C.O.S. of Vorschlag?' how does 'many years on the NYPD' sound? 'If she was so well qualified why did she approach Mr. Irons instead of submitting her resume to the board as standard procedure would've called for?' For once, she had been glad that Irons was CEO and that he knew how to glare almost better then she did.

"So how did it go?" Callie was waiting for her downstairs in the parking lot; the dress suit she wore had made the possibility of riding her motorcycle home impossible so she'd decided to hitch a ride. At the exasperated look she gave, Callie smiled sympathetically. "I know what board meetings can be like, they make mud wrestling look tame some times." Getting into Callie's corvette Sara was just grateful the day was over. Before returning to Vorschlag from Lukas home she'd ridden her motorcycle home, changed and taken a cab from there - arriving back in the conference room in time to find that neither Irons nor Luka had awoken while she and Callie had been gone. After lunch and two hours into mind numbing paper work which included everything from studying blue prints of buildings to reviewing past business deals she'd come to the conclusion that Irons was trying to torture her. At five she'd taken part in the board meeting which an hour and a half later was finally over. Irons had decided to 'let her go early' today, using the excuse that he still needed to find Ian.

Dropping Sarah off at her apartment Callie declined Sarah's invitation of a cup of coffee in light of the fact that she had an errand to run. (Not to mention,) she added mentally, (an issue to settle with Luka.)

Getting home had never felt so good to Sarah, at least until she found Capt. Dante sitting on her couch. Pulling her weapon out of concealment she clenched her teeth, grating out a "What are you doing here?"

Seeing her angry glare Dante Smiled lolling his head to one side, "Carrying around a concealed weapon is illegal Sarah, you know that."

Choosing not to answer his comment Sarah repeated her question. "Breaking and entering is illegal Dante, you know that too. Now why the hell are you here?"

"McCarty tells my you're the new c.o.s. at Vorschlag, what the hell do you think you're doing there?" Dante fixed her with a glare that was met unflinchingly.

"My job, and gee golly gosh last time I cheeked that's none of your business anyway. Now get out!" Dante turned about three shades of red at her sarcastic disrespect, he was about to admonish her when he remembered suddenly that she wasn't under his command anymore. Without a word her left, slamming the door behind him. With a sigh Sarah returned the weapon Irons had given her to its holster, grabbing the linen sheet she usually draped over couch and throwing it in the washing machine. Picking up a sponge and furniture cleaner, she idly wondered what else Dante had touched.

***
Callie changed into a pair of jeans and a black shirt when she arrived home, picking up her work cloths and the bag that had been the first part of her errand she strolled into her walk in closet. Hanging up her clothing she made sure that Luka wasn't home. "Now for the rest of my errand."

***

Kenneth Irons arrived home to collapse into a chair before his fireplace. Today had not only been non-productive, but humiliating as well. He had fallen asleep during a meeting and woken to find that Sarah had apparently had enough time to buy a business suit, change into it, and work out a deal with P.J.A. To punish her he had left her with the one thing he knew she'd hate paper work. Then he'd been insulted at his own board meeting, despite the fact that the company was his own. Not to mention how preoccupied he'd felt without Ian there. He was angry all right, angry and irritated, turning to his chessboard he noticed another white piece had been moved, so he moved one of his own. "Where are you Ian?" he whispered. "Where in bloody hell are you?"

***
Ian awoke to the scent of a stew that made his mouth water. Sitting up he immediately regretted the motion because of the wave of dizziness it brought on. "Don't do that Ian, the drugs he gave haven't worn off completely yet, and won't for another few hours." Snapping his head up he was assaulted with another wave of pain. "I said don't do that. No sudden movements remember!" opening his eyes, he blearily saw that a woman sat beside him, her back turned in the opposite direction. Carefully he studied her face realizing that even thinking hurt, seeing her for the first time however, he felt the blood drain from his face; the face before him was one he hadn't seen in twenty years.

"Yen -yen?" He asked in disbelief, the words scraping out of his dry parched throat. It couldn't be possible really, she hadn't aged, and besides, she was dead.

"No Ian, it's me, Lian-Er" His eyes grew wider at that, so she was all grown up, and the living image of her mother at that. "Here, have a sip of tea." Holding a cup of tea up to his mouth she tilted it slightly so that the barest trickle ran down his throat, when she saw he was able to swallow she gave him more until he'd drained the cup. "Don't talk Ian, it'll just make you dizzy." Tilting her head she put the teacup back and smiled. "Come on, you probably need to use the bathroom, I'll guide you to it, then close the door for ten minutes. Walking is going to be painful, so brace yourself."

Ian felt the world spin around him, and as he rose it occurred him that he wasn't restrained at all. Slowly, one agonizing step at a time he walked to the bathroom, leaning heavily on Lian-Er. Never before had something so simple been so hard - or so painful. Dashing his face with water, Ian thought back to the last time he'd seen her.

"I don't want to go!" Came the words from the tear stained face of the little girl in front of him. "Where's mama?" It broke his heart to do this but he had to. Giving her a kiss on the cheek he locked the seatbelt of the car into place. And closed the door, as the car pulled away, he fought back tears, with only Kenneth's hand on his shoulder to give him strength.

Back in the room he'd been kept in, Ian felt himself lowered into the bed and was grateful for it. "It's good to see you Ian, I'm glad I have my big brother back." Studying him a little she smiled and picking up a bowl that was on the table beside him she said. "I made you some Chinese style shrimp, muscle, and crab soup, I remember you used to like it." she fed him slowly until it was finished then smiling told him to rest, sensing the questions he wanted to ask. "We'll talk later, just sleep for now. If you want to change there's extra clothing by the foot of the bed. Sleep well Ian, because we have a lot to talk about."

12 - Intrigues

After she'd placed the white sheet back over her couch and changed. Sarah remembered the folded clothing that lay on her dryer and called to Jake to come get them. When he arrived he seemed somehow distracted, disoriented almost, but the moment he saw her noticing he quickly shoved those feelings and thoughts aside. Passing Sarah her clothing and taking his he asked, "So how was your first day?"

"All in all? It could've been worse, my morning wasn't bad but I spent the afternoon doing paperwork and talking to a bunch of Irons 'friends' who have too much money and nothing better to do then stare down their noses at me." Massaging her temples Sarah put on a 'forget this' smile. "Want to go shot some pool? I think I'll like talking better after I beat you a few times."

"The sad thing is you probably will, but why not. I have something I need to tell you." Getting a questioning look Jake opened the door. "Let's just say it involves both our present and former captains." At this point Jake got the characteristic arching of an eyebrow so commonly used by Sarah, who began to speculate what tie this had to the visit she'd received earlier.

***


Callie sat alone in the Victorian style dining room wearing a simple black dress. She glanced at her watch in irritation as Dvorak's Humoresque in G flat major played in the background, after all the trouble Luka had went through to clear his seclude and secure her acceptance to diner, he sure didn't seem in any hurry to show up. Her eyes flitted across the room silently taking in the clash of European and Chinese culture, the furniture was all Baroque, but the entire dining set etc. were Ming dynasty. "Darling I'm so sorry I'm late, but it couldn't be helped." Luka walked into the room, giving Callie a quick kiss and signaling the maid to start serving as he entered. "I got a call from one of my brothers." Callie's expression, which had been lax, now became attentive as she tuned in keenly to what he was saying. "He wants my help on a project he's thinking of undertaking, but enough of that, we have more important things to talk about."

Callie smiled weakly. Luka's brothers scared her because they were all Mafioso. She didn't want Luka drawn in with them, didn't want him dragged down the way they'd been. "What type of project is this?" Luka shrugged and started in on his Lasagna, taking a bite before answering. At home he didn't believe in the formalities of courses, supper was supper, that was that.

"You know, business." Callie gave him a sharp look, to which he only took another bite of food. "Please Callie, I don't want to talk about it, the important thing is that I haven't said yes."

"Nor have you said no!" Luka started visibly at her outburst, suddenly very concerned. This was just one of the many things that had changed over the past week, it had all happened so subtly he'd barely noticed, but now it became more and more obvious. She was so tense, so accusing, and always looking over her shoulder.

"What's going on Callie?" He whispered, "What's happened? This has been going on for days, and you won't tell me what's wrong. Where did my calm collected Callie go?" He stared at her, and she returned the look with a glare, hating the treatment she was being given. She felt like a child of two again, under her fathers piercing look and probing questions. "Why are you like this?" Callie couldn't take it, couldn't suppress the flood of memories that came back after all these years any more then she could truly tell Luka what had happened. She loved and trusted him, but she couldn't tell him, she could never tell him.

Fighting back the wave of nausea and self-disgust that suddenly consumed her Callie rose and fled. Leaving a stunned Luka to finish a meal that he'd barely, and she'd never begun.

Callie ran into her room and flung herself into bed crying into a pillow that she'd grabbed as she went. She hadn't done this, hadn't broken down like this since the day she'd read her mothers letter, thinking of mother brought on a fresh wave of pain, and after sobbing continuously for five minutes she got up. In the bathroom she washed her face, and looked into her mirror. "No," She said to herself. "I won't do this, I won't make him deal with this." Combing her hair she pulled it up into a ponytail. After changing her clothing she packed up her doll and a few personal effects, as she was about to slip out of her room, she was struck with a sudden remembrance of what she'd done earlier today. (Damn.) She thought (looks like I can't leave after all) settling back onto her bed she did nothing more then breath, trying to draw her emotions under control and end the constant panic that clouded her mind.

***

Jake stood leaning on the billiard table eyeing Sarah doubtfully. They had just finished discussing what Jake had heard during lunch today. More then anything he was surprised at how easily she dismissed the subject, allowing it no importance, a sixth sense however told him that she had filed it away mentally, dismissing it because she didn't want him to know something. That same sixth sense told him that the direct approach would get him no where, so brightly he turned the conversation elsewhere. "I take your impression of Irons has changed."

Glancing at him with puzzlement Sarah didn't answer for a second concentrating on sinking the eight ball instead. Once she'd won she answered. "Your right, I think he's more of a pompous a§§ then I ever did." This earned her a laugh as she reset the table. "You want to break?" Jake nodded, aiming at an angle he sunk one solid and one stripe. "You're catching on."

"Yep." Jake walked to the other end of the table, sinking another stripe. "Want to make a bet?" Sarah arched an eyebrow. "If I sink this next ball you answer my next question." Sarah studied the table for a second then nodded her ascent, from what she saw he didn't have a shot. Aiming at a solid Jake knocked it into a stripe and sunk the stripe.

"That's a foul." Jake only smiled smugly she'd fallen pretty neatly for his trick.

"I said if I sunk it, didn't say anything about a foul." Sarah tried to stare him down, which became impossible to do when he started looking at her like a little boy who'd gotten away with stealing from the cookie jar.

"Fine, I like your question I answer it." Jake shrugged.

"Tell me something about your child hood." Of all the things Sarah had expected this was not one of them, blinking for a second she considered.

"Had dinner yet?" Now it was Jake's turn to blink and shake his head. "Good, I haven't either, you cook, I'll talk." Jake drew his brows together in confusion, what the heck was she up to? Intrigued he agreed, hoping that he wouldn't later regret the decision.


13 - Repartees

Ian awoke with a slight headache but little else testing his arms and legs he found that he could move them with minimal pain. Getting up he stretched his legs, wondering how long he'd been out, his clothes were wrinkled and uncomfortable, he felt somewhat cramped and his head definitely needed clearing. Rolling his neck he felt his stomach growl and wondered if Lian-Er had been a hallucination. It had been years since he'd seen her, not twenty as he had first thought but eight. He'd seen her eight years ago, and while it had been brief, he had recognized her though she'd been far too preoccupied to notice who he was. The more he thought about it however, the more likely it seemed that he'd been hallucinating, when they'd talked she'd looked sixteen, and in eight years she'd probably matured, not to mention that she hadn't seen him clearly in what must be twenty years. Ian almost let the blanket of gloominess settle over him when he remembered what she'd said about a change of clothing, scrambling to the foot of his bed he found a pair of a baggy black jeans, a black turtle neck, and a black trench coat. These were his cloths, cloths that he'd kept at Irons.

(So it wasn't a hallucination.) He thought as he walked towards the bathroom. Once their he found unlocked, checking the hot water which he found to be as scorching as what he normally liked, and decided instantly that he needed a shower.

***

"You know Jake, you're not a bad cook." Sarah was surprised at what Jake had been able to do with the contents of her fridge. Home Etc. had never been her favorite course and while her cooking was passable she'd never been able to put things together very well without a recipe. She definitely did not regret having Jake over for diner, her original intention had been to get Jake away from the subject of Dante and Joe, and to keep her own mind from wandering over to her phone and calling to ask if Nottingham had shown up yet. She didn't like him exactly, or maybe she did, point was that he was an enigma, and whatever her feelings toward him she didn't hate him, and much as she hated admitting it, she was worried about him.

"Yeah, just don't let it get around." Jake smiled energetically, "Now that I've kept my end of the bargain, it's your turn, tell me something about yourself that I don't already know." Momentarily Sarah considered telling him about the Witchblade just to see how he'd react. As the Witchblade came to mind she thought about it, and realized that for the past two days it had been relatively quiet, in fact she hadn't even been visited by Danny. How odd, life had almost seemed normal; well at least if you ignored the fact that she worked for Irons, had worn clothing with flower embroidery, and had something who's worth could be rounded to two million dollars hidden in her bedroom. Odd how her perception of 'normal' had changed. "You're not getting out of this you know." Looking back up she realized she hadn't actually told Jake anything.

"Oh, I was just thinking of what would be the least embarrassing to talk about. Childhood right?" Jake nodded and she thought, finally deciding on something that he probably wouldn't use against her. "When I was eight I wanted to grow up and become Nimue." Jake gave her a blank look, "You know the enchantress? The Lady of the Lake? I admired her power and will, she was a woman did whatever she had to for her people, for the sake of good. But I eventually figured out that Magic didn't exist and that what I wanted wasn't possible. It was a childhood fancy, but for awhile I still wished for Magic, for something that would let me make a difference."

"You wanted Excaliber huh?" Sarah nodded at Jake's interruption. It suddenly dawned on her that as a child she would not only have welcomed the Witchblade, but celebrated it. "Funny thing is I had my own little Arthurian daydream. When I was about six I wanted to be Sir Gawain, I did for a long time actually. Then I read Le Morte Darthur I hated that book, it painted him out as a ninny and distorted so many of the view's I'd grown up with about the Arthurian Legend." For a moment both were lost in thought, Jake mentally debating theology and Sarah pondering if she'd invited the Witchblade with her childhood wishes, as if by mutual agreement the rest of the diner was spent in a comfortable silence.

***
After he'd showered Ian changed, and headed back to his room with his clothing folded neatly. As he walked he noted that there were no doors save for the one leading to the bathroom. The hallway was about five feet long, narrow and from what he could tell solid. He remembered no entrances or exists in his room either. Frowning he wondered how he'd get out of here and whether or not he'd have to do it by force. When he entered his room he was surprised to find Lian-Er setting up dinner on a collapsible table. "Hey, I hope your hungry because I haven't had dinner yet, and if you're not quick enough I'll probably eat all this before you get to it."

She smiled, and again Ian thought how much like her mother she looked. "Not a chance Ian, I wouldn't let you." When she'd finished setting up she pulled up two chairs and sat down in one, motioning for Ian to take the other. "I cooked it myself, the way mother used to." She stopped for a second, just thinking.

"Lian-Er," Stopping he wasn't sure what to say, "Callie." She snapped her head up as he called her by the name she'd used for the past twenty years. She hated hearing him call her that, it held too much pain for her, when she was here, with him, all she wanted was to be his baby sister again, to forget about everything else that had happened. "I've missed you." Silence filled the air for a second, he studied her just as she studied him each trying to map the changes in the others face since the last time they'd met. To Lian-Er/Callie, Ian had become more jaded, haunted almost, to him she seemed unchanged. "I guess we have a lot of catching up to do huh?" she nodded, "Tell me something though, how'd I end up here? The last thing I remember was surveying the security at Giamano's Manor."

"Yeah you were surveying all right. What you didn't know is that we have security cameras hidden in the notches of some of our trees as well." Callie remembered the events of that particular evening and tried to relate them to him. "Luka's butler saw you and sent six of his best security guards out to get you." Looking up Callie again studied him. "You must be a hell of a fighter though, all but one of them ended up with at least one broken bone. But Fredric - you broke his arm in three places - jabbed you with enough of some drug/sedative to knock out a team of oxen."

Ian nodded, so he'd been overwhelmed not by numbers but a type of drug, if he'd been knocked out by six normal security guards then he really needed to get to work. "You said five of them ended up with broken bones, what happened to the sixth? I hope I'm not losing my edge."

"Nope, Michael's in the hospital with a concussion and some internal bleeding." Ian grinned wolfishly and dug into his dinner. "Another question though Ian, do I have a sister in law in the future?"

For a moment Ian had no comprehension. "Sister in law? Who'd you have in mind?"

"Sarah Pezzini." For a moment Ian sputtered, not quite understanding. "Luka saw you at the Jewelry auction. He had intended to buy those rubies for me. When I heard his description of the buyer and then saw her wearing it... lets just say I put two and two together." Ian venomously denied it, and for the next half-hour the two recounted to each other their pasts then - somberly Callie brought up the one subject she was afraid to talk about, unfortunately it was the one subject she couldn't avoid.

"Ian, tell me something. Would you help me if I asked it? even if it meant conflicting loyalties?" Ian only looked at her for a second, not sure what to say. Then nodded, he likely would. "I need some information Ian, and I need you to promise me that you'll stay."

***

Callie exited her meeting with Ian somewhat satisfied and somewhat worried. Walking to her dresser she saw that a rose lay there next to a note. Reading it she suddenly felt a wave of regret. Exiting her room she tiptoed down to her study entering she wrapped her arms around Luka who was sitting staring at the fire. "I guess we both have a lot of explaining to do."

14 - Spying

Jake tried not to move as Sarah tucked a pillow under his head and draped a blanket over him. He'd pretended to fall asleep on her couch ten minutes earlier while she was making coffee. He didn't like doing this, first off it was uncomfortable and secondly it was deceitful. Unfortunately Sarah hadn't been very forthcoming with information of late, and since he knew she talked to her self on occasion, he'd decided that this was probably the most likely way he was going to find anything out.

Carefully he listened to her washing dishes in the kitchen, wishing that the water wasn't so loud. It was really somewhat strange seeing, or rather hearing her do something so normal as wash dishes. When she was done she came over to the couch, as if to cheek that he was still asleep. Seeing that he was she pulled out her cell phone and sat on the staircase. "Hi, Joe, it's me." So she hadn't just dismissed his information, tuning his ears in her direction, he listened all the more carefully. "I'm fine, thanks. Listen, I heard from source of mine that Dante called you today about my job at Vorschlag, would you mind telling me why? ...
Hold on, you knew? ... Then why did you? ... I am doing my job Joe, but that's ---- yes I do realize that it's not a direct approach but- --- Look Joe, please just hear me out ok? Vorschlag is working on a deal with P.J.A. Tech and just now I'm in the inner circle, but that's not why I called. If you knew this entire time then why did you - ? ... You're not going to tell me are you? I just remembered I have some paperwork I need done for work tomorrow ok, Bye."

Jake heard a frustrated breath of air hiss between Sarah's teeth, then he heard her move around until she was seated at her kitchen table and safely typing away. As she typed Jake thought, so apparently Sarah was up to something that both Joe and Dante were in on, and apparently it had something to do with Vorschlag and some company called P.J.A. Technologies. Thinking up a short list of possibilities Jake ruled out undercover work, Irons knew she was a cop, besides it was too sloppy she would've cut off contact with him if she were undercover. Unless... If Dante was in on this... Jake tried hard to purge the disagreeable thoughts from his mind but found he couldn't for the rest of the night Jake was troubled, and long after Sarah had gone to bed, his sleep was haunted by them.

~~

It had been a good morning for everyone in the briefing room except Irons, who was beginning to suffer from sleep depravation. Callie and Luka were both glad that they had come to an understanding the previous night, and Sarah had finally gained some respect from the wolf pack Irons called a board of directors through the thoroughness of her plans for the project with P.J.A. technologies. "Genomics research is what P.J.A. was made to do, but the numbers we're looking at are more then P.J.A. can handle, frankly we don't have the facilities for this." Luka and Irons were again going over numbers and statistics of people vs. resources.

"I can provide the money for the extra employees, the facilities can be bought or built. I know that this is more then what we planned on, but I feel quite certain an agreement can be reached." Irons closed his portfolio while suppressing a yawn. "Just now however I believe lunch would be appropriate." Nodding Callie, Luka, and Sarah rose preparing to leave. "Ms. Pezzini, I believe we need to speak." Sarah wrinkled her brow but paused, in front of her Callie turned around and gave her an inquiring glance but then turned and left.

"So talk." Sarah wasn't sure what was up but she had a pretty good idea it had something to do with Nottingham.

"I'm sure you realized that when I gave you this job, I didn't just mean that you'd be working for Vorschlag." Sarah's stomach did a flip-flop, willing her not to comprehend. "I intend to train you in the ways of the Witchblade, you're good, but you're also a loose cannon."

"Ha! That's funny, it really is Irons, you train me. Have you noticed yet that you're last trainee ran away the first chance he got? Besides, you need rest, there's no point in me training with you if all you're going to do is fall asleep on me." Sarah turned and walked away before ever giving Irons a chance to retaliate. She meant what she said and although Nottingham's disappearance did seem unlikely to be a runaway, she had no doubt in his mind that given the chance, he would have.

After she'd stopped off to grab Callie's suit from her office Sarah went outside and signaled a cab heading straight for Luka's Manor. When she got there the butler told her that Callie was in her room and to go straight ahead. Sarah went up the main staircase and opened the door that was two away from the one she knew to be Callie's room, quickly she slipped to the fireplace and pulled out the tape recorder she'd placed behind a urn on the mantle yesterday and slipped it into her pocket. "What are you doing here?"

Whirling around Sarah found Callie there. "Oh, sorry. I was um, looking for your room and I opened the wrong door, and this... study is like a library... I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have just barged in here but it was so..."

"It's ok. Don't worry, I got lost a little myself when I first moved here." Smiling Callie came in and took Sarah's arm in her own, leading her out. From appearances Sarah assumed that Callie hadn't seen what she was doing. "Besides, I have something more important to tell you." Callie smiled then held out her left hand. "In two months I plan to be married."

"Wow! Congratulations. I presume that Luka's the bridegroom?" Callie nodded impishly, suddenly shy.

"I wanted to ask you something." Sarah nodded. "Most of my friends are already married, so as things are I'm only going to have two bridesmaids but mom - my adoptive mother - always told me that no wedding is complete without a third bridesmaid... would you mind filling the roll." Sarah's eyebrows shot up as a wave of guilt and surprise overtook her. Not knowing what to say she nodded, for the next hour she sat with Callie in the parlor discussing wedding plans as a little voice gnawed at her, reproaching her for taking advantage of one of the few she could call a friend.

***

Ian sat on his bed, still and silent, he had discovered that in his room he could hear what went on in some of the other rooms, he couldn't hear distinct talking but murmurs and movements. As he sat there a smile played on his face, his little sister was getting married, and she'd asked him to give her away. She had seemed so happy and vibrant that he hadn't found it within himself to remind her of the impossibility of what she wanted. Her joy had been so far removed from the somber melancholy he had seen yesterday that for a moment he had been unsure that he was speaking to the same woman. He was happy for her but more then anything he prayed that after what she'd had told him yesterday she would live long enough to see this wedding through.

15 Revelations

Sarah walked casually into Irons' office holding a small box in one hand and a bag in the other. Reaching Irons chair she said in a loud bored tone, "I thought you might like these back." Holding them out to him Sarah waited for him to turn around, when he didn't she walked around the desk, and was very amused at what she found. Strolling to where he sat she walked around his chair until she was behind it. "BOO!"

"No don't!" Irons practically leapt out of his chair as he was awoken by Sarah's attempt to scare him. Whirling around it took him a moment to gain his bearings and in that moment he was left exposed, and to Sarah's trained eye he bordered a man who was about to be executed and a caged animal. Finally he noticed that she was there "What do you want?"

"My, my sleeping on the job are we?" When he didn't reply Sarah went on. "I came to return these." Holding out the box that contained the Vanderbilt jewels and the dress she waited patiently for him to retrieve them.

"And what exactly do you expect me to do with women's clothing?" Sarah arched one of her brows.

"You tell me. You want to put it in the Witchblade hall? That's your deal. You want to put on a drag show... I don't want to know about it." Irons scowled at her comments, he was angry but the Witchblade hall was a good suggestion, maybe he could even get a vision off of it. Reaching out he took the jewels, carefully placing them in his desk drawer.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Irons answered without looking up, carefully gauging her reaction .

"No actually, if want to return the dress give it to Ian." He noted that her face held some surprise but mostly blankness. "He bought it with his own money, apparently my accountant tells me that the money for it wasn't drawn from my account but his." Sarah stood there for a moment in a stunned silence, why had Ian spent his own money on her? That didn't make sense unless ... "Figures though, that he charges the more expensive of the two to my account." Sarah stood very still blocking out thoughts and theories that weren't to her liking at all. "You did a good job this morning. There's more that I need you to do, but I've decided to let you take the paperwork home." Handing her a briefcase he dismissed her, waving her away.

~~

Luka was once again worried about Callie, she seemed happy to be sure but preoccupied. If he hadn't known her better he would've thought it was the wedding that was on her mind, but just now he knew better. She was up to something and he wanted to know what, (here goes nothing) he thought as he slid up besides her. "Hi, can we talk?"

Callie turned to him and smiled, but before she could reply the intercom on his desk buzzed to life. "Mr. Giamano, there's someone on the phone for you - he says it's urgent." Luka sighed and picked up the phone, cursing his bad luck as Callie slipped silently out of the room.

***
Sarah sipped her Potato soup rolling the kinks out of her neck from hours of paper work, in the background the tape from Luka's played softly, it was sound activated and stopped three minutes after sound ended. "I guess we both have a lot of explaining to do." Callie's voice came on to the tape player, and as the conversation progressed Sarah became more and more immersed in what unraveled when it ended, she grabbed the phone and was struck by a vision before she could dial.

Scenes from the past two days flash before her eyes, she sees Callie speaking to her "So, work aside, how are you liking your new employer."

The scene changes, but again its Callie speaking, "Can you keep a secret? ... I'm twenty-three and so is he."

"Personally I think you should wear the dove gray and borrow the beige, the white, or the light pink. They complement your skin tone and height. The black suits do that too but it's what Irons would expect of you, and personally I'd prefer to keep him guessing."

"You should have been a beauty advisor or a psychologist, not only do you have what I should wear pegged down, but you have what Irons would expect and my own preferences pegged as well." Callie's eyes darkened and Sarah could see she was disturbed by this assessment.

"There's a lot about Irons that you wouldn't expect me know, and a lot about me you wouldn't expect him to."

Then today, "My brother will give me away at the wedding, my dear lost brother"

In an instant something she had seen in the files Irons had given her came back to her. Scrambling she grabbed the files and reread them, in that instant it all fell into place. "Oh my god." Hanging up the phone she grabbed her cover, pulling out her cell as she headed for her bike, hesitating as to whether or not she'd call.

16 The eyes of the cat

The door bell rang loudly and cut the silence in which Luka was lost. Sitting very still he waited for the butler to get it, then remembered that he'd dismissed the servants for the rest o the day. Slowly he got up and walked downstairs, as if every inch of his body was in pain. The doorbell rang again, more insistent this time, when he opened it, he was surprised to find not a person but only a whirlwind of motion push past him. "Where is she?"

It took a moment for him to resister that Sarah Pezzini had just burst in upon him with a question then another for him to register what the question had been "Who?"

Sarah just rolled her eyes "Callie." As if the word had broken a dam Luka slammed the door and whirled around to face her. Startled Sarah turned her eyes to him and for the first time noticed how disheveled and frustrated he looked. "She's gone isn't she?" Luka nodded, motioning for her to follow him to his study.

"Her personal things are gone, she left a work summary of projects that'll need to be picked up and some clothing. Her apartment is in mostly the same condition. She's canceled her cell phone and apparently took a borrowed car. There's no letter of resignation only a letter asking for an indefinite leave of absence." Luka sat down heavily leaning forward slightly with his elbows on his knees. Sarah saw that he was frustrated and angry, but somehow she sensed no worry.

"Why'd she go?" Sarah had sensed nothing but happiness in Callie when they'd spoken earlier, so her sudden disappearance seemed rather abrupt. Sluggishly Luka raised his head until he was looking her in the eye.

"Revenge." The word was softly spoken, but the force behind them was unmistakable.

***

Kenneth Irons awoke from his nap gasping for breath. For a moment he thought he was still within his nightmare, but the jarring pain in his arms told him otherwise. "Slept well lately? Cheek mate by the way" Irons heard the clink of chess pieces and the voice that mocked him with some surprise, minutes ago it had been plaguing his dreams. A soft voice, one that was sweet and feminine, as deceiving as its owner.

"Not since you showed." She laughed, it was a musical sound but a hollow one. He couldn't see her from where he hung by his arms, the chains around his wrists made turning or twisting around too painful to consider an option. Moving his feet he tried to stand on his toes, when he found himself a hairsbreadth from doing so he hissed in frustration. "Are you trained in torture? You seem fairly apt at it." Silence was his only answer. Taking a deep breath Irons tried to hone in his senses and figure out where in blazes she was but before he could do so, he heard a soft humming, as if a lullaby were being sung. Moving his eyes about franticly he suddenly registered the song. "No, no Yian Yian please, just stop it!" as the volume of his protests grew so did the volume of her singing, a maddening duet that echoed within the empty house.

***
"Revenge?" Sarah suddenly felt all her well thought out theories crumple down around her.

"Correct Sarah, she wants revenge against Kenneth." Whirling around both Luka and Sarah were shocked to see Ian standing in the doorway. Sarah took a second to assess that he seemed healthy and unhurt, Luka took one to wonder why he wasn't dead. "I presume you already know why."

Sarah stood, momentarily at a loss. "No, I don't. I thought she was one of his pawns. Like you." Ian glanced up sharply at the words 'like you' but quickly lowered his head again. So 'she' didn't know everything, did the lover?

"Callie is far from being one of Kenneth's pawns, she is in fact his greatest adversary in more ways then one." The three stood still as if in a tableau until a sharp crackling of the fire broke the moment.

"Callie hates Irons, I've known that since the day we meet. What I don't know is why she hates him, she told me it was family history but never explained it. I presume that if she kept you alive she had a reason. You will tell me what it was." The two men challenged each other with stares, neither wanted to given, but both realized that their mutual purpose was to keep Callie alive.

"She kept me alive because she's my little sister, not literally, she thinks so, but our connection is only genetic." Sarah and Luka gazed at him in confusion, weren't the two the same? Seeing that they didn't understand Ian decided to begin from the beginning.

***
The lullaby ended but Irons protests didn't, at least not until a cup of cold water was dumped over his head. "Enough. I've always known you were a weakling, and a sniveling wimp at that. Tell me, how does it feel to be on the begging end of things?" When he didn't answer she kept going. "I bet you've been rather scatter brained and weak minded lately. I'll even bet that you've had nightmares, hallucinations even. That's not the Kenneth Irons the world knows - it's the one you really are." Within the confines of his minds Irons was willing her to shut up, it was like he was hallucinating all over again. Her words stirred something in his sluggish foggy mind, and all at once he understood.

"You've been drugging me." The soft innocent giggle sounded again - this time with a hint of madness. He remembered that giggle and shuddered, remembered the look that had gleamed in this woman's eyes the last time he'd seen her, and how little she'd cared when - wait. He remembered killing her so how could she be -?

"You think I'm Yien Yien don't you? In your pathetic mind, you can't remember that you killed her. She was just another face huh? Just another woman that got in your way?" Suddenly Kenneth felt a strong grip on his shoulder and he could feel breathing by his ear. Ironically all he could think about was how she must be wearing incredibly high heels to reach his height. "You made her suffer before she died, made her helpless. I intend to do the same." She moved away from him and smiled maliciously behind his back. "You'd like to touch the floor wouldn't you? Let me see if I can be of assistance." Bending down she dislocated his tibia in both legs, then tore a ligament in each ankle. As he screamed she only smiled pleasantly as if she'd done him a favor. "There, now your feet can reach the ground. You know it's amazing what you can learn studying martial arts." Something in Irons mind stirred, and broke through the haze of confusion and pain that surrounded him.

"Oh my god. Callie."

***
"Shen Yien Yien was a lounge singer in Beijing. In 1975 she meet Kenneth Irons, he courted her like a gentleman, gave her things that a girl who'd grown up during the cultural revolution had never seen and treated her like a princess. She thought he loved her, what he loved was her bloodline." Ian gave Sarah a look, he wasn't sure if Luka knew about the Witchblade and at present he had no wish to alert the man to its presence. Sarah understood; Yien Yien was a descendent of a blade welder. Luka however did not.

"Her blood line?" Ian nodded.

"He was a geneticist, he wanted to experiment. A year later Yien Yien became pregnant, that year I was nine. I had no idea what it was Kenneth intended and I never knew until three years later after she was dead. He wanted to make the perfect warrior, in this child he found the perfect experiment. He even used some of my DNA, that's why she calls me her brother." Ian paused making sure once again that they were still with him. Sarah seemed mildly shocked, and Luka disgusted, but both listened raptly. "When Callie was two and a half Yien Yien found out what he'd done, she found out everything. For months he tried to control her, when he couldn't - he killed her. After that Callie - or Lien Er as she was called then, was given up for adoption."

At the particular moment, the horror of what had happened to Callie lowered Irons in the opinion of everyone in that room. Finally Luka spoke. "So that's why she's been drugging him." Ian and Sarah looked up, and he realized that they didn't know. "When we got to New York she tailed him for about a week, learned his routine then she started drugging him, small amounts of herbal mixtures used to induce hallucinations, keep people from sleeping, things that affected his neurological pathways. Small amounts at first but this past week - she's been upping the dosage like crazy."

Everything started to make just a little more sense to Sarah, but one thing however still didn't. "I realize now why she wants revenge, and knowing Callie she'll probably go to any lengths to get it. My question is why should we be worried? And what makes you think she's gone after him tonight?"

"Because twenty years ago tonight, Shen Yien Yien died."

***

"Bravo, you've figured it out." Callie twirled around until she was in front of Irons smiling as if she'd just come in from a springtime walk, then she sobered. "I have a locket you know, one that I've had since I can - or for a long time could -remember. For years I thought that the man in it was my loving adoring father. Then when I turned eighteen I learned that to the man in that picture I was nothing but a lab rat." Callie's voice dripped with anger and hate, and to emphasize her point she had drawn closer to him until she held his chin in one of her hands until her nails drew blood. Turning his head aside viciously, she savagely let go, nearly twisting his neck as he did so.

"A lab rat? Callie, what makes you think that?" Even in his current state Irons was trying to manipulate facts and lie to turn things his way.

"Because mother told me." Thoughts raced through Irons mind - could it be? Could his experiment of long ago have worked?

***

"That answers one question, what about the other?" Luka acted with some amount of detachment, after all he'd heard so far it was hard not to understand why Callie wanted Irons dead, but he had to remember to get the facts. Nothing else would help much at present.

"You mean why Callie might die? Irons didn't just program her genetically he practically programmed her mind as well. He doesn't know how life's changed her - that's a wild card - but he does know her kill switch, both physically and mentally. It's something he has over all of his ... personal employees and experiments. If she gets close enough so that he decides she's more disposable then not... he'll destroy her." Almost before Ian had finished Luka had gotten up, now he strode over to his desk, opening a drawer he pulled out a 9mm, after checking the clip he put it in his pocket. Quickly he got out the door and ran down the stairs.

"He's gone after her." Ian made the statement plainly, knowing it was the truth. Starting to follow he froze when he felt a hand grip his arm.

"You haven't told me everything. Luka didn't bother asking you this but I will, if she was three when she was adopted how in hell does she remember what happened?" He didn't turn only continued in that same flat tone.

"Digitabulum Magae Sarah, she didn't remember before, but when came into contact with you... You don't just wear the Witchblade Sarah - you ARE the Witchblade."

***

"I also remember things, fractions of memories that have become more and more concrete in the last week. Most of all I remember how cold, controlling, and calculating you were. I hate you, I hate everything you've done to me and to my mother." Callie kicked him in the stomach backing up to stare at him with all the madness and malice in her heart. In the heat of her emotions she didn't hear the screech of tires that sounded outside the mansion.

***
Sarah didn't ask Ian to explain, but she knew that if the Witchblade was involved this was serious. "I hope you know how to ride a motorcycle." As they headed downstairs Sarah hoped that no one would pull them over for speeding or for Ian having not having a helmet.

A few minutes later they arrived At Irons pulling up even before Luka. As Luka parked his car Sarah hazarded one more question. "Has Callie ever worn the Witchblade?" Ian shook his head. No.

"She's only played with it as a child, Because she's a blood heir Kenneth hoped that it would form some kind of a bond between them." Luka got out of his car and came up besides them, ending the conversation.

"How the hell did you two get here before me?" Looking around he saw the motorcycle. "Oh, I see. Well - how exactly are we going to get in?" Ian motioned for them to follow him, he knew exactly how they were going to get in.

***

Irons was beginning to wonder how long and how much more of this he could endure when the sound of footsteps and guns being cocked sounded. "Callie what are you doing?" Moving his head in the direction of the sound Irons saw Luka come towards them, Sarah and Ian behind him. Callie turned drawing her gun, surprised that they had come after her.

"Stay where you are. This is my vendetta Luka, let me do this." Sarah and Ian both studied Irons while Luka studied the wild look in Callie's eyes. "You don't understand this, you don't understand what he's done. He killed her, he killed her because she wanted to protect me. Then gave me away because he didn't want me to find out. Don't you get it? He used her for her genetic material, like she was some brood mare. Then used me to experiment with his precious Witchblade." Walking backward she didn't see where she was going and when she ran into Irons it surprised her, and in her tensioned state she turned and fired grazing him with a bullet.

The last part of her statement made no sense to Luka, but the rest he understood. Before he could speak however her heard a police siren sound outside. Sarah cursed loudly, telling them that she had asked Jake to tail her. Knowing that the gunshot had caused him to turn on the siren and likely call for backup. "Callie get out of here." Moving up to her Luka grabbed the gun out of her hand checking the textured grip to make sure a fingerprint couldn't be taken. When she didn't move Ian pushed forward, knocked her out, then picked her up and carried her towards the back staircase and the hidden entrance located there. Just as he had gotten out of sight Jake burst in on the scene.

"Don't move!" Moments later More police officers came and Luka was taken into custody, after telling Jake that she'd explain things later Sarah slowly backed into the shadows. As she stood there she was startled by a familiar voice.

"Nice work." Whirling she saw Danny behind her...

***

"Can you believe this? Luka Giamano got off with nothing, and there's not a mention of his VP Calliope DeLancie either. Apparently Irons says that Luka showed up after who ever had been torturing him had left and that you arrived after the fact." Jake sighed and collapsed into his seat after dropping a file onto his partner's desk. "And I still don't know what part you played in this."

"Me... I was UC. Luka Giamano was suspected of underworld activity, and they decided to send me in since as a homicide cop this wasn't my type of case. I was supposed to go in as a good cop gone bad, but when I learned about P.J.A.'s deal with Vorschlag I found another more efficient way in. I made friends with Calliope DeLancie and worked as c.o.s. At Vorschlag, it was less obvious and I finished this assignment in 72 hours." What Sarah had found was that the Giamano family wasn't responsible for any of what they were suspected of, the tape from Luka's study told them that Paul Tialie was the guilty party. Apparently he had tried to convince one of the Giamano brothers in Sicily to join him, apparently that brother had been unsure of what to do and had given Luka the job of diffusing the situation. The detailed talk he then proceeded to have with Callie gave the PD everything they needed to take Tialie down.

"So this entire time you were UC and you couldn't tell me?" Jake sounded a little hurt, and in all honesty he was. After everything that had happened he had hoped that she trusted him, but her next comment wrenched him back to reality, it was something Danny had told her, and something she knew was true.

"You want to know something Jake? I'm not the only one who's gone Undercover, and I'm not the only one with secrets." He looked up sharply and studied her. (One day,) he thought, (one day I will tell you, and I pray to God that you'll understand.) As for the present? They both knew that things weren't changing any to soon, or any to quickly, and that for the time being, both of them kept their silence.

***
"It's been done." Ian stood silently in the shadows, studying the figure of Irons in his wheel chair. Irons had decided to help Luka and even though the reason behind the decision made no sense to Ian, the decision itself was one that he supported.

"Good." Irons stopped as if the conversation were over, then changed his mind, bringing up the one subject that had been haunting him. "And my daughter?"

"She's fine sir. They won't find her, and you won't either." Irons nodded, he still felt the pain the past few days had brought him, and knew that he would suffer it for a long time to come. He'd let Luka go because he knew that the lovers wouldn't be able to find each other. He'd meant it to be a form of torture, but inwardly he knew that they might reunite, and that he'd meant for it to be so. He couldn't really punish her that much he knew, because even after everything, she was his flesh and blood. His only living child.

***

Callie felt a tear slide down her cheek as she stared at the clouds below her. After everything she'd done this is what it had all come to. She fingered the locket at her neck, she had changed the photo there. It now held a picture on Luka, one man that she knew did love here. "Here honey." The old lady next to her handed her a tissue; she took it gratefully and wiped her eyes. She was going to Seattle, then Vancouver. Hoping against hope that Luka would know where to look for her. She had emptied her bank accounts and removed all traces of her past, wishing as she did so that she could erase the memories as well. "What's you're name?" The woman besides her was trying to make conversation she knew, but even this question brought a wave of tears, she couldn't give the name of her child hood, or the name she'd used for so many years now. So she choose the name of the only two people besides Luka, who she wanted to remember, and hoped that one day, they might all meet again.

"My name is Nottingham, Sarah Nottingham."

*Fini*