A/N: Heartfelt thanks to everyone who reviewed, namely to Magicman, MordorianNazgul, Eli-Everemore and Aqua-chan. Here goes chapter one!

Chapter One: An Unpleasant Surprise

"I push the button," Alienor Darkhunter said in a clear, ringing voice. Behind her Jaheira made a sour grimace.

'Maybe I could tolerate her, MAYBE,' she thought with utmost disgust, 'if only she weren't so painfully noble.'

The genie laughed diabolically, although a keen observer would have noticed an expression of mute suffering in his eyes. Something splashed weirdly in one of the murky, crystal-rimmed pools, but Jaheira paid no heed to it, just like she didn't listen to the genie's customary speech. She knew well enough that the sole possible danger here was that ogre-mage that –

Oh, yeah. Here he is.

Given the choice, Jaheira would have cheerfully stepped aside and let the ogre and Alienor set the matter together – unfortunately, she had no choice. Her hand involuntarily reached for the scimitar, at the same time that Minsc pulled out his sword and Imoen notched an arrow. Aware that any resistance was futile, the druid sighed, submitting to the force in control of her body.

'I hate her,' she was thinking bitterly, while making the first slash at the monster, 'because we are all her playthings, pawns to move on the board as she pleases. But I hate her even more, because I am a total bitch to her goody-goody two shoes. And she is damn well aware of that.'

*****

Water trickled slowly from the ceiling. Drip... drip... drip... A droplet fell on Imoen's palm. The girl flinched away, but didn't stand up. She supported her head against the wall and through half-closed eyelids surveyed her three companions, all sleeping peacefully.

Correction: her two companions and Alienor.

With unaccustomed anger Imoen looked away. She volunteered to take the first watch, to postpone the moment when she would be forced to wake up crying. She knew there was no escape from it; she had tried once. As a result, she had been so tired she barely could walk and what was to come had come all the same.

'How did Khalid put it? In comparison with me, she can better demonstrate her courage and willpower. Well said, very well said.'

Some things were unavoidable, and yet – here Imoen grinned happily – this time they altered the course a bit. Khalid wasn't killed, not in her presence, anyway. This let her hope that breaking the cursed circle was yet possible.

What was that? A rustle? The unexpected sound raised the little hairs on the girl's neck. She stared into the darkness of the corridor, visible in the narrow crack of the door, straining to hear anything else. However, if the noise recurred, it was drained out by Minsc's snores. Besides, they were unlikely to meet any dangers worse that a band of stray goblins. And those could be disposed of all too easily. What was more, no one ever died, not permanently, at least. Oh no, here even death guaranteed no peace –

Wait a minute. How come the door was open? She had closed it herself!

She rose fluently and walked to the exit, her heart pounding. She told herself that nothing would happen that she didn't know about and peeked out. Tense as she was, she didn't see the dark silhouette emerging from the shadows, until it was already too late.

An arm enclosed her waist in a gentle but firm embrace, pinning her hands to her sides, and a large, calloused palm clamped her mouth, suppressing her cry. Imoen stiffened.

"Hush!" a voice she knew whispered in her ear. "It's me, Yoshimo! Speak quietly, alright?"

She nodded vigorously. Yoshimo let go of her. Imoen whirled around to face him. She didn't know Yoshimo all that well and she wasn't sure if he could be completely trusted. But he was, she admitted silently, a handsome man, with those slant eyes of his and that golden skin tone...

This train of thoughts must have become visible in her expression, for Yoshimo chuckled quietly. Imoen looked back, alarmed. If Minsc or Alienor woke up now, the situation would be terribly hard to explain.

"They're sleeping," Yoshimo calmed her. "I will be brief. Irenicus sent me. Everything is ready, just as planned."

"I take it you're with us?" Imoen asked to make sure.

"Wholeheartedly. Because of her, I became a traitor, I lost my honor. The only explanation for my behavior is that I didn't have control over my own actions."

"The geas...?"

Yoshimo pursed his lips. "There is no geas."

"What?!" Imoen all but shouted it aloud.

"Be quiet! I said there was no geas. She," he indicated Alienor, "had me disgraced and killed for the sole reason that it suited her... game."

In his dark eyes Imoen saw hatred akin to that which she felt. She blinked furiously. Noticing her distress, Yoshimo calmed down.

"Remember, Imoen," he added, "it doesn't matter whether we are good or evil; here we are all innocent. The guilt is upon her."

Impulsive as always, she reached out to him. "I won't forget! Farewell, Yoshimo."

"Say rather – goodbye," he smiled. "We shall meet again soon."

He squeezed her hand and slipped outside, into the gloom. She closed the door behind him and return to her spot under the wall. Another lone hour of keeping watch...

Drip... drip...

*****

The dissection table didn't make a very comfortable resting place. Khalid gritted his teeth and attempted to position his head in such a way that his nose wouldn't be crashed flat against the table top. He was lying on his stomach, as it meant a smaller probability of giving himself away with an ill-timed wink or a deeper breath. An artful disguise gave him a sufficiently dead look; it could mislead anyone from afar. And it was Jaheira's job to make sure the wrong people didn't look closer.

Together with Irenicus they decided it was the best option. The matter had to be sealed as soon as possible and once and for all. With any luck, Alienor would be so shocked at Khalid's 'return from the dead' that it would render her helpless and unable to fight. Khalid smiled nastily. He talked to Irenicus a great deal lately and found him quite a reasonable guy – and a homicidal psychopath, naturally. On the other hand, anyone plotting the demise of Alienor had to be unusually bright.

Now, the last moments to settle in an agreeable position. He moved his left hand, hoping in vain that it would stop growing numb.

Footsteps... and the sound of a slowly opening door. Now hush, not a word!

Of course his ear immediately started itching.

*****

'Lightning Mephit – Damage Taken (16)

Lightning Mephit – Death'

Kez leaned back in her chair and sighed contentedly. The math test was a real nightmare... nothing like a good fight to soothe the nerves. Oh, Jaheira is going to find Khalid's body now! She loved that part – it was so dramatic.

The screen flickered and slowly went black.

Kez let out a string of very un-lady-like expletives. She hadn't even saved the game! She was just reaching out to restart the computer, when the view reappeared with a ping.

Kez pushed up her glasses and studied the screen distrustfully. Everything looked alright, so she pressed the Quicksave key and went back to the game.

*****

The last remaining unfortunate Mephit fell down, dead. Jaheira hurriedly stepped over the still-twitching corpse and virtually ran in the direction of a remote corner, where, on a table, a body could be seen. She only hoped that the body wasn't lifeless, as was usually the case.

Khalid felt Jaheira touching his hand lightly. He responded with a soft squeeze, signaling that all was well. Jaheira squeezed back and, as planned, started the traditional lamentation rant. She didn't have to struggle for words; they were there, in her mind, waiting impatiently for a chance to assault her tongue. The relief, however, caused her to put an unusual amount of feeling into them.

Khalid gave her thirty seconds to totally win Alienor's attention and then he cautiously opened an eye. Good! The Bhaalspawn was standing with her back to him, trying to explain something to Jaheira, who was sobbing, yelling and flailing her hands like a natural-born actress. Yoshimo, motionless on a spot as close to her, as could be deemed safe, captured his gaze and nodded, very slowly.

Minsc had just shoved his animal friend in Jaheira's face, to which the druid reacted by screaming 'Imbecile!' Khalid didn't wait any longer – that was the signal. He rolled from the table and with a trained hand reached for the sword concealed behind it.

But, shock horror, his fingers met no resistance, as if he were grasping at thin air.

Jaheira paused for a second. Yoshimo gasped. Aware of the icy fingers suddenly gripping his intestines, Khalid turned around.

Behind him, on the table that he had occupied until just recently, was something that most likely used to be a human body – maybe even HIS OWN – and that now resembled rather a bloody flitch of meat.

"Uh-oh," he stuttered.