Ok.. I finally came up with the second chapter. After reading First Born comics all my ideas went to hell, because, actually, I had several plans similar to the ones described in Witchblade. However, if I still will put anything I hold to the statement I came up with this or that idea independingly. Next warning... Do not take it that serious, just a position there(sticks tongue out). Vlada(I changed Lana's name and origins) can seem to be an uber Mary Sue. However, it is done on purpose and on purpose only. Enjoy the reading, comment and suggest. Cheers!

Stuck With You

I know, I may be mental. But I swear he was standing there and my decent person disturbed Mr. Estacado from drying that petty hair of his. Before the towel actually fell on the floor, the assassin reached to the drawer, pulled it out and dragged out a gun, that, a second later, settled down under my nose.

"I dig when chicks fall from the sky but mind me being sceptical. What do you want, lady?"

I guess my face looked like I ate a basket of ripe lemons. He even talks like there is no other day. Now, what do I want? I want home. My sixth feeling tells me the answer will not satisfy the questioner.

"Well?" the barrel almost poked my face and I could feel the cold metal.
"Get that gun away from me! Do I look like I came to kill you? With what? A pen and a block note?!"

"Jackie, that chickita is hot."

I could swear the sound came from under the bed, and by the trajectory of the slipper, hitting something underneath where I was sitting… Well, let us say I do not need ear operation just yet.

"Pardon me from being so rude. I am kinda nervous recently." The lisp of the snake. Jackie Estacado always knows where his priorities lie. Luckily, I am immune to such sort of charms.

"Not working." I said with the most bored tone my fantasy ever spawned out and kept overlooking my nails. Sadly, there was little to look at. I always cut them short. Could not possibly draw and work with the claws some female species tend to grow.

It was funny to witness the change of his face. From the degree of 'nice' it fell to 'concerned'. Not getting too much 'no' in life, are we?
"Fine. How did you get in my apartment, on the top of the skyscraper, with security and…"

"I don't know."

There was a pause, while Estacado was ogling at me, thinking whether I was psychotic or something. He was so convincing I started to doubt over my own sanity as well. However… I tried to explain.

"I am not from here."
"Yeah, I noticed. You are British."

I wanted to stand up and walk around, like I always did when being worried, but hitman did not give me such a chance. He grabbed my shoulders and pushed backwards.

"Sit, sweetheart."

"Ok, listen, I don't know what am I doing here, I do not live in this universe… You… You do not exist, moreover, the only thing you do, is providing comics seller Top Cow with a lot of money, with that pretty face of yours and the attitude of the pig."

I could speak longer but it seemed pointless as there was no a single spark of interest in his eyes. It is understandable. I wonder what I would do if once a man fell from the ceiling out of nothing, trying to convince me I do not exist and…

The line of my thinking got rudely interrupted by a phone ringing. Jackie slightly moved his head and I saw a little shadow dashing deeper in the flat and soon returning back with the tube in its… err… paws. Estacado grabbed the ringing device and, still holding a gun, turned a bit away. I made myself all ears. After all, as scary and unreal as it is – it's interesting and new to me. Apart from watching The Godfather I never really was 'into' Mafia.

The person on the other side of the line made Jackie smile and he brightened up a bit. After some second a wide grin crawled on his face and settled down there.

"Did I ever say I love you, Butch?"

So, it was Butcher Joyce. Jackie's only friend and his biggest supporter. But not before Estacado got rid of Frankie Francetti and ruined Butcher's moral balance. Or whatever he had there. To me Mister Joyce, by what I managed to look through, was a character with potential. So much still was not known about him and so much could be added. However, I have no idea which life period of Italian Mafioso I managed to get in. My stream of thoughts got interrupted by some exclamation coming from the side. I again concentrated on surrounding and the gun that now moved in the direction of my eye.

"Still nothing? A tough nut, eh? I am…" he looked at me and did sour face. "I have a one thing to clear up around here, Butch, and then I am flying to you on the wings of love."

The phone got switched off and thrown on the bed. I could have seen it, but my attention was completely centred on the barrel cooling down my face.

"What's your name?"
"Is that an interrogation?" I said unsatisfied. "Put the gun away."

I think his jaw was close to falling. None of the victims before were trying to talk back in such a manner. I was shaking from fear but I was determined to get this gun as far from my face as possible.

"C'mon, Estacado… Think with brains. I am a weak woman, the only weapon around is pencil, paper and the phone. And you really consider me being a threat?"

He sniffed sarcastically and pulled the weapon back a little.
"Oh believe me, I met some women that are real threat to a health. And those are not vinerological illness I am talking about here."

"Ah yes indeed. The only thing you are saved from now are the up - mentioned illnesses." It wasn't the brightest idea in my list but I just couldn't resist. The idea itself was ridiculously stupid but it gave me fake feeling of superiority. The hit reached its target and he lowered the gun.

"How in the name of God do you know that?"
I pulled the most pretty innocent face and flapped eyelashes. The style of the dumb blond was my 'visage manifique'.

"Know what?"
"About the fuckin' celibacy clause!!"

Yes! Zero - one in the gates of a pretty Mafia boy. One of those rare moments when I was proud of myself.
"In that case you will remember what I told you earlier before and will try to believe me."

Ah… The sweet taste of victory. The expression of concern and disbelief on his face was the best reward I could get. You can call me an extreme feminist (which I am not) but when I succeed in bringing a male in the Pits of Eternal Foolishness, I feel this minute of my life did not pass for nothing. Right now I watched Estacado slowly putting pistol away and disappearing in the bathroom. I thought he is going to silence like a grave and ignore me, trying to remember closest mental institution. However, I have mistaken.

"So, what's your name?" he yelled out, trying to cover noise of streaming water.
"Vlada!!" I yelled back and carefully looked under bed to see what was there. I was welcomed with three pairs of glowing eyes.

"Care for a shot in poker, lady?"

"Holy shit…!" I whispered and jumped back. That was just too much information to digest and some devils playing cards under the bed did not brighten my life either. I mean… hell! Some trolls are actually playing… poker there! A poker, goddammit. My nerves really started to let me down and I began giggling like an idiot. Meanwhile, hitman came back again and dug his head in the huge drawer.

"So Vlada, uh? Does not sound that British to me."
"I am Russian." I grumbled, staring at his ass as there was nothing else to do. "My parents immigrated in sixties."

"So how's life behind the Iron Curtain?"

"Sheesh, how do I know? I've never been to Russia in my entire life." I got really irritated. Estacado was less then basically educated, so it seemed. And even less attentive to what I was saying.

"You know, I do not have much time." He stated and started to undress. I made my eyes round and decided to turn away politely. But not before secretly admired that torso and flat belly of him… Hey, I am woman and little female happinesses are not forbidden for me either.

"So get yourself ready and we are leaving."

"What?!" I turned around and almost fell from bed. Estacado was calmly adjusting the collar of that pretentious white shirt of him and overlooking himself in the mirror.

"You think I am crazy to leave you alone in here? I am not done with you, girl, and till that time you go where I say."

I swear I did have one or two general objections over his decision but I was not in the position to say them out loud. So the only way I found was to make my back straight and do not move an inch towards the exit. The reaction of my opponent was quite predictable. Estacado grabbed my arm and pulled towards him. Such strength I could not resist, sadly, so when he poked me out of the apartment I had nothing else then to go in the underground parking lot. Even dumb would understand that shiny black Ferrari standing near the exit belonged to Jackie Estacado. I though I am going to die of overall cheapness and cliché feeling. However I think I started to get used to it. I was almost politely poked in the car and he started the engine.

"Oh almighty, mind me asking where are we going?" I couldn't sound more disgruntled and unsatisfied then I already was. The wind hit my face and I turned away almost poking nose in Estacado's shoulder.

"West docks, cherry - pie!"