-NYC, 2000-
"Hello, Earth to Selena."
"Huh?" Selena turned from the car window to look at Sara who sat next to her in the backseat of Jake's car. Selena's Explorer had been damaged by the bounty hunters and they had left it behind.
"We're here," Sara said pointing out the window to a building. "Where ever here is."
"Safe house," Jake said from the driver's seat.
"Oh god," Selena groaned looking back out the window for Ian and his motorcycle.
"I think he got lost," Gabe, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, said to Jake.
"Good," Jake replied.
"The only way he'd get lost would be if he wanted to," Selena retorted spotting Ian as she spoke. She opened the car door and got out. Ian strode over while the other three exited the car. "Check the perimeter security system. I'll check the roof." Together they moved towards the building.
"Hey," Jake shouted. "Wait!"
Selena turned. "What?"
"I'm in charge here," Jake said childishly.
"Keep dreaming, surfer boy," Ian replied and with that he turned and walked off.
Gabe and Sara both burst out laughing. Selena only smiled confidently and followed Ian's retreating back. She caught up to him as he bent to check a semi-hidden security monitor.
"Don't ya just love the FBI?" Selena sighed then chuckled.
"He's likely to get her killed."
"I know that," Selena said. "And he bugs the hell out of me to boot. Plus there seems to be no love lost between the two of you."
"He betrayed Sara once. I fear he shall do it again," Ian's reply was a mere whisper.
"You love her, don't you?"
Ian turned and stared down at her. "I don't know what you mean."
"Oh don't give me that crap," Selena snapped far too harshly. She took a breath and calmed herself before continuing. "I've seen the way you look at her. You looked at me like that once, though not nearly as intense."
"Well, maybe, a little."
"Try a lot," Selena smiled. "But hey, who am I to say anything? Just so you know, if you need to talk I'm here. I'm your friend, Ian."
"I don't need friends."
Selena sighed. "Everyone needs friends, Ian. Trust me, I learned that the hard way." She raised up on her toes and kissed him on the cheek. She smiled at him before turning to go check the roof.
"What's up with those two?" Jake said walking up next to Sara.
Sara smiled as she watched Selena walk away from Ian. Something about knowing Mr. Tall Dark and Scary had a friend was oddly comforting. "They're friends from way back. The Black Dragons were sent to find her once."
"And she's still alive," Jake replied. "That's surprising."
"Jake," Sara said hitting him in the shoulder. "They weren't sent to kill her."
"Well, you never know with those kinds," he smiled sheepishly then his face turned serious. "I don't like them."
"You don't have to," Sara replied. "Come on I'm starving. Let's go scrounge up some chow."
Selena smiled at Ian as he flipped one of the steaks over. It had taken a lot of convincing on her part to get him to cook. Her reasoning had ended up being that it was either him, her, or Sara. And from the grimace that had gained from Gabe's face she was thinking Sara was out of the question. So Ian had relented to helping Selena fix dinner.
"Is it ready yet?" Sara whined.
Ian turned and crinkled his nose up at her before shooing her away with the spatula. Selena and Sara both burst out laughing at the sight of this tall dark hair assassin waving a spatula around like a little old lady. Ian's sigh that followed was an over exaggerated one of disgust which only caused Selena to laugh harder and almost drop the pot of green beans she was moving with towards the sink to drain some of the water off of. Sara sank into one of the kitchen chairs still laughing. Ian picked a roll from the cookie sheet Selena was waiting to put in the oven to heat and tossed it at Sara. She caught it and began munching on it.
"Thanks," Sara said with her mouth full.
Ian rolled his eyes and returned to cooking.
"What is so entertaining in here?" Gabe said entering the kitchen.
"Oh nothing," Sara smiled innocently.
"Find anything?" Selena asked the young man as she returned the beans to the stove.
"Sorta," Gabe said sitting. "There are a couple of dumbie companies attached to the site."
"After dinner I shall see if I can help you," Ian replied.
"Since when have you been techno?" Sara asked.
"It helps in my line of work," Ian said.
Selena eyed them both cautiously hoping Sara kept her mouth shut. However she wasn't that lucky.
"I didn't know it required a computer to stalk me?" Sara snapped.
"Stalk you?" Jake asked entering.
Could this get any worse, Selena thought. Dumb question, of course it could get worse. And it did.
"Yep, I've had a second shadow for a couple of months," Sara said. "Right Ian?"
"Why would he be stalking you?" Jake asked. "And why are you two even involved anyway? And why exactly did you beat me up that day on the field?"
"I thought I explained that to you," Ian said turning from the stove to move in front of Jake.
Selena slipped in between, placing a hand on each of their chest. "Whoa," she said. "Testosterone overkill." She patted Jake, "You get out." Then she patted Ian, "You cook."
"He's cooking?" Jake snickered.
"Yes," Selena said rounding on Jake. "And I recommend you get out of this kitchen. You've already got him all riled up, I don't think you want me to get that way, too. Now move!"
After dinner, Sara and Selena washed the dishes. Selena kept eyeing Sara and it was starting to make her nervous. Sara slammed a plastic cup on the counter.
"What," Selena said.
"Why do you keep looking at me?"
"Because I'm trying to figure out how someone who seems to be a nice person can be so cruel to one man."
"Excuse me?" Sara was shocked. "Are you talking about Nottingham?"
"Ian, his name is Ian," Selena said.
"I don't care," Sara retorted. "He's a freak. He and Irons have done nothing but cause me grief for the past two months. He stalks me and talks in cryptic. Hell, I need a translator just to figure out what he's talking about half the time. Plus he told me he loves me then turned himself in for a double homicide. And afterwards he beat the hell out of my partner. I think I have the right to get a little cranky with him."
Selena blink several times before she reached out and slapped Sara across the fast. If Sara hadn't been so shocked she would have slapped her back. Her hand came up to rub her cheek.
"What did you do that for?" Sara replied.
"Only way I could think of to get you to shut up," Selena handed her a wet plate then sighed as she began washing another. "Maybe because I know some about what he went through with the Black Dragons I'm a little more understanding of him. But he just wasn't raised like normal kids. He's not very good around people."
"That's an understatement," Sara said stacking the plate up with the other three after she'd dried it off. "You and he get along well though. What was up with that kiss earlier?"
Selena felt her cheeks turning red. "He just needed some friendly support, that's all.
Ian suddenly burst into the room. Selena turned to look at him. His eyes were full of anger.
"What?" Selena asked.
"I can't believe he would..." Ian started. "I mean you'd think after..."
"Whoa," Sara said. "Hold on. What are you talking about?"
Gabe entered the kitchen. "We were searching some of the dummies when we came across one which Ian says is tied to Vorschlag."
"Irons' is the one who put out the bounty on you, Sara," Ian sighed and slumped in a chair defeated.
"What?" Sara screamed.
Selena turned and looked at her then looked at Ian. Something smelled fishy about this whole thing. Ian and Sara, possibly even Gabriel, we're hiding something from her.
"What does Irons have to do with any of this?" Selena asked. "Other then being Ian's employer."
"Well, you remember when you asked me how I got mixed up with Irons and Ian and I said it was a long story," Sara said. "Well, because of that long story, its strange that Irons would be trying to have me killed now. Well, maybe not so strange."
"Ok, that makes no sense whatsoever," Selena replied.
"There is more," Ian whispered.
"What?" Sara sat in the chair next to him.
Selena moved to the chair on his other side. She reached out and took his hand in her own. "Go on."
"He'll kill me for telling you this," Ian said. "But that hardly matters now. Irons controls the White Bulls."
From the way Sara's eyes went wide and Gabe mouthed the words 'holy crap' Selena knew that the White Bulls were not a good thing whatever they were. "White Bulls?" Selena asked. Then she tried to lighten the mood with a little humor.
"What are they some group of rogue cops that uses the money from drug busts to make their own lives better?" Sara's mouth dropped open. "You're kidding, I was right?"
"Basically," Sara said. "They've tried to kill both me and Gabe."
"And Irons's has their leader wrapped around his little finger," Ian said folding his arms on the table and putting is head on them.
"Hello, Earth to Selena."
"Huh?" Selena turned from the car window to look at Sara who sat next to her in the backseat of Jake's car. Selena's Explorer had been damaged by the bounty hunters and they had left it behind.
"We're here," Sara said pointing out the window to a building. "Where ever here is."
"Safe house," Jake said from the driver's seat.
"Oh god," Selena groaned looking back out the window for Ian and his motorcycle.
"I think he got lost," Gabe, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, said to Jake.
"Good," Jake replied.
"The only way he'd get lost would be if he wanted to," Selena retorted spotting Ian as she spoke. She opened the car door and got out. Ian strode over while the other three exited the car. "Check the perimeter security system. I'll check the roof." Together they moved towards the building.
"Hey," Jake shouted. "Wait!"
Selena turned. "What?"
"I'm in charge here," Jake said childishly.
"Keep dreaming, surfer boy," Ian replied and with that he turned and walked off.
Gabe and Sara both burst out laughing. Selena only smiled confidently and followed Ian's retreating back. She caught up to him as he bent to check a semi-hidden security monitor.
"Don't ya just love the FBI?" Selena sighed then chuckled.
"He's likely to get her killed."
"I know that," Selena said. "And he bugs the hell out of me to boot. Plus there seems to be no love lost between the two of you."
"He betrayed Sara once. I fear he shall do it again," Ian's reply was a mere whisper.
"You love her, don't you?"
Ian turned and stared down at her. "I don't know what you mean."
"Oh don't give me that crap," Selena snapped far too harshly. She took a breath and calmed herself before continuing. "I've seen the way you look at her. You looked at me like that once, though not nearly as intense."
"Well, maybe, a little."
"Try a lot," Selena smiled. "But hey, who am I to say anything? Just so you know, if you need to talk I'm here. I'm your friend, Ian."
"I don't need friends."
Selena sighed. "Everyone needs friends, Ian. Trust me, I learned that the hard way." She raised up on her toes and kissed him on the cheek. She smiled at him before turning to go check the roof.
"What's up with those two?" Jake said walking up next to Sara.
Sara smiled as she watched Selena walk away from Ian. Something about knowing Mr. Tall Dark and Scary had a friend was oddly comforting. "They're friends from way back. The Black Dragons were sent to find her once."
"And she's still alive," Jake replied. "That's surprising."
"Jake," Sara said hitting him in the shoulder. "They weren't sent to kill her."
"Well, you never know with those kinds," he smiled sheepishly then his face turned serious. "I don't like them."
"You don't have to," Sara replied. "Come on I'm starving. Let's go scrounge up some chow."
Selena smiled at Ian as he flipped one of the steaks over. It had taken a lot of convincing on her part to get him to cook. Her reasoning had ended up being that it was either him, her, or Sara. And from the grimace that had gained from Gabe's face she was thinking Sara was out of the question. So Ian had relented to helping Selena fix dinner.
"Is it ready yet?" Sara whined.
Ian turned and crinkled his nose up at her before shooing her away with the spatula. Selena and Sara both burst out laughing at the sight of this tall dark hair assassin waving a spatula around like a little old lady. Ian's sigh that followed was an over exaggerated one of disgust which only caused Selena to laugh harder and almost drop the pot of green beans she was moving with towards the sink to drain some of the water off of. Sara sank into one of the kitchen chairs still laughing. Ian picked a roll from the cookie sheet Selena was waiting to put in the oven to heat and tossed it at Sara. She caught it and began munching on it.
"Thanks," Sara said with her mouth full.
Ian rolled his eyes and returned to cooking.
"What is so entertaining in here?" Gabe said entering the kitchen.
"Oh nothing," Sara smiled innocently.
"Find anything?" Selena asked the young man as she returned the beans to the stove.
"Sorta," Gabe said sitting. "There are a couple of dumbie companies attached to the site."
"After dinner I shall see if I can help you," Ian replied.
"Since when have you been techno?" Sara asked.
"It helps in my line of work," Ian said.
Selena eyed them both cautiously hoping Sara kept her mouth shut. However she wasn't that lucky.
"I didn't know it required a computer to stalk me?" Sara snapped.
"Stalk you?" Jake asked entering.
Could this get any worse, Selena thought. Dumb question, of course it could get worse. And it did.
"Yep, I've had a second shadow for a couple of months," Sara said. "Right Ian?"
"Why would he be stalking you?" Jake asked. "And why are you two even involved anyway? And why exactly did you beat me up that day on the field?"
"I thought I explained that to you," Ian said turning from the stove to move in front of Jake.
Selena slipped in between, placing a hand on each of their chest. "Whoa," she said. "Testosterone overkill." She patted Jake, "You get out." Then she patted Ian, "You cook."
"He's cooking?" Jake snickered.
"Yes," Selena said rounding on Jake. "And I recommend you get out of this kitchen. You've already got him all riled up, I don't think you want me to get that way, too. Now move!"
After dinner, Sara and Selena washed the dishes. Selena kept eyeing Sara and it was starting to make her nervous. Sara slammed a plastic cup on the counter.
"What," Selena said.
"Why do you keep looking at me?"
"Because I'm trying to figure out how someone who seems to be a nice person can be so cruel to one man."
"Excuse me?" Sara was shocked. "Are you talking about Nottingham?"
"Ian, his name is Ian," Selena said.
"I don't care," Sara retorted. "He's a freak. He and Irons have done nothing but cause me grief for the past two months. He stalks me and talks in cryptic. Hell, I need a translator just to figure out what he's talking about half the time. Plus he told me he loves me then turned himself in for a double homicide. And afterwards he beat the hell out of my partner. I think I have the right to get a little cranky with him."
Selena blink several times before she reached out and slapped Sara across the fast. If Sara hadn't been so shocked she would have slapped her back. Her hand came up to rub her cheek.
"What did you do that for?" Sara replied.
"Only way I could think of to get you to shut up," Selena handed her a wet plate then sighed as she began washing another. "Maybe because I know some about what he went through with the Black Dragons I'm a little more understanding of him. But he just wasn't raised like normal kids. He's not very good around people."
"That's an understatement," Sara said stacking the plate up with the other three after she'd dried it off. "You and he get along well though. What was up with that kiss earlier?"
Selena felt her cheeks turning red. "He just needed some friendly support, that's all.
Ian suddenly burst into the room. Selena turned to look at him. His eyes were full of anger.
"What?" Selena asked.
"I can't believe he would..." Ian started. "I mean you'd think after..."
"Whoa," Sara said. "Hold on. What are you talking about?"
Gabe entered the kitchen. "We were searching some of the dummies when we came across one which Ian says is tied to Vorschlag."
"Irons' is the one who put out the bounty on you, Sara," Ian sighed and slumped in a chair defeated.
"What?" Sara screamed.
Selena turned and looked at her then looked at Ian. Something smelled fishy about this whole thing. Ian and Sara, possibly even Gabriel, we're hiding something from her.
"What does Irons have to do with any of this?" Selena asked. "Other then being Ian's employer."
"Well, you remember when you asked me how I got mixed up with Irons and Ian and I said it was a long story," Sara said. "Well, because of that long story, its strange that Irons would be trying to have me killed now. Well, maybe not so strange."
"Ok, that makes no sense whatsoever," Selena replied.
"There is more," Ian whispered.
"What?" Sara sat in the chair next to him.
Selena moved to the chair on his other side. She reached out and took his hand in her own. "Go on."
"He'll kill me for telling you this," Ian said. "But that hardly matters now. Irons controls the White Bulls."
From the way Sara's eyes went wide and Gabe mouthed the words 'holy crap' Selena knew that the White Bulls were not a good thing whatever they were. "White Bulls?" Selena asked. Then she tried to lighten the mood with a little humor.
"What are they some group of rogue cops that uses the money from drug busts to make their own lives better?" Sara's mouth dropped open. "You're kidding, I was right?"
"Basically," Sara said. "They've tried to kill both me and Gabe."
"And Irons's has their leader wrapped around his little finger," Ian said folding his arms on the table and putting is head on them.