Part 12

Wen Cheng looked at the young man who lay sleeping soundly in the bed...it irritated him that Jade had chosen to bring him here. It further irritated him to know what her plans were for Roy Harper. This man had been a thorn in his side for many years. The Archer represented Jade's only weakness. "The sedative will be wearing off soon. What then Jade? How will you control him until Ly Camm arrives?" he asked, stroking his long grey beard.

Jade smiled and crossed the room to sit on the bed beside the sleeping man. "Ly Cam will be here soon enough. Untill then I have other means of controlling him...He will not attempt to escape, he would not dare risk leaving our daughter behind. she replied, before glancing up at the elderly man. "Now go...leave us be old man, see that things are prepared for Ly Cam's arrival."

Wen Cheng nodded and left the room...there was no reasoning with Jade when she had her mind made up..he hoped Roy Harper would not be her downfall, he had much to lose. He had shaped and trained Jade for many years, helping her to achieve the greatness that was to be her destiny. No!..Roy Harper would not be allowed to destroy that...If Jade's plan did not appear as if it would succeed, then he would destroy once and for all the threat which Harper represented

Jade watched as the old man left the room, the at the sound of a soft moan she turned to look at Roy, reaching out to stroke his hair as the Archer began to awaken.

Roy's head pounded, he knew from the heaviness of his limbs and the fogginess of his brain that he had been drugged. His eyes fluttered open, and he struggled to gain focus as a womans image swam into his field of vision. "Jade!" he croaked, as he struggled to sit up, holding his head in both hands when he was finally able to.

"Hello lover." Jade purred as she watched him struggling to overcome the drug in his system.

"Where's Lian?" he mumbled.

"What? No hello for me?" Jade laughed. "Do not worry about Lian, she is safe..I would never allow any harm to come to her."

"Can I see her?...Please Jade?" Roy asked desperately.

"There will be time for that...There is no hurry, you should take time to recover from the effects of the sedative you were given on the plane first. We can't have our daughter worrying about you now can we?" Jade said as she reached out to run her fingers over Roy's chest.

Roy flinched at her touch and resisted the urge to pull away.

Jade noticed the small action. "There was a time when you craved my touch, a time when you sought it." she said softly.

"That was a long time ago Jade, I was young and stupid and I made mistakes." Roy replied.

"So that's what I was?..A mistake...Do you regret your mistake Roy?"

"No...No of course I don't. If I hadn't met you I wouldn't have Lian. For that reason alone I will never regret what we shared."

"We shared a great love." Jade said.

"No Jade, we didn't...We shared lust, it wasn't love..I know what it is to love someone now, what we had wasn't love."

Jade watched him intensely. "Perhaps you are right...But love or lust, it was what it was...and it has made sure our futures will be forever intertwined." Jade said as she stood up.

"Where are you going?"

"I have things to attend to but I will return soon enough lover. Do not try to escape, there are no windows or exits from this room other than the door, there is a bathroom, again there are no windows.." Jade indicated a door in the room. "You will find a change of clothing there if you wish to shower. As I said do not even think about attempting to escape...Lian is not here at this house and any attempts by you to leave will mean you will never get to see her again." Jade said as she left the room.

Roy watched her leave, he cursed softly and flopped back on the bed, moaning as the sudden movement made his head spin. Jade knew exactly how to control him, and Roy knew better than to even assume she was bluffing. He closed his eyes "Daddy will be with you soon Etai yazi." he whispered.

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Jade watched as Ly Cam mixed the white powder into the juice that was to accompany the meal that had been prepared for Roy. "How long before it begins to take effect?" she asked curios.

"It will begin to work immediately, he will be easily controlled and confused..but the effects on his memory will take some time to reach maximum levels. As it works you can begin altering his thought patterns, training his mind gently in the direction you wish...Be warned that the mind altering effects of the drug can sometimes have undesirable consequences...he may have permanent damage to his mind and there is a possibility of death resulting over time." Ly Cam said as he placed to drink on the tray with the rest of the meal.

"I am not interested in the risk of damage..Only in the possibilities the drug has to offer..I want my daughter with me, and for her to be truly happy would require the presence of her father as well. I have left things to long for her to forget him if I were to simply take her and keep her with me...This method holds much promise." Jade replied as she picked up the tray and left the room.

Roy was sitting on the bed as Jade walked in, she had been gone for what seemed like hours and Roy had waited anxiously for her to return, as she entered the room he stood quickly. "Jade?...Can I see Lian?" he asked instantly.

Jade laughed. "You really do have a one tracked mind don't you?." she placed the tray on the bed side table. "Eat first, than we will arrange a time for you to see her." she said.

"I'm not hungry...I just want to see my daughter." Roy replied, anger beginning to creep into his voice.

"Hungry or not, you will eat...Then and only then will we discuss when you will see our daughter." Jade said, her voice raising to emphasize who was in control.

Roy stared defiantly at her for a moment...He knew he wasn't in a position to argue with the assassin, he sighed and gave in...reaching over to pick up the juice and drink some.

"Now that wasn't so hard was it?." Jade said, watching as he drank the rest of the liquid. "Now eat and I shall return shortly." she said as she left the room.

Roy felt completely powerless, Jade had complete control of the situation, and Roy knew he would be unlikely to find a way to get Lian out safely any time soon, all he could do was play Jade's game and hope an opportunity would arise. He began to eat, feeling some annoyance at the residual effects of the sedative he had been given that seemed to be returning to cloud his mind...He felt nothing but contempt for the woman who was the mother of his child, any feelings he had died long ago...and now Jade had destroyed any last elements of respect he had for her. He would get Lian away from her soon, he had to.

end part 12