PART ONE
Ian went to his room full of confusion. As he tried to calm himself and meditate, he had the continual feeling that something was amiss, changed, and yet he couldn't place a name or reasoning for it. Finally he gave up and donned his coat to leave. Breathing deeply he gathered his hair and secured it to the base of his neck. His need to find and speak to Sara seemed to override any other desire. Deep inside he knew that she held the answers whether she understood it or not.
He left the mansion and began walking. He didn't pay attention to anything but the perplexing thoughts running through his mind. Images of death, violence and betrayal looped over and over. Pushing his hands deep into his pockets for warmth he continued until he came to the police precinct. There he stood in the shadows waiting for Sara to come out. His wait was short.
"Later Pez." Danny Woo walked out and headed for his car. "Call me and we can go over some things."
"Yeah Danny." She waited till the man got into his car and then waved warmly as he drove off. As she turned toward her motorcycle, Ian noticed that she absently touched the bracelet on her arm. As she neared, he stepped out and blocked her way. She stopped abruptly and looked up into is face. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you." She smiled at first then narrowed her eyes. "I remember you. You were at the museum just before it exploded."
"Yes, we met there." His words were soft as he stared into her eyes, unblinking.
"Were you hurt? Did you get out.."
"I was unharmed." He allowed a soft smile to cross his lips. "May we speak somewhere Detective?"
"Sure, I guess." She shrugged in surprise. "I have an office just inside…"
"There is a coffee shop just around the corner. I am uncomfortable in police stations."
"I'm not sure that would be wise Mr..ahh?"
"Nottingham. Ian Nottingham." He offered. "It's about the bracelet you are not in possession of."
"Well, " Her brows raised in surprise. "I guess I could give you a few minutes. Sure, why not." She smiled and began walking with him across the parking lot. "You're buying right?"
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Irons sat quietly in front of the roaring fire. He knew instinctively that Ian had gone back out in search of Sara. He could feel them both through the scar on his own hand. He himself felt the ripple in time but could not make anything useful or coherent out of the shambled images in his mind. Absently he reached down and stroked the huge dog that lay next to him.
"Take care, Ian." He whispered as he stared into the bright flames. "We don't want to give Sara too much information." He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, waiting.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"So you said you wanted to talk about this." Sara raised her hand and revealed the bracelet.
"Yes." He reached a gloved hand out. "May I?" She placed her hand in his and watched as he turned her wrist one way and then the other, studying the metal and stone. "Remarkable."
"What is remarkable?" She fought the urge to pull away from his gentle grasp.
"It has changed." He finally let her go and leaned back in his chair. "I am not sure how, but it has changed."
"Do you know what it is? Who it belongs too?" She felt questions begin to pour from her mind. "I don't even know how I got it."
"Detective, " he took a deep breath before he spoke, trying to weigh his words. "The bracelet is very special. I know who it previously belonged to and I am sure he would like to see and speak to you." Reaching into his deep pocket he brought out a business card. "Please call him at either number, day or night. He will be most happy to tell you all about this." Ian started to get up to leave. "It is important that you make that call soon. There is much you need to know."
"But…" Before she could stand, Ian had moved outside and into the crowd of people waking the sidewalk. "Mr. Nottingham!" She quickly lost all sign of him. Slowly she looked at the table and eyed the card. With shaky fingers she lifted the card and looked at it. "Kenneth Irons?" The name sounded familiar. Pocketing the paper she glanced at the bracelet once more then headed to her bike.
Ian went to his room full of confusion. As he tried to calm himself and meditate, he had the continual feeling that something was amiss, changed, and yet he couldn't place a name or reasoning for it. Finally he gave up and donned his coat to leave. Breathing deeply he gathered his hair and secured it to the base of his neck. His need to find and speak to Sara seemed to override any other desire. Deep inside he knew that she held the answers whether she understood it or not.
He left the mansion and began walking. He didn't pay attention to anything but the perplexing thoughts running through his mind. Images of death, violence and betrayal looped over and over. Pushing his hands deep into his pockets for warmth he continued until he came to the police precinct. There he stood in the shadows waiting for Sara to come out. His wait was short.
"Later Pez." Danny Woo walked out and headed for his car. "Call me and we can go over some things."
"Yeah Danny." She waited till the man got into his car and then waved warmly as he drove off. As she turned toward her motorcycle, Ian noticed that she absently touched the bracelet on her arm. As she neared, he stepped out and blocked her way. She stopped abruptly and looked up into is face. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you." She smiled at first then narrowed her eyes. "I remember you. You were at the museum just before it exploded."
"Yes, we met there." His words were soft as he stared into her eyes, unblinking.
"Were you hurt? Did you get out.."
"I was unharmed." He allowed a soft smile to cross his lips. "May we speak somewhere Detective?"
"Sure, I guess." She shrugged in surprise. "I have an office just inside…"
"There is a coffee shop just around the corner. I am uncomfortable in police stations."
"I'm not sure that would be wise Mr..ahh?"
"Nottingham. Ian Nottingham." He offered. "It's about the bracelet you are not in possession of."
"Well, " Her brows raised in surprise. "I guess I could give you a few minutes. Sure, why not." She smiled and began walking with him across the parking lot. "You're buying right?"
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Irons sat quietly in front of the roaring fire. He knew instinctively that Ian had gone back out in search of Sara. He could feel them both through the scar on his own hand. He himself felt the ripple in time but could not make anything useful or coherent out of the shambled images in his mind. Absently he reached down and stroked the huge dog that lay next to him.
"Take care, Ian." He whispered as he stared into the bright flames. "We don't want to give Sara too much information." He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, waiting.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"So you said you wanted to talk about this." Sara raised her hand and revealed the bracelet.
"Yes." He reached a gloved hand out. "May I?" She placed her hand in his and watched as he turned her wrist one way and then the other, studying the metal and stone. "Remarkable."
"What is remarkable?" She fought the urge to pull away from his gentle grasp.
"It has changed." He finally let her go and leaned back in his chair. "I am not sure how, but it has changed."
"Do you know what it is? Who it belongs too?" She felt questions begin to pour from her mind. "I don't even know how I got it."
"Detective, " he took a deep breath before he spoke, trying to weigh his words. "The bracelet is very special. I know who it previously belonged to and I am sure he would like to see and speak to you." Reaching into his deep pocket he brought out a business card. "Please call him at either number, day or night. He will be most happy to tell you all about this." Ian started to get up to leave. "It is important that you make that call soon. There is much you need to know."
"But…" Before she could stand, Ian had moved outside and into the crowd of people waking the sidewalk. "Mr. Nottingham!" She quickly lost all sign of him. Slowly she looked at the table and eyed the card. With shaky fingers she lifted the card and looked at it. "Kenneth Irons?" The name sounded familiar. Pocketing the paper she glanced at the bracelet once more then headed to her bike.