Dear god, may I not have royally screwed myself over.
In the journal section of my web page, I mention that I originally wasn't going to have any kind of romantic interaction between the characters. Sexual tension, oh yeah! But I wasn't going to put anybody together. After reading e-mail and reviews, I figured: why the hell not! I did it, partially, to have the room to so little side stories when I finish the main story, and because no one else was doing it.
As for now, use your imagination. Sometimes not seeing is better than viewing.
This is the one of the few major scene for these two characters. That's it. That's all.
I own nothing
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XIV. Triad.
Ian Nottingham had tracked the two teens to a police station. He found it somewhat amusing that it was the same precinct that Sara Pezzini worked out of. The boy, Drew, had gone inside the building. His friend, who was only identified by a letter at this moment, had stayed behind.
He wondered if they knew that he was following them. Drew had known very quickly back at the airport. Perhaps, they were too worried about their friend to notice him.
Nottingham took a step back into the side of the building when Detective Pezzini and her partner nearly ran out of the door. He had a good notion of where they were going. As soon as their car was out of sight, he took up his former position. He had been here long a while. Ian was curious, did she not know he was here?
Maybe he had overestimated them. The door opened and the other walked down he stairs.
"Well?"
"They'll do what they can."
"Should we go to the Japanese embassy?"
"I wouldn't bother. We'll find him faster on our own."
She nodded her head in response, and they began to walk away. He followed them as carefully has he thought was needed. They didn't say anything to each other the entire time. Where were they going? The towering form of the Vorshlage building neared them. Drew stopped and tapped his companion on her arm. She nodded and he turned around. Ian stepped into an alley, and peered out.
Where did the boy go?
There was a sharp pain to his temple, and he was slammed against the brickwork of the building.
He didn't get up.
* * * *
Sara Pezzini had finished questioning Kenneth Irons' about his connection to her case sometime ago. The tables had turned, however. Now he was questioning her. Jake had opted not to get involved. Even when his name came up.
"I must say, Sara. I am disappointed in you."
"I won't lose sleep over it, Mr. Irons."
"You should be here. Learning to use the Witchblade. Having me train you. Not involving yourself with . . . him."
She felt Jake stiffen beside her.
"Mr. Irons, I will decide where I should be and who I should be with."
He looked past her.
"How do you know that she has some misplaced affection for you, Detective McCartey? We all know she if afraid of what the dreams show her. Perhaps she is using you."
Jake didn't say anything.
"I'm not doing that!"
"Are you sure, Sara? Does any body really know. If you had never known what he is, would you have even considered-"
"Yes."
"I don't think s-"
An alarm on his desk went off. His secretary came running in.
"I-I'm sorry, sir. No one could stop them."
"Who?"
In answer to his question, a dark-haired teen walked in. Carrying an unconscious Ian Nottingham over his shoulder. The boy walked up to him and dropped Ian at his feet.
Irons knelt down to see if he had been damaged. There was a nasty looking bruise forming on his temple.
"What did you do to him?"
"Wow. You do give a damn about some one else. Put it in the book: on this day the Grinch's heart grew three sizes."
Jake's eyes widened. It was the kid from the precinct.
"Sara?"
"I see it."
The boy backed away from Irons when he stood up.
"Who are you?"
"It's kind of funny, really. I have all these memories of you. From my predecessor. So I can say that stupid line, uh . . . you don't know me, but I know you."
Irons' raised an eyebrow, he had an idea of is identity.
"How about your name?"
"Which one?"
"Both."
"Drew Newell," He took a small bow. Irons' wasn't amused. "You knew 'me' as James Parke."
"What's happened to him?" Jake finally spoke.
Sara looked up at him. He looked like he already knew the answer to his own question, and it wasn't a good one.
"You know him, Jake?" He didn't reply.
"He was killed . . . about a year and a half ago."
"So, then," Irons' interrupted. "You are, Sirous."
"Uhh, yeah. And since you like to keep tabs on us, you know where Halo is?"
"Haven't a clue."
"There's a first time for everything, isn't there?"
"You are as annoying as Mr. Parke was."
"I make an effort for people like you, Kenny."
Sara watched the squabble with detached interest. Something was bugging her. The Secretary had said 'them' not 'him'. Nottingham still hadn't moved. This kid must have done a number on him.
"Where is your friend, Mr. Newell?"
He turned his head to glance at the door behind him. The person in question walked through. She dropped the security guard that she had by the neck to the floor.
She walked across the floor to stand next to her friend. Sara's stomach tightened. She recognized the girl.
"I-I know you." She stammered.
The girl looked towards her and spoke in a tired voice.
"You must be mistaken. Ms?"
"Detective Pezzini."
"Detective Pezzini. I know him," she motioned to Drew, "I know those two," Irons and Nottingham, " and I know Jake. But I have never met you."
Sara took her hand out her her pocket, and the Witchblade began to glow
and hum. It had never done that before. It felt like it
was . . . happy?
Drew whistled, "I'd be careful with that thing. Put an eye out with it."
"Never mind, Detective. We have met." The girl corrected herself.
"Ahh, Iceani. You seem much better than the last time I saw you."
"Oh yeah!," Drew laughed, "Last time she was here she was one second way from separating your neck from your shoulders. Of course she wasn't in the best frame of mind at the moment. But the part with you: that was a good memory."
"Drew."
"Sorry."
He went and sat on Irons' desk.
"Mr. Irons, I assume that you want something. Or else you wouldn't have bothered to send Ian to keep an eye on us."
"I was simply curious."
"What else?"
He didn't answer. Irons knew better.
"At least you know you can't lie to me."
"The price of being the embodiment of truth, I presume."
"It gets me into trouble. Now, What else?"
Sara didn't take her eyes off the girl. Jake took her hand and pulled her further away from the two of them.
"Are you still obsessed with that stunt I pulled in Germania? That was nearly fifteen hundred years ago." She almost sounded like she was joking around with him.
"Perhaps."
"I'm not what you want me to be, Mr. Irons. None of us are."
"And what would that be."
"The Blade doesn't come from us, it's not mine either. Let me tell you something. My . . . armor had changed since I first had it. In the beginning, there was some jewelry that accompanied it. A whole of four pieces. As a thank you to Pharaoh's wife, for her help, I gave her one of the ornaments off of my wrist guard. It was passed down for centuries, and when the Romans came it went to them. The, uh, 'bracelet' had no use what so ever. It was for aesthetic purposes only. There was nothing special about it. It was just attractive to the eye. Nothing was done to it. It still sits in the Capitoline Museum in Rome. It is still there, I know. I saw it two weeks ago."
"But you-"
"I know. I was there, remember. I just can, okay. I have no idea what the Witchblade's purpose is. I don't really care. It's only another weapon an my disposal, Mr. Irons. And, uh, one day I will make sure that no one uses it, like you have, again. It's just not top priority right now."
"You can't do that."
"Can't I? You don't own it. You may have paid for it, in more ways than one. But you are not the best person to have any sort of control over objects like that."
"And why not?"
"Narcissism isn't always a good thing. Especially for people like you, Mr. Irons."
She looked at Drew and turned around. He slid off the desk and followed her. He stuck his head back in the office.
"Have a nice day." He smiled and left.
Sara watched Kenneth Irons clench and unclench his fists. He was angry. It was time for them to go. She wanted to find that Iceani girl. Irons kneeled back down to try and wake Nottingham. He ignored her.
"Sara, let's go." Jake whispered in her ear.
She let Jake take her hand and lead her out of the office and to the elevator.
"Jake?"
"Hmm?"
"What he said wasn't true. I'm no-"
"I know."
"How?"
"Just do."
"You know those two kids?"
"They are anything but kids. I ran into them in Japan. I was pretty much half way dead, and they went out of their way to help me."
"Those two?"
"Sort of. James Parke is dead now. I didn't meet Iceani until later, sort of."
"Who are they?"
"It'll take a while. I'll tell you later. They won't be a problem, Pez."
"They don't like Irons'. Puts them on my okay list. And I want to find that girl. She was in a dream I had."
Jake nodded his head. The elevator doors opened and they stepped out into the main floor lobby. They were waiting for them.
"Hey, man!"
Sara and Jake walked up to them.
"I'll leave you alone, Melissa." Drew walked out the front doors and motioned for Jake to go with him.
"Can yo-"
"I wish I could tell you something you don't already know, Detective. There are very few authorities on objects like that," a breath of laughter.
"But you must know something. In that dream you knew what you were doing."
"It was instinct. You should follow it, you know. That thing gives you a few more than you were born with. Who knows, it is similar to my armor, but it's not from us. If I ever learn anything, I'll tell you. I'm sorry I can't be of more help to you, Detective. We didn't plan on crashing Irons' office. We're looking for our friend. We don't have time to play with him. Last thing we need is Nottingham following us."
Sara nodded her head. Iceani began to walk towards the revolving doors. Sara followed her outside to where the others were.
"You could warm it up a bit, Drew. It wouldn't hurt."
"What was that, Jake?
"Pez. I was asking him," he pointed to Drew, "If he'd raise the temperature."
"I don't think he can do that, Jake."
"Yes I can," Drew smiled. Sara looked at him like he was out of his mind, "Oh, what did you think my name meant. Think of the cloud."
"Let's go, Drew"
She took his arm and drug him away from them. Sara turned to Jake with a look that meant he had explaining to do.
"What?!"
"The weather, Jake?"
"You wondered why I wasn't too surprised to se the Witchblade, Sara. I've seen weirder."
"Jake . . . "
"It's getting late. We should head out."
She waited for an explanation.
"Sara, I told you. Later."
"Fine. Let's go."
He fell in step behind her.
"Don't be mad at me. I never expected to run into them again."
"I'm not mad. I'm curious."
"No, Pez. You're mad. It's the beginning stages, but you're going to yell at me sometime today."
He unlocked her door and went around to let himself in.
"It's later."
He sighed.
"Yeah. It is."
* * * *
Tomorrow morning was the day.
The little girl would be at the park. He had learned that her name was Mary. Mary was a nice name. He had accidentally told Seiji about Mary and Seiji had gotten very angry. He had nearly torn all of his restraints off before the medicine took effect. He wondered how strong Seiji really was.
He had heard from the white-haired man early this morning. He had found some more people for him to help. So, he had gone and found them. He was looking forward to helping the pretty Indian lady. And there was the meat carver at the little butcher shop. He could really do something with him. He was big and there would be a lot to work with. It was going to be so much fun, but it would be a lot of work too.
Maybe he should write it all down.
No It was to early for that. He needed to watch the new people for a little longer. Right now, he was getting ready to go find the Lady Detective again. It was too bad that her work had no set schedule. He still couldn't figure out when to take her. He wonted both of them. He needed ot get rid of the Partner. Maybe, since they liked each other, if he took one the other would follow. He had felt her earlier, in the big shiny building. The Atlanta girl was there. And another that he didn't know. He was strong, he could see the silver-black of his aura from the ground. It was an odd color.
He walked down the snow covered side walk towards the hotel that the Lady Detective was at. He couldn't watch her, but he didn't need his eyes to see. He ignored the people around him. Said hello when he was told a such. A nod here and there. So many unworthy ones. They had no idea how bad they would have it. But it wasn't their fault. They hadn't been chosen. Not like the other's were. He often wondered if there was a set number of seers. He could plan to help them all, then. But he didn't really know, and it wasn't such a big deal. If he finished is work, it would be a surprise.
Then he could help himself.
When he had sent all of the others on. He though about what the better place was like. It must be pretty. It had to be better than this world. This place had things that amazed him, but it was still so dirty.
Not blessed.
Sometimes he hated it. Sometimes he liked it. All of his things were here, and the seers were here too. They made this world brighter. There was no fighting in the better place. No hating. No bad things there. Not like here. There were too many bad things, too many bad people. It made his skin crawl.
He helped this world out too, by getting rid of the bad people.
He was at the hotel. He sat on a bench and closed his eyes.
The Lady Detective felt like she had been angry, but it was over. Now she was . . . he didn't know the word for it. But she wasn't angry anymore. He didn't understand girls. The Partner was still with her.
They had to be apart sometime.
He walked to the pay phone and dialed the white-haired man's number.
Maybe he would know what to do.
He always knows what to do.
