Ahhh, the review.
Part of the reason I wait so long is to see how many each chapter gets. I started doing this after I hit 40. If you average it out, I'm only getting 5.3 reviews per chapter . . . that's not a whole lot.
It's also why I don't put out more than one chapter at a time anymore. I try to review the stories I read by every chapter. When in doubt, insert smiley here. I would like to get 10 each chapter. Now there are the people I refer to as the Constant Six, they always say something. That leave four more to step up to the plate. And 10 is not a lot, especially when I see how many people read this thing. If every one who read this story reviewed every chapter then . . . well . . . I'd be a happy little camper. Boy is that an understatement.
And while you're at it, if you go to my site (which is in dire need of updating) please sign the guest book. I got my friend david to leave some freaky ramble in there. And some one else finally signed. It made me feel all tingly.
Sorry to sound like a bitch. It's been a long day. And I got nasty emails from people telling me to hurry it up. And that I was stupid for not pressing on with my other story. And no one likes to come home to that, especially after getting soaked in the two thunderstorms we had today and I forgot my umbrella.
I'll stop now.
Remember. 10. Feed the review -a- saurus.
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XXI. The Holly and the Ivy
Kenneth Irons watched the world go by from his office window. Did they know how small they all really were? Going day to day, minute to minute. None of them knew what the real world was like. Ignorant. All of them.
Fools.
If only they knew that their myth made up most of reality. Now that would be interesting. Unfortunately, the public would never believe him. Even with proof. Technology had stolen what little faith that people had in the extra sensory realm.
But he didn't care. He knew what was true and what was pretense. And soon, he would have what he had coveted for over a century. He has partially succeeded with Elizabeth Bronte, and utterly failed with Dominique Bucher. Sara Pezzini, however, would prove to be a complete success.
He smiled to himself.
Dante had informed him this morning of his man's course of action. He guessed it was a good thing that the experiment had gone wrong. No door closes without another opening. Granted, his man had drawn attention to himself. But he got the job done, even if it made a mess. He knew his orders. He would follow.
"Sir, your four o'clock is here." A voice came through his speaker phone.
"Please send him in."
Time to play pretend.
* * * *
It wasn't Mrs. Cole.
Still, it didn't make him feel any better. Detective Jake McCartey circled the corpse of a middle aged Latino woman. She had been strung up along a set of trees behind and apartment building. The only way they knew it was a woman was the fact that her head had been swinging like a pendulum from what looked like a piece of intestine, if he remembered his gross anatomy correctly.
He swallowed the bile that had risen to his throat, and looked away. His partner was speaking with the people that had found the body. Near her, the forensics team was scrambling to keep the site clear of on lookers. McCartey didn't want to be here. He wanted to be back at his place, with Sara. Even if it was his living room floor.
He smirked.
He had put another mental "I hate you" notch on Dante's list. If it weren't for that fact that he had to play nice with the Captain, he'd have punched him by now. Actually, maybe he could get Drew to do it for him. That would probably shatter most of Dante's face, but it would be an improvement.
Something knocked Jake out of his train of thought. He turned around in a circle to try and find the source of the feeling.
They were being watched again.
He undid the safety on his gun and began to walk towards that alley between the buildings.
Nothing.
But he had been here. He could see where he had been sitting. Jake walked into the alley and looked for anything that he might have left behind. Aside from the news papers that were strewn about there didn't seem to be anything.
"Jake!"
"Huh?"
He turned around to come face to face with Sara. He gave her a half smile.
"What are you doing, rookie?"
"Don't give me that." He scolded, "There was some one watching us again. He's gone now."
She nodded her head. She knew who it was too. He leaned down to whisper in her ear.
"Are you going to be alone again tonight?"
She met his eyes and shook her head "no".
"Good. My place or yours?"
"Mine."
A voice by the body called her away from him and she slowly backed out of they alley.
"Oh, McCartey, bring some coffee for tomorrow."
"Coffee? Why?"
"You won't be getting much sleep, that's all."
She turned the corner and left him standing there in the alley way. A smile slowly made its way across his face. He checked his watch. 3:37 PM.
He searched the alley some more. He looked at his watch again.
3:39 PM.
Damn.
* * * *
Two violet eyes shot open.
Seiji did something very alien to him, he grinned like an idiot. That man had completely forgotten about him. Seiji had even told him not to underestimate him. He shook his head.
He looked up at the clock on the wall and smiled. It was a few minutes past five. The "Lady Detective" would be going home soon. It was time to get ready. He shut his eyes and began to focus on the Witchblade. It made her easy to find. There were two good things about this. One: he could help as best he could. It was up to her whether or not she believed him. and two: This would be like a homing beacon to his friends.
Images of the city rushed through his mind. The sound of it reminded him of being in an overcrowded restaurant. Truthfully, and he would never admit this to anyone, even at full strength this made him dizzy. Like that one time Jim Parke had convinced him to get on this thing they had dubbed the "roundy round" at a park in Georgia. It must have been his personality influencing him on that judgment call.
It was fun though.
She was back in the precinct. And there was the ever-present ghost. The spirit knew he was here too. Might as well pass the time.
"May I ask who you are?"
The spirit seemed amused.
"Aww, don't tell me, you can't figure it out. I know who you are. I know what you are, Halo. Has whatever this guy has done to you fucked with your powers that much."
"Whoever gave him the drugs knew what they were dealing with, Mr. . . ."
"Woo. I'm Danny Woo. I was Pezzini's partner."
"And the Blade decided to keep you around, huh? I guess it has it's perks."
Woo nodded his head in agreement. It was weird. Seiji wasn't quite sure how it worked, but the ghost could see him like he could "see" Danny even though he wasn't projecting an image of himself. Maybe he should have paid more attention when he was learning about astral planes.
Too late for that.
"So, you're here to tell Sara what exactly?"
"Everything you're not going to."
"It's not time."
"When is it time? When she's been run through with her own weapon? When her partner, not to mention lover, finds that she's bled to death? Or there's the other road. You know, where he gets McCartey first? In that version they both die. And then He dies when Iceani makes his neck do a 360. Then there's the one where I kill him, but still not in time to save Pezzini. You know how these things work. Possibilities are limitless, but those are the ones that keep repeating themselves."
"I didn't know you were Clairvoyant. I though he had just made a mistake."
"Oh he didn't."
"But still-"
"I know all about timing Detective Woo. You know better. Timing got two of my brother at arms killed. One of them I had been connected to since the day he was born. Occasionally we have to break the rules of reality."
"I know."
"So you'll help me. Let her know that this isn't some vision from the Witchblade. That, this is real. I'd tell McCartey, but he'd try and take care of it himself. I put too much energy into fixing him once to have to do it again."
Danny let out a short breath of laughter.
"I'm in, Seiji."
"Good. Now we just have to wait."
* * * *
What was left of the body was bagged up and taken away in the ambulance. For the umpteenth time, Sara was glad that she wasn't the one who had to clean this mess up. She pulled her jacket in closer to ward off the cold even though she was inside. She didn't understand it. What had happened to this guy, huh? What would make a person do something like this to people?
And why didn't the Witchblade warn her that she was being watched?
It always had before.
She rubbed that large red stone while she waited for Jake to come back.
What if the guy was immune to the Blade? What if it was useless when it came to him? The stone began to vibrate. Almost like a purr, in response to her touching it. A flash if red filled her vision, accompanied by the song she had grown accustomed to hearing with the visions. It grew colder. She looked towards her office, and for a moment, she thought she saw Danny talking with a blonde teenager. The vibrating stopped, the temperature rose, and the song faded away.
What was that supposed to tell her?
"Pezzini."
"Hey, Jumbo. What's up?"
"Coming in for my shift. You?"
"I'll be off in a few. We had another one."
"Same rap?"
"Nothing."
"I'm glad I'm not you."
"Thanks."
"Have a good evening, Pez."
"Same to you."
She looked back to see Jake rounding the corner. She met him half way.
"Well?"
"I put a tail on Mrs. Cole. They're to report in if anything happens."
"Thanks, Jake."
He gave her a smile as his response.
"Let's get out of here. I want to go home."
"We still on?"
"You have to follow me to find out."
She turned around and walked out of the side door. She was out of the parking lot before he made his way out of the building. Sara laughed into her helmet.
She didn't know if he liked to play chase.
* * * *
They had found his last picture. Well, his last picture until he was through with them. He didn't get to stay as long as he had wanted, though. The Partner had sensed him. He was hoping to get closer to the Lady Detective.
He smiled at the old woman across from him on the subway. That reminded him, the Woman with red hair would come after he was done with the Lady Detective. He smiled again. If she thought her weapon would be of any use against him, she was wrong. The white-haired man has assured him no interference form the Police or the Weapon.
He should thank the white-haired man for opening his eyes. If it weren't for him, he would have never been able to find the special one's. The Seers would have never been sent on. That was James' problem. Broody didn't want to help people, but he wasn't one of the few so he had sent Jimmy away. But Xanus had been another story all together. He had managed to hide from him for two years before he was able to send him to the better place.
It was a good thing that they had all been in the same unit. He had been very lucky to be chosen to be with them.
Yes, he would have to thank the white-haired man for everything.
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Remember. 10.
I'm off to Atlanta. Be back on Tuesday.
Go sign my guest book.
