Danger Zone

By Divamercury

Sorry about the delay, but EXAMS ARE OVER NOW!!!! YAY!!! I'M FREE!!!! Sorry, just had to get that out. Anyway, hopefully posts will come more often as I try to wrap this one up. Don't worry, there will be a sequel. This is gonna be a long series! Love you guys, and please review! Thanks to Pixie-Dust for all your help and also thanks to Spin for your friendship and hopefully help yet to come! You two are great!

~DM ;)

Chapter 30

Continuing the tradition of what typically happened when the Witchblade was involved, the lines defining the conscious and subconscious blurred dramatically and I was sucked into a series of visions.

Raven had been correct in her belief that Jackson had some ever-existing role in the Witchblade's plans. He was present in many Wielder's lives as various and sundry characters but had played his most important role in the life of Cleopatra when he sacrificed himself for her as the leader of her guards. The violence of his death in that life snapped back to reality and I looked Jackson in the eye, wondering how a man like that version of him had been could be a cold-blooded killer and also wondering if he had seen what I had.

"What the hell was that?" he asked.

Apparently he had.

"That's a peek into what I see every day," I remarked. "Welcome backSeth."

"What did you see, Sara?" Mac asked.

"I think we should sit down," I said, and the five of us took seats on the living room furniture.

"Jackson's one of us, one of the recurring characters whose life is controlled by the Blade," I said. "He sacrificed himself for Cleopatra. Do you remember why, Jackson?"

He thought a moment, then answered. "I was one of her guards," he began, "and because of this I heard of a plot that some of the guards had created to murder the queen so her brother could claim the throne he thought was rightfully his. The attempt was made at a public address, where it wasn't unusual for Cleopatra to be surrounded by her guards. They came at her with swords and I was faster than the Witchblade. They struck me, killing me instead of her, and then she and another woman quelled the riot."

"The other woman was me," Raven said. "I was Seth's lover Tamara, one of Cleopatra's highest servants, coming from a long line of warriors. I went on a rampage against the guards who had killed Seth and helped clean up the mess." She stopped for a moment. "So I guess this means that I was right, huh?"

"Guess so," I replied.

Raven looked pointedly at Ian. "I can't believe that you doubted me, brother. I suppose that your trust in me was one of many things that Irons was able to steal awayor did you ever trust me to begin with?"

"Of course I trust you! But I did question your motives. It seemed dangerous to let you continue in that fashion. Raven, you could have seriously hurt someone, most importantly the woman you are sworn to protect!"

"Then why didn't you question her motives?" Raven asked, glaring at me.

"She saw Jackson as a threat!"

"He was unarmed!"

"She had no way of knowing that! For all she knew he had entered this place under a false pretext and was planning to kill us!"

"I pity you for your skepticism, since that's all your mistrust had given you. Have you never wondered why you remain in solitude? You doubt everything and never give anything—or anyone—a chance. I'm just sorry we—Sara, the Associates, and I—ever thought we could rely on you." Raven's eyes were clouded with sadness and rage. She stormed away and headed for the stairs.

Ian wanted to go after her but took two steps and stopped. He turned around and looked at me. I met his eyes and I knew that her words had cut him deeply. Raven was like his sister, and he must have been overcome with guilt for what he had done. I moved toward him but he ran for the stairs as well. He needed to be alone. Jackson, Mac, and I all exchanged looks and I sighed. Gabriel, having heard the scene from another part of the room, approached our dejected group.

"Dissention in the ranks," Gabe murmured. "Damn."

* * *

I answered the phone on the first ring, knowing who was on the other line immediately.

"Hello, Yvette."

"Mr. Irons! How did you know it was me?" She seemed extremely surprised that I had anticipated her call.

"I make it my business to know. What is the latest development in your surveillance?"

"The tracer's signal has been coming from one stationary location for ninety minutes now: a privately owned warehouse on the outskirts of town. He's either currently there or he shed the jacket for some reason."

"Excellent. What is your next move?"

"Well, presumably he is with Raven Cole, Sara Pezzini, or perhaps both. Therefore, I just called Parker Grant and he has dispatched a squad over there to clean house."

"Have you assumed thethrone, as it were, of the Speakers dynasty?" I asked.

"In a manner of speaking. Parker and I will share the responsibility."

"Well, I won't get involved in the internal affairs of the organization. You will have to see that that works out well. All I want is your success, that the Wielder and her friends are either killed or brought to me. You can do what you like with the rest of them but I actually would prefer Sara to be alive and kicking when I see her nextso I can kill her myself."

"As you wish, Mr. Irons. Our first plan of action is already underway. I'll keep you updated on the latest news."

"I appreciate that."

"Goodbye, Mr. Irons."

We hung up and I turned to the fire roaring in my fireplace. Soon the Witchblade would be mineand Sara Pezzini would be a distant, faded memory.

* * *

"What was he thinking?" I asked myself as I stood on the roof of the warehouse. "I mean, come on, did he think I hadn't analyzed the situation? That I would actually put the Wielder in danger? Jesus! I'm not that stupid!" I kicked a rock off the edge of the building and watched it plummet to the ground below. "Oooooh, he makes me so mad! Damn it, he loves her! I know it, he knows it, and hell, even she knows it! Yet no one makes a goddamn move! That was probably part of it, that I stopped her from shish-ka-bobbing Jackson by twisting her arm a little. I'll be relieved when those two finally come to terms with their feelings, the strains of romantic music start playing, and everyone lives happily ever after so I don't have to deal with all this emotional crap."

I folded my arms in a defiant stance, then relented a moment later. "I was too hard on himbut he deserved it! I'm telling the truth; he is too skeptical about most things. And he's deliberately not letting himself be happy because for some reason he refuses to even consider the fact that he deserves it. I don't see how the lives of those of us who serve the Witchblade could get any more screwed up."

I glanced off the edge of the building to see a group of about twenty heavily armed men heading straight for the warehouse that I happened to be standing on top of.

"I spoke too soon. These guys could definitely screw us up more than we are already. Guess I'd better do something about it before something else bad happens and I end up getting slapped again."