Chapter 10



"Sara," Ian said leaning over his seat to wake her.

"What?" She asked, still waking up.

"We are about to land. Be prepared."

"We're in Ireland already?"

"Yes."

"Well, I guess the private jet is faster," she muttered.

As soon as the plane touched down, Ian was on his feet and on his way out the door. Sara followed him and looked around in awe at the green countryside.

"We landed right on his property?"

"Yes. We'd better hurry."

They sprinted across the large yard until they came to a stone wall. Sara paused to catch her breath, and Ian waited patiently, not even winded. They vaulted over the wall and ran until the house came into view. They slowed their pace and stopped when they were about twenty yards from the house. "We will go in the back," Ian told her.

They entered the kitchen and saw only an old cook. Ian put his finger in front of his lips, and the old man nodded. They slowly pushed through the door. The dining room was empty. They hurried through it and entered a hallway. Ian pointed to the winding staircase. "I will search up there. You search this floor."

Sara watched him climb the stairs, then pushed ugh another door. She heard the voice before she even stepped into the room. "Hello, Sara."

*******

Ian reached the top of the stairs and looked ways down the hallway, contemplating which way to look first. He started down the hallway to the right and started singing softly. "When Irish eyes are smiling sure it's like a morning spring."

The sound of a baby's cooing met him. As he stepped through the door, a mocking voice sang the next two lines. "In the lilt of Irish laughter, you can hear the angels sing."

Ian stood face to face with a mirror image of himself. "I came here for-"

"The boy." The clone finished for him. "I know why you came. You will not leave successful. In fact, you will not leave." He struck out at Ian, who blocked the blow.

"I will not leave without the boy, and I will leave." He threw the clone away from him.

They exchanged blows, neither managing to land one until the clone feinted a blow to the head and followed through with a kick to Ian's stomach. The blow didn't stop the other man. He rolled away from the clone and drew his sword as he came to his feet. The clone had only his hands as a weapon. He started for Ian and brushed away each of his attacks.

Ian stepped back, appearing to surrender. When the clone started for him one last time, he thrust the sword forward. The clone gasped in pain, then Ian pulled the sword out, and he fell to the floor. His sightless eyes stared up at Ian.

Aidan, who had been crying, quieted when Ian walked over to the cradle. He glanced at the Spanish nanny cowering in the corner. "No tiene miedo. I just want to take el nino back to his madre."

The nanny nodded, her eyes still wide with terror. Ian lifted Aidan out of the crib and carried him out of the room.

*******

Gabriel held Renee in his arms as they watched Amie play with her little sister on the floor. J.J. laid on the floor with them. Renee looked at him, and tears came to her eyes. Gabriel pulled her closer. He hadn't left her side since the day before.

Jason stepped into the room and everyone could tell something was wrong. "Get the kids downstairs," he told the women. "We have a visitor again."

Renee lifted Allanah from the floor and took Amie's hand. Once they were all in the safe room, Darvi closed the door behind them. "Mommy?" Amie questioned.

"What, sweetie?"

"Where Daddy?" The little girl asked.

Meghan sat her cousin in her lap and told her, "He's protecting us from the bad man."

Amie smiled in the dark. "Daddy bwave."

"Yes, he is," Renee whispered.

*******

Gabriel and Jason watched as Mobius approached the house without a worry. Gabriel pulled the trigger on the rifle he held, but the shot went wide. Mobius just laughed as he continued toward the house. A look of horror appeared on both of the men's faces as he kicked the door in.

Jason reacted first, swinging the rifle forward. Mobius caught it in his hand and wrenched it from the smaller man's grip. While their attacker's attention was focused on his friend, Gabriel launched himself at Mobius's legs. The larger man stumbled, but didn't go down. He turned on Gabriel and sent him flying into the wall with a backhanded swing. He dropped to the floor, then struggled to his feet.

The room spun when he tried to take a step, but he knew he had to do it. Mobius grabbed his shirt front and twisted it until it cut off the young man's supply of air. As Gabriel gasped for every bit of air he could get, Mobius pushed him against the wall. Jason ran forward and dug his fingers into the arm that held his friend. Mobius lifted one leg and slammed it into Jason's leg.

When he tried to stand from the floor, Jason's injured leg failed him. He lay there gasping in pain. Gabriel's face slowly turned red. With one last gasp, his body went limp. Mobius let him drop to the floor, and he started down the hallway.

Being able to breathe again, Gabriel took several deep swallows of air then got to his hands and knees. He crawled to where a gun lay. Using it as a sort of crutch, he struggled to his feet. Once his body stopped swaying, he lifted the rifle and shouted, "Stop!"

Mobius turned and grinned. That grin sent chills down Gabriel's spine. "Foolish boy. I promised revenge. You will not be the one to stop me."

"If you take one more step in that direction, I will be."

Mobius just chuckled sinisterly and turned his back on Gabriel. "Stop." When Mobius ignored him, he said it again, "I said stop."

Gabriel closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he jacked a cartridge into the chamber. Opening his eyes, he steadied his aim and tightened his finger on the trigger. He watched as the intruder's body fell forward to the floor when the bullet caught him between the shoulder blades. The gun suddenly felt heavy in Gabriel's hands, and he dropped it.

He started for the room where the women and kids were hiding. As he stepped over the body, a hand reached out and grabbed his ankle. He fell forward and twisted his body to look at Mobius. He was dying, but still fighting to the end. He planned to take at least one other person with him. Gabriel kicked at his face. The blow sent Mobius's head back with a snap. It didn't return to its former position.

Gabriel pulled his foot away from the heavy, limp hand and got to his feet again. He hurried to the room and threw the door open. Renee ran to him. "I was so scared. I heard a shot. I thought you were dead."

"Hey," he said, stroking her hair and trying to quiet her. He brushed away a tear rolling down her cheek. "I'm okay. See. I'm here."

"What about him?"

"He's dead."

Renee laid her head on his shoulder and breathed a sigh of relief. "I can't lose you too."

"You never will."

She didn't look up until they heard limping steps coming toward the room. Jason stepped into the room and caught Dakota in his arms. Her momentum almost knocked him over. He laughed then looked into her eyes. "I made you promise to never leave me. I meant to keep that promise as well."

Darvi smiled at them then looked down at her nephew, who she held in one arm while her daughter was balanced on the other. Her gaze shifted to the seven-year-old sitting on the floor. Amie sat against her legs while she cradled Allanah in her arms. This was quite some 'family' they had, and she was glad it was hers.

Dakota pulled out of Jason's arms, remembering she had seen him limping. "You'd better have your leg looked at."

"It's fine."

"I don't believe you, Jason McBride. Now, you are going to get in the car and let me drive you to the hospital."

He hung his head in surrender and let Dakota lead him out of the room. Gabriel laughed but stopped when a pain shot through his back.

"You're hurt," Renee exclaimed.

"I'm fine."

"You know better than to lie to me. We'd better catch up to them."

Darvi shook her head as they left the room. "Well, Meghan, looks like it's just you, me, and your cousins for a bit." She thought for a moment then said, "Stay here until I come get you."

She laid J.J. and Carina on the floor and left the room. Walking into the kitchen, she picked up the phone and called in the dead body. Fifteen minutes later the police were there. "I can't answer your questions, Danny. Jason and Gabe were the only ones out here. We were in a protected room with the kids."

"Well, where are they?" Sara's partner asked.

"At the hospital. Jason probably fractured his leg and a few of Gabe's ribs are probably at least bruised."

"All right. I will have to question them. Even though I don't want to."

"I know. I'm sure it was self-defense."

"But he was shot in the back."

"He was heading for the room where we were hiding."

"I understand, Darvi. I still have to question them though."

Once the police left and the body was gone, Darvi went back to the room and got the kids.

*******

"Irons?" Sara asked.

"In one form or another," the doctor's body answered.

"You had Gabriel's son kidnapped."

"What harsh accusations, Sara. Would I do such a thing?"

"Yes," Sara hisses through her teeth.

"Sara, you do not understand. I was helping him to his destiny. As I helped his father."

"What the hell are you talking about, Irons?"

"They come from an old line. A young man from that line has always been chosen to serve the blade by providing its wielder with information. I put your friend where he could do this. I will do the same with his son."

"You think you can decide someone's destiny?" Sara demanded. "His mother almost killed herself because of the grief you caused."

"Sara, you do not understand. You need to look at the big picture."

"I don't care about the big picture," she said as the witchblade activated. "Just give my friend's son back."

"You cannot kill me with that. You tried it once."

"Maybe not," she said reaching inside her coat. "But this will work."

He eyed the gun then returned his gaze to Sara. "You will not kill me. Then you will have two deaths on your hands. Mine and the innocent doctor's."

Sara hesitated for an instant, and in that instant, Irons jumped for her. It only took her brain a fraction of a second to react. She pulled the trigger and as the bullet hit Irons, she watched his face shift from that of the doctor's to his own. His body fall limp at her feet.

Ian stepped into the room and she turned around. "I didn't have a choice, Ian. He was going to kill me."

"I know, Sara. He wasn't my father anymore. He changed. He changed too much. I hope I never treat Carina the way he treated me. I promise myself I won't every time I look at her."

"Don't worry, Ian. You will never be like him." She took her phone out of her pocket. "I'd better call them and let them know we got him back."

*******

"Allanah, will you please stop squirming?" Renee asked her daughter as she tried to answer the ringing phone.

Gabriel looked up from the table. "I'll take her."

Renee smiled gratefully at her husband and handed their daughter to him. Then she answered the phone. "Hello?"

'Who is it?' Gabriel mouthed.

'Sara,' Renee returned. "You found him? Thank God. When will you be back? See you tonight. Thank you, Sara."

Renee hung up the phone and turned to Gabriel. "They found him," she said as the thankful tears rolled down her cheeks. "They found him. My baby's gonna be home tonight."

Gabriel stood up from the table and walked over to her. He balanced their daughter in one arm and wrapped the other one around his wife. "Everything's fine. Everything will be all right."

"I love you," she said.

"Me too."

She laughed and rested her head against his shoulder.