Chapter 2: Coming to terms

            Bobby was still standing in Darien's apartment when Claire arrived.

            "God Bobby. I feel so bad." Claire said walking over to Bobby. "Do you have any idea what happened?"

            Bobby looked at Claire. 'God, I think she's going to cry.' Then Bobby did the only thing he could think of. He pulled Claire into a friendly hug and kissed the top of her head. "It's going to be alright, Claire. He's going to fine."

            Claire shuddered softly. "I hope you're right Bobby because I couldn't stand it if the last thing I said to him was in anger. Oh God, Bobby." Then Claire began to cry.

                                                                        ***

"Hello. Is anyone there?" Darien asked

"Yes. Hello Mr.Fawkes." Came a calm female voice.

"Do I know you?" he asked.

"Probably not but you should." The voice said becoming angry.

"From where?" he asked quick silvering one of his eyes and checking out his tattoo. Damn. It was three blocks away from being all red. He looked up at her. "Who are you?"

"You should know. You killed my father." She replied.

Darien was still confused then it all came together. The blindness. The professionals. It was really very cunning. 'She's the Chameleon's daughter'. She must have read his _expression.

            "Oh good. You remember. I was wondering if a murderer would remember the murdered."

After a few seconds pause Darien responded, "I remember him."

"So you admit that you murdered him." She said.

"No! I didn't say that!" Darien said angrily.  The woman walked over to him and stopped. She raised her hand up near face level, and turned the ring on her hand to face her palm. Then she slapped him. Blood ran down his cheek from the cut the stone had caused. He swiped it away with the back of his hand, only resulting in smearing the blood across his face.

            "Look." He began.

            "No. Shut-up!" She said cutting him off. "I don't want to hear anymore of your lies."

            Darien fell silent.

            "Now.  Seeing as it was you who killed my father, I think that it's only correct that I kill you." She said.

            "Hey now." Darien began but then he was silenced when she grabbed a gun from the inside of her jacket and held it against his temple. He swallowed hard.

            "Now," She said. He could hear the glee in her voice. "I have you here, and trust me when I say there is no escape." Darien wanted to say something but then he remembered the gun that was being pointed at his head. "I can either shoot you now, or I can take my time and torture you. Since you are the guest, I'll let you decide. How does that sound?" While she asked the question she pushed the gun harder against his head.

            "Fine. That sounds fine." He said. The pressure from the gun was increased as Darien thought. 'She'll probably do the complete opposite of what I say so…' After a few more minutes of debating he opened his mouth to reply and she slide the gun down from his temple slowly over his nose and over his lip and slide it into his mouth resting it on his bottom lip.

"Just think," she said, "How easy it would be if you just let me kill you now?" Then she leaned in and whisper in his ear. "I want you to remember this when you're thinking of escape." Then she pulled back and put the gun back on his temple. "Now what is your answer?"

Darien took a deep breath and tipped his head up. "Shoot me. Go ahead, get it over with."

He knew if he could see her face right then she would have been smiling. Darien felt the gun being removed from his head and the women take a step back the he heard the gun being shot. Darien exhaled all his air as the bullet slammed into his left shoulder knocking him back a step. His right hand automatically moved to stop the bleeding; but without him knowing it the woman had moved back to where she had been before and as he reached for his shoulder she grabbed his hand and twisted it.

"Tsk, tsk." She said. Then she reached and grabbed Darien's shoulder and put pressure where the bullet went in.  'It must have hit bone it didn't come out. Damn it.  

Darien hissed in pain.

"Just think." The women said. "This is just the beginning." Then she let go of his hand and shoulder and left.

Darien faintly heard the door open and the women say.

"You should have picked torture."

Then the door slammed. And Darien fell to the floor in a heap, instantly falling unconscious.