"Cat?" a soft voice said, gently nudging her shoulder. Waking with a start, Cat found herself in a strange room for a second before remembering she was in the hotel room the Joes had set up as a temporary HQ.
"Yea...have ye found Shockwave?"
"Not yet." Lady Jaye replied, offering a steaming cup of coffee.
"Thanks." Cat took the offered cup and was silent.
"You love him." it wasn't a question as much as a statement.
"Bloody hell, am I that obvious?"
"You have the look Scarlett used to accuse me of having."
"Towards who might I ask?"
"I believe you called him an arrogant pig in Gaelic."
"Flint! Bloody hell ye can put up with him?"
"He has his moments..." a smile crossed Jaye's face. "But most of the time..."
"He's an arrogant pig?"
"More or less."
"If the Headman is telling the truth about his double.... I dinna know what will happened in Jas."
"He'll be fine. And we might have a lead."
"What kind of lead?"
"I'm not sure, Flint told me we might have a lead to Headman's location."
"Where is the arrogant pig at? We need to find Jas."
"Calm down."
"I am calm
"Bullshit, Cat."
"Really I am calm. I just have a bad feeling about Jas that's all."
"Flint already left to check it out with a security team."
"WHAT?! Why dinna ye wake me?"
"You're not going anywhere, cat."
"Bet it would be different if ye boyfriend was out there," Cat spat out.
"I'm sure it would, but it doesn't matter here." Jaye snapped back.
"If it was ye boyfriend ye'd be out there looking for him, but since its Jas ye won't let me go."
"You're a civilian and your blindness would interfere. I want to help you, Cat, but if you don't shut up and stay put, I'll put your ass on the next bird to Virginia. Got me?" Jaye snarled.
Cat crossed her arms and grumbled loudly in Gaelic.
"I speak Gaelic as well. And you are on the verge of pissing me off."
"Ye dinna understand...I know Jas is in serious trouble...I can't explain it. I'm scared for him."
The intensity in Jaye's green eyes softened. "I understand, Cat. And I've been there. But you have to stay out of the way until we're sure we've found him."
"Ye promise that boyfriend of yours won't double cross me?"
"I'd shoot him myself if he did." Jaye replied, as there was a knock on the door.
"Ye still dinna understand," Cat mumbled under her breath. "Come in," she said in her normal voice.
Hit & Run entered. A nervous look crossed his face as he saw Cat.
"What is it?' Jaye asked.
"The second team Flint sent for has arrived." he replied, keeping his eyes locked on Cat.
"What second team?" Cat asked Lady Jaye.
"From what Flint has seen of the Headman's organization, he knew we didn't have enough men for a full on assault if it became necessary."
"Great are there any more like him?"
Cat mumbled still upset with Flint.
"Is there a problem?" Jaye asked.
"I dinna have a problem."
"Hit & Run?"
"None at all." he replied, never taking his eyes off Cat.
Knowing they were both lying, Jaye resolved to look into it later.
"What are ye looking at boyo?"
"Nothing at all, ma'am."
"Then stop staring!" Cat demanded.
"Yes, ma'am." he nodded once to Jaye and slipped out of the room.
"Do I need to know?" Jaye asked.
"Let's just say his little friend met me boot."
"Ow..."
"Be seated, Mr. Faireborn."
"I don't know what bothers me more. You knowing my name or the fact that I am talking to you." Flint replied as he took the offered seat, a grim look on his face.
"Please, Mr. Faireborn. You'd me amazed what one can purchase. Would you care to order something?"
"I'm fine."
"Please. We may be here for some time." Destro waved a waiter over to the table.
"Veal Parmesan. Two slices of garlic toast."
"To drink?" the waiter asked.
"Guinness."
"Very good. And for you..." the waiter looked at Destro.
"The same. But substitute a glass of the 1944 Merlot for the Guinness." Destro replied, folding the menu and sliding it back across the table. The waiter collected both menu and left the men.
"I've never seen you without your mask." Flint commented.
"It tends to attract unwanted attention in public."
"I assume a steel face would." Flint murmured as the drinks were brought to the table.
"I do not care for your attitude, Mr. Faireborn? The only reason I am here is because of Ms. Hart-Burnett. To you, I owe nothing. State your purpose or leave."
"Touché." Flint leaned back in his seat and sat down his beer. "One of my men was taken by the same group that tried to take out your lady friend."
"And I should be concerned because? My "lady friend" as you put it is perfectly fine. And your missing soldier is hardly an imposition to me." Destro replied, taking a sip of his merlot.
"Because my missing soldier is who allowed your woman to escape."
"Your point?"
"He's being held by the same man who tried to kill her."
"Quickly, Mr. Faireborn. I have another meeting that is far more pressing than one of your missing boy scouts."
"Listen, tin woodsman..." Flint snarled. "The only reason I'm talking to you and not beating the shit out of you is Jaye. I don't buy her belief in you being a noble enemy or any of that shit. Now tell me what you know."
"You are wasting my time." Destro replied, his tone steady and calm. "The Headman's current location is unknown to me. Now leave."
**************************************************************************************
"If you don't stop these idiotic displays of machismo, you're going to kill yourself." Major Belmont muttered as she bandaged Shockwave's fresh wounds.
"I believe the person inflicting the wounds is who will kill me." Shock retorted, wiping a trail of blood away from his eye.
"Smartass..." she snapped back, dabbing the drying blood away from the gash over his right eye. "Why are you so important to them?"
"Not entirely sure..." his reply was interrupted with a wet cough.
"Jesus, you're a mess..." Belmont retrieved a warm rag and wiped the blood off his lips. "You need more attention then I can provide with this equipment."
"I'm sure you'll do our best..." Shockwave replied, using his elbows to support his attempt to sit up. "Any chance of escape?"
"I've tried. No luck. Too many guards and I couldn't get a weapon. No access to communications gear outside the comm room."
"Any idea..." Another series of coughs echoed through the metals walls of the room "...where we are?"
"No. I woke up in my cell. I was unconscious for the flight in."
"Shit..."
************************************************************************
Snow blew outwards from the helipad as the Loach attack chopper set down. Headman waited at the edge of the pad as the engine cut off and the rotors slowed.
"What is he waiting for...?" Headman muttered, his desire to know what Shockwave knew consuming him.
Once the rotors came to a dead stop, the door opened and a man clad in a black overcoat stepped out. A silver briefcase was held in each hand as the wind caught the tails of his coat, whipping them in the wind. A pair of black sunglasses hid his eyes from view.
"I trust your trip was pleas..." Headman started before the man cut him off.
"Small talk is not what brings me here. There is great danger in hiring me, to who you wish information from and to yourself. You would be wise to take me to the man and leave it at that."
"I didn't bring you all this way and pay all that money for some mumbo-jumbo. I want to know why that bastard is after me. Can you find out?" Headman demanded.
"The answers one receives are often not what one desires. Know this before I begin to work my art. In time, your questions will be answered. In my time. Do not ask me again until I am satisfied with what I discover." The man descended the stairs, his coat whipping in the wind behind him.
"That guy didn't say a damn word to me the entire trip, and I'm sure as hell glad he wore those glasses. I think I'd have crashed if we'd made eye contact..." the pilot said as he crossed the pad. "So what was all that gypsy cloaked-in-darkness shit he was spewing? That have anything to do with his name?"
"Don't be fooled by the name." Headman replied, keeping his anger at the man's obvious distain for him in check. "He is a predator, sown to his very being. He cuts to the very soul of a man to get what he want to know."
Stopping to light a cigar, Headman looked down the stairs where the man had disappeared.
"I hope the good doctor got Shockwave stabilized." He said, blowing out a cloud of gray smoke. "We wouldn't want to deprive Crystal Ball of his fun now, would we?"
"Yea...have ye found Shockwave?"
"Not yet." Lady Jaye replied, offering a steaming cup of coffee.
"Thanks." Cat took the offered cup and was silent.
"You love him." it wasn't a question as much as a statement.
"Bloody hell, am I that obvious?"
"You have the look Scarlett used to accuse me of having."
"Towards who might I ask?"
"I believe you called him an arrogant pig in Gaelic."
"Flint! Bloody hell ye can put up with him?"
"He has his moments..." a smile crossed Jaye's face. "But most of the time..."
"He's an arrogant pig?"
"More or less."
"If the Headman is telling the truth about his double.... I dinna know what will happened in Jas."
"He'll be fine. And we might have a lead."
"What kind of lead?"
"I'm not sure, Flint told me we might have a lead to Headman's location."
"Where is the arrogant pig at? We need to find Jas."
"Calm down."
"I am calm
"Bullshit, Cat."
"Really I am calm. I just have a bad feeling about Jas that's all."
"Flint already left to check it out with a security team."
"WHAT?! Why dinna ye wake me?"
"You're not going anywhere, cat."
"Bet it would be different if ye boyfriend was out there," Cat spat out.
"I'm sure it would, but it doesn't matter here." Jaye snapped back.
"If it was ye boyfriend ye'd be out there looking for him, but since its Jas ye won't let me go."
"You're a civilian and your blindness would interfere. I want to help you, Cat, but if you don't shut up and stay put, I'll put your ass on the next bird to Virginia. Got me?" Jaye snarled.
Cat crossed her arms and grumbled loudly in Gaelic.
"I speak Gaelic as well. And you are on the verge of pissing me off."
"Ye dinna understand...I know Jas is in serious trouble...I can't explain it. I'm scared for him."
The intensity in Jaye's green eyes softened. "I understand, Cat. And I've been there. But you have to stay out of the way until we're sure we've found him."
"Ye promise that boyfriend of yours won't double cross me?"
"I'd shoot him myself if he did." Jaye replied, as there was a knock on the door.
"Ye still dinna understand," Cat mumbled under her breath. "Come in," she said in her normal voice.
Hit & Run entered. A nervous look crossed his face as he saw Cat.
"What is it?' Jaye asked.
"The second team Flint sent for has arrived." he replied, keeping his eyes locked on Cat.
"What second team?" Cat asked Lady Jaye.
"From what Flint has seen of the Headman's organization, he knew we didn't have enough men for a full on assault if it became necessary."
"Great are there any more like him?"
Cat mumbled still upset with Flint.
"Is there a problem?" Jaye asked.
"I dinna have a problem."
"Hit & Run?"
"None at all." he replied, never taking his eyes off Cat.
Knowing they were both lying, Jaye resolved to look into it later.
"What are ye looking at boyo?"
"Nothing at all, ma'am."
"Then stop staring!" Cat demanded.
"Yes, ma'am." he nodded once to Jaye and slipped out of the room.
"Do I need to know?" Jaye asked.
"Let's just say his little friend met me boot."
"Ow..."
"Be seated, Mr. Faireborn."
"I don't know what bothers me more. You knowing my name or the fact that I am talking to you." Flint replied as he took the offered seat, a grim look on his face.
"Please, Mr. Faireborn. You'd me amazed what one can purchase. Would you care to order something?"
"I'm fine."
"Please. We may be here for some time." Destro waved a waiter over to the table.
"Veal Parmesan. Two slices of garlic toast."
"To drink?" the waiter asked.
"Guinness."
"Very good. And for you..." the waiter looked at Destro.
"The same. But substitute a glass of the 1944 Merlot for the Guinness." Destro replied, folding the menu and sliding it back across the table. The waiter collected both menu and left the men.
"I've never seen you without your mask." Flint commented.
"It tends to attract unwanted attention in public."
"I assume a steel face would." Flint murmured as the drinks were brought to the table.
"I do not care for your attitude, Mr. Faireborn? The only reason I am here is because of Ms. Hart-Burnett. To you, I owe nothing. State your purpose or leave."
"Touché." Flint leaned back in his seat and sat down his beer. "One of my men was taken by the same group that tried to take out your lady friend."
"And I should be concerned because? My "lady friend" as you put it is perfectly fine. And your missing soldier is hardly an imposition to me." Destro replied, taking a sip of his merlot.
"Because my missing soldier is who allowed your woman to escape."
"Your point?"
"He's being held by the same man who tried to kill her."
"Quickly, Mr. Faireborn. I have another meeting that is far more pressing than one of your missing boy scouts."
"Listen, tin woodsman..." Flint snarled. "The only reason I'm talking to you and not beating the shit out of you is Jaye. I don't buy her belief in you being a noble enemy or any of that shit. Now tell me what you know."
"You are wasting my time." Destro replied, his tone steady and calm. "The Headman's current location is unknown to me. Now leave."
**************************************************************************************
"If you don't stop these idiotic displays of machismo, you're going to kill yourself." Major Belmont muttered as she bandaged Shockwave's fresh wounds.
"I believe the person inflicting the wounds is who will kill me." Shock retorted, wiping a trail of blood away from his eye.
"Smartass..." she snapped back, dabbing the drying blood away from the gash over his right eye. "Why are you so important to them?"
"Not entirely sure..." his reply was interrupted with a wet cough.
"Jesus, you're a mess..." Belmont retrieved a warm rag and wiped the blood off his lips. "You need more attention then I can provide with this equipment."
"I'm sure you'll do our best..." Shockwave replied, using his elbows to support his attempt to sit up. "Any chance of escape?"
"I've tried. No luck. Too many guards and I couldn't get a weapon. No access to communications gear outside the comm room."
"Any idea..." Another series of coughs echoed through the metals walls of the room "...where we are?"
"No. I woke up in my cell. I was unconscious for the flight in."
"Shit..."
************************************************************************
Snow blew outwards from the helipad as the Loach attack chopper set down. Headman waited at the edge of the pad as the engine cut off and the rotors slowed.
"What is he waiting for...?" Headman muttered, his desire to know what Shockwave knew consuming him.
Once the rotors came to a dead stop, the door opened and a man clad in a black overcoat stepped out. A silver briefcase was held in each hand as the wind caught the tails of his coat, whipping them in the wind. A pair of black sunglasses hid his eyes from view.
"I trust your trip was pleas..." Headman started before the man cut him off.
"Small talk is not what brings me here. There is great danger in hiring me, to who you wish information from and to yourself. You would be wise to take me to the man and leave it at that."
"I didn't bring you all this way and pay all that money for some mumbo-jumbo. I want to know why that bastard is after me. Can you find out?" Headman demanded.
"The answers one receives are often not what one desires. Know this before I begin to work my art. In time, your questions will be answered. In my time. Do not ask me again until I am satisfied with what I discover." The man descended the stairs, his coat whipping in the wind behind him.
"That guy didn't say a damn word to me the entire trip, and I'm sure as hell glad he wore those glasses. I think I'd have crashed if we'd made eye contact..." the pilot said as he crossed the pad. "So what was all that gypsy cloaked-in-darkness shit he was spewing? That have anything to do with his name?"
"Don't be fooled by the name." Headman replied, keeping his anger at the man's obvious distain for him in check. "He is a predator, sown to his very being. He cuts to the very soul of a man to get what he want to know."
Stopping to light a cigar, Headman looked down the stairs where the man had disappeared.
"I hope the good doctor got Shockwave stabilized." He said, blowing out a cloud of gray smoke. "We wouldn't want to deprive Crystal Ball of his fun now, would we?"
