The usual disclaimers. The story is mine. The characters are not. The characters belong to Top cow and TNT as do all their toys, accessories and appliances, including the Witchblade.
********************denotes change in scenery
Tenebrous
chapter 14
*****************************************
Grappling for something secure to hold onto, Gabriel was more than a little upset. One minute he had been close to disentangling himself from his jacket, the next he's on a motorcycle, clutched in front of the deadly assassin and being blinded by headlights. It wasn't until he regained his sight that he'd realized that they'd narrowly avoided death.
The assassin was barreling down streets and skidding round corners at ridiculous speeds. Hearing tires squeal behind them, he surmised that they were being pursued. He was too caught up in fearing for his life to suss out anything beyond the fact that it was in Nottingham's hands until this crazy chase ended (one way or the other). After dodging a van by careening down a walkway too narrow for cars, Gabriel hoped that moment would arrive soon. He was tired of having his heart jump out of his chest.
As Nottingham maneuvered the bike onto the interstate, Gabriel was able to calm down and began to contemplate where they were going. 'Isolated area' was pretty vague. Before he could judge their destination by freeway markers, his energy wore out. His eyes drifted shut as he concentrated on maintaining his grip on the assassin's coat.
********************
Jake couldn't take it anymore, as soon as they got in the car he blurted the question that was driving him mad; "Okay Pez, what's with the steamy apartment and the two guys?"
Sara, still worrying over her decision, was taken off guard by the outrageous description of the situation. "What are you talking about?" she balked.
"Come ON, Detective, you were there!" Jake retorted. "Don't even TRY to deny it! The door opens, I get hit with a blast of heat and there were definitely two guys standing right there. Now, cop."
Sara rubbed her forehead, trying to think of a reasonable explanation. After a moment she gave up. "It was a screen," she replied. Offering no other explanation, she decided to just let Jake chew on that.
"A screen," the rookie muttered thoughtfully.
As Jake drove towards the crime scene, Sara noticed they were nearing Gabriel's neighborhood. "What's the location on the body?" Sara asked.
"An alley between 66 and 68 Mercer street," Jake replied.
The bracelet suddenly warmed on her wrist. Flashes of a figure entering an alley, Gabriel pinned against the wall. A gun firing, someone falling, a man lying prone, flames.
"Pez? Sara?" Jake prodded, bringing her out of the vision. "What's wrong?"
"Huh? Oh, nothing, I just..." Sara trailed off, hoping he would drop it. He didn't.
"Y'know, Sara, sometimes I worry about you," Jake said, giving Sara what he hoped was a concerned gaze. "You act strangely sometimes...zone out...have strange men at your apartment... You're not on drugs are you?"
"No!" Sara barked. She couldn't believe she had to deal with this crap when people's lives were at stake. "Listen, Jake, although I live for my job, my job isn't my life. It's more than this," she said, gesturing broadly. "I don't have a choice, Jake. Other concerns sometimes outweigh my job. That's life," She finished, feeling she'd completely understated the pressure she felt she was under.
Jake turned his attention back to the road, trying to figure out what Sara had just said.
When they arrived on the site of the homicide, Sara noticed immediately that something was wrong. She, Jake and the body were the only ones present. Where were the other cops? The coroner?
Jake had already gotten out of the car, surprised to be the first one's on the scene. "Wait, Jake!" she yelled. Her bracelet swirled hotly as she followed him. "It could be a trap," Sara insisted, looking around warily. Jake stared back at her as if she were cracked. He was starting to feel like he'd been dropped into a David Lynch film.
"Pez, the guy is dead, I don't thin-
At that moment Danny appeared in front of the alley. His gesture to flee was clear. She grabbed Jake by the wrist and ran.
The deafening roar and heat at her heals identified the threat. Knocked several feet and rolling several more by the force of the blast, Sara's suspicion's had been confirmed. Yup, that was a trap. So much for paranoia.
Sara lay stunned a moment before struggling to her feet. As she started to gather her senses, the gravity of the situation hit her. If Danny hadn't warned her, both she and Jake could be dead. Nottingham had sent her straight into the trap.
She was stunned by the realization of Ian's treachery.
In a wave of horror, Ian's words echoed in her head - "Go, I will take care of Gabriel." Oh god, she'd trusted him, she handed Gabriel right over to him without question. The assassin had tied up her friend, cut his throat, threatened to break his legs and Sara had basically handed Gabriel back to his tormentor. "Oh god, oh no... What have I done?" Sara mourned.
Her betrayal making her feel nauseous, she looked back toward the alley, wishing it weren't true. Danny appeared in front of the wreckage with a wry smile. "Hm, my job isn't my life-good one, I like that."
"Oh Danny..." Sara trailed off, incapable of finding words.
"Having trust issues again?" Danny asked, raising an eyebrow. He swiveled back towards the decimated alley. "I can't say that I blame you, from the appearance of things."
Sara felt tears stinging at the back of her lids. This didn't look good, not good at all. "Nottingham, did...did he..." she stammered, searching for the right words.
"Know?" Danny shook his head. "No one knows everything, Sara," he added before disappearing.
********************
ann- You had a Pinto? Sweet! I knew a very cool guy who drove one and his car somehow weaseled it's way into the story. My first choice of car was a Nova, I think, but I couldn't remember the name of it at the time, so the Pinto got the part. And here I thought it was Brother Nolan that made them seem wussy, as he doesn't seem very enthused. Some characters seem to come with their own personalities, though, so I just went with it.
LaFemmeLurker- Yeah, they do look like they could be related, I had someone make a comment to that effect, but it got edited out.
Roguegal17- Hee! I just loved your comment's on the story, "Me too, Buddy. Me too," Sara managing a soapbox in a car and many other's I can't mention because I've decided to stop posting ridiculously long chapters.
As always I love your insight into the characters, Jake IS asking for it with his 'Dante' trip. I tried to soften it but the muses were being belligerent. They may have something in mind. The conclusion to that scene isn't written yet.
********************denotes change in scenery
Tenebrous
chapter 14
*****************************************
Grappling for something secure to hold onto, Gabriel was more than a little upset. One minute he had been close to disentangling himself from his jacket, the next he's on a motorcycle, clutched in front of the deadly assassin and being blinded by headlights. It wasn't until he regained his sight that he'd realized that they'd narrowly avoided death.
The assassin was barreling down streets and skidding round corners at ridiculous speeds. Hearing tires squeal behind them, he surmised that they were being pursued. He was too caught up in fearing for his life to suss out anything beyond the fact that it was in Nottingham's hands until this crazy chase ended (one way or the other). After dodging a van by careening down a walkway too narrow for cars, Gabriel hoped that moment would arrive soon. He was tired of having his heart jump out of his chest.
As Nottingham maneuvered the bike onto the interstate, Gabriel was able to calm down and began to contemplate where they were going. 'Isolated area' was pretty vague. Before he could judge their destination by freeway markers, his energy wore out. His eyes drifted shut as he concentrated on maintaining his grip on the assassin's coat.
********************
Jake couldn't take it anymore, as soon as they got in the car he blurted the question that was driving him mad; "Okay Pez, what's with the steamy apartment and the two guys?"
Sara, still worrying over her decision, was taken off guard by the outrageous description of the situation. "What are you talking about?" she balked.
"Come ON, Detective, you were there!" Jake retorted. "Don't even TRY to deny it! The door opens, I get hit with a blast of heat and there were definitely two guys standing right there. Now, cop."
Sara rubbed her forehead, trying to think of a reasonable explanation. After a moment she gave up. "It was a screen," she replied. Offering no other explanation, she decided to just let Jake chew on that.
"A screen," the rookie muttered thoughtfully.
As Jake drove towards the crime scene, Sara noticed they were nearing Gabriel's neighborhood. "What's the location on the body?" Sara asked.
"An alley between 66 and 68 Mercer street," Jake replied.
The bracelet suddenly warmed on her wrist. Flashes of a figure entering an alley, Gabriel pinned against the wall. A gun firing, someone falling, a man lying prone, flames.
"Pez? Sara?" Jake prodded, bringing her out of the vision. "What's wrong?"
"Huh? Oh, nothing, I just..." Sara trailed off, hoping he would drop it. He didn't.
"Y'know, Sara, sometimes I worry about you," Jake said, giving Sara what he hoped was a concerned gaze. "You act strangely sometimes...zone out...have strange men at your apartment... You're not on drugs are you?"
"No!" Sara barked. She couldn't believe she had to deal with this crap when people's lives were at stake. "Listen, Jake, although I live for my job, my job isn't my life. It's more than this," she said, gesturing broadly. "I don't have a choice, Jake. Other concerns sometimes outweigh my job. That's life," She finished, feeling she'd completely understated the pressure she felt she was under.
Jake turned his attention back to the road, trying to figure out what Sara had just said.
When they arrived on the site of the homicide, Sara noticed immediately that something was wrong. She, Jake and the body were the only ones present. Where were the other cops? The coroner?
Jake had already gotten out of the car, surprised to be the first one's on the scene. "Wait, Jake!" she yelled. Her bracelet swirled hotly as she followed him. "It could be a trap," Sara insisted, looking around warily. Jake stared back at her as if she were cracked. He was starting to feel like he'd been dropped into a David Lynch film.
"Pez, the guy is dead, I don't thin-
At that moment Danny appeared in front of the alley. His gesture to flee was clear. She grabbed Jake by the wrist and ran.
The deafening roar and heat at her heals identified the threat. Knocked several feet and rolling several more by the force of the blast, Sara's suspicion's had been confirmed. Yup, that was a trap. So much for paranoia.
Sara lay stunned a moment before struggling to her feet. As she started to gather her senses, the gravity of the situation hit her. If Danny hadn't warned her, both she and Jake could be dead. Nottingham had sent her straight into the trap.
She was stunned by the realization of Ian's treachery.
In a wave of horror, Ian's words echoed in her head - "Go, I will take care of Gabriel." Oh god, she'd trusted him, she handed Gabriel right over to him without question. The assassin had tied up her friend, cut his throat, threatened to break his legs and Sara had basically handed Gabriel back to his tormentor. "Oh god, oh no... What have I done?" Sara mourned.
Her betrayal making her feel nauseous, she looked back toward the alley, wishing it weren't true. Danny appeared in front of the wreckage with a wry smile. "Hm, my job isn't my life-good one, I like that."
"Oh Danny..." Sara trailed off, incapable of finding words.
"Having trust issues again?" Danny asked, raising an eyebrow. He swiveled back towards the decimated alley. "I can't say that I blame you, from the appearance of things."
Sara felt tears stinging at the back of her lids. This didn't look good, not good at all. "Nottingham, did...did he..." she stammered, searching for the right words.
"Know?" Danny shook his head. "No one knows everything, Sara," he added before disappearing.
********************
ann- You had a Pinto? Sweet! I knew a very cool guy who drove one and his car somehow weaseled it's way into the story. My first choice of car was a Nova, I think, but I couldn't remember the name of it at the time, so the Pinto got the part. And here I thought it was Brother Nolan that made them seem wussy, as he doesn't seem very enthused. Some characters seem to come with their own personalities, though, so I just went with it.
LaFemmeLurker- Yeah, they do look like they could be related, I had someone make a comment to that effect, but it got edited out.
Roguegal17- Hee! I just loved your comment's on the story, "Me too, Buddy. Me too," Sara managing a soapbox in a car and many other's I can't mention because I've decided to stop posting ridiculously long chapters.
As always I love your insight into the characters, Jake IS asking for it with his 'Dante' trip. I tried to soften it but the muses were being belligerent. They may have something in mind. The conclusion to that scene isn't written yet.