The characters belong to Top cow and TNT as do all their toys, accessories and appliances, including the Witchblade.
******************** denotes change of scenery
~denotes a different time frame (Flashback, of sorts)
Tenebrous
chapter 19
****************************************************************
"How's the knee doing, Jake?" Sara asked, a bit concerned over her partner's relatively quiet demeanor. She was contemplating her next move as they headed for the hospital. They needed to contact the station and file a report on the incident. She doubted Dante would be pleased about them fleeing the scene but Sara doubted sticking around would have been a good idea, either. Reluctantly, she picked up the CB radio. She knew the longer she waited, the worse the backlash would be.
"It's pretty-" Jake started to reply, but was cut off as Sara spoke into the device.
"10 -1, this is Pezzini. There's been an explosion in the alley between 66 and 68 Mercer, location of reported homicide. Officer McCartey's injured, I'm taking him to Saint Luke's," Sara reported.
"10 -4," came the immediate reply. There was a pause before the dispatcher confirmed that a unit was being sent to investigate.
Sara glanced at her partner. "I'm sorry. What were you saying?" she asked, as if Jake had interjected instead of simply replying to her query.
"Nothing I can't hand -" Jake tried to reply, but was cut off again, as the CB crackled and Sara made a grab for it.
"Pezzini, there was no report of a homicide on Mercer," the dispatcher relayed.
"Great," Sara muttered before giving an appropriate response. "There was a body, but it probably isn't more than particles now," Sara replied. She wasn't thrilled about the pile of paperwork she'd have to complete to explain this one. "I'll file a report once I get back to the station," she continued. "Right now, I've gotta take care of my partner. Just make sure the other officers are wary, I'm not sure what we're up against." Her last statement was frighteningly true.
"Jake, the call was obviously bogus. Who called you and what phone did you get the call on?" Sara queried.
"My home phone. I didn't recognize the voice but they said they were from dispatch," Jake explained. He hadn't thought to question the validity of the call, as the city tended to rotate its dispatcher frequently.
"I see," Sara replied, frowning. It all fit nicely. She'd been played. The Sufult knew what she did for a living and who her partner was. Furtively checking the rearview mirror for a tail, she wondered what connections the Sufult had and what they planned to do next. The inability to contact Gabriel and Ian escalated her anxiety. Unfortunately, Nottingham hadn't given her his number and she hadn't seen Gabriel's cell phone among his belongings.
She was becoming increasingly apprehensive about an organization of villains she'd never even seen, save the dead one's in Gabriel's flat. That she knew next to nothing about them didn't help matters.
*You picked an awful time to be hunted, Gabriel,* she thought, wishing he were there to give her some clue as to what exactly she was up against. She was glad Nottingham was protecting him, at least.
She hoped the assassin would call her soon.
********************
Gabriel's entire body tensed as he heard the sound of a hand gaining purchase on the latch. Weaponless and pinned in the shallow space, there wasn't much he could do to defend himself. Nevertheless, he wasn't about to be captured by the Sufult without doing his best to make the man's task difficult.
The trap door was lifted abruptly and the figure jumped back just in time to avoid Gabriel's instinctive kick. The young entrepreneur recoiled in response, readying to flee. It was then that he had a chance to register the face of the man. As he beheld Nottingham peering down at him, he sighed in relief despite himself. "Bastard," he muttered. Nottingham gave a pleased smile in response.
The assassin reached down and grabbed the young man's arm, eliciting a hiss of pain from Gabriel as he pulled him out of the furrow.
"You 'would' get shot just to spite me," the assassin complained, noticing the dark stain on the younger man's jacket.
"I think that was meant for you. You could at least thank me for saving you the pain," Gabriel rejoined.
"I am capable of dealing with great amounts of pain," Ian stated dryly.
"Well, then if you have any powers of empathetic extraction, I'd appreciate if you could deal with mine for me," Gabriel suggested. Having said this, he noticed the assassin's sleeve was slashed open and there was a deep gash in his left bicep. "Um, scratch that, looks like you've got your own to deal with," he corrected himself.
Nottingham glanced at his injury and responded," This? It is only a flesh wound."
"So said the knights of Ni," Gabriel muttered.
"Knights of Ni?" Ian queried. "I've never heard of them."
"Never mind, your bleeding like a, ah... You need to have that dressed," Gabriel stated wearily.
"I left my kit at Lady Sara's," Nottingham replied. He was surprised that the young man would show any concern for his well being, especially after his health bar tantrum.
"Lady?" Gabriel prodded, raising an eyebrow.
This earned him a warning look from Nottingham.
"Okay, okay" Gabriel capitulated, holding up his hands. Despite the assassin's volatile nature, he continued to address the topic of Nottingham's wound. "Unless you're inhuman, which you very well may be, you will be in the same impuissant state as I am if you don't get that taken care of," Gabriel insisted, nodding towards the assassin's injury.
Ian appraised the cut and grimaced. "Perhaps you are right, if there are any clean and preferably non-dyed clothes in your backpack, I would appreciate the donation," Ian conceded reluctantly. The assassin was a bit piqued at having to ask favors from the capricious young man he was charged to protect.
Gabriel pulled off his pack and rooted around. "Um, only thing white is boxers," he shrugged.
Ian winced, but held his dignity at bay. "Fine then, are they clean?
Gabriel was insulted, "Of course they're clean. Jeeze, Nottingham!"
"Very well," Ian growled, and snatched Gabriel's boxers. He was not thrilled with the idea of sporting the young man's undergarments. *If Gabriel EVER mentioned to another that he had used... Oh, he would pay!*
Gabriel watched irritably as Nottingham tore apart his linens and did a piss poor job of making a tourniquet out of them. The location of the injury made it impossible for the assassin to hold the cloth properly with his left hand. It was worse than watching someone trying to eat peas with a knife.
"Oh, give me that!" Gabriel scowled finally, and snatched the cloths. He quickly bundled one, placing it on the wound and tying it off with the other. Completing the tourniquet without bothering to ask for Nottingham's permission, he was surprised to see the assassin's beaming and amused face when he'd finished.
"What?" Gabriel asked, confused by the scary man's almost human expression.
"You will make an excellent mother someday," Ian snickered.
"You're such an ass," Gabriel muttered. At the back of his mind he was vaguely aware that his sleep depravation was making him more candid than usual. He was just now realizing he was lucky that he hadn't been punished by the man for calling him names.
"Now you," Nottingham insisted, turning towards the young man.
"Now me, what?" Gabriel asked, backing up nervously. Maybe the assassin was going to punish him after all.
"Your back is covered in blood, the Wielder will be very displeased with me if she finds out I let you be harmed. Let me look at the injury," Ian demanded. He had promised Lady Sara that nothing would happen to her friend and was a bit miffed that he'd unintentionally broken his promise.
"I'm fine," Gabriel argued, taking another step back. He didn't like the idea of the beastly leash, latte and health bar assailant having access to something that already hurt.
Ian ignored Gabriel's protest and decided to handle this in his usual manner. Lunging at Gabriel, he deftly snatched the young man by his jacket and pinned him against one of the barn's support beams.
A muffled expletive escaped Gabriel when Nottingham pulled his shirt up to reveal the laceration. Luckily, the bullet had only grazed the flesh. Although the wound was not deep, it was bleeding freely now that the coagulated blood had been ripped from his skin. *Oh well,* thought Nottingham, *that was bound to happen sooner or later.*
********************
Brother Nolan showed up late to the gas station sortie. Arriving just in time to witness the pack of Sufult vehicles disappearing down the road, he ordered Brother Rason to follow but not give chase. "With the number of them, and the speed they're traveling at, they won't be hard to track on these gravel roads," he explained.
~
After the assassin had fled the Wielder's apartment with the boy, Brother Pedious had ordered Nolan to pack up and wait to be picked up by an agent in a nearby alley. He'd been relieved to break contact with Brother Pedious and hoped the driver would not be Brother Wickel. Brother Wickel's fanaticism would most definitely send them into the next fray and Brother Nolan preferred circumspect machinations to open battles.
He was a bit surprised when a beat-up Nova with 'Mad Max' spray-painted on it's side pulled into the alley. Fortunately, Brother Rason was behind the wheel.
"Mad Max?" Brother Nolan queried as he entered the car. 'Mad Max' didn't fit Rason's personality at all, and Brother Rason was the least likely member to decorate his vehicle.
"Neighborhood vandals," Brother Rason groaned. "I don't know what it means, my name isn't even Max."
Brother Nolan hid his smirk. Although the graffiti made the car conspicuous, at least it was not as suspicious as the black SUVs and sedans the other brothers were so fond of. "So what is our assignment?" Nolan asked.
"The Assassin has stopped at a gas station," Rason replied. "An ambush is being established at the moment. Magistrate Banol would like us to discreetly observe but not join in the attack. Basic spy stuff."
Brother Nolan smiled; glad his superiors had come to their senses regarding the seemingly supernatural abilities of Irons' assassin.
~
Now they were hidden behind a scraggly stand of gnarled trees and wild shrubbery. Brother Rason was aiming a listening device at the barn while Nolan peered through his Bushnells.
The slaughter of his other brothers had been impressive. The assassin had taken out two of the Sect's sharpshooters before Nolan and Rason had even arrived. Though a handful of the Sufult managed to get inside the barn, none had come out. "I knew that man was more dangerous than most," Brother Nolan muttered to himself.
It was time to stop waiting for blind hierarchy to make decisions regarding an opponent they were incapable of understanding. He would deal with the assassin his way.
*
*
*
*******************************************tbc
.
Author's note: I am truly sorry for the wait. The Ian & Gabriel part of this chapter had actually been written over a month ago but has been held up till now due to other issues. I didn't realize I'd left a cliffie until the reviews popped up beginning with "Argh!". Sorry.
I was having difficulties with the Sara/Jake part (She would have a lot on her mind at this point and it was difficult sorting it out and putting it into words). It needed to be in this chapter to keep the times of everything synchronized and also to give you readers a break from the Ian/Gabe deluge that has happened over the past couple chapters.
Fae Rain - I'm thrilled beyond belief that you noted the smiley face coffee mug incident. It is a favorite of mine and no one else seemed to notice it. I'm glad to know someone else has the same sense of humor. :-)
Thank you for the reviews and please keep them coming. They perk me up and remind me to work on this monster.
******************** denotes change of scenery
~denotes a different time frame (Flashback, of sorts)
Tenebrous
chapter 19
****************************************************************
"How's the knee doing, Jake?" Sara asked, a bit concerned over her partner's relatively quiet demeanor. She was contemplating her next move as they headed for the hospital. They needed to contact the station and file a report on the incident. She doubted Dante would be pleased about them fleeing the scene but Sara doubted sticking around would have been a good idea, either. Reluctantly, she picked up the CB radio. She knew the longer she waited, the worse the backlash would be.
"It's pretty-" Jake started to reply, but was cut off as Sara spoke into the device.
"10 -1, this is Pezzini. There's been an explosion in the alley between 66 and 68 Mercer, location of reported homicide. Officer McCartey's injured, I'm taking him to Saint Luke's," Sara reported.
"10 -4," came the immediate reply. There was a pause before the dispatcher confirmed that a unit was being sent to investigate.
Sara glanced at her partner. "I'm sorry. What were you saying?" she asked, as if Jake had interjected instead of simply replying to her query.
"Nothing I can't hand -" Jake tried to reply, but was cut off again, as the CB crackled and Sara made a grab for it.
"Pezzini, there was no report of a homicide on Mercer," the dispatcher relayed.
"Great," Sara muttered before giving an appropriate response. "There was a body, but it probably isn't more than particles now," Sara replied. She wasn't thrilled about the pile of paperwork she'd have to complete to explain this one. "I'll file a report once I get back to the station," she continued. "Right now, I've gotta take care of my partner. Just make sure the other officers are wary, I'm not sure what we're up against." Her last statement was frighteningly true.
"Jake, the call was obviously bogus. Who called you and what phone did you get the call on?" Sara queried.
"My home phone. I didn't recognize the voice but they said they were from dispatch," Jake explained. He hadn't thought to question the validity of the call, as the city tended to rotate its dispatcher frequently.
"I see," Sara replied, frowning. It all fit nicely. She'd been played. The Sufult knew what she did for a living and who her partner was. Furtively checking the rearview mirror for a tail, she wondered what connections the Sufult had and what they planned to do next. The inability to contact Gabriel and Ian escalated her anxiety. Unfortunately, Nottingham hadn't given her his number and she hadn't seen Gabriel's cell phone among his belongings.
She was becoming increasingly apprehensive about an organization of villains she'd never even seen, save the dead one's in Gabriel's flat. That she knew next to nothing about them didn't help matters.
*You picked an awful time to be hunted, Gabriel,* she thought, wishing he were there to give her some clue as to what exactly she was up against. She was glad Nottingham was protecting him, at least.
She hoped the assassin would call her soon.
********************
Gabriel's entire body tensed as he heard the sound of a hand gaining purchase on the latch. Weaponless and pinned in the shallow space, there wasn't much he could do to defend himself. Nevertheless, he wasn't about to be captured by the Sufult without doing his best to make the man's task difficult.
The trap door was lifted abruptly and the figure jumped back just in time to avoid Gabriel's instinctive kick. The young entrepreneur recoiled in response, readying to flee. It was then that he had a chance to register the face of the man. As he beheld Nottingham peering down at him, he sighed in relief despite himself. "Bastard," he muttered. Nottingham gave a pleased smile in response.
The assassin reached down and grabbed the young man's arm, eliciting a hiss of pain from Gabriel as he pulled him out of the furrow.
"You 'would' get shot just to spite me," the assassin complained, noticing the dark stain on the younger man's jacket.
"I think that was meant for you. You could at least thank me for saving you the pain," Gabriel rejoined.
"I am capable of dealing with great amounts of pain," Ian stated dryly.
"Well, then if you have any powers of empathetic extraction, I'd appreciate if you could deal with mine for me," Gabriel suggested. Having said this, he noticed the assassin's sleeve was slashed open and there was a deep gash in his left bicep. "Um, scratch that, looks like you've got your own to deal with," he corrected himself.
Nottingham glanced at his injury and responded," This? It is only a flesh wound."
"So said the knights of Ni," Gabriel muttered.
"Knights of Ni?" Ian queried. "I've never heard of them."
"Never mind, your bleeding like a, ah... You need to have that dressed," Gabriel stated wearily.
"I left my kit at Lady Sara's," Nottingham replied. He was surprised that the young man would show any concern for his well being, especially after his health bar tantrum.
"Lady?" Gabriel prodded, raising an eyebrow.
This earned him a warning look from Nottingham.
"Okay, okay" Gabriel capitulated, holding up his hands. Despite the assassin's volatile nature, he continued to address the topic of Nottingham's wound. "Unless you're inhuman, which you very well may be, you will be in the same impuissant state as I am if you don't get that taken care of," Gabriel insisted, nodding towards the assassin's injury.
Ian appraised the cut and grimaced. "Perhaps you are right, if there are any clean and preferably non-dyed clothes in your backpack, I would appreciate the donation," Ian conceded reluctantly. The assassin was a bit piqued at having to ask favors from the capricious young man he was charged to protect.
Gabriel pulled off his pack and rooted around. "Um, only thing white is boxers," he shrugged.
Ian winced, but held his dignity at bay. "Fine then, are they clean?
Gabriel was insulted, "Of course they're clean. Jeeze, Nottingham!"
"Very well," Ian growled, and snatched Gabriel's boxers. He was not thrilled with the idea of sporting the young man's undergarments. *If Gabriel EVER mentioned to another that he had used... Oh, he would pay!*
Gabriel watched irritably as Nottingham tore apart his linens and did a piss poor job of making a tourniquet out of them. The location of the injury made it impossible for the assassin to hold the cloth properly with his left hand. It was worse than watching someone trying to eat peas with a knife.
"Oh, give me that!" Gabriel scowled finally, and snatched the cloths. He quickly bundled one, placing it on the wound and tying it off with the other. Completing the tourniquet without bothering to ask for Nottingham's permission, he was surprised to see the assassin's beaming and amused face when he'd finished.
"What?" Gabriel asked, confused by the scary man's almost human expression.
"You will make an excellent mother someday," Ian snickered.
"You're such an ass," Gabriel muttered. At the back of his mind he was vaguely aware that his sleep depravation was making him more candid than usual. He was just now realizing he was lucky that he hadn't been punished by the man for calling him names.
"Now you," Nottingham insisted, turning towards the young man.
"Now me, what?" Gabriel asked, backing up nervously. Maybe the assassin was going to punish him after all.
"Your back is covered in blood, the Wielder will be very displeased with me if she finds out I let you be harmed. Let me look at the injury," Ian demanded. He had promised Lady Sara that nothing would happen to her friend and was a bit miffed that he'd unintentionally broken his promise.
"I'm fine," Gabriel argued, taking another step back. He didn't like the idea of the beastly leash, latte and health bar assailant having access to something that already hurt.
Ian ignored Gabriel's protest and decided to handle this in his usual manner. Lunging at Gabriel, he deftly snatched the young man by his jacket and pinned him against one of the barn's support beams.
A muffled expletive escaped Gabriel when Nottingham pulled his shirt up to reveal the laceration. Luckily, the bullet had only grazed the flesh. Although the wound was not deep, it was bleeding freely now that the coagulated blood had been ripped from his skin. *Oh well,* thought Nottingham, *that was bound to happen sooner or later.*
********************
Brother Nolan showed up late to the gas station sortie. Arriving just in time to witness the pack of Sufult vehicles disappearing down the road, he ordered Brother Rason to follow but not give chase. "With the number of them, and the speed they're traveling at, they won't be hard to track on these gravel roads," he explained.
~
After the assassin had fled the Wielder's apartment with the boy, Brother Pedious had ordered Nolan to pack up and wait to be picked up by an agent in a nearby alley. He'd been relieved to break contact with Brother Pedious and hoped the driver would not be Brother Wickel. Brother Wickel's fanaticism would most definitely send them into the next fray and Brother Nolan preferred circumspect machinations to open battles.
He was a bit surprised when a beat-up Nova with 'Mad Max' spray-painted on it's side pulled into the alley. Fortunately, Brother Rason was behind the wheel.
"Mad Max?" Brother Nolan queried as he entered the car. 'Mad Max' didn't fit Rason's personality at all, and Brother Rason was the least likely member to decorate his vehicle.
"Neighborhood vandals," Brother Rason groaned. "I don't know what it means, my name isn't even Max."
Brother Nolan hid his smirk. Although the graffiti made the car conspicuous, at least it was not as suspicious as the black SUVs and sedans the other brothers were so fond of. "So what is our assignment?" Nolan asked.
"The Assassin has stopped at a gas station," Rason replied. "An ambush is being established at the moment. Magistrate Banol would like us to discreetly observe but not join in the attack. Basic spy stuff."
Brother Nolan smiled; glad his superiors had come to their senses regarding the seemingly supernatural abilities of Irons' assassin.
~
Now they were hidden behind a scraggly stand of gnarled trees and wild shrubbery. Brother Rason was aiming a listening device at the barn while Nolan peered through his Bushnells.
The slaughter of his other brothers had been impressive. The assassin had taken out two of the Sect's sharpshooters before Nolan and Rason had even arrived. Though a handful of the Sufult managed to get inside the barn, none had come out. "I knew that man was more dangerous than most," Brother Nolan muttered to himself.
It was time to stop waiting for blind hierarchy to make decisions regarding an opponent they were incapable of understanding. He would deal with the assassin his way.
*
*
*
*******************************************tbc
.
Author's note: I am truly sorry for the wait. The Ian & Gabriel part of this chapter had actually been written over a month ago but has been held up till now due to other issues. I didn't realize I'd left a cliffie until the reviews popped up beginning with "Argh!". Sorry.
I was having difficulties with the Sara/Jake part (She would have a lot on her mind at this point and it was difficult sorting it out and putting it into words). It needed to be in this chapter to keep the times of everything synchronized and also to give you readers a break from the Ian/Gabe deluge that has happened over the past couple chapters.
Fae Rain - I'm thrilled beyond belief that you noted the smiley face coffee mug incident. It is a favorite of mine and no one else seemed to notice it. I'm glad to know someone else has the same sense of humor. :-)
Thank you for the reviews and please keep them coming. They perk me up and remind me to work on this monster.