(Ok we aren't at the end quite yet. Are you all upset, excited, wondering
what the outcome will be? So am I. Really I don't plan this stuff it just
happens. I didn't know Anthony ..well I'm not going to spoil it. So
please review. I own no one but the villains.)
*-*-*-*-*
Mingmei reached over and pulled the mask off Mr. Hakan. It stretched and distorted as it came away from the face of the person underneath. There before me stood my....not mine, she wasn't mine anymore, Dylan. Once I heard her say "Creepy thin man" I knew it was her. I could see the venom in her eyes. Where Mingmei's eyes were like looking at two pieces of obsidian glass, cold and unfeeling, everything was expressed in Dylan's eyes. Currently her green eyes were wearing deep brown contacts but that didn't stop the anger in her eyes from coming through. The red waves of her hair danced in the momentum of the unmasking. How I longed to wrap my fingers around them and tug; to feel the silken strands between my fingers and against my cheeks. When we were together for that brief moment I never felt the urge but knowing that it was something I now couldn't have my whole body felt the desire to rip a fiery lock from her head.
"So," said Mingmei looking at her. "How does it feel to be dead? You are dead you know because neither you nor your bimbo friend are going to make it out alive."
"I wouldn't count on that," spat Dylan. She moved to attack Mingmei but I stepped in between and held my hand out for her to stop. I was always loyal to my employers; I had to be that is what I was paid for.
"Out of my way, when I'm done with her you are next," said Dylan and spun with kick that should have hit my head but I caught instead. I released her right away as she spun her other foot around and made contact with my head from the other side. It hurt yet I was hesitant to hurt her in return. I don't know why. I had never hesitated before. The blows kept coming and I kept blocking them hoping to wear her out.
"Men," exclaimed Mingmei exasperated. "You," she said looking at me, "never hesitated before no matter who the woman was. Kill her that is what I am paying you for." She said in Chinese to her brother, "Get the crew off the floor, this looks like it might be a long fight." Knowing how the Angel's fought from past experience I was doubtful even Mingmei's "crew" would be enough. Mingmei started for the door and said, "Finish her Anthony. There's a bonus in it for you," and she left my alone to fight, the demon against the angel.
"You Bastard," cried Dylan as she fought me. I still defended rather than went on attack. "You lying..." punch, "piece..." sidekick, "Of shit!" blow to the chest below the stitches after which I doubled over. I never lied to her. I never wrote or did anything that wasn't true unlike her. She let me believe that she cared, that she understood me, talk about lies! More grunts, yells, and screams came from the other side of the door. "Sounds like Alex is here," said Dylan, "she doesn't like Mingmei either but you she really hates." When she finished a new flurry of kicks and punches began and it was pissing me off. She jumped towards me and my fist connected with her cheek leaving a bright red reminder.
*-*-*-*-*
As soon as I said "Creepy Thin Man" I saw recognition in Anthony's eyes. Mingmei then came over and removed my mask and he looked at me like he had scene a ghost, then his eyes narrowed and he was once again the man from Corwin's alley two years ago, a vicious killer, he had lost Anthony and became the Thin Man again. I wondered what had I ever seen in him. I knew it was my own foolishness that had gotten us into another fine mess. Had I hadn't taken him in, if I hadn't believed that kiss was more than it was, I felt so stupid.
"So," said Mingmei looking at her. "How does it feel to be dead? You are dead you know because neither you nor your bimbo friend are going to make it out alive."
"I wouldn't count on that," I said nastily and that is when Anthony stepped between us and held out his hand like a stop sign. I told him to move out of my way but he didn't. So with my heart caught between shattering for what might have been and exploding with rage I kicked, and he caught my foot. I swung up with my other leg and caught him with my other foot on the other side. I kicked and punched giving it my best but he just defended himself never giving and blows in return. Out of breath I heard Mingmei complain about his fighting and telling him to kill me. His eyes remained hard and unyielding, just like Mingmei's. I made another BIG NOTE TO SELF: before dating a guy really look into his eyes. If nothing is there do not date under any circumstances because they are the bad guy. She then said something to Sun-Yu and left the room. It was just the two of us.
That bastard! I attacked and attacked. That lying piece of shit. I punched, side kicked. That kick caught him in the chest and doubled him over. As soon as I did it I realized I must have hurt him, I had hit him where the puncture wound from O'Grady stabbing him would have been. If his eyes could have become any colder Mingmei could have housed penguins in this room. Part of me wanted to go to him tell him I was sorry but that was the silly part of me that still loved him so I shoved her in the back, told her that Anthony was dead and focused on the Thin Man in front of me. Outside there were screams and crashing sounds. "Sounds like Alex is here," I told him, "she doesn't like Mingmei but you she really hates." Then I attacked again and he punched me in the face. I fell to the ground. Somehow I didn't think he would hit me. I suppose he lulled me into a false sense of security when he just defended himself. I sat there on the ground tears welling up in my eyes. I hated when I became like a little girl and that hating just fed into the anger I had for him.
He attacked and I evaded. He pulled the sword out of its cane sheath and looked at me then at it. While he was thinking about whatever I kicked him hard and sent him flying into the row of cabinets behind him. He gaped in pain. "That hurt? Good," I said to him. "You deserve to hurt like you hurt me." A brief look of confusion crossed his face but he attacked again. I had hoped that he would be tired, worn out quickly so I could go help Nat and Alex. Any normal man would be after being stabbed with a sword, falling off an eight story building, breaking an arm, almost dying from an infection, but no three days later this one is up fighting as good as new. I upped my attack, to hell with sympathy, and kicked him as hard as I could into the door, aiming for his chest, then once he was down I kicked his cast. He was panting and his shirt was red with blood.
*-*-*-*-*
"Dylan," I said in a hoarse, raspy voice. I couldn't believe she would have been so aggressive. I had taken pains not to hurt her. I knew now that it was foolish, that I should have killed her like Mingmei wanted. It would have been easy but I couldn't. Regardless of her hating me, regardless that she told Ming that she never wanted to see me again, regardless of how hard I tried to fight it I was in love with the strong, beautiful woman standing above me.
I repeated her name, "Dylan." She looked at me, eyes full of tears and a small trickle of blood ran down her cheek from where my fist hit her face. "Why?" For a moment she looked sympathetic then hardened.
"Why? Because you are a bastard. You deserve life in prison. You should have died when Seamus threw you off that building."
My heart tore open and her words echoed in my ears. Then she said the one thing that made everything else make sense, "You had Mingmei tell me you were dead so you could go work for her." I shook my head and whispered "No."
"No? No what? You shouldn't go to prison?"
I cleared my throat and said, "Ming said you didn't want to see me."
"What do you mean? I wanted to see you," she said kneeling on the rust colored carpet in front of me, "I was there first thing, ok maybe not first thing considering I didn't have any sleep but I came. She told me that you were dead."
I laughed a low laugh, something I rarely ever did. Her eyes widened at that and I reached up and wiped the small trickle of blood off her cheek with the ball of my thumb. "I'm not."
"That bitch," she cried. "''I'm going to kill her."
"No, not yet," I said reaching up and letting my fingers play with her hair. She closed her eyes; I could tell she was bracing herself for the pull. Instead I picked up the cheep sword that wouldn't have killed anyone anyway, and sliced a lock off. She opened her eyes as I stroked the hair against my cheek. Dylan smiled at me and said "I guess that Anthony is still alive and the Thin Man is really dead." She then did the most amazing thing. She leaned over and pressed her lips to mine, her hair gently brushing the sides of my face. I was in a waterfall of Dylan; I had been recalled back up to Heaven. Then she broke away and said, "Anthony, I always want to see you."
We were awoken from our little world of the conference room by a body hitting the door. "How are you feeling," she asked as I stood up. I didn't say anything, just took her hand and gave it a squeeze and opened the door. As we exited, stepping over the Chinese man's unconscious body, I with the inexpensive sword in my hand, we heard Mingmei's voice shout, "Stop!"
*-*-*-*-*
Anthony wasn't dead. He had never been either. That bitch Mingmei had told him that I didn't want to see him and made him think I didn't love him. On top of that she stole the necklace. I WAS going to get that back, one way or the other. Anthony reached up and touched my hair so closed my eyes and got ready for the stinging pain that would accompany the pull but instead I heard a sound like scissors and opened my eyes to Anthony stroking a lock of my hair across his face. I knew I couldn't hate him, I could hate the Thin Man but I couldn't hate Anthony. Smiling I told him that it was the Thin Man was dead and leaned over and kissed him, something we hadn't done since the night on the roof. It would have been perfect if we hadn't been sitting in a conference room with bodies hitting the door.
We both knew we had to go out and finish Mingmei and her operation. Anthony stood shakily re-sheathing the sword and using it as a cane. The red blood flower on his shirt was spreading. It pained me to know that I caused it. I asked how he was feeling and he just gave my hand a small squeeze and opened the door. We had to step over a body to get out the door, but didn't get far before Mingmei shouted, "Stop!"
It was almost funny how everyone in the hall froze exactly how they were with the sound of her voice. Alex was in mid kick her opponent leaning back to avoid it like a professional limbo dancer, Nat ducking a punch that was stuck in mid throw and the thrower fist still out staring at Mingmei, Sun- Yu was trying to get off the floor where he had been thrown, and Minemei herself standing at the far end of the hall near the exit, holding vial in her hand.
"Anthony I thought I told you to kill her. Never mind Ill take care of them. Come here," she said as if calling her lap dog. He gave my hand another squeeze and stood by me. "I love you, Anthony. She could never embrace your dark side plus you don't want to stay here and die a horrible death do you?"
"We know you lied, Mingmei," I said to her my voice penetrating the silence. By now the others had moved and were watching; bad guys and good. "You lied to me and to him. He isn't coming with you."
"Well I see you have gotten soft Anthony. It isn't like you to let a little slut like this one influence you. Well I guess you can die with her. What I have in this vial isn't very nice. I have the cure on me. So even if I am exposed it won't kill me. There is no other cure other than the one I have."
She started to leave. We all just stood looking after her; it was as though she had cast a spell on us. Suddenly there was a movement from beside me and I heard Anthony clear his throat, "Mingmei," he said. She turned and looked at him in disbelief. He squeezed my hand again and walked slowly towards her.
"You spoke" she said surprised. He looked back at me and gave me a small wink; whatever he was doing he wanted me to know that it was a game for her benefit. She started towards him.
*-*-*-*-*
"Mingmei," I said. I couldn't let her leave. As soon as she left she would toss the vial in here and we would all be as good as dead. That wouldn't happen if I could help it. I squeezed Dylan's hand. I could only hope that she understood what I was about to do and could trust me enough to let me do it. I hated jeopardizing the barely bound wounds in our relationship, if that is what it could be called, but it had to be done. As I walked toward Mingmei, I turned pretending to cough and gave Dylan a wink.
"Anthony, you'll come with me wont you? You spoke for me." She threw her arms around me. It made my skin crawl but I returned the embrace.
"Yes, my love," I whispered feeling sick, "But I want to do it."
"You asshole," yelled Alex. "Dylan why didn't you finish him he just keeps betraying us." I turned and looked at them. Dylan looked confused, I couldn't blame her. While she tentatively trusted me she also trusted Alex who seemed to be the level headed one and she knew Alex better than she did me. I then turned and kissed Mingmei, something she had been wanting since Dylan brought me here two days ago. I felt like an energy vampire as I could feel whatever control she had of the situation slip from her to me. I took her hand that had the vial and eased the contained virus from her hand to mine.
"You need to throw it in between them. Make sure they all die. We don't need anyone identifying us later on."
I pressed my lips against her ear and said, "I want proof you have antidote- just in case." She gave me a smirk and reached into the little bit of cleavage she had and pulled out another small vial. I took it from her hand and looked at it. I placed both in my pocket and wound my hand into her hair. She sighed a contented almost orgasmic sigh. I inwardly cringed, it was like sticking my hand in a barrel of snakes, but instead of pulling a lock of hair I ripped the medallion that was given to me by the nuns so many years before off her neck. Mingmei looked at me in shock. "What are you doing?"
I had to work quickly or she may have caught on to my plan. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the vial for the antidote, I could feel the correct one because the corner of the label was slightly frayed. I pulled it from my pocket, wrapped the medallion around it and tossed it. It went right into Dylan's hands. Dylan looked startled but suddenly understood. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the viral vial and smashed it on the floor between Mingmei and myself. I heard my Dylan, cry out, "No!" Then my body hit the floor and Mingmei collapsed right after.
*-*-*-*-*
Mingmei reached over and pulled the mask off Mr. Hakan. It stretched and distorted as it came away from the face of the person underneath. There before me stood my....not mine, she wasn't mine anymore, Dylan. Once I heard her say "Creepy thin man" I knew it was her. I could see the venom in her eyes. Where Mingmei's eyes were like looking at two pieces of obsidian glass, cold and unfeeling, everything was expressed in Dylan's eyes. Currently her green eyes were wearing deep brown contacts but that didn't stop the anger in her eyes from coming through. The red waves of her hair danced in the momentum of the unmasking. How I longed to wrap my fingers around them and tug; to feel the silken strands between my fingers and against my cheeks. When we were together for that brief moment I never felt the urge but knowing that it was something I now couldn't have my whole body felt the desire to rip a fiery lock from her head.
"So," said Mingmei looking at her. "How does it feel to be dead? You are dead you know because neither you nor your bimbo friend are going to make it out alive."
"I wouldn't count on that," spat Dylan. She moved to attack Mingmei but I stepped in between and held my hand out for her to stop. I was always loyal to my employers; I had to be that is what I was paid for.
"Out of my way, when I'm done with her you are next," said Dylan and spun with kick that should have hit my head but I caught instead. I released her right away as she spun her other foot around and made contact with my head from the other side. It hurt yet I was hesitant to hurt her in return. I don't know why. I had never hesitated before. The blows kept coming and I kept blocking them hoping to wear her out.
"Men," exclaimed Mingmei exasperated. "You," she said looking at me, "never hesitated before no matter who the woman was. Kill her that is what I am paying you for." She said in Chinese to her brother, "Get the crew off the floor, this looks like it might be a long fight." Knowing how the Angel's fought from past experience I was doubtful even Mingmei's "crew" would be enough. Mingmei started for the door and said, "Finish her Anthony. There's a bonus in it for you," and she left my alone to fight, the demon against the angel.
"You Bastard," cried Dylan as she fought me. I still defended rather than went on attack. "You lying..." punch, "piece..." sidekick, "Of shit!" blow to the chest below the stitches after which I doubled over. I never lied to her. I never wrote or did anything that wasn't true unlike her. She let me believe that she cared, that she understood me, talk about lies! More grunts, yells, and screams came from the other side of the door. "Sounds like Alex is here," said Dylan, "she doesn't like Mingmei either but you she really hates." When she finished a new flurry of kicks and punches began and it was pissing me off. She jumped towards me and my fist connected with her cheek leaving a bright red reminder.
*-*-*-*-*
As soon as I said "Creepy Thin Man" I saw recognition in Anthony's eyes. Mingmei then came over and removed my mask and he looked at me like he had scene a ghost, then his eyes narrowed and he was once again the man from Corwin's alley two years ago, a vicious killer, he had lost Anthony and became the Thin Man again. I wondered what had I ever seen in him. I knew it was my own foolishness that had gotten us into another fine mess. Had I hadn't taken him in, if I hadn't believed that kiss was more than it was, I felt so stupid.
"So," said Mingmei looking at her. "How does it feel to be dead? You are dead you know because neither you nor your bimbo friend are going to make it out alive."
"I wouldn't count on that," I said nastily and that is when Anthony stepped between us and held out his hand like a stop sign. I told him to move out of my way but he didn't. So with my heart caught between shattering for what might have been and exploding with rage I kicked, and he caught my foot. I swung up with my other leg and caught him with my other foot on the other side. I kicked and punched giving it my best but he just defended himself never giving and blows in return. Out of breath I heard Mingmei complain about his fighting and telling him to kill me. His eyes remained hard and unyielding, just like Mingmei's. I made another BIG NOTE TO SELF: before dating a guy really look into his eyes. If nothing is there do not date under any circumstances because they are the bad guy. She then said something to Sun-Yu and left the room. It was just the two of us.
That bastard! I attacked and attacked. That lying piece of shit. I punched, side kicked. That kick caught him in the chest and doubled him over. As soon as I did it I realized I must have hurt him, I had hit him where the puncture wound from O'Grady stabbing him would have been. If his eyes could have become any colder Mingmei could have housed penguins in this room. Part of me wanted to go to him tell him I was sorry but that was the silly part of me that still loved him so I shoved her in the back, told her that Anthony was dead and focused on the Thin Man in front of me. Outside there were screams and crashing sounds. "Sounds like Alex is here," I told him, "she doesn't like Mingmei but you she really hates." Then I attacked again and he punched me in the face. I fell to the ground. Somehow I didn't think he would hit me. I suppose he lulled me into a false sense of security when he just defended himself. I sat there on the ground tears welling up in my eyes. I hated when I became like a little girl and that hating just fed into the anger I had for him.
He attacked and I evaded. He pulled the sword out of its cane sheath and looked at me then at it. While he was thinking about whatever I kicked him hard and sent him flying into the row of cabinets behind him. He gaped in pain. "That hurt? Good," I said to him. "You deserve to hurt like you hurt me." A brief look of confusion crossed his face but he attacked again. I had hoped that he would be tired, worn out quickly so I could go help Nat and Alex. Any normal man would be after being stabbed with a sword, falling off an eight story building, breaking an arm, almost dying from an infection, but no three days later this one is up fighting as good as new. I upped my attack, to hell with sympathy, and kicked him as hard as I could into the door, aiming for his chest, then once he was down I kicked his cast. He was panting and his shirt was red with blood.
*-*-*-*-*
"Dylan," I said in a hoarse, raspy voice. I couldn't believe she would have been so aggressive. I had taken pains not to hurt her. I knew now that it was foolish, that I should have killed her like Mingmei wanted. It would have been easy but I couldn't. Regardless of her hating me, regardless that she told Ming that she never wanted to see me again, regardless of how hard I tried to fight it I was in love with the strong, beautiful woman standing above me.
I repeated her name, "Dylan." She looked at me, eyes full of tears and a small trickle of blood ran down her cheek from where my fist hit her face. "Why?" For a moment she looked sympathetic then hardened.
"Why? Because you are a bastard. You deserve life in prison. You should have died when Seamus threw you off that building."
My heart tore open and her words echoed in my ears. Then she said the one thing that made everything else make sense, "You had Mingmei tell me you were dead so you could go work for her." I shook my head and whispered "No."
"No? No what? You shouldn't go to prison?"
I cleared my throat and said, "Ming said you didn't want to see me."
"What do you mean? I wanted to see you," she said kneeling on the rust colored carpet in front of me, "I was there first thing, ok maybe not first thing considering I didn't have any sleep but I came. She told me that you were dead."
I laughed a low laugh, something I rarely ever did. Her eyes widened at that and I reached up and wiped the small trickle of blood off her cheek with the ball of my thumb. "I'm not."
"That bitch," she cried. "''I'm going to kill her."
"No, not yet," I said reaching up and letting my fingers play with her hair. She closed her eyes; I could tell she was bracing herself for the pull. Instead I picked up the cheep sword that wouldn't have killed anyone anyway, and sliced a lock off. She opened her eyes as I stroked the hair against my cheek. Dylan smiled at me and said "I guess that Anthony is still alive and the Thin Man is really dead." She then did the most amazing thing. She leaned over and pressed her lips to mine, her hair gently brushing the sides of my face. I was in a waterfall of Dylan; I had been recalled back up to Heaven. Then she broke away and said, "Anthony, I always want to see you."
We were awoken from our little world of the conference room by a body hitting the door. "How are you feeling," she asked as I stood up. I didn't say anything, just took her hand and gave it a squeeze and opened the door. As we exited, stepping over the Chinese man's unconscious body, I with the inexpensive sword in my hand, we heard Mingmei's voice shout, "Stop!"
*-*-*-*-*
Anthony wasn't dead. He had never been either. That bitch Mingmei had told him that I didn't want to see him and made him think I didn't love him. On top of that she stole the necklace. I WAS going to get that back, one way or the other. Anthony reached up and touched my hair so closed my eyes and got ready for the stinging pain that would accompany the pull but instead I heard a sound like scissors and opened my eyes to Anthony stroking a lock of my hair across his face. I knew I couldn't hate him, I could hate the Thin Man but I couldn't hate Anthony. Smiling I told him that it was the Thin Man was dead and leaned over and kissed him, something we hadn't done since the night on the roof. It would have been perfect if we hadn't been sitting in a conference room with bodies hitting the door.
We both knew we had to go out and finish Mingmei and her operation. Anthony stood shakily re-sheathing the sword and using it as a cane. The red blood flower on his shirt was spreading. It pained me to know that I caused it. I asked how he was feeling and he just gave my hand a small squeeze and opened the door. We had to step over a body to get out the door, but didn't get far before Mingmei shouted, "Stop!"
It was almost funny how everyone in the hall froze exactly how they were with the sound of her voice. Alex was in mid kick her opponent leaning back to avoid it like a professional limbo dancer, Nat ducking a punch that was stuck in mid throw and the thrower fist still out staring at Mingmei, Sun- Yu was trying to get off the floor where he had been thrown, and Minemei herself standing at the far end of the hall near the exit, holding vial in her hand.
"Anthony I thought I told you to kill her. Never mind Ill take care of them. Come here," she said as if calling her lap dog. He gave my hand another squeeze and stood by me. "I love you, Anthony. She could never embrace your dark side plus you don't want to stay here and die a horrible death do you?"
"We know you lied, Mingmei," I said to her my voice penetrating the silence. By now the others had moved and were watching; bad guys and good. "You lied to me and to him. He isn't coming with you."
"Well I see you have gotten soft Anthony. It isn't like you to let a little slut like this one influence you. Well I guess you can die with her. What I have in this vial isn't very nice. I have the cure on me. So even if I am exposed it won't kill me. There is no other cure other than the one I have."
She started to leave. We all just stood looking after her; it was as though she had cast a spell on us. Suddenly there was a movement from beside me and I heard Anthony clear his throat, "Mingmei," he said. She turned and looked at him in disbelief. He squeezed my hand again and walked slowly towards her.
"You spoke" she said surprised. He looked back at me and gave me a small wink; whatever he was doing he wanted me to know that it was a game for her benefit. She started towards him.
*-*-*-*-*
"Mingmei," I said. I couldn't let her leave. As soon as she left she would toss the vial in here and we would all be as good as dead. That wouldn't happen if I could help it. I squeezed Dylan's hand. I could only hope that she understood what I was about to do and could trust me enough to let me do it. I hated jeopardizing the barely bound wounds in our relationship, if that is what it could be called, but it had to be done. As I walked toward Mingmei, I turned pretending to cough and gave Dylan a wink.
"Anthony, you'll come with me wont you? You spoke for me." She threw her arms around me. It made my skin crawl but I returned the embrace.
"Yes, my love," I whispered feeling sick, "But I want to do it."
"You asshole," yelled Alex. "Dylan why didn't you finish him he just keeps betraying us." I turned and looked at them. Dylan looked confused, I couldn't blame her. While she tentatively trusted me she also trusted Alex who seemed to be the level headed one and she knew Alex better than she did me. I then turned and kissed Mingmei, something she had been wanting since Dylan brought me here two days ago. I felt like an energy vampire as I could feel whatever control she had of the situation slip from her to me. I took her hand that had the vial and eased the contained virus from her hand to mine.
"You need to throw it in between them. Make sure they all die. We don't need anyone identifying us later on."
I pressed my lips against her ear and said, "I want proof you have antidote- just in case." She gave me a smirk and reached into the little bit of cleavage she had and pulled out another small vial. I took it from her hand and looked at it. I placed both in my pocket and wound my hand into her hair. She sighed a contented almost orgasmic sigh. I inwardly cringed, it was like sticking my hand in a barrel of snakes, but instead of pulling a lock of hair I ripped the medallion that was given to me by the nuns so many years before off her neck. Mingmei looked at me in shock. "What are you doing?"
I had to work quickly or she may have caught on to my plan. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the vial for the antidote, I could feel the correct one because the corner of the label was slightly frayed. I pulled it from my pocket, wrapped the medallion around it and tossed it. It went right into Dylan's hands. Dylan looked startled but suddenly understood. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the viral vial and smashed it on the floor between Mingmei and myself. I heard my Dylan, cry out, "No!" Then my body hit the floor and Mingmei collapsed right after.