A/N: Just a little note I got the name Rosalie and Ro' from the character in the Zeta Project. I am only using it as Scarlett's cover. This chapter takes place a few days after Scarlett's decision to help Jake.

Chapter Summary: Snake Eyes arrives in New York, but is unable to find Scarlett. He does locate Jake McCartey. Scarlett places a phone call to friend to ask for some help.

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Chapter 3: Vanishing & A Phone Call

Snake Eyes had looked at almost every hotel in the area, but had found no sign of Scarlett anywhere in the city. It was as if she'd never been in New York at all.

He was worried about her, especially after she mentioned attending the funeral of a friend who had been murdered the day before she left. He knew her well enough to know that she was upset even though she tried to hide it. He had wanted to come with her for the funeral so she wouldn't be alone at the time, but he decided not to.

He found the obituary of her friend so he knew which graveyard. Her friend, Daniel Woo, had been a homicide detective in the NYPD. He was killed in the line of the duty. he had gone to the cemetery to see if she was there visiting her friend's grave.

She wasn't there. The only person there was a man with dark blonde hair. He stood at the foot of the grave, talking to the air.

"Well, Danny, Rosalie showed up. She is so beautiful, Danny. Siri assigned her to me. With her help, Sara and I can get your killer." The man said.

*Your friend?* Snake Eyes signed. He wasn't expecting an answer.

"Yeah," the man answered.

*You know sign language?*

"A friend of mine taught me."

*I was hoping you could help me. I am looking for someone who was here for this man's funeral. Her name is Shana.*

"I was here that day. I knew most of the people here but I don't recall any Shana. I think Danny's partner mentioned the name the day of the funeral. Can you describe her?"

*She has long red hair and blue eyes...* He didn't get any farther because the man cut him off.

"Now, I remember. There was a woman with red hair here that day. She was very beautiful. She was standing off to the back, from what I heard from Danny's partner ; she and Danny were close friends. Especially when he was back in the CIA. Danny would go on and on about her to his partner. Supposedly they had been friends for a while now. She seemed pretty upset, I tried to approach her; but she said she wanted to be alone. And that's all I know."

*Thank you.*

"You're welcome." the man said as he watched Snake Eyes walk away. ~Poor guy. I wish I hadn't gotten Shana involved in this. If anything happens to her, I lose my only real evidence all the rest is speculation only. I need her help for now, and I won't let anything happen to her.

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Elsewhere in New York, a cell phone rings loudly. A tall dark haired man dressed all in black answered. He moved quickly and gracefully out of the room so not to disturb his employer.

"Yes?"

"Is this line secure?" came a female voice over the phone.

"Of course." he answered. "Who is this?"

"No man soars too high if he soars with his own wings."

"The fox condemns the trap not himself." he replied.

"If the lion were advised by the fox he too would be cunning." the woman responded.

"Active evil is better..." he began.

"Then passive good." she finished.

"Hey, Shana."

"Hey, Ian. How are things?" she asked.

"Good. I give you my greatest condolences for the loss of Daniel. I know you two were close."

"Thanks," he heard the sadness in her voice.

"Is there something I can do for you, Shana?"

"Yeah, actually. You hear of the White Bulls?"

"Yes."

"I'm helping 'track' them with someone else. Clear your calendar, I might need your help soon."

"Who do you wish me to kill?"

"No one....yet." she answered. "Keep that option open. Right now all we have against them is my testimony; we need more evidence. You up for some surveillance?"

"Yes"

"Good. The name is Bruno Dante; I want to know anything illegal. And I'll met you at my place at midnight to hear your findings. Do me a favor, Ian, for the ones you owe me from your days as a Black Dragon."

"Of course."

"Check on a friend of mine in about three days. He's called Snake Eyes; just tell him that I'm okay. Thanks, Ian, talk to you later."

"Bye, Shana."

`````````````Bruno Dante, Joe Siri and Ian Nottingham are all property of Top Cow and from TNT's Witchblade series. The Black Dragons and the White Bulls also come from the TNT series. The beginning of Scarlett and Ian's phone conversation as well as much of what Ian says in this chapter are lines similar to or lines from the series

Ian met Scarlett in the military while he was in the Black Dragon Unit. She's familiar with their pass phrases.