*-*-*-*-*
The Chief stood before the full length mirror in his room primping and making sure he looked just right for his guests. As he made sure his eyeliner was perfect one of his entourage approached. The Chief didn't acknowledge the other man's presence. The young man cleared his throat hoping to get the Chief's attention. When that failed he timidly said, "Sir?"
"Yes, yes, what is it?" The Chief tapped his foot impatiently and waited for a reply. The man tried but being nervous he had a hard time saying what he had come for. Finally he managed to spit out, "The assassin is on his way."
"Perfect!" cried the chief as he took off down the hall towards the room where he was keeping Dylan.
She sat leaning against the headboard, her knees pulled up to her chin; starting to doze off from time to time Dylan shook herself awake and glanced at her watch. "The fire should be starting in about ten minutes," she said quietly. The door to her room flew open and she jumped. The Chief danced in and cooed, "Dylan, come now. Come visit me in my throne room." Dylan looked at him skeptically not trusting the man as far she could throw him and knowing how small he was she calculated that it would be pretty far. She gave a small smile thinking how Natalie would have calculated the exact distance that the Chief could be thrown.
When he saw her hesitate, unmoving from the bed he said, "We are about to have some guests, friends of yours actually so come." She still sat there looking at him defiantly. "Do I have to get Christoph to use the taser on you again?" Slowly like a petulant child she stood and walked behind him. He stepped into the doorway he turned to her and said, "Don't think of doing anything rash my dear." As she stepped out into the hall she saw what he meant, he had four men there, three with billy-clubs and one with a taser; Christoph.
The group of six walked slowly down the stairs and Dylan considered pushing the Chief. After seeing the heels he had on it she knew it wouldn't take much to have him fall but unless she could catch Christoph off guard as well making him lose the taser she didn't think that she would make it far. Reaching the bottom of the stairs Kate appeared around the corner. "Katie," said the Chief noticing her presence and then he nodded to one of the other men who grabbed a small plastic grocery bag that was on a small table and handed to her. "Your eggs. Go out the back way and replace them for the fakes."
"My eggs," she whispered. Dylan watched Kate's eyes grow wide as the woman peered into the bag at the four velvet satchels that rested inside. Then Kate scampered off to what Dylan imagined was to the backdoor. She made note of that just incase she needed to get out that way.
"Come" said the Chief again as he led them into his throne room. The room looked the same as it always had except for a large "X" in the middle of the room. "Tie her up." He commanded with a snap of his fingers.
"Wh-what?" asked Dylan as the four large men moved towards her. She stepped back.
"Dylan please, I don't want to have to shock you again. The last time was an accident, Kate was a bit enthusiastic but this time it won't be and Christoph has orders to use the highest setting. Don't make me hurt you."
Dylan looked over at Christoph who leered at her with a smiled that didn't reach is eyes. As she stepped up onto the small platform she reached into her pocket and removed the piece of sharp porcelain shard that she used to remove the insulation on the wires in the bedroom. She held it tight in her fist as two of the men tied her hands and the then her feet.
A loud thud caused all of them to look up. "Well," said the Chief, "It looks like we got her fixed up just in time. It sounds like the rescue party is on their way." He took his place on his throne and waited. "It won't take long and they will come to rescue you my dear, Dylan." Turning to his men he said, "Oh I almost forgot, someone gag her will you?" One of his men produced a strip of white cloth and gagged her with it. "Christoph, in position please." Christoph stood to the left of the X on which Dylan was tied, taser in hand. Just as the door to the throne room opened Dylan's digital watch beeped that it was midnight. She closed her eyes and began to saw away at the ropes with the porcelain hoping that the fire spread quickly.
In the kitchen a new employee of the Chief's was making muffins for his boss's breakfast. The timer chimed and he removed the muffin tins from the oven of the large gas stove. Too bad he didn't notice when he turned it off the gas wasn't completely shut down.
The door to the throne room popped open and Dylan breathed as sigh of relief as she saw Anthony and the angels burst in. "Stop!" yelled the Chief from his place on his gilded chair. The three stopped and looked at the small man. Alex and Natalie looked at each other. He wasn't at all what they had expected. "Anthony welcome. Angels," he nodded to each of them in turn. "I suppose you are here for her."
"Her and the eggs," said Alex calmly.
"The eggs are gone. Being returned to the museum as we speak. Now Anthony is here I don't need them anymore. Do I? What are you dressed in, Anthony?" asked the Chief trying to suppress a giggle. Anthony just gave him an icy stare which was diluted by the normal clothes he had on. "Is that what you wear now she," he looked at Dylan, "has reformed you? Turned you away from your true calling? Are you happy being her lap cat, Anthony? I think you much preferred being a panther. I think that lovely Russian woman; Kate would appreciate your panther-ness as well. It truly is sad to see that within a month Dylan has turned you from the best assassin I have seen to a purring kitten, a purring kitten that she doesn't even trust." Then he turned to Dylan. "Were you scratched?" he said stepping down and touching her hair. She jerked her head away from his painted nails. "Oh yes Seamus O'Grady! He had claws didn't he? Then why keep going for the wild cats?"
Anthony felt anger welling up inside of him. He wasn't sure who it was directed at the Chief or Dylan. Everything the Chief was saying was true, he had been the best, he had given everything up for the red-headed angel and no matter what he did she didn't trust him. "Still", he thought to himself, "She must trust me. "She didn't turn me into the police when she found the egg, or the sword."
Another of the chief's men ran into the room, "Sir, I am sorry but fire detection systems upstairs are going off."
"What?!" bellowed the Chief. He jumped jumping up and down in anger. Approaching Dylan on the X he bellowed, "You! What did you do?" The angels took it as a sign to attack and attack they did. The Chief ran back to his throne and pressed a button ringing for back up. More men in the uniform gold underwear appeared. Dylan managed to get her left hand free and then with a bit of stretching started to untie the knot that bound her right wrist. "I don't think so," hissed a masculine voice in her ear. She felt the taser pressing against her side and turned her head to look into Christoph's eyes. She smiled sweetly and said, "Okay," Then stabbed him in the eye with the shard of china in her hand. The sick popping sound that flooded her ears made her feel nauseous and Christoph howled in agony. He dropped the taser as blood streamed down his face from underneath the hand he held to his eye. Swallowing back the bile rising in her throat Dylan stretched up again and untied her hand and then bent at the waist to do untie her ankle that is when she smelled it. She sniffed again to make sure that it was just smoke that she smelled but it wasn't it was gas.
One of the Chief's men saw that Dylan was untying herself and went to the X to try to stop her. She kicked at him as he tried to grab her foot. It was an unstable situation, if she wasn't careful she would break the ankle that was still restrained. He reached for her again and punched then he hit her with the club in his hand across the midsection. She doubled up, the wind knocked out of her.
Anthony looked up from running his fourth man in gold through the heart and saw another beating Dylan. He ran rapier drawn towards the X in the middle of the room which was quickly filling with smoke. Anthony didn't even thrust at the man who was beating Dylan he just turned and ran into the out stretched sword. With a soft grunt he fell to the floor. Anthony gently removed the rope from Dylan's ankle and helped her down from the X. Brushing her matted hair back from her face he kissed her, "Are you okay?" he asked. She nodded and started to speak but was cut off by the Chief. "Isn't that sweet? You actually speak for her? She does have you whipped doesn't she?" Anthony stepped towards the Chief as he stepped towards Dylan holding a small pistol. The Chief watched as her eyes widened. "Now Anthony, I wouldn't come any closer. Dylan didn't think that she would blow the place up when she started the fire. Did you Dylan?"
Dylan didn't answer. The Chief boomed in a commanding voice. "I am going to make sure no one gets out of here alive if I don't." All the action in the room stopped and Anthony looked at Dylan confused. "Don't you smell it Thin Man? Dylan does, she is like a little mine canary. Aren't you Dylan?"
"Gas," said Natalie from her position across the room.
"Oooh observant. It will go up from the fire anyway but I can ignite it now with one bullet. You see the kitchen, is right over there. I'll give everyone twenty seconds to get to the front door before I lock it down. I will not go to jail Angels." He grabbed Dylan's arm and pulled her towards him.
"Give us Dylan," said Alex.
"You don't understand. She is mine." Then the Chief started counting. "Twenty.nineteen.eighteen.seventeen."
"Go," called Dylan. "I'll be alright." They stood there not moving. "Now!" she yelled. The angels looked at each other and started for the door praying that whatever Dylan was planning would work.
"Come on Anthony," yelled Alex. He stood torn between going with the Angels and staying with Dylan. "Go," Dylan mouthed. Reluctantly he turned away from his angel and followed them out.
"So my little Dylan it's just you and me. This will be better than I expected. Not only will Anthony be crushed that you are dead but that he abandoned you to me. And your friends? Well what kind of friends would leave you behind in the clutches of a mad man? I know what you think of me. I'm not deaf. Three.two.one." And he pressed the button on the armrest of his throne locking the house down letting no one in or out.
"What now?" asked Dylan.
"We die my dear. I will at last be with my darling Jorge and you will be in Hell where you belong you little whore!" he yelled firing the gun towards the kitchen. Dylan broke out of his grip ran across the room towards the door as an explosion filled the air blowing her into the stone fireplace that dominated the outside wall.
*-*-*-*-*-*
As they ran through the hall following the stream of men in gold Natalie asked, "Do you think she knows what she is doing?"
"I think so, she can take care of herself," said Alex. Anthony on the other hand wasn't so sure. They didn't know the Chief like he did and he didn't trust the man but he did have faith in Dylan. As they ran out the door Anthony as the last person out heard the click in the lock behind him as the door swung automatically shut. They kept running until a blast blew them into the air depositing them on the damp manicured lawn. "Dylan!" yelled both angels in sync.
Tears started flowing down Natalie's face. "There isn't anyway she could have gotten out," she said softly looking at the fireball that was once a grand mansion. Alex wrapped her arms around the other remaining angel. She tried to think of how she would tell Charlie and Bosley knowing that Natalie wouldn't be in any condition to do so. Then she looked at Anthony his profile was streaked with soot and sweat and he looked lost. She reached out and touched his shoulder causing him to jump. He turned his head to look at her that is when she saw the tears in his eyes. She had never seen him emotional before, at least not an emotion that wasn't anger. "Anthony?" she said as he shrugged her hand off his shoulder and watched the house smolder against the black night sky as sirens raged down the street.
The firefighters confirmed what they suspected, that no one could have survived that blaze. After they gave their statement to the police Alex headed to the agency to tell Bosley and Natalie took Anthony to get his car which had been left in the café parking lot. "Are you alright," he asked her reaching out to touch her arm. She had always been kind to him he felt he should return the favor, it was something Dylan would have wanted him to do.
"I should be once I'm home curled up with Pete and Spike," she answered not taking her eyes off the road. "Actually I should be asking you. Are you going to be alright?" He surprised her by giving a hollow laugh. Then he said, "My parents died in a fire, now Dylan," and turned to look out the window. They rode the rest of the way in silence except for the music coming from the radio. She just didn't know what to say in response.
They pulled into the café parking lot and Anthony got out of the car. He looked down as he pulled the keys from his pants pocket; his shirt was torn and dirty as were the pants. As if reading his mind Natalie smiled and said, "Don't worry about it. Pete can always use a new pair and Jason has so many clothes he probably won't even miss the shirt." He nodded and climbed into the black z-4 then they parted ways driving off in opposite directions.
The Chief stood before the full length mirror in his room primping and making sure he looked just right for his guests. As he made sure his eyeliner was perfect one of his entourage approached. The Chief didn't acknowledge the other man's presence. The young man cleared his throat hoping to get the Chief's attention. When that failed he timidly said, "Sir?"
"Yes, yes, what is it?" The Chief tapped his foot impatiently and waited for a reply. The man tried but being nervous he had a hard time saying what he had come for. Finally he managed to spit out, "The assassin is on his way."
"Perfect!" cried the chief as he took off down the hall towards the room where he was keeping Dylan.
She sat leaning against the headboard, her knees pulled up to her chin; starting to doze off from time to time Dylan shook herself awake and glanced at her watch. "The fire should be starting in about ten minutes," she said quietly. The door to her room flew open and she jumped. The Chief danced in and cooed, "Dylan, come now. Come visit me in my throne room." Dylan looked at him skeptically not trusting the man as far she could throw him and knowing how small he was she calculated that it would be pretty far. She gave a small smile thinking how Natalie would have calculated the exact distance that the Chief could be thrown.
When he saw her hesitate, unmoving from the bed he said, "We are about to have some guests, friends of yours actually so come." She still sat there looking at him defiantly. "Do I have to get Christoph to use the taser on you again?" Slowly like a petulant child she stood and walked behind him. He stepped into the doorway he turned to her and said, "Don't think of doing anything rash my dear." As she stepped out into the hall she saw what he meant, he had four men there, three with billy-clubs and one with a taser; Christoph.
The group of six walked slowly down the stairs and Dylan considered pushing the Chief. After seeing the heels he had on it she knew it wouldn't take much to have him fall but unless she could catch Christoph off guard as well making him lose the taser she didn't think that she would make it far. Reaching the bottom of the stairs Kate appeared around the corner. "Katie," said the Chief noticing her presence and then he nodded to one of the other men who grabbed a small plastic grocery bag that was on a small table and handed to her. "Your eggs. Go out the back way and replace them for the fakes."
"My eggs," she whispered. Dylan watched Kate's eyes grow wide as the woman peered into the bag at the four velvet satchels that rested inside. Then Kate scampered off to what Dylan imagined was to the backdoor. She made note of that just incase she needed to get out that way.
"Come" said the Chief again as he led them into his throne room. The room looked the same as it always had except for a large "X" in the middle of the room. "Tie her up." He commanded with a snap of his fingers.
"Wh-what?" asked Dylan as the four large men moved towards her. She stepped back.
"Dylan please, I don't want to have to shock you again. The last time was an accident, Kate was a bit enthusiastic but this time it won't be and Christoph has orders to use the highest setting. Don't make me hurt you."
Dylan looked over at Christoph who leered at her with a smiled that didn't reach is eyes. As she stepped up onto the small platform she reached into her pocket and removed the piece of sharp porcelain shard that she used to remove the insulation on the wires in the bedroom. She held it tight in her fist as two of the men tied her hands and the then her feet.
A loud thud caused all of them to look up. "Well," said the Chief, "It looks like we got her fixed up just in time. It sounds like the rescue party is on their way." He took his place on his throne and waited. "It won't take long and they will come to rescue you my dear, Dylan." Turning to his men he said, "Oh I almost forgot, someone gag her will you?" One of his men produced a strip of white cloth and gagged her with it. "Christoph, in position please." Christoph stood to the left of the X on which Dylan was tied, taser in hand. Just as the door to the throne room opened Dylan's digital watch beeped that it was midnight. She closed her eyes and began to saw away at the ropes with the porcelain hoping that the fire spread quickly.
In the kitchen a new employee of the Chief's was making muffins for his boss's breakfast. The timer chimed and he removed the muffin tins from the oven of the large gas stove. Too bad he didn't notice when he turned it off the gas wasn't completely shut down.
The door to the throne room popped open and Dylan breathed as sigh of relief as she saw Anthony and the angels burst in. "Stop!" yelled the Chief from his place on his gilded chair. The three stopped and looked at the small man. Alex and Natalie looked at each other. He wasn't at all what they had expected. "Anthony welcome. Angels," he nodded to each of them in turn. "I suppose you are here for her."
"Her and the eggs," said Alex calmly.
"The eggs are gone. Being returned to the museum as we speak. Now Anthony is here I don't need them anymore. Do I? What are you dressed in, Anthony?" asked the Chief trying to suppress a giggle. Anthony just gave him an icy stare which was diluted by the normal clothes he had on. "Is that what you wear now she," he looked at Dylan, "has reformed you? Turned you away from your true calling? Are you happy being her lap cat, Anthony? I think you much preferred being a panther. I think that lovely Russian woman; Kate would appreciate your panther-ness as well. It truly is sad to see that within a month Dylan has turned you from the best assassin I have seen to a purring kitten, a purring kitten that she doesn't even trust." Then he turned to Dylan. "Were you scratched?" he said stepping down and touching her hair. She jerked her head away from his painted nails. "Oh yes Seamus O'Grady! He had claws didn't he? Then why keep going for the wild cats?"
Anthony felt anger welling up inside of him. He wasn't sure who it was directed at the Chief or Dylan. Everything the Chief was saying was true, he had been the best, he had given everything up for the red-headed angel and no matter what he did she didn't trust him. "Still", he thought to himself, "She must trust me. "She didn't turn me into the police when she found the egg, or the sword."
Another of the chief's men ran into the room, "Sir, I am sorry but fire detection systems upstairs are going off."
"What?!" bellowed the Chief. He jumped jumping up and down in anger. Approaching Dylan on the X he bellowed, "You! What did you do?" The angels took it as a sign to attack and attack they did. The Chief ran back to his throne and pressed a button ringing for back up. More men in the uniform gold underwear appeared. Dylan managed to get her left hand free and then with a bit of stretching started to untie the knot that bound her right wrist. "I don't think so," hissed a masculine voice in her ear. She felt the taser pressing against her side and turned her head to look into Christoph's eyes. She smiled sweetly and said, "Okay," Then stabbed him in the eye with the shard of china in her hand. The sick popping sound that flooded her ears made her feel nauseous and Christoph howled in agony. He dropped the taser as blood streamed down his face from underneath the hand he held to his eye. Swallowing back the bile rising in her throat Dylan stretched up again and untied her hand and then bent at the waist to do untie her ankle that is when she smelled it. She sniffed again to make sure that it was just smoke that she smelled but it wasn't it was gas.
One of the Chief's men saw that Dylan was untying herself and went to the X to try to stop her. She kicked at him as he tried to grab her foot. It was an unstable situation, if she wasn't careful she would break the ankle that was still restrained. He reached for her again and punched then he hit her with the club in his hand across the midsection. She doubled up, the wind knocked out of her.
Anthony looked up from running his fourth man in gold through the heart and saw another beating Dylan. He ran rapier drawn towards the X in the middle of the room which was quickly filling with smoke. Anthony didn't even thrust at the man who was beating Dylan he just turned and ran into the out stretched sword. With a soft grunt he fell to the floor. Anthony gently removed the rope from Dylan's ankle and helped her down from the X. Brushing her matted hair back from her face he kissed her, "Are you okay?" he asked. She nodded and started to speak but was cut off by the Chief. "Isn't that sweet? You actually speak for her? She does have you whipped doesn't she?" Anthony stepped towards the Chief as he stepped towards Dylan holding a small pistol. The Chief watched as her eyes widened. "Now Anthony, I wouldn't come any closer. Dylan didn't think that she would blow the place up when she started the fire. Did you Dylan?"
Dylan didn't answer. The Chief boomed in a commanding voice. "I am going to make sure no one gets out of here alive if I don't." All the action in the room stopped and Anthony looked at Dylan confused. "Don't you smell it Thin Man? Dylan does, she is like a little mine canary. Aren't you Dylan?"
"Gas," said Natalie from her position across the room.
"Oooh observant. It will go up from the fire anyway but I can ignite it now with one bullet. You see the kitchen, is right over there. I'll give everyone twenty seconds to get to the front door before I lock it down. I will not go to jail Angels." He grabbed Dylan's arm and pulled her towards him.
"Give us Dylan," said Alex.
"You don't understand. She is mine." Then the Chief started counting. "Twenty.nineteen.eighteen.seventeen."
"Go," called Dylan. "I'll be alright." They stood there not moving. "Now!" she yelled. The angels looked at each other and started for the door praying that whatever Dylan was planning would work.
"Come on Anthony," yelled Alex. He stood torn between going with the Angels and staying with Dylan. "Go," Dylan mouthed. Reluctantly he turned away from his angel and followed them out.
"So my little Dylan it's just you and me. This will be better than I expected. Not only will Anthony be crushed that you are dead but that he abandoned you to me. And your friends? Well what kind of friends would leave you behind in the clutches of a mad man? I know what you think of me. I'm not deaf. Three.two.one." And he pressed the button on the armrest of his throne locking the house down letting no one in or out.
"What now?" asked Dylan.
"We die my dear. I will at last be with my darling Jorge and you will be in Hell where you belong you little whore!" he yelled firing the gun towards the kitchen. Dylan broke out of his grip ran across the room towards the door as an explosion filled the air blowing her into the stone fireplace that dominated the outside wall.
*-*-*-*-*-*
As they ran through the hall following the stream of men in gold Natalie asked, "Do you think she knows what she is doing?"
"I think so, she can take care of herself," said Alex. Anthony on the other hand wasn't so sure. They didn't know the Chief like he did and he didn't trust the man but he did have faith in Dylan. As they ran out the door Anthony as the last person out heard the click in the lock behind him as the door swung automatically shut. They kept running until a blast blew them into the air depositing them on the damp manicured lawn. "Dylan!" yelled both angels in sync.
Tears started flowing down Natalie's face. "There isn't anyway she could have gotten out," she said softly looking at the fireball that was once a grand mansion. Alex wrapped her arms around the other remaining angel. She tried to think of how she would tell Charlie and Bosley knowing that Natalie wouldn't be in any condition to do so. Then she looked at Anthony his profile was streaked with soot and sweat and he looked lost. She reached out and touched his shoulder causing him to jump. He turned his head to look at her that is when she saw the tears in his eyes. She had never seen him emotional before, at least not an emotion that wasn't anger. "Anthony?" she said as he shrugged her hand off his shoulder and watched the house smolder against the black night sky as sirens raged down the street.
The firefighters confirmed what they suspected, that no one could have survived that blaze. After they gave their statement to the police Alex headed to the agency to tell Bosley and Natalie took Anthony to get his car which had been left in the café parking lot. "Are you alright," he asked her reaching out to touch her arm. She had always been kind to him he felt he should return the favor, it was something Dylan would have wanted him to do.
"I should be once I'm home curled up with Pete and Spike," she answered not taking her eyes off the road. "Actually I should be asking you. Are you going to be alright?" He surprised her by giving a hollow laugh. Then he said, "My parents died in a fire, now Dylan," and turned to look out the window. They rode the rest of the way in silence except for the music coming from the radio. She just didn't know what to say in response.
They pulled into the café parking lot and Anthony got out of the car. He looked down as he pulled the keys from his pants pocket; his shirt was torn and dirty as were the pants. As if reading his mind Natalie smiled and said, "Don't worry about it. Pete can always use a new pair and Jason has so many clothes he probably won't even miss the shirt." He nodded and climbed into the black z-4 then they parted ways driving off in opposite directions.