*-*-*-*-*
Dylan looked between the former bodyguard and Anthony, unconscious on the floor. She didn't know what to say. He was certainly no who she expected when the light came on. She noticed the material of the black eye patch he wore reflect a bit of light from the table lamp. It was a strong contrast against his sun bleached hair. "No taser this time?" she asked looking at the broken vase.
He didn't answer her question instead he smiled then yelled, "Kate, you can come down now." Dylan heard the sound of footsteps and the creak of the old staircase as Kate descended and came to the living room. Not turning she simply said, "Hello, Kate." Then she watched as Christoph waved the Russian woman over to his side. Kate standing at his right hand side reminded her of the way Anthony had stood protectively behind her during their first visit to Rutherford's mansion.
"Now I bet you think I am here because you did this to me." Christoph carefully lifted the patch revealing a bloody piece of gauze. Dylan tried not to cringe or look away as he then peeled back the gauze to reveal lid that had been scabbed over by the drying blood. "No Dylan, I'm not here for this." The sigh of relief that left her was almost audible. "I have a very noble mission."
"And what is that?" she asked in her usual defiant manner.
"The Chief's mission has become my mission. I know you are thinking 'what could he and that mad man have in common'. Oh I realize that he was a bit nuts. I'm not as dumb as the Chief tried to make me and the others out to be but you see the Chief wanted you to die for Jorge and so do I." With the way he waved the gun around as he spoke he reminded her of Knox right before he said, "They say in death all life's questions are answered. Be sure to tell me." Then shot her out the window. She glanced at Anthony on the floor.
"Dylan he will be alright," said Kate reassuringly. Somehow her reassurances didn't make Dylan feel any better as she recalled how Kate had planned to make sure he was all right once the Chief had killed her.
"Kate?" said Christoph. She turned and looked at her partner in crime. She swallowed hard at that thought realizing that with Anthony unconscious on the floor and Dylan being held at gun point she was a criminal although she wasn't quite sure how she had gotten to that point. "Be a dear and clean up the broke vase. We don't want Dylan to make a weapon out of it do we now?" Shaking her head "no" she quietly went into the pantry to retrieve the small brush and dustpan. "So Dylan where were we? Oh yes, I am here because of Jorge and I want to make sure you realize why you are going to die before you do. "
Under her breath Dylan mumbled, "Isn't that courteous?"
"Ah ah ah, what was that Dylan? Speak up I am very interested in what you have to say to me." Christoph leaned forward in the chair crossed his hands and leaned his chin on the gun.
Through clinched teeth she answered him. "I said 'Isn't that courteous?'."
He leaned backwards again and stroked his chin in a thoughtful manner. "Courteous? I didn't think of it that way. I guess I am being courteous."
Kate came in, knelt on the worn Persian carpet next to Anthony and began sweeping up the remains of the vase, from the tiny slivers to the larger fragments. "Did you hear what she called me Kate?" Kate shook her head and Dylan got the distinct impression that she was scared of the man sitting in the ratty olive green armchair. "She said that I am courteous. Well I assume that is logical after all they give the men and women on death row a last meal so I will give you a last thought, food for the mind."
Dylan wondered why the bad guys had to be long winded. The Chief had been one for lectures and Knox certainly talked enough before he shot at her. Then again she wanted to keep him talking so she could try to figure out and escape and know what his entire plot had been. Too bad it hadn't really worked, the escape part anyway and she ended up hanging naked from a bed sheet, but maybe it would work this time. "Jorge was the Chief's chauffer wasn't he?"
"Oh so you DO remember my brother."
"Okay," thought Dylan. "That was something I wasn't expecting." She looked over the man holding her at gun point trying to find some resemblance to his brother. They were built almost the same, athletic and muscular but that was really the only feature she could see that was familiar. "He was your brother?" Still she had to keep him talking. Earlier she spied Anthony's sword laying discarded under the couch, perhaps she could reach it. She had no idea about sword play, that was Alex's forte but she had fought Anthony enough that she had some idea what to do. Now if she could only distract them.
*-*-*-*-*
Pulling up in front of the address Natalie had given him he double checked the paper. From the street the house could barely be seen just a number hanging on the rusty gate of the driveway. Despite his misgivings about the address he climbed out of the Jag giving a little moan as his shoulder began to bother him. "I really am getting to old for his," he muttered walking around to the passenger side to retrieve his small colt out of the glove box. As Rutherford stood back up he noticed the black BMW that the Thin Man drove. "Well it looks like the angel was right." Nonchalantly he strolled up the sidewalk and swung open the gate the hinges of which gave a low whine. "Shh," he whispered to it placing his finger to his lips.
The house wasn't at all what he expected with its peeling paint and overgrown greenery. At first he wasn't sure that anyone was there until he noticed a glow seeping out from behind the drawn draperies of what he presumed to be the living room. Cautiously he walked up the steps to the porch and knocked on the front door with the green brass knocker.
The rapping at the door caught Christoph off guard. "Damn," he exclaimed. "Who the hell is that? Your angels? He asked narrowing his good eye at Dylan who shook her head. "If it is I won't hesitate to kill them as well. I don't want to. I have nothing against them but I can't have them interfering with your death."
Outside Rutherford knocked again. "Shall I answer it?" asked Kate softly.
"Yeah answer it and send them away," replied Christoph. "I would gladly shoot you right now but I can't have whoever is outside witnessing the shot." He sat back in the chair and waited for Kate.
"Why did you use the vase to knock Anthony unconscious? You have a perfectly fine gun; you could have shot him or knocked him out with the butt of it." It might have been a stupid question but if she still had the goal of keeping him talking and hope that she could find away out.
He laughed a low laugh. "I didn't want you to run and blood all over my gun? Nah.too messy."
In the hallway Kate opened the front door and was surprised to see Neville Rutherford standing there. He watched as her eyes widened when she saw him and then she gave him a relaxed "Oh, hello what can I do for you?" Rutherford marked the way her eyes darted back and forth and the tiny beads of perspiration that dotted her forehead, small yet important pieces of evidence in his estimation, which showed the feelings that hid behind her false smile.
"I'm here to see Anthony is he in?" He tried to look inside around her but she managed to successfully block him.
"No, he isn't. I'm sorry," she said as she tried to close the door. Rutherford was faster and stuck his foot in to stop it from closing all the way.
"But his car.." He began and she reopened the door. "It's parked on the street and he told me to meet him here." He knew the second part was a lie but if he could just get inside he was sure things would become easier.
"Mr..I am so sorry I have forgotten your name, but Anthony went to the store. I'm not sure when he will be back." Kate cringed at her own comment. Even to her ears that lie sounded phony. "I know; the car. He took mine." "Okay," she thought to herself, "That sounds better."
"Rutherford, Neville Rutherford," he said reintroducing himself with a sweeping bow. "Well then I did travel here to see him and he was expecting me. So perhaps if I could wait inside." He noticed that she had relaxed a little as he introduced himself so before she could refuse him he slipped past her and started down the hall. "What a lovely place you have here. I.." he stopped when he reached the doorway to the living room. "Christoph!" he called surprising the man and Dylan. Christoph stood and aimed the gun at Dylan's head. "I thought you could use a little help my boy. Calm down!" With that he slowly pulled the Colt out of his pocket and aimed it at Dylan's head himself.
The angel looked between the two men then at Kate who didn't look very pleased at the new development. "I-I don't understand what is going on?" she stuttered. She didn't understand.
"Go question," said Dylan angrily taking in the older man. Just then Anthony moaned and started to open his eyes.
"Anthony!" cried Kate and Dylan at the same time. They looked at each other but Kate was the one who rushed to his side. She helped him sit upright, his hands and feet still bound and she pulled a tissue from the box on the coffee table. He jerked away from her as she attempted to dab the blood from the cut on his head. Dylan watched Christoph as he smirked at the pair on the floor. She could tell he was amused the Anthony didn't seem to want Kate to tend to him.
Christoph turned his attention back to Rutherford. "I will have to ask you to put the gun away Neville. This is my party and I regret to say you weren't invited."
"Perhaps I should have been," Rutherford said evenly as he searched for a way to try to let Dylan know he was going to attempt to help her.
The former bodyguard looked less than pleased that the old man didn't follow his order. "I'll tell you again put-the-gun-down. In fact I think you should walk to the window, open it up and toss it out on the front lawn." Rutherford didn't move. He stood there with his gun aimed still at the angel. "One," Christoph began to count. "Two," the hammer of his gun clicked as he pulled it back. Rutherford sighed, his plan wasn't going to work, and he lowered the Colt and started to walk around the couch. "I knew you would come to your senses Neville." He unlatched the window and it appeared that he would raise it to toss the gun out but instead he turned and aimed at the man giving the orders. A shot rang out and Kate screamed. Dylan watched in stunned silence as the man once known as Rutherford Lord of Dorchester slumped to the floor.
"You asshole," yelled Dylan surprised at her own outburst.
Rutherford held his hand now bare of the gun against the wound to his right shoulder. His eyes were glassy from the pain. "Kate, take his gun and put it some place for safe keeping will you."
Kate looked at Anthony, She didn't want to leave his side but she went over to Rutherford and picked the gun up off the floor next to him. Dylan heard her whisper a soft, "I really am sorry." Then Kate stood and left the room.
Turning back to Dylan Christoph said, "I'm an asshole? He forced his way in here uninvited and I'm the asshole because I shot him. Listen it was to the point to kill or be killed and I took the option. I killed. He might not be dead yet but with the way he is bleeding he will be soon. You on the other hand I will make sure you don't suffer like he is. The shot that kills you, Dylan will be fired correctly the first time."
Dylan looked between the former bodyguard and Anthony, unconscious on the floor. She didn't know what to say. He was certainly no who she expected when the light came on. She noticed the material of the black eye patch he wore reflect a bit of light from the table lamp. It was a strong contrast against his sun bleached hair. "No taser this time?" she asked looking at the broken vase.
He didn't answer her question instead he smiled then yelled, "Kate, you can come down now." Dylan heard the sound of footsteps and the creak of the old staircase as Kate descended and came to the living room. Not turning she simply said, "Hello, Kate." Then she watched as Christoph waved the Russian woman over to his side. Kate standing at his right hand side reminded her of the way Anthony had stood protectively behind her during their first visit to Rutherford's mansion.
"Now I bet you think I am here because you did this to me." Christoph carefully lifted the patch revealing a bloody piece of gauze. Dylan tried not to cringe or look away as he then peeled back the gauze to reveal lid that had been scabbed over by the drying blood. "No Dylan, I'm not here for this." The sigh of relief that left her was almost audible. "I have a very noble mission."
"And what is that?" she asked in her usual defiant manner.
"The Chief's mission has become my mission. I know you are thinking 'what could he and that mad man have in common'. Oh I realize that he was a bit nuts. I'm not as dumb as the Chief tried to make me and the others out to be but you see the Chief wanted you to die for Jorge and so do I." With the way he waved the gun around as he spoke he reminded her of Knox right before he said, "They say in death all life's questions are answered. Be sure to tell me." Then shot her out the window. She glanced at Anthony on the floor.
"Dylan he will be alright," said Kate reassuringly. Somehow her reassurances didn't make Dylan feel any better as she recalled how Kate had planned to make sure he was all right once the Chief had killed her.
"Kate?" said Christoph. She turned and looked at her partner in crime. She swallowed hard at that thought realizing that with Anthony unconscious on the floor and Dylan being held at gun point she was a criminal although she wasn't quite sure how she had gotten to that point. "Be a dear and clean up the broke vase. We don't want Dylan to make a weapon out of it do we now?" Shaking her head "no" she quietly went into the pantry to retrieve the small brush and dustpan. "So Dylan where were we? Oh yes, I am here because of Jorge and I want to make sure you realize why you are going to die before you do. "
Under her breath Dylan mumbled, "Isn't that courteous?"
"Ah ah ah, what was that Dylan? Speak up I am very interested in what you have to say to me." Christoph leaned forward in the chair crossed his hands and leaned his chin on the gun.
Through clinched teeth she answered him. "I said 'Isn't that courteous?'."
He leaned backwards again and stroked his chin in a thoughtful manner. "Courteous? I didn't think of it that way. I guess I am being courteous."
Kate came in, knelt on the worn Persian carpet next to Anthony and began sweeping up the remains of the vase, from the tiny slivers to the larger fragments. "Did you hear what she called me Kate?" Kate shook her head and Dylan got the distinct impression that she was scared of the man sitting in the ratty olive green armchair. "She said that I am courteous. Well I assume that is logical after all they give the men and women on death row a last meal so I will give you a last thought, food for the mind."
Dylan wondered why the bad guys had to be long winded. The Chief had been one for lectures and Knox certainly talked enough before he shot at her. Then again she wanted to keep him talking so she could try to figure out and escape and know what his entire plot had been. Too bad it hadn't really worked, the escape part anyway and she ended up hanging naked from a bed sheet, but maybe it would work this time. "Jorge was the Chief's chauffer wasn't he?"
"Oh so you DO remember my brother."
"Okay," thought Dylan. "That was something I wasn't expecting." She looked over the man holding her at gun point trying to find some resemblance to his brother. They were built almost the same, athletic and muscular but that was really the only feature she could see that was familiar. "He was your brother?" Still she had to keep him talking. Earlier she spied Anthony's sword laying discarded under the couch, perhaps she could reach it. She had no idea about sword play, that was Alex's forte but she had fought Anthony enough that she had some idea what to do. Now if she could only distract them.
*-*-*-*-*
Pulling up in front of the address Natalie had given him he double checked the paper. From the street the house could barely be seen just a number hanging on the rusty gate of the driveway. Despite his misgivings about the address he climbed out of the Jag giving a little moan as his shoulder began to bother him. "I really am getting to old for his," he muttered walking around to the passenger side to retrieve his small colt out of the glove box. As Rutherford stood back up he noticed the black BMW that the Thin Man drove. "Well it looks like the angel was right." Nonchalantly he strolled up the sidewalk and swung open the gate the hinges of which gave a low whine. "Shh," he whispered to it placing his finger to his lips.
The house wasn't at all what he expected with its peeling paint and overgrown greenery. At first he wasn't sure that anyone was there until he noticed a glow seeping out from behind the drawn draperies of what he presumed to be the living room. Cautiously he walked up the steps to the porch and knocked on the front door with the green brass knocker.
The rapping at the door caught Christoph off guard. "Damn," he exclaimed. "Who the hell is that? Your angels? He asked narrowing his good eye at Dylan who shook her head. "If it is I won't hesitate to kill them as well. I don't want to. I have nothing against them but I can't have them interfering with your death."
Outside Rutherford knocked again. "Shall I answer it?" asked Kate softly.
"Yeah answer it and send them away," replied Christoph. "I would gladly shoot you right now but I can't have whoever is outside witnessing the shot." He sat back in the chair and waited for Kate.
"Why did you use the vase to knock Anthony unconscious? You have a perfectly fine gun; you could have shot him or knocked him out with the butt of it." It might have been a stupid question but if she still had the goal of keeping him talking and hope that she could find away out.
He laughed a low laugh. "I didn't want you to run and blood all over my gun? Nah.too messy."
In the hallway Kate opened the front door and was surprised to see Neville Rutherford standing there. He watched as her eyes widened when she saw him and then she gave him a relaxed "Oh, hello what can I do for you?" Rutherford marked the way her eyes darted back and forth and the tiny beads of perspiration that dotted her forehead, small yet important pieces of evidence in his estimation, which showed the feelings that hid behind her false smile.
"I'm here to see Anthony is he in?" He tried to look inside around her but she managed to successfully block him.
"No, he isn't. I'm sorry," she said as she tried to close the door. Rutherford was faster and stuck his foot in to stop it from closing all the way.
"But his car.." He began and she reopened the door. "It's parked on the street and he told me to meet him here." He knew the second part was a lie but if he could just get inside he was sure things would become easier.
"Mr..I am so sorry I have forgotten your name, but Anthony went to the store. I'm not sure when he will be back." Kate cringed at her own comment. Even to her ears that lie sounded phony. "I know; the car. He took mine." "Okay," she thought to herself, "That sounds better."
"Rutherford, Neville Rutherford," he said reintroducing himself with a sweeping bow. "Well then I did travel here to see him and he was expecting me. So perhaps if I could wait inside." He noticed that she had relaxed a little as he introduced himself so before she could refuse him he slipped past her and started down the hall. "What a lovely place you have here. I.." he stopped when he reached the doorway to the living room. "Christoph!" he called surprising the man and Dylan. Christoph stood and aimed the gun at Dylan's head. "I thought you could use a little help my boy. Calm down!" With that he slowly pulled the Colt out of his pocket and aimed it at Dylan's head himself.
The angel looked between the two men then at Kate who didn't look very pleased at the new development. "I-I don't understand what is going on?" she stuttered. She didn't understand.
"Go question," said Dylan angrily taking in the older man. Just then Anthony moaned and started to open his eyes.
"Anthony!" cried Kate and Dylan at the same time. They looked at each other but Kate was the one who rushed to his side. She helped him sit upright, his hands and feet still bound and she pulled a tissue from the box on the coffee table. He jerked away from her as she attempted to dab the blood from the cut on his head. Dylan watched Christoph as he smirked at the pair on the floor. She could tell he was amused the Anthony didn't seem to want Kate to tend to him.
Christoph turned his attention back to Rutherford. "I will have to ask you to put the gun away Neville. This is my party and I regret to say you weren't invited."
"Perhaps I should have been," Rutherford said evenly as he searched for a way to try to let Dylan know he was going to attempt to help her.
The former bodyguard looked less than pleased that the old man didn't follow his order. "I'll tell you again put-the-gun-down. In fact I think you should walk to the window, open it up and toss it out on the front lawn." Rutherford didn't move. He stood there with his gun aimed still at the angel. "One," Christoph began to count. "Two," the hammer of his gun clicked as he pulled it back. Rutherford sighed, his plan wasn't going to work, and he lowered the Colt and started to walk around the couch. "I knew you would come to your senses Neville." He unlatched the window and it appeared that he would raise it to toss the gun out but instead he turned and aimed at the man giving the orders. A shot rang out and Kate screamed. Dylan watched in stunned silence as the man once known as Rutherford Lord of Dorchester slumped to the floor.
"You asshole," yelled Dylan surprised at her own outburst.
Rutherford held his hand now bare of the gun against the wound to his right shoulder. His eyes were glassy from the pain. "Kate, take his gun and put it some place for safe keeping will you."
Kate looked at Anthony, She didn't want to leave his side but she went over to Rutherford and picked the gun up off the floor next to him. Dylan heard her whisper a soft, "I really am sorry." Then Kate stood and left the room.
Turning back to Dylan Christoph said, "I'm an asshole? He forced his way in here uninvited and I'm the asshole because I shot him. Listen it was to the point to kill or be killed and I took the option. I killed. He might not be dead yet but with the way he is bleeding he will be soon. You on the other hand I will make sure you don't suffer like he is. The shot that kills you, Dylan will be fired correctly the first time."