~**~
"It was a nice funeral," Jett said, pleased at the turnout from the
Social
Register. He followed Jace into the garden, since it was a lovely
autumn
day.
His brother's head was bowed. "As those things go, I guess it was."
He sat
on a bench, while Jett paced in front of him. "Jett, did you kill
Joxer?" he
finally asked, in a small frightened voice.
Jett laughed derisively. "No," he answered, "I didn't kill him. I
can't say
for sure he's still alive, though. It really doesn't matter, as long
as he
stays gone until the will is read and the estate distributed, now
does it?
Although, if he *is* really gone, Gabrielle will eventually have to
give up
on him, and I can have her..."
The low dangerous voice broke his pleasant mental pictures. "I always
knew
you were a bastard, Jett, but to do away with your own brother tops
what I'd
expect, even from *you*." He'd always thought Gabrielle's closest
friend had
a streak of madness in her, and what he was seeing now in her eyes
indicated
it had risen to the surface. Her usually beautiful blue orbs looked
like ice
and steel together, and he gulped reflexively before regaining his
composure, and smiling triumphantly.
"You have no evidence, Xena. You can't prove a thing, if I actually
did
anything, which I didn't."
"It's just a matter of time before Drake O'Malley rats on you, Jett,"
She
saw his façade slip slightly again. "HA! You didn't know we had
*him*, did
you? Actually, we don't - the coppers do. And they'll get the truth
out of
him soon enough. All the money in the world can't save somebody who
murdered
his own family - even if you didn't do Joxer in, by doing what you
did, you
killed your own father. Blood money won't save you. Maybe coming clean
will." With a pointed look at Jace, she turned and strode away.
For a moment, Jace saw regret dance across Jett's face, and he
wondered if
living all his life without ever wanting for anything maybe *hadn't*
hardened his brother beyond redemption, after all. Then Jett's
expression
steeled, and he snorted. "She's never liked me. Her suspicions don't
mean a
damn thing." But in spite of the cool air, there was sweat on his
brow.
~**~
Xena was so angry she could see red patches dancing before her eyes.
It was
all she could do to keep from grabbing the self-righteous idiot by the
throat and squeezing him until he told her the truth, but she didn't
dare -
she might kill him. Then she'd never know if he'd killed her best
friend's
beloved, nor would he have to endure the punishment he deserved.
Death was
too easy - torture might be good. She was so focused on the myriad
wonderful
ways she would like to see the eldest Mansfield triplet suffer, she
almost
didn't register the frantic screeching nearby. When she did, she
thought
perhaps she was having flashbacks to Joxer's family in Borneo, since
it
sounded a lot like the conversations she had overheard there.
Finally, she
noticed the chimp, perched on the lowest limb of a huge tree, trying
to get
her attention. At least, she *thought* he was trying to get her
attention.
Once she looked right at him attentively, he calmed down, confirming
her
assessment.
"'Allo, little fellow. What brings you here?"
The monkey jumped down, grabbing at her hand and trying to drag her
somewhere. She delicately disengaged herself, not willing to just be
carted
off by some wild animal, in spite of how human he seemed. She was
amazed by
how much knowing Joxer had affected the way she looked at animals
anymore.
She'd found herself feeding ducks bread bits and putting milk out for
stray
cats these days. You never know whose family they might be... Her
eyes grew
wide, as the thoughts connected. "Joxer? Is this about Joxer, little
fellow?"
The monkey jumped up and down in excitement, bobbing his head in a
very
human-looking nod. He grabbed her hand again, and Xena allowed him to
drag
her through the park. They wound up in front of the Police station,
outside
a high barred window. The monkey scaled up to the opening, and pointed
inside and screeched again. She suddenly knew exactly why she was
there. She
strode confidently inside and to the desk. "I'd like to visit Drake
O'Malley
please."
Mooks held onto the bars even though the man on the other side was
giving
him a nasty look. Now that he could see him well, he recognized him
as the
dark human who had first brought Joxer to their cage. Maybe he could
help
the woman figure out what Joxer needed. His human assistant entered
the
room, escorted by another big human with shiny things on his shirt.
She
moved right over to the window, and smiled to see Mooks waiting
there. He
bared his teeth at her in agreement.
Xena had really hoped she'd never have to deal with O'Malley again,
although
she had been comforted somewhat in finding her instincts about him
had been
correct. But the monkey seemed to think he knew something, and after
he
brought her here, she knew without question it was about Joxer. She
turned
her most dangerous smile upon the imprisoned man. "You give me
something to
use against Jett Mansfield, I might be able to arrange a lighter
sentence
for you. I know he was involved, and I know you were. I'll put it all
together soon enough, but if you can make *my* job easier, I'll try
to help
you out, too." She jerked her thumb at the Chimp on the window. "He
may not
be the best witness, but *he* knows you were involved, too, and I'm
sure he
can lead me to better ones. You *are* going down for this - it's up
to you
how far."
~**~
Joxer was fighting for his sanity. He had brief moments where he knew
exactly who he was, where he was, and why he was there, but they were
becoming scarcer. More often, everything was a threat, except his
sweet
Gabby. But sometimes she wasn't Gabby, even though she said she was.
Then
she would feed him some more, and he would forget just who she was,
or even
who she was supposed to be. All he knew was that he could never hurt
*her*.
He had hurt one of the chimps, a male named Dagoo. That was when they
took
him out and gave him his own cage. His long hair was dirty and
unkempt right
now, but now and then the Gabby who might not be Gabby would come and
wash
it, and comb it gently, saying soothing things to him. His shorts had
ripped, and he had awakened from one sleep he hadn't remembered
falling into
with a loincloth on. It reminded him of something, but he wasn't sure
what.
He couldn't tell if days had passed, or weeks, or merely hours. Most
of the
time, he didn't care.
Karen Callahan looked through the bars at the drugged man huddled
within,
sensing more than seeing Blimp behind her. "He's nearly ready, you
know. I
still don't think fighting him and Killer is a good idea. It's a
match you
can only pull off once - one of them will be dead afterwards."
"Naw," the show owner snorted, "We'll just 'it 'em with a stun
dart 'fore
they kill each other. The crowd'll be pissed, but we'll give 'em lots
o'
blood 'fore we do it. It'll satisfy 'em. Th' 'ardest parts makin'
sure the
coppers are paid well enough ta stay away. That, an' makin' sure we
gots
enough of that stuff ta put in the feed wot makes 'em crazy." He had
put in
a good supply before Joxer had come along, and was still eternally
grateful
to the man who sold it to him. The big dumb ape was lazy and not at
all
entertaining before the fellow came to Blimp's tent one night and
explained
what a simple additive to the gorilla's food could do. Now, besides
the
jaguar, the gorilla was his best attraction - snarling and
threatening the
crowds from behind his bars, sometimes trying to throw things at the
people.
A little safe danger was what the crowds wanted - scary animals. The
thrill.
Maybe he should give the jag some of that stuff, too. He'd never been
the
same since the ape-man had been in with him.
Callie reached through the bars and ran her fingers thorough Joxer's
hair.
He snarled at her at first, but then relaxed when he realized who it
was.
From somewhere far away, he reached for the identity. "Gabby?"
"That's right, sweetheart," Callie cooed. "I need to take care of
your hair
again. I'll be right in."
"Hey," Blimp called after her as she went to fetch the supplies, "Do
it seem
ta yeh that we're missin' one o' them damned chimps? I mean, besides
the one
wots hurt."
Callie shrugged. "A monkey's a monkey. I hadn't noticed."
~**~
O'Malley laughed as he walked over to his cot. "Do you take me for a
fool,
Xena? There is no way Jett Mansfield will go down for this. I'm not
telling
you anything."
Xena walked over to the man and pinched him on the neck. It was an
interesting technique she'd learned from an East Indian trainer at the
school for bodyguards who'd taken a liking to her. She'd never
actually had
a good reason to try it before, and she sort of hoped she'd remember
how to
remove it when she was finished. O'Malley was now struggling to
breathe. She
sneered at him.
"I cut off the flow of blood to your brain. You have 4 minutes to
tell me
where Joxer is, or you *should* die a painful death." She hoped her
uncertainty wasn't too clear in her words. She wasn't really exactly
sure
how long he had, even, but she knew it wasn't *less* than four
minutes.
O'Malley gasped for air, but wasn't getting any. "Blimp ...I ...sold
...him...to Blimp's...sideshow."
"Was Jett behind this kidnapping?"
"Yes."
Xena released her hold on him and he could breathe again. She was
fairly
relieved, although not nearly so much as Drake was. "Thanks,
O'Malley."
"What about the deal?"
"What deal?" She turned and left the cell.
When Xena came around the building where the chimp waited for her,
she saw
Gabrielle standing there, holding the monkey. "Gabrielle! What are
you
doing here?"
The artist looked at her friend pleadingly. "I came to help find
Joxer,
Xena, and I am *not* going back. You can't make me. I love him, Xena."
Xena rolled her eyes at her friend. "Climbed down the damn trellis
again,
didn't you?"
Gabrielle smiled guiltily. "I had to - I didn't want father to know I
followed you. Did O'Malley tell you where Joxer is?"
She looked down at her feet before answering the question. "Yeah.
Blimp has
him - he's in the sideshow."
"What? Oh God, no. That's the weirdo that Callie Callahan ended up
working
for, isn't it? Xena, if that bitch hurts him in any way, I'll kill
her."
Xena knew how Gabrielle felt about Callahan. Callie had no heart.
She'd
tried her best to ruin Gabrielle's reputation just before the truth
of her
own indiscretions came out, just for fun. She was cold as ice, and
had no
feeling for anyone - people or animals. She would gladly torture the
creatures in her care, just to get a good show.
"Okay, Gabrielle, you can help me, but you've got to stay clear-
headed ."
"I will Xena."
Mooks stared at the two women. After being around humans all his
life,
unlike some of the chimps, he'd learned more than a few of their
words. The
dark-haired woman had just called the smaller woman Gabrielle. So
this was
Joxer's mate. She wasn't as pretty as Frawn but, for a human, she was
okay.
"So - where do we start?"
"I don't know, Gabrielle."
Mooks jumped out of Gabrielle's arms and began to hop up and down. He
ran a
bit, and turned to see if they were following.
"Xena, I think he wants us to follow him."
Xena nodded her head. "Then let's do it."
~**~
They stood outside the cage, watching their prize climbing the bars
and
roaring like an animal.
"I'd say 'e was ready, wouldn't yeh, my dear?"
"Oh, yes, he's ready. He won't let anyone near him anymore. It should
prove
to be a good show today. Make sure those blow darts are ready, "
Callie
replied as she walked away. Joxer was now gone. He didn't even
respond to
her these days, without her whip. He was now completely animal. There
was no
trace of human left in him. The drug had done its job. She went to
Killer's
cage to get him ready.
Killer was quiet. "Come on, you big ape - we've got a show to do," she
growled as she cracked the whip on the gorilla's back. Killer roared
and
charged her, but she moved too quickly for him. Two of the men came
to help
her. "Get him ready for the show."
When Xena and Gabrielle arrived they saw no one around except some
animals
in cages. A large poster proclaimed, "See the wild half-ape, half-man
fight
the Killer gorilla - TODAY!" The bodyguard's stomach sunk, and she
hoped her
friend had missed that. Xena moved towards a large tent where there
seemed
to be a show taking place. They heard cheers. "Gabrielle, you stay
here."
The blonde artist protested, "Xena, I'm going with you."
Xena was losing patience with her friend. "Gabrielle, you stay here.
I don't
need to be worrying about you while I'm trying to save Joxer."
Gabrielle's eyes darkened. "Please, Xena, don't make me stay here.
I'll go
nuts. And he might be frightened or hurt, and need me."
Xena refused to give in. She didn't want her friend to see Joxer yet -
there
was no telling what that Callahan woman might have done to him. "No.
Now
*stay*. *Here*."
She went inside the tent, knowing that right now, Gabrielle hated
her. She
stood there frozen in shock when she saw Joxer - at least she thought
it was
Joxer - and a gorilla in a large ring, fighting each other. Joxer was
no
match for the huge gorilla, but he didn't seem to care. The more the
gorilla
threw him around, the more he came back. The gorilla now had Joxer in
a
death grip, and people were cheering like there was nothing wrong with
watching an animal kill a human. Xena suddenly let out a cry, which
made
people turn and look. She flew though the air and landed on top of
the big
ape, knocking him out by using her pinch. It had worked on Drake, so
she
could only hope it would work on this creature as well. Joxer came
towards
Xena and grabbed her, holding her in the same grip Killer had used on
him.
"Joxer!" Xena cried, "let go! It's me."
But he paid no attention to her. He couldn't. He felt nothing but
rage. Xena
tried to get her arm free to knock him out the way she did Killer but
she
couldn't. He was slowly squeezing her to death.
"That's it, Joxer! Kill her. She's the one that kept you from your
mate,"
Callie Callahan screamed to the monster she had created. The drug's
effects
were strong, and Joxer believed everything she said.
"No! Joxer - let Xena go!"
Xena knew she was losing consciousness, but she could have sworn she
heard
just heard Gabrielle talking like an orangutan.
"Please put her down, Joxer."
He stared, trying to clear his head. *This* was his mate! Slowly, he
let go
of Xena, who slipped unconscious to the ground. He came towards
Gabrielle,
making animal sounds. Gabrielle didn't move - she let him approach
her.
Suddenly, Callie took out her blowgun and fired. The dart struck
Gabrielle
and she crumpled to the ground. Joxer roared and charged the trainer,
who
was trying to reload the dart gun, but she didn't have time. He
picked her
up and threw her, and she landed hard on the ground. He roared and
charged
at her again. This time a dart from one of Callahan's assistants hit
him in
the shoulder, but he just pulled it out and grabbed her limp body. He
was
ready to kill her when he heard his mate groan. He dropped Callie,
and went
to his mate. She was still unconscious. He didn't understand what was
wrong
with her, but he picked her up, and his eyes were enough to warn
everyone to
stay away. With Gabrielle in his arms, he disappeared into the city.
~**~
~**~
Xena woke up in a hospital bed. She started to get up, but the nurse
stopped
her. "Not so fast, ducks. You took quite the beating."
The woman flashed steel-blue eyes at the nurse. "I've got to get out
of
here. My friend could be in danger."
"I'm afraid, Xena my girl, you aren't going anywhere. You have four
cracked
ribs, and your right arm is broken. My dear brother did quite a job
on you.
I asked that no one disturb you."
"Jett, you bastard. Where's Gabrielle? What did you do with her?"
"Me? Xena, you are in one of the finest hospitals in London thanks to
me,
and you talk to me that way. I don't know where she is, but if my
brother
has her, the police will find her."
Xena got up, holding her bandaged side with her good hand. "I'm
leaving, and
no one had better try and stop me."
Everyone backed off when she gave them a vicious glare. None of them
wanted
to tangle with even an injured Xena. She was like a momma bear, and
she
*would* protect her cub.
~**~
Gabrielle slowly opened her eyes. She waited for them to focus, and
then the
first thing she saw was Joxer. He looked just like he
had when she first met him, only before he had looked strong, but now
he
looked very much like a frightened child.
"Joxer." He didn't understand her. But Gabrielle knew she could get
through
to him. He had taught her the orangutan language when they had
decided they
would go back to Borneo to live after they were wed. She had wanted to
learn, and while she was not exactly fluent, now it was paying off.
She
spoke to him gently in his language. "Joxer, it's all right." He came
over
to her and laid down beside her, soon falling asleep. Gabrielle put
her head
on his chest, and she too fell asleep.
A few hours later, Gabrielle woke up to the sound of Joxer's
screaming. She
opened her eyes. He was lying on his side, in obvious pain. The drug
was
wearing off, and it wouldn't let go easily. He was holding his
stomach.
"Please it hurts! Gabby! Make it stop!" he cried. She didn't know
whether to
rejoice he was speaking English again, or to cry in sympathy for his
anguish.
Gabrielle held him as he kept on screaming. She knew all she could do
was
hold him until it passed. He pulled away from her, and threw up. She
wiped
his face, and held him close again. This went on all night and by
morning he
was exhausted, and was now asleep again. Gabrielle didn't sleep this
time,
she just kept watch over him.
~**~
Xena was running through the cobble-stoned streets of London, trying
to find
her two friends. A coach stopped in front of her, and she look inside
to see
Jace Mansfield and his `friend' Oscar Wilde. "Get in, Xena. We'll
help you
find Gabrielle and Joxer," called Jace.
She stared at him. "Why should I go with you? The only Mansfield I
trust is
missing. No, I trusted the one who's now dead, too."
He looked at her and simply said, "I'm not like Jett. I care about
Joxer and
Gabrielle."
Xena considered his words, but shook her head. "I'd do better on my
own."
"Please, Xena, trust me. I'm not like Jett."
"It was a nice funeral," Jett said, pleased at the turnout from the
Social
Register. He followed Jace into the garden, since it was a lovely
autumn
day.
His brother's head was bowed. "As those things go, I guess it was."
He sat
on a bench, while Jett paced in front of him. "Jett, did you kill
Joxer?" he
finally asked, in a small frightened voice.
Jett laughed derisively. "No," he answered, "I didn't kill him. I
can't say
for sure he's still alive, though. It really doesn't matter, as long
as he
stays gone until the will is read and the estate distributed, now
does it?
Although, if he *is* really gone, Gabrielle will eventually have to
give up
on him, and I can have her..."
The low dangerous voice broke his pleasant mental pictures. "I always
knew
you were a bastard, Jett, but to do away with your own brother tops
what I'd
expect, even from *you*." He'd always thought Gabrielle's closest
friend had
a streak of madness in her, and what he was seeing now in her eyes
indicated
it had risen to the surface. Her usually beautiful blue orbs looked
like ice
and steel together, and he gulped reflexively before regaining his
composure, and smiling triumphantly.
"You have no evidence, Xena. You can't prove a thing, if I actually
did
anything, which I didn't."
"It's just a matter of time before Drake O'Malley rats on you, Jett,"
She
saw his façade slip slightly again. "HA! You didn't know we had
*him*, did
you? Actually, we don't - the coppers do. And they'll get the truth
out of
him soon enough. All the money in the world can't save somebody who
murdered
his own family - even if you didn't do Joxer in, by doing what you
did, you
killed your own father. Blood money won't save you. Maybe coming clean
will." With a pointed look at Jace, she turned and strode away.
For a moment, Jace saw regret dance across Jett's face, and he
wondered if
living all his life without ever wanting for anything maybe *hadn't*
hardened his brother beyond redemption, after all. Then Jett's
expression
steeled, and he snorted. "She's never liked me. Her suspicions don't
mean a
damn thing." But in spite of the cool air, there was sweat on his
brow.
~**~
Xena was so angry she could see red patches dancing before her eyes.
It was
all she could do to keep from grabbing the self-righteous idiot by the
throat and squeezing him until he told her the truth, but she didn't
dare -
she might kill him. Then she'd never know if he'd killed her best
friend's
beloved, nor would he have to endure the punishment he deserved.
Death was
too easy - torture might be good. She was so focused on the myriad
wonderful
ways she would like to see the eldest Mansfield triplet suffer, she
almost
didn't register the frantic screeching nearby. When she did, she
thought
perhaps she was having flashbacks to Joxer's family in Borneo, since
it
sounded a lot like the conversations she had overheard there.
Finally, she
noticed the chimp, perched on the lowest limb of a huge tree, trying
to get
her attention. At least, she *thought* he was trying to get her
attention.
Once she looked right at him attentively, he calmed down, confirming
her
assessment.
"'Allo, little fellow. What brings you here?"
The monkey jumped down, grabbing at her hand and trying to drag her
somewhere. She delicately disengaged herself, not willing to just be
carted
off by some wild animal, in spite of how human he seemed. She was
amazed by
how much knowing Joxer had affected the way she looked at animals
anymore.
She'd found herself feeding ducks bread bits and putting milk out for
stray
cats these days. You never know whose family they might be... Her
eyes grew
wide, as the thoughts connected. "Joxer? Is this about Joxer, little
fellow?"
The monkey jumped up and down in excitement, bobbing his head in a
very
human-looking nod. He grabbed her hand again, and Xena allowed him to
drag
her through the park. They wound up in front of the Police station,
outside
a high barred window. The monkey scaled up to the opening, and pointed
inside and screeched again. She suddenly knew exactly why she was
there. She
strode confidently inside and to the desk. "I'd like to visit Drake
O'Malley
please."
Mooks held onto the bars even though the man on the other side was
giving
him a nasty look. Now that he could see him well, he recognized him
as the
dark human who had first brought Joxer to their cage. Maybe he could
help
the woman figure out what Joxer needed. His human assistant entered
the
room, escorted by another big human with shiny things on his shirt.
She
moved right over to the window, and smiled to see Mooks waiting
there. He
bared his teeth at her in agreement.
Xena had really hoped she'd never have to deal with O'Malley again,
although
she had been comforted somewhat in finding her instincts about him
had been
correct. But the monkey seemed to think he knew something, and after
he
brought her here, she knew without question it was about Joxer. She
turned
her most dangerous smile upon the imprisoned man. "You give me
something to
use against Jett Mansfield, I might be able to arrange a lighter
sentence
for you. I know he was involved, and I know you were. I'll put it all
together soon enough, but if you can make *my* job easier, I'll try
to help
you out, too." She jerked her thumb at the Chimp on the window. "He
may not
be the best witness, but *he* knows you were involved, too, and I'm
sure he
can lead me to better ones. You *are* going down for this - it's up
to you
how far."
~**~
Joxer was fighting for his sanity. He had brief moments where he knew
exactly who he was, where he was, and why he was there, but they were
becoming scarcer. More often, everything was a threat, except his
sweet
Gabby. But sometimes she wasn't Gabby, even though she said she was.
Then
she would feed him some more, and he would forget just who she was,
or even
who she was supposed to be. All he knew was that he could never hurt
*her*.
He had hurt one of the chimps, a male named Dagoo. That was when they
took
him out and gave him his own cage. His long hair was dirty and
unkempt right
now, but now and then the Gabby who might not be Gabby would come and
wash
it, and comb it gently, saying soothing things to him. His shorts had
ripped, and he had awakened from one sleep he hadn't remembered
falling into
with a loincloth on. It reminded him of something, but he wasn't sure
what.
He couldn't tell if days had passed, or weeks, or merely hours. Most
of the
time, he didn't care.
Karen Callahan looked through the bars at the drugged man huddled
within,
sensing more than seeing Blimp behind her. "He's nearly ready, you
know. I
still don't think fighting him and Killer is a good idea. It's a
match you
can only pull off once - one of them will be dead afterwards."
"Naw," the show owner snorted, "We'll just 'it 'em with a stun
dart 'fore
they kill each other. The crowd'll be pissed, but we'll give 'em lots
o'
blood 'fore we do it. It'll satisfy 'em. Th' 'ardest parts makin'
sure the
coppers are paid well enough ta stay away. That, an' makin' sure we
gots
enough of that stuff ta put in the feed wot makes 'em crazy." He had
put in
a good supply before Joxer had come along, and was still eternally
grateful
to the man who sold it to him. The big dumb ape was lazy and not at
all
entertaining before the fellow came to Blimp's tent one night and
explained
what a simple additive to the gorilla's food could do. Now, besides
the
jaguar, the gorilla was his best attraction - snarling and
threatening the
crowds from behind his bars, sometimes trying to throw things at the
people.
A little safe danger was what the crowds wanted - scary animals. The
thrill.
Maybe he should give the jag some of that stuff, too. He'd never been
the
same since the ape-man had been in with him.
Callie reached through the bars and ran her fingers thorough Joxer's
hair.
He snarled at her at first, but then relaxed when he realized who it
was.
From somewhere far away, he reached for the identity. "Gabby?"
"That's right, sweetheart," Callie cooed. "I need to take care of
your hair
again. I'll be right in."
"Hey," Blimp called after her as she went to fetch the supplies, "Do
it seem
ta yeh that we're missin' one o' them damned chimps? I mean, besides
the one
wots hurt."
Callie shrugged. "A monkey's a monkey. I hadn't noticed."
~**~
O'Malley laughed as he walked over to his cot. "Do you take me for a
fool,
Xena? There is no way Jett Mansfield will go down for this. I'm not
telling
you anything."
Xena walked over to the man and pinched him on the neck. It was an
interesting technique she'd learned from an East Indian trainer at the
school for bodyguards who'd taken a liking to her. She'd never
actually had
a good reason to try it before, and she sort of hoped she'd remember
how to
remove it when she was finished. O'Malley was now struggling to
breathe. She
sneered at him.
"I cut off the flow of blood to your brain. You have 4 minutes to
tell me
where Joxer is, or you *should* die a painful death." She hoped her
uncertainty wasn't too clear in her words. She wasn't really exactly
sure
how long he had, even, but she knew it wasn't *less* than four
minutes.
O'Malley gasped for air, but wasn't getting any. "Blimp ...I ...sold
...him...to Blimp's...sideshow."
"Was Jett behind this kidnapping?"
"Yes."
Xena released her hold on him and he could breathe again. She was
fairly
relieved, although not nearly so much as Drake was. "Thanks,
O'Malley."
"What about the deal?"
"What deal?" She turned and left the cell.
When Xena came around the building where the chimp waited for her,
she saw
Gabrielle standing there, holding the monkey. "Gabrielle! What are
you
doing here?"
The artist looked at her friend pleadingly. "I came to help find
Joxer,
Xena, and I am *not* going back. You can't make me. I love him, Xena."
Xena rolled her eyes at her friend. "Climbed down the damn trellis
again,
didn't you?"
Gabrielle smiled guiltily. "I had to - I didn't want father to know I
followed you. Did O'Malley tell you where Joxer is?"
She looked down at her feet before answering the question. "Yeah.
Blimp has
him - he's in the sideshow."
"What? Oh God, no. That's the weirdo that Callie Callahan ended up
working
for, isn't it? Xena, if that bitch hurts him in any way, I'll kill
her."
Xena knew how Gabrielle felt about Callahan. Callie had no heart.
She'd
tried her best to ruin Gabrielle's reputation just before the truth
of her
own indiscretions came out, just for fun. She was cold as ice, and
had no
feeling for anyone - people or animals. She would gladly torture the
creatures in her care, just to get a good show.
"Okay, Gabrielle, you can help me, but you've got to stay clear-
headed ."
"I will Xena."
Mooks stared at the two women. After being around humans all his
life,
unlike some of the chimps, he'd learned more than a few of their
words. The
dark-haired woman had just called the smaller woman Gabrielle. So
this was
Joxer's mate. She wasn't as pretty as Frawn but, for a human, she was
okay.
"So - where do we start?"
"I don't know, Gabrielle."
Mooks jumped out of Gabrielle's arms and began to hop up and down. He
ran a
bit, and turned to see if they were following.
"Xena, I think he wants us to follow him."
Xena nodded her head. "Then let's do it."
~**~
They stood outside the cage, watching their prize climbing the bars
and
roaring like an animal.
"I'd say 'e was ready, wouldn't yeh, my dear?"
"Oh, yes, he's ready. He won't let anyone near him anymore. It should
prove
to be a good show today. Make sure those blow darts are ready, "
Callie
replied as she walked away. Joxer was now gone. He didn't even
respond to
her these days, without her whip. He was now completely animal. There
was no
trace of human left in him. The drug had done its job. She went to
Killer's
cage to get him ready.
Killer was quiet. "Come on, you big ape - we've got a show to do," she
growled as she cracked the whip on the gorilla's back. Killer roared
and
charged her, but she moved too quickly for him. Two of the men came
to help
her. "Get him ready for the show."
When Xena and Gabrielle arrived they saw no one around except some
animals
in cages. A large poster proclaimed, "See the wild half-ape, half-man
fight
the Killer gorilla - TODAY!" The bodyguard's stomach sunk, and she
hoped her
friend had missed that. Xena moved towards a large tent where there
seemed
to be a show taking place. They heard cheers. "Gabrielle, you stay
here."
The blonde artist protested, "Xena, I'm going with you."
Xena was losing patience with her friend. "Gabrielle, you stay here.
I don't
need to be worrying about you while I'm trying to save Joxer."
Gabrielle's eyes darkened. "Please, Xena, don't make me stay here.
I'll go
nuts. And he might be frightened or hurt, and need me."
Xena refused to give in. She didn't want her friend to see Joxer yet -
there
was no telling what that Callahan woman might have done to him. "No.
Now
*stay*. *Here*."
She went inside the tent, knowing that right now, Gabrielle hated
her. She
stood there frozen in shock when she saw Joxer - at least she thought
it was
Joxer - and a gorilla in a large ring, fighting each other. Joxer was
no
match for the huge gorilla, but he didn't seem to care. The more the
gorilla
threw him around, the more he came back. The gorilla now had Joxer in
a
death grip, and people were cheering like there was nothing wrong with
watching an animal kill a human. Xena suddenly let out a cry, which
made
people turn and look. She flew though the air and landed on top of
the big
ape, knocking him out by using her pinch. It had worked on Drake, so
she
could only hope it would work on this creature as well. Joxer came
towards
Xena and grabbed her, holding her in the same grip Killer had used on
him.
"Joxer!" Xena cried, "let go! It's me."
But he paid no attention to her. He couldn't. He felt nothing but
rage. Xena
tried to get her arm free to knock him out the way she did Killer but
she
couldn't. He was slowly squeezing her to death.
"That's it, Joxer! Kill her. She's the one that kept you from your
mate,"
Callie Callahan screamed to the monster she had created. The drug's
effects
were strong, and Joxer believed everything she said.
"No! Joxer - let Xena go!"
Xena knew she was losing consciousness, but she could have sworn she
heard
just heard Gabrielle talking like an orangutan.
"Please put her down, Joxer."
He stared, trying to clear his head. *This* was his mate! Slowly, he
let go
of Xena, who slipped unconscious to the ground. He came towards
Gabrielle,
making animal sounds. Gabrielle didn't move - she let him approach
her.
Suddenly, Callie took out her blowgun and fired. The dart struck
Gabrielle
and she crumpled to the ground. Joxer roared and charged the trainer,
who
was trying to reload the dart gun, but she didn't have time. He
picked her
up and threw her, and she landed hard on the ground. He roared and
charged
at her again. This time a dart from one of Callahan's assistants hit
him in
the shoulder, but he just pulled it out and grabbed her limp body. He
was
ready to kill her when he heard his mate groan. He dropped Callie,
and went
to his mate. She was still unconscious. He didn't understand what was
wrong
with her, but he picked her up, and his eyes were enough to warn
everyone to
stay away. With Gabrielle in his arms, he disappeared into the city.
~**~
~**~
Xena woke up in a hospital bed. She started to get up, but the nurse
stopped
her. "Not so fast, ducks. You took quite the beating."
The woman flashed steel-blue eyes at the nurse. "I've got to get out
of
here. My friend could be in danger."
"I'm afraid, Xena my girl, you aren't going anywhere. You have four
cracked
ribs, and your right arm is broken. My dear brother did quite a job
on you.
I asked that no one disturb you."
"Jett, you bastard. Where's Gabrielle? What did you do with her?"
"Me? Xena, you are in one of the finest hospitals in London thanks to
me,
and you talk to me that way. I don't know where she is, but if my
brother
has her, the police will find her."
Xena got up, holding her bandaged side with her good hand. "I'm
leaving, and
no one had better try and stop me."
Everyone backed off when she gave them a vicious glare. None of them
wanted
to tangle with even an injured Xena. She was like a momma bear, and
she
*would* protect her cub.
~**~
Gabrielle slowly opened her eyes. She waited for them to focus, and
then the
first thing she saw was Joxer. He looked just like he
had when she first met him, only before he had looked strong, but now
he
looked very much like a frightened child.
"Joxer." He didn't understand her. But Gabrielle knew she could get
through
to him. He had taught her the orangutan language when they had
decided they
would go back to Borneo to live after they were wed. She had wanted to
learn, and while she was not exactly fluent, now it was paying off.
She
spoke to him gently in his language. "Joxer, it's all right." He came
over
to her and laid down beside her, soon falling asleep. Gabrielle put
her head
on his chest, and she too fell asleep.
A few hours later, Gabrielle woke up to the sound of Joxer's
screaming. She
opened her eyes. He was lying on his side, in obvious pain. The drug
was
wearing off, and it wouldn't let go easily. He was holding his
stomach.
"Please it hurts! Gabby! Make it stop!" he cried. She didn't know
whether to
rejoice he was speaking English again, or to cry in sympathy for his
anguish.
Gabrielle held him as he kept on screaming. She knew all she could do
was
hold him until it passed. He pulled away from her, and threw up. She
wiped
his face, and held him close again. This went on all night and by
morning he
was exhausted, and was now asleep again. Gabrielle didn't sleep this
time,
she just kept watch over him.
~**~
Xena was running through the cobble-stoned streets of London, trying
to find
her two friends. A coach stopped in front of her, and she look inside
to see
Jace Mansfield and his `friend' Oscar Wilde. "Get in, Xena. We'll
help you
find Gabrielle and Joxer," called Jace.
She stared at him. "Why should I go with you? The only Mansfield I
trust is
missing. No, I trusted the one who's now dead, too."
He looked at her and simply said, "I'm not like Jett. I care about
Joxer and
Gabrielle."
Xena considered his words, but shook her head. "I'd do better on my
own."
"Please, Xena, trust me. I'm not like Jett."
