~**~

"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."