A/N: Sorry about the delay, RL kinda gets in the way sometimes…you know how it is…

Chapter 21: Questions

A small prick of pain near her ankle roused her from unconsciousness. Opening her eyes and attempting to adjust to the low light in the room, she looked down to see a white haired man placing a hypodermic needle back into a small case.

"Thank you Dr. Immo" said a voice from somewhere to the right of her. The elderly gentleman stood, nodded in the direction of the window and left her view.

Her head was throbbing, and so was her throat, and thanks to whatever it was this Dr. Immo had injected her with, a strange new sensation had begun to develop in her feet.

"It's a mild poison" said the man near the window. She could see his outline clearly now as her vision began to clear. "Designed to cause paralysis" he continued, "as it spreads throughout your system." Opening a silver pocket watch he seemed to check the time. "I'd say you have about 20 maybe 30 minutes before the damage becomes irreparable." He smiled at her from the shadows. "Unless of course, I give you the antidote."

"Perhaps," she said quietly, her voice rough with pain, "you should rethink your use of the word mild."

Kenneth chuckled as he came closer and sat in the armchair across from her. There was a brief flash of fear in her eyes, but it was quickly hidden behind what he assumed was years of training.

"What is your name?" Irons asked her.

The woman lowered her gaze but did not speak.

"Come now, I do need to call you something" he said, observing the multi-coloured bruises on her neck. "And you've already proven Ian spared you your voice."

Her eyes flashed angrily at the memory of Nottingham choking her. "…Lilith," she eventually whispered.

"Ahhh," said Irons, "How appropriately poetic."

The strange feeling in her feet, that Lilith now knew as paralysis, began to spread to her lower extremities, making them feel stiff and numb.

"Am I correct in assuming you are acquainted with this…Genesis."

Lilith smiled broadly despite her discomfort. "All will be acquainted with him in time," she said slowly. "He is the end and the beginning… the soldier of fate, the bringer of rebirth."

Irons held up the small red book Ian had given him. "Yes, so I've read. Or at least attempted to," he added, casually flipping through the pages. "His penmanship leaves something to be desired wouldn't you say?"

Lilith did not respond.

"What of this temple he speaks of and this… bright lady?" She looked a little surprised but still chose not to answer. Kenneth looked at his watch again, tapping lightly on the glass. "Time is ticking young lady," he offered with a smile.

"I am not afraid to die," she said, looking him defiantly in the eye.

"The truest words of a coward" scoffed Irons. "Echoed repeatedly throughout time. It is easier to die then to live through peril…" he spat. "Then to face your fears and conquer them and still remain standing." Leaning back in his chair he regarded her carefully. "Not that it really matters in your case."

Lilith squinted as she looked him, slightly cocking her head.

"You see," Kenneth continued. "I have no intention of killing you. You'll be paralyzed, but you'll live… for as long as I choose. You'll spend day after day, week after week, unable to move or to speak… unable to delight in the caress of a warm summer breeze, or cherish the embrace of a lover's arms." Irons smiled cruelly, as the fear returned to her face, her hands opening and closing against the arms of her chair.

"The temple" she began, "is in the western deserts of Egypt. It is an un-plundered treasure thought as myth by historians, and deemed too far and dangerous by the locals." She paused for a moment, swallowing painfully before continuing. "But one man dared the journey, in search of an ease to his suffering. And what he found there, changed him and the lives of all he would touch irrevocably…"

Jeff Davies collapsed in the sand near the bottom of a dune. 'I will die out here' he thought, 'I have come out here to die.' It had fast approached night and the wind that blew around him, had quickly changed from scorchingly hot, to intensely cold.

'Once again I have failed them…in death as in life.' Quietly he began to cry, surprised his brittle body was still able to produce the salty liquid. He watched his tears slip from his face and onto the sun bleached sand, but then noticed with some interest that they did not soak in. In fact they seemed to skitter along the surface traveling westward away from him. He dragged himself after them, curious to see their path and was surprised to see them glinting off the moonlight more than a few feet away from him. 'So I am hallucinating at last' he mumbled, watching with amazement as the tears then stopped and began to move in a circular motion. A mini whirlwind sprung to life as the tears circled each other, growing larger and larger as they increased in speed. Jeff pulled himself to knees to watch the spectacle in front of him, marveling at the sandstorm that he assumed would bring his end. He closed his eyes as it grew closer, whispering his apologies and goodbyes. His last thoughts were of his wife before the storm engulfed him.

A short time later he awoke on the floor of a cavern. To his right was a wide set of stairs leading upwards to a platform infused in an eerie bright light. He slowly raised his head watching it bounce and reflect off the walls and the ceiling, but it wasn't his curiosity that got him moving towards it, half running half dragging himself up the stone steps. It was the sound of flowing water that called to him incessantly, somehow giving him the strength to ascend the stairs before collapsing at the edge of a fountain. 'Am I dreaming?' he thought wearily, tentatively placing his hand into the water. Upon discovering it was real he quickly rose to his knees lowering his mouth to the surface to drink.

'Slowly…sad one.' said a voice from behind him. 'Too much too quick and you will make yourself sick.'

Jeff quickly spun around but the cavern was empty. Turning back towards the fountain, he wondered if he'd imagined it. But as he looked down into the water again, he saw a reflection next to his. A dark haired woman with caramel coloured eyes smiled up at him from the surface. He looked to his right, where she would have been standing to create the image but there was no one there. "So I am dreaming," he said aloud, looking back into the fountain. The woman's reflection laughed and then winked.

"Not all things fantastical, exist only in dreams"

"Then am I dead?" he asked the woman, who shook her head emphatically.

"If you were dead, you would not be here, and here is where you are"

"And where is that?" He asked curtly, still unsure he wasn't crazy.

"Where you longed to be" came the reply, followed by another dimpled smile.

He looked around the cavern again, taking in his surroundings. "The temple of Charmaine?"

"In part" she answered sadly.

Turning back to her quickly he said, "Then you know why I've come."

The reflection seemed to dance upon the surface of the water, her eyes sparkling with interest. "Yes" she answered softly, her voice rippling with the waves "I do."

Jeff then noticed that the light surrounding the fountain, came from the water. It steadily began to brighten, forcing him to his feet and away from the ledge. He partly shielded his eyes as he watched the water flow weaken, the primitive carvings surrounding the center piece becoming clearer as the water thinned. Coiled around the top of the ornate column, was a stone Egyptian asp, and in it's open mouth a brilliantly green jewel.

"What… is that?" he asked softly, taking a step forward, so he could examine it more closely.

The water hummed in front of him, the reflection's voice tinkling on the surface. "Grasp it Genesis," she called. "For it is your destiny."

Irons stared across at Lilith as she stopped speaking. She began flexing her fingers again to ward off the stiffness that was slowly gaining ground. He in turn was rapidly attempting to process the information she had just given him.

"Genesis has the gem," he muttered. It was suddenly all so clear. They were interrupted by a knock at the door and a servant entered to inform Irons of a phone call. Rising to follow him out he turned back towards Lilith. "Don't go anywhere," he called over his shoulder, smiling at her frown as he closed the door behind him.

"Good evening Captain Dante" said Kenneth as he picked up the phone.

"Listen up Irons I don't know what kind of private war you've got going on, but when it spills onto the street, it's kinda difficult to keep under wraps."

"Come now Captain, I'm sure a man of your many talents can come up with some kind of plausible story."

"What the hell's going on anyway, your boy Nottingham left an alley full of bodies down here, people who I'm sure have families who are going to want answers."

"Ian was following orders Dante, a concept you seem to increasingly be having trouble with…"

"Alright, alright," Dante interrupted, "just one more thing."

Kenneth sighed, dealing with this man was quite exasperating.

"Does Detective Petzinni have anything to do with this?"

Kenneth rolled his eyes. "Goodbye Captain Dante," he answered, hanging up the phone.

"Figures, " mumbled Dante, getting out of his car. A few feet in front of him Jake was conversing with another officer.

"What are you doing here Detective?" he asked walking over to them.

"I was in the neighbourhood."

"Ya, I bet you were," said Dante glancing behind him. "Where is she?"

Jake's face blanked with innocence. "Where's who?"

"Don't get smart with me McCarty, Petzinni, where is she?"

Jake smirked as Dante turned away from him to look through the crowd of officers. "Well it is her day off sir, so I guess she could be… just about anywhere."

Dante looked back at him, not missing the thinly veiled sarcasm in his voice. "Go home McCarty," he said roughly. "We got this covered." Turning away from him he added, "After all it's your day off too, isn't it?"

Jake watched him walk away, inwardly curious as to why Dante was here in the first place. 'And just where was Sara anyway?' he thought as he walked back to his car. 'It wasn't like to her to be so unreachable…at least not physically.' He dusted the snow from his hair and jacket before getting into the car. He couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something big was going on right in front of him; and that he was the only one out of the loop.

Ian awoke in his room, tucked carefully into bed. He raised himself slightly and looked around. Cyan was standing by the window, her arms crossed against her chest as she stared out at the snow.

"….Sara…where's Sara?" he asked, confused and disoriented.

Cyan came over to the bed. "Hey there tiger, just try to relax…your safe now," she said, glancing around the room. "Relatively anyway."

He slowly lay down again. "What happened?" he asked.

"You screamed and then fainted." Ian's eyes narrowed slightly. "Sorry, sorry" she said, holding up her hands defensively. "How 'bout bellowed, then passed out?"

He flung off his sheets and swung his legs out of bed. "Where is she?"

Cyan moved over to a chair and sat down. "The blonde is with Irons…and Sara is…" her voice trailed off.

"Is gone" whispered Ian, not looking back at her.

"Ya well, she kind of took off after you collapsed. I tried calling out for her, but the snow made it hard to see and you…" Cyan glared at him angrily. "You should have told me you were injured."

"It was nothing," said Ian quietly, standing carefully and disappearing into his closet.

"Ya right, if that blade had cut an inch deeper you're ass would've been dead, and that's a direct quote from the Dr."

"Dr. Immo does not swear."

She sat back heavily against the chair. "You know what I mean."

They were both silent as Ian dressed and emerged from the walk-in closet, "Thank you for your help Cyan, I know it is difficult for you to be here."

She smiled at him softly. "Hey everyone has their demons," she said. "Mine just don't happen to be inner."

Ian understood, Irons was the one who created the Black Dragons and in doing so was responsible for her brothers fate. As was he and as was…

"There's something I don't understand" said Cyan suddenly, interrupting Ian's thoughts. "I thought you said Sara was…I mean you implied that she was…"

"I…thought she was" said Ian quietly, reaching for an elastic off his dresser.

Cyan looked over at him, 'He is hiding something' she thought, 'something big.' "Hopefully there will be a time," she said slowly, "when you feel you can explain…all of this." Ian lowered his head, his palms resting flat against the surface of the dresser. "It's okay Ian" she added. "I can wait."

Ian mulled this over, she wanted to understand, but it was not really his place to say. He had always deferred to Irons and Sara when it came to the blade, and he could not explain things to her without feeling that he had in a sense betrayed them. He thought back to the woman he had embraced in the snow, the Sara who was somehow not Sara, and felt his heartache. Reaching into the top drawer he pulled out a small flyer, advertising a free oil change. He needed answers as well, but unlike Cyan was not content to wait.

"Come" he said abruptly, "I will take you home."

Genesis frowned at the man kneeling in front of him. A brief wave of anger washed over him as he received Nottingham's message.

"Is she alive?" he finally ground out.

"I do not know" came the reply. "I….I came to you right away."

He would have struck him, if not for the figure in the doorway, shivering from the cold and watching him with dark eyes.

"My lady" said Genesis, forgetting the man in front of him. "You… came back."

Her eyes went from Genesis to the man on the floor and back again. "I am cold" she said quietly.

Genesis grabbed a blanket off the nearby couch and wrapped it around her shoulders. "Leave us," he said to the messenger as he led Sara over to the couch.

"Who are you?" she asked pulling the blanket tighter around her.

"Your faithful servant my lady, here to guide and protect you."

She looked at him carefully. "You are not the protector."

Genesis was humbled. "Perhaps not" he said quietly, "and yet I have still made it my sworn duty."

She looked down at the bracelet on her wrist. The gem was dark, and cold to the touch. She breathed in deeply. "It has been some time…" she said, observing Genesis carefully. "What is it you want of me?"

Genesis knelt at her feet, lowering his chin to his chest. "Only the chance to serve my lady, to cater to each whim and fancy."

"You misspeak pretender," she said sharply, rising to move to the window. "I have no whims or fancies."

"I apologize, my lady, I did not mean to…"

"Yes, I'm sure you didn't."

"If you would permit me to rephrase,' offered Genesis, standing to face her. "I am only here to serve…there must be something you desire."

Sara turned to look at him, her dark eyes studying him coldly. "None of us is beyond desire," she said softly, a small grin playing about her lips. "Perhaps," she continued, "you can be of use to me."

-----------/

Somewhere, deep in an unknown space, lost and scared in an encroaching darkness, Sara Magdalene Pezinni, New York City Police Detective and wielder of the mythical witchblade, soundlessly screams against the dying of the light.