This is a different sort of chapter from before. It is not a Kline chapter, nor a Watson chapter, not even a Holmes chapter. A little Ace for you, maybe? A new POV, also. 3rd person... have fun... it is a short chapter, but only because this chapter is a tie-in to the next chapter.

Chapter Eight: Following Matrix Girl

She walked with a steady rhythm, never bothering to hesitate in her steps. Ace Lennox, ace murderer, would never show hesitation. Hesitation betrayed weaknesses. And when you were in Marie's little complex of criminals, you were very careful to be confident and unafraid.

It was now Wednesday, two days since Ace had met with the Watson girl. For her efforts she had received two cracked ribs and a bruised cheek. The doctor had been surprised to see her when she showed up at his door. It wasn't often that a strange woman with a huge gun on her hip showed up a doctor's door requesting medical attention. People usually thought people with guns could take care of themselves.

Ace had spent all of Tuesday in her hotel room at the Fish Fry (odd name for a hotel, she thought), sorting things out in her head. She couldn't give the Watson girl anymore clues. She had known that Marie's most loyal henchman, a grisly ex-soldier by the name of Johnson, was watching them. Like hers, his gun had gleamed in the moonlight. With her expert eyes, she had known immediately. The clues that she had given her, though, should have been enough. She would give the Watson girl one more day to figure it out. On Wednesday she would go to the church. On Wednesday the case would be over.

Then the phone call from Marie had interrupted it all. She had answered the phone slowly, almost unsure of herself. Marie had requested an audience with her on Wednesday. Ace had agreed. Ace would never disagree with Marie. Marie scared her.

So now Ace was in what she dubbed "Criminals Complex", meeting Marie in a private, secluded room. Ace knew what this room was for. She had watched two of her henchmen get killed in it. Ace fingered her big gun with the tip of one finger, while reassured at the weight of the silver Colt in her trench coat pocket. Jennifer Watson had told her that she had liked The Matrix. Ace supposed that her outfit did mimic it in some ways. But she didn't much care, either.

Ace opened the door to the private, secluded room decisively, betraying none of the emotions that rippled beneath her skin. She kept her eyes cool and blank (not that anyone could see them), and made sure that they didn't even blink when Marie pressed a gun against her forehead. The cool metal was both frightening and soothing. It could all be over soon.

"Marie," Ace said softly, dropping the Bulgarian accent and allowing the natural American to come through. Marie smiled sickeningly and pressed the gun closer.

"Ace... a pleasure to see you," Marie beamed. Her smile was painful to look at. It would have scared Ace, normally, but she was too tired to be scared anymore.

"I would say the same, but the gun on my forehead seems to destroy that pleasure. Odd," Ace remarked. Marie made a noise in her throat and pulled Ace into the room, slamming the door behind her. Despite Marie's tiny stature, only about 5'2 or so, she shoved Ace into a chair and kept the gun trained on her.

"Why did you meet with her, Ace? Why were you trying to tell her where Kline was?" she snarled, her voice raising. Ace smiled.

"You told me to kill Jennifer Watson. I am using her emotions against her, and luring her to me," Ace answered. The cool smile did not relax any of Marie's rage.

"Johnson told me you allowed Jennifer to hurt you. Are you so easy to beat as that? You could have killed her right then, Ace! Johnson could have, I could have! The Colt was at your disposal. While she was hitting you, you could have pulled it out and sent the bullet into her chest! But you didn't? Are you weak, Ace? Did you actually feel something for her? Do you pity her?" Marie shrieked. The gun's hammer was pulled back. Ace stared down the barrel of the gun calmly.

"That would have no drama. You wanted them to suffer, you told me. I will get her soon. I will torture her and send the pictures to Sherlock. That night was not the right time. Soon, Marie, soon. I will do what you're paying me for. I killed that Christine girl, did I not? You got pleasure out of how much she suffered, did you not? I merely wish for Jennifer to go through the same thing," Ace returned. Marie shoved the gun against her temple.

"But do you pity her, Ace? Do you want to save her?"

"No. I want her dead. I want Kline dead as well, for what she did to me that day."

Marie seemed satisfied with this answer and pulled back, away from Ace. The gunwoman showed no sign of relief or even fear. Marie then fired the gun. The bullet soared past Ace and landed in the concrete walls. Ace did not even flinch. Ace never flinched.

"I want her dead, Ace. I want her dead by tomorrow, you got it? If not, I'm turning you into the police for killing Felicia Gardens and I'll show them the pictures of Christine. I'm sure you've disposed of her body by now, correct?" Marie snapped, putting the gun away. Ace nodded slowly.

"In a sense, yes I have."

"Good. Now get out of here before I decide to hurt your little Kline to punish you. Why do you insist on leaving her unharmed, Ace?" inquired Marie. Ace shrugged as she stood.

"As I said, no one pays for broken merchandise."

Marie sneered at her and shoved her out of the door. Ace nodded her farewells and walked down the halls of Criminals Complex. A few of the criminals stared at her, surprised that she was still alive. They had heard the gunshot, after all. Ace merely glanced at them, and they scurried away to do whatever Marie had instructed them to do.

When Ace left the complex, she was still alive. She should have been surprised, but she didn't care anymore. If Marie had shot her, all it would have meant was her death. It was possible that Jenny would find Kline and get killed anyway. Ace wasn't exactly essential to the plan. She was merely part of it.

Ace returned to her hotel room at exactly three pm. The service began at ten, a special service for people who had lost people they loved to the sea. After the service was over, they were taking the people out on boats and they were going to put candles onto the water. She supposed it was sweet. She was attending, even though she hadn't lost anyone to the sea.

Sitting on her bed, Ace ordered some food from the local restaurant. A salad with croutons and a side of breadsticks. With a milk. She wanted to keep her bones strong. She hoped they would be strong enough for tonight. Tonight was the big show. She knew that Marie was taking Kline away tonight, on a boat, and either selling her or tossing her overboard. Ace would be there. She would watch. If things went according to plan, Jenny would be there too. And, if everything went perfectly, even beyond perfectly, Sherlock would be, too.

The food arrived and Ace ate it quietly, in complete silence, reading a book on boats and how they worked. Dull reading, but essential to her plans. She just finished the section on the boats engine when she realized she was done with her meal. She went into the bathroom and washed her hair. Some of the black dye came out. One more washing and it would be completely gone.

Four pm. She had hours to blow. Changing into semi-normal clothes that wouldn't attract any attention whatsoever, she left the hotel room through the window. She had left her guns behind, which might have been a bad idea, if her destinations had been different. But she wasn't going anywhere to be hurt or attacked. It wasn't time yet.

Ace spent four hours visiting with people in town, talking with them at their houses, helping them cook dinner, and babysitting their young ones. She didn't even really like children that much. She helped Widow Hannah remove weeds in her garden. She helped Zeke oil his speedboat, even though he wouldn't be using it again until Saturday. She helped Little Susie fix her doll. She, in general, had a peaceful and fun day. After Wednesday she probably wouldn't see them ever again. She would have to flee St. Ives. She would miss them.

Ace returned to her room at nine and began rummaging through her wardrobe. She pulled out a pair of black leather pants and tugged them on. She wasn't actually all that fond of leather, but wore it anyway. For her shirt, she chose a long-sleeved black sweater, and then pulled on her black trench coat and thigh high boots. Reaching into the back of the closet, she pulled out her large gun and attached it to it's holster. She then put it on around her waist. The gun would bounce against her leg, but she had grown used to that. She pulled out her silver Colt and hid it in her trench coat. Then, with a dark sigh, she pulled out a different weapon. A deck of cards with razor edges. Digging around in her closet, she found the harness for it. She wrapped the harness around her right thigh and slid the deck into it. It was the weapon she would use if desperate.

By the time she was finished, it was fifteen minutes until the service began. With one last glance at the mirror (she really did look impressive, she noted dully), she exited her room and went to church.

The most boring chapter in the world, right? I hope you're sufficiently confused by now. Is Ace bad or good? And what exactly is she planning? And why does she know how to fix dolls? And what is up with her wardrobe? Has she seen The Matrix one too many times? Don't worry, the next chapter is even better... this was just the set-up.