A/N: I have finally returned to this story. I wanted to make certain that I would be able to make this fit in with the rest of my Black Dragon stories. This chapter starts taking the story in a darker direction. I do not think this is rated R yet.
Chapter 2: Into the darkness.
She glanced down at the papers in front of her reading it once again, and looking to Ian in confusion. The two of them stood in his small study, alone.
"What does this mean, anyway, Dragon?" What specialized training?"
"I know as much as you do, Scarlett." Ian said looking back at his friend and second. He had known and trained with her for 6 months now. Scarlett was two years younger than he was, but they shared the same birthday, March 20, the vernal equinox. If the old religions are to be believed; that meant that they were special, strange and mysterious forces of destiny are wrapped around them.
Having grown up an only child and an isolated one at that Ian never had any real friends; these were the first attachments he had ever made. In many ways, the Black Dragons had become more of a real family to him, then anyone else. The men were his brothers and Shana was the sister he always dreamed of having; he had always wanted to have a sister, but to him it was more than that.
He had always known that Scarlett was different from the rest of the group somehow, that she was unique in some way. She was the only one among them who possessed a completely pure heart untarnished, perfect purity; and the ability to look through the shadows and find the light. Purity not innocence, because she did know the horrors in the world and still she sought after the good that she believed existed in all things. Many would call such an idea ludicrous and naïve; at times Ian would probably agree with them, but he knew that he would give his life for her to continue her hope in that.
To the whole of the unit, she was their sister and there was nothing they would not give to protect her. No price was too great and no obstacle was insurmountable if it was for her. If she wished it, it would be because none could dream of denying her.
She was hope itself, personified, undying and never ending. The thought that such a creature could exist in this cold and too often cruel world was incredible. Only one thing had ever symbolized hope so truly; its name was already a nickname for her, used first by Daniel Woo and then the rest. It was what he used to call her now,
"Phoenix, it's only three months of this specialized training and them it's back here and straight to work. Think of it as a challenge; you know you love a good challenge."
"I like challenges just fine, Ian." She began in a relaxed tone, "Don't you find this a bit odd? I mean; they have already heightened four of our natural senses at the very least tenfold; we are stronger, faster and smarter than any average person is. They've done all that; so why do any of us need specialized training now?"
"And why only you?" Ian put in, "I don't know; I wish I did, Phoenix. I honestly and truly do. If I had any reason to suspect anything about this I'd tell you. Just trust me; none of this is anything to worry about."
"I trust you, Ian. I trust all of the Black Dragons; Firebird included, even though I know there's something wrong with him."
"What do you have against Christian Blair?" Ian asked. He had noticed that she went out of her way to avoid Blair for some time now.
"I honestly don't know, but it has some thing to do with the way he looks at me, like I'm a piece of meat."
"You mean a chauvinist?" Ian asked.
"No. I could put up with that, Ian. I am in the army; and I've come across the type a lot. No, Blair is different. He's dangerous, something about him scares me." She finished softly.
"Perhaps lust; you do understand that more than half of the men are in love with you, Phoenix."
"Does that include you," she asked quietly as she watched him.
Ian flushed rather visibly and only nodded slightly.
"I think I could have loved you, Ian. Were I capable; I think I could have loved you well." She said turning away from him.
"Why do you say that you're incapable of love?" Ian asked, confused. Doesn't she know; doesn't she understand she is love. To look upon her is to look at the very face of love.
"Perhaps I worded that wrong; I cannot allow myself to fall in love with someone I work with, I don't want to know the pain of losing them." She paused, "There is an even better reason why you and I could never be. The both of us are already entwined into destinies that are only connected by our friendship. There is some one out there for you, Ian; and once you find her, she'll be one of the luckiest women in the world."
"And what of you?"
"For the longest time; maybe forever I've had this feeling deep inside of me. That someone is waiting for me, that they need me to be with them. Some nights I dream." She paused, "I dream that I'm in the mountains somewhere; and I've never really been to the mountains before. I'm walking and just ahead, there's a cabin. Someone is standing in the doorway; the sun has set, and the light behind him is outlining him, so I can't really make him out in the shadows. He's saying my name; but every time I try to get a little closer, it seems like the cabin moves farther away from me."
"Then, how will you know him?" he asked.
"I'm not sure. I suppose that some instinctual part of me will recognize him. All I know right now is that I have to wait, be patient and be alert." She finished.
"Have you finished packing yet?" Ian asked, changing the subject.
"Yeah, a little while ago." She replied, grateful for the change. Neither wanted to think about the possibilities of what might have been between them.
"Daniel is bringing the jeep by in a few minutes; for some reason they want you on a civilian flight. First stop will be..." He trailed off and started perusing the papers.
"Greece," she finished for him, "Then China, Egypt, Italy, England, and finally Ireland; I read the papers. Do they actually think that I can do all these countries in three months?"
"I suppose so," Ian replied as he watched the jeep pull up to the barracks through the window.
"I guess this is goodbye for now." She said as she joined him at the window.
"I'd rather not say it; it sounds too permanent."
"Well you have to say something." She argued.
"Then I will say; good journey to you."
"You're making it sound like I'm going on some sort of quest."
"Perhaps it is," he said enigmatically.
She paused for a moment before nodding back at him,
"Maybe you're right."
Ian watched by the window long after she had gone. He had tried hard not to alarm her that he was worried at this specialized training as well. He wondered if perhaps Irons had found out about his beloved Phoenix, his dear sister in everyway but blood, and subsequently was Irons trying to remove her.
Then Irons would be a fool because he knew of her abilities, and how useful those abilities were in their operations. One of those abilities was the purity in her that Ian so admired seemed to attract people to her. She was strong, intelligent, and courageous. If Irons were to remove her; he would not only break the chain of command, but also ruin the whole unit for any operation.
Ian knew one thing; regardless of whether or not Kenneth Irons was his father. If anything at all happened to Shana, he would see the man burn in hell for it even if Ian had to drag him there, himself.
One month later as Scarlett finished her stay in Egypt; she had become aware of one thing. At the beginning she had thought that this specialized training was to perfect her hand-to-hand capabilities; but with the long distance training and the fact that each of her 'tutors' were taking special care to point out the kill zones of a human being, she was becoming more certain.
They were showing her how to be a murderer, an assassin. Her first 'tutor', who only went by El, has said that the two of them were a lot alike. In fact all of her 'tutors' were saying that; and she would not be learning anything from them if she was not already like them. That both worried and frightened her; she did not want to kill people, and especially not like this.
It was already too late for that every 'tutor' she had insisted on a test, and someone would die at her hands. Only El had looked at her with pity afterwards maybe there had been more to El's comment than she had thought.
Her mind shifted gears as she saw her target below. The target, she could no longer think of them as people, the very thought would drive her insane. She could not think at all when she did this; guilt gnawed at her heart and tore at her soul every day. Occasionally she would think about the man in her dreams; what would he say or do if he knew what she was doing. What would he think; would he shut the door on her, and leave her to the cold night.
She could not think of him now; if she did she would fail, and the exam had only begun.
A/N: The majority of this is the way Ian sees Scarlett. At the end, this chapter takes a dark turn as Scarlett enters into the second month of her unwanted special training.