Disclaimer: I don't own the Labyrinth or its characters. I make no profit from it.
A/N: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! There will be some language and graphic descriptions in this chapter. Please consider yourself warned.
Jetredgirl: Thanks for the heads up, I didn't realize that function was down.
Kellyn1604: Yes, Detective Cooper seems ominous.
Tenjp: I always thought Interpol was a cool organization, what better way for Jareth to get his glittery fingers into the mix.
Enchanted Peach Dreams: *blushes* awe, you. Thank you!
"Interpol?" Kevin asked. "That is probably a really great game plan. If these documents are authentic and hey, who am I to say they aren't, no one would question an Interpol officer too much. Or look to closely at credentials." He shot Jareth a cautious look. "You do have the proper credentials don't you?"
Jareth reached into the inner pocket of his suit coat and took out a leather wallet, flipping it open, he showed Kevin the ID card and badge proclaiming him to be an Interpol Inspector. "Do these meet with your approval?" He asked sarcastically.
"They look legit." Kevin responded, frowning slightly. He didn't know why the man didn't like him, he just knew that he didn't. Maybe it has something to do with Sarah, he thought.
Jareth and Kevin stared hard at each other, each one taking the others measure and trying to decide if they would trust each other. Jareth snarled and Kevin flexed his muscles.
Sarah looked over at the two from where she was seeing to the twins, sighing in disgust, she didn't have time for this. "Girls, girls, you're both pretty, can we get on with this?" She sneered at them. If she didn't know better, she would say both men were jealous. Since neither one had a claim, ok, maybe Jareth thought he did, she didn't really understand the manly display of testosterone.
With one last meaningful glare at Kevin, Jareth turned his attention to Sarah. "What do you wish to do now, precious?"
"We need to get ahold of my boss. I have an idea of the safe house I want to use. We need somewhere safe to stash Kevin and the kids while you and I go talk to him." Looking at Kevin, she wondered how he would like being stuck in charge of a couple of toddlers. "Kevin, I don't think going to my place or yours is safe right now. I'm sure the police have our addresses, if Cooper is crooked and I'm very sure he is, he could be staking out our places waiting for us to show up. Do you know anywhere we can take you guys?"
"Why does he get to go?" Kevin asked, despising the whine in his tone.
"Because," Sarah began with exaggerated patience. "Interpol, remember? That little trick will add legitimacy to our claim that something is fishy."
"My grandfather left me a condo uptown, it wouldn't be on anything official yet, I haven't changed it over into my name. It's still in probate." He offered.
"That should do." Sarah stated. "Inspector King, would you mind?" She asked, looking at Jareth,
He turned his glittering gaze on her and said, "my dear, you are perfectly capable of getting them there. All you need to do is conjure a crystal, wish it and there you are."
Sarah nibbled nervously on her lower lip. "The last time I tried transporting us somewhere, it didn't work out so well." She said.
"I explained that to you, where you wished to go was blocked to some in your party, the magic brought you to a suitable, alternate location."
Sarah rolled her eyes and sighed. "Please, Jareth?" She asked softly.
"If it is your wish that I transport them this time, I will. Remember, Sarah, you asked for magic to help you. You shall have to practice to be able to use it effectively when needed." With that he went to stand next to Kevin and the twins, turning to the man he said, "imagine in very minute detail exactly where you want me to take you, then hold on" Kevin nodded and in a shower of glitter they were gone.
Sarah had about thirty seconds to ponder that when Jareth again appeared. "Are you sure they'll be alright?" She asked.
"I have given him a crystal that he can use to summon us should the need arise. I am connected to the children, so I will be able to sense any danger to them." Stalking gracefully toward her, he stopped within inches of her. Close enough to touch, Sarah ignored the tingling sensation in her fingers that longed to do just that. "What is your relationship with that man?" He demanded.
Sarah's eyes widened. "Kevin? What? Nothing, I mean, I don't know. Why do you care?" She spluttered.
Leaning in close, his lips brushing her ear, he whispered, "I don't share, precious thing"
Sarah blushed hotly, then anger won out over embarrassment, "I am not a toy to be fought over." She said, grinding her teeth. "You don't own me! I am not a possession." She bit out. "Speaking of, how dare you mark me?" Her voice raising, she stepped back a few paces and met his icy stare with a hot glare.
"I did no such thing." He said.
"Oh no?" She asked, pushing the sleeves of her t-shirt up higher on her arms. "What do you make of these?" She demanded. "They appeared after you graced me with your magic."
"I was not the one who fulfilled that particular wish, my love." He said, staring wide eyed at the tattoos on her biceps. If she knew what those meant, would she be angrier? Probably, he thought.
"If you didn't, who did?" She demanded hotly.
"I have a feeling you know the answer to that already." Was his response. "Come now, Sarah. You know the rules, what's said is said. You wished for magic, that wish was granted. There are consequences for everything. A price to be paid." As he spoke he circled around her, studying her intently from all angles. He noticed the slight shimmer to her skin. The way her eyebrows were starting to wing up. The slight enlargement of one pupil. She hadn't noticed the changes herself yet, but she soon would. It would seem, he thought, the Labyrinth has chosen to grant her wish in a most extraordinary manner. I wonder how she will feel when she learns exactly what those tattoos mean.
"I don't know what you're talking about." She said nervously.
"Come now, Sarah. You know very well who bestowed your magic and you mark. Do not lie to me or to yourself." He warned.
Sarah sighed, "the Labyrinth did this." She finally admitted, to him and herself.
"Quite right." He responded. "Now, shall we?" He asked, offering her his arm.
"Wait," She said, drawing back. "What do the tattoos mean?"
He stopped and looked at her, a slow grin spreading across his face. "Oh, I think that is a conversation for another time." Taking her arm, he said, "Sarah, I grow impatient. Time is short and we have much to do to secure the safety of the children."
"Alright. Let's do this." She said, finally taking his arm. "Just so you know, when this is over, I'm kicking your glittery ass all the way back to the underground."
"I believe you will try." He said haughtily, inwardly smiling. "Where to, love"
"My office. Barry will probably still be there going over case files but everyone else will be gone for the evening." Grabbing his arm, she closed her eyes tightly as the room fell away, she felt a swift rush and a pull in her abdomen, when she opened her eyes, they were standing in her office next to her battered desk.
Jareth looked around the room, trying to discern if he had ever seen a bigger mess. Folders and papers were stacked on any available flat surface, an ugly green sofa, that had seen better days, threatened to collapse under the weight of papers. The battered and scratched wooden desk seemed to be drowning amidst a sea of old takeout containers and half empty coffee cups. One tantalizing beige silk stocking draped provocatively over the coat rack, begging the question of how it had come to be there and where its mate was. He continued to study her office, he noted that her law degree was proudly hung in the center of the wall, flanked by two tall bookcases filled to overflowing with various law books. Walking over to study the framed degree, Jareth was impressed with the prestigious pedigree of the law school she had attended. Next, the photos filling the space around it caught his attention. Sarah, in a black cap and gown with gold, red and purple roped tassels hung around her neck, smiling broadly her arm around a boy that could only be Toby. Their eyes alight with some secret joke between the two of them. In the next picture again, Sarah more subdued, being embraced by a distinguished looking older man that Jareth assumed to be her father. Another photo of the three of them and another with a slightly embarrassed looking Sarah and a beautiful woman who had the look of trying to desperately hold on to her youth. The woman looked very much like Sarah and Jareth turned to raise a questioning brow at her.
"My mother." Sarah offered.
"Ah." He responded. "I seem to recall a wicked stepmother in the mix as well. I do not see her in any of these keepsakes."
"Karen died shortly after I left for college." Sarah replied, her voice soft and gentle. "She had cancer. She never told Toby and I. Her and dad pretended like everything was ok. She didn't want to upset me my last year of high school. She was horrified by the thought that I might put off college and law school out of some sense of obligation to care for her." Sarah looked sadly at the photo of her and her father. Never had she felt someone's absence like she had felt Karen's that day.
"I suppose I should thank you." She said harshly.
"Oh? How is that, my dear?"
"Had you not kidnapped us, I would have never known what a wonderful woman Karen was, how happy she made my dad. I never gave her a chance until I came back and stopped taking this for granted." Sarah said sadly. "I had three years to get to know her, really know her. That's when I realized she wanted only the best for me. She loved my father and Toby and because I was a part of them, she loved me too. I was just to childish and selfish to realize it. So, thank you."
"Really, Sarah, kidnapped. I think not." He said, drawing himself up into a haughty and proud pose. "Everything I did, I did for you, everything you asked, I did. I move the stars….."
"Yeah, you move the stars for no one, blah, blah." She interrupted. "Kidnapped is the one word you choose to focus on? I told you something deeply personal and you want to get offended by semantics?"
"You foolish woman, you did not let me finish. I move the stars for you and you alone, precious."
Sarah blinked at him and her mouth hung open. Wow, touched a nerve there, she thought.
"Well," she said briskly, "we need to find Barry. He won't stick around all night and we need to get some kind of a safe house arranged." She started to move toward the door and Jareth put his hand on her arm, at his touch she looked into his stormy eyes.
"Sarah," he started warningly.
"Come on glitter boy, we don't have all night and I so don't want to go into this now." Jerking her arm away she started again for the door. Ignoring his ill-tempered mutterings about being no one's boy, glitter or no.
The hallways were empty as they walked along, their footsteps echoing loudly in the late night hush. Security would be making their rounds soon and Sarah wanted to be in Barry's office before that happened. She didn't know exactly what kind of chaos she had left in her wake at the police station, but she had a feeling it had been considerable.
"What will we do if they want to speak with your superiors?" Sarah asked, the thought suddenly occurring to her. Oh man! I am seriously losing my edge! How did I not think of this before?
"My credentials will stand up, love. Trust me." He said, reaching out to give her hand a reassuring squeeze.
"Wait," Sarah said, stopping to look at him. "Are you seriously trying to tell me that you're a legitimate Inspector with Interpol? How is that even possible?"
"Well, your world is changing, darling. We must keep up with the times if we are to keep kidnapping innocent children from their safe homes and loving families." He replied sarcastically, an arrogant sneer on his beautiful face.
"Are you trying to tell me that Fae are involved in world politics?" She asked incredulously.
"I think you will find that Interpol has no political affiliations. They are simply an international police force. Tasked with training agencies all over the world, while helping to catch some of the worst criminal minds out there."
"Why?" Sarah asked, confused.
"Why not? It amuses us." He scoffed.
"No, I don't think so." Was her reply. "Tell me the real reason and maybe I'll tell you something I've never told another soul. Not even Hoggle." She bargained.
"What could I possibly want to know about you that I couldn't pry out of Hogwart myself?" He pretended to be uninterested, but Sarah had seen the flash in his eyes.
"What about how I really felt when you were talking to me down in the tunnels? Right before you set the cleaners on us? You remember that, don't you?" Sarah leaned in close, using one of his own tricks, she whispered so close to his ear that her lips brushed against it.
She saw his eyes widen and heard him catch his breath, he made to embrace her and Sarah moved lightly out of his reach. "Uh uh, Jareth, you give, then you get." She said, giving him a smirk of her own in return.
He blew out a breath then gracefully shrugged his shoulders. "Our worlds are tethered. What happens above, affects the underground. In the early part of this century, a certain criminal element was beginning to wage a silent war that had potential to wreak havoc in both worlds. Fae have been guiding and protecting humans for millennia. Interpol was born of that desire. Not only to guide and protect, but to teach you how to protect yourselves. We do not interfere in politics," he chuckled at that. "We have enough of that on our own. There is, however, a certain advantage to being the worlds most respected police force. We are able to guide and protect, without interfering too much. All Fae serve for a time. With Royalty usually being in the higher ranks. My credentials will stand." Sarah was looking at him flabbergasted. So many possibilities ran through her head at the thought of a magical, elite police force. The potential for great good as well as great harm. His hand snaked out and drew her against him. "Now I get." He whispered into her hair.
Sarah's mouth went suddenly dry. She ran her tongue along her lips to moisten them. The moment of truth, now she had to come through. She was surprised at how nervous and calm she felt at the same time. Leaning into him, breathing in his unique scent of earth and magic, mixed with something undeniably wild, she whispered in his ear, "I fantasized about you kissing me then. Leaned against me in the tunnel, you made me feel things I had never felt before and never have since. You are the reason I've never made it beyond the first kiss. No one else compared to the possibility of you." As Jareth stared at her in stunned silence, Sarah turned and walked the last five feet to Barry's office. Turning and giving him a smoldering look, she opened the door and shrieked.
"What the holy, fucking shit!" Backing up quickly, she ran into Jareth. As soon as she opened the door, the smell of blood and death greeted her. Blood pooled on Barry's desk, his body slumped over his desk. Sitting neatly severed from the rest of his body, his head was in the middle of the desk in a pool of blood. An expression of horror frozen to its face in a gruesome death mask.
"No! Barry!" Sarah sobbed. When she would have started in, Jareth wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back.
"No, love. We mustn't go in. We mustn't touch anything." He whispered, looking at the grisly scene before him.
Jareth took in everything he could with a look of pity and anger. Glancing up, he noticed that blood had spattered all the way to the ceiling. Every surface had splashes of crimson, turning to a sickly rust color in some spots. Bloody footprints led to the window where bloody handprints were placed all around.
Someone gloried in the blood. He thought. Holding Sarah close to his chest so she wouldn't see the gore, he looked around the room, trying to see if there was any evidence of who or what had created this carnage. With a sickening feeling in his stomach, he saw Barry's innards piled in the trash can. Someone had eviscerated him and left him to rot. That same someone had taken his hands and his tongue, Jareth noted.
"Sarah!" He said sharply, trying to shake her from her shock.
"What the holy fuck, Jareth! That's Barry in there. Who would do this to him? Why?" She shouted. She trembled and tried to turn around, knowing that there was nothing to be done for Barry now but to call the authorities and let the investigation start. "What are we going to do? He was my only viable option for staying in this officially." She said, feeling guilty that her first thought was protecting the underground and not avenging her boss and friend.
"We will go back to your office and call this in. I can make contact with Interpol, we will get to the bottom of this." Jareth vowed darkly, a viscous scowl on his face.
"Kevin! The children!" She gasped. "We need to check on them, what if they're in danger?"
"I told you, I would sense if the twins were in danger. We will deal with this first." With that he led her swiftly back down the hall to her office. The challenge had taken a decidedly sinister turn. They would get to the bottom of this and there would be hell to pay.