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Date Posted: 21:21:49 07/26/03 Sat
Author: The Darkling
Subject: You want coffee with that? :)
In reply to: Ph0tog! 's message, "Would you like some fresh ground pepper on your Witchblade Game?" on 13:48:15 07/25/03 Fri

>* * * *
>
>“…reached the HQ for Parricide. If you think we’ve got
>the money to pay someone to sit around and answer the
>phone, then you’re shelling out more for your comics
>than you should. Leave a message if you’re not a
>stalker and someone might call you back this year
>after they finish coloring a month’s-worth of issues,
>solving their own existential crisis, and scoring
>enough smack to get them through the week.” The
>digital recorder spat Sly’s voice out into Gabriel’s
>ear from the cordless receiver at Talismaniac.
>
>Sly clicked in, seeing Talismaniac’s digits on the
>Caller ID. “Gabe?”
>
>“’Sup, Sly?”
>
>“Didn’t think you’d be,” his friend snickered, “yet.”
>
>Gabriel let it slide. He’d have the last laugh on that
>account soon enough. “How ‘bout lunch later?”
>
>“Can’t,” Sly said, and Gabriel could hear the receiver
>against his shoulder, as Sly sketched and spoke
>simultaneously. “Feng-Wa’s dad’s down at Sacred Heart.”
>
>“How’s that?” Gabriel knew Mr. Han was not a young
>man, but still.
>
>“Remember that old piece of—“
>
>“That she asked me to appraise for her dad? Sure,”
>Gabriel cut him off.
>
>“Well, last night seems like someone broke into the
>shop and stole it. Han tried to stop him—big guy, he
>said, all in black. Han got the bad end of the deal.
>I’m going down later—you should come, too. Mr. Han
>really likes you.”
>
>“Dunno,” Gabriel said, feeling bad about not really
>wanting to hang out at the hospital, no matter what
>had happened to Feng-Wa’s dad. Besides, if she had Sly
>there, she’d be doing good. Sly was good at that kind
>of thing, even if Mr. Han would have preferred Gabriel
>be involved with his daughter. The door creaked open,
>just beyond the shelves that separated him from the
>rest of the space, and he stepped around the towering
>shelves to see who his visitor was.
>
>“That’s some seriously messed up stuff, Sly,” he
>commented into the phone. “That old thing wasn’t even
>valuable—just some generic old Chinese puzzle box.” As
>the words ‘puzzle box’ left his mouth, he rounded the
>corner and came face to face with Pezzini, just as he
>had predicted earlier.
>
>Having heard just the tail end of his sentence, she
>cocked an eyebrow and inclined her head, like his
>words had stirred some distant memory inside her.
>
>“Customer just arrived,” Gabriel quipped in the phone,
>“later.” And he hung up before Sly had a chance to
>‘later’ him as well.
>
>* * * *

Gabriel turned toward Sara as his hand left the receiver of the phone and immediately recognized the vacant look on her face. "Vision," he muttered to no one in particular. He sat down at his desk, rocking the swivel chair back and forth, and waited. There was little else he could do.

Her hands reached beneath the straw mat and she felt them close upon the cool surface of the lacquered box. She brought it out and stared at it for a moment, somewhat transfixed. The decoration was beautiful if somewhat overdone. Tiny birds of paradise perched upon willow limbs, their long plumage trailing down behind them. Intricately linked cherry blossoms wound their way around the sides of the box, eleven total, the cardinal points marked by the xiang. The green dragon, red bird, white tiger and black warrior were so detailed they were simply breathtaking.

The sound of approaching footsteps caused her heart to beat wildy and feel as if it were to leap from her throat. If she were to be found here it would surely mean her death. She pressed the box into the silken folds of her clothing, her eyes darting around for a place to conceal herself.

Four warriors burst into the room, the smell of masculine sweat and leather pouring off their strong leather-armor clad bodies. The largest of the group, Sima Yi, barked terse orders to the others and they systematically moved around the room, tossing open the blanket chest, the wardrobe and pushing aside the writing desk. She had to stifle a yelp when she felt the silks being pulled away from her face. The dark warrior who had found her remained silent, however, his eyes locking on to hers in a moment in which she dared not breathe. Leather gloved hands gently laid the silk back across her and she heard him move away.

Their search thought to be fruitless by their leader, they turned to leave the richly appointed room, the leader pausing on the threshold, his cruel eyes scanning the room one more time. She exhaled a breath she wasn't aware she'd been holding, and lifted the bundles of silk off of her and made her way out of the bottom of the wardrobe. The brightly colored silks had blended with her own outfit flawlessly and concealed her position from all but the one warrior. Why he had not betrayed her remained a mystery. She silently vowed to remember him with a parchment tied to the prayer tree. A quick glance out of the window told her she was safe for the time being, the warriors now talking amongst themselves in the courtyard below, the autumn leaves rustling around their feet. As she peeked out, she saw the one who had found her slowly turn his head to the window. She withdrew from the opening quickly, her heart beating madly.

Once again she held the small box before her, her fingers playing across its surfaces. As she pressed particular points on the top and sides, the lid sprang open. She gasped as she gazed in wonder at the bracelet resting within, the jade and white gold seeming to glow softly from within.

Sara blinked, twice. "Did you say "puzzle box"?"

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