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Date Posted: 10:32:33 07/30/02 Tue
Author: inquisitive1
Subject: Chapter 1 (PG)
In reply to: inquisitive1 's message, "Strangest of Loves" on 11:08:05 07/15/02 Mon

CHAPTER 1
2001: NEW YORK CITY
Sara looks wildly between the two men. On her left Ian looking at her worried holding out his gloved hand on her right her Partner Jake McCartey aiming a gun at Ian. 'What am I supposed to do? Who should I trust?'
As if to hear her thoughts Ian speaks, his voice pained "Sara please trust me. You know I'd never hurt you."
"Pez he's a killer" Jake argues
Suddenly, her ghost partner Danny Woo appears before her "Danny help me out here" she pleads
Danny looks at Ian "You need to trust Nottingham Pez"
Sara looks at Ian seeing the worry and pain in his dark eyes
*Ian kneeling before her head bowed "I am to serve you."
Ian from another time staring at her "I will always protect you. You are the Wielder. It is my duty to keep you safe."*
Sara looks at his offered hand then at his eyes as she takes his hand. With a final look at Jake, she follows Ian. As they run dodging the cops following them Sara speaks "How the hell do we get out of here Nottingham?" she asks as they round a corner.
Ian notices the stairwell "The only way other than the normal" he pulls open the door as Sara follows him. "Basement" Ian instructs
Sara looks at him
Ian grabs her hand as he hears the door above them open. "Trust me" he pleads
Sara nods following him down the stairs dodging bullets being shot at them.
"PEZZINI" Dante yells his voice echoing through the stairwell.
Ian reaches the last door of the stairwell opening it he pulls Sara in slamming the door. He grabs a crowbar shoving it under the door.
"What now?" Sara asks looking around the basement.
"This way" Ian leads her deeper into the basement towards a room in the back. "We don't have long once they get the outside door open they'll be in the basement." He closes the door grabbing a key off the top of the doorway he locks the door. He goes over to a cabinet reaching behind he lifts a hinge pulling the cabinet away from the wall. "No one not even Kenneth knows about this." he informs her. "Its the sewer so they'll have a hard time following us."
"Well my day just keeps getting better" Sara says following Ian through the hole in the wall. She scrunches up her nose waiting for Ian to secure the cabinet. "Gee never thought my day would end up me running through a sewer with dirty cops wanting me dead with the guy who works for the man who seems to be behind all of this."
"My duty is to you Sara... above Kenneth." Ian says his voice soft as he steps around Sara trying to keep his body from responding to hers.
Sara stares up at him well aware that he is so close. She steels her body's response to his close proximity. "Where too?"
Ian tears his eyes away from hers stepping around her. "Come on"
Sara takes a deep breath as he turns his back. She follows him careful not to step off the limited walk space. "Why betray Irons now?"
"You needed me." he says simply
"Oh" she says feeling confused by his words.
In the basement Bruno Dante and his men finally get into the basement. "Find her" he orders "kill Freakboy if necessary"

HOUR LATER
Sara takes a deep breath as Ian pulls her out of the sewer. "Nottingham next time if the plan includes a sewer could you please rethink the plan."
Ian looks around "We need to leave New York"
"What?! No way Nottingham. I'm not leaving my home... my friends... or what's left of my life." Sara argues
Ian grabs Sara's arm "You can't go back Sara. They will kill you. If we leave, I can protect you but if we stay, we won't last long. Please Sara just trust me."
At Ian's pleading tone, Sara pulls her arm out of his grasp "I can't leave like this"
"There's no choice Sara. If you stay, they will hunt you down. I can protect you if we leave."
"Where would we go?"
"Anywhere but we have to leave soon."
Reluctantly Sara nods "What about Gabe?" she asks "I can't leave him here."
"I planned for that contingency." Ian assures "We have to go."
"What do you mean you planned for that contingency?" Sara demands
"I hid some ID papers and money in his apartment just in case. I knew you wouldn't leave if he wasn't safe."
"We have to warn him. Irons and Dante will kill him." Sara says
Ian nods removing his phone he presses a button waiting for the younger man to pick up.
"Yo Bowman speaking"
"Sara wants to speak with you" Ian says then hands the phone to Sara
Sara takes the phone "Gabe"
"Hey Pez what's up?"
"Uh Gabe you need to leave New York"
"Why? What's up?"
"Long story short... I broke into Dante's apartment and threatened him... then went to Irons for help"
"Not smart Sara"
"I know, I had a moment of insanity... so sue me." she snaps then sighs rubbing her forehead "Look they know about you. You have to leave."
"What?!"
Ian takes the phone from Sara receiving a glare "Gabriel there's a loose brick behind your desk the third one down from the window. Take the brick out and there are three sets of IDs for you, cash, an untraceable phone, and instructions. Pack a bag and disappear fast. Sara will call you tomorrow."
"What? Why?"
Ian hands the phone to Sara
"Gabe please just do it. I'm sorry for getting you involved in this." Sara hangs up looking at Ian "What now?"
"We need to leave now. You have to trust me Sara"
At his tone, Sara sees Danny appear behind him and she nods "I'll trust you for now."
"Thank you"
"Where too?"
"A place where I stored some items in case this day came" he slams his phone against the brick wall then drops it in a dumpster.
"How far is this place?"
"Not far"
Sara nods following Ian as he quickly walks down the street. 'What's going to happen now?'

1111 FAUST
Kenneth slams the phone down glaring at the man sitting across from his desk. "Your men put bullet holes in the walls. Now the Detective and Ian are missing"
Bruno Dante shrugs "My guys will find them."
"I want them back here alive."
"I can't promise that" Bruno says shrugging "Pezzini threatened to kill me. Nottingham got in the way of bringing her in." Dante stands "I will let you know when we get her... or where to pick up Nottingham's body."
Kenneth scowls after the man he presses the intercom button "Immo get in here" he orders standing quickly his chair hits the wall.

STORAGE LOCKERS
"What are we doing here?" Sara demands tapping her foot impatiently as Ian twirls the combination on a storage locker.
"Picking up some items" Ian replies glancing at her then pushing up the door. He gestures inside
Sara enters to find a covered car and boxes. "What is all this stuff?"
Ian shrugs "Stuff I've collected that Kenneth doesn't want around the house." he takes the cover off the car to reveal a black BMW with tinted windows. He opens the trunk taking out a duffle bag "Clothes that will fit you." he takes out a pair of boots and a leather jacket "Everything is similar to what you have at home"
"How do you know..." she trails off shaking her head "never mind" she takes the clothes "I'll change in the car. If I know Dante, we won't have long before his spies find us. I'd like to get out of his sight fast"
Ian nods "As you wish" he grabs a second duffle bag out of the trunk tossing it in the back seat. He opens the passenger door for Sara once she's in he goes around to the driver's side getting in he starts the car.
"So where too?" Sara asks as he gets back in the car after closing the storage door.
"We need to get out of the city before we decide that." Ian answers
Sara nods. After a moment, she speaks again "Ian why did you stay with Irons all these years? I've seen how he treats you."
"I had a duty to him until now"
"Until now?"
Ian glances at her "Until you needed me."
"Oh"

1111 FAUST
"You wanted to see me?" Dr Immo questions entering the study
"Ian ran off with the Detective. I've tried calling him but I'm afraid he has gone to the Detective's side."
"Perhaps he will return. Give it time."
Kenneth regards the Doctor "I want you to get ready to waken the other."
"He's not ready."
"I'll give you 24 hours."
"He might be unstable Kenneth. Without the final process completed he will not be as stable as Ian."
"I need the other to find Ian. You have 24 hours to progress then we will discuss it again" Kenneth says in dismissal.

HOUR LATER
Ian glances in the rearview mirror to see Sara pulling on a shirt. Quickly he turns his attention back to the road. He tightens his grip on the steering wheel.
Sara tosses the boots in the front seat the climbs over the seat. Once seated she buckles the seat belt then pulls on the boots. "So you know my size... what else do you know about me?"
"A lot" Ian admits glancing at her.
"How much does Irons know?"
"Most of what I know... yet I did not tell him everything."
"What didn't you tell him?"
"That you have figured out that he has a connection to the White Bulls. That the Witchblade shows you more than he is shown"
"Oh" Sara watches the cars and scenery go by. "Uh you didn't happen to tell him I still have my stuffed bear did you?"
Ian glances at her "No... nor did I tell him that you have pajamas with ducks on them or that you have the Spice Girls CD."
"Good... I got a rep to protect."
"Your secrets are safe." he looks at her "Can I ask you something?"
"You can ask... I might not answer" she warns
"Why do you have a Spice Girls CD?" he asks curiously
Sara groans in embarrassment "I bought it for a friend's daughter's birthday present and I just totally forgot where I put it. Then one day a few weeks later, I found it while I was cleaning. I just kept putting it off on returning it."
"Good... for a second there I was worried you might actually like them" Ian teases
Sara looks at him "Now that's a surprise"
"What?"
"Never realized that you had a sense of humor"
Ian shrugs "You have a lot to learn about me."
Sara nods "That I do"

HOUR LATER: 11TH PRECINCT
"Find her!" Dante yells slamming his hands on his desk
"Cap we're trying." Jake assures "We're even looking for the boy Bowman. He's not at his place but he'll show up sooner or later."
"She hasn't been to her place. Her phone is off" one of the officers states
Dante growls "What about Irons monkey?"
"Still searching. So far nothing." Jake answers
"FIND THEM" Dante orders

EVENING
Ian looks at Sara asleep in the passenger seat. He turns off the car reaching over he shakes her lightly "Sara"
Sara starts groaning "How long was I out?"
"Couple hours" Ian answers
"Where are we?"
"Gas station. Need to gas up the car."
Sara nods stretching watching as Ian gets out of the car. She runs her fingers through her hair. She glances at her wrist seeing the stone silent. "Least your quiet" she mutters looking out the window.

1111 FAUST
"There is no evidence of Mr. Nottingham" the man states watching as Irons paces "he hasn't used his credit cards or his phone."
"And the Detective?"
"Neither has she."
"Find them before Dante does." Kenneth orders
"Yes sir"
"And beware if Ian or Sara know you are following them they won't hesitate to kill you."
The man nods walking out of the room
Kenneth picks up a glass of wine taking a sip as he stares into the fireplace. 'Soon'

LATER
"Want me to drive?" Sara asks
"I'm fine" Ian assures her
Sara nods "So where are we?"
"Heading north. Three hours outside the City."
"Oh. Any idea of where we're going to go?"
"Right now just thinking about getting out of New York. Once we're out of New York we won't have to worry about Dante's power."
Sara nods
"Get some sleep. I know you haven't been sleeping lately."
"Wake me if you get bored of silence."
"I'll be fine... I'm used to silence."
Sara rests her head against the door looking at Ian thoughtfully "Hey Nottingham"
"Yes"
"Thanks for saving my ass back there." she says almost shyly "I owe you one... again"
"You owe me nothing Sara."
"Yeah I do. After all... you've come through for me when others haven't." she almost flinches at the memory of the last time Ian saved her.
"Sara..." he pauses thoughtfully "I am sorry I was not able to stop her from killing him"
Sara bites on her lower lip "You tried... its more than anyone else did. You believed me when the ones who have known me longer didn't."
"I've always believed in you" he glances at Sara
"Thanks" she says "you know Nottingham... your not so bad when your not appearing out of nowhere."
Ian chuckles lightly "Get some sleep Pezzini."

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Replies:

  • Prologue and Chapter 1 (fixed) -- inquisitive1, 10:05:48 08/12/02 Mon
  • It's too bad I'm the only one seeing this -- M, 13:25:05 08/12/02 Mon
  • Re: Prologue and Chapter 1 (fixed) -- Tanya, 12:55:33 10/27/02 Sun
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