Chap 2 -- Gabe's Monster Headache -- Witchblade Karma

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Date Posted: 21:07:01 05/20/02 Mon
Author: wormie
Subject: Chap 2 -- Gabe's Monster Headache
In reply to: wormie 's message, "A Complex Genesis" on 20:48:06 05/20/02 Mon

2 - Gabe's Monster Headache

The first thing Gabriel processed was the pounding in his head. He opened his eyes, blinked twice then realized he was (a) alive and (b) not in his own bed. The pain in his head would not let him focus. He tried to sit up, triggering a whole other kind of pain in his head and a new pain in his ribs. He slumped back but sat a little higher. He waited till that sharp pain faded back to a steady throbbing then carefully pushed himself up again.

He looked around the room with only his eyes, trying to move his head as little as possible. He was in a bedroom, contemporary yet elegant furniture. Modern art on the walls; a few sculptures. He didn't recognize the room or the art. Slowly, Gabriel got to his feet. Other than his head an a slight soreness across his middle, he felt fine. He was a little hungry in fact. But he had to know where he was. He had to get in touch with Sara.

He quietly opened the door which led to a short hall. The two doors on his left were open, a bathroom and an office. He didn't dare make noise by opening the other two. He heard voices at the other end of the hall -a man and a woman's- but he couldn't make out what they were saying.

As he got closer, he heard a frustrated Nottingham say, "Immo will be done preparing the serum soon. I have to go. Don't argue this-" He broke off mid-sentence.

Gabriel stopped as he reached the living room seeing the two black-clad figures. Nottingham was looking at him; his associate turned to face Gabriel. Gabriel looked back and forth between them. This was too weird.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

At first glance, the woman could be Nottingham's twin, except of course, for the fact that she was a she. The same features, the same stance, the same easy confidence. Gabriel's trained eye immediately took in the subtle differences: she was shorter -around Sara's height, he guessed; her hair was longer and straighter than Nottingham's; she seemed fit, strong, but she curved nicely in all the right places; her eyes were darker than Nottingham's -a warm, dark brown color. She smiled at him. A gentle, kind smile.

"Good. You're awake. If you had slept any longer, I would have worried." Did he know her? Should he know her?

Nottingham added, "How is your head?"

Was that a joke? he wondered. Nottingham didn't joke, did he?

"What do you think?" There was a flash of something in Nottingham's eyes which Gabriel couldn't identify. With more conviction than he felt, Gabriel said, "Look, I need to get in touch with Sara."

Nottingham reached into his coat pocket and pulled out his cell phone. He pushed two buttons and offered it to Gabriel. Gabriel took the phone, checked that it was in fact calling the number of the cell phone Sara had with her and placed it on his ear. After two rings, he heard a recorded message. Sara's cell was unavailable. Damn. He handed it back to Nottingham.

Gabriel was about to ask the first of many questions when Nottingham said, "You will be safe here." He pointed a gloved finger at Gabriel. "Do as she says."

If he didn't know any better, Gabriel would have thought that look on his face was concern. Because of that, Gabriel resisted the urge to say 'What am I, twelve?' and instead nodded carefully.

Nottingham stopped before the woman and insisted, "I have to go."

The woman took his hands in hers and Nottingham seemed suddenly uncomfortable. She looked at him while he looked down at their hands. Slowly, Nottingham raised his gaze to hers. After a long moment, she let go and he left without another word.

The woman turned to Gabriel. "I'll be right back with something for your pain. Then I'll answer all your questions."

"But-"

He wanted answers to his questions but he had to admit he really wanted something for the pounding in his head and the soreness in his body. Gabriel watched her go down the hall and considered following her. He had first thought that her familiarity was due to her resemblance to Nottingham, but there was something else. . .Hadn't he met her before?

He took his first good look around the living room. It was homier than the bedroom in which he had awakened. He spotted some pottery on a shelf and walked over to get a better look. He immediately identified it as pre-Columbian, Mayan, possibly from the Yucatan; next to it were several Native American carvings - fetishes- mostly bears and geckos; some Japanese jade sculptures sat on the shelf above, nicely framing a scabbarded katana.

Gabriel realized where he knew her from.

"None of that is for sale."

Gabriel turned to her. She had returned with a glass of water and a bottle of pills and held them out expectantly.

He asked, "Navarro, right? Um..." he snapped his fingers remembering her first name, "Ina. You sold me those ashes of the Mayan princess a couple years ago."

She walked over to him and offered the glass and the bottle. "Here."

He washed down two painkillers then smiled, "Thanks."

Navarro smiled and nodded. "Are you hungry? Of course you are. Come on. I'll answer your questions while we eat." She turned and headed to the dining room.

Gabriel smiled. Navarro gave off that "Mom" vibe that immediately put him at ease. He followed her through the dining room to the kitchen. Whatever she was cooking, it smelled wonderful.

She said, "It's lasagna with meat. But I can make you a sandwich or some soup or.."

She seemed too distressed, fussing over him, very Mom-like. Gabe smiled. "Lasagna sounds and smells great."

She grinned. "Thanks." She peeked into the oven. "It'll be a few more minutes."

He shrugged. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Would you like something else to drink?"

"Nah, thanks. I'm fine." He took another drink of water then asked, "So, uh, how do you know Nottingham?"

Navarro leaned back against the counter. "It's...complicated."

When she didn't continue, he said, "Let me guess. Kenneth Irons? The Witchblade? You two shop at the same store?"

She smiled briefly, then her face became serious with a look that made her seem as menacing as Nottingham. Her jaw set, her eyes narrowed ever so slightly, losing the warmth he had found so reassuring before. She looked dangerous. Gabriel hadn't realized a woman could have that look.

"Kenneth Irons," she answered carefully, "created me to wear the Witchblade."

Gabriel didn't say anything for a long minute. Then all he said was, "What?"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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Replies:

Chap 3 -- The Warriors -- wormie, 21:22:10 05/20/02 Mon