by Carol Roi
What is it with this mortal? First Dee, and now Jim? He's protecting them, but from what? What makes them so special to this young man that he's willing to pick up a blade to defend them? I smile, a sad grin really, as I push the sharpened steel away from my chest with the back of my bare hand. "I know you do. You've already talked with Llewyllyn Huddleston and, I suspect, Jack Kelso as well?" I don't wait for him to answer. "I've seen the way Jim tilts his head, the way he seemingly picks up on things no one else can hear. He's special and I will NOT allow anyone -- especially my old training instructor -- to get near him. I'd rather take my own head than to see Jim fall into the clutches of Brackett."
The young Watcher is fuming. He looks ready to take my head for me, but then Diandra's there beside him, gently coaxing the sword from his white-knuckled grip while softly speaking to him. "Lobo, give me the sword. This is a Champion's fight, not one for the Companion." Champion? Companion? What the hell?
"Dee! She worked with Lee Brackett! She's a danger to you as well as Jim! I knew I was right not to trust her!" How does he know Brackett's first name? And why are those terms Diandra used setting off bells in my head?
"It's my fight, Lobo. Jim's, too, if he wants to get involved. But you heard Lia, she's willing to give her life to protect him from that man." She's finally gotten the sword from him and sets it down on the coffee table. "Lia? Go get your stuff from the bedroom, but then I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
"I understand, Lady D." I leave the room, the words still ringing in my head. As I gather up the items I had left here, packing them, I slip my new tanto under my belt, keeping it handy. One can never have too many weapons on hand when being hunted by an immoral Immortal. The Lady Smith and Wesson handgun is still in its place in my waist bag, and I'll use it if I have to against Bradley Ventriss but only to slow him down, not kill him. I want to hurt that son of a bitch. Zipping my nearly overstuffed suitcase closed, I can barely hear Diandra and Sandburg as they argue behind my back.
"Damn it, Dee! If Brackett were to get a hold of you, he'd never cease testing you! And he wouldn't be happy testing just your senses - he'd try to figure out why you're Immortal as well!"
"Lobo! Cool it! I've avoided such men all my life. There is no way anyone can take, let alone keep, a Champion who doesn't want to get taken."
"You don't understand Brackett -- he'd come after the Companion first, to assure your cooperation! Trust me! I know this!"
There's those damn words again& Could it be? Diandra a Champion? A warrior blessed by the gods with all of her senses heightened? The Dorian? And that would make Sandburg her Companion. Oh, mighty Athena! If that's true, then I cannot allow Dee, or Sandburg, to come to harm! The Amazon Champions were to be protected, at all costs, just like their Companions. I never met such a pair, but the legends were quite explicit -- for the safety of the tribe, down to the last child, all would fight to protect the Blessed Partners of Artemis. The phone in the living area rings, but no one moves to pick it up. They are still arguing, though I can no longer hear the words, just the harsh whispering filtering down the hallway through the open door. I pick up my suitcase and step out into the hallway.
"Dee, you'd better check that message, it could be Megan."
"Not until I'm sure you're okay with this."
"I'm not okay, but I understand. You're right; it's your fight, not mine." Yes, I was right! Blair Sandburg is a Companion! And a Shaman as well, very powerful mix -- not a person that I would want on my case.
"I'll be careful, Lobo." I step back into the living area, just as Diandra starts to play back the phone message that was left on her answering machine. The suitcase falls to the floor from my nerveless fingers as the familiar voice fills the room.
"Hey, Sandburg! Interesting taste you have in women, Professor. I never would've guessed you liked older women. I like older women too. How about you send one of them to me? Either that Pallas bitch or the redhead, I don't care. Oh, but if you don't? I think I'll see just how hard it would be for me to go after Ellison at the station house. Or maybe I'll just plant a bomb in his truck. You'll never know until the deed is done, Police Consultant Sandburg." The laughter that follows is anything but nice. The shivers it sends down my spine chill me to the core. That son of a bitch would go after Jim? Just to hurt Sandburg? Not on my watch! "I'll give you until six tonight to make your choice, Sandburg. If you want to come and watch, that's fine. I'll meet the lady of your choice at the old duck pond down by the docks. You remember the duck pond, don't you, Blair? The one Lash should have drowned you in?"
Blair's normal complexion has gone a pasty white and Diandra has to hold him up. From the words I heard it looks as though Bradley Ventriss and the Companion have a history together, and not a very pleasant one either. Then Diandra's talking to him and I overhear.
"Blair, it's got to be me. I can beat him, you know that. This is exactly what I was talking about, the Champion's Fight. If I don't go, then he'll just go after Jim and maybe get Megan killed as well. I cannot allow that."
"Let me go with you! I know how he thinks, I know where the pond is! I can help you!"
"Lobo, no! All that will do is get you hanged by the Watchers! Better that I do this alone."
A cold sense of purpose falls over me, I can actually feel myself slipping into my 'mission' mode -- the one that kept me alive through a year in the Arena, the one that allowed me to operate in war zones. Pure, hard, cold resolve, I'm in full mission 'tick.' Neither the Champion or her Companion is looking at me, they only have eyes for each other at this moment. Good. This isn't the Champion's Fight -- it's mine and mine alone. I pull the tanto from its hiding place, controlling my heart rate and breathing with an iron will, holding both steady despite what I'm about to do.
"Lady D!" And just as she turns to face me, I throw the deadly blade, watching as it buries itself deep in her chest. "This is my fight, Champion. You stay out of it!"
"What? Oh my GOD! You BITCH!" The Companion is moving like lightening as the words leave his mouth.
He tackles me, crashing us both into the bookcase near the entrance to Dee's workout room. I feel a rib in my chest give way under the point of his shoulder. I ignore the pain. Using his forward momentum, I kick Blair off of me and roll to my feet. "I don't want to hurt you, Companion."
He's quick; I'll give him that much. He's back on his feet, his eyes glowing with a fire so intense I can almost feel the heat of his anger. "Too fucking bad. I'm gonna kill you, bitch." And he's coming back at me, using the few steps to build up speed before launching into a flying kick.
I barely manage to avoid the blow. It lands on my cheek instead of my chest, and I let the impact spin me around as I bring my left leg into the melee, snapping out and catching him on the hip. He falls into the couch behind him, actually rolling over it and onto the coffee table. Wasting no time, I charge after him. Leaping easily over the couch, I land on him, planting my feet in his chest. The impact breaks the table underneath him, and I bounce off of him, turning to face Sandburg as he once again clambers to his feet.
The adrenaline rush is on him; I can see it in his face, pain held at bay by sheer determination of will. "Sandburg, keep this up and I may end up killing you. Don't make me kill a Companion. Please!"
It's no use, he's moving back into range. Fine. I'll do my best not to kill him, but he's going to be hurt in the process. Using a move that Brackett taught me, I drop to my back just before he can fully close with me, my feet flying up to catch him in the stomach, then I roll backwards to rise on my knees. The bantam rooster is still coming at me! His fist connects to my jaw line and I fall back, only to kick out again, giving him a return tap to his chin. I don't have TIME for this crap!
Springing back to my feet, I see my opportunity. He's backed away from me a few feet, but it's enough. I step into a flying move and wrap my ankles around his neck, pulling him to the floor to deliver a solid blow to his sternum with my heel. That had to have hurt.
&nb
sp; Thinking this whole bullshit scene with Sandburg is now at an end, I rise to my feet and start to head over to where Diandra lies on the floor. Agony shoots through me as the Companion strikes me from behind, something very hard and sharp cutting deep into my side, felling me to my knees.
"Stay the hell away from her, Lee."
Growling low in my throat, I stagger to my feet. Sandburg's armed himself with Diandra's katana, plucked from the wreckage of the coffee table. I could take him out with a well-placed throwing dart, but I don't want to kill him -- just keep him from following me or allowing Dee to revive in time to stop me from meeting the Challenge of Ventriss. There is a simple way to fight a man who is armed, the trick is to know you will get hurt but to try to minimize the damage done to your body, if you're mortal. Immortals don't have that worry.
My breath catches in my throat as I realize Sandburg managed to inflict quite a bit of damage with his blow, and I'm losing blood at a fast rate. Great. Jumping back from a wild swing of the sword, I manage to kick the blade out of his grasp, then I move in quickly. Closing the distance between us, hardening my fist into a claw, I deliver a full strength blow to his already abused chest, connecting with the solar plexus, driving the wind out of him. He drops to his knees, gasping for breath like a fish out of water. I double my fists up and chop him on the back of the neck.
He's down and out, sprawled at my feet on the hard wooden floor. The ribs he managed to break on my body are already healing under the power of my quickening, as is the deep gash, though I've left quite a bloody mess on the carpet. If he hadn't hesitated to go for the kill, to take my head with the blade, he really might have stood a chance against me. Next time, he'll know better -- a tough lesson for the Companion of a Champion to learn.
Crossing over to kneel beside Diandra, I'm surprised to see she's not dead yet. "Dee, I'm sorry, but I cannot allow a Champion of Artemis to fight my battles for me." She's grasping the tanto's hilt, trying to pull it out of her body. I place my hands over hers and stop her futile attempts. She's soon gone. I'll have to leave the blade where it's at or risk her recovering too quickly. She cannot be allowed to interfere with my mission.
Going back to my dropped suitcase, I dig in a side pocket and come up with several other items I'll need, shurikans, night vision binoculars, and my polymer throwing darts. Tucking the items into my coat pockets, I pause to check on the Companion. He's out, but his pulse is strong. He'll survive to truly hate me now. I can live with that. I'll never be able to come back here. Jan-Michel and I will have to flee this country, hiding someplace where I can train him while avoiding these two and Jim.
My heart starts to break. By attacking Sandburg, Jim's partner, I've doomed any relationship I might have enjoyed with the detective. Once again, I'll be alone. Fine. Bonfarkar, Egypt is a good place for me to hide and the CIA still maintains a small outpost there. I leave the apartment, pondering my next move as I walk down the stairs. I cannot take the chance that my student, my Watcher, will follow me. Besides, I've already spilt friendly blood this evening. What's one more body to the count? Before I leave the building, I realize I've already doomed my student. I'll have to leave his training up to someone else. Maybe Diandra will take him under her wing, especially when she realizes what I'm about to do to him.
I approach the Lexus, not even trying to hide my movements. Why should I? He's Immortal; he'll sense me coming. Better to face him outright than try to sneak up on him. He's opening the driver's door, stepping out to greet me, and I shoot him. Center of mass, another heart strike. Damn, I was always better with a gun than Azir was. Nice to see I haven't lost that skill. The gunfire echoes strangely in the parking area, but no one seems to notice as it sounds more like a car back firing than a gunshot. I catch his falling body before it can hit the ground and, with a little effort, I tuck him away in the alley near the dumpsters. His third death, by my hands. It should take a while for him to recover. By the time he does, I'll be long gone.
"...You remember the duck pond, don't you, Blair? The one Lash should have drowned you in?"
Blair felt the blood rush from his face, leaving him light-headed. No, god, no, this can't be happening. Dee's hands grasped his upper arms, supporting him.
"Blair, it's got to be me. I can beat him; you know that. This is exactly what I was talking about, the Champion's Fight. If I don't go, then he'll just go after Jim and maybe get Megan killed as well. I cannot allow that."
Blair shook his head. No. Yesterday was too close, too close. Better to call Simon, send the SWAT team, the cavalry, anyone, anyone but her. One look in her eyes told him those ideas were out. Quickly he replied, "Let me go with you! I know how he thinks; I know where the pond is! I can help you!"
"Lobo, no! All that will do is get you hanged by the Watchers! Better that I do this alone." She pulled him into a quick hug. "You understand, don't you, why I have to do this?"
He nodded against her shoulder. "Yeah, I do, I just..." He moved back to look at her, wanting to believe this wouldn't be the last time he gazed into her eyes. "The duck pond is in a run-down park near where they tore those warehouses down on the waterfront. It's locked up all the time now; nobody will be there."
"Okay. I'll just get my weapons and head over there, make sure it isn't a trap." She let go of him, one hand coming up to caress his cheek. "Don't worry, I'll--"
Eolia's sharp yell interrupted the moment. "Lady D!"
Diandra turned toward the other Immortal, then staggered back, her hands wrapped around the hilt of the dagger protruding from her chest. Eyes wide in pain and shock, her knees buckled and she dropped to the floor, a small cry escaping her lips.
For a moment, Blair was too stunned to move, then rage took over. "What? Oh my GOD! You BITCH!" He charged her like a linebacker, head down, hitting her full force, slamming her into the corner of the bookcase. Both of them tumbled to the floor and he felt her foot connect with his stomach as he rolled away.
"I don't want to hurt you, Companion."
Springing to his feet, he growled, "Too fucking bad. I'm gonna kill you, bitch." A hard kick to her cheek snapped her head back. Her return kick sent him tumbling over the back of the sofa, and he fell hard on the coffee table, slightly dazed. Leaping over the couch, she landed with both feet on his chest, and he felt ribs as well as the table snap. He hit the floor with a grunt, wanting nothing more than to stay down, but he knew he couldn't. He got to his feet again, adrenaline deafening him to whatever it was she was shouting at him. All that mattered was defeating her, was keeping her from killing Dee.
Again he charged her. She dropped to the floor, using her legs and his momentum to toss him across the room. Blair was up before she was, his fist connecting solidly with her jaw. Her foot returned the favor. He moved back, warier now, but still not prepared for her next move. Leaping into the air, Lee wrapped a leg around his neck, pulling him down amid the wreckage of the coffee table. Her heel stabbed at his sternum, and Blair felt the air rush from his lungs.
He lay there gasping, watching helplessly as she approached Dee, and for the first time he realized she was still alive, her fearful blue eyes glued on him. Oh, god, no, he couldn't let this happen! He had to do something. His arm flailed against the carpet and his fingers brushed against something smooth and solid. Without looking, Blair knew it was the hilt of her katana. His fingers tightened around the carved ebony, and he forced himself to stand.
Eolia's back was to him. Gripping the sword with both hands, Blair brought it around as he'd seen Diandra do hundreds of times, the razor-sharp edge biting deep into Lee's side before he pulled it out, the gleaming steel now blood red. She dropped to her knees, a gasp her only sound.
"Stay the hell away from her, Lee." He brought the weapon up to shoulder height.
Lee grabbed hold of the arm of a chair, using it to pull herself up, turning slowly toward him, one hand pressed to her wound.
"Stay down, damn it!" God, he didn't want to kill her; he just wanted her to l
eave them alone! He swung the sword as she moved toward him, misjudging the distance and missing her entirely. Her foot shot out, connecting with the blade, sending the katana flying from his hands. No, no, this wasn't happening, he couldn't let it happen! Her fist hit him in the chest like a sledgehammer, and this time he saw spots as the oxygen was driven from his lungs. Blair fell forward, something hard connecting with his neck as he hit the floor.
Darkness danced in front of his vision, but he fought it, fought to meet his lover's eyes one last time. The love and terror he saw there shook him to the core. I'm sorry, angel, I'm sorry. Then everything went black.
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My first stop upon leaving the Champion and her Companion for dead is a fast-food joint to change my torn and bloody clothes in their restroom. My next is the city library to access their periodical files. Using the computers there, I type in the word Lash (as a proper name) into the search engine and I'm rewarded with several articles from the local newspapers. One even includes a map of the city with the duck pond where this serial killer liked to drown his victims clearly marked. Glancing at my watch, I realize I only have about fifty minutes to meet Bradley Ventriss at the pond. Thanking the librarian, and leaving a generous donation in their 'Friends Of The Library' collection box, I leave.
