Title:Dead On.Part 5 Author:Tapestry Email:Shaddow_Cat@hotmail.com Standard Disclaimer Apply *denotes thought 13/01/01 Here's another part to Dead On!!May old Darien find his senses and stop pounding terrorists for mentioning Serena Thompkins... Susan Baker - Setsuna Serena sighed.Ever since Shields' outburst during the questioning of the Dominion agent,he had kept himself in a dark mood which personally,she felt a little jealous. Whoever 'Rena' Thompkins had been,that girl was lucky.She had this silly overwhelming irrational desire to see the sort of girl that could make a man like Shields,be so blindly faithful to love. "Little sister,what are you thinking about?"asked a deep voice. "Nothing,brother.I was merely trying to remember what our parents looked like."lied Serena. Malakov arched an eyebrow."Really??" Serena stuck her tongue out at her brother,earning a deep chuckle from him.Rumpling her hair,Malakov shrugged and moved away. Engrossed in thought,Serena didn't even notice the figure coming up behind her. "Serena!" "Mina??" "We have news on the Domina lead." "Really??Who got it??" "Raven.She's at the stake out now.I've already informed everybody else except for the American agents that are in the briefing room." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Darien,I wish you'd stop this insane obsession of yours!!"said Amy. "I loved her,Amy.I loved Rena!!You can't expect me to just forget her and let those bastards get away with murdering her!!!"spat Darien. "Rena would never want you to act this way,you know.You should move on. I know you care for that Russian image of Rena.But it's probably cause she looks like Serena.Even her name's the same." "I do NOT care for Serena Dancek because she's Rena's mirror.I care for her because she's my friend."retorted Darien. "You care because you love her."said Amy persistently. "I doubt that.I still say he merely cares because she reminds him of Rena."said Zach contemplating. "Are you challenging my diagnosis???"asked Amy with a challenging tone and arching an eyebrow to him. "You know perfectly well I am,love."grinned Zach. "I shouldn't have to remind you two,it's bad manners to talk about someone in their faces."said Darien with a wry tone. "Do you love her,Darien?"asked Zach. "Maybe.Maybe not.But speaking of what you were saying earlier about Serena having so many similarities to Rena.I find it,suspicious."confessed Darien. "How so??"asked Zach. "Well,I was checking with the Russian system on Dancek.Her only known relative is her brother.Who is the only person to claim,she is his sister. There's no one else to support his claim.Next,her blood type is also identical to Rena's.If all this isn't suspicious,I don't know WHAT is." stated Darien. "You have a point brother...the chance-" "Shields,Falcon,Marine!!Collins just told me Raven has a lead on Domina." called a voice from outside the door. This sent the three agents to their feet and scrambling out the door to vehicles. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Raye watched the group with unconcealed fascination.The woman who was giving the orders had a definite Russian accent to her and there was also no doubt she was Lazarus' right-hand envoy,Domina.The tall brooding man beside her who seemed dimwitted must have been Colossus,Lazarus' left-hand man.But so far,the secret-envoy called Atlas was no where to be found. "Hurry up and load those trucks!!Atlas called and said the goody-goodies are aware of us!!Also,he said some agent of theirs is in our midst.Find her!!"spat the woman's voice. *How did they know???Unless...it couldn't be!!* There's was a SPY for the Dominion in THEIR midst.One called Atlas....Raye bit her lip.If she stayed here any longer,those Dominion terrorists were SURE to find her. Moving quietly and hiding in the darkest corners,Raye Morton made her way out of the warehouse where the terrorists had been storing firearms. Her mind sifted through all the spy possibilities.... Darien??That was absurd...the man positively hated terrorists and made no secret of it.Besides that,he had an outstanding record with the government.Even if he WAS slightly unorthodox with his methods. Amy??No...that woman loved her brother and had loved Serena Thompkins. She was also fiercely loyal to her country and government and never once not made it eloquently clear she'd not tolerate deception. Zach??He wouldn't!!The man loved Amy and he was as loyal and dedicated as Amy.And he too had know Rena...he'd been her friend!!!But he was also logical and ruthless at times.He was a possibility. Mina Collins??She didn't seem like the type to go about betraying her country and had at every turn been upset when they'd failed to obtain information about the terrorists.She was clearly an upright loyal agent. Andrew Conners??He and Darien were clearly competitive.But he'd been helpful in every operation and was also like Mina a loyal agent.The British probably raised em like that.... Jed Starling??That man was a mystery!!His moods were unpredictable and ranged from irritable to downright hostile.Try as he might...he probably wasn't all too fond of Americans...he was a possibility. Alan Bessmerkov??He seemed cold and brooding and clearly did not trust Americans and British agents much.He and Darien certainly did NOT get along famously.He was at times suspicious.He was a possibility. Nikolas Krylov??He was gentle and polite.But that could be a facade.He at times seemed suspicious and other times seemed down right nice!!But he was also at times not very trusting and jumped at the slightest mistake which he seemed to have enjoyed pointing out to Andrew.He was a possibility. Malakov Dancek??The man positively doted on his sister and was also polite and easy to converse with.He bore no prejudice towards anybody.He was kind.Certainly didn't fit the profile of a terrorist. Serena Dancek??She was a mystery and a paradox.She bore no prejudice like her brother and got on very well with Darien.She seemed the type to be fiercely loyal and dedicated to her work.Yet,she was secretive at times. But she was so kind and caring...she just couldn't be a terrorist. Raye shook her head confused.This was terrible.A spy was spying on their tactics and plans.It was probably how that plan at the terrorist safehouse had failed.Someone had warned them ahead of time.And that someone had nearly gotten two agents killed...On second thought...if Serena was a terrorist,wouldn't she have just let Ann get blown to smithereens instead of pushing her away?? No...if anyone had the makings of a terrorist,it seemed Alan,Jed and Nikolas had the most possibility.But then...you never could tell just from the outside. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I still think it was foolish to send Raven alone on the Domina lead and let her spy on them alone.She could be in serious danger."sighed Zach. "Falcon,it isn't as if you were inducted into the agency only yesterday." drawled Darien. "How can you be so cold,Shields...Raven is your friend too,that is,if you even noticed."shot Zach defensively. "Of course she's my friend!!But you have to remember our duty to the country comes first."bit out Darien. "Stop it!!Both of you!!This isn't the time to bicker like little boys!" hissed Amy. Brother and boyfriend eyed each other angrily then sagged defeatedly. Men....always the macho types. Darien slid into the seat next to Serena as she sat at the wheel. Eyeing her cryptically,he noticed her lips seemed to be twitching.Sort of the look when somebody tried not to laugh. "Laugh."ordered Darien gazing at her seriously. Serena's lips trembled with mirth...a giggle escaped..then it exploded into great gusty gales of tinkling laughter. Darien eyed her wryly. Serena stole a peek then sobered."I'm sorry..."she whispered as she backed the car out of the parking space of the goverment building. "What for??"asked Darien. "For laughing...I didn't mean to.But I just couldn't help overhearing the conversation between the three of you.It was highly amusing."grinned Serena as she flashed him a smile. Darien was stunned by her smile.It almost reminded him of those dazzling smiles Serena Thompkins had used to flash at him when she'd been genuinely happy. "I find it highly amusing that the more you speak English,the more your Russian brogue seems to disappear." "I-I find it peculiar,not amusing.I've never learnt to speak without my Russian accent.But maybe it is because I do not remember."said Serena as she returned her attention to the task of driving the car. The radio in their car sputtered to life and a voice came out. "Attention all..." "Mina??"breathed Serena confused. "Andrew and I want to tell you that our source will be joining us at the warehouse.We'll introduce you all then."came Mina's voice over the radio. Serena sighed. "For a moment...I thought they called our attention was because they ran into some trouble." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Raye peeked out from her hiding place.It was getting harder and harder to escape the notice of the Dominion guards.Thanks to the blasted warehouse doors for being locked.It had been 20 minutes since she'd called for backup.And thanks to the last scramble to get away from a Dominion agent, she'd dropped her handphone putting it out of commission permanently. Which was probably what was going to happen to her. Peering at the two agents that were shouting orders to the rest of them.She stared at the woman when suddenly, "Don't move..." Raising her hands slowly,Raye signalled defeat. "Get up."growled the voice. Rising slowly to her feet,Raye stood up and the others caught sight of her. "Get back to loading those trucks!!"snapped the woman. Raye eyed the woman with contempt. "So...we've finally found you.You cost us a schedule,you know.We were forced to move our plans up."spat the woman. Silence. "I gather you already know who I am??"smiled the woman. "You are Domina.Lazarus's right-hand envoy."answered Raye mechanically. "You've been doing your homework.I'm impressed,American." "You say American as if it's a dirty word."said Raye. "Maybe because it is."spat Domina menacingly."I should take this gun and shoot you and maybe I will."smiled Domina as she reached for the gun. A sparkle akin to madness in her eyes. "Domina!!"exclaimed a voice from above. "What is it!!??"snapped Domina. "They're here!!"exclaimed the look-out. Domina turned her gaze to Raye.Murder in her eyes.She lifted her handgun pointing it to Raye's head. "There is no time.We must go.MOVE OUT EVERBODY!!"ordered the man. "No!!Your hatred is blinding you.The goverments are here.If we don't go now...we'll be caught." Domina didn't pay the slightest heed to the man's advice. With a sound of disgust,the man moved away from Domina heading to one of the last trucks. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Domina held the gun trained on Raye.Her eyes burning of anger and hatred. "You're outnumbered you know."whispered Raye softly. "Do not speak to me,American."hissed Domina. "Give me the gun." Domina's thumb clicking back the hammer.Her finger curling around the trigger. Raye lunged at her.A shot fired up into the air.Both women went down onto the floor.Both struggling for control of the gun. Another gunshot rang out. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Serena and Darien were the first to arrive at the warehouse.They found the warehouse garage door open.Entering the dark warehouse,both carefully moved round the corner.But what they saw struck stark terror in them. "Raven!!"both of them burst out. Darien kneeled down and cradled Raye Morton's body.Blood was pouring from her wound. Serena did the next thing that came to her mind.She followed the person who had shot Raye. Darien only realized her disappearence with her running footsteps echoing on the cement floor. "Serena!!"shouted Darien.*Christ!!The stupid fool.The stupid little impulsive fool!!*berated his mind.He could only hope Serena Dancek would not get herself killed with her impulsive action. Serena clutched her gun reassuringly.Peeking round the corner,Serena made out panicky footsteps. She heard a woman's voice.She was cursing in Russian... ""said the woman. The voice sounded somewhat familiar. "Hold it!!"shouted Serena as she jumped out holding the gun in front of her. She couldn't believe her eyes!!The woman who stood in front of her!! "You..."said Serena as she slowly sucked in her breath. She didn't know what happened next as boxes and cartons fell on her. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Darien found Serena Dancek unmoving with a mound of boxes and cartons on her. *She's lucky they weren't crates.*thought Darien as he pursed his lips. "Shields-Oh!!There you are!"said Mina."Serena!!-" "Help me dig her out.It seems she's knocked out cold"remarked Darien tightly as he focused the task of digging her out from beneath the cartons. "Darien...??"she remarked as a she saw a dark head. "Rest.We'll help you."said the voice with strong reassuring implacable authority. Her eyelids fluttered close but a thought stayed on her mind.. "Domina..-"began Serena stubbornly. "Rest." "No...Domina,is-..." The figure seemed to tense."You know who she is??" "She's Natasha."whispered Serena as she suddenly felt tired.Her eyelids sliding close.Her consciousness slipping back into the delicious darkness that curled around her. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Natasha??Who is she?"asked Darien as his gaze slid to the Russian agents behind him who had just arrived. Alan's face tightened and Nikolas looked startled.Malakov hardly looked interested. "What about Natasha??"asked Alan.His eyes not looking up but following the stretcher with the unconcious Serena. "Did Serena tell you that??"questioned Nikolas. "She said Domina is Natasha."answered Darien as he observed the men's expressions. "Natasha Alianovna.Serena must have meant her.She's a KGB agent.However she's violently opposed to this alliance with the countries and want the Iron curtain back.She believes we should keep the old ways."said Nikolas. "Serena was probably delirious."dismissed Malakov swiftly. "You don't think she could have seen the agent they call Domina??"asked Darien arching an eyebrow at Malakov. "She was half-unconcious.She was probably muttering and delirious." Darien's fist clenched as he watched Malakov,Nikolas and Alan walk away. But his eye caught sight of Jed who seemed to be watching things with amusement.That man really did not touch the right cord in him... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "How's Raven??"asked Darien as he came to stand beside his sister. "No change.How about Serena??" "They've had to sedate her because she's been having nightmares."sighed Darien rubbing his temples. Amy and Darien heard footsteps and turned to see Zach coming towards them in a brisk walk. "Has that British agent,Susan Baker been able to add anything to our already fat file on the Dominion??"asked Darien. "Certainly.She was able to tell us,Lazarus is in America and will probably be returning to his HQ is Russia soon."said Zach. "Why??"questioned Amy. "Miss Baker believes Lazarus is here for a specific reason and I'm inclined to agree.It probably has something to do with the alliance between the 3 countries.The project of opening up a communications between us.I believe the Dominion is adamant in stopping the project."explained Zach. Silence. "So..how's Serena??" "Nightmares."answered Darien."Always the same one...a man and an explosion." "How very queer."said Amy who had studied medicine before joining the agency. "How so??"asked Zach confused."Isn't it normal for someone to have nightmares??" "But usually is it's the same one over and over.It's got to be a memory of some sort."mused Amy more to herself than to her audience. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The next morning,police reports found a Russian woman with a fatal gun wound to her head. After dismissing the police from this case,agents swarmed checking the scene.The woman had been shot right in the head and bruising on the arms indicated somebody had been handling her roughly. "It's Natasha.."said Nikolas as he looked away. "The woman Serena said was Domina??"asked Darien looking up. Nikolas nodded. "If she really WAS with the Dominion,why do you think she was killed??" asked Mina. "Probably because somebody found out her cover had been blown."stated Darien. "Silence her with a bullet?"echoed Andrew bitterly. "I agree with Shields."came a voice. Everybody turned to see the queer woman with her soft British accent. She was the newest member to the group.Susan Baker.Her hair was caught up in a simple twist.Emerald highlights shone in her hair.Her garnet eyes expressive. "I don't understand how Natasha could have been with the Dominion."spat Nikolas bitterly. "You couldn't have guessed."sighed Amy. "You people!!"shouted Zach. The group turned to stare. "Serena's awake and Raven's coming around!!" "So what happened with Jed??"asked Amy. "He said he was going to run a check on all those leftover firearms at the warehouse."said Andrew with a dismissive shrug. "Where's Alan and Malakov today??"asked Darien to Nikolas. "I'm not sure.Malakov said he was going to call the agency.Alan said he was going to keep an eye on Serena."answered Nikolas. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When the group reached the facility that was housing Raye and Serena, upon entering,they found unconscious agents on the floor. "What the-?"began Darien. "Raven and Serena!!"exclaimed Amy. Darien checked on Serena.She appeared to be heavily sedated.But how could that be???Zach had said the people in this place had said she was awake. Her nightmares had puzzled him. "SHIELDS!!"shouted his sister's voice. Running towards Raye's room,he saw Amy trying to disconnect the IV bag that was by her bedside.Zach was talking to Raye who's eyes seemed to be drooping and her colour getting paler by the minute. "What's going-" "Someone's poisoned this IV bag."gritted Amy as she disconnected the flow of fluid. "Raven,you have to listen to us...if you fall asleep you'll never wake up again!!You have to fight it!!"snapped Zach angrily. "I can't...Zach..it's so hard...so sleepy."whispered Raye. "Raye!!Fight it!!" "Can't..." "Dammit Raven!!You're stronger than this!!" "Have..to..tell..you...."choked Raye. "Save your strength and try to stay awake!!" "No time....double agent...someone spying..f-for..Dominion."rasped Raye. "Fight it!!" "-I'm sorry..."whispered Raye as her eyes closed. Darien stared as the woman in front of him closed her eyes.Forever shutting out the light.Forever.... Zach shouted a curse. Tears were streaming down Amy's face. Darien's fist clenched into a tight fist.His face a mask. Raye Morton aka Raven,an American espionage agent...their friend,was dead. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! To be continued... Oh dear...Raye's dead.Who's next?? Email me!!! Finished:17/01/01