Hey there,

Okay here is the second installment of Geiar's bio -- Eye of the Beholder. Questions, concerns, comments -- let me know :)

I hope y'all enjoy :)

JEn

Notes:

Characters -- I thought about giving you some of their backgrounds here but decided against it, (sorry).

Sabe De La Torre -- is the original Creation of Julie of Providence

Geiar N'Dege -- is my original character. (This is Geiar V.1 -- she is the first, and not the same one who appears in Primary Access.)

Logan West -- is the original creation of Brian of Baltimore.

Raith Westheimer -- is the original creation of Zach of Taos.

Mr. Johnson -- is my original creation inspired by Jason of Portland, our game master.

Category -- Adventure/Drama

Rating -- PG-13 -- Contains some strong language and violence.

Disclaimer -- This is original fiction, inspired by a year's worth of roleplaying while living at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. All characters belong to their respective owners, I'm not writing for profit here, just for fun.

To the Ipswitch Crew -- Although time and geography may have robbed us of our frienship and I cannot properly ask you for permission to use your creations, I hope that my humble attempts at breathing life into a memory meet with your satisfaction and enjoyment should you ever find this work before you.

J.

By Jenna.

A while later, Geiar woke up to see her visitors still nearby. "Sorry. . .I guess I fell asleep again." Her voice was apologetic, as if she had no reason to have done that. The man by her bed shook his head but it was the dark-haired woman who answered her.

"Don't worry about it, darling, you're still recovering." Darling? Her long slender body was curled into a burnt orange chair under the wall mounted television. She was filing her nails in a desperate kind of way, and only looked up when Geiar spoke. Emerald green eyes blazed from under jet black fringe as her hair cascaded in loose curls over her shoulders and down her back making her pale skin glow. She had the look of money, Geiar decided, and it dangled from both wrists, hung around her neck and decorated her ears and fingers.

Slowly, Geiar lifted herself from the bed and sat up determined to stay awake. The man sitting beside immediately her stood to help. He handed her the control to tilt the bed to a comfortable level while he reached around her and adjusted the pillows. Geiar gasped when he stood, but she couldn't decide if it was out of surprise or amazement. He was. . .massive - there was no other word to explain it. She could tell just sitting there that he was big, but Jesus! She must have been staring at him because he stopped and looked at her curiously.

"What. . ." Geiar didn't answer, as her eyes traced the shape of his face. The hard line of his jaw was softened with a few days' growth of beard while his dark eyes shone from under rich brown, wildly curling hair. "Are you alright?" he asked, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder. Geiar silently followed the line of his arm until it ended where they touched. She still didn't answer him.

Sabe stopped her filing and looked over at Geiar who was still staring lax jawed at Logan. "Geiar?" she asked nervously as Geiar turned to consider her other visitor.

"Who are you people?" she finally asked. Sabe dropped her file as the question, and its implications, sank in. Logan immediately withdrew his hand from her shoulder as the weight of her question hit him harder than any punch or bullet ever could. He forced himself to sit down, look at her again closely, and he was met with stranger's eyes.

"Sabe?" Logan looked to his friend for direction but he found her frozen in her chair staring back at him, the abandoned nail file left to lie where it fell. With that, Logan stood and left the room. Geiar's eyes widened at his departure, well aware that she was the reason behind it. Her eyes filling with fear and questions, she looked to Sabe.

Almost by instinct, Sabe rose and moved into Logan's recently abandoned chair. She reached her hands out toward Geiar, inviting her trust, as she looked at her friend calmly. Hesitantly, Geiar placed her hands in Sabe's and took a deep, shaky breath.

"My name is Sabe De La Torre, does that name mean anything to you, Geiar?" She shook her head and Sabe's heart fell. She pleaded with what medical training she had to help her keep calm and handle the situation.

"Are you with the corp.?" Sabe couldn't help but smile at the irony of her question. Innocent as it may have been the idea of Sabe working with any megacorp was beyond ludicrous. Her family history alone. . .but Geiar didn't seem to know that anymore. She didn't know much of anything.

"What is the last thing you remember?" Sabe asked, hoping to find some avenue back to her lost friend.

"I had blood tests done," Sabe nodded, "Then they brought me here to install the implant." Install? Oh God! No! Not install - Remove! Remove! Sabe's mind pleaded, but her exterior stayed calm.

"Okay, why don't you just relax, I need to. . ."

"The man that was here. . .what is his name?" Geiar asked timidly. "I've upset him, haven't I?"

Sabe looked at Geiar. She didn't know what state her mind was in, but she was relieved to see that Geiar still cared enough about Logan to ask - even if she didn't recognize who he was. "Logan. His name is Logan West," Sabe answered. She didn't know how to answer the second question. Just then, the door pushed open and the same slender man from yesterday entered. This time he sported a mid-length white coat and carried a clipboard loaded with paper. "The doctor's here," Sabe said rising from her chair, "I'll be back shortly, okay?" Geiar nodded, but still afraid to release the woman's hands. "Don't worry, everything will be alright."

She reached up and touched Geiar lightly on the cheek trying to reassure her that everything really would be alright, and hoping to God that her face wasn't betraying her. Finally she left her friend's side and approached the doctor. Geiar watched as the older man pulled her aside and spoke quietly taking a few notes on his clipboard then nodding and walking her way. Sabe turned and tickled her fingers in the air as a small wave to Geiar who smiled weakly back.

"So, how are we feeling today?" the older man asked the door closed quietly behind them.

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Logan had propelled himself to the end of the hall before collapsing into a heap on a well worn sofa. He was numb as he looked around the hospital ward watching people moving at an agonizingly slow pace. He leaned forward heavily, catching his head in his hands before he tumbled out of the sofa completely. That is how Sabe found him. Logan jumped when he felt her hand on his back, but he didn't look up, already knowing who would be standing there.

"She doesn't remember. . ." he whispered quietly to the floor. Sabe perched on the cushion next to him, but didn't remove her hand from his back. Instead she began to move it about in a light caress hoping it would bring him some comfort. His fingers speared through the fat curls of his hair as he continued to stare at the carpet fighting to control his emotions.

"Dr. Brooks is with her," Sabe explained, "I'm sure we'll find out what's going on shortly." Her voice was soft and hopefully free of the dread she held inside. It wouldn't do Logan any good to see her falling apart, too. Powerful as his body might be, Sabe knew that wasn't the kind of strength he needed right now.

Logan was still staring at the carpet and Sabe had taken to resting her head on his shoulder. "Sabe, did I tell her I love her?" Neither one of them had spoken for some time and now his voice sounded almost timid.

"She knows. . ."

"No, did I tell her? Before she went in?" Logan righted himself and turned toward Sabe gripping her arms tightly searching her face for the answer. "I can't remember. Did I tell her?" His dark eyes were wild with desperation and his hands held her just a little too tightly. There was no way she could know, she hadn't been there in the last few moments they shared together. But it wouldn't do any good to remind him.

"Yes, Logan, you told her," she breathed as his hold on her lightened. "I remember - it was the last thing you said." His body relaxed, his hands falling from her as she rubbed her bruised arms absently, smoothing away his grip.

"I do love her," he whispered. His eyes were fixed on the hallway and one door some distance down it. Sabe couldn't help but turn and look as well.

"I know." A brief smile crossed his lips as she answered him. "I knew before you did!" Logan rolled his eyes at her, she always found a way to bring that up, he thought. The woman is irrepressible. "Right? Am I right?" Sabe was fishing. "Tell me I'm right." Logan turned his head and met up with a look that could only be described as pure Sabe. Her hands rested on her hips and she was pouting. Had she been wearing sunglasses, she'd be looking over them. He shook his head in compliance and laughed weakly.

"Yes, Sabe, you're right."

"Good!" She was poking a well manicured nail into his shoulder. "Don't forget that! And I'll tell you another thing I'm right about," He watched her patiently, "Geiar is going to be fine, I know she will." With a smile she reached up and tipped his nose with the side of her finger. It was an intimate act between friends he had only recently allowed her to get away with. That singular touch was paramount to any number of allegiances she could express. I'm here for you. I believe in you. You can trust me. I'm your friend. Plus, she probably thought it was cute, he imagined, she liked little annoying things like that. Normally, Logan would wince at such gestures, probably even end up rubbing his nose trying to erase the awkward feel of her hand. But today he just smiled, grateful for the touch of a friend.

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At the other end of the hall, Dr. Brooks examined Geiar. He had been standing at the nurses' station preparing for his rounds when Logan's flight from her room caught his attention. There wasn't much he could explain except that she asked who they were. It was a disappointing, but not entirely unexpected, development, the doctor thought as he pushed his way into the room. Walking in, he found Sabe and Geiar talking quietly, although the look on Sabe's face told him all wasn't well. Eventually she made her way toward him.

"Hi, what's going on?" he asked, looking over Sabe's shoulder toward the patient.

"She asked who we were." Dr. Brooks could see the hurt well in her eyes as she tried to explain further but was unsuccessful. He put a caring hand on her shoulder understanding the difficulty of their position. "I don't think she remembers anything."

"This was a possibility from the get go," he reminded her, "I can do a basic test here to see what we're looking at then we'll go from there, okay?" Sabe nodded then left the doctor and Geiar alone in the room.

Walking over, he introduced himself and Geiar reached up to shake his hand. "I'm the doctor who performed the operation on you yesterday," he explained, "we have met before, do you remember me?" He watched as Geiar grew increasingly agitated at the news.

"I don't understand. I'm supposed to know the woman that was here. I'm supposed to know her too, but I don't." Geiar stared at the doctor's face. The pale blue eyes and salt and pepper hair clearly did not ring a bell. "What's going on?"

"That's what I'm here to find out," he explained gently. "I need to ask you several questions, okay, Geiar? If you don't know the answers don't worry about it. Just tell me what you can." Geiar looked at the man. She didn't really have a choice in the matter, being stuck in some hospital apparently recovering from something, she didn't even know what. If the woman's reaction had been any indication it didn't have anything to do with getting an implant installed. Maybe this doctor could explain what was going on, and why suddenly it seemed like she was alone in the world.

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After what seemed like forever the doctor emerged from Geiar's room and headed back down the hall where he saw Logan and Sabe sitting together. He was still at some distance when they noticed his approach and went to meet him. There was no smile this time. Dr. Brooks directed them into a nearby conference room before he explained anything. Drawing the door closed behind him, he glanced at his notes then began to speak.

"Well, we have good news and bad news. The good news is that Geiar is recovering nicely. Physically she's strong and alert. Responsiveness is good and she's very quick to learn." Sabe nodded as Logan continued to watch the doctor. The bad news, get to the bad news, he demanded silently. "She'll be glad to have those qualities." Dr. Brooks consulted his notes again. "Right now, my preliminary finding is that she's suffering from what is basically a loss of recent memory."

"Recent memory?" Sabe questioned, "she didn't recognize us and we've known her for nearly six years - how is that recent?"

"Recent, as opposed to remote memories like her childhood. It's a categorical name," he explained. "Interestingly enough, the loss seems to cover the same period of time she had the implant." Their voices floated heavily through the still air of the conference room as the doctor explained the next steps. Sabe rested her hand against Logan's arm as he moved uncomfortably in his chair. She could almost see his calm evaporating as he listened.

"I have reason to believe this is not a permanent condition," the doctor added. "Barring anything we may discover on the MRI, this seems to be a reaction to the trauma of having the implant removed." Logan drew a deep breath, "those things were never meant to come out. . ." He knew it was the doctor talking, but it was Geiar's voice he heard. "She's a very lucky woman if this is the extent of her reaction."

"Why doesn't that make me feel any better?" Logan asked bitterly.

"I know this is difficult for you, " he looked over at Sabe, "for both of you. But there are things you can do to help her regain what she has lost." The doctor removed a blank sheet from his notes and began outlining suggestions. "Bring in favorite items: music, photographs, things that would have some meaning to her." Logan nodded his head as he began making a mental list. "Spend time with her just talking, not always reminiscing, keep her up to date with what's going on in the world. Hospitals are very isolating places, she's isolated enough right now." He wrote a few more lines on the page then stopped and pointed his pen at Logan. "She'll be relying on you the most, I hope you know that."

He nodded in understanding, but personally unsure how to approach this. "How do I," he was embarrassed to even ask the question, "I mean, she doesn't know who I am. How am I expected. . "

". . . To act around her?" The doctor completed the question. "Well, I'd be lying if I told you everything would be normal. The fact of the matter is you're dealing with a stranger right now." Logan's head dropped. Dr. Brooks always hated revealing that kernel of truth, but he'd be doing his patients, and their families, a big disservice if he didn't. "Introduce yourself to her. Strange as it sounds, it seems to help everyone involved to cultivate a new relationship even as you're working to recover what you once had." He handed the paper over to Logan who stared at it blankly for a minute before Sabe lifted it away and read it herself.

"Your fiancee is a very spunky woman, I don't see this condition lasting. While we were talking she was already trying to put things together herself - that's a very good sign." Those words of optimism seemed to pull Logan from his haze as he watched the doctor stand up and make his way toward the door. "Do either of you have any questions?"

Logan glanced at Sabe, "not right now, but I'm sure we will," he answered.

"Okay, well the MRI is scheduled for this afternoon. If all goes well with that - and I expect it to - I want to get her out of this hospital and back home as quickly as possible." Logan nodded as the doctor extended his arm then turned leaving the pair behind in the silence of the room.

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Geiar sat alone in her room thinking about the past few hours, and everything that had been revealed. But more intently she tried to think of that which had been taken, but nothing cooperated. Looking around she saw that her room was a private suite with a large window overlooking what she thought was a park. Getting up, she tugged her IV machine along as she made her way to the window to look down. It wasn't a park at all, Geiar realized, but the hospital grounds. I wonder if they let patients out there. She lifted her eyes and saw the city sprawl stretching out toward the horizon. Her reflection floated before her in the glass like a specter. It was the first time she'd seen herself since she woke up and to her own eyes she looked small and weak.

Shakily she made her way over to the burnt orange chair where Sabe had been sitting and retrieved the file from the floor. A delicate blade with a mother of pearl handle, that woman was definitely used to having the finer things, Geiar noted. She stared at the file wondering about her visitors, "how do I know you?" she asked but there was no response. Eventually Geiar got up and placed the abandoned file on her table top then climbed back into bed.

"Eight years. . .where have you been, Geiar?" She pulled the thin blankets around herself and nestled into the pillows, eventually drifting off into a dreamless sleep.

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A while later, Geiar awoke to a visitor in her room. The same man from earlier was standing near the window looking out and apparently unaware that she was awake.

"Logan?" His head spun around surprised and blindly hoping her memory had somehow returned. Her voice was small, "your name is Logan, right?" His hopes fell back to earth as he realized the stranger still lived in his lover's body.

"That's right, Logan West." He swallowed his pain. Walking to her bedside, he wasn't sure what to do, Introduce myself. . .great, what am I supposed to do shake her hand? He sat in the chair and looked over at her nervously. "This is weird," he finally admitted. Geiar chuckled. That couldn't be more of an understatement if you tried. He studied her closely for a minute before continuing. "How do you feel?" he finally asked, truly concerned but cagey. She may not know him, but he definitely remembers her. His love for her hadn't ended when she woke up. . . like this.

Geiar shrugged her shoulders. She hadn't even tried to sit up yet, but rather turned in her bed to face him. "How do I feel. . ." she repeated the question as if she were writing an essay. "I'm tired, shaky. I have a headache." Logan nodded compassionately. For a minute she closed her eyes and he briefly thought she'd fallen asleep again. However, they fluttered open and she looked at him. "You know that feeling when you first wake up? The feeling that you can almost remember your dreams?" He watched her. Geiar's wrapped head rested heavily in her pillows and one delicate hand lay nearby. From her position, she looked up at him and her chestnut eyes were wide and innocent. "You might be able to remember a form, but no actual image? Or maybe it's just a feeling." She smiled weakly. "That's how I feel all the time."

Logan didn't know what to say. If it hadn't been for the fact that she had to ask his name, he wouldn't have noticed a difference in her at all. There was no stranger in her body, he realized. She was there alright, but she was lost. He wanted to reach out and touch her, even if it was just to lay his hand on her shoulder to let her know everything would be alright, but he didn't dare. He was a stranger to her now, too, and there was no way of knowing how she'd react. Instead he leaned forward in his chair bringing his body a little closer but still maintaining a comfortable distance from her.

"The doctor tells me I have memory loss." Her statement was as simple as they come, yet the sadness in her voice meant more than the words alone. "Did I know this was a possibility with the procedure?"

"We knew. . ." Logan mentally kicked himself for brushing away her fears. Dwelling on it will only make us miserable and it won't change what happens, he remembered telling her. How flippant. No, but maybe it would have made what happens easier to deal with now. "Memory loss was a possibility, Dr. Brooks said that so far it's the only reaction - that you're very lucky."

"We knew?" Geiar looked at Logan quizzically then her face turned sad as she remembered the doctor's brief explanation of her visitors. You know them very well indeed, he had said, but I'll let them explain. "Who is we?"

"You did, I did. Sabe. ."

"The woman, right?" he nodded.

"Raith. . Mr. Johnson. . ."

"Who are they?" Geiar scoured her memory for something that might recognize those names but she came up empty. "How do I know them?"

"We all worked together," he explained simply. "We had this little operation, I guess you could say we contract out for various jobs. . ." Geiar raised her eyebrow at him. Clearly she didn't understand his explanation. Not that he was making it easy for her. It's not a run of the mill job and very far from the corporate world she does remember. "Um, freelance work."

Geiar was about to ask what kind of freelance work he meant when a knock sounded at the door and Sabe peeked in. She smiled broadly to see Geiar and Logan together. It took them five years to get that close the first time, she thought to herself, I don't think they're willing to lose it again so quickly. Walking into the room she stopped suddenly and turned around. Reaching through the open door, she tugged another man through. He stepped into the room sheepishly, the look on his face transmitting the desire to be elsewhere. Geiar's jaw dropped. Did I pick my friends by size? She questioned.

"Geiar, this is Raith," Sabe explained. "Raith Westheimer." He raised a rough hand in greetings but didn't speak. Geiar waved back then looked at Logan.

"That's part of the 'we' I was just talking about. . ." he explained as Raith stalked across the room, nearly banging his head on the television set as he went. Raith looked back at the offending appliance and growled, then resigned himself to leaning against the wall across from Geiar.

"Sabe tells me you don't remember anything," he said gruffly. Geiar nodded as she continued to study this new introduction. "Aren't you the lucky one." He crossed his arms over his wide chest and stared back at Geiar.

"So. . .what are we talking about?" Sabe asked suddenly, trying to salvage the conversation from Raith's death grip. She shot a withering look in his direction. He glared back defiantly for a moment then relaxed the attitude.

"I hate hospitals," he muttered apologetically.

"Logan was trying to explain how we all know each other? Or maybe it was what kind of work I do. . .I'm not really sure."

"I wasn't doing a very good job," Logan admitted to the other two. "It's. . .uh. . .not that easy to explain." Sabe laughed. She was about to take a stab at it herself when she was cut off.

"We're mercenaries," Raith said out of nowhere. Geiar sat up suddenly as her casual observation of him fell into a dead stare. "Most of the time we just do simple jobs for money, sometimes it's more involved." A narrow smile crossed his face, "I like the more involved jobs."

Raith was easily as big as Logan, but he was harder somehow. The angles of his body were sharper, more definite. His short, spiked hair was nearly black but haphazardly tipped in platinum and his swarthy complexion gave way to a piercing set of pale blue eyes. He studied Geiar with a practiced indifference, but she noticed that he always seemed to be watching the door as well. As if he expected something to happen at any minute.

Sabe glared at Raith. "What? I'm proud of my job." Her glare turned into a silent threat. "She had to find out sooner or later. . "

"I'm a merc?" Geiar asked incredulously, a touch of disdain in her voice. "The last thing I remember I had this nice little job with the corp. I just came into the hospital for a routine installation and suddenly it's eight years later and I'm running with outlaws?" She was nearly yelling. "How in the hell. . .?" No one said anything. Geiar looked around the room and six pairs of eyes hit the floor. "You people are full of shit! I don't know what you're trying to pull here, but this is. . ." she waved her hand in the air. "No, this is wrong, you're trying to pull a fast one on me here." She glared at Logan, "who are you?" Geiar demanded. "I don't believe you. Get out now before I start calling for security!" her arm was rigidly pointing toward the door and she began to grit her teeth in anger.

"Geiar," Logan said softly.

"Get out!" she bellowed.

"No!" His voice rumbled with power making Geiar shrink into her bed involuntarily. Logan softened his approach. "We're telling the truth." The burst of fury was gone and uncertainty was taking up residence in her eyes.

"Prove it." It was a challenge for both of them. How could he prove anything when her memories of him were gone? How could she know he wasn't lying? "Prove that you know me." Logan looked over at Sabe for guidance but she had none to offer. Raith just watched patiently awaiting the outcome of yet another one of their power struggles. Some things never change, he mused. Geiar looked on as Logan settled into his chair and leaned toward her. He drew a deep breath then began to speak.

"Your name is Geiar N'Dege. You were a programmer with Alyncorp." Geiar nodded but didn't relent in her demand. She leaned forward over her table and watched as Logan continued to rattle off facts.

"You grew up in that corp., at least since around the time you were 8 years old. Their goodwill ambassadors had a habit of picking up street urchins and taking care of them to make a good name for the company - that's how you ended up there. But you weren't homeless."

The defiance in her eyes was subsiding and he warily leaned closer. "You were born in a neo-hippie commune. Every woman was mom and every man, dad - you don't know who your real parents are. You taught yourself to read and write, had no formal education until Thomas N'Dege adopted you through the corp." Geiar was speechless, but she refused to give up so easily.

"You could have learned that from the doctor," she defended softly, "I told him that much this morning." Logan glanced down and noticed his hand was resting over hers. He didn't remember moving it there, but she didn't seem to mind.

"Your birth name is Moondrop," he whispered. Geiar's eyes widened in surprise.

"How did you know that?" she asked softly. "But nobody knows. ."

"You told me." He squeezed her hand lightly, his thumb absently moving in a caress. For a moment Geiar though she should pull her hand away but decided not to. She liked the warmth of his touch. And, she had to admit he must know her.

"Moondrop?" Raith howled from the far wall. "Your name is Moondrop?" For a brief moment his laughter filled the room until Sabe roughly slapped the back of her hand against his stomach. "OW! Woman! Take that ring off!"

"I wouldn't be laughing - Angus!" Raith growled at Sabe as she smiled proudly toward Geiar.

"My name is Raith," he announced steadily while Sabe refused to stop beaming. Geiar hid her smile behind timid hands, but her giggle escaped.

"Learn from me, child." Sabe said pointing a manicured nail in Geiar's direction.

****************************************************************************************************************

The group relaxed. "Okay. . ." Geiar still found it hard to believe she could be involved in such business, but she accepted the idea. It's not like she was in a position to disprove them. "So how did I get involved?"

"Oh that's easy - we kidnapped you." Raith spurted out. An exasperated laugh came from Sabe's direction.

"You're just the voice of honesty today, aren't you?" He smiled at her wickedly.

"I was kidnapped. . ." Geiar repeated casually, ". . .that makes sense."

"It was late summer," Logan remembered, "Mr. Johnson had contacted us about our latest contract."

"Mr. Johnson?" Geiar shook her head, "who is he?"

"He's our boss of sorts. He sets up the contracts but stays pretty much out of the way," Sabe offered.

"Will I ever meet him?" Geiar asked. Logan shrugged his shoulders.

"With this kind of work you can imagine he likes to keep a pretty low profile." Geiar nodded, "He'll come around eventually."

"Oh. . .So I take it I was the latest contract." Logan nodded and continued to explain as Geiar listened with amusement.

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"This is it," Raith said as he peered out the back window of the van. "There she is." He held a photograph against the window comparing the image with the woman walking their way. Dressed in jeans, a button down shirt, and a short denim jacket there was nothing spectacular about her. At least nothing they could immediately see.

"That's who we have to take out?" Logan asked with disbelief, "She's a shrimp!" He pulled his pistol from the holster and checked it over making sure it was ready for action. "This is cake," he sneered.

"Wonder what anyone would want her for?" Raith asked no one in particular.

"We're not taking her out, Logan. It's a kidnapping, if she dies we don't get paid," Sabe corrected. She hated the way those two only saw things in terms of blood and more blood. It got old quick, but for better or worse, she was stuck with them. "You boys had better play nice," she threatened before opening the door and stepping out. Sabe produced a pair of sunglasses then walked away and stopped a few shop windows up from their intended victim. She watched from the corner of her eye as the brunette walked toward her completely unaware of what was in store.

"Excuse me," Sabe said turning around, "do you have the time, I think my watch has stopped."

The woman stopped and looked at her wrist, "it's about 2:30" she answered then smiled and began to walk away. Turning she nearly careened into the chest of a man standing very close to her. Where did he come from? The brunette asked herself as she tried to walk around the pillar of a man. Instead he reached his hand out and dropped it heavily on her shoulder, stopping her dead in her tracks.

"Excuse me!" The brunette said as she roughly pushed his hand off her shoulder. She tried to walk away again, but he impeded her.

"Geiar N'Dege?" The brunette turned to look at the woman now standing behind her. "You're coming with us." Geiar recoiled as the words sank in. She began frantically looking for an escape as the large man moved closer and lifted her over his shoulder in one easy motion. Geiar screamed, but all it managed to do was drive people away from the area as the woman turned and waved a pistol at any would be rescuers.

He tightened his grip on her body as Geiar struggled to free herself. One large hand clamped down across her backside, crushing her pelvis into his shoulder as the other wrapped around her legs, binding them to his body. Immediately she began pummeling his back with sharp, staccato punches as she drove her elbow into the side of his face, but he was unyielding. Carrying her to the open back door of a nearby truck he tossed her into the cargo area and followed her in pulling the door shut behind him.

"Let's go!" The woman jumped into the front passenger seat and the nondescript truck fled the scene.

Geiar landed heavily against the bare metal floor and immediately faced her attacker. He was standing over her, but as the truck accelerated he lost his balance and lunged forward. She took the advantage and drilled the heel of her boot into his knee. He yelped and fell to the floor. Immediately Geiar sent another kick flying, but he was too quick for her. Grabbing her leg and twisting, she fell back down slamming her head against the floor. A trace of blood ran down the side of her face.

"Stop fighting!" He commanded as she scrambled away from him again.

"Raith! Can't you control her?" Logan shouted from the drivers seat his voice tinted with mockery. His question was answered with the crash of a tool box as it hit the floor. "Don't tell me that little thing is beating you?" Logan smiled maliciously into the windshield, flashing the sharp edge of one pointed canine. Raith growled from the back of the truck as Geiar screeched with his latest attempt at control.

"I don't want to hurt her!" Raith yelled back as Geiar drew her nails across his face.

"Jesus Christ! Just knock the bitch out!" Logan slammed the truck to a stop at the next light and threw it into park as he got up and made his way back. Sabe quickly took over the driving. Raith was sprawled on the floor behind Geiar. He had finally pinned her arms behind her but she was still struggling. Her body thrashed against his restraint as he managed to capture both wrists in one hand and wrap the other in her hair pulling her head back at a sharp angle. She looked up and faced the barrel of a second man's gun.

The struggle ended right there. Geiar froze as the blue steel nuzzle pushed into her forehead crumbling her defiance into fear. Her eyes widened and her body began to shake uncontrollably. She only saw past the gun briefly before her head turned toward the floor in submission. Her long hair was still twisted between Raith's fingers and as she turned it pulled tightly against her scalp revealing the tell tale connection of a high end programmer.

"She's a fucking decker!" Logan exclaimed. "Man, we should have asked for more money." Raith laughed as he reached for a length of rope and securely tied Geiar's hands behind her. She had quit struggling. Once she saw the gun she knew it was over for her. If they didn't kill her then the corp. would when they found her. Either way she was as good as dead. Once subdued, Raith worked to find a spot for their victim amidst the equipment and tool boxes.

"Knock the bitch out? Logan you know I can't do that!" He propped Geiar against a large tool chest then faced his partner.

"Damn your honor code! Next time I'll deal with it okay?" Raith growled angrily and pushed past Logan to the front of the truck. He dropped his large body into the empty passenger seat and stared into the darkening horizon. They were out on the interstate now, well beyond the fringes of the city and headed toward the coast, a night's drive away.

"Raith if it's any consolation, I'm sure she appreciates not being knocked out. . ." Sabe offered quietly to her brooding companion. He laughed wryly. She turned to face him, her hand finding the deep red lines across his cheek. "I'll need to look at that later," she informed him as her eyes returned to the highway. He leaned back in the seat and closed his eyes.

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The truck passed through the night in silence as Logan watched over their victim. She was sitting with her knees drawn up, her arms still bound behind her and looking a lot like a caged animal. Long, dark hair covered her face in chaotic strands as a line of drying blood matted some hair to her skin. A stone cold stare rested in her eyes. Logan found the challenge amusing, heh, she's still fighting. . .ballsy.

The truck walls were lined with various electronic components obviously put together by someone who didn't know much about them. A wry smiled crossed her lips as she realized these people weren't as sophisticated as they pretended to be. "Don't get curious," He warned, casually nudged his pistol in the air reminding her who held the power as she began looking around the cabin.

"Fuck you!" She hissed. Whoever these people were, there as no indication as to what their next move would be, or for that matter, why they wanted her in the first place.

Eventually, Sabe pulled the truck off the highway into a deserted rest area. The clear cold air of the late night, filled the truck as they opened doors and got out, leaving Geiar where she sat. She heard their voices rise into the thin desert air as Sabe tended to Raith's wounds.

Raith hissed. "Oh, come on, it's only alcohol," Sabe said from outside the truck. "Man, she really got you good!"

He touched the scratches on his face and winced. "She put up a good fight, especially for the corporate type."

"Especially when you're afraid to fight a woman," Logan added.

"It's not fear, Logan," Raith corrected impatiently, "it's respect." Logan rolled his eyes. "I don't believe in harming women, you have a problem with that?"

"Only when you're supposed to be doing your job but can't," he snapped back.

"Get off the testosterone, both of you!" Sabe ordered. "Decker or not, there's a person in there," she jabbed her finger toward the open door of the truck, "We're getting paid to destroy her life. Remember that!" Sabe angrily left the two men behind and climbed back into the truck. She turned a back light on casting a pool of pale yellow light into the vehicle's bowels.

"Oh my God! What happened back here?" Sabe stepped into the truck and scanned the mess, her eyes finally finding the small woman curled in the corner. Without a second thought, Sabe knelt by Geiar's side and began examining her. Lifting her head into the light, she pushed the hair away from her face and began cleaning her wounds. Geiar didn't fight. Instead, she closed her eyes and let the woman work, somehow knowing she wouldn't hurt her.

"Is this really necessary?" Sabe asked, holding a loose end of rope in her hand while Logan and Raith watched on behind her. With the flick of her wrist, the blade of a butterfly knife cut the rope away. "Please don't prove me wrong," she whispered stepping away to help her up. Geiar stood shakily in the back of the truck fully taking in her surroundings for the first time. She immediately massaged her wrists then moved to feel the bandage on her forehead.

"Thank you," Geiar said quietly as she stumbled forward. Her first steps out of the truck took her between the imposing forms of the two men she had fought only hours earlier.

"Why do we even try?" Logan asked as the women passed. "Every time we get a job like this, count on Sabe to play 'Miss Merciful.'

"We're just doing our job." Raith answered as he sat in the doorway and produced his pistol. Eyeing the sight, he tracked the two women until they disappeared into the bathroom. "We're the heavies in this operation, she's not." He dropped his hands and peered into the chamber, "besides, you know how she feels about these kinds of jobs."

"I don't like them much either, but unless we can get some tech going for us we're not gonna get any better work," Logan argued. "At least this pays the bills."

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Early the next morning, the truck pulled into the empty parking lot of a second rest stop on the outskirts of a southern California town. Raith stopped the engine and pounded on Logan's shoulder waking him.

"Huh?" he mumbled, heavy with sleep.

"Get up, it's your turn." Raith motioned to the back of the truck where Geiar was sitting, wide awake. Sabe had fallen asleep in the back sitting on a large chest and slouched over a drop down counter. Logan looked at her and groaned. Lifting himself out of the chair, he made his way back and nudged Sabe awake. She whimpered and dropped her head back onto the counter. Logan tried again and was successful in getting her up and headed toward the just abandoned seat up front. Raith was already asleep.

Geiar watched as Logan struggled to wake up. He ran his hands through the mass of dark curls on his head as a yawn escaped his mouth. His gun waiting patiently for action in its holster. He regarded her with disdain.

"How can you be so awake? It's the butt crack of dawn."

"Easy, just don't fall asleep." His vision focused on her. Sometime during the night she had pulled her hair back into a braid revealing, for the first time, her delicate features and porcelain skin. Her eyes were heavy with exhaustion but she fought the need to close them. The fiery rebellion of yesterday had dissolved into resignation, something Logan was surprised to find he missed.

"You stayed up all night?" He asked incredulously. Geiar nodded.

"I know I'm going to die somehow, but I didn't want to be taken out by some fool who fell asleep at the wheel." Logan laughed.

"Raith."

"What?"

"The fool at the wheel, his name is Raith," he informed, "the woman next to him is Sabe." Geiar mouthed the word, oh, but she didn't speak. "And what makes you think you're going to die?" Geiar reached for the counter and pulled herself up. Standing, she found herself closer to Logan than she expected making her back off suddenly. He patted the air gently trying to get her to calm down. "I'm not going to do anything to you," he said as she leaned against the opposite wall and wrapped her arms around her.

"Why do you think you're going to die?" he asked again. Her remark had struck him. If there was one thing any of them refused to do was assassinations. If anyone got killed during one of our operations it's self defense, he reasoned, I won't kill someone in cold blood. They all clung to the same belief, it's either us or them, but none of them would willingly put a bullet in another for money.

Geiar studied the man's features. He seemed genuinely interested in what she had to say although his behavior yesterday kept her wary. But that was yesterday. Today he was almost social and she didn't know what to make of it. She didn't answer him.

Logan resigned himself to a morning of silence. Looking toward the front of the truck he saw the sky was lightening in the east and soon the sun would rise, the day would arrive and the trade off would take place. Geiar was still standing in the corner refusing to rest, and remorse for his behavior yesterday stabbed him clear to his conscience. "It's not personal," he offered, "it's just a property transfer. . ."

"It's personal to me," Geiar sniffed. She turned and examined the equipment behind her. Her eyes tracing the bundled cabling that snaked its way down the frame of the truck. "Property. . ." She shook her head sadly. "So how much are you getting for this transfer?"

Geiar surprised Logan with the question. Her voice was so matter of fact, that for a brief moment he forgot she was referring to herself. He definitely wasn't expecting her to want to know the price on her head. "250 thousand," he answered sheepishly, suddenly ashamed to look at her.

"You were right, you should have asked for more." His jaw dropped as she smiled victoriously at him. "I pull down six figures. . .well I did before yesterday." She forced herself to cross the small divide and stand close to her guard in order to better see that collection of electronics. "Invest it wisely, it doesn't go as far as it used to."

Logan watched her fingers float over the controls touching each one, as if she were reading them like the blind and their books in Braille. Slowly he was able to coax her into sitting on the chest beside him. Not long after, her head lowered to the counter and she fell asleep. Involuntarily, her exhausted body leaned against him and the accidental touch drilled home Sabe's words from the night before. The first rays of sun peered through the windshield chasing the shadows into the farthest corners of the truck as Logan watched his charge sleep.

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That evening, they climbed out of the truck and walked into a booming night club. Immediately, Sabe gravitated toward some pool tables in the far corner of the room. Reaching for a nearby cue she had only racked the balls before she was approached for a game by a stranger in a dark suit. She looked past him to the other three and winked as she tossed him a stick and leaned over to shoot. The stranger smiled wolfishly as he watched her lean body stretch over the table.

"I'll be at the bar. Logan will be with you." Raith explained to Geiar through the din of the night club. "I guess this is the end of the road." He offered her his hand in a business like shake, then headed to his spot at the bar as Logan directed Geiar toward a secluded booth.

"So, who is this person. . " Geiar asked, that bought me? She completed the rest of the question in her mind.

"The contact was set up through an agent, we don't know anything about him." Geiar snorted, nice.

"So you kidnapped me, not knowing who or what I was only to sell me for less than the going rate to someone you know nothing about? You all obviously don't run a very professional operation." Her criticism stung, but Logan knew she was right. This mission had been a total pooch screw from the beginning, he thought.

"The less we know the safer it is for everyone involved," he defended.

"Don't confuse safety with ignorance." Logan growled at the implication, but despite his best efforts she had hooked him.

"For example. . ." He leaned onto the table and looked over his glass at her in a challenge. She took a sip from her own glass then smiled wryly back at his scowl.

"Do you really think the corp. is gonna let me go that easily? I'm not well kept for nothing." Logan steadied his gaze on her, unimpressed. "I just hope your contact knows that or he's as dead as I am."

"Why do you keep saying that?"

"Because the corp. doesn't like to lose people."

"So then they'll come looking to take you back. . ."

She shook her head with sad amusement "They don't take people back. I'm a threat to the corp. now, they'll be looking to kill." Geiar looked over at Sabe, who was finishing up her second game with the stranger. "And they're already here." Logan's head swiveled to see the suit playing with Sabe get a little too close. She smiled in a friendly way but pushed him away. He was unaffected.

At the other end of the club Raith watched his partner, himself growing angrier with each unwanted advance. "Don't do it Raith," Logan breathed. "They're trying to draw us out. . " The suit was getting friendlier, he pulled Sabe away from the table and tried to kiss her. With a fierce glare, she slapped him. Instantly Raith was off the stool and pushing his way through the crowded dance floor.

"Shit!"

'What?" Geiar looked around and caught Raith breaking for the pool tables. "Where's he going?" Instinctively, Logan searched the room for other suits. One was still with Sabe, and Raith was closing in. Another sat at the bar, opposite where Raith had just been. Two, is that it? Turning toward the door he noticed another well dressed man entering and heading straight for them. Logan reached his arm across Geiar's lap and pulled her beside him. She gasped.

His arm rested on the table before her and the other went around her back pulling her closer. On reflex, Geiar's hands pressed against him trying to keep her distance. "Don't fight me," Logan whispered, "just relax." He pressed himself against her crushing her arms between them in mock intimacy.

"Reach into my coat and pull out my gun," he whispered into her ear. "Keep it below the table." Nervously, Geiar's found her way beneath the flap of his coat and felt over to the holster. She gingerly pulled the gun out and dropped it into his lap. Logan released her and cocked the pistol as the third man approached.

"Logan West?" Logan looked up and immediately dropped his arm around Geiar's shoulders.

"Don't know who you're talking about buddy," he answered casually. Geiar looked at Logan, then over at the man covering her surprise with a smile. The man studied Geiar with a cold eye before answering.

"I believe we have an arrangement."

Logan shook his head. "Look, I'm just trying to have a drink with my lady." He lifted his arm from her shoulders and dropped into his lap and immediately sought out Geiar's hands. Finding one, he pressed it against the under side of the table. She seemed to understand as her other hand took it's place.

Just then a rapid burst of gunfire filled the club as people began running for cover. The suit turned and Logan and Geiar lifted the table onto him, crushing his body under it and making their getaway. In the chaos, Geiar was separated from her guard and found herself running with everyone else unsure of her next move.

Bullet holes punctuated the wall behind the pool tables as Raith charged the suit, brandishing his own weapon. The suit dodged and moved between tables, firing as he went. But Raith was relentless, picking off possible escape routes with a gunshot. An almost maniacal smile played on his face during this twisted game of cat and mouse.

Sabe reached Logan in the quickly emptying dance floor. "Where is she?" Sabe asked, looking for Geiar. "The contact?"

"The contact's dead," he answered briskly, "she's not here?" Immediately, their heads turned to scan the deserted club. "Where is she?" They split up and began searching as the second suit fired from behind the bar. Logan dove for cover as Sabe ducked behind a column wishing she had something more than just her knives. Peering around the corner, she leaned back just in time as another spray of bullets flew past. Raith was still having fun at the first suit's expense, Logan noted as he crouched behind an overturned table. Movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention and he turned to see Geiar crawling through the doorway of a storage room. Peeking over the edge of the table, he fired toward the bar then bolted for the door.

Once outside the club, Geiar picked herself up and started running. The hall was lit in a few spare places. Everything else hid half covered in shadow. She made her way down the hall grasping at doorknobs as she went, but nothing gave. The heavy fall of footsteps behind her reminded Geiar of the suits still in the club and she broke into a full run down the hall.

Sabe lifted a dagger from her boot. Weighing the blade in her hand she risked another look around the column and was met with a second blast from the suit's gun. Looking around, Raith was nowhere to be found and Sabe found herself with only one option. With her back to the column she took a step forward, twisted her body, and released the knife behind her. The suit fired again but stopped abruptly. Timidly, Sabe peeked around her shelter to see the suit slumped over the bar, gun in his hand and the hilt of her dagger holding him up. She was alone in the room.

"Raith!" Sabe shouted above the din of the still playing music. No answer. "Logan!" The screech of moving furniture spun Sabe around, her butterfly knife fluttering open in her fingers. One large hand reached into the air followed by the unmistakable spikes of Raith's hair. She watched cautiously until his whole face appeared, grin and all.

"Having fun?" Sabe groaned at his playfulness, as she rushed toward her partner.

"Where's Logan and Geiar?" He shook his head. "You didn't see either of them?"

"I was busy." He couldn't hide his enthusiasm as Sabe pulled him to his feet. She looked around and spotted the open doorway. Making her way over she motioned to Raith and disappeared through the door.

Geiar ran through the darkened hall. The footsteps were still behind her as she turned another corner coming up on another door and a dead end. Panicking, she twisted the knob but it didn't turn. Looking around, there was no other escape. The footsteps grew closer. Taking aim at the knob, she raised a leg and kicked. It weakened. Kicking again, the knob fell off and she pushed the other end through swinging the door open.

Taking a step forward, she fell as her feet were swept from under her. Scrambling away, she found herself at the other end of the club, near the booth she had been sitting in earlier. The upended table was there, but the suit was gone. A sharp kick to her side and she curled in pain but her fear propelled her forward and she kept struggling to get away. A few more feet and another kick drilled it's way into her back. She screamed and collapsed.

A tight fist pulled a mixture of hair and clothing as she woke to the feeling of being dragged. Immediately Geiar's hands worked to free herself but the grip was too tight. Eventually the suit threw her body back down. "Kneel, bitch!" he growled. Geiar couldn't move and her hesitation was met with another kick. "KNEEL!" Slowly, painfully, Geiar lifted her body onto her knees and looked up. The suit was standing over her, bloodied and angry, his gun glaring down at her. Only the muzzle of the gun was in focus, nothing else existed now as she waited in submission for him to squeeze the trigger.

"NO!" A female voice screamed from the far end of the club. The suit twitched his head in her direction but didn't turn to look. There was no way they could get here in time, he thought, but the distraction was enough. Mustering what strength she had left, Geiar lunged for the pistol and slapped it from his hand. Falling backwards she turned the gun and fired, squeezing out almost every bullet left in the clip. The man stood for a moment, a look of surprise on his face, before he collapsed on top of her. Geiar was too weak to move so she lay beneath him, the gun still locked in her hand when the others reached her.

****************************************************************************************************************

"We've got to get out of here! The cops'll be here any minute." Sabe said as Raith pulled the dead suit from Geiar and lifted her body into his arms. Logan was already waiting outside the door with the truck running when the other two appeared. Opening the back, they climbed in and quietly slipped away. As they returned to the highway Sabe tended to Geiar's wounds as Raith looked on.

The next morning, Geiar woke to find herself once again resting against Logan. He was sitting behind her leaning against the wall of the truck, his body was her support. She flinched as every bump on the road reminded her of the night before. He drew a breath as he woke and immediately she tried to pick herself up. Not that he let her. Resting his hands gently on her shoulders he pulled her back against him.

"No, don't. Trust me, it hurts less if you don't move." Geiar relented. She wasn't sure she could move if she tried anyway, but she didn't care for the idea of being held like this. "Just relax, you're hurt." Slowly, she allowed her head to fall back against his chest.

"So what happens now?" She asked quietly.

"We're going home."

"You're going home," Geiar corrected.

"No, we are." She snorted. "We can't give back what we've taken from you, but you're welcome to join us. . "

"Huh?" Geiar wondered if her injuries were causing hallucinations.

"Wanna do this for a living?" Logan asked lightly as Geiar's ribs reminded her that laughing was not a good idea.

"I don't even know your name," She said. "He's Raith, and she's Sabe." Geiar pointed out the two at the front of the truck. "But who are you?"

He cocked his head to look at her, "you mean I never told you?" Geiar shook her head against his chest. Her eyes were closed as she answered. "My name is Logan," he offered extending his hand in greeting.

"Hi Logan, I'm Geiar." She opened her eyes and shook his hand weakly. "It's nice to finally meet you."

End.