By An Enemy's Grace

©, Samantha Agee & Debra Taylor

"Thank you, Thomas."  Signing the slip and handing the electronic pad back to the deliveryman, Derek Rayne accepted the medium-sized crate from LeBrel Galleries, New York.

"No problem, Dr. Rayne.  You all take care."

"We try."  Taking a moment to smile at the familiar figure, the chairman nodded.  "You do the same."

Closing the door, Derek regarded the crate thoughtfully as Nick joined him from retrieving a crowbar to pry off the top.  Once inside, rooting around in the stuffing, the precept withdrew an object from the packing, the look deepening into a frown as he held it in his hands.

"What is it?"

Unable to resist, Nick answered the older man with a mischievous drawl, "It's a box Derek."

Looking from the 'box' in question to his security chief, Derek felt his lips twitching and fought the smile down, intoning gravely.  "I never would have guessed."

"That's what you keep me around for, boss."

"Oh, well I knew I had a reason."  The calculated offhand comment drew a short bark from the ex-SEAL as the precept gave in to the grin before returning his attention back to the relic from the New York House.  "While you get to work on the chopper, I'll see what I can dig up on this old box.  There has to be some reason Joshua sent this to us instead of London."

"Yeah, " Nick opined as he left to change into clothes more suitable for a day of crawling under the Legacy's helicopter, "He hates dealing with Sloan as much as you do."

Derek made to retort, only the younger man was long gone.  With a reluctant twist, the precept agreed wryly to the empty room, "You may be right."

------------------------

"Hey!  Where's Derek?"

Peering up into the spring sunshine, the man reached by her foot for a different wrench.  "Hey, Moi.  Probably in the lab tinkering with our latest mystery, thanks to New York."

"I saw the crate out back."  Moira nodded.  "I trust you mean the House and not the city itself."  

Nick's grin was half-hidden by his arms as he tightened something under the belly of the metal bird.  "This time."

"Well, that's good news.  Speaking of tinkering, how goes it?" Nick slid out and she helped him up.  "Think she'll live?"

Wiping dirty hands on a slightly cleaner rag, the SEAL gave the machine a try, turning the key and wincing as nothing happened.  "Still critical."

Comiserating with him, Moira told him, "You'll get it, doc.  In the meantime, I promised Alex I'd help her wrap up the analysis of the residue found at the latest haunting over at the cemetary."

"Anything interesting?" Nick asked, resting on the strut, taking a sip of water from the bottle Rose had brought out earlier.  But the former reporter shook her head.

"Looking like a prank and not a very complicated one at that.  It's probably something totally disgusting that I don't want to know about but completely harmless, not to mention non-supernatural."

"Ooooo, enjoy."  

She made a face at him before turning to head for the House.  "Thanks.  Same to you."

"Yeah, right."

Entering through the kitchen, Moi grabbed a couple cups of coffee, winding her way to the upper floor and the lab there.  If Derek was working on a new project, he probably wasn't so engrossed yet that he wouldn't want to be disturbed.  Plenty of time to get the latest on whatever it was the Big Apple had tossed their way this time.

Derek looked up as the doors swished open, smiling at the cup she held out for him gratefully.  "Thanks."

"You're welcome."  Moving to the table the precept had been leaning over, she studied the object there.  Roughly the shape of a cigar box, about 6 by 8 inches and 2 deep, the rich wooden surface was highly decorated with ornate carvings and delicate detail work; very beautiful and obviously very valuable.  "New toy?"

He snorted and joined her.  "Hardly.  But Josh seems to think there is *something* here.  So far I'm coming up empty."

"Hmm.  Up for a little help?"

"You bet."  Derek put down the cup and frowned at the box.  "Have you and Alex finished the report on the disturbed gravesites yet?"

"Almost.  Give me an hour or so and I'm all yours."

He smiled down at her, hazel-gray eyes twinkling.  "Deal."

"Derek. . .."  The exasperation trailed off as she rolled her eyes.

"For the box."  He insisted, raising on brow archly.  "Where's your mind?"

"Heading with the rest of my body down to the control room before we start something and no work on either case gets done."  So said, she scooped up the other mug as the precept's chuckling remark followed her out the door.

"Spoilsport."

Her head was still shaking, lips still grinning as she walked through the hologram downstairs off the conference room.  They'd been married for a little under a year and still the man was impossible.

Accepting the repeated coffee offering with a knowing smile, Alex Moreau asked, "Ok, what did he do now?"

Chuckling, Moi took her seat next to the dusky researcher.  "Nothing much.  Derek's gotten a new mystery box from New York and he's feeling frisky.  I told him I'd help him with it when we're done here."

Laughing out loud, the darker woman almost lost her coffee.  "Well let's get cracking.  Can keep the precept waiting, now can we?"

"Oh let him stew for a while."  Moira waved upwards toward the lab vaguely.  " As to this, I was hoping if I stalled long enough, the gook we collected from the headstone would analyse itself.  No such luck, huh?"

Giving her a cheerful smile, Alex clasped her across the shoulders.  "Nope.  I even saved you some."

"Gee thanks."  Making a face, Moira sighed and faced the inevitable.  "Ok, bring on the slime."

-----------------------

What was -- ?  

Oh now this was interesting.  Studying the carved relief more closely, Derek reached for the magnifying glass and scribbled a couple of notes on the legal pad handy at his left hand.  Cleaning up the surface of the box, the precept had uncovered several words engraved in the underside of the wood, all but disguised by the decorations themselves.

Shifting to get a better look, the notepad was accidentally knocked off the table and he bent to pick it up.  Staring at the words he had written, Derek frowned.  "When did I write this?  This doesn't make any sense."  Silently reading the words, he tried to piece together some semblence of meaning but they were just nonsense, not coherent form to make a sentence.  Not even a different language as far as he could tell, though he would run them through the database later, just individual concepts like 'dark', 'cold' and 'trapped'.

"So, obviously a prison of some kind."  Muttering to himself, he did not read them aloud, having run across many instances in the past where simply reading the inscription on such a device, even in ignorance, would release it's occupant.  If that was indeed the case, as it was appearing more and more to be something other than just a pretty box.  Not the first time in the history of the Legacy.

Bending over the box once more, the precept continued to study the carvings, jotting down notes unknowningly as he did so. . .

--------------------------

Inside the dark prison, an evil presence paid close attention to the immediate area beyond It's own private Hell.  It could tell his situation had changed; possibly, if circumsatnces were right, he could even find freedom from this suffocating enslavement.

<<Yesssssssss. . ...>> It hissed in glee.  <<Read the wordssss.  Ponder their meaning, human.  Sssset me free. . ..>>

Little did the human know that the Gifts the demon sensed behind his mind would be enough to set It free.  All the human had to do was *think* hard enough on the words. . .they would not have to be read.

Just think about them. . .think about them. . .

------------------------

"Well that was certainly pointless."

Taking off her coat and placing it in the foyer closet, Rachel Corrigan grimaced as Phillip smiled at her.  "Well, 't least there was nothin' complicated t' deal with."  The irishman encouraged her to look on the bright side.  "'nd we were able t' pick Katherine up on th' way back t' the castle."

"True enough."  The doctor managed a wan grin.  With Spring Break, Kat had been looking forward to spending some time at the castle all week.  "Thanks for coming with me, Phillip.  Even though nothing happened, Franklin was just looking for a little attention, I felt better knowing you were there."

"No problem.  I don' think he would hav' tried anythin' with another person there."

Kat rolled her eyes at the mention of her mother's newest client.  "Puh-leese," she informed them both.  "The man is just creepy.  Gives me the jeebies."

"Yeah, me, too."  Rachel agreed, hugging her daughter.

"Well young lady," Phillip hunkered down beside the 10 year old, smiling.  "Up t' some research with me?"

"Sure!  You bet!" Consciously echoing Derek's expession (which the precept had unconsciously copied from Nick) the little girl bounded up the main stairs to her room.  "I'm just going to put my school books away.  Don't start without me!"

Standing, the young man shook his head fondly, calling.  "I'll be in th' libr'y."

"That should keep her busy for the next few hours."  Rachel observered, amused, telling him teasingly, "I'll be in the extra office if you want to get rid of her."

"No chance a that."  

Thus assured, Rachel lifted the briefcase she had brought with her and headed to catch up on her caseload.  While her week at the Legacy may have been fairly slow, her mundane job as psychologist had thrown loop after loop at her for the past few days and Rachel was looking forward to untangling a few of the complicated mental knots.

--------------------------

Walking into the kitchen, Lissa Rayne eyed the ex-SEAL and his plate knowingly.  "Snack?"

Nick smiled, his eyes disappearing as he bit into his sandwich -- all four levels of it.

"Nevermind."  Lissa shook her head.  "I can see you're busy.  Get the chopper up and running?  Just nod if yes."  She amended before the man could open his mouth.

An exagerated nod accompanied by twinkling eyes was her answer before he swallowed his bite.  "Purring like a kitten.  I saw Phillip get in with Rachel and Kat earlier.  When did you get back?"

"Oh a few minutes ago.  Tuleau in Paris sends his regards."  She grinned at him, eyebrow raised in a way that reminded him of her father.  "And demands a rematch the next time you're in town?"

The martial artist laughed.  "I beat him the best three out of five."

"That would explain it."  Lissa chuckled.  "Where is everyone?"

"Last I heard, Moira was helping Alex in the control room and Derek was up in the lab working on something from LeBrel."

"Josh in New York?" At the SEAL's nod she watched him bite into the sandwich again, thinking curiously.  "Hmm.  Haven't heard from him in a while."  Shrugging, Lissa pushed off the counter.  "I'll check on Alex first then head up to see how Dad's handling Josh's little present.  Enjoy your lunch."

A silent nod was her only responce as Nick's mouth was full.

--------------------------

<<Yessss.  Just a little more.  Clossssser.>>


---------------------------


Closer.

Peering at the carvings and decorations, Derek could feel he was getting closer but still not there.  The phrases were nonsense, but why deform something so delicate, something so obviously valuable by marring it's surface?  Scratching into the wood, words that had no meaning?

Muttering to himself, the words he had found on the box circled in his mind's eye, reverberating around in his head.

-----------------------------

"How goes Slime City?"

Moira grimaced at the young woman walking through the hologram.  "I hate children.  I'm never having kids."

Alex and Lissa traded grins at the declarative statement.  "I take it it was a prank after all?"

"You got it."  Moira confirmed, wrapping silver hair into a bun and out of her eyes as she placed the last bit of goo into a container to ship to Sgt.  Kowalski, San Francisco PD.  "A childish one at that.  Digging up the dearly departed and then covering their caskets with this stuff is totally juvenile.  No -- don't ask what it is, you don't want to know."

Catching a whiff of the slime in question, Lissa made a face.  "I'll take your word for it."

-----------------------------

Trapped.

Thought.

Tears.

Eternal.

Staring at the wood, Derek ignored the words written on the legal pad in front of him, his mind captured by the swirling designs carved in relief.  Slowly the words were forming a pattern. . .

-----------------------------

The demon all but crowed in glee.  <<Yess. . .a pattern. . ..almosssst. . .>>

-------------------------------

"I take it Paris was a success?" Alex rested a hip on the table, taking a sip of cold coffee.

"Same old, same old.  Nothing major to deal with now that Tuleau is back in charge.  Seems the dipwads at Ross couldn't decide wether they should kiss Deb's butt for pulling their fat out of the fire -- again -- or cut their losses and run.  If Bronder could keep control of his people and lay down the law for everyone working there, Deb wouldn't have to keep saving their asses."  Lissa shrugged unsympathetically.  "Remind me to feel sorry for them."

"What for?" Moira retorted, having heard her fair share about the company the Paris consultant was forced to work with on a regular basis.  Just the other day Deb had sent her an email stating bitterly that, if Ross should ever be taken over by demons, they would never know, seeing as management there already bordered on the demonically possessed.

Or criminally stupid.

Unfortunatately at the moment, options for the type of work the Paris House needed on occassion were limited and Deb was stuck dealing with it.

"Good point."  Lissa agreed.  "But together, Tuleau, Deb and I got it straight and all's smooth, for now."

Alex nodded sympathetically.  "Where are you headed?"

"Before I go grab some shuteye and head to bring Cassie down for the weekend, I figured I'd check in with Dad, see what he's up to."


---------------------------


Of course!

Now that Derek had pieced together the last of the puzzle, it all made perfect sense.  With on last mental run through, the precept prepared to put everything aside and break for lunch only to have everything go blank in a flash of brilliant white light. . .

----------------------------

<<YESSSSS!  AT LASSSST!>>

Grasping its freedom in cruel talons, the demon used its power to follow the mental trail that had broken it free from its prison of centuries, opening his eyes to look around.  Unlike his own all-encompassing vision, these eyes were restrictive, limiting his view to only one direction at a time.

Growling, a strange gutteral sound coming from human lips, the demon recognized the symbol on the computer screen in front of him.  The Legacy.  Perhaps not the same humans that had captured him before, confining him to an eternity of suffocating darkness in that small box, but that didn't matter.  

It was free and as soon as he had the spell he needed, he would be able to materialize his own body, breaking free of this weak human shell and once again wreck havoc on the mortal world, starting with the hapless members of this cursed organization.

But first, It would need to gather the power it sensed around him, somewhere down below his feet.  A thought struggled against its grip on the mind it held.

The vault.


---------------------------


"I'm sure Derek would appreciate that."  Alex smiled.  "I know he'd missed you since you were away.  I -- " Breaking off, the researcher stiffened.

"Alex?" Frowning, recognizing symptoms of the Sight, Lissa stiffened a second later, her own Sight kicking in, showing her what the other woman Saw.

Flashes crossed her mind. . .

. . .Derek frowning at an ornately carved box on the table in the lab. . .

. . .An impossibly bright flash of light. . .

. . .A loud, triumphant howl ringing out with a whirl of dark, rendolent wind. . .

. . .Anguish and terror as the world went grey, then black. . .

Dad. . .

"Lissa!  Lissa wake up!!" Coming slowly to her senses, Lissa dimly felt someone shaking her, calling her name.  "Lissa!"

Wincing, she fended off the hands on her shoulders.  "I'm here.  What happened?"

"That's what I'd like to know."  No longer shaking her, Moira peered anxiously into hazel eyes.  "You and Alex Saw something.  Alex came out of it just fine but you were stuck.  I couldn't get you out."

"It's Derek."  Taking a deep breath, Lissa forced the words out past the lump suddenly blocking her air.  "Moira what was up with that box we got from New York?"

"I don't know.  We just now started research on it."  She confessed.  "What's wrong, Liss?  What did you see?"

"I'm not sure.  No -" Lissa stopped her before she could contact the precept with her mind.  " -- don't send to him.  Don't touch his mind.  Not until we know for sure."

"Know what?"

"I saw some kind of demon, coming from a box."  Shaking her head, the former cop couldn't clear the cobwebs.

"Moira, you saw the box earlier.  Was there anything in it?" Alex asked the mage, having seen the box in the images she had shared with Lissa.  "Did you sense anything?"

"No.  No but I didn't scan it either."  The mage reluctantly admitted.  "Because I wasn't actively looking for anything, I probably wouldn't have felt anything unless it was actually working against us."

Forcing her mind to work despite the fear and confusion crowding it, Lissa realized if anything had taken over the precept like the vision suggested, it had to be stopped, now, before it grew accustomed to the precept's body enough to use it against them.  "Quick, we don't have much time.  Where is he now?"

"In the lab upstairs, but.."

"Seal it.  Lock the door."

Immediately doing what she said, Moira quickly brought up the security screen, fingers flying over the keys as she locked the lab door.  "Done.  Now what?"

"Now we need a plan and we need it before Derek finds a way out of the lab."  Grimly all three women looked at the computer screen, the locks on the doors holding.  "Call the others."

Continued

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