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No Remorse	By : Firefly4000 Category: +G through L > Jackie Chan's Adventures Views: 4083 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Jackie Chan s Adventures, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1
- 2
- 3
Chapter Two – Dragula

Disclaimer: Dunn own anyone from Jackie Can adventures, GI Joe or the song Dragula. They all belong to their respective creators artists and owners lol. Alls I own is this fanfic idea^^

Special Thanks goes to: Spleefie for all the help she’s given me, Youko for letting me use her chara Chris (aka Christopher) in the series, Wormbaby with her help and advice regarding one of the scenes included below and finally to everyone else who wanted to read this fanfic and went out of their way to read and review for me, thanks goes to all of you ~ Firefly4000

Dedicatioo Spo Spleef whose been harassed by a rather stupid self absorbed condescending and petty girl whose not even fit to kiss the ground she walks on, I love you always mi amore ~ JMartin

Summary: Take it awaaaaay…Zarana! :D

Zarana: *walks in dressed like a slut as always* Valmont’s ‘ired Firefly t’do ‘is dirty work f’r ‘im an’ now the most deadliest mercenary around ‘as set ‘is sights on breakin’ into Section Thirteen *blinks in surprise and grins* blimey! GO FIREFLY GO BEAT THA’ NANCYBOY JACKIE CHAN T’A BLOODY PULP!!

Lol wow someone’s actually chanting for FF to win lol

Zarana: Wot can I say? *smirks* ‘e is one o’ m’closest friends an’ all

Too True lol hence why you’ll be making an appearance in this along with *in singsong voice* Mainframe *starts laughing only to eep as Zarana glares at me* uhhh no ‘ffense Zarana *edges away from the psychotic ex Dreadnok then breaks into a run*

Zarana: *glares and gives chase*

Feedback: Need it, want it, crave it, desire it, and thirst for it just as much as I need, crave, want, desire and thirst for an ice cold Diet Dr Pepper with alllll the trimmings^^ you can email me and send me my favorite soda to Hunterkiller5005@hotmail.com and please keep in mind all flames will be sent to Siberia along with the flamers themselves *evil smirk*

***

Dead I am the one Exterminating son
Slipping through the trees, strangling the breeze
Dead I am the sky, watching angels cry
As they slowly turn, conquering the worm

If there was one thing that Firefly loathed above all else…it was when someone was pulling his strings hence why he had decided to personally show up and rip Valmont’s heart clear from his body.

That had been before he’d heard the other man’s ‘offer’ and Firefly used that term both loosely and with lots of heavy biting sarcasm while glaring at the man who’d told him that he would get his money after nodding as if in dismissal which also irritated the mercenary.

“I’d better be” Firefly had replied growling low in his throat as he left through the open window before Valmont even had had time to blink scowling behind his mask as he left the filthy room that the fallen crime lord was living in.

As Valmont looked out the window Firefly faded into the shadows clenching a hand irritably … how dare that bastard think Firefly would do this out charity! He thoughtkly kly as he stalked off thinking about ripping Valmont apart for daring to try and manipulate him that way.

It was bad enough that when Firefly had told Serpentor and Cobra’s hierarchy to go screw themselves, he had almost wound up being blacklisted but now, now he was being manipulated into working for an ineffectual British crime lord who couldn’t even hold onto his own holdings much less actually pay him!

He growled again removing his uniform then putting on a pair of black jeans and an equally black t-shirt over which he put on a leather jacket snarling in rage at the thought of being challenged that way by some idiot who couldn’t even fight well against one simple and (by all accounts) insipid archeologist!

It galled him to think that he could have fallen this far just because he’d quit wog fog for Cobra surprising the lot of them by admitting that he actually had a code of ethics unlike idiots like Scrap-Iron or any of the newer mercenaries who were working for Cobra these days idiots like those new Dreadnok recruits or any of that bastard oil tycoon Overlord’s cronies.

Growling and cursing fluently in German, Firefly stalked down the street as it started to rain stalking down the street turning a corner heading for the motorcycle parked out front not caring about the rain as it poured down all around him.

After all sho should he care? It was just a lot of rain something which he didn’t mind as opposed to sunny and bright days two things that he despised almost as much as being patronized or dismissed like some common thug!

Something that he didn’t care for at all he reminded himself with a grim smile, a fact that Serpentor had learned not only first hand but in a very painful manner after Firefly had kneed him in the groin then proceeded to beat the crap out of the genetic freakshow before telling him that he would rather be broke and penniless then work for an idiot like him or for any of those who wanted to suck up to a freakshow like him.

And while that wasn’t a problem for him since Firefly was already very wealthy in his own right, he didn’t like the fact that he was now apparently bordering on the line of mercenaries who were hired and those who were blacklisted all because he’d dared to speak out against Serpentor balking at having to serve anybody save for the one person that Firefly respected above all else … Cobra Commander.

It was no secret that Firefly had worked almost extensively for Cobra Commander in the past and had been paid a lot of money for his troubles…but even then there had been quite a few times that the Commander had merely requested his presence for nothing more then a small conversation over lunch, dinner and occasionally breakfast.

A fact that thankfully was overlooked, believed by all to be bec Fir Firefly had a working respect for the now deposed ruler of Cobra and not because of a more personal reason he mused as he hopped onto the motorcycle then slid the key into the ignition.

That arrogance on the parts of those insipid thugs was another thing that got under Firefly’s skin more than he cared let alone even wanted to admit especially due to the fact that it would have suggested that the mercenary happened to have a slight case of loyalty, something that was very dangerous for a person in his line of work.

Loyalty was something that he could not afford, not now nor ever! Being loyal got one killed in his line of work, because it implied a weakness that could be exploited and to the world at large, the mercenary known only as Firefly had no loyalty to anyone save to his wallet he reminded himself with a dark chuckle, removing a silver lighter with a stylized black cobra insignia on either side followed by a single cigarette which he then placed near said lighter, the flames causing the small ‘cancer-stick’ as it was called to be engulfed by the single gas powered flame while he slipped the other end into his mouth.

He inhaled slowly deep in thought even as he started the motorcycle removing a helmet that was black in color placing the lighter back into one of the two main pockets of the black leather biker’s jacket he was wearing.

He really wanted nothing to do with Valmont but what choice did he have? There was hardly any work for a professional of his caliber unless he hired himself out to religious fanatics or to the drug lords (two things he despised as much as America’s IRS agents) now that the cold war was over at any rate.

And he certainly could not go back to Cobra, he did have his pride after all and furthermore he had no desire to ever set foot on one of the places any of the new hierarchy used or even associate with anyone who still worked for that madman.

And that was what Serpentor was he noted with a shake of his head, an insane lunatic whose plans fell apart every single time, not to mention the fact that he acted like a spoiled little brat whose ravings were just as much lunacy and futile as was the man who spouted them.

He sighed again cursing in his native language as he continued to smoke … hating the fact that the world had changed too much for his tastes yet being unable to really do anything about it anymore.

Or had it? One had to remember that while the crime lord had tried pulling his strings, he had presented Firefly with a challenge and if anything … Firefly not only loved a challenge … he craved it, more then life itself and that, that was one of the reasons why he was the best in the business he admonished smiling a little.

He dropped the cigarette onto the street crushing it beneath the heel of his left black boot while he slipped the helmet on then took off speeding dthe the highway thoughts of money filling him as the black and silver Honda CBR1000RR motorcycle roared down the asphalt road.

“Who knows…may even enjoy my time in Section Thirteen,” he added with a laugh as the song ‘Dragula’ by Rob Zombie blared to life…

…And if he happened to run into a certarchercheologist while he was inside the vault getting the supposedly mystical talismans for his boss? Well … he had been hired to eliminate the man he thought with another dark chuckle…

Dig through the ditches,
Burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my
Dragula
As the mercenary departed Valmont sighed tiredly putting the gun on the table back into the drawer below it, reproaching himself for telling Firefly off and then arrogantly toying with the mercenary the way he had. Both of which were two things that were not necessarily wise let alone healthy he mused even as he felt the stubble along his face and sighed a second time.

It is like playing with a rattlesnake he noticed with a shiver, he could turn on me at any moment he continued thinking as a chill went up his back.

He shivered again knowing that Firefly’s reputation was one that was well earned already vowing not to make the mistake of dismissing or snapping at the mercenary again even after he had the talismans in his possession and … had reestablished his organization due to the fact that Firefly was quite possibly the deadliest man on the planet and could wind up killing him if he so desired.

Slowly a grin slid across his face … then again, perhaps that too was a good thing, after all … if Firefly took a commission and worked daily for him then his enemies would be sure to wind up not only dead but also unable to stop him from rebuilding the Dark Hand crime syndicate and extending his power base far more sufficiently then it had once been.

It would also … allow him to spend … more time with Christopher, something that he had wanted to do anyways even…though he had been unable to with that whole debacle with Shendu and his current living situation.

He clenched a hand and looked at a small portrait of him, his wife and … his fourteen-year-old son Christopher. He couldn’t face them, not like this at any rate!

He would not face either of them…not until he had been restored, because if he did … then he would lose their respect for him and that … was more then he could bear.

He sighed looking at a picture of an attrac lig lightly tanned woman with blond hair and brown eyes tracing a thumb along the picture feeling deflated, tempted to pick up a phone in order to call … his wife … Rachel Lynn Valmont and speak with her.

He missed his wife and son so very much but he knew that Rachel’s decision to go legit was for the best interests of their son Christopher Allen Valmont, something that he agreed whole heartedly with his ex wife even though they had both … erupted into an argument over the issue.

Hopefully soon he would be able to mend the problems that had occurred he thought sighing once more while thinking of all the things he would be able to do once he had … rebuilt his empire.

This time though he vowed to keep his criminal life separate from his personal life and try to give his son, his only son … the best things in life from a good education to … parents he could truly be proud of.

Of course that vow also had to do with his desire to get back together with his wife as well since there was no one else after all that he would rather be with of that he knew very well.

He smiled remembering the first time he had met Rachel, encountering her when he had barely formed the Dark Hand syndicate meeting her while working alongside his people, impressed with the young thief who had formed a steadfast partnership with him.

A partnership that had…ultimately blossomed into love and then into something more he reminded himself fondly remembering the day … that Christopher had…been bond hnd how proud he had been to see the life that both he and Rachel had … created nine months before.

His smile grew a little more as he remembered the times he and Rachel had taken their son with them whenever they had gone to a mere sports game or whenever his wife would tell him of the adventures that both his parents had shared together.

He paused remembering when Rachel had handed him the divorce papers, remembered the heartache he had felt while looking into her eyes accepting that simply because he knew as well as she did that it was for the best since both of them had not wanted their son to become a criminal.

To say nothing of the enemies Valmont had made over the years he reminded himself looking at the handgun on the table before a smile graced his lips.

But soon now…thanks to his newest employee…he would have another chance to…make things right…
Dig through the ditches,
Burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my
Dragula
…For the most part getting into section thirteen was easy, despite all the vaunted claims that had been made by various informants in the underworld, it had been relatively easy following a few of the people who were members of that secretive law enforcement agency and even easier getting past their security systems by way of the air ducts and several miles of grappling cable.

And it had been even easier to hack into the security computers and pull up the plans for the entire complex as well as the specific location of the objects Valmont had also hired him to retrieve all of which was thanks to the files Firefly had received from his informants and were based on profile reports of various agents of said agency.

It was that information which had helped him while he had studied those plans as he had gone over every crucial detail for more then an hour relying on one of the best weapons at his disposal … the perfect memory that he … had been born with.

Unlike most members of the human race, Firefly had always been very observant, always taking in every detail that took place around him, a skill that was in fact enhanced because his memory retained every piece of information it ever absorbed,h thh the same way a sponge would soak up and absorb water or any other liquid.

Hence why he was able to not get lost in the big maze of ventilation ducts even as he kept crawling down into the belly of the beast as it were, pausing every so often to make sure that the heat masker he’d brought with him was working and that there were no other security devices waiting for him inside.

Yawning a bit he paused watching the rats that scurried around with no expression on his face, his mind going back to … another time … when he had … lived on vermin like them while laying sometimes for days in a pool of his own blood sometimes shivering because he was left there naked without any clothes, other times just huddling in the dark cursing his tormentors.

He shook his head causing the rats to flee, vowing all the while to not go down that path again … at least not while he was … on the job. He reminded himself as he kept moving putting one hand forward then the other as well, crawling on his knees even while he removed a Heckler and Koch USP9SD semi-automatic pistol thumbing the light that resided on the bottom, and attaching a silencer to it while he kept crawling.

Like others in the USP or Universal Self-Loading Pistol series the USP9SD was based on the USP design and had in fact been designed with a fiber-reinforced polymer frame that had been stiffened by stainless steel inserts along the areas that were subjected to stress and friction.

He paused looking over the sleek handgun that he had purchased off the black market along with numerous other Heckler and Koch weapons including a GMG or Grenade Machine Gun for short a smirk crossing his face, small wonde> he> he thought with a chuckle, that those in the American Military prefer to have a weapon like this as opposed to other handguns he reminded himself gazing at the handgun in his left hand and the uniquely American controls which had been influenced heavily by the 1911 Government modeled pistol.

Also like the other weapons in the USP series, the one he had with him had been a product of the Heckler and Koch’s remarkable success at pioneering the use of polymer materials in the production of their handguns more then 30 years ago with the development of the VP70Z and the P9S handguns.

Like the original USP, the 9SD the control lever was both a combination safety and decocking lever and was frame mounted and quickly accessible unlike the slide mounted safeties that were common on many semi-automatic pistols.

Unlike the original version however, the 9SD’s safety lever was ambidextrous with three optional tritium dotted sights while the barrel of the handgun was threaded for a left handed person allowing it to not require an o-ring and a thread cap, with it’s frame mounted control lever placed on the left side, having been fitted with match trigger parts and click adjustable sights that were of sufficient height in order for a person to see over the other special feature, an also optional Brügger and Thomet (otherwise known as a B&T) ‘Impuls IIA’ stainless steel screw on sound suppressor or (silencer) that had been matched up to the 9SD pistol itself via the last three digits of the pistol’s serial number when both the 9SD and the suppressor had been assembled together in the factory.

Developed specifically for attachment to the USP9 and having it’s own serial number, it was quite possibly bes best sound suppressor that he had ever come across and thanks to the fact that he had added 5 cc’s of water the sound suppressor’s baffles Firefly had been able to reduce the sound signature for his weapon to an additional 3 decibels thus even further limiting the popping sound that usually occurred due to fir first round of ammunition being expelled.

It also helped to cool the decidedly hot propellant gases that were caused whenever a bullet was discharged and would last for approximately either twenty shots or for twelve to fourteen hours. L-shaped and decidedly lethal it was only one of four semi-automatic weapons that he was carrying with him for this assignment, the others being a G36 Assault Rifle, an MP7A1Assault Pistol, and a UMP9 submachine gun all of which had also been made by the Heckler and Koch manufacturers, a company that in reality sold these weapons to the military and law enforcement agencies around the world.

He paused once more near a ventilation shaft removing a small wire which was attached to the belt around his waist and slid the tip of the small black cable beneath the vent itself while slipping a second wire to a small portable camera thumbing a switch located to the side a grim and controlled smile spreading across his face as he moved the wire around in order to get a better feel of the security systems themselves before slipping into the room.

The mercenary watched a pair of guards finishing up their patrol before the two men headed out the door locking the vault behind them sealing it shut, the locks for the ventilation ducts starting to close automatically along with the slits for the vents themselves.

Quickly he pulled the wire back towards him so that it would not get cut up by the slits, growling just a little in annoyance while removing a small vial filled with a blue green chemical which he then applied to the hinges and the seams of the now closed ventilation hatch smirking as the liquid caused both of those things to freeze up instantly before he punched once causing both to shatter as if it the seams and the hinges were glass and not metal.

Chuckling once more Firefly then removed a small canister pulled a pin and dropped it onto the floor and watched as smoke filled the entire room allowing him to … see the numerous security lasers that crisscrossed and intersected along the floor itself.

Slowly he looked all around noticing the various security cameras that were even now flickering back and forth, utterly thankful for the smoke and his camo-jumpsuit that he wore due to the fact that both of them together had obscured the visibility of the cameras themselves so much so that it would allow him to not only get in and out without too much trouble but also help him see the blasted laser sensors that were on the floor.

Moving quickly Firefly then maneuvered himself swinging his feet so that they were outside the ventilation unit, chinching the backpack that matched his uniform and ski mask before he let himself fall landing in a crouch on the floor looking all around taking in his surroundings listening for every sound.

Like most of the vaults he had been in this one was riddled with security systems of every kind, save for one … it’s cameras had no sound recorders at all, something that earned a laugh from him as he moved over the lasers very carefully closing his eyes having already memorized where each one was as he flipped over some, crawled under others, and walked over the rest.

Unlike other vaults he had been in though this one, had tons of utterly worthless pieces of junk, all of which were utterly without any value in Firefly’s eyes whatsoever, a fact that further lowered the already small modicum of respect that he already had for Valmont.

He grumbled a bit looking back and forth before noticing a small pedestal containing … the twelve talismans that he had been … hired to steal for his new employer.

He grinned upon noticing the wires around the case itself … ‘Dieses ist gerechtes zu einfaches’ he muttered to himself reveling in the fact that the security systems here were ohh so very poor…
Dead I am the pool, spreading from the fool
Weak and want you need, nowhere as you bleed
Dead I am the rat, feast upon the cat
Tender is the fur, dying as you purr
…Time was a river, endless and cruel for Shendu. Where once he had ruled the land of Chi’n he was now confined … to a statue. Where once he had terrorized and frightened millions, possibly billions of people he now offered nothing more then a cheap laugh from the people who were there to make sure that he hung on a wall in a vault deep underground. Where once he had wielded ultimate power he was now … nothing more then a piece of rock, one that could only sit and watch the comings and goings of the humans who had once again imprisoned him in this blasted statue!

He snarled in rage his eyes glowing angrily as he imagined burning the entire place down and feasting upon everyone that was housed within before he sighed bitterly hating the fact that he could … do nothing because that blasted chi wizard had made him lose his powers using the very samell ell that the immortal Lo Pei had used on him centuries ago!

And now, now he was stuck here for who knew how long in a blasted statue while Chan and his accursed allies remained alive!

His slitted narrow eyes glowed with pure rage as he continued to stare at the talismans before him desiring to crush everyone including his siblings for being stupid enough to banish him to the void in the first place!

Of course to Shendu it did not matter that he would have left them in the void anyways, they were after all just competition for him after all plus he really didn’t care for any of them.

Still it galled him to know that they hadn’t trusted him and had forcibly pulled him back after the doors had been closed, but … not as much as knowing that his talismans were twenty feet away from him within his very grasp or so it seemed.

Reality was a harsh and very cruel mistress the dragon demon thought with another snarl before he…noticed smoke spreading all around him, and the … floor of the room itself.

“Dieser platz ist für touristen“ an icy voice stated with a disdainful laugh from the left and for a few moments Shendu thought that it was one of the guards come to mock him again before ... he noticed...a man clad in gray and black combat fatigues and wearing a mask in order to conceal his identity moving through the room flipping over the many red beams that now littered the floor.

His eyes narrowed to glowing red slits as he watched the intruder who was even now moving through the gloom caused by the smoke canister that had dropped only a few moments ago, before the newcomer began to span the area looking around warily.

Shendu’s eyes glowed and he hissed wondering...what exactly was going on the dragon wondered even while the man looked all around then turned and looked straight at him...

... “Dieser platz ist für touristen“ Firefly stated derisively in German while going over his surroundings standing there between the remaining four laser sensors that intersected around him as he moved slowly but with a confidance in his walk that only lended credulance to his reputation for getting in, out and past security systems of any kind easily. Inclinging his head slightly Firefly continued to look around still chuckling at the stupidity of the people who ran the place for the fact that they hadn’t deemed it necessary to install ones with sound him them.

Turning his head a few degrees the mercenary paused upon seeing a large golden statue with ... red slit like retangular eyes ... and he smirked. “What an ugly garden gnome“ he stated with a chuckle.

“Garden Gnome?“ A hissing voice demanded snarling at him in rage. “I WILL SHOW YOU A GARDEN GNOME YOU PITIFUL MORTAL!“ the statute replied roaring angrily sulfur billowing forth.

“Ooooo, sulfur“ Firefly began with a derisive chuckle. “I’m soooo scaaaared“ he added with a sarcastic tone. “What’re you going to do? Smoke me to death?“ he asked while rolling his eyes, “I’ve been threatened by people a lot better then you“ he commented slipping the talismans into one of the smaller pouches in the backpack...

...The dragon let out a wordless scream of rage; the only expression that he truly capable of at this point in time as he watched his talismans dissappear one by one into the stranger’s hand, his fury rising to a level he had never felt before let alone thought even possible for him to have while watching this, this thief putting the talismans into that strange bag he had brought with him.

“YOU PUT THEM BACK!!“ Shendu commanded his voice booming like thunder causing the masked thief to ... laugh further enraging the dragon demon. “YOU DARE TO LAUGH AT Me?“ he demanded refusing to let the talismans be taken from him and scattered. Not sure which was worse, the talismans in his sight and inaccessible for him otch tch as some human dared to laugh at him while stealing them from him...

...Firefly yawned in boredom as he finished the task at hand ignoring the demon causing him to roar again and again before he rolled his eyes. “And just whose gonna make me?“ he asked arrogantly as he turned, waved a jaunty salute to the cameras then headed back for the ventilation duct he’d come out of. “Later ... lizard boy“ he added with a laugh before he crawled back inside and ... escaped...

...Shendu roared again imagining a thousand different tortures for the thief who had not only dared to steal his talismans but had also dared to mock and laugh at him before letting out another wordless scream knowing that the agents would not come since they were after all used to his fits of rage and simply ignored him just like that that thief had done!

And while normally he got a twisted sense of pleasure out of knowing that his screams prevented the other occupants from ever truly sleeping let alone even going to sleep, this was not to be one of those times since his talismans had been stolen!

Sulkingly he screamed again trying to awaken the agents in order for them to catch this this interloper who had dared to steal from him but none came even while he continued to scream wordlessly into the night...

...With a tired sigh Firefly emerged from the ventilation duct and quickly made his way up the stairs avoiding the agents who were making their rounds, the cameras that were moving back and forth on their timed rotations and every other little trap that had been laying in wait for him, traps that he had already defeated earlier.

Quickly Firefly made his way back towards his cycle, and with a grace simular to that of a jaguar he hopped on reminding one of a cowboy mounting a horse even as he turned on the ignition while he finished changing into civilian clothes, having already put his uniform into the main pocket of his backpack, which he zipped up before removing a helmet, sliding it on over his head before taking off down the street...
Dig through the ditches,
Burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my
Dragula
…Yes, soon he would have a chance to make things right and that to Valmont was all that really mattered, especially now that he had hired quite possibly third, maybe even the second deadliest man on the planet to help him regain what he should not have lost in the first place.

The first being Cobra Commander he reminded himself with a chuckle as he remembered the offer the departed terrorist leader had placed on the table as it were, offering an alliance between both thek Hak Hand and … (quite possible) the most ruthless and deadliest terrorist organization the world had ever known, a bargain that would have made the Dark Hand even more powerful.

Unfortunately that deal had fallen through thanks to the efforts of those two blasted crimson twins Tomax and Xamot and or to Cobra Commander’s arms supplier Destro along with Destro’s paramour the Baroness and their manipulations.

He clenched a fist remembering how the four of them had outmaneuvered the Commander forcing him to cancel that arrangement before going ahead with their own plans to try and take his own corporation from him!

That, had been why he had ultimately canceled the arrangement both he and the now (apparently) serpentine terrorist chieftain had been in the process of completing … only for Rachel to warn him that the crimson twins; were in fact planning on attempting to try and pillage his companies, taking them over no less, after the deal with the Commander’s organization had gone through, something which had prompted him to decline a more then tempting offer.

And despite the Commander’s many attempts to make contact with him he had politely declined partially because half of the time the terrorist leader was unable to even keep control of the rest of the cobra hierarchy, with his attempts blocked at every turn and -according to Valmont’s own spies inside that particular organization- and ultimately terminated with the man himself losing grip of his own empire slowly but surely.

And there was no way he would have bargained with Serpentor or any of his lackeys, not for all the tea in china as it were, especially since he was already at that point in time having trouble with that whole fiasco regarding Shendu, the talismans and … Jackie Chan he reminded himself better.

This time around though things would be different he assured himself, this time he would take this second or rather third chance at life as it was and use it to rebuild what he had before, starting with his businesses since without them he could not face his wife or his son.

Then once the Dark Hand was rebuilt, Valmont would attend to a more personal matter, one that required his full attention.

That matter … was rebuilding his strained relationship with his wife and his son, yet this time around though he vowed to separate his personal life from his work related one and to have morme fme for both his wife and his son.

He sighed looking at the picture of his wife and son yet again, tempted to contact them and spend some time speaking with them if only for a little while at any rate…but no, he couldn’t, scratch that he would not go to them until he was on top again and that was that.

But for any of those things to happen he needed those blasted talismans and he needed that meddlesome archeologist Jackie Chan to depart this mortal coil once and for all!

He also needed new enforcers, while he wouldn’t mind having Finn, Ratso and Chow back the three of them and Hak Foo were all extremely unreliable when it came to others like Chan for example and he no longer could afford -let alone welcome- mistakes of any kind.

The question was, where to get them? Granted he was planning on making Firefly his new ‘lieutenant’ as it were but he still needed others as well to help maintain order and keep the more ambitious members of the underworld along with the so-called ‘proper authorities’ away from his doorstep.

But more importantly, Valmont had to get those talismans first and foremost, they were the key to rebuilding his empire and with them in his hands he would be able to commit crimes in record time and use the money to first pay off Firefly and then rebuild the rest.

Growling impatiently he turned and started walking back and forth across the floor of his apartment the tea he had made only minutes ago cooling as it sat beside a book on the nightstand to the right of the chair he had been sitting in. “Where is that blasted mercenary?” he muttered as he walked back and forth for what seemed like hours before the phone rang and he picked it up. “Well?”

“You should really consider being more patient, it would help in you’re criminal endeavors” Firefly quipped earning a growl from him, “touchy touchy” the mercenary continued.

“Do you have them or not?” Valmont demanded wondering when Firefly had slipped a listening device into his room!

“I have them though I still don’t see what you need a bunch of stones for”

“That’s not you’re concern” Valmont begubegun with a growl, “just bring me those talismans and you will get you’re money”

“Keep it up and I might just raise the price for these little trinkets,” he had stated in a voice filled with calm as he let Valmont’s little comment slide past him. “Or sell them to someone who could pay a lot more then some beggar living in a dive in the slums of Mexico.”

“Now see here-“ Valmont had started to say his rant being cut off…as Firefly…simply hung up…on him…
Dig through the ditches,
Burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my
Dragula
…“Keep it up and I might just raise the price for these little trinkets,” he had stated in a voice filled with calm as he let Valmont’s little comment slide past him. “Or sell them to someone who could pay a lot more then some beggar living in a dive in the slums of Mexico.”

“Now see here-“ Valmont had started to say before Firefly simply depressed the ‘talk’ button on his cellphone, chuckling a little as Valmont’s voice and the connection went dead.

“Finally some peace and quiet” he replied smirking as he hung up the cellphone shaking his head with some amusement liking the fact that he could get at Valmont who (like some of his other ‘bosses’) was just another snobby aristocrat that needed to be taken down a few notches.

With a chuckle he placed the small phone into a pocket readily turning his motorcycle to the right zooming along. He paused and shook his head disdainfully thinking on just how he had gotten himself into this mess his opinion of the ex crime lord fading even more then it had been before despite how much…Firefly had enjoyed goading him.

But then…Firefly enjoyed needling and antagonizing uptight people anyways and to him did not matter whether the people he was irritating were fellow mercenaries, the authorities, his opponents, or even … his own employers he reminded himself with another chuckle.

And Valmont was proving that he was by far no exception, almost always letting his own emotions get the better of him something that disgusted Firefly more and more as the world changed around him, further adding to the belief that he was in fact the only sane businessman left on the face of this insignifigant dustball.

Emotions were both boon and bane to him, residing in other people they were often a boon to him simply because he often relied on manipulating others in order to get and or stay ahead of everyone else something no other person on this pitiful excuse for a planet successfully did as much as he himself did.

He paused near an intersection the cycle’s motor hummed while the mercenary bit his lip looking at his watch waiting for the traffic light to turn green watching all the cars that even now zoomed before him his well polished black and silver helmet gleaming due to the sparkling orbs all around him.

But they were also a bane to him, due to the fact that he too was human and subject to the pesky things just as much as others were, although in his case … Firefly had made a very exemplary and concentrated effort to destroy or at least suppress his own human feelings.

Fear was a very good example for him, unlike others Firefly feared nothing not even death and he had not ever since he had been five years old while living in one of the worst hellholes in all of Germany.

Despair; despair was one of those insipid emotions Firefly had utterly massacred when he had been a child, despair much like fear and sadness was something he loathed and had taken great delight in crushing out of it’s very existence.

Pity, like others pity had no place in him, sure he took pity on little children who were where he had once been but aside from that he did not take pity on anyone else, after all it was a weak and utterly stupid emotion to have, and it was one … that he laughed and spat at.

Anger was another emotion he couldn’t show or allow to go unchecked he reminded himself, not because of the results that followed whenever he was angry, those in and of themselves were fun for him to remember, but it was also disastrous for him simply because it left him open for attack as did … one other emotion, one which he had … tried to deal with far too many times to count.

That left only one other emotion to be named, one emotion that Firefly hated above all others going so far as to try and erase it from any and all traces of his life…an emotion he had given up on, the emotion known as…

…Love.

Of all the emotions that Firefly had worked hard to overcome and separate himself from, it was love that was his biggest problem, and it was love that he loathed, detested and … utterly despised above all else because of just how useless it made a person.

And it was love that … had caused him a lot of problems … seven years ago he thought while removing a cigarette and lighting up, inhaling the smoke from the ‘cancer-stick’ into his lungs trying to to … push back the memories of … a woman with hair as black as any opal, skin the color of light mocha or coffee, eyes the color of dark chocolate and … a mind as sharp as any razor, and an intellect that had … rivaled his own.

Three years of his life spent with the woman and in the end she’d left after a heated argument with him … walking out on him … and his life.

He growled angrily tossing the cigarette into the middle of a busy intersection not caring that he had just littered. He would not go there again! Firefly simply refused to wind up going down that particular road again since it caused him nothing but pain.

Still…those memories plagued him much the same way a virus plagued him, causing him no end of trouble whenever he was alone, always teasind tnd tantalizing him as he thought of the times she and he had been happy together.

In all fairness though…she had not been the only one to blame for the breakup, he had also been at fault, angry with the world he’d lashed out at her in many a verbal argument or had simply and utterly just pulled away from her waiting for the next set of orders from the only person who had ever treated him without hatred or contempt.

But that person…was gone now and despite how much Firefly despised the emotions he had worked so hard to overcome and suppress, his heart was still heavy over having failed both the one man who had ever truly treated him as something other then a monster … ane woe woman he had … pushed away three years ago…
Do it baby, Do it baby
Do it baby, Do it baby
Burn like an animal
…Valmont snarled holding onto the phone with an almost vice like grip one thought forming in his mind his temper nearing the boiling point…’how dare that that foul money grubbing mercenary talk down to him with so much blatant disrespect!’

It was practically unheard of for anyone to talk to him as if he were a mere commoner, especially some greedy lowlife scoundrel who most likely had been some idiot working in one of those detestable fast food places or serving some foreign military power before becoming an arrogant egotistical boorish hitman who hid behind a mask of all things!

For a few moments he had half a mind to call Firefly back and demand a full and very contrite apology before he simply sighed beginning to calm down as reality slammed back down on him in a rather hard and brutal manner much the way a mother would slap a chilhandhands when they were in the wrong.

He needed Firefly, needed the man’s skills not just as a thief but as an assassin as well, to say nothing of the mercenary’s infiltrations abilities and … his expertise not just as saboteur but also because the man was trustworthy without a doubt.

That much Valmont did know about the man he had hired. With almost anyone else he would have had to consider a possible double cross at any given time but with Firefly there would be no double cross, simply because power was not something that he was interested in.

And more importantly he needed Firefly working for him, needed someone with his ability to get more positive results instead of negative ones in order to not only make his triumphal return but to also keep others like those blasted crimson twins Tomax and Xamot at bay.

What was even better was the fact that he could leave Firefly in charge while he was off spending time with his family and expect no takeover attempts, problems in general with the authorities or rival businesses, or attempts on his life or the lives of his wife and son because Firefly was just that good. And that was something that was just too good an opportunity to pass up especially after all that magic nonsense had given him such a headache and ultimately led to the downfall of Valmont’s organization and … this blasted current financial state that he happened to be in.

This time though, things would be different he swore to himself. No longer would he be obsessed over money, yes he would continue to accumulate as much as before, but, this time he would focus more on his family, taking time out to be with his son, and watch as he grew up even while being there beside Rachel and possibly even rekindling what the two of them had once had.

Of course all of that depended on Firefly’s willingness to help him regain what he had lost and … on how (as much as Valmont hated to think it), he treated the mercenary the crime lord reminded himself staring at the phone again even as he picked it up and dialed the prefixed number the man had given him.

“I have you’re stupid talismans” his new employee replied growling a little into the phone with more then a hint of annoyance, “they’ll be brought to you by tomorrow”

“Yes, well I would like to apologize for my … earlier outburst” Valmont began biting his tongue hating the fact that he actually had to be nice to a money grubbing thug like Firefly. “I actedashlashly and would like to inform you that it will not happen ever again”

“It better not because I don’t like it when people who I’m working for fall apart on me or screw me over for that matter and in both cases I take personal offence. Call it ego if you will but I am no one’s punching bag and anyone who treats me like that winds up dead every time understand?”

“Crystal” Valmont replied trying to get a handle on his anger, “I will however need for you to deal with Chan”

“I’ll do that after I’ve studied his fighting style”

Valmont blinked wondering what his new employee meant by that. “Why would you want to?”

“So that I can evaluate the man and see what kind of weaknesses he has”

Valmont nodded thoughtfully, “how will you deal with him?”

“I will deal with him the way I see fit” Firefly continued calmly. “When do you want me to deliver the merchandise?” he asked in a professional manner, something that up until now he had not really shown before.

Valmont paused blinking as he looked at the phone, somewhat surprised that Firefly had in fact asked him something like that which if one thought about it was very contrary to the rumors about the demanding overbearing and ‘forceful’ attitude of the mercenary.

“As soon as possible, provided you can” he replied before the phone went dead and he allowed himself a grim smile.

Having Firefly on his payroll it seemed … was one of his more brilliant ideas he thought with a chuckle as he got out of the chair he had been in and stood up imagining himself clothed once more in respectable clothes, the smile on his face changing from grim to hopeful.

“One step at a time” he told himself…
Dead I am the life, dig into the skin
Knuckle crack the bone, 21 to win
Dead I am the dog, hound of hell you cry
Devil on your back, I can never die
Firefly paused after hanging up the phone, yawning a bit he turned the cycle left coming to stop near a small bar then he dismounted and removed the keys from the ignition and smiled a little in amusement.

To him magic was nothing more then ancient superstition like one of the many religions to be found on the planet, or like all those wild stories about bad luck and misfortune.

Of course he supposed they had their purpose save for the fact that they brought out sometimes the worst in a lot of people.

Case in point, there were the religious fanatic groups and then there were the anti-religious ones and while both sides claimed tolerance they both of which were just as bad as their opponents due to the fact that they ranted and raved and acted better then the ones they accused of doing the same.

The same was said for politics, whereas Firefly held to a more conservative belief (albeit one with a decidedly Macchiavellian twist to it), a lot of the groups he had found himself employed to had often spouted off many a comment about their revelations and how they despised anyone who had worked hard in his or her own life and had much more than other people had … when they did not work hard enough to provide for themselves even while they acted as if they were entitled to the money and standards of living far beyond what they had earned.

In some cases there were even people who seethed with hatred for the work ethics that had once been used by the founders of the very nation that he was currently in, nor did they care to hold to any code of ethics whatsoever, preferring to instead hold to an attitude that was (not surprisingly) elitist, something that (to him) was a rather large problem for most of the human race in this day and age. Although that set of beliefs were nowhere near as stupid as one idea, one that he himself despised more then any other ideal, one that he had named the; ‘it’s okay scenario’.

It was that mentality that Firefly disliked immensely, not just because it was stupid and arrogant on the parts of others, but also because it was a cowards way out as it were.

How many people he’d often wondered or noticed had broke up with the person or persons that they had been committed to due to the basis that their feelings had ‘changed’ and that it was ‘okay’ for them to break up with someone else as long as they themselves wound up ‘happy’, hell they even used that particular excuse as a way to shove their consciences aside while they lied, cheated, stole and slandered others simply because they felt that it was ‘okay’ to do so ocauscause it was the only way for them to get ahead in life.

While love was foreign to him, Firefly still understood it, or rather he understood the commitment that went into such a decision since it (along with trust, respect, and the mutual benefits that were part of such a life long decision) reminded him of a business partnership or a joint business venture designed to mutually enhance and better both parties involved.

And it was when partners broke a deal, that they wound up screwing out their associates, either because they felt that they could get a better offer or because they were scared of such a commitment and wanted to fold their hand and run and hide from decisions that they could not face due to the fact that they did not really have the stomach for it.

Then again the human race as a whole disgusted him, on one hand you had some people who were branded as ‘neo-fascists, religious fanatics, and ultra rightwing radicals’ when they were nothing of the sort –and by no less then others who disliked them due to the fact that the lives of those they criticized were much better no less- while on the otherhand you had people who were in fact all of those things or something worse who just so happened to get away with everything because they played on the mistrust and fears of others just as if they were a tarantula wasp that had gone and infected a spider with it’s larva he mused with disgust.

And then, you had people like him. The monsters under the bed as it were, the ones who used the sheer ruthlessness and dagger like intelligence that they were endowed with to not only survive but to win no matter what the cost to anyone else.

Of course that last part did not matter to him much, he knew he was an evil man and he made no protests or recriminations against it, that was just who he was, and while others thought that they knew better it was Firefly who at least looked through things with some measure of reality.

Then again most of the world never really saw things in reality as he did anyways, the mercenary thought while ordering a bottle of whiskey, no it was more concerned with the ‘appeasement’ mentality he reminded himself even while he slipped a pair of twenties and a five onto the counter of the bar calmly taking his change and the alcoholic beverage he had purchased to one of the tables in the back.

He knew that his stubborn and cold cruel greedy nature were considered flaws by most people yet he had always shrugged it off, having long ago decided that it was better to be cold and dead inside then to be one of the people who were out on the sidewalk screaming in hatred acting as if they were ‘God’s gift’ to everyone else while lowering themselves to the level of those they claimed to be better then or to become one of those who felt it was okay to go back on any kind of promise that had been made.

A small smile graced his face as he removed the top for the bottle, remembering one time when he had been a child and had found himself trusting someone else only for that person to stab him in the back emotionally then spread ugly rumors about him, hounding him relentlessly before he had simply grown tired of it and well … had found up shoving a spoon into the other boy’s throat.

He’d then watched as his tormentor had died blood falling everywhere in long spurts even while the other child begged and pleaded with him for anything that would have saved him from bleeding to death, gurgling the entire time. Of course Firefly had simply stood there not feeling any guilt or pity for the other boy. And while that had been surprising to the orphanage masters and to the other children all of whom had felt sorry for Firefly’s ‘victim’ as it were, he himself had not felt anything even remotely resembling remorse at the time, instead he had discovered the thrill of killing someone who had done him wrong had resided in him, even though it had only been fleeting.

As a matter of fact Firefly had feltfelt anything at all, not when he had been a boy in an orphanage, not when he had been growing up and certainly not now even as he planned to assassinate Jackie Chan, and anyone who got in his way.

And that, was much safer he thought with a shrug while the fiery liquid burned its way down his throat and into his gullet.

Pausing he removed one of those talismans that Valmont had wanted and looked at it for a few times, deep in thought as he ran a finger over the serpent that graced the small quarter sized piece of stone before placing it back in his backpack.

Tomorrow he would turn the talismans over to Valmont then he would begin his surveillance of Chan but for now, now though … he would enjoy his drink and go back to his place in order to get some well deserved rest from today’s current round of activities.

He just prayed that … the nightmares from his list of failures … would not torment him again…
Dig through the ditches,
Burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my
Dragula
…Across town another person was praying and hoping for the same thing though she did not know of the nightmares that kept the world’s most feared mercenary awake at times when he merely wanted to sleep, no what she hoped for daily was to not let the memories she herself had kept buried away in the back of her mind out lest she relieve the hell she had found herself in so many years, before … Jackie Chan and others had … entered her life.

Unlike the crime lord Valmont who had only a past tinged with bitterness concerning the archeologist, the woman had fond and decidedly amusing memories of Jackie as well as happy ones concerning his niece … Jade
Smi
Smiling to herself, she traced one delicate hand along a small picture of the girl in question as well as her uncles and the large sumo named Tohru fondly remembering the times she had spent with them.

“Only two years and a half” the woman murmered to herself while a small chuckled emerged from her throat as she removed the coat she had one and then started to lay down on the king sized bed, yawning a little, since she was still tired from her arrival.

Two years and aboix mix months she thought with a small smile, two years, six months and a hell of a lot of days she reminded herself as she lay back on a pillow and yawned again happy to be back here in a place where a lot of her memories were the fondest she ever had.

Of course her first meeting with Jackie and with Jade back in New York had been a very fond and enjoyable one as well she thought to herself while closing eyes the color of exquisite milk chocolate even as she curled up on her right side.

Yes, these are some of the best times Viper thought to herself as she pulled the tasteful dark blue comforter past her chest and up to her neck even as she wrapped the blanket to her frame in order to stay warm and as if … to ward off any unwanted memories.

And she had many unwanted memories, ohh so very many horrible and ugly moments in her life that she had tried so utterly hard to forget and while she had been more successful then ot had had been, she was at times also plagued with her past but mostly at night.

Unlike other people who spent their entire lives agonizing over grievances, Viper also had good experiences in life, such as when she’d met her friend, mentor and onetime lover Neela.

She smiled a little remembering the woman who had found and trained her in the martial arts and in the art of seduction and … to … be a thief, having taken it upon herself to help a young Viper grow up to become something other then another nameless prostitute in Paris.

While Jackie may have held that Viper was untrustworthy at times, she knew he did not really mean that and only wanted to keep Jade from becoming a ‘criminal’ which was fine with her since the young girl was one of the only real friends she had.

Which in and of itself was a blessing to Viper who had for the longest time been well and truly alone she mused as she hugged the heavy blankets to her wrapping herself in a cocoon of warmth and stared at the small yet seemingly luxurious and well kept room she was in.

Jade, she remembered had a smile that brightened up an entire room and eyes that were filled with an almost impish mischief especially whenever the younger member of the Chan family tried to do something that she thought would be ‘fun’.

Much to her uncle Jackie’s chagrin and constant worry, Viper reminded herself with a chuckle the smells of the room making her feel right at home.

If anything she had a solid amount of images that she wanted to hold onto and smile over and despite all the pain in her life, despite how alone she felt even whenever she was with someone else, Viper felt at least a little balanced in her life.

Her time with Jade and the girl’s family had helped to give her that balance she reminded herself with a smile even as she looked up at the ceiling sighing a little even as she banished away the feeling of loneliness that she was even now feeling and yawned again.

She loved being here in San Francisco, it and her apartment in New York were as close to a real home as she was ever going to get and she wouldn’t have it any other way she reminded herself with a smile.

And it was all because of one girl, a cantankerous old man, a sumo and an archeologist who had a habit of going overboard she thought dryly hearing the cars that were driving by, along with numerous other sounds she’d associated with the night.

Tomorrow she would stop by the shop, tomorrow she would surprise Jade with a birthday gift, tomorrow she would at least not be alone as she usually was when she was away from her home in New York.

For now though she would sleep and when tomorrow came she wake up refreshed and ready for whatever challenges that would come her way…
Dig through the ditches,
Burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my
Dragula
…With such a powerful state of the art security system as the one which Section Thirteen used to guard the various technical and supernatural marvels such as the masks of the oni demons, or shendu’s stone encased body, it wasn’t a surprise that the actual theft of the talismans would be discovered.

In point of fact Firefly himself had expected them to notice the theft since he had allowed the security cameras to pick him up as he removed the twelve octagonal shaped stones, due to the fact that he wanted word to get back to his target who would undoubtedly help the authorities look for the ‘menacing terrorist’ who was in reality going to hunt the archeologist down.

Of course it was a lot sooner then the mercenary had anticipated but by the time the next shift arrived he was already long gone with the talismans, as it stood though, they hadn’t expected anyone to actually break into the sprawling super secret compound, get past their systems and actually steal items that were supposedly well guarded.

Once they saw that the talismans were missing and did in fact play the surveillance tapes, they discovered that they’d had a visitor…one who had not only gotten past the security sweeps, infiltrated the vault…but had also added insult to injury by stealing all twelve octagon shaped stones, before waving a jaunty ‘hello and goodbye’ salute to the people who would see the images on the cameras, leaving a few moments later the exact same way that he had come in…through a ventilation duct on the opposite side of the room.

Suffice to say no one was laughing when the report reached Captain Augustus Black who spent the next six hours on the phone with his superiors in Washington DC trying to find out everything that he could find about the masked thief who had in fact gotten past a nearly five and a half billion dollar security system as if it was nothing more then a locked door to an apartment building.FrowFrowning Black looked at the tapes again and again searching for something, anything, anything at all that would help uncover clues to their visitor’s identity, his level of frustration growing at the sheer arrogance of this infiltration and the theft as well, whoever this newcomer was he was very well organized with the fluidic movements and the grace of a jungle cat and the deadliness…of a serpent.

It was…the symbol on the stranger’s uniform that caught his attention and he zoomed in on it narrowing his eyes upon seeing…a blood red cobra’s head a feeling of dread filling him.

There were numerous groups he knew that used a cobra for a symbol, as did numerous small time gangs but…the blood red face and hood of a cobra, but there was only one group that he knew of used that such a symbol and hid behind masks and as he looked at the tapes again his current train of thought caused him to become more uneasy and he picked up the phone mentally reviewing the facts.

Fact: A man approximately about 5 feet tall eight inches and dressed in gray and black combat fatigues had found his way inside section thirteen, gotten past the security systems and had then stolen the twelve talismans belonging to Shendu before escaping the same way he had gotten in.

Fact: Whoever this unknown visitor was he was very good and had gotten past a multibillion-dollar security system as if it was nothing more important then a simple lock to be picked, which was something that annoyed the Captain to no end, especially now with his superiors suggesting that he might be unfit to run this place!

Fact: The only clue to the man’s identity it seemed, was…the blood red cobra symbol the man was wearing, and it was…a symbol of one of the most ruthless terrorist organizations of all time.

“Cobra” he breathed dread filling him again and he turned pulling up files on all the members of the ruthless international terrorist agency, instructing the other members of section thirteen to do the same a nagging voice echoing in the back of his mind.

He knew he’d seen the man in gray and black before the question was when and where exactly.

Growling he went through directory after directory pulling up wanted posters involving the terrorist group and it’s members going as far back as the early seventies when the organization had first appeared his own mind racing as his people sent him file after file and report after report.

He groaned pinching the bridge of his nose reviewing this latest fact…a member of the most ruthless global terrorist organization was here in San Francisco and had made off with the talismans for who knew what and there was not a scrap of information at all on the perpetrator!

What made things worse was…he’d never really bothered to pay attention to the group since they hadn’t ever shown their heads here in the city before, at least not to authorities before.
So why now he wondered sighing and shaking his head, why here and why go after the talismans at all?

It wasn’t as if you could duplicate their magics or use them all at once or that the terrorist group even knew about the magics involved since Section Thirteen was supposed to have kept any and all information on the talismans, as closely a guarded secret as possible!

Rubbing his eyes Black sighed before he blinked seeing a manila folder containing information on…various mercenaries who worked for the organization and with trepidation in his heart he went through the report passing numerous ‘code names’ browsing the list, trying a memory from Interpol flashing to him of a simular report of…a simular man wearing a simular uniform.

Praying earnestly he flipped through more of the reports hoping that he would be dead wrong but as he reviewed things he began to…realize how well unfounded that desire was.

There was only one man in the world with that kind of symbol who would wear full combat fatigues along with a ski mask that was designed to match it and he prayed that he was wrong, or that it was just some sick joke but…reality was cruel and harsh he realized.

He looked at the file before him breathing softly, “ohh lord” he said as he traced his fingers first over the word...’Firefly’…
Do it baby, Do it baby
Do it baby, Do it baby
Burn like an animal
… The dream came to her again as it always did whenever she was sleeping, and like the billions of other times it started out sweet with her in a bed like this one…with two strong arms around her waist.

It was in these moments that she felt...the most secure and…the most…comfort, here with the man beside her, the man who was holding her close his very presence a comforting and…loving one.

Yes, here with those arms wrapped around her holding her close and for a moment she wondered where she was exactly before she heard a chuckle, one that was good natured and filled with loving warmth and she turned her head slowly upon hearing the loving and kind snicker more loudly in her right ear and Viper smiled because of it.

"How was you're job mi amore?”

“It went along with no hitches,” she replied with a smile as she thought about the priceless jewelry she had just come off with

"You look like the cat that's eaten the canary" came a teasing reply

“But *I* am” she purred, rolling over to face him a sultry seductive smile on her face as her hair cascaded down her neck and shoulders reminding one of black gold as it shimmered slightly.

His face was hidden in the shadows and she wondered who was the man that was laying beside her in the large extravagant bed was

She reached for the shadow, looking for his face but it never came to her and despite the mystery she felt…comfort and security coming from the man and as her fingers touched firm warm flesh she smiled

He purred a little and the safety and security grew as did an emotion one she'd never thought she would ever have for another person let alone a man

She paused upon feeling some stubble on his face and smiled "you need a shave" she said

"Maybe later, I'm too tired"

She chuckled softly 'a five o clock shadow looks good on you'

“I resent that remark”

“Why?” She asked laughing a little. “You look good anytime...clothes or no clothes, ski mask or no ski mask, five o clock shadow or no shadow'

"What if I didn't have hair and was fat?" he teased

“You’d never be fat” she smirked

“Ya sure ‘bout that?” he asked with a wink

Smirking again Viper nodded “very sure mr perfectionist” she teased

He laughed and then she felt...strong lips on her own

Shivering Viper pressed her own body against his own savoring warmth hardness as she caressed the top of his left arm. "How was work?" she asked with a smile sigh.

He mock sighed. "I had to work with the Dreadnoks"

She found herself chuckling as she nodded “Ill ask no more” she teased as she nuzzled him

"Ahh well it was funny when Torch and the others started destroying the stuff they had for their band"

She arched an eyebrow. "You mean the guys who played the subliminal messages in that band 'Cold Slither' were the Dreadnoks?"

"And Zartan, he was the lead guitarist and singer"

“I bet you’re glad to be her with me now”

He shrugged, tru true. The Dreadnoks drive people up the whazoo alllllll the time, heh it's a miracle that Zartan can even put up with them"

She laughed and wrapped her arm around his neck

"Of course I would like to have a smoke but I won't because you don't like cigarette smoke"

“Thank you, amore”

"Whatever for?" he asked her

She said nothing for several minutes nuzzling him fiercely “hold me”

He blinked and nodded doing just that

She buried her face in his chest

"What's wrong?" he asked

“Nothing” she whispered “I just like being held by you”

"Then the answer is...always" he replied holding her close

She closed her eyes, absorbing in his warmth

He purred and then his face...came into view and as that happened...the dream ended, becoming...something else...
Dig through the ditches,
Burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my
Dragula
…She stared silently out at the night sky deep in thought thinking of...an old friend long gone, one who had been a cynic as well as a smart alec who had always acted as if he'd never cared at all about anyone but himself and yet...

...Yet he'd saved her life as well as Blaine's she thought remembering when he had pressed a small button on the modified switchblade knife he'd brought with him watching as the dual blades had struck the vipers who were about to kill her, squarely in the neck before he'd gone and tossed it to her.

'Fingerprints remember?' he'd said with a shrug the two of them heading for the prison area before he stopped looking at her. 'Tell you're lover or fiancé that he had better take gut care of you...Zana or I'll come after him' he had said...before he had...left her there

The question was...why? He was a ruthless monster, a souless heartless thug who cared only for himself or so he and the world claimed only he had…saved her life, Mainframe’s life and…Falcon’s life and she for one would never forget it, not that she could forget it even if she wanted to, because if anything she was constantly reminded of what he’d done and what people thought of him.

He was supposed to be a selfish bastard and yet, yet he had saved her life and helped save two other lives not even giving her much of an explanation aside from telling her that he...was proud of her for wanting to defect and had even told her that she was stronger then he was by doing just that very thing, a look of...sadness and longing in his eyes as he'd given her the es rou route she'd used to help her boyfriend and one of his colleagues escape before Serpentor could arrive.

She'd wondered what...had happened to him since then but now...now she knew where he was the the problem was…she didn’t know what to say to him when she saw him and find him she would.

…She hoped that whatever else he would be happy to see her again and talk with her because she truly did miss him.

Surprisingly she one of the few people who was supposedly very anti-social missed the mercenary whose cynical humor almost always made her smile even as he’d listened to her bemoan her family problems or her and Mainframe being on opposite sides.

To coin a phrase her brothers and Major Bludd also used it was a 'bloody mess' especially since she'd have to make an effort of helping the Section Thirteen agents...hunt him down, sighing she wondered what he was doing in San Francisco, there wasn't really much of a Cobra presence in the city since Extensive Enterprises had been unable to expand in there without the right zoning permits and because (oddly enough) Serpentor had felt that...the city was not important at all.

She let a bitter chuckle escape her lips, Cobra had defiantly gotten screwed over royally when they'd turned on Cobra Commander, and she sighed remembering how she and her brothers had both bought into the promises that Dr Mindbender had made about his vision of a 'perfect leader'.

Firefly...on the otherhand had been surprisingly critical of the whole thing standing behind Cobra Commander throughout it all going out of his way to ridicule Mindbender's choices pointing out how Napoleon had been afraid of little cats, or how Caesar had been stabbed by his own countrymen when they had perceived him to be a threat, to say nothing of Montezuma who'd trusted Cortez's promises or the others who had all had something wrong with them.

In the end though…he’d been right while everyone else had been wrong she thought bitterly remembering how he'd stood behind Cobra Commander even though it had to have been hurting him where it counted the most...in his own accounts, even going so far as to flip Serpentor off following Cobra Commander's every instructions ignoring the rage evident on the new ruler's face while he'd gotten to work driving one of the Stuns in the first bid for the Broadcast Energy Transmitter and in helping others to retreat shrugging as Cobra Commander whom Firefly had announced was far more trustworthy then the others were paid him a staggering fee of twenty one point five million dollars in US currency as well.

That though...had been before...he'd left saying he had other clients and…before Cobra Commander's own people had caught up, tried and mutated Cobra Commander turning him into a mutated snake.

After that, Firefly was not around as much other mercenaries being hired to do what he could do with only...sterling results one of which had...ended up getting Zartan...placed in a coma and the Dreadnoks on the run…

…She wished he had stuck around…

At least Falcon, Duke and even General Hawk had allowed Zartan to be placed in the base’s intensive care unit, a courtesy Beachhead had objected to repeatedly making it very clear just how…he viewed the situation.

She sighed again as she remembered that and how her brother Zandar had been there for her and Mainframe's wedding another courtesy on the part of the other Joes, one which her more silent brother had repaid when Cobra had tried to crash the reception by helping along with help from the dreadnoks a real surprise especially for that snobbish uptight bitch Baroness who had lead the attack as retaliation for all the times Zarana and her brothers had gotten in her face.

Sadly though her brother hadn't stuck around because he'd known he would be arrested on sight and so he...and the Dreadnoks had left during that battle and while it had been good to see Zandar again there was one other person she'd missed.

Her best friend and the only one who'd never criticized her over her feelings for Mainframe, a mercenary who seemed to have no soul at some times and yet a harsh and a very tortured one at other times.

So why had he left without even saying a word to her about his intentions? And why…did she care at all?

The funny thing was it wasn’t surprising that she thought about that and him constantly and she wondered just what was he up to now?

Had he simply taken a vacation like she'd recommended once when the two of them had been on a mission and he'd been pacing like a caged tiger just because he hated being in Paris?

She didn't think so, Firefly if anything abhorred the idea of anything but working, he was if anything a workaholic in the time that she'd been around him, always clipped with his responses and very secretive as well something that had always caused her to chuckle because the truth of it was she found the somewhat paranoid tendencies he displayed to be well…funny.

A fact that had irked him when she had mentioned and she sighed lost in thought as the door to her and Mainframe’s room opened behind her quietly as her newly married husband entered the room.

"You're thinking about him" Blaine Parker otherwise known as Mainframe the Computer expert for the Joes said looking at her from the room they both shared on the base having shut the door behind them not having to worry about any bugs planted since she'd more then proven herself when she'd joined up.

“Yes, yes I am” she admitted looking at him hoping he wouldn’t be annoyed or put off with her for thinking about someone almost everyone else on the base hated and viewed with utter contempt.

Surprisingly he wasn't jealous which was another thing she loved about him, Mainframe trusted her more then anyone ever had and had stood up for her longer then anyone else had and as he hugged her he sighed a little, Firefly was supposed to be the enemy yet he wasn't working for Cobra any longer and had apparently left after she had if the communiqué he and Dial-Tone had picked up was correct. "Their after him to" he said. "There's a hefty deathmark against him"

“I wouldn’t be surprised” she added wryly smirking a little. "He always had the knack for pissin' other people off"

"You know he's still going to be treated as an enemy"

Zarana nodded sadly “I don’t intend to try to bring him here or anything”

He quirked a small smile. "Want me to go with you?" he asked her

She shook her head 'no'

"You sure?" he asked with some concern.

“Yeah” she replied wondering where he was going with this, but not saying anything as he spoke his mind a fact she knew he enjoyed. “It’s…something I’ve got t’do on me own” she added with a sigh.

He held her close, "do you remember when I told Zandar that we'd be glad to have him here for when we got married? Well I told him because he's you're family" he said causing her to smile, "bottom line is Firefly is a friend no matter how much you told me he tried to say he wasn't and if anything I would like to meet the man who helped save my life and yours"

Zarana nodded and she looked into his eyes a smile forming on her face as she marveled at just how much Blaine Parker loved her.

"Plus how am I supposed to show him I'm being good to you if I don't show up?" he asked with a slight wink causing her to laugh as she touched her nose to his.

He hugged her and smiled, Beachhead he mused would have probably had a fit had he heard that but the truth of it was despite what Firefly had done in the past he'd also saved three people's lives and like Zarana...Mainframe felt he owed the man something other then helping to send him off to jail

“I plan to look for him very soon” she admitted letting her husband wrap his arms around her and place a gentle kiss on the right side of her neck.

"That's why you asked to be given this assignment isn't it?" He asked and Zarana nodded once grateful that she didn’t have to hide anything from Blaine, like she did for everyone else she thought smiling a little as he smirked, "still a rebel" he teased kissing her.

“Always, love” she said returning his kiss with one of her own.

"What do you plan to do?" he asked her

“Just...” she sighed why did it have to be so hard to even talk about this? “I don’t know...talk to 'im I suppose"

"What if he doesn't want to talk?" he asked her blinking as she looked at him apprehensively

“Then I will respect that” she replied hoping that he would at least tell her what was going on or at least why he had saved her life.

"Do you think he will?" he asked

She nodded. "He always was straight with me least when I asked for an honest answer. Sure he'd never give me a clear view of his motives but...I never really asked him and…he's not come after me or after Zandar"

He nodded once squeezing her hand in a gesture of support earning a smile from her as she squeezed his own in return.

"So it's all right if I come with you on this one?" her husband asked.

"No reason why you two don't go. Especially if it will drive Beachhead insane" Falcon replied walking into the room smirking a little.

“Of course you can come” Zarana said feeling safe in the warmth Mainframe provided. “Just don’t bring Beachhead,” she teased earning a laugh from Mainframe since both of them as well as numerous others had a mild dislike for the man due to the harsh criticism he tended to bring on everyone else.

Falcon chuckled then sighed. "Zarana? I'm not going to ask what you both are going to do but just remember Firefly's wanted for crimes too numerous to mention, he's going to have to be brought in"

Zarana nodded “I just want to talk to him, I don’t intend to help him or anything”

"There's more, that communiqué we intercepted? Well Firefly has a five million dollar bounty on his head, every mercenary, bounty hunter, assassin, and low-life will be after him"

Zarana gave out a low whistle “what did he do now?”

"From what we were able to gather from you're brother who sent us the information, Firefly told Serpentor in no uncertain terms to 'go screw himself in his derriere with a lead pipe' then he left having set off numerous explosives to cover his own escape" Falcon replied with a shaking of his head. "I take it he's always been like that"

“Always” Zarana replied with a chuckle, “he’s never once liked any of the others except Cobra Commander why the hell he did though is beyond me”

"To further provoke Serpentor, Firefly helped Wild Weasel and Major Bludd also leave Cobra the three of them since that time disappeared"

“Somehow that wouldn’t surprise me” she remarked wryly. “He never did like Serpy or the rest which was…well odd for him with his reputation an’ all” she added

"And we also suspect that the three of them looted a large amount of funds as well, roughly thirty-three and a half million dollars but we have no proof of that"

“Knowing Firefly well enough he probably did that one himself and left them a calling card or something,” she said smirking even more as she thought of him sticking it to the terrorist organization. “since he’d want them to know who pulled it off”

"Which is a reason why Hawk wants you both to go. Zarana? You've obviously had some experience dealing with him and that kind of money shouldn't be hard to find for a computer expert. I'm just giving you both a heads up"

She nodded 'thanks' watching as he turned to go smirking as he winked. "I'd better go before Duke and the others get here and tell me how much I'm supposed to be on guard-duty again" he said with a chuckle quietly leaving

Zarana smiled and told him goodbye and as the door closed Mainframe kissed her. "I'm sorry" he told her, "for...everything you and you're family have gone through because of that den of vipers"

“It’s alright” she sighed tiredly. “Things...just happen love, but…at least I have you”

He nodded. "I came from the medical wing" he replied shaking his head. "No change" he told her sighing a little as she looked away, over his shoulder silently trying not to cry at the thought of…losing her brother to a coma.

He held her close cradling her in his arms knowing full well why she was so worried about Zartan, who for better or worse had looked after his two younger siblings after...their parents had died in a car accident while both she and her twin had been only three years old.

Sighing she lay her head on his shoulder hating herself for feeling so torn between the country that had accepted her…and the friend that had helped her get to said country and ultimately given her a chance to marry the man she was with now.

"I love you Zarana Parker" he told her, "and I will always be by you're side in whatever you decide to do" he promised

She smiled as she looked at him “all I want to do is talk to him, I’m never going back.”

He nodded. "I'll be behind you every step of the way," he promised and she smiled hugging him close

He hugged her back as the door opened again and Duke walked in offering a fond smile to them both...

Dig through the ditches,
Burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my
Dragula

… His dreams or rather nightmares were what had gotten him up and he growled in annoyance hating that they could render him weak and useless, utterly despising the power they had over him.

He growled trying to banish them back into the darkness of his mind. This was ridiculous! He was Firefly, the greatest assassin and mercenary the world had ever known! Dreams should have meant nothing at all to him!

He was the monster under the bed, the nightmarish thing in the closet and in the heads and hearts of everyone else who lived on this crummy planet!

Hell even the seedy criminal underworld itself was filled to the brim with rumors aboim aim and everything he did to people who even so much as thought about crossing him, and yet…yet he had them, his own monsters under the bed and in his closet and head.

They were frightening ones the nightmares he had, all of them were images, images of his inner demons who laughed and sneered and still at times caused him to cower in fear as he...remembered the beatings and the rape and all the pain.

And then there was the second batch of nightmares, the ones with people he'd come from people who'd cared about him pointing and screaming at him...because he had...failed them all.

It was…the third batch that made it almost next too impossible for him to function normally he thought bitterly.

And then, then...there were some...involving the one person he had...wanted to spend his entire life with as corny as that last part sounded, nightmares filled wier ter tears and her heart breaking as he had pushed her off…

…And the truth was...he had pushed her away and he wondered...if she had cried after that and because of how…horrible he had been to her back…then.

Once he had thought he had done it for good reasons but now? Now he knew his reasons for doing that had been nothing more then an excuse because he had...truth be told been afraid as well, afraid of…the power she'd held over him, afraid of the way that she with...just a simple touch aestuesture and a gentle smile could make him spill a lot of the secrets he carried within him.

Sighing he paused wondering if…it had been such a bad thing that power she had wielded over him with just a smile and a laugh whenever they had been together.

At times it certinatly had seemed that way yet…at other times it to him had felt like paradise, a paradise he had destroyed he thought bitterly cursing himself for having done so when he should have been feeling better about the whole thing in the first place!

He knew that if anything her being around him was dangerous after all what if...what if Scrap-Iron, or Raptor or any one of his competitors knew he had taken a lover?

They would have used her against him and so would have any of his ex employers or the other enemies he had gained over the years as a mercenary who sold himself out as a spy, assassin and saboteur.

Used and then most likely killed her he reminded himself darkly, just because they didn’t like the fact that he ‘didn’t play nice with the other kids’ or because he never once backed down or let others walk all over him and intimidate him.

He kept telling himself that every day but if anything it never had made things any better and for the milli-no billionth time he wished…that the choices he’d made were simple but sadly things of that magnitude were never ever simple, hell his whole life was just one big complication, one he wanted to forget altogether.

Sadly though...he didn't even have that luxury he thought darkly the craving for a cigarette hitting him hard and he turned getting one out of one of his pockets pulling out his lighter, a silver plated one with a cobra’s symbol on it out of the very same pocket.

He paused lighting a cigarette while sitting in his room…Chan would be eliminated of that Firefly had no doubt whatsoever, after all no one survived one of his assassination attempts he reminded himself with a chuckle.

It was just a question of when he mused as he puffed thoughtfully on the cigarette, and how he reminded himself inhaling the nicotine into his lungs.

Whatever method he used though Firefly knew what the outcome would be, after all he was the best in the business and he never ever failed to complete an assignment he reminded himself with a chuckle.

No matter how good thhan han was, Firefly would win because unlike the archeologist, Firefly was a true master of the martial arts and knew not only kung fu but other arts as well.

He turned and looked at the strange octagonal shaped stones laying on the table and snorted in derision, these things were supposed to be magic?

“Valmont must be crazy … a bunch of stones possessing mystical powers” he replied laughing a little to himself as he examined them for a few moments inhaling the smoke from the cigarette looking down at the things with disdain.

He shook his head muttering something obscene about his newest employer in German even as he looked over the map of the city searching for just the right area to make the ‘drop’ as it were…

Dig through the ditches,
Burn through the witches
I slam in the back of my
Dragula

----

Note: Throughout this series I will be translating German as well as other words into English ^^ bear with me here especially with the thought processes of Jackie, Uncle and others because (1) I am still bloody well unsure of how to portray them and (2) because I’m also a tad nervous concerning the ways that they would think and interact and all, anyways here are the phrases for chapter two, enjoy^^

(1) Dieses ist gerechtes zu einfaches = This is just way too easy
(2) Dieser platz ist fur touristen = This place is for tourists
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