Okey-dokey! A bit more! Fire away! ^_^

Windlily


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	San Francisco. Patricia had always loved this city and could hardly 
wait to get off this boat. 'Adria's Toy' had docked in the small hours 
of the morning and that charming child herself was waiting impatiently 
for Patricia to join her for the promised breakfast and shopping spree 
they had been plotting for the last day. She could see the top of her 
silver head every minute or so as the girl passed by her porthole as she 
paced the port side of the yacht. She gave a feral smile. Adria was 
doing it on purpose in a subtle goad to get let her know she was ready. 
Well, that child needed to learn how to wait.

	She looked at her refection in the mirror and shrugged. It was the best 
she could do. Clothes had been a problem. None of Adria's had fit so one 
of the crew that was approximately the same size had donated two pairs 
of pants. The cuffed shirt and vest had come out of Dwain's wardrobe at 
Adria's insistence. It wasn't the greatest outfit she had ever worn, but 
it was presentable. She reviewed her strategy once more as she re-cuffed 
the shirt. She knew Dwain had already been off the boat and reported to 
his boss. So her employers knew she was still alive. She would make her 
hotel reservation and check in with the Mullugan Foundation HQ in 
Seattle from the Yacht Club before breakfast and have them send the 
latest information on her dragons there.

	She needed to get up to speed before she solidified the rest of her 
plan. She knew where Adria lived and went to school so retrieving her 
would be no problem once she had found the Ryudo's. And if she did it 
right, Dwain would have no idea that it was going to be anything more 
than a fun little vacation to repay their hospitality on the 'Toy'.

	Well, she was ready.


						*****

	Dwain sighed to himself and leaned against the side of the Rolls as he 
waited for Adria and Lady L to finish gawking at the window display next 
the restaurant where they had just lunched. He couldn't wait to get this 
woman away from his charge, but he had agreed to let Adria accompany her 
on one shopping trip as soon as they hit port. Dr. Patricia Lansdale had 
been a charming and innocuous companion. Too charming. And she asked 
Adria leading questions about her life and habits that set his instincts 
on edge. Finally they turned and came towards him. He was moving as soon 
as he registered the small red dot that appeared on each of the women's 
foreheads.

	Patricia stopped and turned slightly as she reached down to adjust the 
heel of her new shoes and felt a hot fast brush of air pass her cheek, 
then the large window behind her shattered as Dwain threw himself in 
front of Adria. She heard him grunt and Adria's stuttered "Dwain?" as 
she dove for sidewalk. Someone was shooting at them. She rolled toward 
the cover of the line of parked cars as the crowd around them finally 
began to react.

	"Adria!" She yelled and tried to see her through the flurry of running 
legs. Damn. The girl was just sitting with Dwain's body across her legs, 
staring in shock.

	She tucked into a crouch and scurried over to them. Damn. Dwain was 
still alive. Though he wasn't going to be for long. She had seen enough 
shot bodies to know. But if she left him and took Adria, the girl would 
never forgive her.

	"Help me!" She kept her voice as calm as she could as she started to 
drag him toward the Rolls. It was armored and had bullet proof glass.

	"Keep your head down, Adria!" She instructed as Adria moved to help 
her. Adria obediently crouched farther down as they dragged him. Adria 
took his head into her lap when they reached the safety of the Rolls and 
her hands pressed vainly against the red blossom that was spreading 
across his shirt as Patricia risked a peek over the top of the trunk to 
scan the rooftops across from them. Dwain coughed blood and Adria 
whimpered. No one was in sight, but that didn't surprise her. 

	"Lady L." He grated out.

	*So. He did know.* Patricia slid down next to them.

	"They were gunning for you too. Got to be 'Them'. Bastard." He coughed 
once again and Patricia knew it was close.

	"Death and disaster. They should have named you Lady D." He gave her a 
strange smile.

	"Princess, you go with her. Maybe I was wrong, but still don't trust 
her too much."

	Adria shook her head 'no'. "The ambulance is coming Dwain. You just 
hang on. I'll be right here with you."

	Patricia was surprised at the absence of tears and at how steady 
Adria's voice was.

	"No. You go with her. Don't fight me on this, Adria. I'm too tired. 
Just go." He said with his best 'listen to me I'm telling you something 
important' voice. It was the last thing he told her.

	Adria looked at her with a scowl, not yet realizing that he was dead.

	Patricia held out her hand. "Come on, Adria. We need to go."

	She shook her head 'no' once more. "I'm not leaving him."

	"Adria, he's beyond help now. He wants you safe. Help me do what he 
wants." She waited as Adria looked down at the still form in her lap.

	The tears started once she realized, but she slid out from under his 
weight and put his head gently down on the cement and took her hand. 
Patricia gave it a squeeze then let go.

	"We're going to crawl over to the door of that store as fast as we can, 
O.K.?" She pointed to the big department store they had just been 
standing in front of. "As soon as we're in, you follow me. O.K.?"

	Adria nodded and wiped her eyes with the back of her hands.

	"On the count of three, O.K.?"


					*****

	A brunette woman and a silver haired girl had crawled into the chaos of 
the store. A red-headed woman and a dark haired teenager exited the 
underground parking lot well laden with shopping bags. Patricia led them 
away from the police and the rescue vehicles that still hovered at the 
entrance. They walked for a while, Adria quiet and withdrawn at her 
side. She found a branch of the exclusive bank she was looking for and 
took them in. She had a private account that the Four Sisters couldn't 
touch even though they might know about it. She withdrew a substantial 
sum. Enough to buy a good car through the want ads and keep them fed and 
comfortable for a while.

	She got them on a bus and into the suburbs and checked into one of the 
chain hotels under a random name she pulled from a phone book. It wasn't 
until they entered the room that Adria fell apart. She held the girl and 
let her cry it out then commanded a hot bath. Adria fell asleep with her 
head in her lap as they watched the news. Patricia tucked her into the 
bed and brewed herself some tea. Apparently her employers had not been 
pleased by her performance. But why Adria also? Why would Dupon go after 
his own daughter? She went and sat on the other bed and worked on that 
puzzle.

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