The house was rather modern and looked expensive, but it didn't stop her from approaching the door. When she rang the doorbell, she didn't hear a sound but she still waited. Then the door opened and she looked straight at the woman in front of her. Everything seemed so cold about her and she knew it was bound to happen from what she had found out. That bastard had no right locating her and landing her back in the one place she hated being the most, well second most hated place.

She took a deep breath and asked "Can I come in for a few?"

The woman narrowed her eyes and asked "Come to see what he did?"

She sighed and said "Yes and no. I've wanted to stop by for some time and when I heard about what happened it made me make up my mind quicker."

Brown eyes burned doubt and she said "A likely story."

Again she sighed and said "Well, I have some news you might want to hear."�

At first she thought she saw a light difference in the woman's attitude, and then she realized what she saw. It was a mixture between hatred and fear that she didn't want to be seen. When she followed the woman's gaze, she saw a black stratus parked at the bottom of her drive. None of it made sense and then she saw the driver get out. He was all black and even hid his eyes behind black shades as he approached the two.

She looked up at her friend and watched her follow the man like a predator sizing up its enemy. The man reached them and nodded to Kari before looking at the woman on the steps. Kat remained calm outwardly while her entire foundation began to crumble into pieces.

The man smirked and said "It's been a long time little one."

She took an unnoticed breath and said "I was hoping we'd never run into each other again. However, you see to have proven me wrong once more."

He nodded and said "So you did spot me a few years back when you were in L.A."

Her jaw tightened slightly and she growled "Obviously or I would have be insane to know why you're here."

His smirked grew into a sneer and he said "You were always a bright one."

With a tilt of the head she said "I'm waiting."

One eyebrow went up and he asked "In that big of hurry for it to be done?"

She shrugged and said "When there's two of you and no reason to keep running, I'd say so."

He nodded and said "Then, let me do this before some other idiot relieves you of it all."

When the cursed metallic object came into view, she took a deep breath and met his gaze. He loaded the sucker with only two just to make sure he didn't mess up and she stepped off the porch. A hand clasped hers and when she looked to her left she saw the fear in her friend's eyes. She pulled her hand free and turned back to the man. The gun was being shifted from hand to hand as he got the feel of it and drifted into his perfect state of mind.

He lifted his gaze to hers and she saw that he had finished preparing for the task at hand. Again Kari clasped her hand, but this time she didn't fight the warm touch. When she saw the gun being raised she only waited and then another gun went off. She looked behind the man and saw Ken standing behind him with a smoking gun in his hand. Her eyes became cold and she jerked free from the woman's grasp.

The man collapsed onto the ground and she made her way over to his side where the gun laid set. She knelt next to him and saw him watching her with his eyes coming cloudy. He let a small smirk cross his hidden mouth and she held his gaze until he became still. Then she let her eyes drift to the gun next to her and her fingers wrapped around its barrel. When she pulled it from his hand, she stood up and found Ken right in front of her.

Her eyes became hard and she said "You had to shoot him."

His eyes were soft and he said "I wasn't going to let him kill you."

She looked straight at him for the first time and asked "What if I wanted it?!"

Kari gasped and said "Please don't say that! You may be hurting after everything, but this isn't the answer."

She turned to her friend and said "It is the only answer available at this place in time."

A hand rested on her shoulder and he asked "What are you talking about? What's so bad that you would rather die?

With her emotions going from anger to frustration and then onto pain, she dropped the gun and pulled away from him. She had to run even if she couldn't last for long. When she reached the club, she jerked her card out and showed the bouncer. He eagerly nodded and stepped aside to allow her to enter. The minute she heard the music blaring, she felt her mind numb and she made her way onto the dance floor.

@#$%

When the line began to ring, she took a deep breath and watched the man pace the room. After three rings she heard the masculine voice she had needed to hear.

She closed her eyes and said "I need you to call Stef. I left her number on the list of contacts on the bar. I need to get a hold of someone."

"Why? What happened?"

With as much confidence as possible she said "I think she's about to break."

@#$%

When the sound of the phone ringing penetrated the loud music, he put his basketball down and ran into the house. The phone ran two more times and he worked his way into the living room to answer it.

"Hello?"

His eyes narrowed and asked "What do you want?"

"We need your help."

He leaned against the wall and asked "Since when?"

"Since now. I just got a call from New York. There's something you need to do."

His chest started to tighten and he asked "What's in New York?"

He heard a sigh and heard "A problem about to disappear without seeking the right help. Your plane fair and hotel boarding has already been paid for. When you get to New York, you'll meet up with Kari Doberman and Tom Daniels."

That name caused a growl and he said "Get someone else."

"We can't. Kari called and demanded that you come. She wouldn't tell us everything."

His chest tightened further and he asked "What did she say?"

"She said that things aren't going to be a walk in the park in New York anymore. You've got to get there soon or we will be too late."

PGS