Episode 11: Nothing Ventured

Episode 11: Nothing Ventured
by Toni Walker

Jaxx Sinclair still couldn't believe Charlie could be so foolish. She didn't know him from Adam. He kept his eyes on the road ahead trying to reign in his inner critic who undoubtedly wanted to give Charlie a piece of its mind. Somehow he managed to keep his tongue and his attitude in check.


Charlie arched an inquisitive eyebrow at her new friend who had so kindly offered to drive her home. Well, officially, she had to persuade him, but technicalities like that all evened out somewhere in the mix.


"Your sister told me about you," Charlie Cooper warned. Her eyebrows remained arched, smiling at Jaxx as if sh she knew some wild secret about his past.


Jaxx Sinclair smiled. "Nothing good, I suppose?"


Charlie's smile was sly and dangerous. It had been a long time since she had any real fun in her life.


"Oh, it was all good. She painted you as the dragon-slaying, damsel-saving, hero-who-doesn't-want-to-be-a-hero type."


He stared at her evenly and tried hard not to snarl. Did people really believe that crap? But it figured that Joy would make him out to be something he wasn't -- a good guy. And he was by no stretch of the imagination, a superhero.


Jaxx remained silent the rest of the drive to Charlie's house. Mostly because he didn't have anything to say, and he wasn't the type to idly chit-chat. He'd really lost his mind letting her talk him into breaking her out of the hospital in the middle of the night.


"I appreciate you bringing me home," she said suddenly, as if reading his mind. She looked small and naive in his hulking Jeep. She was just too damn trusting. He could have been anyone tonight, even someone pretending to be Joy's brother.


"Your sister had complete faith in you, so why shouldn't I?" Charlie had told him earlier at the hospital.


Jaxx had voiced his concerns at the time, but she was as stubborn as a mule.


"Oh, posh. It's a small town. What's the worst that could happen?" Her words from earlier echoed in his head. The question was left unanswered considering he'd pondered the worst for two days now.


Everything kept coming back to McKenna and this special project he had several members of WayneCorp. working on in secret. Jaxx felt a headache coming on, but something else was niggling at the back of his mind. His spider sense was ringing like crazy, and that could only mean trouble.


He only half listened to Charlotte talk when he realized he hadn't kept his meeting with Karen Chamberlain. There was definitely something unusually lethal about that woman. He'd had similar feelings about other tough-as-nails female operatives before, but Karen was a chameleon. She'd be a difficult one to pin down. She probably had a hidden agenda. She seemed the type.


Thus far, both of them seemed particularly interested in the silver locket and what secrets it held.


"You're quiet over there." Charlie broke his concentration just as he pulled into her driveway.


"Must be jet-lag." That was one of his classic excuses. It worked well because it always sounded plausable. "We're here."


The little cabin next to the cemetery was quiet. Birds twittered and crickets chirped. But it was the single light dancing inside of Charlie's cabin that had his full attention.


"Stay in the car," Jaxx cautioned. His tone was soft, yet firm. He reached for the door handle as she asked, "Why."


Silently he put a finger to his lips and pointed to her cabin.


"Oh..." she said as if she clearly understood. But she didn't. "I still don't get it."


This time his voice was firm and definitely menacing as he whispered barely audible words in her ear. "You have an intruder in your house, so stay put!"


"OH!" This time she understood.


Jaxx stealthfully slid up to the house, a virtual shadow in dark clothing. He peeked an eye inside one window. The place was ransacked. Somebody was looking for something. And it didn't look as if they were having any luck finding it.

***

Muse Williams had never been so tired in her life. It had been a stupid plan, she could admit that now. But at least it had turned Wayne McKenna's attention onto her. He found her not long after she checked out of the exclusive hospital.


"Your father is not very happy with you, Muse." Wayne snatched her arm roughly as he pulled her toward his awaiting Astin Martin.


Muse smiled under her pallor. Wayne frightened her, but the excitement almost made up for the fear.


"Palmer's PR guys are going to pitch a fit over this tomorrow morning."


"What's the difference? People know how I am, and most people don't believe half of what they read these days."


Wayne wasn't convinced by her logic.


"And most people don't have the unveiling of a secret prototype looming over their heads, either."


"Are you afraid someone is going to run amuck with your secret little spy gun?"


"With stunts like you pull, I'm surprised some noisy Fed hasn't come sniffing around. I've had Charlotte Cooper's cabin under surveillance for some time. It's not nice to play God with people I want to gain the trust of."


Wayne was not happy with her, Must could tell.


"Then it's lucky you were there to save the day, wasn't it?."


"I warn you, Muse. Don't test me. You don't want me as an enemy."


No, she wouldn't want that. She just plain wanted him.


"You're such a worry wart." Muse knew she was pressing her luck, but when it came right down to it, she knew no other way to play the game. She knew he would be mad -- and he was.
At least, she had successfully pulled his attention off of Charlie Cooper. The woman was a relentless do-gooder. She had a soft spot for saving children and animals. What man didn't like that? But now, even with her various worthwhile causes, Charlie had failed.


Wayne's eyes were now focused elsewhere, and Must was going to make damn sure she was the next woman in his life, the next Mrs. Wayne McKenna.

***

There were at least three people at various points all around the cabin. One inside. One in the shed and one keeping watch at the side of the house.


Jaxx had no firepower, but he wasn't that shoddy at hand to hand combat. All he had to really worry about was getting shot in the chest. Slowly he approached the man at the side of the cabin. He was sporting an automatic weapon. Seemed a little like overkill to Jaxx, but he doubted the men were here due to their genius intelligence.


Jaxx grabbed a few pebbles from the driveway and tossed them past the man with the gun, attracting his attention. Before he could pounce on the intruder, someone else came flying out of the shadows pummeling the man with street-fighting skills he hadn't seen in years. The blond woman punched the intruder clean in the face and kicked him where it would do maximum damage.


She looked at Jaxx from over her shoulder. A quick grin came to her face.


"Surprised to see me, Sinclair?" Karen Chamberlain smiled and elbowed the trespasser in the face. He fell to the pavement unconscious.