Several Months Later ...

[Brehnic Kohnar]

An interesting turn ...

As I sit here, recounting the events from the past several hours, it only reinforces my resolve about not only what we do, but what we represent. I am getting ahead of myself, so let me start from the beginning ...

The behind the scenes detail are still partially sketchy at this point, but it has become evident that Brehnic has severed ties with his faction The Rogues Gallery. There was nothing that stood out which would have lead to this disbanding of his group, so until further information can be obtained, it will be placed under the unusual mind set of this self titled New Age Immortal.

Intel also informed me that even though Sin City remains his main base of operations, several large transactions were withdrawn from his account , one was immediately known in the form of a custom made SUV. Not something used for just ... Cruising about the strip, but again I am talking about Brehnic.

That alone would not have prompted me to seen this latest report until what happened last night ...

Brehnic Kohnar experienced his first Quickening.

The attack upon him was random as it was unexpected, the Immortal was none other than Jonas Sinclair, who was last seen in South Africa over a week ago. The melee took place within the confines of Brehnic's penthouse suite. Jonas is well over one hundred years old, as opposed to the young upstart, New Age Immortal, the outcome was never in doubt.

Imagine my surprise when it was Brehnic Kohnar that emerged the victor??? This only fuels my suspicions that Jonas was indeed marked, and his possible successor had been chosen. There have been whisperings/rumors of a rebirth of the Four Horsemen for many years now, but with the death of Jonas Sinclair, that theory can now be dismissed ...

Unless they are recruiting from an entirely different angle/perspective? Why would they kill one of their own, only to give his power to one that has no involvement? If Brehnic had disbanded his faction following this attack, I could make more sense of it. Jonas was a ruthless killer, and it will be most interesting to see how this affects the psyche of one Brehnic Kohnar. In closing, this just provides/offers more credibility why there must be Watchers.


- Robert De Ponte

[Brehnic Kohnar]

THE AFTERMATH ...

There were times when even Sin City was too much of a chore for the New Age Immortal, where the need to get away to somewhere more ... Quiet, if you could believe that. And those that suffered a quickening only need to answer. So a single duffle bag was filled with enough items to get him started on this impromptu trip, making certain that his sword would also be included. No more chance encounters. As he was grabbing his jacket, a business card fell from the pocket, landing on the carpet below.

First instinct was to pitch it in the trash, until he noticed a number on the back of it, and it wasn't in his hand writing. Arching an eyebrow, it only took scant moments to recall the owner of the card, as well the number that had been written on the other side ... (m) "Nova." He muttered to himself. Mental images of the woman flashed through his mind's eye as he entered the elevator. More images followed of their last encounter at the desert that caused a tiny grin to surface while he made his way through the main lobby.

"Oh what the hell." Reaching for his cell phone, those numbers on the back of the
card would be pressed ....

Half Way Across the World ...

Her cell was ringing, and she couldn't find it. She'd just returned from her private stretch of beach, wrapped only in a wet sarong tied low on her hips, sand stuck to her bare feet. The damp aqua sarong clung like a second skin to those long, toned legs as she
hustled around the villa's large living room, searching sofa cushions in the couch and love seat for her phone. Droplets of warm sea water hung like sparkling diamonds from her nipples as she leaned forward, fingers coming in contact with the damnable little piece of technology. She fished it out and flipped it open in one smooth move, placing it to her ear ...

Buongiorno, amico. Parlare. :::which translated roughly into "Hello, friend. Speak." She didn't care for the telephone. She'd been born before their invention and could be quite stubborn when it came to embracing technology.

"I luv it when ye be talkin' with de accent, Nova. Nice to hear ye are well, since ye bolted out o' here like the hounds o' Hades were nippin' at ye heels." The tone of his voice was almost as evident as the wide grin that graced Brehnic's face, as his custom made SUV was pulled around. "Shall I assume tha' everytin' is okay then?" Pausing just long enough to find a suitable cd to play, keeping the volume low enough to speak, as
well be heard.

The voice on the other end was too distinctive to forget. She spoke in English this time, amusement playing at her lips ..."Mr. Kohnar, I presume." The Italian straightened up and crossed one arm over her belly, just under her breasts, while tilting her head slightly
toward the phone. "You're still alive, I see." There was a tinge of surprise in her tone, and then, almost as an afterthought. " ...yes...yes, I'm fine." Thinking back, she remembered giving him her number at their coffee date. She had no idea he'd kept it.

"Are you?" Then clarified "All right, that is..."

"Still alive? Wha' ye kno' somethin' I don' luv? Be givin' me some credit, eh? Before I was blessed wit' dis curse, I was a Master thief. Bein' careful tis in me blood. I'm takin' a leave from Sin City fer a bit, needin' a break from the strip, an' goin' wherever th' winds o' fate take me. Any ideas?"

"Ideas? That depends...on if you're ready to listen. When you get the urge to learn more about what you are and how to stay alive, we might have something to discuss. Because right at this moment, I think you're easy pickings and I really don't feel like rescuing you from any big, bad immortals that want your head." She was waiting ....She felt she had him pegged...and was waiting to see if she was right.

"Nova ... I'm ready to listen, luv. No more jokes about the Immortal legacy, an' the Gathering. An' most o' all ye don' need to be me babysitter. Ye proved yer point th' other night at th' desert. Ye did nae get to live dis long strictly based upon ye looks." Yeah, he was being 100% serious this time around, as he pulled out onto the main stretch of highway ... "I was .... Attacked several nights ago."

She smiled. He'd walked right into the opening she'd given him. Her smile faded when she heard of his ill-fortune. "Attacked? By whom?"

"He called himself Jonas Sinclair. Never heard o' the bugger before, or seen him in me life. Twas waitin' on me right inside me own place. I thought it was ye tryin' to teach me another lesson, so I had me sword ready. Good thin' I did, luv. The bugger was playing fer keeps."

Jonas Sinclair. The name meant nothing to her. If the old men had been around, perhaps they might have recognized it. "For keeps?" She repeated ... "That means you..." And left the rest of the obvious statement hanging.

His voice became deeper if all possible, as he continued ... "Yeah, I had me first quickening, luv. Thanks to ye. Th' bugger was toyin' wit' me, takin' me measure, keepin' me off balance ...Tha' little move ye did on me tha' night in th' desert? It worked on Jonas like a charm. Only I had a ink pen to jam into his temple.... "

Shaking off the chill that ran through his soul, reliving the melee inside his mind once again. "Me thinks he might hav' been stalkin' me for a bit, luv. I had jus' disbanded th' Rogues Gallery th' night before, so there was no backup fer me to call. Twas on me own tha' time. Guess I passed. Fer the life o' me, I cannae figure out why tha' bugger was after me ... Easy target? Not on th' radar? Friend o' yers??" Hey, he had to run through the entire list of possibilities.

"Friend of mine? I doubt it." She sounded insulted. But maybe they had been, she had no way of knowing. Maybe they used a different name, even though that wasn't kosher in a challenge. In her opinion, from the caliber of Brehnic's fighting skills, he'd been lucky. Every immortal remembers their first. Hers had been Constance Jones, December 18, 1955, Newstead Abbey, England.

The snotty little bitch, a friend of the immortal she was staying with, simply would not listen to reason, or let it go. She challenged Nova and that had been the end of Miss Jones. Forcing herself back into the present, she wondered if Brehnic knew anything about the after effects of a quickening...how it affects immortals differently. She assumed he didn't. Who had been there to explain it? "Are you feeling all right?
You haven't had any..." Damn, how could she put it ..."Unusual urges?"

Hell, he'd suddenly decided to travel. That in itself was unusual ...

"Honestly? I hav' nae been able to sleep since it happened, Nova. Tha' bugger wasn't right in th' head ... I'm thinkin' thoughts tha' nae be mine, yet they are. Sin City was crowdin' me. I needed space." He wasn't sure if he was making any sense, but if anyone had insight on what he was going through, it would be another Immortal. An older one at that. He wouldn't comment on the feelings he had since killing Jonas, the thrill that ran though his veins, the knowledge learned, the power added to his own. It scared the living shyte out of him, and yet he wanted to embrace more ....

"I'm drownin' Nova."

"Brehnic, there's so much you don't know. For starters, when you take a head you're choosing sides. One of your opponent's friends may come after you. You begin to gather loose ends. With more quickenings, comes more loose ends. As time passes, you need to be even more watchful. Gods below..." She growled ... "I can't do this on the phone." She could hear the anxiety in his voice. "

Get down here. St. Barthelemy's in the French West Indies. It's a small place, there's only one airstrip. Call me again when you land and I'll come for you." A wise move? Perhaps not. She had no idea what state of mind he was in. Rest assured she wouldn't let her guard down, not for a second. Brehnic Kohnar:

"Yea' ... I'll be down there soon as I can ... Thanks luv, yer a peach." Flipping the phone off, and tossing it onto the seat beside him, a passing glance into the rear view mirror displayed a pair of evil eyes that stared back him ...Thoughts of what he could do to Nova ... If he could ... Kill her, oh the power that resided inside that beautiful vessel. The knowledge of not only what she knew, but also who. Moments later, Brehnic's SUV was parked at a rest stop, while it's owner was throwing up inside a restroom stall ....

Meanwhile, she was going to do her best to find out who Jonas Sinclair was. Jackson would have access to the files ...

[Brehnic Kohnar]

Emptying his stomach several more times before actually arriving to his destination sort of helped clear his head a little, as well causing him to develop a serious addiction to Sprite cola. Brehnic had a partial six pack in hand as the small plane began its final descent down towards the small air strip. Taking another long drink, Brehnic ran a hand through those long brownish dreadlocks, before taking a deep breath. He was having second thoughts about meeting Nova on her home turf ... Shaking it off, he waited until the plane came to a stop, before retrieving his lone piece of luggage, and slipping on a pair of dark sunglasses.

Nova was lying in the sun on the beach side of her villa, stretched sinously face down over a beach chaise, Mediterranean skin darkening without the use of any sunscreen whatsoever. A thermal cup and her phone lay next to her, within easy reach. Even though she looked relaxed...maybe even dozing, she always kept one ear attuned for anything out of the ordinary.

Dressed from head to toe in an all black ensemble, a duffle bag hanging from his shoulder with his hand lightly resting on the top of it, ready to open at a moment's notice. Reaching for his cell phone, he pressed the number that would call Nova. Damn if those nagging doubts were still lingering inside his head, maybe he should have tried contacting his former mentor Jere Wulfsohng first ... This sort of thinking could get him killed .... Or worse.

Walking into a trap? It wasn't like that didn't cross his mind, especially due to recent events. Being paranoid wasn't like him, and he hoped this was some weird side effect of the quickening. Hearing her voice on he other end did cause him to smile for a moment or two. "Hullo, Nova. I'm here."

When her cell rang, she fumbled for it without opening her eyes and brought it to her
ear ... "Che?" She asked absently. When she realized who it was, she twirled around and sat up, trying to tie her gold bikini top around the back of her neck with the phone at her ear. Awkward didn't begin to cover it. "You're *here*?" She reiterated, wanting to make sure she heard him right. "In St. Barts?? Right now?"

"Mmhmm. Ye did say call you once I arrived. An' I hav' arrived. Shall I be describin' de surroundin's to ye?" There was a sort of teasing tone in those deep bass vocals of his, but sans any of the cockiness that he normally presented. This was a serious matter, and so was he. His nerves had settled down, as he took a seat. "De ball be in your court now, Nova Giannini." Funny, he never called her by her whole name before, but for
some reason, it just felt right.

Glancing up at the bright blue sky, she fixed on the sun's position. At four in the afternoon it was well on it's way to the west...and so was her villa. The only road from the airport in that direction passed her villa and she could meet him halfway easily. "Not
necessary..." She told him. "Just start walking west...down that road, and I'll meet you. I only live about a quarter mile from the airstrip." She continued chatting with him while slipping on a pair of sandals and a shirt that, by it's size, was obviously not hers. Within minutes, she was walking toward him on the one lane road that was flanked by the beach on both sides. Walking up to him, she gave him the once-over. "You don't look any worse for wear." And chuckled. Snapping her phone shut and pocketing it. "My place is just up the road...not far."

Walking. Pausing long enough to stare at the phone. Was the woman out of her mind? Wait. This was Nova he was talking about.? "Walkin' West. Meet ye there. Got it." Continuing the converstation as Brehnic took his leave from the small air strip, dark eyes scanning the surrounding area from behind tinted lenses, something he would usually do when he was a thief, but this time it was ... Different.

He did not have long to wait, he spotted a figure walking in his direction, and that particular gait only belonged to one woman. The shirt was a nice touch, too large to be hers ... Okay, why was he sizing her up now? He didn't do this before. He not only studied the way she walked, the length of each step taken, how each foot fall placed itself, even the way she breathed. Tilting his head to on side, even sensing her felt a little different. As for Brehnic? There was a slightly more confident step in his walk as well, a simple nod given to Nova, once again none of the flirtatious banter coming from him, his eyes just peering over the tops of his sun glasses. "It seems tha' drinkin' Sprite has soothed me nerves a bit." Nodding slowly, while pocketing his phone, he'd walk beside her, keeping a certain yet subtle but safe distance between them.

"As a matter of fact, you look damn good." She opined, strolling around his taller form, then looked up at him quizzically, dismissing any silent thought she might have had, and fell into step beside him. Something about him was off...different...the cockiness had been replaced with what almost seemed like smugness to her. She reminded
herself that quickenings will mess with one's mind, sometimes negatively. A lesson the old man taught her when he tried to kill her.

But that was in another lifetime. There was an awkward silence between them until they reached her large villa. "Here we are. The summer cottage..." She laughed, leading him up a landscaped path to the open French doors. The moment they passed over the threshold, an alarm sounded. She hastened to the security box on the wall to silence it, turning to face him with a shrug. "I have to know who's around."

Signs of the old Brehnic did resurface once they were in viewing distance of her humble abode. Those thief eyes took in every detail, no how minor, as a low whistle escaped his lips."Verra nice, Nova. It be suiting ye well. I hope my sudden arrival does nae hinder anythin' ye were doin' ... " A small grin did follow his reply, his eyes not being as subtle when glancing at the shirt she wore.

He didn't even blink at the sounding of the alarm, even glancing away while she tended to silencing it. Needless to say whatever mind set he was in, he was very impressed. This spoke volumes of his hostess, as well offering more clues as to what who Nova Giannini was. Removing his sun glasses, he nodded once again at her comment, that small smile remaining. He would however display his vast knowledge of any rare paintings, statues, or other artifacts she had out on display.

Weaving her way around a very expensive white leather couch and chair, she insisted .. "I wasn't doing anything." The sleeves of the white, silk-blend oxford-type shirt were rolled up around her elbows, and the hem fell mid-thigh. Once she kicked off her sandals, bare feet carried her across the terra-cotta tiles to the kitchen."No Sprite..." She apologized. "But there's fresh lemonade, and water, of course." True to form, she'd acted rashly when she invited him here.

When she'd told Mr. Keyes of Brehnic's situation and impending arrival, she thought he was going to literally flay her alive. He had no use for "new" immortals, except to relieve them of their heads, and he'd been insulted that he hadn't been consulted. "We'll find you a nice place while you're here...and a vehicle, too, if you want one. I don't own one." She'd bought the villa sight unseen while making her escape from Iraq. Everything inside had come with it. Nothing of any real value, no art masterpieces, no real silver...it would corrode in the salt air anyway.The only thing of real value hung around her neck and graced one finger. Three carat diamonds, both.

Still looking about the place, he spoke with his back turned to her ... "So, I'm in no danger of losin' me head from th' owner o' those trinkets ye be wearin' ? Been killed before over a misunderstandin' ye kno'. " There was no joking in his voice, as Brehnic turned to face her. "Ye seemed concerned about wha' happened ...

Somethin' I need to kno' ?" Yeah, getting right down to the point. He was out of his element, and hell, it bothered him, more than it should have. "While I'm here? So, dis nae be a quick visit den, uh? Mind if I sit? Dis be soundin' like somethin' tha'?I need to be sittin' fer." Okay, she had a serious rock on her finger, and a matching necklace to boot, but Hell if he didn't enjoy the view just the same.

She peered at him from the shadowed kitchen, completely serious. "You are in serious danger of losing your head from the owner of these trinkets. That's why you can't stay in this house." She emerged with two glasses of ice cold lemonade and motioned for him to take a seat on either the leather couch of chair, handing him one. "Taking the other, she sat as well, facing him. "Of course I was concerned about what happened to you. I was once very much like you...and if someone hadn't been there to help me through the 'firsts' of immortality, I would have lost my head long ago." And if there was anything to be seen under that shirt, it was her shimmery gold bikini:::

"Then let's be makin' my safety top priority den. Wha' other places are there?" If there was an alpha male that was able to snared this woman? Unless he had his former team watching his back? He wanted nothing of this bugger. Oh, and Nova's comment/warning also convinced him. Taking the glass from her, he nodded again. Then, tilting his head to one side, he felt something, but shook it off.

She glared at him, exclaiming in Italian - something he would hear her do often if he was around her for any length of time. "Dio Santo! I have some say in it, you know. I can keep you safe." She felt confident of it. "There are several five star hotels in town, all very nice. And not too far. IF you're willing to stay and learn a few things. Are you?" A long, toned leg crossed over the other. She might as well have been wearing satin and fur instead of an oversized, rumpled shirt. The woman oozed elegance. It had been bred into her bones and was only accentuated by her surroundings. "Do you want me to teach you how to survive? Time to decide. Yes? Or no?" She was definitely skilled at nailing a man to the wall.

"I would nae hav' come here .... All th' way out here, where I kno' nothin' an' no one, Nova. Jus' so ye kno' I didn't even contact my former mentor. ye be th' first tha' kno' about wha' happened. Ye wan' to be teachin' me? I'm willing to be learnin'. Tho' ye be distractin' at times." One blink of his eyes offered an almost predatory like glimmer, before the next simply reflected Brehnic's usual stare. There was something going on inside this New Age Immortal, and the outcome was still ... Uncertain. "Say, dis be really good!!" Looking down into his glass, before getting the serious look once again. "I wan' to survive, Nova Giannini."

Someone less experienced might have missed his momentary flicker of consciousness, but she saw it...and altered her posture ever so subtlety, straightening her back, tensing her legs for a mad dash to her blade, which was foolishly left leaning against the wall on the outside patio. "How often does that happen?" She asked point-blank. "How often
does *he* take over?"

".............. It was really bad before th' plane trip here." Nodding while slowly sipping from his glass. "Now? It be feelin' like an echo. Not goin' to be askin' how ye knew somethin' was goin' on in me head. Don' be worryin' Nova, I ain't tha' messed up to be goin' one on one wit' ye, no matter wha'. Ye legs just got more tone to em, an' ye back is all straight ..."

He stopped right after saying that, as if surprised with what he just said. "
Motioning over towards his duffle bag, which laid just inside the doors leading outside. "Ye be a lot closer to mine than I am, right now." Leaning back into his chair, he hoped this would quickly defuse a rather tense situation.

(m) "Molto asservente..." She quipped, rather impressed, dark eyes narrowing just the slightest. Her body was on alert, and would remain so until further notice. She stood slowly and took a step toward him, hands in full view, and leaned down, pressing her palms atop both his wrists, in effect pinning him there. Leaning in, her face was all softness and innocence, though nothing was further from the truth ..."Are you willing to do whatever I tell you in order to learn?" She had her reasons for the close proximity...always gauging ...

There went that glimmer inside his eyes once again, though it did not last as long like the one prior. Brehnic stared right back into her eyes, his expression? Calm. Heart rate? slightly normal, due to the fact that a beautiful woman was in his face. But the cockiness and the off the wall comments that would normally come from him right then? Not a one. "Nova Giannini. Ye be livin' fer a long time, an' play by wha' ever means to be doin' so. Ye wan' to be helpin' me? Then I'd be a fool nae to accept." 100% honesty there.

And not like he'd admit it, but her being taken off the market was the best thing
that could have happened. That will keep him even more focus on the teachings and NOT the teacher. Okay, 80-20 .... Fine!! 70-30!!!! But that's still good!! "Ye be findin' wha' ye lookin' for yet?" Spoken in a slightly bemused tone. Brehnic was learning much with this encounter. Any other male would be enjoying this, but they would be thinking with the wrong head. Nova was good .. Real good at using what God gave her to play the whole sleight of hand. He was learning to look beyond the beauty that had been
forever frozen in place, while what remained inside continued to evolve. (m) "Never judge a book by it's cover." <d>

She smelled salty and primal, a mixture of ocean and pheromones, and within floated a confusing, but heady perfume she had custom made for her in Paris. It was her signature. Would it tempt him into doing something foolish? She wetted her lips lazily, a slow smile forming. She'd tempted him with the fires of lust and he hadn't cracked.
"Molto bene." Straightening up elegantly, she walked around his chair to the kitchen counter and brought back a piece of paper with hotel addresses, phone numbers, and rental car agencies.

Even a motorcycle dealer. "Here ..." She returned and handed it to him. "This should help you find a hotel and wheels." Get some island clothes... and stay out of trouble." She chuckled. "We begin tomorrow."

"Will do, Nova. Mmmmm ... Where?" Standing, he handed his hostess the glass, taking the piece of paper from her, giving it a casual once over before folding it and placing it into his pocket. There was that lingering concern of NOT being there when her beau returned.

"Call me and tell me where you're staying and I'll find you." No sense in tempting fate. There was never any way of knowing when Mr. Keyes would stop by ...