This is too damn weird. They've made a Doll that has my name and you turn it into a girl Doll, like how twisted is that?

I grab Tan's hand and pull her toward the store door, "No Kade!" She replies, pulling me back.

"OK. Well you wait her while I just go in and buy one."

She yanks me away with force, "You gotta be joking me. I'm not letting you in there by yourself. No. Neither of us are going in, we're going to the park," she says, pulling me away.

"Hey, don't you want to play with my little dolly?" I jest.

"Not funny, Kade. That thing's creepy. And, it's in that store for a reason!"

"What reason?" I ask, knowing that she's of course, right.

She pushes me against the shop window, and pins my arms against it, "Hey, you're being rough, I like it," I say, with a wink.

"Be serious for a minute."

"OK. Serious face. What reason?" I ask, trying not to laugh. It's just that Tan looks so damn cute when she's being assertive.

She relaxes her grip on me, "The call you had with your mom, she said they had something planned for you, well, that's it," she says.

"What, turning me into a Doll?"

"No - turning you into a woman. They knew we'd be checking out the store, and the Doll is their twisted way of showing you what their plans are," she asserts.

I shake my head, "Of course; they're so freaking predictable." I look at the people coming and going, "But it looks like a legitimate Toy Store," I observe.

Tan is as clear as the window I'm pressed against, "A legitimate front, to hide illegal, evil practice and intent. Simple."

"Yep. You got it in one. I'll call mom, to let her know what we've discovered; maybe get Kelly and Troy to check out the store and buy a Doll, we need to examine these terrible toys," I say, thumbing my cell and putting it to my ear.

Feeling a little less freaked I let Tan know the results of my cell call with mom, "Kelly and Troy are gonna pick up a couple of Dolls this afternoon."

"Did she say anything else, like how's Marko?" She asks, taking my hand in hers.

I Laugh, "He's mega angry. Troy had to sedate him. She said she'll fill us in on her findings when we're back, tomorrow."

"Kelly and Troy, will be careful won't they?"

"Yep, they'll be fully tooled up and fly packed."

As we approach a busy junction, Tan halts me, "Kade - look across the road."

I know exactly what she's referring to. In the line of people standing on the opposite side of the road, one figure stands out. It's a tall girl. Her jet-black hair, parted in the middle frames a startlingly white face. Her glossy mane caresses the shoulders of a flowing black gown, giving the impression of floor length hair.

A sight like hers is not unusual in London; the city is full of people who dress according to the style tribe they feel they belong: Punks, Hipsters, Emos, Mangas, and this girl is an obvious Goth. Except the cute and cuddly soft toy she cradles in her left arm tells me that we are most probably looking at: The Lady.

She looks like a London eccentric, and attracts little attention from the commuters that surround her.

In fact, Tan and I are the only people looking at her. And her eyes are only for us. The stare is fixed and impenetrable. Her blood red lips are slightly upturned, into a teasing smirk. She stretches her right hand towards us and points a long, red nailed finger at us - "They're WANTED!" She howls across the road.

A potent rage surges through me as I ready myself to dart over the road and grab her. I'm aware of Tan doing the sensible thing by taking pictures, but sense is evading me. I have an overriding urge to throw her under a bus, regardless of the consequences.

The traffic is, as always, heavy, and she flickers between the accelerating vehicles. I see a bus approaching and dash into the road, causing a cacophony of sounding horns - "Kade, get back here!" Hollers Tan. I look back and see the panic on her face and I'm hit with the sensible stick. 'Calm it Kade' I tell myself.

I ignore the motorists hurling abuse at me while I return to Tan. When the bus passes and the lights turn green, she's gone.

"Well there's cliché, right there - vanished into thin air," I say, shaking my head with frustration and disappointment, "I wanted to get her, she was within our grasp," I say.

"All's not lost, I got crucial images of her, that I've sent onto Tony. So, let's look at this as a gain, not a loss."

"You're so right. But, you know Tan, I had such a violent urge to kill her, it kinda freaked me out."

"I know you did, I felt the rage in your body. You resisted it, though, so that's another good thing."

I put my arm around her shoulder, "Let's hope we get to the park without anymore eruptions from The Lady or her people."

Tan laughs, "Eruptions, you're turning into your father."

"We should never let go of our inner kid. Remember what they say, don't grow up, it's a trap."

"Who said that?"

"I dunno, think I read it somewhere," I chuckle, walking up the road hand in hand with Tan, feeling suddenly warm and fuzzy after my road rage has passed.

Tan stops and looks around, "What are you looking for?" I ask.

"Traps - truth is, we're never very far from one."

I fold her into my arms, "Right here, right now, we're in no danger of traps. So, let's enjoy the moment."

Regents Park looks awesome in the sunshine. We buy hot chocolate from a cute café that's fashioned like a little barn, and sit on a bench, which looks onto a neatly tended flowerbed.

It's not quite cold enough to see our breaths, but it's crisp enough to tell us those days are around the corner. Christmas is coming, and London is happily unaware of what is to be unleashed in homes across the capital on this festive morning. For now, I push that thought from my mind and observe the world go by.

We watch as an eclectic mix of people pass by: rollerbladers, busy business people and young mom's with baby's in buggies, all focused on their destinations.

Tan and I sit, sipping our drinks, blissfully enjoying the momentary peace and people watching. "Where could she have disappeared to, in such a short amount of time?" I ask, breaking our silence, and bringing us back to our reality.

"She probably had a people carrier waiting for her, to jump into after she'd pissed us off by showing and drawing attention to us."

"I guess so."

"I think she's gonna start popping up quite a lot now, to destabilize us. That's assuming she was The Lady," surmises Tan.

My cell jumps. I grab it and absorb the message, "It was. Drew's verified it's her from the images you sent Tony. Mom's messaged me." I snuggle into the nape of her neck, "But let's not allow her ruin our time, today."

"She hasn't ruined our day. In fact, she's enlightened us, because we now know she's definitely in London."

I begin to nibble her neck.

"Kade don't, people are looking."

"Let them look."

She tries to pull me away, but I resist and nibble some more. She chuckles with embarrassment, which makes me nibble even more. I work my way to her ear and whisper, "I'm taking you to the Hotel Suite now, to make love to you for the rest of the day."

Afterwards, I bask in our lovemaking afterglow, while Tan takes a shower.

I flick on the TV set and cruise the channels.

Pausing on a talk type show, I sit up.

Get out of bed.

I Kneel in front of the TV.

My head spins, trying to take in what I'm seeing, and hearing.

I'm aware of the bathroom door opening and Tan's voice, "Kade are you OK, you look like you've seen a ghost?"

My hand shoots up in a 'be quiet gesture' and I lean into the TV - I need to be sure.

Tan's kneeling now, by my side as the presenter finishes her piece to camera, "So, if you have any information to help this young Lady, please call the free-phone number at the bottom of the screen and let's make this story have a happy ending." The camera focuses on a girl, making a phone call gesture with her hand, like she's begging for votes on a TV Talent show.

Not taking my eyes off, of the screen, I explain, "That's her, the girl I met in the pub, the one that mysteriously vanished."

"Yes, I recognize her from the photo Drew slipped under the door while I was in the cell in Chicago."

Pulling away from the screen, I focus on Tan.

"Kade, you've gone pale, what is it?"

"She said we made love in a storeroom in the pub, and needs to track me down and let me know she's pregnant - hence her TV appearance."

"You didn't have sex with her, though."

I lower my head, not in shame, more in thought.

Tan grabs hold of me and pulls me up, "Kade, did you have sex with her?"

Tearing up, I shake my head, "Tan, I can't remember, I don't remember a thing after a certain point of that night. The Police Officer said I knocked out the barman, I don't remember doing that, either."

"Either. Either! Either? So there's a chance you could've had sex with her in the storeroom, but can't remember?"

My mind is racing back to that night: the beer - her smile - the flirting - more beer - my hurt at seeing Tan in Marko's arms - more beer - texting Tan, no reply - anger - more beer..."

Tan shakes my shoulders, "Answer me, Kade!"

"I'm trying to remember."

Slumping on the bed, I put my head in my hands and think, scouring every corner of my mind for some kind of telling flashback that will give me some clarity and control of this situation.

I feel Tan's hand rubbing my back, "Take your time, Kade. Relax and let your mind open and wander. We'll get to the bottom of this and whatever the outcome, we'll come out of it, stronger than ever."

Right now, my mind's blank, "Did I fall into the ultimate trap?" I ask.

"I don't know Kade. Only you can answer that question. Lift your head, look at me."

Tan looks wistful, but she's not angry. In her watery eyes I see compassion and support. She strokes her hand through my hair, "But if you have been trapped, it's one you're going to have to grow up for. Being a father's a huge responsibility."

In her voice I hear a soft quivering crackle. It's the sound of her heart - breaking...