Date: Tue, 28 Feb 1995 13:43:38 -600 Reply-To: Jason Tippitt Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Jason Tippitt Subject: "In the End..." (HL/Batman) Book I, Chapter 5 (fwd) A bit of business--several people have posted me asking for chapters of the story. My change in system led to my losing all but hard copies of the first story, "Dark of Knight," and to the prologue and part 1 of this story. If you need part two or anything since, I can help you, but if it's before that, someone else might be able to help... JRT ************************************************************************ "I N T H E E N D . . . " ************************************************************************ A Highlander/Batman Crossover Jason R. Tippitt, 1994 Note: This occurs in a future somewhat similar to that portrayed in the graphic novel _The Dark Knight Returns_, by Frank Miller. There are some differences--Jason Todd , the Joker, and the Catwoman's being Immortals having been the most notable one so far. Caveat: Not the kindest, gentlest story ever written. Cursing, too. Book One: "The Gathering" Part 5 THUS FAR: Connor MacLeod, using the talents of CIA Special Operative Kent, has rescued the amnesic Joker from the wreckage of a tunnel-of-love, where he last fought the original Batman. Connor has since recruited Richie, who now calls himself Fagin, for his mysterious cause. His attempts to recruit the child Immortal Kenny were foiled by Robin and Green Arrow. Jason Todd, now operating in New York under the identity of Batman, has just taken the Quickening of Selina Kyle, the Catwoman, after Fagin had chopped off her hands. Duncan and Amanda are living together. Duncan, in a fit of depression after Joe Dawson's death, has been surprised by the arrival of his old friend Gregor, who was living in a monastary until the Immortal Rasputin ordered him to leave and find MacLeod. Just in time, too--Gregor has just seen a news report showing the slaughter at the monastary, which ended with Rasputin's head being taken on holy ground. Duncan has been shot on a restaurant balcony by James Horton, who was then terminated by Special Agent Kent. Gregor and Amanda, suspecting a Hunter scheme, are trying to figure out how to "steal" Duncan... ******* Lazarus looked once more into the mirror before him. His face was that of a normal man, but frozen in a perpetual smile. At least he'd gotten all the dirt off--and then there was that matter of the makeup and green hair dye--he must have been a clown before his burial, he reasoned. It would be good to bring joy to the children... Whatever he had been was no longer the issue. What he would be, however... *That* was another matter entirely. He stood, running his fingers through his newly-black hair, and smiled. "I never thought I'd see the world again," he said aloud, even though he was alone, because he loved to hear he sounds echo off the walls in this room. Ah, to be in a lit area where there was room for an echo. He crossed himself, thanking God above for sending his only begotten son to raise him from his tomb. Then he went to pick out clothing for the day. He knew it would be black...he always wore black now. Like a priest. ******* The ambulance pulled up below the building. "The Hunter says he's a doctor," Gregor said. "Why didn't I think of this?" Amanda's grip on his arm tightened. "The rest are in the ambulance, I guess?" "Yeah, why?" "We have to go with them...try to take over the ambulance." "They'll kill us!" "Gregor, this looks like a damn sloppy job. I mean, they shot him in a public area. They're not going according to plan, they're desperate." "How do you know?" She winked at him. "This isn't how *I* would do it!" ******* The two Hunters ran into the building, rolling a gurney toward the elevator. Eddie hit the button for the top floor. "How's the schedule going?" he asked. Norm checked his watch. "Right on time," he snapped. The elevator reached the tenth floor and slowed down. "Damn it, Eddie..." Two men stepped into the elevator. Both of them had brown hair--the taller one in long curls, the shorter one cut close. Neither of them looked weak. "Good afternoon, gentlemen," the shorter one said in a vaguely European accent. "Yeah, yeah, get in," Norm snapped. "There's a stiff upstairs that needs moving." Eddie hit the button and the doors shut. Suddenly the lights blinked out. Connor punched Norm in the nose, shattering his skull and killing him instantly. Fagin shoved a dagger into the back of Eddie's neck, severing his spinal cord. Five seconds later, the lights came back on, as Connor disabled the jamming device in his coat pocket. "Ready to be an actor, Richie?" "My name's Fagin, MacLeod." "Stop acting like a haggis and play along, little thief." ******* Gregor looked at Amanda. "He's not doing anything...hasn't even gotten near the body...must be waiting for backup..." From the back of the crowd gathered in the restaurant, a rustle. Someone announcing a stretcher on its way. Amanda put a hand on Gregor's arm. "Hang back...we'll follow them from a distance...no need to get them onto us just yet...maybe we can get them before they reach the ambulance," Amanda said. "Sounds like a good idea to me." Gregor and Amanda made their way along the wall toward the door. They were almost there when they both felt the Buzz of at least one more Immortal hit. The EMT's burst into the room, carrying a gurney, heads down, and ran toward the balcony. "Gregor--?" "I don't know. Maybe one of us is working with them. It's happened before," he whispered. The two Immortals ducked out of the restaurant and into the hallway. ******* Connor and Fagin dashed out toward the balcony. Connor wondered for a moment if there had been any other Immortals here with his kinsman--he thought that Amanda had been living with him for a little while--but he didn't see any sign of her near Duncan, so he supposed that must have changed. If only there was a way to tell how many he was sensing... Before them, next to the body stood an older man, quite nervous looking. "The time of death was 12:56 p.m.," he stated. "Thanks, you've done a great job," Connor said cooly, not looking up as he and Fagin loaded MacLeod onto the gurney. "Do you need me to ride in the ambulance?" "No need for that, sir," Connor answered. The old man's eyes widened. "You're not--" Across the restaurant, doors swung shut. ******* Gregor and Amanda were knocked to the ground by a fierce blast of air in the corridor. Moments later, the sound of gunfire erupted from the area they had left. "Shit!" Gregor picked himself up off the ground and reached down to pull Amanda up. "We got out of there just in time." Amanda leaned against the Russian for support. "Nearly broke my ankle, whatever that was. Let's get to the lobby..." As they moved, their ears picked up the sound of explosions from somewhere in the distance. "Duncan..." Amanda whispered. "Keep moving!" He grabbed her by the arm and led her down to the lobby. They opened the stairwell door and were greeted by a blast of heat and smoke from the lobby. It appeared a tanker truck had exploded directly in front of the hotel. Bodies lay strewn on the sidewalk...a bellhop lay by the door, half-consumed by flames. Gregor crossed himself. "My God...it's like the Apocalypse." They felt the Buzz and turned to see the lights above the elevator showing a car approaching, no stops between floors. It was running almost too quickly--like the wires had been severed. Amanda and Gregor drew their weapons--no witnesses around, and if there were, it would all be written off to trauma. There was a crash as the elevator landed. The doors to the elevator shuddered. There was another gush of air, only this time, its source became visible. A tall dark-haired man clad in black appeared before the elevator, sinking his fingers into the steel to open the doors. "Who the hell are you?" Amanda demanded. "I'm sure MacLeod will tell you soon enough, the bastard." Then he was gone. Connor stumbled out of the elevator, leaning on Richie for support. Blood covered his forehead. "I am Connor MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod. Who am I speaking to?" Amanda and Gregor both sighed with relief. ******* END PART ONE Tell me what ya think, folks!