Date: Fri, 23 Sep 1994 16:16:03 +0000 Reply-To: Highlander TV show stories Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Pat Organization: University College Dublin Subject: The Challenge: Face of the Enemy. (Part 2B) ***************************************** _The Challenge: Face of the Enemy._ ***************************************** Part 2 (B). HL/The Flash Crossover. by Amanda Hill. I must have spent the next three hours at home going through old photographs of me and Phillippe. He had always said that they were a bad idea. I always told him not to worry. If someone asked, I'd say they were taken in the last year. No big deal. We compromised and I only kept the colour photos. That was always how things went with us. He'd always remind me that I can't live a normal life. When I objected to anything else, he'd meet me halfway. Not quite normal but close enough. Every couple of years he'd write a letter. He'd never date them but he knew they made me feel better. Most of the time he was miles away, yet he always knew just where I could be found. I was so caught up in my own thoughts that Tina startled me as she came through the door. "Barry told me what happened. How are you doing?" "I'm Okay. would you like anything to drink?" She picked up the photographs I had left on the table and asked my consent. "No. I'm fine. May I? You were very close to him, weren't you?" "Yes, I was. It's funny. I never thought I'd be talking about him in the past tense. I never once thought he'd no longer be there." Tina got a distant look in her eyes. " I know. You think they're going to live forever. I was the same when my father died. And my husband " She had never mentioned that before. I knew she had been married once, but I never knew how it ended. She'd never understand fully what losing Phillippe, my mentor and friend, means, but she'd have some idea. I don't know how long we spent that night just talking, reciting old tales, remembering. But it was something we both needed. The next day I walked alone towards the police station. Barry had asked me to come in for the usual paperwork. I was halfway there when I saw the church. It was no longer in use and in a bad state of repair. The perfect place. He was in there waiting for me. As soon as I sensed him he stepped into the doorway. "Ah. Aleanna Noeel. Won't you come in." I stepped onto the grounds. We were both safe here. "Calem I assume. Why are you still here? Isn't it more your style to kill and run?" He leered at me. "Oh, not without giving you the opportunity to see my face. Don't want you to get it wrong in your nightmares, now, do I? Besides, I promised Phillippe I'd pay you a visit." Then I saw it. Around his neck was a pendant Phillippe had received from his father before he died. It was the only thing treasured by him. I was getting angry. Angrier than I had been in a long time. But there was nothing I could do from where I was standing. Calem knew that. And he knew how much that angered me further. He indicated the pendant. "Phillippe would have wanted you to have this. Shame. I've grown quite fond of it. I'm sure you won't mind if I keep it." I finally snapped. "Enjoy it while it lasts. Leave here with me." He laughed at my challenge. He stepped towards me and stuck his face in mine. "This time I'll let it pass. You're young. Foolish. Don't take me on. I'm stronger. Better. And your cop and doctor friends only have one life. Don't tell them anything they shouldn't know. You talk to that cop again and he'll find it's the last conversation he ever has. Goodbye, Kid. Till next time." He pushed me down and left. It was a few minutes before I could stand up again. When I left the church I turned back towards the apartment. I wanted to give Calem no reason to go for Barry or Tina. The next day I left my apartment and was heading towards the car. I had only taken a few steps when Barry appeared from nowhere. "Where were you Yesterday? I was waiting in the station all day." I shook my arm out of his grip. "I didn't feel like dealing with paperwork then. Or now. Another time." Barry was not so easily put off. "I know it's difficult, but you may as well get it done with. It won't take too long." I started walking. "Where did you appear from, anyway? You weren't here a minute ago. Look. I can't talk to you." I reached for the door handle. "I just got here. Why not? It has to be..." As he spoke I saw a flicker of reflected light off a metal arrow hurtling towards his chest. There was no time to push him out of the way. Only one option. I leapt between him and the arrow and collapsed in his arms as I felt the hard metal shaft burrow through my ribs and into my heart. He said something about a hospital. All I could mutter was, "No. Starlabs. Fast." before I fell out of consciousness. I had a vague feeling of Barry saying something about not being fast enough before I awoke with a gulp of air. Barry and Tina looked around in amazement. Tina came over and looked at the monitor I had been hooked up to. She then looked at me. "How..." I took another gulp of air before talking. "It's okay. I'll explain everything now." I looked at the monitor. Something had struck me as odd. I didn't think I'd wake up here in the first place. I shouldn't have been here yet. I lived eight minutes from the lab by car. Closer to twenty by foot. That was it. According to the clock on the EEG monitor, it was only two minutes since I was shot. I looked up at Barry. A lot of pieces suddenly fell into place. "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours. *Red*." I don't know whose story was most unbelievable. The story of a man getting hit by lightning in a lab and from hence forth having a highly accelerated metabolism. Or the story of a people who cannot die but by decapitation, and live until the Gathering when the Quickening determines who will be the One. When we all finished recounting our stories, Barry asked, "I take it Phillippe was like you." I nodded. " He taught me everything. Always looked out for me. His killer is one of us too. He's the one who tried to kill you. He said he would if I talked. Now do you understand?" "Yes, I do. But I can handle myself. Who is he?" I looked at Barry. "No. You don't understand. You can't go after him. You can't bring him to justice. You'll have to close the case on this one." He was surprised. "I'm not going to let him get away with murder. What kind of a police officer would that make me? It's my duty to protect this city..." Tina interrupted. "How? Imprison him? For how long? Execute him? I'm sorry but I didn't think the police had any guillotines handy. You can't play the knight in red shining armour on this one, Barry." "Tina's right. There's nothing you can do. The only way for your city to be save is if I leave. It's me he's interested in. Not you. I'm sorry, but there's nothing any superhero can do about this one." I got up to leave. "I've a few things to take care of. I'll see you tomorrow." I had no intentions of being more than another hour in Central City but I wasn't ready to tell them that yet. Back in my apartment I closed the last bag. I was getting good at this. I hated leaving such a wonderful city but I was left with no choice. Still, I couldn't leave without saying goodbye to Tina and Barry. They had been good friends for the short time I was here. I was just about to dial the Starlabs number when I felt it. He was back. I dropped the phone and ran to pick up my sword. This time I was going to need it. Calem pushed open the door. "I wasn't expecting next time to come so soon. Still, no matter. I can see that you're impatient to join Phillippe." I raised my sword. "Looks like I'll get my revenge sooner than I expected." I sliced and was blocked. He laughed. "Revenge? That's how I kill most people, you know. `Inspire' them to seek revenge. It makes them careless." He launched his attack but somehow my hand knew what it was doing and blocked them all. "You're better than I expected. For someone who hates fighting... but not good enough." He attacked again and this time his blade slipped in enough to draw blood from my shoulder. >From then on, I said no more. All my concentration was focused on keeping his sword from my neck. It was getting harder and harder to hold him off. I was slowly being moved back into my work corner. Then from the corner of my eye I saw it. On the table was one of the bottles Tina had warned me so often about. It was a corrosive chemical. Highly. All the equipment used with it was specially toughened. I had already treated it so that it wouldn't give off excessively poisonous fumes but it was still a dangerous thing to inhale too much of. As Calem's attack advanced and pushed me closer, I got within reach. As soon as I could, my right hand reached for it, knocked the cap off against the table, and threw it into Calem's face. I stood back immediately as the fumes were released. Calem got the full effect as he doubled over in pain. Now was my chance. I could get my revenge. Stop this killer. Calem looked up as I raised my sword realising that he had lost... It felt as if a whirlwind had just walked into the room. The Flash was there. Calem smiled. "No spectators, remember. In a way I'm glad. It'll be more fun in a few centuries... I promise you that." with that he staggered out and away. Barry was about to give chase when the effects of the gas took hold of him. He slowed down. I was beginning to feel queasy myself as I put his arm around my neck. "I think we'd better get out of here." Tina looked sideways at us both. "Thank God for speedy metabolisms and immortality or you'd both be dead now. I thought it was bad enough having one superhuman being trying to kill himself." I smiled at Tina and held out my hand to her. "In that case, I'd better leave you with one again." "You're leaving? Do you have to?" "Yeah. I need to visit an old friend of mine who promised me a shoulder to cry on if I should ever want it. I'll email you from Paris." I squeezed her hand and turned to Barry. "Sorry you got caught up in this. Why did you follow me, anyway?" "I didn't. I was all set to close the case when I returned to the station. A report was just in from a hostel owner reporting that one of her tenants had a sword. I had to follow it up. When I got there the room was deserted except for the electronic crossbow and your address in the bin. I phoned but it was off the hook. I figured you were in trouble so I got there as soon as I could." Barry held out his hand to me. "Sorry if I came at the wrong time." I took his hand and shook it. "Phillippe always believed that there was no such thing as `the wrong time'. I'm sorry if this screwed things up for you." With that I hugged them both. "See you again some time. Maybe at the wedding..." I left them both staring at me and then at each other. [Flashback ends] *I kept my word and Calem kept his. He found me again. Now he wears a mask. As a reminder to be more careful in the future more than out of necessity. Barry never got the justice he sought and probably never understood. But our ways are different. Someday Calem will be stopped. I don't know if it will be today. But someday, someone stronger will face him. And win. Then will our justice be served.* End of Part 2. """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Amanda "Baj" Hill on pfanning@ollamh.ucd.ie The only Left-handed Telepathic Immortal Bajoran member of the Q Continuum that you're ever likely to meet! __________________________________________________________ I had a Dream /\ But a cold wind blows, When I was young, *\ \* And a dark rain falls, A Dream of sweet * / / * And in my heart it shows- illusion. * |= '> * Look what they've done A glimpse of hope * \ \ * to my Dream. and Unity, */ /* - "One Vision" And visions of one \/ - Queen. sweet Union. """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" =========================================================================