Date: Mon, 15 Jan 1996 18:24:15 -0500 Reply-To: shannara@TWAVE.NET Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Kim Sefcik Subject: "'Til Death Do Us Part" (Part 11/13) CHAPTER 11 Back at the Dojo Tuesday, 11:38am Richie plopped down on the curving staircase that lead from the dojo up to the loft. The dojo was abuzz with activity, as Richie had decided to reopen it the day before. The heavy clang of weights being dropped and the thumpada- thumpada of sweating bodies working out on the punching bags mixed with the salty tang of perspiration which hung in the air. Richie ran a hand through his damp hair, and looked down at his sweat stained t-shirt. Like all the other occupants of the martial arts dojo, Richie had been working out, partly to condition himself, but mostly to forget. You couldn't worry when you were concentrating on knocking to stuffing out of a sand filled bag. He had seen Duncan to the same thing with his kata exercise, after he had been forced to kill Michael. Richie's head shot up as the air thickened and filled with a thrumming buzz. his temporary tenseness drained away when he saw Felicia stroll in. "Where have you been?" Richie asked, rising from the staircase and walking over by her. "I've been out. Do you have somewhere that we could talk in private?" "Yea, my office," Richie said, leading her over to the small office at the far end of the room. "So, what happened?" Richie prompted when he had clicked the door shut behind them. "I went over to the hotel where I'm staying to pick some stuff up, and I found this under my door," Felicia said, handing Richie a white envelope, "apparently Renee knows I'm here." Richie opened the plain envelope, and found a letter inside, written in flowing cursive handwriting. "'I have Michelle, and I haven't harmed her, yet. Tell Duncan and Richie to meet me tonight at the old antique shop,'" Richie read aloud, "But Mac's not here... I'll have to go alone." "Richie you can't be serious! That's the most idiotic thing you've ever said. She'll kill you," Felicia said, her voice husky with emotion, "Besides, you don't even know this Michelle person that well." "But I'm the reason that she's in trouble, dammit! It's my fault! I have to help her!" "Richie, stop trying to be a hero. It won't work, you can't always help the underdog. You can't accomplish anything by getting yourself killed." "No, Felicia you don't understand," Richie said, breaking his gaze with her eyes. There was a long, awkward pause, "Richie?" Felicia ventured. "What?" he snapped back. "You love her don't you?" Richie caught Felicia's look and shied away. "I don't know -- maybe I do. "It wouldn't work and you know it." "Why because of the Game? What about what we had Felicia? What about all of our mortal friends? They all die, Joe, Anne, Tessa, all of them. And the only ones who don't drop like flies around us, we're forced to kill? Well, I'm sorry Felicia, but I'm not going to accept that. I was alone most of my life, and I'm not going to let this Game make me any lonelier." "Are you done?" Felicia asked quietly. "Yes, I'm done." Richie snarled, lashing out at the only person he could, knowing that it wasn't really fair, but he couldn't help it. "You need some time to cool off, Rich. Go upstairs, take a shower, and we'll figure out what to do later." Throwing the letter on the desk, Richie opened the door and stalked out of the office. He was beginning to understand Duncan better everyday. Kim Sefcik Watcher-in-training Richie Reservist Internet: shannara@twave.net shannara@ravenwood.com | "I am Richie Ryan of the clan . . . wait, /~\ can we try that again?" @xxxxx| (|===============================- \____/\_/ "Being blind, you would wish all others blind | as well." -- Cleante, "Tartuffe" =========================================================================