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From: owner-arfic-l-digest@lists.xmission.com (arfic-l-digest) To: arfic-l-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: arfic-l-digest V1 #48 Reply-To: arfic-l-digest Sender: owner-arfic-l-digest@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-arfic-l-digest@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk arfic-l-digest Monday, October 8 2001 Volume 01 : Number 048 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 9 Oct 2001 14:04:53 +1300 From: "Anne Olsen" <anneo@paradise.net.nz> Subject: (arfic-l) All That Glitters (17/20) This is a multi-part message in MIME format. - ------=_NextPart_000_0016_01C150CB.5E212C20 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable All That Glitters (17/20) by Anne Olsen Disclaimers in Part 0 Feedback to anneo@paradise.net.nz **** Part Seventeen Jade stopped suddenly, causing Isabel to almost run into her.=20 "What's the matter, Jade?" Isabel could see the concern on the face of = her companion. She hoped Alex and Ami weren't in trouble. As she waited = for Jade's reply Isabel thought she heard someone coming. She hid behind = a pile of empty crates in the middle of the room they were in, and = gestured for Jade to be quiet. A couple of minutes later a young man = with bleached blonde hair walked past, heading somewhere in a hurry. = Isabel shivered. This place gave her the creeps. All the rooms seemed to = be half dark, the small windows in each room not giving much natural = light. Jade seemed very jumpy. "I thought I heard Megabyte,' she explained. = "Isabel, I'm scared. I keep feeling as though I want to run away and = hide in a corner somewhere. Does that make sense?" Isabel thought for a moment. "Do you mean like a panic attack or = something? I knew a girl at school who used to get them. That's the way = she described the feeling." Jade nodded. "I don't feel." She stopped mid sentence and then = continued, twirling her long hair around her fingers nervously. "Maybe = the feeling isn't mine. Maybe it's someone else's feelings I'm picking = up on." Isabel was curious. "Can you guys do that?" "Yeah, sometimes we can pick up on what the other Tomorrow People are = feeling." She frowned. "It can't be Megabtye or Adam though. That = headband thing that Max told you about, it's supposed to stop them using = their powers, isn't it?" "That's what he said," confirmed Isabel. She could still remember how = worried Max had seemed, even though he'd tried to hide it from her. The = way she'd lost the connection so suddenly too.that was something she was = trying very hard to put out of her mind. Unfortunately she didn't seem = to be succeeding very well. "Could you try and contact whoever you are getting these feelings from?" = she asked Jade. "Maybe it is Megabyte. Didn't you say you'd heard him = before? Maybe they've found some way to get those bands off." "Okay." Jade closed her eyes, and Isabel could see her frown as she = began to concentrate, reaching out telepathically for the source of the = 'signal.' ************ "Who are you?" asked Alex. He rose to his feet, so that his back was to = the computer, hiding the information flashing on the screen. Silly thing = to ask a man holding a gun he realised, but he thought maybe it might = buy them some time and distract the man so that Ami could teleport them = out. "Are you one of these Tomorrow People?" asked the man. Ami and Alex looked at each other. "Yes, I am," Ami answered. "Ami." Alex shot her a warning look. "Don't worry, Alex. I have the feeling he knows who we are anyway." "I'm Gil Hawkins," the man introduced himself. "Yes I do know about your = kind and don't worry, I am on your side." Hawkins lowered his gun. "I'm = beginning to get the feeling that maybe we should start working = together. After seeing what Masters has planned for your friends, I'm = thinking that it's only a matter of time before he loses it completely = and does something we all regret." "Why should we trust you?" asked Alex. "You came in here with a gun = remember?" He reached behind him and slid the burnt disc out of the = computer and put it into his pocket. He saw Hawkins' eyes following his = movements but the man didn't comment. Another reason not to trust the = guy, Alex thought. Judging from his earlier remarks it sounded as though = he had a good idea what they had just downloaded anyway. "I work for an organisation that is worried about some of the company = Masters is keeping," Hawkins started to explain. "I've been sent here to = find out what he has planned and what exactly his relationship with = Simon Trent is." "What organisation?" asked Ami. "I'm not at liberty to share that information." "Yeah right." Alex didn't feel very terribly impressed by that comment. = "What's your proof? I mean how do we know this isn't a trap or you're = really working for someone like the FBI or something sinister we haven't = even heard of." "I'm hardly likely to be carrying ID if I'm working undercover am I?" As = Hawkins reached over to see what Alex and Ami had been looking at on the = computer, Alex noticed a strange blue trefoil shaped tattoo on the man's = wrist.=20 *********** Small beads of perspiration were forming on Masters' face as his eyes = flickered between Megabyte's face and the gun in his hand. Masters was = beginning to lose patience. What was it going to take to make the man = understand? "I . can't .shoot. you." As Megabyte repeated the words = again, he glanced at the small revolver in his hand, trying to ignore = the disgust he was feeling towards the weapon. [Megabyte?] Jade? What was she doing here? There was no way he was going to let any = of the other Tomorrow People get involved in this mess. Especially not = Jade. Megabyte checked his mental shields again. Hell, they were = slipping, he was losing control. He gritted his teeth and tried again to = bring his emotions back under tight reign. If he wasn't careful he'd be = acting as a beacon and drawing Jade, Ami and Kevin straight to them. Masters snorted in disgust. "Maybe I should shoot them anyway?" He = seemed to reconsider for a moment. "Obviously, you were wrong about = these Tomorrow People, Damon. You referred to them as the future of = mankind. What kind of future are they if they can't even defend their = friends?" "A better future than mankind all turning out like you," snapped = Megabyte. "I've just about had enough of your cheek, boy," Masters had completely = lost the calm exterior he had been trying to project up to a few moments = before. "I'm going to enjoy this next part of the experiment, in fact = I'm now rather looking forward to it." Masters spun around so that his gun was pointing squarely at Megabyte. = "You say you can't kill to save your friends. What about to save = yourself?" "Masters, you can't be serious." Damon started to struggle against the = man holding him. "I'm perfectly serious. Oh and by the way, if Megabyte teleports, I = won't hesitate to kill you and Adam. So you'd better pray your son does = the right thing." Megabyte felt sick. What sort of a choice was that? Being a Tomorrow = Person, it wasn't a choice at all. "I'm sorry," he said shooting a look = of apology at his father and Adam. He saw Max start forward, only to be = stopped by a large man holding a taser weapon. Megabyte watched Masters' finger squeeze on the trigger and waited for = the bullet to strike him. The sound of the gun going off was a flat crack, hardly more than a = balloon popping. A second pop followed just an instant later. This noise = came with a flash of light far brighter than the muzzle of a gun could = produce. Then Jade was standing in the room. "Jade!" Megabyte heard a half-strangled cry and realised he'd made the = sound himself. He felt himself fall backwards as Jade fell into his = arms, propelled by the momentum of the bullet as it entered her body.=20 She gazed up at him and then down at the growing red stain on her chest. = "I .found .you," she said as he struggled to rise to a kneeling position = and cradled her head on his lap. Masters stood there staring, almost in shock. He lowered the gun. Max broke free of his captor and dived for the gun that Megabyte had = dropped in the confusion. He pointed the weapon at Masters before = Beckett or his men could stop him and fired, aiming for the gun in = Masters' hand. There was a clicking noise, but nothing happened. He pulled the trigger again. Still nothing. Megabyte turned towards Masters. "The gun wasn't even loaded. You put us = through all that and the gun wasn't even loaded?" He felt sick.=20 [Megabyte?] Jade 'pathed. He could feel her psychic presence slipping = away from him even as she 'spoke.' [Yeah, kid, I'm here.] [Hold me, Megabyte. I'm scared. Why is the room going round? What's that = red stuff all over me?] She looked down at herself, and then up again at = her fellow Tomorrow Person, her eyes widening in fear as she realised = the seriousness of what had happened. [Hold on, Jade, hold on.] Megabyte reached out for her telepathically, = trying to hold back the tears he could feel welling up within him. He = thought back to all the years he had known her, all the years he'd ran = away from the way he felt about her. [I knew you. had .feelings. for. me] Jade closed her eyes and he felt = her go limp in his arms. *************** Ami gasped. "No," she whispered, ignoring the glances Alex and Hawkins = were giving her. "What's the matter? What's wrong? I'm not going to hurt you, I've = already told you that." Hawkins turned away from the computer, concern = showing on his face. He must be only in his mid-twenties, Ami realised, = seeing his features soften as he spoke. "He's shot Jade. He's shot Jade." Ami kept repeating the phrase, trying = to convince herself that what she was picking up wasn't true. "Who?" asked Alex. "Masters?" Hawkins spoke almost simultaneously. [Jade?] Ami sent a telepathic call out to the younger girl. [Ami?] Ami was shocked to feel the raw emotion in Megabyte's telepathic = voice. [Jade's.Jade's been shot. Ami, she looks as though she's going to = die.] To her surprise Ami could also feel guilt coming from her fellow = Tomorrow Person. [Megabyte, hang on. We'll be there as soon as we can, okay?] Ami turned to Hawkins and Alex. "Jade's badly hurt and Megabyte needs = our help."=20 Adam? What about Adam and Max? Ami realised that she hadn't asked = Megabyte about them. Come to think of it, why could she hear Megabyte = but not Adam? She wondered what had been happening to her friends..Still = Jade was the one to concentrate on at the moment. Megabyte hadn't = mentioned Adam so he must be okay, at least for now. Alex rose to his feet, his face suddenly contorting with fear. "Isabel!" = he exclaimed. "Isabel was with Jade." ************ Adam watched Jade fall, a sick feeling welling up inside him. He pulled = himself free of the man holding him, not caring about the consequences. = As he knelt down on the floor beside his friends, Adam saw Damon staring = at his son cradling Jade in his arms. The look on Damon's face as he = turned towards Masters was one he'd never expected to see on the man. It = was one of pure hatred. Adam could see the fine hold the man had been = using to keep his emotions in check, snap. Damon threw himself at Masters, pulling the gun the man was holding from = his grasp as he did so. He stood over Masters, aiming the weapon = directly at him. Adam saw Beckett and the others bring their weapons to bear on Damon, = but Masters gestured for him to put them down. "I'm sorry," he started to say but Damon silenced him with a glare. "You're sorry? You're even crazier than I thought if you expect me to = believe that. Sorry for what exactly? Sorry for kidnapping my son and = then trying to torture him by making him do something he's not capable = of? Sorry for trying to run down my daughter and then sending your goons = after her? Sorry for.shooting Jade?" Damon raised the gun at Masters and pulled the trigger. "No!" exclaimed Adam. "General Damon, you can't." A shot rang out, reverberating across the room and Masters collapsed in = a heap on the floor. As Adam's mind tried to process what had just happened, Masters looked = up at Damon, disbelief showing in his eyes. "You don't know what you've = done," he told the other man. "I was their only hope. Who's going to = save them now?" He gave Megabyte's father a look that could only be = described as pity as his head rolled back and he lay still.=20 Adam looked down at Jade lying in Megabyte's arms and back again at = Damon who was standing over the body, obviously in shock. A feeling of = helplessness rose up within him as he realised he didn't know what to = do. I'm supposed to take charge here, he told himself. Instead he felt = himself freeze as he looked at the results of the horror that had = enfolded in front of him only moments before. Some leader you are. = You're supposed to know what to do and what to say. Instead you're just = sitting here watching one of your friends die. Adam turned towards the door, his thoughts interupted by the sound of = footsteps. A man about the same age as Damon, rushed through the open = door, followed by a teenage boy.=20 "Michael!" exclaimed Max. Beckett raised his gun. "Put down the gun," warned the older newcomer. "Try that again, and I'll = shoot *you * next time. Sheriff Valenti, Roswell police dept. You're all = under arrest." The Sheriff looked around the room, taking in the = situation in a glance. "Jade! Is Jade okay?" Valenti knelt down beside Adam and Megabyte, who = was still trying to get some response out of the young girl. Megabyte looked up, and Adam was shocked to see the tears rolling down = his cheeks. "She's still alive," he said. "I can sense her, but only = just. Adam, we've got to do something. Maybe if we combine our powers we = could try and heal her." Adam shook his head. "I haven't got those powers any more, Megabyte. = Don't you think I wish I had?" "I don't care. We've got to try." Megabyte looked around the room and = saw Brooke-Smyth cowering in the corner. "Take off Adam's headband," he = yelled. "Take it off, now." His blue eyes flashed dangerously as he = spoke, and Adam knew he was close to losing control.=20 Brooke-Smythe moved across the room and picked up the small silver tool = on the floor beside Masters' body. "I can't," whimpered the scientist. = He pointed to the small device he had waved over Megabyte's headband = earlier to remove it. "It was damaged when he fell. There's no way to = remove your friends' silencer bands now, no way at all." ********* End of Part 17 - ------=_NextPart_000_0016_01C150CB.5E212C20 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1" = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D"MSHTML 5.00.2614.3500" name=3DGENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> All That Glitters (17/20) by Anne Olsen Disclaimers in Part 0 Feedback to <A=20 href=3D"mailto:anneo@paradise.net.nzPart">anneo@paradise.net.nz</A> **** Part Seventeen Jade stopped suddenly, causing Isabel to almost run into her. "What's the matter, Jade?" Isabel could see the concern on the face = of her=20 companion. She hoped Alex and Ami weren't in trouble. As she waited for = Jade's=20 reply Isabel thought she heard someone coming. She hid behind a pile of = empty=20 crates in the middle of the room they were in, and gestured for Jade to = be=20 quiet. A couple of minutes later a young man with bleached blonde hair = walked=20 past, heading somewhere in a hurry. Isabel shivered. This place gave her = the=20 creeps. All the rooms seemed to be half dark, the small windows in each = room not=20 giving much natural light. Jade seemed very jumpy. "I thought I heard Megabyte,' she explained. = "Isabel,=20 I'm scared. I keep feeling as though I want to run away and hide in a = corner=20 somewhere. Does that make sense?" Isabel thought for a moment. "Do you mean like a panic attack or = something? I=20 knew a girl at school who used to get them. That's the way she described = the=20 feeling." Jade nodded. "I don't feel…" She stopped mid sentence and then = continued,=20 twirling her long hair around her fingers nervously. "Maybe the feeling = isn't=20 mine. Maybe it's someone else's feelings I'm picking up on." Isabel was curious. "Can you guys do that?" "Yeah, sometimes we can pick up on what the other Tomorrow People are = feeling." She frowned. "It can't be Megabtye or Adam though. That = headband thing=20 that Max told you about, it's supposed to stop them using their powers, = isn't=20 it?" "That's what he said," confirmed Isabel. She could still remember how = worried=20 Max had seemed, even though he'd tried to hide it from her. The way = she'd lost=20 the connection so suddenly too…that was something she was trying = very hard to=20 put out of her mind. Unfortunately she didn't seem to be succeeding very = well. "Could you try and contact whoever you are getting these feelings = from?" she=20 asked Jade. "Maybe it is Megabyte. Didn't you say you'd heard him = before? Maybe=20 they've found some way to get those bands off." "Okay." Jade closed her eyes, and Isabel could see her frown as she = began to=20 concentrate, reaching out telepathically for the source of the = 'signal.' ************ "Who are you?" asked Alex. He rose to his feet, so that his back was = to the=20 computer, hiding the information flashing on the screen. Silly thing to = ask a=20 man holding a gun he realised, but he thought maybe it might buy them = some time=20 and distract the man so that Ami could teleport them out. "Are you one of these Tomorrow People?" asked the man. Ami and Alex looked at each other. "Yes, I am," Ami answered. "Ami…" Alex shot her a warning look. "Don't worry, Alex. I have the feeling he knows who we are = anyway." "I'm Gil Hawkins," the man introduced himself. "Yes I do know about = your kind=20 and don't worry, I am on your side." Hawkins lowered his gun. "I'm = beginning to=20 get the feeling that maybe we should start working together. After = seeing what=20 Masters has planned for your friends, I'm thinking that it's only a = matter of=20 time before he loses it completely and does something we all = regret." "Why should we trust you?" asked Alex. "You came in here with a gun=20 remember?" He reached behind him and slid the burnt disc out of the = computer and=20 put it into his pocket. He saw Hawkins' eyes following his movements but = the man=20 didn't comment. Another reason not to trust the guy, Alex thought. = Judging from=20 his earlier remarks it sounded as though he had a good idea what they = had just=20 downloaded anyway. "I work for an organisation that is worried about some of the company = Masters=20 is keeping," Hawkins started to explain. "I've been sent here to find = out what=20 he has planned and what exactly his relationship with Simon Trent = is." "What organisation?" asked Ami. "I'm not at liberty to share that information." "Yeah right." Alex didn't feel very terribly impressed by that = comment.=20 "What's your proof? I mean how do we know this isn't a trap or you're = really=20 working for someone like the FBI or something sinister we haven't even = heard=20 of." "I'm hardly likely to be carrying ID if I'm working undercover am I?" = As=20 Hawkins reached over to see what Alex and Ami had been looking at on the = computer, Alex noticed a strange blue trefoil shaped tattoo on the man's = wrist.=20 *********** Small beads of perspiration were forming on Masters' face as his eyes = flickered between Megabyte's face and the gun in his hand. Masters was = beginning=20 to lose patience. What was it going to take to make the man understand? = "I …=20 can't …shoot… you." As Megabyte repeated the words again, he = glanced at the=20 small revolver in his hand, trying to ignore the disgust he was feeling = towards=20 the weapon. [Megabyte?] Jade? What was she doing here? There was no way he was going to let = any of=20 the other Tomorrow People get involved in this mess. Especially not = Jade.=20 Megabyte checked his mental shields again. Hell, they were slipping, he = was=20 losing control. He gritted his teeth and tried again to bring his = emotions back=20 under tight reign. If he wasn't careful he'd be acting as a beacon and = drawing=20 Jade, Ami and Kevin straight to them. Masters snorted in disgust. "Maybe I should shoot them anyway?" He = seemed to=20 reconsider for a moment. "Obviously, you were wrong about these Tomorrow = People,=20 Damon. You referred to them as the future of mankind. What kind of = future are=20 they if they can't even defend their friends?" "A better future than mankind all turning out like you," snapped=20 Megabyte. "I've just about had enough of your cheek, boy," Masters had = completely lost=20 the calm exterior he had been trying to project up to a few moments = before. "I'm=20 going to enjoy this next part of the experiment, in fact I'm now rather = looking=20 forward to it." Masters spun around so that his gun was pointing squarely at = Megabyte. "You=20 say you can't kill to save your friends. What about to save = yourself?" "Masters, you can't be serious." Damon started to struggle against = the man=20 holding him. "I'm perfectly serious. Oh and by the way, if Megabyte teleports, I = won't=20 hesitate to kill you and Adam. So you'd better pray your son does the = right=20 thing." Megabyte felt sick. What sort of a choice was that? Being a Tomorrow = Person,=20 it wasn't a choice at all. "I'm sorry," he said shooting a look of = apology at=20 his father and Adam. He saw Max start forward, only to be stopped by a = large man=20 holding a taser weapon. Megabyte watched Masters' finger squeeze on the trigger and waited = for the=20 bullet to strike him… The sound of the gun going off was a flat crack, hardly more than a = balloon=20 popping. A second pop followed just an instant later. This noise came = with a=20 flash of light far brighter than the muzzle of a gun could produce. Then Jade was standing in the room. "Jade!" Megabyte heard a half-strangled cry and realised he'd made = the sound=20 himself. He felt himself fall backwards as Jade fell into his arms, = propelled by=20 the momentum of the bullet as it entered her body. She gazed up at him and then down at the growing red stain on her = chest. "I=20 …found …you," she said as he struggled to rise to a kneeling = position and=20 cradled her head on his lap. Masters stood there staring, almost in shock. He lowered the gun. Max broke free of his captor and dived for the gun that Megabyte had = dropped=20 in the confusion. He pointed the weapon at Masters before Beckett or his = men=20 could stop him and fired, aiming for the gun in Masters' hand. There was a clicking noise, but nothing happened. He pulled the trigger again. Still nothing. Megabyte turned towards Masters. "The gun wasn't even loaded. You put = us=20 through all that and the gun wasn't even loaded?" He felt sick. [Megabyte?] Jade 'pathed. He could feel her psychic presence slipping = away=20 from him even as she 'spoke.' [Yeah, kid, I'm here.] [Hold me, Megabyte. I'm scared. Why is the room going round? What's = that red=20 stuff all over me?] She looked down at herself, and then up again at her = fellow=20 Tomorrow Person, her eyes widening in fear as she realised the = seriousness of=20 what had happened. [Hold on, Jade, hold on.] Megabyte reached out for her = telepathically, trying=20 to hold back the tears he could feel welling up within him. He thought = back to=20 all the years he had known her, all the years he'd ran away from the way = he felt=20 about her. [I knew you… had …feelings… for… me] Jade = closed her eyes and he felt her go=20 limp in his arms. *************** Ami gasped. "No," she whispered, ignoring the glances Alex and = Hawkins were=20 giving her. "What's the matter? What's wrong? I'm not going to hurt you, I've = already=20 told you that." Hawkins turned away from the computer, concern showing = on his=20 face. He must be only in his mid-twenties, Ami realised, seeing his = features=20 soften as he spoke. "He's shot Jade. He's shot Jade." Ami kept repeating the phrase, = trying to=20 convince herself that what she was picking up wasn't true. "Who?" asked Alex. "Masters?" Hawkins spoke almost simultaneously. [Jade?] Ami sent a telepathic call out to the younger girl. [Ami?] Ami was shocked to feel the raw emotion in Megabyte's = telepathic=20 voice. [Jade's…Jade's been shot. Ami, she looks as though she's = going to die.]=20 To her surprise Ami could also feel guilt coming from her fellow = Tomorrow=20 Person. [Megabyte, hang on. We'll be there as soon as we can, okay?] Ami turned to Hawkins and Alex. "Jade's badly hurt and Megabyte needs = our=20 help." Adam? What about Adam and Max? Ami realised that she hadn't asked = Megabyte=20 about them. Come to think of it, why could she hear Megabyte but not = Adam? She=20 wondered what had been happening to her friends….Still Jade was = the one to=20 concentrate on at the moment. Megabyte hadn't mentioned Adam so he must = be okay,=20 at least for now. Alex rose to his feet, his face suddenly contorting with fear. = "Isabel!" he=20 exclaimed. "Isabel was with Jade…" ************ Adam watched Jade fall, a sick feeling welling up inside him. He = pulled=20 himself free of the man holding him, not caring about the consequences. = As he=20 knelt down on the floor beside his friends, Adam saw Damon staring at = his son=20 cradling Jade in his arms. The look on Damon's face as he turned towards = Masters=20 was one he'd never expected to see on the man. It was one of pure = hatred. Adam=20 could see the fine hold the man had been using to keep his emotions in = check,=20 snap. Damon threw himself at Masters, pulling the gun the man was holding = from his=20 grasp as he did so. He stood over Masters, aiming the weapon directly at = him. Adam saw Beckett and the others bring their weapons to bear on Damon, = but=20 Masters gestured for him to put them down. "I'm sorry," he started to say but Damon silenced him with a = glare. "You're sorry? You're even crazier than I thought if you expect me to = believe=20 that. Sorry for what exactly? Sorry for kidnapping my son and then = trying to=20 torture him by making him do something he's not capable of? Sorry for = trying to=20 run down my daughter and then sending your goons after her? Sorry = for…shooting=20 Jade?" Damon raised the gun at Masters and pulled the trigger. "No!" exclaimed Adam. "General Damon, you can't." A shot rang out, reverberating across the room and Masters collapsed = in a=20 heap on the floor. As Adam's mind tried to process what had just happened, Masters = looked up at=20 Damon, disbelief showing in his eyes. "You don't know what you've done," = he told=20 the other man. "I was their only hope. Who's going to save them now?" He = gave=20 Megabyte's father a look that could only be described as pity as his = head rolled=20 back and he lay still. Adam looked down at Jade lying in Megabyte's arms and back again at = Damon who=20 was standing over the body, obviously in shock. A feeling of = helplessness rose=20 up within him as he realised he didn't know what to do. I'm supposed to = take=20 charge here, he told himself. Instead he felt himself freeze as he = looked at the=20 results of the horror that had enfolded in front of him only moments = before.=20 Some leader you are. You're supposed to know what to do and what to say. = Instead=20 you're just sitting here watching one of your friends die. Adam turned towards the door, his thoughts interupted by the sound of = footsteps. A man about the same age as Damon, rushed through the open = door,=20 followed by a teenage boy. "Michael!" exclaimed Max. Beckett raised his gun. "Put down the gun," warned the older newcomer. "Try that again, and = I'll=20 shoot *you * next time. Sheriff Valenti, Roswell police dept. You're all = under=20 arrest." The Sheriff looked around the room, taking in the situation in = a=20 glance. "Jade! Is Jade okay?" Valenti knelt down beside Adam and Megabyte, = who was=20 still trying to get some response out of the young girl. Megabyte looked up, and Adam was shocked to see the tears rolling = down his=20 cheeks. "She's still alive," he said. "I can sense her, but only just. = Adam,=20 we've got to do something. Maybe if we combine our powers we could try = and heal=20 her." Adam shook his head. "I haven't got those powers any more, Megabyte. = Don't=20 you think I wish I had?" "I don't care. We've got to try." Megabyte looked around the room and = saw=20 Brooke-Smyth cowering in the corner. "Take off Adam's headband," he = yelled.=20 "Take it off, now." His blue eyes flashed dangerously as he spoke, and = Adam knew=20 he was close to losing control. Brooke-Smythe moved across the room and picked up the small silver = tool on=20 the floor beside Masters' body. "I can't," whimpered the scientist. He = pointed=20 to the small device he had waved over Megabyte's headband earlier to = remove it.=20 "It was damaged when he fell. There's no way to remove your friends' = silencer=20 bands now, no way at all." ********* End of Part 17</BODY></HTML> - ------=_NextPart_000_0016_01C150CB.5E212C20-- - - To unsubscribe to arfic-l, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe arfic-l" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 9 Oct 2001 00:27:03 -0700 From: Ailie S McFarland <aixla@juno.com> Subject: (arfic-l) Found My Reason 1/1 Title: Found My Reason Author: Ailie McFarland E-Mail: aixla@juno.com Rating: PG Fandom: BtVS/AtS Timeline: Right now, but no real spoilers. Disclaimer: I donÆt own Oz. Or BtVS. Or even AtS. If I was things would be a helluva lot different this season. Archive: http://www.geocities.com/aixla/buffy.html (eventually. IÆm a little behind). Distribution: Oh! Well, if it helps at all, IÆm gonna say yes. Summary: Oz finds meaning for his life. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ IÆve done it all; climbed the thousand steps to speak to the Holy Man of the Most Sacred Mountain, studied meditation techniques with the monks of Nepal, learned magical incantations from the Swamis. In Romania I ate the sexual organs of a female bat while the elder woman of the village chanted to bind the demon within me. Through this I have finally learned to control the wolf, keep it from taking over my mind and body with the changes of the moon, or my mood. But I still live in a cage. My life has been wrapped in chains since the day I was bitten. For so many years the wolf dictated where I lived, what I did, even whom I loved. So now that IÆm free of it, I donÆt know what to do with myself. I know what I want to do. I want to go back to Sunnydale, and live with Willow happily ever after. But my life seems to be more like the original version of GrimmÆs tales than the watered down crap that kids get force-fed to them these days. Willow has moved on with her life. IÆve talked to her occasionally, even dropped in to see her once or twice. SheÆs happy with Tara, and IÆm happy for her. But thereÆs no way I could live there again. Besides, it wouldnÆt be fair to her. She deserves to have the best life, and having me there ... IÆd probably just get in the way. So what do I do now? ItÆs funny, nobody knows. I went back to the Holy Man, to the monks and the swamis. They all say the same thing, that they have guided me as far as they can, and now I must choose my own path. All thatÆs left is this aimless wandering. I wake up each day hoping that somehow IÆll stumble across something that might point me in some sort of direction. ThatÆs how I ended up here, actually. Just kinda stumbled across the place. Maybe itÆs because I lived on the Hellmouth so long or something, I dunno. But I seem to have no problems finding the weird and unusual. And this place is definitely both. But from what IÆve gleaned from the conversations around me, I may finally be in the right place. I hope so. The wanderlust is gone, and IÆm ready to settle down somewhere. Not that IÆll ever have any kind of a normal life, in fact, I donÆt really want a normal life. What IÆm really looking for is a purpose, a reason. Because Willow was my reason. But thatÆs beside the point. Right now, I need to focus. Because this ... this thing that IÆm about to do ... is probably the most difficult task of my life. Definitely the most frightening. And the one thing that IÆm not sure is possible for me to do. ôTime is healing, I'm ahead. Find a reason once again. Take a moment out of time. I'll be standing back behind.ö ThereÆs a reason Devon was the singer and I played guitar. A damn good one. ItÆs not that I canÆt sing. I love to sing ... in the shower, or in my room when IÆm writing tunes. But not in front of people. My legs get all quivery, and that shaky feeling goes right up to my vocal chords. Not that it really matters, because this metal band tightens up around my chest and I canÆt breathe anyway. And breathing is kinda central to the whole singing process. But IÆm desperate, so IÆm singing. In public. At least IÆm managing to stay somewhat in the right key ... most of the time. ôOn a wing, so out of line. Taken in, so out of time. All it takes is living. I want to fly. I've never known fate. I've never known your name. I've never known fate. Sound the season in my head. I'll be better off ...againö I really had to think about what I was gonna sing up here. So many choices. Well, not really. It had to be a Dingoes song. There was no way I was going to stand on a stage singing words off a computer monitor. At least with my guitar in my hand IÆm retaining some shred of dignity as a musician. Plus itÆs like Linus and his blanket; I just feel better holding it. Besides, the selection kinda sucked. It was either Dingoes or Meatloaf. ôYou'd rather die this evening. You would never know up ahead and far below. On a wing so out of line. Taken in so out of time. All it takes is living.ö The hard part was picking the right song. ôShe Knowsö kept popping into my head, but it just didnÆt seem right. I mean, I wrote it for her and ... it just wasnÆt right. ôPainö would have worked too, but part of keeping the wolf at bay is trying to keep my inner cool. Singing about going insane and loading a gun probably wouldnÆt be too beneficial. And ôFateö seemed oddly appropriate. If what I hear is true, the green guy sitting in the back will be able to give me some direction. After all this, I hope he can. This is hard work, made much more difficult by the way heÆs eying me up. Knowing that heÆs inside my head makes me more than a little bit nervous. ôI want to fly. I've never known fate. I've never known your name. IÆve never known fate. Someone take me home. Get me out of here.ö That pretty much sums up my feelings. Song done. Let me outta here! Even if I wanted to sneak out, though, I donÆt think IÆd be able to. Green guy is making his way over here. And after literally baring my soul to him, I guess I should here what he has to say. ôWell then,ö he says as he takes a seat. ôArenÆt you a little jeu de theatre? ItÆs not often I get someone with real musical talent up on that stage. As youÆve probably noticed.ö All I can do is nod my head slightly. There isnÆt much for me to say. Besides, the Host seems talkative enough to make up for my slightly taciturn nature. He leans in closer as he continues. ôWell, I know youÆve been on a long trip, so IÆll get straight to the point. The truth is that youÆve already been to the place you belonged. You found your purpose, but at the time you werenÆt ready for it. And it wasnÆt ready for you.ö It wasnÆt ready for me? What kind of logic is that? Unless he meant ... ôWillow? Because I just saw her and she was still ...ö ôPlaying for the other team. Yeah, I know. SheÆs not your future. A part of it maybe, but sheÆs not it. You didnÆt need me to tell you that.ö He smiles slightly, and I get the feeling he might understand a little something about what IÆm going through. Something in those red eyes of his ... heÆs seen the kind of pain IÆm feeling right now. ôYouÆve been there,ö I donÆt ask. I know. ôYou wandered and searched but still couldnÆt find where you belonged.ö With a nod of his head, he answers. ôBut I eventually found my way here. And the gift you just showed me will help you find the place you belong, too. Because you see people. Not the masks we wear or the fronts we put on, but the real person behind the facade. You see the world for what it is. When the answer is so obvious that everyone overlooks it, youÆre the one who stands up and says æDuh!Æö He takes a sip of his drink. ôAlthough youÆre always more gentle than that. I admire that. Tact is one of those social skills IÆve never mastered.ö I sit there for a few minutes before I realize heÆs not going to go on. Is that it? DonÆt tell me I went through that kind of torture and that fortune cookie is all IÆm going to get out of it! For once I must not be doing a very good job of keeping my feelings off of my face, because eventually the Host continues. ôI canÆt tell you everything. I know youÆve heard that before, and it must be a real kick in the pants to hear it again. But I really canÆt. DonÆt worry, though. You know everything you need to find your path now. And something tells me it wonÆt be too long until you do.ö IÆm about to give up in frustration when I realize that heÆs looking in a very specific direction,and obviously wants me to see something. Angel. Angel and Cordelia and ... Wesley? Well, stranger things have happened. I turn back to the Host to ask him what theyÆre doing there, but heÆs already moved on to the next lost soul, trying to offer some direction. Doing everything he can to help as many as possible. Helping people. ThatÆs what Angel does, what they do. And suddenly it all makes sense. The first genuine smile to cross my face in years appears as I walk over to greet them. Time is healing, IÆm ahead. Found my reason once again. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Ailie McFarland ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ That'll put marzipan in your pie plate, Bingo! ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/. - - To unsubscribe to arfic-l, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe arfic-l" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ End of arfic-l-digest V1 #48 **************************** - To unsubscribe to $LIST, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe $LIST" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message.