Everyone was silent for a while after Vesper One's introduction.
Then Amy spoke.
"So I see Linda Sue, Judy and Gorman," she remarked, "but I don't know the other guy. Is he an Author?"
The man got up, swooping elegantly off of the cold metal folding chair. "I am one of the Authors. The latest Author. My name... is David Baldacci."
Leo bit his tongue before he ridiculed the man's overly dramatic entrance. Instead, he asked, "So why are the Authors here? Did you think you needed a little first-hand experience?"
"Actually, I know what they're here for," Evan said. He slipped something out of the pocket of his hoodie. "I was worried about this, but I thought I was just being paranoid. Now I don't know what to think." Evan held up what looked like a book, but when examined closer, it was apparently not. The cover was bright red and looked official, but when examined closer it was a thin paper binding. Most of the Cahills had never seen one before, but the Authors knew exactly what it was.
"Where did you get that?!" David yelled, quickly losing all of his charm.
"What is that?" Hamilton asked at the same time.
"It's an Advanced Reader's Copy," Evan replied. "And I got it from a reviewer at Kirkus."
"I am totally lost," Ham said.
"I get it," Jonah broke in. "I saw one of those when I published my biography. They are for book reviewers, and they come out a few months before the real book does. But why is it important?"
"This is the sixth book of Cahills vs. Vespers," Evan told everyone, "and the title is Day of Doom."
"But we haven't won yet!" Dan cried. "How could they write a book telling what happens?"
"It would be simple," Ian said quietly. "They would write the story - and then force us to live it out."
"Interesting," Evan said. "But I don't really want that to happen. You see, I die."
There was a collective gasp from the Entertainers around him. Amy's knees buckled and Jake caught her before she fell to the floor. Everyone but Leo was speaking in hushed whispers. Leo was thinking.
If the Authors have already planned how this is going to end, they probably haven't included the Entertainers in their plans. And if the Entertainers aren't included, most simple thing to do would be to kill them. He caught himself. Not 'them'. Us.
"So I see Linda Sue, Judy and Gorman," she remarked, "but I don't know the other guy. Is he an Author?"
The man got up, swooping elegantly off of the cold metal folding chair. "I am one of the Authors. The latest Author. My name... is David Baldacci."
Leo bit his tongue before he ridiculed the man's overly dramatic entrance. Instead, he asked, "So why are the Authors here? Did you think you needed a little first-hand experience?"
"Actually, I know what they're here for," Evan said. He slipped something out of the pocket of his hoodie. "I was worried about this, but I thought I was just being paranoid. Now I don't know what to think." Evan held up what looked like a book, but when examined closer, it was apparently not. The cover was bright red and looked official, but when examined closer it was a thin paper binding. Most of the Cahills had never seen one before, but the Authors knew exactly what it was.
"Where did you get that?!" David yelled, quickly losing all of his charm.
"What is that?" Hamilton asked at the same time.
"It's an Advanced Reader's Copy," Evan replied. "And I got it from a reviewer at Kirkus."
"I am totally lost," Ham said.
"I get it," Jonah broke in. "I saw one of those when I published my biography. They are for book reviewers, and they come out a few months before the real book does. But why is it important?"
"This is the sixth book of Cahills vs. Vespers," Evan told everyone, "and the title is Day of Doom."
"But we haven't won yet!" Dan cried. "How could they write a book telling what happens?"
"It would be simple," Ian said quietly. "They would write the story - and then force us to live it out."
"Interesting," Evan said. "But I don't really want that to happen. You see, I die."
There was a collective gasp from the Entertainers around him. Amy's knees buckled and Jake caught her before she fell to the floor. Everyone but Leo was speaking in hushed whispers. Leo was thinking.
If the Authors have already planned how this is going to end, they probably haven't included the Entertainers in their plans. And if the Entertainers aren't included, most simple thing to do would be to kill them. He caught himself. Not 'them'. Us.
Isabel:
Isabel stiffened as the full
force of the Serum crashed into her stomach. She resisted the urge to throw up,
and leaned against the wall until the pain subsided. Only then did she notice a
strange aftertaste in her mouth.
*Chocolate...
She suddenly remembered eating ice cream with her children at the huge table in the Kabra estate.
And the first time Ian had cracked a code...
The first time Natalie had embezzled money to buy a new purse...
Happy memories rushed through her mind, tinged with sadness, because of the terrible thing she had done to her children. She had been wrong about so much, and she could see that now. Perhaps it was a glitch in the Serum. She was sorry for Irena's demise, along with hundreds of other fatalities she had caused. And now more people were going to die.
Isabel straightened up and hurried out of the room. Something had changed in her.
She had to save her children before the Vesper's plan was complete.
*Chocolate...
She suddenly remembered eating ice cream with her children at the huge table in the Kabra estate.
And the first time Ian had cracked a code...
The first time Natalie had embezzled money to buy a new purse...
Happy memories rushed through her mind, tinged with sadness, because of the terrible thing she had done to her children. She had been wrong about so much, and she could see that now. Perhaps it was a glitch in the Serum. She was sorry for Irena's demise, along with hundreds of other fatalities she had caused. And now more people were going to die.
Isabel straightened up and hurried out of the room. Something had changed in her.
She had to save her children before the Vesper's plan was complete.
*Chocolate, as we all know, has wonderful feel-good properties, along
with many other health benefits. The Serum's other ingredients enhanced the
chocolate's emotional powers and brought on feeling of sticky nostalgia and
sweet motherly love.
Cahills, Vespers,
and Entertainers:
"What?" Amy was crawling up, hanging onto Jake for support.
"Yes," Evan answered. "They have it all planned out. I am going to die, and so is Natalie. It helps clear up so many problems, and best of all, I will never know of Amy's duplicity."
Amy looked down sadly.
"Wait!" Ian thought he had discovered a flaw. "In the book, the Vespers lose, right? They would never agree to that!"
"Actually," David broke in, "It just says they disband. Also, it isn't crystal clear if Damien (Vesper One here) dies or not."
"I thought Vesper one was my Dad!" Dan yelled excitedly.
"Didn't you find the texts on Isabel's phone? She was impersonating your dad. He really is dead." Dan glowered at the fourth Author, Jude Watson.
"Yeah, right." He rolled his eyes. "She couldn't know all that stuff about me. If he's not V1, he's obviously being held prisoner in one of your Vesper bases. I'm betting on the one in Montana, myself."
Leo could see that Vesper One was getting tired of all the talk. He broke in in an annoyed sounding voice.
"Okay, enough. Everyone here already knows way too much. What I'm about to do is to keep you all silent. Evan, you and Natalie will die. That way, the love triangle with Amy will get resolved nicely. You'll be dead, and Ian will be so sad about Natalie that he will go hide in a hole in London somewhere. Amy and Jake will be happy together.
"Also, I'll have to get rid of all the Entertainers. Most of you are supposed to be dead anyways, like you, Irena, and you," he snarled, "Erasmus. Plus, the rest of you I don't know and don't fit into the story at all."
Leo frowned. This was a difficult setback. "So how are you going to make all of this happen?" He asked.
"Well," Vesper One sighed, "I was in favor of simply sedating everyone then electrocuting the chosen few." Amy looked to be in danger of fainting again. Leo didn't remember her being so delicate, then he reminded himself that she'd been through a lot lately. "But," Vesper One continued, "Mr. Baldacci had a much more entertaining idea." He chortled at his little joke.
"No way," Evan gasped. "Not what happened in the book..."
"Actually, that's exactly what I've planned to happen." Vesper One clapped his hands, and huge doors opened up in the walls.
Swarms of Vespers, armed to the very teeth, poured through and headed for the group by standing by the tunnel entrance.
"What?" Amy was crawling up, hanging onto Jake for support.
"Yes," Evan answered. "They have it all planned out. I am going to die, and so is Natalie. It helps clear up so many problems, and best of all, I will never know of Amy's duplicity."
Amy looked down sadly.
"Wait!" Ian thought he had discovered a flaw. "In the book, the Vespers lose, right? They would never agree to that!"
"Actually," David broke in, "It just says they disband. Also, it isn't crystal clear if Damien (Vesper One here) dies or not."
"I thought Vesper one was my Dad!" Dan yelled excitedly.
"Didn't you find the texts on Isabel's phone? She was impersonating your dad. He really is dead." Dan glowered at the fourth Author, Jude Watson.
"Yeah, right." He rolled his eyes. "She couldn't know all that stuff about me. If he's not V1, he's obviously being held prisoner in one of your Vesper bases. I'm betting on the one in Montana, myself."
Leo could see that Vesper One was getting tired of all the talk. He broke in in an annoyed sounding voice.
"Okay, enough. Everyone here already knows way too much. What I'm about to do is to keep you all silent. Evan, you and Natalie will die. That way, the love triangle with Amy will get resolved nicely. You'll be dead, and Ian will be so sad about Natalie that he will go hide in a hole in London somewhere. Amy and Jake will be happy together.
"Also, I'll have to get rid of all the Entertainers. Most of you are supposed to be dead anyways, like you, Irena, and you," he snarled, "Erasmus. Plus, the rest of you I don't know and don't fit into the story at all."
Leo frowned. This was a difficult setback. "So how are you going to make all of this happen?" He asked.
"Well," Vesper One sighed, "I was in favor of simply sedating everyone then electrocuting the chosen few." Amy looked to be in danger of fainting again. Leo didn't remember her being so delicate, then he reminded himself that she'd been through a lot lately. "But," Vesper One continued, "Mr. Baldacci had a much more entertaining idea." He chortled at his little joke.
"No way," Evan gasped. "Not what happened in the book..."
"Actually, that's exactly what I've planned to happen." Vesper One clapped his hands, and huge doors opened up in the walls.
Swarms of Vespers, armed to the very teeth, poured through and headed for the group by standing by the tunnel entrance.
Leo:
I suppose we'll have to play
this one out, Leo thought. He'd never really expected it could end any other way.
He and the others braced themselves, then slammed into the tide of Vesper bodies.
Leo fought hard. Stabbing and swirling out of the way, he had soon lost sight of the others. Then he ran into trouble. Someone came at him with a long steel pipe. He warded off the first blow, and after that is was a struggle just to defend himself. Soon both he and his opponent were both covered in sweat, and a few strands of long brown hair escaped from the Vesper's baklava.
Madz! Leo realized.
He and the others braced themselves, then slammed into the tide of Vesper bodies.
Leo fought hard. Stabbing and swirling out of the way, he had soon lost sight of the others. Then he ran into trouble. Someone came at him with a long steel pipe. He warded off the first blow, and after that is was a struggle just to defend himself. Soon both he and his opponent were both covered in sweat, and a few strands of long brown hair escaped from the Vesper's baklava.
Madz! Leo realized.
Erasmus, Deluca and
Katherine:
Near the far wall, DeLuca and Katherine were fighting beside Erasmus, holding the Vespers off pretty well, until they began to tire. There were so many Vespers... they kept coming and coming, like some deranged version of the Energizer Bunny. It was inevitable that the Entertainers would begin to wear down. Suddenly, DeLuca faltered under the blow of a wild eyed Vesper armed with a huge machete. His knees buckled, and he wasn't prepared for the next strike.
Erasmus was there.
He blocked the Vesper's swipe bodily, holding his knife in front of him in a ploy to deflect the weapon. Unfortunately, it didn't work, and Erasmus collapsed to the floor, bleeding profusely.
Near the far wall, DeLuca and Katherine were fighting beside Erasmus, holding the Vespers off pretty well, until they began to tire. There were so many Vespers... they kept coming and coming, like some deranged version of the Energizer Bunny. It was inevitable that the Entertainers would begin to wear down. Suddenly, DeLuca faltered under the blow of a wild eyed Vesper armed with a huge machete. His knees buckled, and he wasn't prepared for the next strike.
Erasmus was there.
He blocked the Vesper's swipe bodily, holding his knife in front of him in a ploy to deflect the weapon. Unfortunately, it didn't work, and Erasmus collapsed to the floor, bleeding profusely.
The Protectors:
A hundred feet away, Calypso, Joanna, Irena and Ben were having similar problems.
Their group had originally also contained Amy, Dan, Jake, Evan and Atticus, but Ian had led them off somewhere else, leaving only a few people to watch the hostages. Fiske was helping, but all of the former prisoners were very worn down.
"This isn't working!" Calypso called to Irena.
"I know! I would take a miracle for us to make it through this one!" Irena shouted back over scores of other voices. "But I don't see any alternative!"
A hundred feet away, Calypso, Joanna, Irena and Ben were having similar problems.
Their group had originally also contained Amy, Dan, Jake, Evan and Atticus, but Ian had led them off somewhere else, leaving only a few people to watch the hostages. Fiske was helping, but all of the former prisoners were very worn down.
"This isn't working!" Calypso called to Irena.
"I know! I would take a miracle for us to make it through this one!" Irena shouted back over scores of other voices. "But I don't see any alternative!"
The Attackers:
Ian was leading Evan and the other Cahills toward the huge Doomsday Machine at the far side of the room.
He wasn't sure how to disable the device when they got there, but he couldn't see any other way of stopping this fight - at least any way that would keep him alive. He called for a halt when he heard a strange, unnatural booming sound. Had it come from the machine? Then he recognized it as the sound of a mic being tapped.
Ian was leading Evan and the other Cahills toward the huge Doomsday Machine at the far side of the room.
He wasn't sure how to disable the device when they got there, but he couldn't see any other way of stopping this fight - at least any way that would keep him alive. He called for a halt when he heard a strange, unnatural booming sound. Had it come from the machine? Then he recognized it as the sound of a mic being tapped.
Leo and Madz:
Just minutes before, both Madz and Leo had been locked in mortal combat. But soon they were both so exhausted that neither of them were very steady. Out of plain bad luck, Madz was the first to lose grip of her weapon. The pipe spun from her sweaty fingers, leaving her totally defenseless.
Leo hefted his long battered knife to throw, then stopped. Could he really kill Madz? She had helped the Cahills on more than one occasion, and his mind wouldn't let him forget the long hours they had relaxed peacefully in Alaska. He gritted his teeth when he realized that he was playing the part of the betrayer.
Leo quickly turned away. He was looking for another Vesper to attack when he heard Madz' voice behind him.
"Wait..." he stopped, and watched her reach into her pocket.
A trick? He wondered
Then she pulled out a small microphone. "I was prepared for this," she told him. "The mic is hacked into the whole sound system." To demonstrate, she turned it on and tapped it three times. The sharp sound echoed through the large room, and people stopped fighting to hear what it was Vesper One wanted to tell them.
Vesper One glared at his own microphone and tapped it. Nothing happened.
"My friend and I have something to tell everyone," Madz began.
While she was catching her
breath, Leo's mind was whirring frantically. What was going on? He had hoped
for a normal, straightforward fight, but it looked like Madz was going to mess
everything up. As he was lost in thought, someone brushed by him. Harry was
hurrying to Madz' side.
"Are you talking about me?" He asked in a whisper. "I'm your friend."
"Certainly not!" She whispered back fiercely. Then in her normal voice, she asked, "Leo, will you please come here?"
Leo cringed. Public speaking was definitely not his thing. But he went to Madz' side. Harry gave him a murderous glare, which he ignored.
"This is Leo. He was once on our side, but when he was forced to do unspeakably evil things, he realized that the Vespers were wrong."
"We already know that," Harry mumbled in an undertone, "and we don't care."
"Then he joined the Cahills, only to discover that they use many of the same methods!" Madz cried. "So he created an organization where everyone is welcome. Also, since they are not busy fighting each other, they have an even higher efficiency rate than either the Cahills or the Vespers. Some of you may have heard that that the number of Vesper initiates has fallen? Well, it's because they are joining the Entertainers in droves."
Now many of the Vespers were listening intently.
Vesper One broke in. "Yet another reason to kill him. Right now."
"Do you remember Leo?" Madz asked challengingly.
"Of course not," V1 snorted derisively. "I don't care about underlings!"
Madz handed Leo the mic. "You might remember me, Damien. I was your favorite once."
On the other side of the room, Irena gasped. Surely not... The Vespers were extremely secretive, but even so, a bit of fame had leaked out about one of their agents - an assassin so deadly, even V1 was rumored to fear him.
"You knew me as Agent 59," Leo concluded.
The Cahills looked on in bewilderment at the change in the Vespers. Some turned and ran as soon as they heard the name, while many gaped and stared in a kind of fearful awe. Vesper One began to scream insults at the top of his lungs.
In her uncomfortable chair, Linda Sue sighed. "This is not going how it should at all."
"No," David agreed. "I have no idea who 'Agent 59' is, but I think he's wrecking the story even worse."
"True, it is a setback," Judy broke in. "Now all we need is for someone to find the serum."
"You always are so negative," David reprimanded.
Their little conversation was interrupted by a crash on the other side of the room.
"Are you talking about me?" He asked in a whisper. "I'm your friend."
"Certainly not!" She whispered back fiercely. Then in her normal voice, she asked, "Leo, will you please come here?"
Leo cringed. Public speaking was definitely not his thing. But he went to Madz' side. Harry gave him a murderous glare, which he ignored.
"This is Leo. He was once on our side, but when he was forced to do unspeakably evil things, he realized that the Vespers were wrong."
"We already know that," Harry mumbled in an undertone, "and we don't care."
"Then he joined the Cahills, only to discover that they use many of the same methods!" Madz cried. "So he created an organization where everyone is welcome. Also, since they are not busy fighting each other, they have an even higher efficiency rate than either the Cahills or the Vespers. Some of you may have heard that that the number of Vesper initiates has fallen? Well, it's because they are joining the Entertainers in droves."
Now many of the Vespers were listening intently.
Vesper One broke in. "Yet another reason to kill him. Right now."
"Do you remember Leo?" Madz asked challengingly.
"Of course not," V1 snorted derisively. "I don't care about underlings!"
Madz handed Leo the mic. "You might remember me, Damien. I was your favorite once."
On the other side of the room, Irena gasped. Surely not... The Vespers were extremely secretive, but even so, a bit of fame had leaked out about one of their agents - an assassin so deadly, even V1 was rumored to fear him.
"You knew me as Agent 59," Leo concluded.
The Cahills looked on in bewilderment at the change in the Vespers. Some turned and ran as soon as they heard the name, while many gaped and stared in a kind of fearful awe. Vesper One began to scream insults at the top of his lungs.
In her uncomfortable chair, Linda Sue sighed. "This is not going how it should at all."
"No," David agreed. "I have no idea who 'Agent 59' is, but I think he's wrecking the story even worse."
"True, it is a setback," Judy broke in. "Now all we need is for someone to find the serum."
"You always are so negative," David reprimanded.
Their little conversation was interrupted by a crash on the other side of the room.
The Protectors:
What happened next was best seen by Irena, Calypso, Joanna and Ben, the little group protecting the hostages by the door.
Suddenly, the door ceased to be, and was replaced by a cloud of swirling dust and a large hole. A strange figure stepped into the room.
Isabel Kabra, normally so unruffled, had tears streaming down her face. Her clothing was sweaty and covered in dust from the long run through the Vesper tunnels. And she was red. Red like the M&Ms Dan had put in the Serum.
Fresh tears covered her cheeks when she saw her daughter, safely standing behind Irena. There was Ian, sneaking toward the Doomsday machine. He was such a clever boy. And then -
She caught sight of Vesper One - the leech, the boss, the inept idiot who wanted to massacre her children.
Unfortunately, Vesper One saw her coming. He pulled a gun from the velvety folds of his chair and began shooting wildly. He did manage to hit Isabel, but he was too jittery to aim carefully. The angry woman wasn't even slowed down.
However, some of the bullets were more effective - like the one that hit Madz.
What happened next was best seen by Irena, Calypso, Joanna and Ben, the little group protecting the hostages by the door.
Suddenly, the door ceased to be, and was replaced by a cloud of swirling dust and a large hole. A strange figure stepped into the room.
Isabel Kabra, normally so unruffled, had tears streaming down her face. Her clothing was sweaty and covered in dust from the long run through the Vesper tunnels. And she was red. Red like the M&Ms Dan had put in the Serum.
Fresh tears covered her cheeks when she saw her daughter, safely standing behind Irena. There was Ian, sneaking toward the Doomsday machine. He was such a clever boy. And then -
She caught sight of Vesper One - the leech, the boss, the inept idiot who wanted to massacre her children.
Unfortunately, Vesper One saw her coming. He pulled a gun from the velvety folds of his chair and began shooting wildly. He did manage to hit Isabel, but he was too jittery to aim carefully. The angry woman wasn't even slowed down.
However, some of the bullets were more effective - like the one that hit Madz.
The Attackers and
the Vespers:
Isabel pinned Vesper One against his Machine. It was hot, but not unbearably so. Then she looked down at her son, standing beneath the Doomsday device.
"Ian," she said. Her voice was controlled.
"What should I do, Mum?" Ian had worked with his mother for years. They communicated well.
"The self-destruct switch is that green cord by your head. Pull on it hard -" Ian complied, "- then run!"
Ian obeyed. He couldn't afford to ignore her advice.
When the Cahills were about fifty feet away, the Device exploded.
Rocks shook loose from the ceiling, and any remaining Vespers ran for cover. The Cahills and Entertainers huddled together, trying to avoid being smashed by the falling stones.
Isabel pinned Vesper One against his Machine. It was hot, but not unbearably so. Then she looked down at her son, standing beneath the Doomsday device.
"Ian," she said. Her voice was controlled.
"What should I do, Mum?" Ian had worked with his mother for years. They communicated well.
"The self-destruct switch is that green cord by your head. Pull on it hard -" Ian complied, "- then run!"
Ian obeyed. He couldn't afford to ignore her advice.
When the Cahills were about fifty feet away, the Device exploded.
Rocks shook loose from the ceiling, and any remaining Vespers ran for cover. The Cahills and Entertainers huddled together, trying to avoid being smashed by the falling stones.
The Aftermath:
DeLuca got up unsteadily. Small rocks and dust were still sifting
around him, but he checked to make sure Katherine was okay. Then they both
turned their attention to Erasmus.
He was collapsed on the cold concrete floor, barely breathing. Katherine crawled through the debris until she was by his head. "Can you hear me?" She asked anxiously.
Erasmus' eyes opened and he nodded.
"Here, I'll pick up your head, and DeLuca can get your feet. We'll try to find a - "
Erasmus cut her short. "Let me be. It's too late," he said with effort.
DeLuca examined the wound, and then looked sadly at Katherine. There really was nothing they could do. Katherine started bawling. "This isn't right! I just healed you from your last injury! Oh, I should have made you stay in Florence..."
Erasmus smiled. "No, I'm glad I came. My job here," he said with a sigh, "is finished."
Calypso and Joanna got up and high-fived. "We did it!" Calypso cried gleefully. Then they hurried to assist the hostages.
"Did you see that?" she asked Evan, who had rushed over to their group.
"Yeah," he replied. His mind was clearly elsewhere. "Amy got hit on the head. She isn't doing very well."
Calypso calmed down. "It's time to get out of here. Help us with these people," she said, gesturing at the other hostages.
Most had only cuts and bruises, but Natalie's leg had been crushed dreadfully by a rock. Ian began to cry when he saw his sister. Calypso could see that the wound was bad, but it wasn't life threatening if they were quick.
Soon the Cahills and Entertainers were hurrying down the corridor, their injured friends being carried, or leaning on them for support.
Leo stood very still in the midst of the wreckage. The war he had been waging all his life was over. His first thought was, Where do I go from here? But his next thought was, Where is Madz?!
He began to search for any trace of her, but all he found was a short line of blood, then her trail went cold. Well, if she can crawl, she'll probably be okay, he decided, relaxing.
Harry ran up to him. "Where’s Madz?" he asked worriedly.
"She headed off," Leo answered. "I should probably leave too."
"Well, what am I to do now?" Harry asked perplexedly. Madz had helped train him, and he always had looked to her for advice.
"Go back to your band," Leo told him. "I suppose I'll become a street cleaner again." That didn't sound very appealing. "Or go back to the Entertainers. Or maybe I'll try something new..."
Leo walked away, thinking of new possibilities for his life. As Harry watched, he could have no idea that he was going to be the last person to see Leo - and recognize him - for a while.
Aimee sighed. Working at KFC was not the most glittery job, she'd known that before she had hired on. But this had surpassed her worst imaginings.
The only people who ever came in were dressed in black. From head to toe. Really, she respected their choice of fashion, but they were always so silent and forbidding. She liked other people to be talkative. She had never really enjoyed talking herself, just listening.
Aimee's thought were interrupted by someone coming in the front door.
"Coming!" she called, then hurried to the front. What she saw there made her gasp.
One of her customers was standing in a huge puddle of blood.
"I'd like it if you'd please call an ambulance," Madz said calmly.
Aimee quickly did so, wondering what this meant about the type of people who came here.
As a matter of fact, Aimee never saw one of the frightening, black-dressed Vespers again, nor has anyone else since then.
Epilogue:
He was collapsed on the cold concrete floor, barely breathing. Katherine crawled through the debris until she was by his head. "Can you hear me?" She asked anxiously.
Erasmus' eyes opened and he nodded.
"Here, I'll pick up your head, and DeLuca can get your feet. We'll try to find a - "
Erasmus cut her short. "Let me be. It's too late," he said with effort.
DeLuca examined the wound, and then looked sadly at Katherine. There really was nothing they could do. Katherine started bawling. "This isn't right! I just healed you from your last injury! Oh, I should have made you stay in Florence..."
Erasmus smiled. "No, I'm glad I came. My job here," he said with a sigh, "is finished."
Calypso and Joanna got up and high-fived. "We did it!" Calypso cried gleefully. Then they hurried to assist the hostages.
"Did you see that?" she asked Evan, who had rushed over to their group.
"Yeah," he replied. His mind was clearly elsewhere. "Amy got hit on the head. She isn't doing very well."
Calypso calmed down. "It's time to get out of here. Help us with these people," she said, gesturing at the other hostages.
Most had only cuts and bruises, but Natalie's leg had been crushed dreadfully by a rock. Ian began to cry when he saw his sister. Calypso could see that the wound was bad, but it wasn't life threatening if they were quick.
Soon the Cahills and Entertainers were hurrying down the corridor, their injured friends being carried, or leaning on them for support.
Leo stood very still in the midst of the wreckage. The war he had been waging all his life was over. His first thought was, Where do I go from here? But his next thought was, Where is Madz?!
He began to search for any trace of her, but all he found was a short line of blood, then her trail went cold. Well, if she can crawl, she'll probably be okay, he decided, relaxing.
Harry ran up to him. "Where’s Madz?" he asked worriedly.
"She headed off," Leo answered. "I should probably leave too."
"Well, what am I to do now?" Harry asked perplexedly. Madz had helped train him, and he always had looked to her for advice.
"Go back to your band," Leo told him. "I suppose I'll become a street cleaner again." That didn't sound very appealing. "Or go back to the Entertainers. Or maybe I'll try something new..."
Leo walked away, thinking of new possibilities for his life. As Harry watched, he could have no idea that he was going to be the last person to see Leo - and recognize him - for a while.
Aimee sighed. Working at KFC was not the most glittery job, she'd known that before she had hired on. But this had surpassed her worst imaginings.
The only people who ever came in were dressed in black. From head to toe. Really, she respected their choice of fashion, but they were always so silent and forbidding. She liked other people to be talkative. She had never really enjoyed talking herself, just listening.
Aimee's thought were interrupted by someone coming in the front door.
"Coming!" she called, then hurried to the front. What she saw there made her gasp.
One of her customers was standing in a huge puddle of blood.
"I'd like it if you'd please call an ambulance," Madz said calmly.
Aimee quickly did so, wondering what this meant about the type of people who came here.
As a matter of fact, Aimee never saw one of the frightening, black-dressed Vespers again, nor has anyone else since then.
Epilogue:
After the Vespers were gone, most people tried to get back into their normal jobs, but it was difficult.
Amy and the other Cahills all made it through alright.
Carlo continued the Entertainers, using it to fight injustice around the world. Katherine and Calypso rose high in the ranks, but when Joanna was offered a better position, she declined. She loves her secretary job too much.
DeLuca not only remained, but he brought in two new recruits; his old friends Kat and Christine.
Ian and Natalie also became Entertainer Agents, but they are resting right now, while Natalie prepares for her prosthetic leg.
Evan is an active Entertainer, specializing in computer science.
Irena and Ben went back home to Ireland.
Harry stopped trying to kill Jonah Wizard and focused all his energy on his band. They are a pretty big deal now, and his agent has done the best he can to cover up Harry's shady past.
Madz is hard to find.
There have been sightings in Alaska, Montana and even a wild guess in Michigan, but nobody knows where she is for
sure.
Leo is, as always, much harder to figure out. Some informants say he settled down, and a few claim to have seen him in various countries, assassinating several important leaders. But just yesterday I got a report on the sudden death of an evil Florentine drug lord - and that seems like the most probable location to me.
*~THE END ~*
Leo is, as always, much harder to figure out. Some informants say he settled down, and a few claim to have seen him in various countries, assassinating several important leaders. But just yesterday I got a report on the sudden death of an evil Florentine drug lord - and that seems like the most probable location to me.
*~THE END ~*
*sniffles* what do I do with my life now?
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you liked it! Now you can read my new story. I can't post on it for a little bit though.
ReplyDeleteI forgot how good this was. :) I'll have to read it all again.
ReplyDelete