Night Force: The Last Stop

A door slowly opened and a man stumbled through. He was slightly disoriented as several fragrances rushed to his nostrils. The room was dark except for the fire that burned in the fireplace on the far side of the room. He took several steps forward as he tried to get his wits about him.

"I have been waiting for your return doctor." A voice spoke from a chair near the fireplace.

The man took several more steps until he found an empty chair next to the man and he slowly sat down. "Your Night Force is dead Baron. I am the only one who survived."

Baron Winters leaned forward in his chair. "That is not the case, Doctor Seven."

"The mission…everything went wrong. I was separated from the others." Doctor Seven muttered as he stared at the dancing flames in the fire.

"Your being, as well as your judgment, have been corrupted Doctor. You shouldn't have deceived me."

Doctor Seven looked somewhat shocked at the statement. "I don't know what you are implying Baron, but I ensure you that I didn't deceive you in the least bit. Tannarak was threatening the balance of chaos and order. I enlisted your help because I knew you would want to ensure that the balance remained."

"The only thing Tannarak threatened was you and your position in the magic community. You attempted to use me and my Night Force to banish a foe you were too weak to face on your own. Now you have paid the ultimate price for your trickery. Though it may seem like a few short days that you've been gone, I ensure you it was much longer. The others returned on a night much like this over thirteen years ago."

"Thirteen years? But I…"

"In the time you've been gone your wife remarried and then shortly after died in a plane crash. That occurred seven years ago. Your son took over your business but was gunned down by the Yakuza in San Francisco after making commitments he could not keep. Afterward, they burned your club down to the ground. Your daughter married 4 years back, but without any other family members to support her, she died of a heroin over dose while whoring herself out on the streets of Los Angles."

Doctor Seven glared at Baron Winters. He was sickened with the fact that he knew Baron was telling the truth. "I should kill you for what you have done to make my family suffer so Winters"

"You chose to upset the balance of chaos and order by going after someone you had no right to. I am not the Phantom Stranger. I do not believe in justice. I deal only in balance. I am not a fair or forgiving man. You deal in parlor tricks when you should have played the hand that was dealt you. I may not be fair, but I do believe that man controls his own destiny. Yours was taken out of your hands and left to fate. And fate sometimes has a cruel sense of humor." Baron Winters paused before he continued, "As for killing me, maybe you feel you should, but cannot. Not here at least, and I don't plan on leaving this mansion any time soon."

Doctor Seven continued to stare into the fire. Unable to either speak or move. He was completely unsure what to do next as Baron Winters stood up and reached out for a poker that leaned against the mantel. He then took a step and stood over the Doctor who slouched in his seat.

"I am going to offer you a deal. There are two doors behind me not too unlike the one you returned here through. You must choose to go through one of them. Behind one door is kingdom of heaven. You will spend forever with your family and experience nothing but bliss for all eternity. Knowing full well that you've lost thirteen years and that your family suffered in your absence. Behind the other door is your life…thirteen years ago, with a chance to make everything right with all the knowledge you have learned here today of their lives in your absence. Having you in their life does not guarantee the outcome will be better; it could very easily turn to the worse for you and them. But before you choose, let me tell you a tale about another man who had to make a choice not too unlike the one you are facing. The tale may appear familiar at first, but please indulge me for I was there and I know what really occurred."

In a time long past, there lived a beautiful princess. This princess had taken to a stranger from a far off land. They quickly began a clandestine affair. Their love for one another could not be put to question but they were fearful that if the king had gotten word of their liaison he would make the consequences dire for both of them.

For quiet some time, the couple embraced every moment they could steal and counted every heartbeat before they were together again. They dare not speak of what the future would hold but would relish in the moments they had together. But the young man knew that the time would come when the princess's soul would become as restless as her spirit and she would no longer be content to make love in the shadows of a kingdom her father ruled over. The man knew that he would have to conjure up enough bravery to confront the king and announce his intentions with his daughter. Before he had a chance to confront the king, word had gotten out of their affair. The man was swiftly taken away and imprisoned. The king would soon decide on his fate.

The king believed he ruled fairly over his kingdom and the manner in which he extracted justice he felt was equally as fair. No one dared argue with the manner that the court of justice was held; instead the king's people celebrated it as a special occasion. People would come from all over the kingdom to observe the circus of events as they unfolded in the vast amphitheater.

After a few short days of imprisonment, the man was brought before the king to receive his verdict. In the hours and days before the ceremony, the man had learned how the king would deliver his judgement. At first, the man had hope that he might be able to persuade the king to forgo punishment and allow him to take the princesses hand in marriage. But as more details were passed on to him he knew that wouldn't be the case.

Now he stood before the king and his court. He bowed before the king but his eyes were focused on his beloved the entire time. He hadn't seen her since he was locked up. He ached with the thought of running to her and fleeing together hand in hand. Alas, he knew that fate had something else in mind for both of them. He would be forced to make a choice bween the two doors that lie before him and she would be forced to watch whichever event that occurred next. Two doors. His choice to make. Innocent or guilty? On the inside of one door would be a beatiful woman, it was certain she would be amongest the fairest in the land. As a reward for his innocence they would be wed in a beatiful cerimony that would immediately follow. Behind the other door lie his punishment for being found guilty. He would be faced with the fiecest tiger in all the land. It was certain that the creature would devor him without a moments hesitation after the door opened. It was in his hands now whether he would be found guilty or innocent.

After bowing to the king he began the long trek across the dirt floor of the arena. The crowd fell silent as he advanced toward the idintical doors in front of him. He did not break his gaze from the face of the beautiful princess. He knew that the she must hold the knowledge of what lie behind each door. As he neared the point where he must head toward one door or the other, he noticed a swift but sutile motion with her hand. If he had more time, he would analize what choice she would want for him. Was their love true? Would she be able to bare seeing him in the arms of another. Would she rather he be with no one else but her and send him into the mouth of the creature?

She motioned to the right and with out hesitation he reached out and opened the door…

"I am more then aware of the tale, The Lady or the Tiger." Doctor Seven stated, "I don't see the point in this or this charade any longer."

"This not a charade my friend, but I will tell you something they leave out every time the story is retold. The point of the tale isn't what choice she was making for him but what choice he ultimately made for himself. The choice I have had to live with everyday since opening that door."

"What?" Doctor Seven quickly turned toward Winters, "You want me to believe that it was you who inspired that story?"

"I would prefer to think that when I told the story to Frank Stockton he choose to relay the tale within the spirit it was told to him. Now I would think it wise that you make your choice as well." Baron spoke as a very large royal bengal tiger moved out of the dark shadows of the corner and stood next to Baron Winters, "I am not sure it is in your best interest the you linger for long since it appears that Merlin here has woken from his nap and is looking to feed."

Doctor Seven slowly stood up has he glanced down at Merlin and then at Baron Winters. It appeared that he was going to say something and then thought the wiser of it. He slowly turned away and walked toward the two doors that had been presented to him. Without hesitation he opened the door on the left and stepped through. The door swiftly closed behind him.

Merlin looked up as he changed back into his more familiar form, an African leopard. "Was it just for effect or were you trying to imply that I would eat that retched human being?"

"I was growing tired of him and it was time for him to go." Baron said stroking his companion on the head.

"What door do you think he choose?" Merlin inquired.

"The one I wanted him to choose, of course."

THE END