Interlude

Father and Son

Death was sitting with his legs crossed under the shadow of the small bridge crossing the River Seine, his robes drawing as many peculiar gazes as usual. His dark eyes were closed and for all intents and purposes he looked much like his namesake with how little he was moving.

As Zeina Morcos watched him from her seat on the bench, she couldn't help but wonder that if this was truly Death as he seemed to be, why did he need such a humanlike vessel? While he clearly breathed and spoke like a human, there was something distinctly inhuman about the dark body of Death. Zeina had never seen him eat, drink, or relieve himself. Zeina severely doubted that he wanted to blend in with humankind so why go to so much trouble?

Though in the time Zeina had spent with Death she had forged a suspicion. Perhaps this horrifying entity that had effectively taken her hostage used to be human? Perhaps Death taking the form of a man who dressed as if he were an Egyptian Merchant from ancient times was a form that he once walked around in at some point in the past. Though if this were true, did that mean Death was a title passed from hand-to-hand? Dying was something that happened to life throughout all of the Earth's history and ancient Egypt was only one step in a long history of humanity. Was there a Death before this one?

Zeina amused herself briefly with the idea of a caveman claiming his fellow men's souls before leaning forward slightly, staring more intently at this being sitting so much like a statue that people were starting to get a little closer as if he were merely some kind of evening street performer.

As a child, Zeina had been fascinated with ancient Egypt – after all, it was her birth right and her family name, Morcos, could be tracked all the way to Cleopatra's time. One of the reasons she had joined the Department of Supernatural Investigation was to find out more, especially after she had found out that ghosts were real. That had been an immense day for the DSI as an organization though it certainly seemed that the DSI's efforts were pointed elsewhere now. The DSI used to be, as the name suggested, about investigating the Supernatural. The rumours of old towns, of haunted mansions and ghost sightings, of possessions and demons and the occult, extending into myths and legends such as Egyptian or Greek. It used to be about finding the truth behind the unknown reality of humanity though now the DSI Board were more focused on this Doomsday Clock.

…The Doomsday Clock…

The clock had sped up years before and it had sent the DSI scrambling. The discovery of the rifts, the nectar, everything had seemed to be coming to a head and then… nothing. It had all sort of trailed away into yet another incident that couldn't be truly explained. Perhaps this man, this entity who claimed himself as Death, perhaps he was related to the Doomsday Clock. It would certainly make sense, as what else was more associated with Doomsday than the death of humanity? Could it have been coincidence?

The conversation Zeina had overheard back in Eastbourne seemed to prove otherwise.

"The Oracle she spoke of, he is gone," Death said as he and Zeina stood in the middle of the first floor of the Belle Tout Lighthouse. They were standing over a figure that was sat cross-legged in the middle of the room with hair that ran vivid over parchment-like skin and hollow eye sockets. There was a single hole in the man's forehead and a small glimpse of a smile in the stretched out lips. It was almost like a smile of a child who refused to give his parents the truth. "He must have passed through my gates long ago."

Zeina couldn't help but wonder why the body was in this state, almost mummified. By all accounts the body should have been rotted and gaseous if it had been here for as long as it seemed to have been here. Had Ruby Ascot lied to them about the Oracle or was she unaware of his death? If it was intentional then it was either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid. Zeina frowned, thinking back to Ruby and what had happened at the Purple Pike and what Death had done. He had brought back that girl behind the counter as easily as he had snuffed out her life. And what was going on with Ruby Ascot resisting the effects of Death itself? That made Zeina more confident that perhaps Death could be defeated. If there were people who could not be affected then Death was no more than a glorified ability user, surely.

"She did not lie to me," Death said as he slowly circled the body, taking the unspoken question from Zeina's mind. "No… she was ignorant of this fact." Death knelt down and put a hand on the dry, stretched cheek of the Oracle. "Not many die with an expression like this. In my experience, all men fear death. But this Oracle… he faced his fate with the courage of a pharaoh." Death trailed his hands up the cheek towards the hole in the Oracle's forehead. He actually seemed morose for a moment. "Some say a bullet to the head is a quick death, a merciful death, but it is not so. The spirit dies long after the body. The victim suffers, conscious even as the body dies. Disrupting the flow of spirit and soul severs the connection from here to beyond." Death straightened up and looked around the lighthouse, frowning. "Yet his spirit does not linger. He managed to pass my gates even though the connection was severed. I wish I could have met this Oracle."

Zeina didn't say a word as Death started walking back to the front door. As time went on Death seemed to grow more and more… emotional, she supposed, would be the best way to explain it. He was less brash and more understanding. Perhaps that conversation with Ruby Ascot had gotten under his skin somewhat. After all, Death had claimed to have no knowledge of the List and that was something surprised Zeina. As per the orders of the Board of Directors, the DSI had long since stopped investigating Lists but Death always came hand-in-hand with them. Death certainly didn't seem the type to lie so that begged the question, if Death was not responsible for the worldwide phenomenon of the Lists, then who was?

Zeina followed silently as Death left the Lighthouse and continued over the car park to the edge of a cliff. He peered down into the roiling waters and Zeina stood next to him, facing the dark waves.

"…I sense her…" Death said quietly, reaching a hand out to the waters. "A lingering scent… Paige Calloway was here. I know this."

The wind suddenly picked up and a chill ran through Zeina's spine. She hugged herself tightly but was surprised to see Death had suddenly grown tense. His head snapped left and then right. Zeina watched as a strange smile suddenly appeared on the dark face of Death.

"…You contact me at last…" Death said into the very sky itself. "I am surprised it took you this long."

The wind seemed to blow in response and the robes of Death were batted back and forth in a mix of grey and white.

"I am disappointed the seal is weakening," Death looked out into the waters. "Yet still, only on the cusp of land. You may have breached the coasts of humanity but you have not invaded their lands and you will not, as long as I exist to keep you in check."

Zeina had the strange sensation that Death was speaking to the wind itself and watched closely.

"…You must have seen our daughter," Death spoke again, his voice carried away on the wind. "Where is she?" Whatever response Death seemed to hear he didn't seem amused. "Do not hold grudges. If I do not teach her of the truths she holds, then who shall? You, trapped as you are?" Death shook his head. "You have lost contact with her, this I know. She has visited the realm in between and as such has severed that connection you held over her. I do not envy her – your tongue is venom in the ears of innocents. So tell me where she has gone and perhaps I will deign to let you meet your children when the time is right."

The wind blew harsher as if it were angry before Death finally nodded. "I see." He peered out into the encroaching darkness of the horizon. "With the children of the Oracle? Interesting. I shall travel there immediately. Thank you for your… cooperation." Death turned on his heel, his robes sweeping the air, and started walking down the hill away from the Belle Tout Lighthouse, beckoning Zeina to follow him.

So what had that conversation been about? Death had been speaking to the wind as if it were someone he actually knew. Zeina finally looked away from Death into the small road and wondered, not for the first time, just how many of the so-called truths of humanity were, in fact, false. As Zeina looked at the road she wondered if Death would notice if she disappeared. Paris was a big city and Zeina knew that the CEO of the Paris branch would be present…

…But she could not risk it. At simply a whim Death could take all of the lives of Paris without even considering it. His power was too great and Zeina knew that she had to take it very, very carefully. She had to follow him on his quest to find his children and figure out just what she was to do. Her use as a member of the DSI would only work in tandem with Death's intention for so long and Zeina had the distinct impression that once Death felt it necessary, her life would be snuffed out just like those in her own branch – a pain that still hadn't disappeared and likely never would.

A man suddenly sat down on the bench and bent down to do up his laces. Zeina gave him but a glance before looking back at the road.

"…The contract is still on…"

The voice was so quiet that Zeina had to take a moment to realise it was not her own thoughts. She looked out of the corner of her eye at the man on the bench, now fiddling with the other lace on his shoe. Zeina realised with a jolt who this person must be. "Are you with Talon?" Zeina whispered.

"The one you hired to dispatch of the target," the man replied as quietly as ever. "I have been watching. Talon does not accept failure and I shall not fail."

"Stay watching," Zeina said firmly but quietly. "Contact the DSI, if you can."

"Negative. Talon does not work with the DSI. We simply want our payment when the target is down."

"This target will not fall to your bullets."

"Perhaps not. I will follow, as you follow, until the time is right. Talon does not fail their missions." Then the man stood up, stretched, and jogged away into the Paris night. Zeina couldn't help but wonder whether to be relieved or worried that Talon was still watching Death's progress. If they tried to assassinate him again, Zeina feared what Death would do in response. Zeina hoped they were intelligent enough to hang back until they knew more.

She turned back to Death and watched him again yet he didn't move for nearly half an hour until he suddenly shot to his feet with a strange expression on his face… was that, excitement? Death strode over towards Zeina just as two new strangers approached her bench. It was a boy and a girl, both looking as if they were in their twenties. The boy was wearing a cocky smile while the girl seemed calm and composed.

"Who are you?" Zeina asked as she stood up but neither the man or woman gave her the time of the day as they turned towards Death, who had reached the bench where Zeina was sitting. He came to a stop and stared at the young man and didn't say a word. After a moment it was the young man who spoke, hesitantly, the smile flickering.

"…Father?"

"Robert Yates…" Death murmured and Zeina was surprised, if not frightened, to see a gleam in Death's eyes that looked worryingly like a tear. "…My son."

The two looked at each other for another long moment before Death opened his arms and embraced Bobby Yates – an immensely odd scene considering Death's appearance. Death finally pulled away and clapped Bobby on the shoulder. "I have been tracking your presence but I was expecting to find Paige Calloway. It is… an immense pleasure to find you after all this time, Robert. I have watched you develop your knowledge and your abilities and I have been so proud of you."

"Thank you, father. Paige is not here but I do have good news. I know where she is and how to find her." Bobby Yates smiled widely. "We can finally reach our destinies, father!"

A/N:- As we open up to the penultimate act, I just wanted to say that I appreciate that the pace of the story is careful and composed, as of the moment. But trust me - when the countdown is finished and William Milano's death fires off the beacon of the List, Last Laugh is going to get hectic, fast, and deadly! I'm looking forward of what is to come, and I hope you are, as well.

As always, thank you for reading, and see you next time!