"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friend."
"Okay, Dan, you take a sweeper, get everyone through. Anderson, call your car and open the portal. If anymore Drones come, I'll hold them off, until everyone's gone," Kurt said.
Rebekah sighed, and rolled her eyes. "Must you always play hero?"
"Well I don't hear you volunteering," Kurt answered rather pertly.
Dan raised his had, "I'll play hero!"
"No!" The partners answered simultaneously.
Rebekah looked scathingly at him, "Aren't you supposed to get a sweeper?"
"Aren't you supposed to call your car?"
"I already did," she said. As if on cue, a black car silently drove up. "See?" Everyone saw the look of smugness on Rebekah's face.
Dan growled something under his breath.
"Dan, just get the sweeper," Kurt said.
"Wylde," Rebekah began. "I think Dan hasn't gotten the sweeper yet, because he's scared. He needs someone to go and protect him from the monsters."
At first, both Dan and Kurt were glaring at her. Then, they exchanged looks, and smiled. It was at that moment, that Rebekah realized that she said the wrong thing.
"You know what?" Dan said, adopting a horrified look. "You're right Ms.Anderson. I am scared. Will you protect me?" He asked in a voice of mock desperation. He inched closer to her, and hid behind her back, looking around furtively.
Rebekah whirled around, and lightly punched him. "I am not your babysitter!" she exclaimed, just barely keeping herself from shouting.
"But Ms. Webekah," Kurt started to plead, looking as innocent as possible, "He's tewified!"
From the look on her face, it was obvious that she was about to kill them. But, she knew she couldn't. So, she stood there, shaking with rage.
Dan started to drag her away, "Come with me, to protect me!"
Rebekah was about to protest, when the major stepped in, "That's a wonderful idea. Do go with him."
With one last huff, Rebekah turned, and went. Dan, still playing the act of a helpless child, skipped along side her.
"Stop skipping!" The amused onlookers heard her order.
"I'm not skipping. I'm frolicking," Dan answered in a happy childish voice."
"Then stop frolicking!"
"No!"
"Why not?!"
"I'm happy."
They heard her growl in frustration, but after that, they were too far away to be understood.
Kurt called his car. Before it arrived, something flashed out of the corner of his eye.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"What's that for?" The woman asked.
"Hopefully," The man replied, "It will draw his attention."
She sighed, "Why?"
"I want him away from the others when he activates the mine."
"Why?" she asked again. "Wouldn't it be easier if they all blew up?"
"I thought you wanted a more violent death for the others."
"I do. But, if he sets one off, the others will go with it."
"No. When I activate the mines to set for the chips signal, then, only one will go off when he steps on it. The others will immediately disarm, and take themselves apart. Hopefully, that will give the others survivors guilt, and make them linger longer."
Her cold lips turned up into a cold smile. "Have I ever told you I like the way you think?"
"I know. That's why I'm in charge."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"What's that?" one of the Silencerz asked. They had seen as well.
"That, is an excellent question," Kurt replied. He scanned the air, and buildings. He pulled a small object out. It was shaped like a hexagon, and opened to reveal a small computer screen. This device screened the surrounding area, showing nothing.
Satisfied that everything was safe, he walked toward the strange object. He reached the spot, and picked the object up. It was a mirror. He very suddenly go a sinking feeling.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/
"His ribs are broken." She said it as a statement, not a question.
"Yes. It must have been the Drone." He mused.
They were both looking at the readings of someone's body. That man had somehow found the signal from Kurt's chip. Through the chip, they could activate a mine.
He reached for a button. Without hesitating, he pressed it.
/\/\/\/\/
Kurt had dropped the mirror, and turned back. He was hurrying back to the group, when he heard the click. He immediately knew what that was, so he stopped. He began to fell panic, but he hid it from view.
Major Wheeler, having experience as both father and soldier, had noted the flash of panic across the Drifters face.
"Jerry," He called; then switched to French, "Allez voient ce qui est incorrect." Go see what's wrong.
The man nodded, checked his gun, and walked towards Kurt.
Meanwhile, the former Teku had radioed Rebekah through his headset.
"What?" she asked.
"We have a problem."
"What kind of problem?"
"Just hurry," he pleaded as Jerry walked up.
"What's wrong?" The black man inquired.
Kurt took a deep breath, "Mine."
Jerry didn't say anything, shock playing across his face. He walked back to his leader.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/
"He's so still. It wouldn't be much of a problem for him to wait for them to get a Drone to replace him. He weighs," She glanced at the screen, "225 pounds. It wouldn't be hard to find something that weighed that much."
"Be patient," he said," The Drones are coming. He will force his friends to leave. When they are close to the portal, I will set if off."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
The sweeper pulled up. Dan ran out. Without checking his surroundings, he rushed to his friend.
"What's wrong?" He asked, out of breath.
"Mine." Kurt's voice was quiet, and steady. As if he had accepted his fate.
This did nothing to comfort Dan. "Rebekah! Find a Drone."
"I don't have to," she calmly stated.
"Anderson!"
"Dan," Kurt said firmly, "Calm down."
Dan ignored him, and directed all his attention toward Rebekah, "What do you mean you don't have to?!"
She pointed her answer.
"What?" Kurt asked, for she had pointed behind him.
"Drones," Rebekah answered. "They're coming this way."
"Leave!" He ordered.
"No! I'm not leaving you!" Dan retorted.
"Now." Kurt's voice lowered dangerously, and he drew his gun, pointing it at Dan.
Dan lingered for a moment with mixed emotions. He finally looked at the oncoming robots, and hurried to the sweeper.
Rebekah stayed. "Any messages?"
Kurt was silent. Then, giving a silent snort, "Tell them that they made me waste seven good years of service by giving me a partner like you."
"Same here, Wylde," she said, and started walking away.
Kurt suddenly remembered the conversation he had with his brother earlier that day. "Anderson!"
She turned.
"Tell Markie…Tell him I'm sorry."
Puzzled, she nodded, and headed for her car. Behind her, Kurt checked his clip, and loaded it back into the gun. He turned around to face the Drones, carefully making sure his weight didn't shift. Before he began firing, he realized that Jack was behind him.
"Jack?"
The dog cocked its head. Go on, he seemed to stay.
Kurt sighed. Jack couldn't stay here. "Go." he ordered.
The dog didn't budge. "Go home Jack!"
Again, the dog didn't move. Kurt realized that he had made the dog too faithful. So, he decided that the dog needed to fetch, or something, to leave.
So, he gave one last order to the loyal beast. "Go find Markie."
The dog, turned and ran into the sweeper.
Rebekah reached her car just as Dan began to drive to the portal. They started going up the ramp. Yards away, there was an explosion, and a brilliant white light flashed behind them.
Dan slowed down. Rebekah had anticipated this, and drove her car into the sweeper. She leapt out, practically threw Dan out of the driver's seat, and sped into the realm as the portal closed.
/\/\/\/\/\/
The scarred man pressed another button, shutting things down. The woman didn't get the gruesome and violent death she was promised. But, she delighted in watching this man's vital signs quickly die.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/
In the sweeper, Rebekah checked her cell to check for his chip's signal. It was dead. She watched as the black car sped by. Another sign. Dan sobbed behind her.
In the back, the rest of the drivers stood there in shock. Then, Vert's dad rushed up there, and started yelling at Rebekah in French.
Vert was sitting against the wall, "What's he saying?"
Taro, who had a French companion when he skied down Everest, (and therefore knew some of the language) answered, "Kurt's dead."
/\/\/\/\/\//\/\/\
Markie was stretched out on the bed, laying on his back. There was a goofy smile on his face. He had nearly fainted with relief when Doc told him the good news.
It turned out, a Drifter in Alaska had been poisoned the exact same way. The antidote was found just in time, and could be made at home. He was going to go in today to receive it.
Markie got up, and walked out onto the balcony. It overlooked the river, and to his right was the stadium. He still had the phone in his hand, and he almost called Kurt. But by now, he would have his phone turned off.
That's okay. He could wait until Kurt called him. It was such a beautiful day!
/\/\/\//\///
It's over! I had fun. Seems just like yesterday, I was sitting down with notebook and pencil, and started on the prologue. Thanks for bearing with me. –Jimmy Candlestick
