*Author's note: I'm sorry about not updating this story for along time, but
my summer has been taken up by work. I found some time recently to finish
this story. I hope you enjoy it, and please review it. *
Part 11:
Daniels walked along the cliff breathing in the sea air half way between his lab, and the aristocratic mansion which he had purchased 10 months ago. His eyes glistened in the morning sun with a dazzling radiance. My plans are coming together even without Jake, Mark thought with a laugh, thank God for backup plans.
"Or should I say thank me?" he shouted out at the sea. With the way only these morons to stop why the hell not, he laughed.
------------------------------------
Jake awoke to find himself alone in Macleod's bedroom, but he continued to hear the sound of the voice. The voice telling him he must make a choice, and that time was running out.
Richie face soured as Jake entered the room, "So sleeping beauty is finally awake."
Jake's smiled as he flipped Richie the bird with the frustration in his voice as clear as his middle finger, "Funny, really really funny Richie. Hey did I ever ask about those crabs?"
Macleod stepped in before Richie could move, "Enough you two."
Dawson sighed and managed to keep his attention focused on Macleod, "It's getting worse Mac. The watchers are getting really scared, and they might do something stupid."
Jake began filling an empty glass with water as he spoke, "Let me guess there is talk of going after the immortals, a Pre-emptive strike?"
Dawson finally turned his attention away from Duncan, "How did you know that?"
Jake just sighed, "I just felt the time was right for things to take a turn for the worse."
Amanda didn't bother to look at Jake as she spoke, "And everything that has happened up till now hasn't been?"
Duncan's response sounded like a parent reprimanding a child, "Amanda."
"Duncan don't give me that look, and although I don't like to admit it I am older then you. Don't talk to me like I am just like a little child."
"Its not like you really act your age Amanda?" Methos replied with a laugh.
Jake did a spit take and then turned to Methos, "Not offend you all old wise one, but you are not one to talk."
"Good point."
Macleod and Joe watched the interplay between the two with interest. Joe was the first to ask, "Ah, just what do mean by that?"
"Joe, no offense, but as much as you watchers pride yourself on your records. I doubt you know half the stuff Methos has done is his time," Jake answered.
"But you do?" Richie asked with more then a twinge of sarcasm.
"Yeah I do."
"And we are of course just supposed to trust your word on that?" Richie's shot back. The tension in the air which had been dropping now shot back up.
Jake staggered forward and looked Richie straight in the eye, "For the moment yes."
Now Joe Dawson stepped in between the two men, "Look do you have any ideas about what to do?"
Jake looked at Richie one last time then turned to Joe, "Nothing that wouldn't be sarcastic."
"Then how about Duncan and I go see if we can calm down the watchers while the rest of you work on trying to locate Daniels?" Joe suggested.
Methos stepped up, "I have some sources that I could check out that aren't part of the Watcher's. If Amanda would care to join me?"
Amanda nodded a yes as she stood up, "No offense Duncan, but I am not staying with those two if you're not around. I'm sick of trying to keep them from killing each other."
"Yeah that makes three of us." Duncan said as he an Joe turned to leave the barge.
--------------------
Mark Daniels starred up at QRT machine or Cort with a smile. I have waited along time for this to be completed, he thought. Soon all these shadow games will be over, but first.
"Time to finish this. Get me Jake."
A tall thin woman stepped up behind Daniels, "What if one of his Immortal friends tries to interfere?"
Daniels spun and although his reply dripped in sarcasm the usual hint of danger seemed gone,"Well I don't think they are going to let you take him."
The woman stepped back, and signaled as she moved off after saying, "Yes sir."
Daniels just turned back to look at his technological marvel, and thought. So close. I wonder if this is how those Bond villains thought? Or maybe all those bad guys in Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
-------------------
Jake leaned on his hand as he starred at the computer in front of him. God you would think after four hundred years Macleod could afford a better computer, Jake thought with a sigh. God if this web page takes any longer to load I might just start talking to Richie to keep from going crazy.
"I'm not going to apologize."
Richie stepped back from the window as he answered, "Did I ask you too?"
Jake spun on his chair to face Richie, "Richie I needed to get out of there."
"So of all the ways you could leave you decided to give me a venereal disease?" Richie nearly shouted.
With a barely restrain laugh Jake answered, "Okay part of that may have been for laughs, but you did beat the crap out of me. Don't you think you got me back enough?"
Richie's answer was short, "No."
Jake temper flared, and he started to answer when the web page finished downloading. "You immortal .wow."
The halt in mid insult was enough to pull Richie to stand next to Jake, "What?"
Completely monotone Jake finished the insult with a laugh, then continued with an explanation, "Jackass. Ohh, you mean what I found. This website, there is a picture of this mansion. I know this house."
"Do you think its where Daniels is?" Richie asked.
"Maybe, I'll print it out, and have Dawson run it down."
"Things are starting to look up," Richie said as he turned back toward the window.
Suddenly a group of men barged in through the broken door. They aided right at Richie, and didn't stop firing till he collapsed to the floor.
A young woman came up to Jake and spoke, "Come with us peacefully and no one else dies."
"Sure."
"That was a little easy?"
Jake smirked, "He's dead, and I'm not exactly in any condition to oppose you. What do you suggest I do?"
"Shut up would be a start. I need you alive, but one piece was never part of the arrangement."
Jake followed the men out of the barge, and to a waiting car. Thank god these people are too stupid to know which of these guys' are immortals. I hope Richie remembers that damn picture, or next time I see him he'll wish for crabs.
---------------------------
Hours later Joe and Macleod return to find the barge a wreck once more and Richie still unconscious on the floor. Joe moved quickly to Richie as Macleod made sure the barge was safe.
"Richie, are you okay?" Joe asked.
Richie opened his eyes and spoke softly, "Mac, Joe, they took him."
"And our last hope of stopping this before it gets out of hand." Macleod cursed.
Richie sat up and tried to speak louder, "No, I think I know where they took him."
Dawson and Macleod asked the question at the same time, "Where?"
Richie pointed toward the computer which was now a pile of wreckage, and then tried to get up. Duncan caught the young man, and Joe added an additional brace as Richie pulled the last thing printed before the printer ended up a piece of Swiss cheese.
Holding up the picture of the mansion Richie turned to Joe Dawson and asked, "Joe can you find out where this place is?"
----------------------
After hours in the back of a van with no windows the brief walk to the French estate from the website felt like heaven. Or the calm before the storm, he thought grimly. Two men escorted him to a pair of patio doors which them opened with some effort. Inside he saw at least a company's worth of men with guns standing in formation. And then in front of them another, the face which had haunted his dreams for years.
His comment sprung forth without him consciously being aware of it. "You ever try anything without men with guns?"
The sarcastic reply just made Daniels laugh, "Jake, you're the one who made this harder then it needed to be."
As the man talked tiny bits of the puzzle of his past seemed to be clicking into place, and a sudden desire to stop it. "Yeah, well I have this thing against psychopaths."
"I'm not crazy, just goal oriented."
Jake continued to ask questions, but a sick feeling in his gut told him he already knew the answers. The desire to run before anything else came back got stronger and stronger, "And your goal is?"
With a laugh the man answered, and began walking closer to Jake. "Despite the fact that every Bond film villain proves this is stupid. I'll tell you, I want to rule the world."
"Sorry, but I just don't have a snappy comeback to that one."
A disappointed look appeared on the Daniels' face, "I'm disappointed. Half the fun of these moments is the hero's wit in the face of overwhelming odds."
"Okay, you do realize this is real life and not a bad Hollywood movie, right?"
"Not today. So now to the really cool piece of technology that gives the villain his edge over the hero."
Jake tried to be witty, but just came out annoyed. The small pit of fear in his stomach now became a massive one, "You didn't even bother to give it a name?"
"It actually has a name, but I knew what I just said would annoy the hell out of you. And after all the fun you caused me, it's the least I could do before your painful death."
----------------------------
Duncan watched Richie pace across the barge as they wait for Joe Dawson to get off the phone. Macleod spoke just as Joe put the phone down, "Joe what do you have?"
Joe Dawson answered by holding up a piece of paper, "It's an old estate in on the coast. Here's the address."
"But how are we going to get there?" Richie clearly getting frustrated yells at Joe.
Joe just smiled, "I have a watcher helicopter waiting at a nearby airfield. It can get us there in under an hour."
"Lets go. We'll call Methos and Amanda on the way," Macleod said as he turned for the door.
---------------------------
"So this is what this is all about?" Jake asked.
Daniels smiled, "Yep, the cool toy which you invented."
Jake starred at the machine as some people star at the things that most terrify them, "Really?"
"Yes, Really."
"Sorry but I don't remember."
"Yeah, I was worried about that. You see this device opens a wormhole between to alternate quantum realties. The thing is we had different visions about what that would mean. You want to explore want would happen if the world was different. I thought we could use our knowledge to rule the worlds. You see on our world most of these alternate realties are TV shows or other works of fiction. I had a group of people willing to help take over a world that was less advance then our own. "
"How comic book super villainy of you."
"But you interfered by destroying the controls which cause the wormhole to skip randomly between worlds. You also made sure you were the only who knew how to fix this thing, so even if we could rebuild it we couldn't go home."
"You see our little base was underground, and the only escape was going through the device. The problem is dimensional travel is tramatic on the human mind, and if you don't have the proper shielding it can negatively effect certain aspects of the mind."
"Like memory."
"Exactly. You wanted to make sure that even if we found you. You would be of no help to us."
"Wow."
"And you were talking about comic book stereotypes."
"So why am I still here. If I am no use to you why not kill me?"
"Ohh, but that's the rub. You see something about this world has been repair the trauma on your brain. Your sacrifice is pointless, and we will get the information we want."
"I thought you wanted to rule the world. Why would you want to go home?"
"I don't want to go home. You see the wormhole didn't have enough power to allow all of my people to reach this reality."
"So you want to free them."
"And have a ready made army."
"But you can't possible have enough people to conquer this world? And plus why would need the watchers, or knowledge of the immortals?"
"Ah, you haven't figured that out yet? This is too perfect."
"Sir, a helicopter just landed on the front lawn!"
"What?"
Suddenly the patio door blew open. Richie, Amanda, Methos, and Duncan walked in swords drawn. Duncan turned to look at Daniels an smiled, "Hello everyone."
Jake started backing away from Daniels, "Jesus Macleod what took you guys so damn long!"
Macleod kepting smiling as the immortals began moving away from the door. "You know Paris traffic this time of day."
Daniels called out to his troops and began heading for the other door. "Kill them."
Jake dove out the way as the mercenaries, and immortals began fighting. Two mercs began chasing Jake through the maze of the QRT machine. Jake's head hit a low hanging piece of the machine leaving him exposed to the mercenaries.
"Prepare to die."
"They always say that, " Jake thought. But before they could pull the trigger Methos' sword slammed down, and cut of one the merc's hands and killed the other.
"Care to explain what the hell is going on?" Methos asked.
Jake dropped down next to Methos as a hail of bullets shattered over head, "To long to explain. Look Methos see that machine?"
"Yeah."
Simply and quickly Jake said, "Blow it up."
Methos looked at Jake as he prepared to leave fight between mercenaries and the immortals, "What are you going to do?"
Jake stopped for a second as he searched for possible shooters, "I'm going to try and be Duncan Macleod."
"Why is it everywhere I go now in days I run into heroes?" Methos asked with a shrug.
Jake turned his head and looked at Methos, "Price of leading the life of a pessimist."
Methos just smiled at Jake's comment, "Get going."
---------------------------------
Jake shouted out, "I want answers Mark, and I want them now."
Daniels froze and slowly turned to face Jake, "Damn it, you are more persistent then a New York City cockroach."
"That's a really bad joke, and you stole that from a really bad movie Daniels," Jake answered.
"Amazing Jake, you don't change do you? Always acting so demanding and self- righteous like some horror movie hero with no gray areas or moral ambiguity, how boring can you get? Plus that movie wasn't that bad."
"I'm not going to play your game and I am no hero Daniels. And how can you say that movie wasn't boring? I've seen less plot holes in horror films."
"So is your opinion of my tastes in movies the only reason you have followed me, or is perhaps something more. Don't give me that look Jake just because you don't have any sense of drama doesn't mean I can't."
"Whatever, I just want answer about my past, or you get to face the watchers and immortals when they come out here in a couple of minutes," Jake said as he moved closer. "Tell me what I want to know, and you don't have to face them."
Daniels just laughed, "Yeah I'll believe that promise right after you let me go nuke Washington D.C. You're still trying to be a hero and beat the bad guy, but the problem with that is hero you brought us here. You wanted to go off and play god with all those immortal friends of yours. You want to be a hero because you couldn't stand to be a nobody were we came from. Unfortunately that means you're a hypocrite, and not a hero."
Jake's reply was simple, "We all have choices to make, and some are worse then others. Either way I'm cleaning up my mess now."
"Still like those morons Dawson works for, You are such a dumbass?" Daniels circled around Jake continuing to mock him stopping just in front of him.
Jake ran up and grabbed Daniels shirt, "Now who can't come up any witty comebacks?"
Jakes starts throwing punches and kicks at him, but Mark blocks them easily. Daniels' counters Jake, and knocks him to the ground. Jake jumps up, but Daniels continues to hold the upper hand in the fight till Jake final falls to the ground to exhausted and bloodied to get up.
"Maybe, but I think we're beyond the point for witty retorts, don't you old friend?" Daniels said as he kneeled down on top of Jake.
"If that means you're going to surrender," Jake called out between gasps of breath as his broken ribs began digging deeper into chest.
Mark laughs and easily rises from the ground drawing a gun in one motion.
"Sorry Jake I wish I had time for the Melodramatic final confrontation between the hero and the bad guy. That was always my favorite part, but unlike every Bond film bad guy I am just going to kill you, get on with my plan, and take over the world."
Jake's body slumped against the ancient cliff wall as the bullets hit him in his stomach, thighs, and shoulder. Damn out of ammo! I really wish I had more time to do one of those elaborate hero final battles, Mark thought. Messing with Jake was fun, but he ruined enough of my plans for today. Now where the hell did I put that extra clip.
-----------------------
Jake remained still from broken ribs, bullet wounds, and shattered left forearm. Jake felt his mind drifting off his ability to focus disappearing as fast as the blood from his open wounds.
"Now is the moment where you choose Jake," the voice called out.
"Let me guess how many more bullets can I get Mark to shoot me with?" Jake shot back.
The hooded figure moved to Jake's side and for the first time a face appeared instead of the mask.
"No. The choice is; are you going to be a hero, or just one more tragedy?"
"Before I answer will you tell me why this is all happening to me?"
The hooded figure revealed his face as he answered, "You have made the right choice."
There was a sudden surge of light, and small smirk appeared on his face as the area of light grew in size and intensity.
-----------------------
Mark Daniels released the clip, and slide a fresh one in. "Time to say goodbye Jake!"
Turning around he saw Jake was no longer on the ground, but had struggled to a standing position.
"Ahh the hero dies on his feet. How. well pointless, but okay hero time for the big death scene," Mark said as he stepped up to Jake.
"So hero, are you ready to die? Cause in 15 minutes there is this show on that I really want to watch."
Jake grabs Mark by the collar, and brings his face down to his own, "Just one question, ever heard of Reichenbach Falls?"
At that moment Jake used his grip on Daniels collar to flip the two of them over the side of the cliff into the ocean below.
----------------------
Duncan starred out over the ocean trying to find Jake, or at least his body. I know it's in vain, he thought. The others do to, but we will keep it up for a little while longer for he deserves that much at least. Duncan was pulled from his thoughts when Methos stepped up next to him.
"Why the long face Macleod?"
"Everyone deserves to have someone mourn them Methos," Duncan replied. The elder immortal only laughed. What do you know Methos, Duncan thought.
Methos seemed to recognize the question building in Duncan long before his friend could ask it, "I don't know anything more then you do Duncan. I just have this feeling that whatever was started here is not over, and that we have not seen the last of our friend Jake."
"Why do you say that," Duncan asked.
Methos just laughed and said simply, "Its not good story telling. The hero's always got to be there for the sequel."
Part 11:
Daniels walked along the cliff breathing in the sea air half way between his lab, and the aristocratic mansion which he had purchased 10 months ago. His eyes glistened in the morning sun with a dazzling radiance. My plans are coming together even without Jake, Mark thought with a laugh, thank God for backup plans.
"Or should I say thank me?" he shouted out at the sea. With the way only these morons to stop why the hell not, he laughed.
------------------------------------
Jake awoke to find himself alone in Macleod's bedroom, but he continued to hear the sound of the voice. The voice telling him he must make a choice, and that time was running out.
Richie face soured as Jake entered the room, "So sleeping beauty is finally awake."
Jake's smiled as he flipped Richie the bird with the frustration in his voice as clear as his middle finger, "Funny, really really funny Richie. Hey did I ever ask about those crabs?"
Macleod stepped in before Richie could move, "Enough you two."
Dawson sighed and managed to keep his attention focused on Macleod, "It's getting worse Mac. The watchers are getting really scared, and they might do something stupid."
Jake began filling an empty glass with water as he spoke, "Let me guess there is talk of going after the immortals, a Pre-emptive strike?"
Dawson finally turned his attention away from Duncan, "How did you know that?"
Jake just sighed, "I just felt the time was right for things to take a turn for the worse."
Amanda didn't bother to look at Jake as she spoke, "And everything that has happened up till now hasn't been?"
Duncan's response sounded like a parent reprimanding a child, "Amanda."
"Duncan don't give me that look, and although I don't like to admit it I am older then you. Don't talk to me like I am just like a little child."
"Its not like you really act your age Amanda?" Methos replied with a laugh.
Jake did a spit take and then turned to Methos, "Not offend you all old wise one, but you are not one to talk."
"Good point."
Macleod and Joe watched the interplay between the two with interest. Joe was the first to ask, "Ah, just what do mean by that?"
"Joe, no offense, but as much as you watchers pride yourself on your records. I doubt you know half the stuff Methos has done is his time," Jake answered.
"But you do?" Richie asked with more then a twinge of sarcasm.
"Yeah I do."
"And we are of course just supposed to trust your word on that?" Richie's shot back. The tension in the air which had been dropping now shot back up.
Jake staggered forward and looked Richie straight in the eye, "For the moment yes."
Now Joe Dawson stepped in between the two men, "Look do you have any ideas about what to do?"
Jake looked at Richie one last time then turned to Joe, "Nothing that wouldn't be sarcastic."
"Then how about Duncan and I go see if we can calm down the watchers while the rest of you work on trying to locate Daniels?" Joe suggested.
Methos stepped up, "I have some sources that I could check out that aren't part of the Watcher's. If Amanda would care to join me?"
Amanda nodded a yes as she stood up, "No offense Duncan, but I am not staying with those two if you're not around. I'm sick of trying to keep them from killing each other."
"Yeah that makes three of us." Duncan said as he an Joe turned to leave the barge.
--------------------
Mark Daniels starred up at QRT machine or Cort with a smile. I have waited along time for this to be completed, he thought. Soon all these shadow games will be over, but first.
"Time to finish this. Get me Jake."
A tall thin woman stepped up behind Daniels, "What if one of his Immortal friends tries to interfere?"
Daniels spun and although his reply dripped in sarcasm the usual hint of danger seemed gone,"Well I don't think they are going to let you take him."
The woman stepped back, and signaled as she moved off after saying, "Yes sir."
Daniels just turned back to look at his technological marvel, and thought. So close. I wonder if this is how those Bond villains thought? Or maybe all those bad guys in Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
-------------------
Jake leaned on his hand as he starred at the computer in front of him. God you would think after four hundred years Macleod could afford a better computer, Jake thought with a sigh. God if this web page takes any longer to load I might just start talking to Richie to keep from going crazy.
"I'm not going to apologize."
Richie stepped back from the window as he answered, "Did I ask you too?"
Jake spun on his chair to face Richie, "Richie I needed to get out of there."
"So of all the ways you could leave you decided to give me a venereal disease?" Richie nearly shouted.
With a barely restrain laugh Jake answered, "Okay part of that may have been for laughs, but you did beat the crap out of me. Don't you think you got me back enough?"
Richie's answer was short, "No."
Jake temper flared, and he started to answer when the web page finished downloading. "You immortal .wow."
The halt in mid insult was enough to pull Richie to stand next to Jake, "What?"
Completely monotone Jake finished the insult with a laugh, then continued with an explanation, "Jackass. Ohh, you mean what I found. This website, there is a picture of this mansion. I know this house."
"Do you think its where Daniels is?" Richie asked.
"Maybe, I'll print it out, and have Dawson run it down."
"Things are starting to look up," Richie said as he turned back toward the window.
Suddenly a group of men barged in through the broken door. They aided right at Richie, and didn't stop firing till he collapsed to the floor.
A young woman came up to Jake and spoke, "Come with us peacefully and no one else dies."
"Sure."
"That was a little easy?"
Jake smirked, "He's dead, and I'm not exactly in any condition to oppose you. What do you suggest I do?"
"Shut up would be a start. I need you alive, but one piece was never part of the arrangement."
Jake followed the men out of the barge, and to a waiting car. Thank god these people are too stupid to know which of these guys' are immortals. I hope Richie remembers that damn picture, or next time I see him he'll wish for crabs.
---------------------------
Hours later Joe and Macleod return to find the barge a wreck once more and Richie still unconscious on the floor. Joe moved quickly to Richie as Macleod made sure the barge was safe.
"Richie, are you okay?" Joe asked.
Richie opened his eyes and spoke softly, "Mac, Joe, they took him."
"And our last hope of stopping this before it gets out of hand." Macleod cursed.
Richie sat up and tried to speak louder, "No, I think I know where they took him."
Dawson and Macleod asked the question at the same time, "Where?"
Richie pointed toward the computer which was now a pile of wreckage, and then tried to get up. Duncan caught the young man, and Joe added an additional brace as Richie pulled the last thing printed before the printer ended up a piece of Swiss cheese.
Holding up the picture of the mansion Richie turned to Joe Dawson and asked, "Joe can you find out where this place is?"
----------------------
After hours in the back of a van with no windows the brief walk to the French estate from the website felt like heaven. Or the calm before the storm, he thought grimly. Two men escorted him to a pair of patio doors which them opened with some effort. Inside he saw at least a company's worth of men with guns standing in formation. And then in front of them another, the face which had haunted his dreams for years.
His comment sprung forth without him consciously being aware of it. "You ever try anything without men with guns?"
The sarcastic reply just made Daniels laugh, "Jake, you're the one who made this harder then it needed to be."
As the man talked tiny bits of the puzzle of his past seemed to be clicking into place, and a sudden desire to stop it. "Yeah, well I have this thing against psychopaths."
"I'm not crazy, just goal oriented."
Jake continued to ask questions, but a sick feeling in his gut told him he already knew the answers. The desire to run before anything else came back got stronger and stronger, "And your goal is?"
With a laugh the man answered, and began walking closer to Jake. "Despite the fact that every Bond film villain proves this is stupid. I'll tell you, I want to rule the world."
"Sorry, but I just don't have a snappy comeback to that one."
A disappointed look appeared on the Daniels' face, "I'm disappointed. Half the fun of these moments is the hero's wit in the face of overwhelming odds."
"Okay, you do realize this is real life and not a bad Hollywood movie, right?"
"Not today. So now to the really cool piece of technology that gives the villain his edge over the hero."
Jake tried to be witty, but just came out annoyed. The small pit of fear in his stomach now became a massive one, "You didn't even bother to give it a name?"
"It actually has a name, but I knew what I just said would annoy the hell out of you. And after all the fun you caused me, it's the least I could do before your painful death."
----------------------------
Duncan watched Richie pace across the barge as they wait for Joe Dawson to get off the phone. Macleod spoke just as Joe put the phone down, "Joe what do you have?"
Joe Dawson answered by holding up a piece of paper, "It's an old estate in on the coast. Here's the address."
"But how are we going to get there?" Richie clearly getting frustrated yells at Joe.
Joe just smiled, "I have a watcher helicopter waiting at a nearby airfield. It can get us there in under an hour."
"Lets go. We'll call Methos and Amanda on the way," Macleod said as he turned for the door.
---------------------------
"So this is what this is all about?" Jake asked.
Daniels smiled, "Yep, the cool toy which you invented."
Jake starred at the machine as some people star at the things that most terrify them, "Really?"
"Yes, Really."
"Sorry but I don't remember."
"Yeah, I was worried about that. You see this device opens a wormhole between to alternate quantum realties. The thing is we had different visions about what that would mean. You want to explore want would happen if the world was different. I thought we could use our knowledge to rule the worlds. You see on our world most of these alternate realties are TV shows or other works of fiction. I had a group of people willing to help take over a world that was less advance then our own. "
"How comic book super villainy of you."
"But you interfered by destroying the controls which cause the wormhole to skip randomly between worlds. You also made sure you were the only who knew how to fix this thing, so even if we could rebuild it we couldn't go home."
"You see our little base was underground, and the only escape was going through the device. The problem is dimensional travel is tramatic on the human mind, and if you don't have the proper shielding it can negatively effect certain aspects of the mind."
"Like memory."
"Exactly. You wanted to make sure that even if we found you. You would be of no help to us."
"Wow."
"And you were talking about comic book stereotypes."
"So why am I still here. If I am no use to you why not kill me?"
"Ohh, but that's the rub. You see something about this world has been repair the trauma on your brain. Your sacrifice is pointless, and we will get the information we want."
"I thought you wanted to rule the world. Why would you want to go home?"
"I don't want to go home. You see the wormhole didn't have enough power to allow all of my people to reach this reality."
"So you want to free them."
"And have a ready made army."
"But you can't possible have enough people to conquer this world? And plus why would need the watchers, or knowledge of the immortals?"
"Ah, you haven't figured that out yet? This is too perfect."
"Sir, a helicopter just landed on the front lawn!"
"What?"
Suddenly the patio door blew open. Richie, Amanda, Methos, and Duncan walked in swords drawn. Duncan turned to look at Daniels an smiled, "Hello everyone."
Jake started backing away from Daniels, "Jesus Macleod what took you guys so damn long!"
Macleod kepting smiling as the immortals began moving away from the door. "You know Paris traffic this time of day."
Daniels called out to his troops and began heading for the other door. "Kill them."
Jake dove out the way as the mercenaries, and immortals began fighting. Two mercs began chasing Jake through the maze of the QRT machine. Jake's head hit a low hanging piece of the machine leaving him exposed to the mercenaries.
"Prepare to die."
"They always say that, " Jake thought. But before they could pull the trigger Methos' sword slammed down, and cut of one the merc's hands and killed the other.
"Care to explain what the hell is going on?" Methos asked.
Jake dropped down next to Methos as a hail of bullets shattered over head, "To long to explain. Look Methos see that machine?"
"Yeah."
Simply and quickly Jake said, "Blow it up."
Methos looked at Jake as he prepared to leave fight between mercenaries and the immortals, "What are you going to do?"
Jake stopped for a second as he searched for possible shooters, "I'm going to try and be Duncan Macleod."
"Why is it everywhere I go now in days I run into heroes?" Methos asked with a shrug.
Jake turned his head and looked at Methos, "Price of leading the life of a pessimist."
Methos just smiled at Jake's comment, "Get going."
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Jake shouted out, "I want answers Mark, and I want them now."
Daniels froze and slowly turned to face Jake, "Damn it, you are more persistent then a New York City cockroach."
"That's a really bad joke, and you stole that from a really bad movie Daniels," Jake answered.
"Amazing Jake, you don't change do you? Always acting so demanding and self- righteous like some horror movie hero with no gray areas or moral ambiguity, how boring can you get? Plus that movie wasn't that bad."
"I'm not going to play your game and I am no hero Daniels. And how can you say that movie wasn't boring? I've seen less plot holes in horror films."
"So is your opinion of my tastes in movies the only reason you have followed me, or is perhaps something more. Don't give me that look Jake just because you don't have any sense of drama doesn't mean I can't."
"Whatever, I just want answer about my past, or you get to face the watchers and immortals when they come out here in a couple of minutes," Jake said as he moved closer. "Tell me what I want to know, and you don't have to face them."
Daniels just laughed, "Yeah I'll believe that promise right after you let me go nuke Washington D.C. You're still trying to be a hero and beat the bad guy, but the problem with that is hero you brought us here. You wanted to go off and play god with all those immortal friends of yours. You want to be a hero because you couldn't stand to be a nobody were we came from. Unfortunately that means you're a hypocrite, and not a hero."
Jake's reply was simple, "We all have choices to make, and some are worse then others. Either way I'm cleaning up my mess now."
"Still like those morons Dawson works for, You are such a dumbass?" Daniels circled around Jake continuing to mock him stopping just in front of him.
Jake ran up and grabbed Daniels shirt, "Now who can't come up any witty comebacks?"
Jakes starts throwing punches and kicks at him, but Mark blocks them easily. Daniels' counters Jake, and knocks him to the ground. Jake jumps up, but Daniels continues to hold the upper hand in the fight till Jake final falls to the ground to exhausted and bloodied to get up.
"Maybe, but I think we're beyond the point for witty retorts, don't you old friend?" Daniels said as he kneeled down on top of Jake.
"If that means you're going to surrender," Jake called out between gasps of breath as his broken ribs began digging deeper into chest.
Mark laughs and easily rises from the ground drawing a gun in one motion.
"Sorry Jake I wish I had time for the Melodramatic final confrontation between the hero and the bad guy. That was always my favorite part, but unlike every Bond film bad guy I am just going to kill you, get on with my plan, and take over the world."
Jake's body slumped against the ancient cliff wall as the bullets hit him in his stomach, thighs, and shoulder. Damn out of ammo! I really wish I had more time to do one of those elaborate hero final battles, Mark thought. Messing with Jake was fun, but he ruined enough of my plans for today. Now where the hell did I put that extra clip.
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Jake remained still from broken ribs, bullet wounds, and shattered left forearm. Jake felt his mind drifting off his ability to focus disappearing as fast as the blood from his open wounds.
"Now is the moment where you choose Jake," the voice called out.
"Let me guess how many more bullets can I get Mark to shoot me with?" Jake shot back.
The hooded figure moved to Jake's side and for the first time a face appeared instead of the mask.
"No. The choice is; are you going to be a hero, or just one more tragedy?"
"Before I answer will you tell me why this is all happening to me?"
The hooded figure revealed his face as he answered, "You have made the right choice."
There was a sudden surge of light, and small smirk appeared on his face as the area of light grew in size and intensity.
-----------------------
Mark Daniels released the clip, and slide a fresh one in. "Time to say goodbye Jake!"
Turning around he saw Jake was no longer on the ground, but had struggled to a standing position.
"Ahh the hero dies on his feet. How. well pointless, but okay hero time for the big death scene," Mark said as he stepped up to Jake.
"So hero, are you ready to die? Cause in 15 minutes there is this show on that I really want to watch."
Jake grabs Mark by the collar, and brings his face down to his own, "Just one question, ever heard of Reichenbach Falls?"
At that moment Jake used his grip on Daniels collar to flip the two of them over the side of the cliff into the ocean below.
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Duncan starred out over the ocean trying to find Jake, or at least his body. I know it's in vain, he thought. The others do to, but we will keep it up for a little while longer for he deserves that much at least. Duncan was pulled from his thoughts when Methos stepped up next to him.
"Why the long face Macleod?"
"Everyone deserves to have someone mourn them Methos," Duncan replied. The elder immortal only laughed. What do you know Methos, Duncan thought.
Methos seemed to recognize the question building in Duncan long before his friend could ask it, "I don't know anything more then you do Duncan. I just have this feeling that whatever was started here is not over, and that we have not seen the last of our friend Jake."
"Why do you say that," Duncan asked.
Methos just laughed and said simply, "Its not good story telling. The hero's always got to be there for the sequel."