Demons from the Past
by Olivia Sutton
Part 3
Disclaimer: This fanfic is written for fun, for the enjoyment of other fans, and for reviews, but never for profit, so please don't sue! Based on the new (2000-2001) version of Randall and Hopkirk (deceased)starring Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer, copyright to the BBC 2000-2001. (previous version copyrighted 1969 by ITC). PLEASE PLEASE NOTE: the individuals, places, and institutions portrayed in this story are absolutely fictional, no real person or persons are meant to be implied or suggested in this fanfic. Any resemblance to real people, teachers, schools or anything or anyone else is absolutely a co-incidence and accidental.
Warnings: Again, dealing with adult topics, adult situations, and violence (including the aftermath of violence). Please do not read if easily offended or under-age. This story is reluctantly rated R, no one under 18 admitted without parent or guardian. And if you are under-age, for god's sake don't tell me. 'Nuff said.
Demons from the Past
by Olivia Sutton
Part 3
Jeff headed back down the hallway towards the canteen, he opened the door and glanced around the room, but he didn't see Jeannie. Then Marty suddenly appeared in front of him. Jeff jumped.
"Jeff, come on, Jeannie's still talking to Williams, in the staff room. You need to be there, Jeff!"
Jeff looked at Marty, "Did he threaten her? Or hurt her, Marty?"
Marty looked at him, "Well, no, but... Jeff , you need to be there."
Jeff nodded tiredly, then headed for the stairs. He reached the third floor and headed down the hallway to the staff room. Suddenly, the staff room door opened and Williams rushed out. He pushed pass Jeff then headed down the stairs quickly. Jeff glanced at Marty and then ran towards Jeannie, calling for her as he opened the door.
Jeannie stood alone in the staff room, looking annoyed. "Jeff?"
Jeff calmed himself when he saw she was all right, "Jeannie? I saw Williams run out of here, are you all right?"
"I'm fine, Jeff, but he was a little cross with me."
"A little?"
Jeannie nodded, "Hum-um, I think you're right, though, he's involved in whatever happened to Clive."
Jeff nodded, "I found Mark Daley, I talked to him. He witnessed Clive being bundled off in a car. I think we should either see if any other students saw anything, or go back to the office."
"Let's go back to the office, Jeff, I'm getting tired."
Jeff moved closer to her, "But you're all right, yah?"
"I'm fine, I'm just a little tired."
Jeff nodded again, "All right, Let's go back to the office. Do you want me to drive?"
Jeannie nodded at him and the two left Abbotts Field Comprehensive School, Jeff drove them, in Jeannie's convertible, back to the office.
Jeff held the door open for Jeannie, then followed her into the outer office.
Jeannie yawned.
"Jeannie, you really do sound tired. Why don't you lie down on the sofa in the inner office and take some kip, eh? I'll stay out here and answer the phones so you can rest."
Jeannie looked at him and nodded, "You know, normally I wouldn't? But I am very tired, and I think I could do with a nap."
Jeff put his hand on her arm, "Go ahead, Jeannie, it's all right."
Jeannie nodded, her hand on her face, "This doesn't mean I can't work, or go in the field to investigate with you, Jeff."
"I know, Jeannie, I know," Jeff said as she entered the inner office, and then he pulled the door shut behind her.
Jeff took off his coat, hanging it on the coat rack, then sat at the desk in the outer office, when Marty appeared.
"Marty? What happened during her interview with Williams?"
"I didn't like him, Jeff."
"I know that, Marty, I do, but what happened? Why is Jeannie so tired? Is it just because of the pregnancy, or did Williams..." Jeff let that hang.
"He didn't hurt her, Jeff. He was rude, and evasive, and..." Marty stopped, then said, "And I don't trust him."
"I know that, Marty, neither do I."
"He really didn't answer any of her questions. He said Clive wasn't his best student, that he frequently missed class. He remembered Mark Daley from last year and labeled him a troublemaker. When Jeannie asked about his behaviour with the boys in his class, he got defensive. She pressed and he stormed out."
"So nothing conclusive, then?"
"No. I'm sorry, Jeff."
Jeff leaned back in the desk chair, "Marty, is there any way you could find Clive?"
Marty winced, "I can't, the further I go from you, the less my powers are. It was difficult for me to stay and look after Jeannie, and you were in the same building. I'm sorry."
Jeff was saved from answering by the phone ringing, "Randall and Hopkirk Security Services, yes, hello?"
He listened on the phone a minute, "That's right, I'm Jeff Randall, Who is this?"
Jeff listened again, then began to frantically write on a scrape of paper in front of him, "Right, okay, I got it! Listen, who is this?" There was a click on the phone, then Jeff set down the receiver.
"Well?" said Marty.
"That, was a tip. They said Clive was being held in a warehouse down by the Thames, I've written down the address," Jeff quickly wrote a note with the address on another piece of paper, and set it in the middle of the desk, then he stood up, got his jacket from the coat rack, and put it on. He took the scrap of paper he'd originally written the information on with him.
"Finally, a break!" said Marty, then he looked at the door to the inner office, "What about Jeannie?"
"Let her sleep, this might be dangerous," Jeff said grimly, "I've left the address, if something happens she'll phone the police. I hope." Then he walked out of the office.
Jeff rushed into the disused warehouse his heart beating loudly in his ears, the inside of the warehouse was shadowy and the air thick with dust. Jeff scanned the room, "Marty, Marty do you see him?" he called out.
Marty materialized next to Jeff, then looked 'round the warehouse, "I'll start searching, Jeff," he said, then disappeared.
Jeff crept along, looking for Clive Worthington, he jumped as Marty appeared near him, "Jeff, I..."
"What Marty, Did you find him? Where is he?"
"Jeff, Jeff, I'm sorry, it's too late..."
"What? No, no it can't be, I have to be on time, I have to save him. Marty, tell me where he is!"
Marty looked at Jeff with pain in his eyes, "Wait, Jeff, I'm sorry, but..."
"Marty, tell me where he is! If you found him, then tell me."
"He's over there, far corner, " he pointed, "Jeff, I'm sorry, I am, but it's... he's gone, Jeff."
Jeff looked at Marty, than ran off in the direction Marty pointed. Marty watched Jeff run off, pain in his own eyes, then disappeared.
Jeff ran through the warehouse in the direction that Marty had pointed, tripping over old boxes and pieces of metal as he paid no attention but to focus on where he was going and the boy he must save. Jeff reached the corner of the warehouse, light filtered through a dirty skylight, and the child that Jeff had been searching for, lay on an old metal table with a artificial wood top. Jeff reached the boy, then gasped in horror.
Clive Worthington's naked body was covered in bruises and cuts, he had been stabbed, and lay in a pool of his own blood. His head was pillowed on his school uniform jacket, and his clothes lay in a heap next to the table.
Jeff took a deep breath to steady his nerves, then reached down, checking the boy's pulse, whilst looking away. When he realised there wasn't one, Jeff let out an involuntary groan, then felt sick. He turned from the boy and walked away, then was sick all over the floor of the warehouse. Jeff wiped his mouth on a handkerchief, dropped the handkerchief and then stepped away from the mess. Returning to the body, he hastily covered it with his suit jacket, then reached for his mobile phone and dialed the police. Once he had finished reporting what had happened, he called Jeannie, leaving a message when she didn't answer, then collapsed onto the floor of the warehouse, laying his head on his knees, quietly.
Marty watched his mate, his own eyes filling with ghostly tears, then he felt the presence of another spirit. Marty knelt, looking at the boy, and said softly. "Here, here, it's all over now, Clive, the pain's all gone, and it's over."
The boy pointed at his own body.
"Come with me, you'll be all right," Marty said, then approached the ghost child, gently picked him up and took him upstairs. But, once giving the child's spirit to the care of Wyvern, he immediately returned to Jeff.
When Marty returned, Jeff was still sitting on the floor next to the body, starring straight ahead in shock.
"Jeff," Marty said quietly. When there was no response, he spoke louder, "Jeff! Jeff, say something, please."
But Jeff only sat, starring into space, ignoring Marty as if he couldn't even hear him.
"Jeff, come on, at least let me know that you can hear me! Jeff!" Marty shouted again, "Jeff, come on! Jeff!"
"Marty - what do you want?"
Marty just looked at him, "Well, at least I know you haven't suddenly gone deaf. Jeff... what?"
Jeff looked away, "I can't talk about it, Marty."
"Come on, you can, Jeff, tell me what you're feeling. Tell me sommat!"
Jeff shook his head.
Marty looked at him, but recognised his non-communicative look. "Fine, well, I trust you don't mind if I stay here next to you, Jeff. Because I'm not leaving."
"Yah, sure, whatever, Marty. Suit yourself," then Jeff continued to stare into space.
Marty stood next to him, trying to offer support, and truly frightened by his best mate's reaction.
Once the police had left, Jeff had made his way to the nearest pub, his mind full of the intent to get good and drunk.
He found The Laughing Cavalierand entered, moving straight to the bar, where he ordered a pint of bitter, then took it to a corner table, near the back of the pub. Jeff downed the pint quickly, then returned for another pint, adding a whiskey chaser to his order.
Marty appeared next to Jeff in the dark corner of the bar, "Jeff, What are you doing?"
"What do you think, Marty?" Jeff snapped, angrily.
"Don't, come on, you know how you get when you've had too much to drink, Jeff!"
"Marty, it doesn't matter what you think and you can't stop me."
Marty looked at Jeff with hurt in his eyes. Jeff looked up and saw his mate's expression, then deliberately picked up the full whiskey chaser and downed it in one gulp.
Marty looked at him, then said carefully, "You need to stop, you know what too much drinking does to you," Marty paused then said, "I don't want to see you like this, Jeff, I don't."
"Then leave," Jeff snapped.
Marty looked at him, "No, Jeff, you need me too much right now."
Jeff looked at his mate, then his tone softened, "Maybe you're right, Marty, maybe I should stop, but I just don't think I can," Jeff raised his pint and finished it, "I... it will help me to forget, I think," Jeff stood up and walked to the bar to get himself another pint.
Marty watched Jeff walk to the bar, then shook his head, when Jeff returned to his seat, Marty said, "Jeff, all this is doing is making you even more depressed. It's not helping."
Jeff nodded, "I know that, Marty, I do."
Marty groaned in frustration, "Then why, Jeff?"
"I don't know," Jeff answered.
Marty groaned again, then saw Jeannie approaching through the smoky haze of the pub, she'll help him, he thought, then said, "I need to go, Jeff," without waiting for a response he disappeared.
At that moment Jeff noticed Jeannie approaching through the smoky haze of the pub.
"Jeff?" she asked, approaching his table.
"Jeannie...What are you doing here?"
"More's the question, why are you here? You don't drink, Jeff, not like this."
"There's a landlord over there at the bar that would disagree with that, Jeannie."
"Jeff, I've been to the warehouse, I know what you found, but getting drunk..."
He interrupted her, "...is exactly what I'm doing."
Jeannie looked at him, sitting down across from him at the table, "Why?"
"Why?... If you'd been to the warehouse, you know why, Jeannie," Jeff replied nastily.
Jeannie looked at him, again, shocked by the tone. "Jeff, it wasn't your fault. You did everything you could to find the Worthington boy. Jeff..." she took his hand, "You did everything you possibly could."
"And it wasn't enough. Jeannie, just leave me be. Maybe when I've sobered-up we can talk, but right now, all I want is to get enough pints in me to forget seeing Marty's body in that warehouse. Now, Jeannie, leave me be."
"Marty? Jeff, What are you talking about?"
Jeff looked at her, then said, "I said Marty? I meant Clive Worthington, of course I did."
Jeannie looked at him strangely.
"Jeannie, I... Jeannie he was..." Jeff stopped for a minute, then said, "I found Clive's body, Jeannie, and he'd been... it was awful, horrible..." Jeff shuddered, then continued while staring at his pint, "And right now, all I want is to forget what I saw."
Jeannie again looked at him, then said deliberately, "Jeff, I think you've had enough to drink, come on, I'll take you home."
Jeff leaned forward across the table, "No, Jeannie, I'm all right."
"You're not, Jeff!" said Jeannie, reaching out towards him.
"Leave me alone!" said Jeff, pulling away sharply from her. The table rocked, and both Jeff and Jeannie lost their balance and fell to the floor. Jeff shook himself, and rolled, then pushed himself up, "Jeannie?"
Jeannie sat stunned, next to her chair, on the floor of the pub.
The patrons of the pub were now all staring at them. "Hey, what did you do?" said one man, before walking towards Jeannie.
Jeff shrank back against the wall of the pub, and whimpered, "Nothing! I didn't... I'm sorry, Jeannie. Jeannie, are you all right? Jeannie?"
Jeannie had recovered herself, as the man who'd spoken earlier helped her up, "Are you all right, miss?"
"I'm fine, thank you," said Jeannie, brushing herself off, and moving towards Jeff.
Jeff stood, approaching Jeannie, "Are you all right? Jeannie, I'm sorry. It really was an accident, Jeannie, I didn't mean..." Jeff trailed off, and looked pointedly at her stomach, then he turned away from her, "Jeannie, I am so sorry. I'm sorry. Get away from me, Jeannie, before you get hurt."
Jeannie walked over to him, putting a hand on his shoulder, "Jeff, I'm fine. I know it was an accident, I know you didn't mean it, but will you please let me take you home?"
Jeff turned towards her, his eyes full of desolation.
Jeannie gasped at the look in his eyes, "Jeff?"
"Take me home, Jeannie," Jeff finally said, quietly.
Jeannie took his arm, "Come on, then," and led him out of the pub.
They left the pub and stood in the cool night air for a moment.
Jeff looked at her contritely, "Jeannie, I'm sorry. It was an accident, I didn't mean for you to fall. You sure you're all right? Jeannie..." Jeff looked pointedly at her stomach, "You are all right, aren't you?" Jeff brought his hands, knuckles in, to his face and turned away, "God, I'm pathetic, what is wrong with me?"
Jeannie put a hand on Jeff's shoulder, "Jeff, I'm fine. Maybe you should sleep it off, first, but we do need to talk, all right?"
Jeff nodded, quietly.
Jeannie took his arm and guided him to her car.
"What about my car?" asked Jeff, as they passed his own.
"You are certainly not capable of driving Jeff, we'll get it in the morning."
"Might have solved all my problems, though," Jeff muttered then he walked around to the passenger side of Jeannie's convertible.
Jeannie looked at Jeff as he walked away from her, she opened the driver's side door and got in, then turned in the seat towards Jeff, "What did you mean, Jeff?"
Marty appeared in the back seat, "Jeff, I think we need to talk."
Jeff looked at Marty, then at Jeannie, and said quietly, "Jeannie, I... it was merely a thought, a whim, but... driving off in my car, tonight, when I've, when I've had too much to drink, the likely result might have solved my problems for me."
Jeannie gasped, as did Marty. Then Jeannie put a hand on Jeff's arm, "Jeff, you need to talk to me. You need to talk right now. If your thoughts are so dark, so casually, it's more than one night of drinking."
Jeff looked at her, then he looked at Marty, then he said, quietly, "I can't explain it. Jeannie, I... I haven't felt right since Sir Worthington walked into the office. And... and I keep thinking about Marty, Jeannie."
"You mentioned him earlier, Jeff, what are you thinking?"
Jeff looked at Marty, then turned his head towards Jeannie and said, "I'm... I'm beginning to feel like I'd be better off if I joined him."
"No, god, Jeff, no, you can't," said Jeannie.
Marty looked at Jeff in shock, his eyes full of pain, "No, Jeff, please don't, please..."
"You think so? It's not like it isn't something I've tried before, Jeannie."
"What? My god, Jeff!"
Jeff turned away and looked out of the window, then said quietly, "He was thirteen, that boy was thirteen, Jeannie, and he's dead because I couldn't save him!"
"Jeff, it was not your fault!" Marty shouted at him, startling Jeff.
Jeannie carefully put a hand to Jeff's face and turned him towards her, "It wasn't your fault, Jeff. It wasn't. You did everything you could."
"Wasn't enough, though, was it, Jeannie?"
"Jeff, I think you need to talk to someone. I do. A professional, Jeff."
Jeff shrank into the corner of the car seat and didn't answer.
"Jeff, come on, snap out of it!" Marty insisted.
"Jeff, please, I've already lost Marty, I can't lose you too!" yelled Jeannie, tears in her eyes and her voice.
Jeff, shivered, and broke himself out of his trance-like state, then said, carefully, "You won't, Jeannie, I'm all right. I'm sorry, it was only a passing thought. And I'm drunk, Jeannie, I mean, obviously. Too much alcohol always depresses me, Jeannie."
Jeannie nodded, "Jeff, please tell me that you're not just saying that."
"I'm all right," Jeff turned to her and put a hand on her arm, "I'm okay, really, Jeannie, just take me home. I need to sleep."
"Look after him for me, Jeannie," Marty whispered, even though he knew she couldn't hear him.
Jeannie looked at him with concern, then started the car, "All right, Jeff, but I'm not going to forget about this conversation."
"Um-hum," Jeff mumbled, then turned towards the car door, and settled in for a sleep.
Marty disappeared.
Jeannie pulled the car out of the car park and onto the road, but muttered to herself, "Jeff, I need you, and I'm going to look after you. I won't lose you, not so soon after Marty, I won't."
They had arrived at Jeff's flat, and Jeannie held Jeff's arm as she brought him into his flat. She saw to it that he sat on the sofa, first, then turned and shut the outer door of the flat. Then Jeannie walked over to the sofa.
Jeff sat, staring into space, not moving, and not speaking. Marty appeared behind him and said, "Jeff? What is it?"
Jeannie sat next to Jeff on the sofa and said to him, "Jeff, What is it? Come on, talk to me, Jeff."
Jeff shook his head and pulled away from her.
Jeannie shook her head, "Jeff, come on, just talk, say something, Jeff."
Jeff simply sat, frozen, not talking and not moving.
Jeannie sighed, then said, "All right, then, how about sleeping, Jeff? Can you do that?"
Jeff finally reacted, standing up with a sigh, then saying, "I'm not a child, Jeannie, I just do not want to talk about it. Can't you accept that? For once, Jeannie, stop telling me to talk to you."
Jeannie nodded at him, "All right, Jeff, let's get you into bed, then, all right?"
Jeff nodded, allowed Jeannie to lead him to the bedroom, once there, he turned to Jeannie, "I can get myself undressed, Jeannie, and I'm fine," he stopped, looked at her doubtful expression and continued, "Okay, I'm not fine but... Jeannie, listen, I desperately need some sleep, and I regret what I said in the car park, I'm not that messed up, Jeannie. You can leave, all right? Go."
Jeannie nodded at him, "I'll sleep on the sofa, Jeff," then she started for the bedroom door.
"You don't need to stay, Jeannie," Jeff called after her.
Jeannie stopped, frozen, turned and said, "Yes, I do, Jeff. I do. I owe it to Marty to stay with you tonight."
"To Marty? You owe it to Marty?"
With a hand on her stomach, Jeannie nodded, "He would never have left you alone, when you are like this, Jeff. Never. And neither will I, so don't even try to change my mind. Get ready for bed. Get some sleep. We'll talk in the morning."
Marty stood between Jeff and Jeannie and said, "You tell him, Jeannie, I wouldn't have left him. And I will stay, as long as I can."
Jeff looked from Jeannie to Marty to Jeannie and caved in, "Okay. You can stay, Jeannie. Do you need pillows, a blanket, anything?"
"I'll find it. Get ready for bed, and then sleep, Jeff."
Jeff nodded.
Jeff shut the door behind Jeannie, then took off his tie and jacket, and dropped them to the floor. He moved to the bed and sat, then began to undress himself.
"Jeff?" asked Marty quietly.
"Yeah, what is it?" Jeff answered, tiredly.
"Jeff, um, you scared me earlier tonight."
Jeff nodded, "I know. I'm sorry."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"No. Yes. Maybe. I don't know, Marty. Right now, I'm so tired I can't think, and it might be better if I did get some sleep."
Marty nodded, "All right, I know you're tired. Go on, then, go to sleep. But if you want to talk, Jeff, think of me. Think hard, Jeff, and I'll feel it, okay? I mean, I know I've never explained it to you, but it works both ways, I think about you and here I am, or you think about me and I can feel that, and I'll come to you. Okay?"
Jeff nodded, "You can really feel it when I think about you, Marty? Really?"
Marty nodded, "Yah, I can, Jeff."
Jeff looked at Marty, awed, "Can you read my thoughts?"
"No, but I can... Jeff, I've known you forever, and I've always felt that I can tell what your feeling or thinking. Even when I was alive, I could tell what you were thinking or feeling, most of the time. Now, I can... sometimes I can..."
"You can read my feelings? My emotions?" said Jeff.
"Yes, Jeff," Marty answered, looking down at the floor.
Jeff looked up at Marty, "It's all right, Marty, I felt the same way when... when you were alive, I knew what you were feeling, what you were thinking, I did. I understand what you mean, Marty, really."
Marty nodded again, "So I'm very worried about you, Jeff. I felt something, something very dark and wrong with you and I went to you and you were talking to Jeannie in the car. Jeff, I..." Marty stopped, changing his mind, "No, you need to sleep, Jeff, go ahead and rest now, and we will talk in the morning. Or tonight, if you need me."
Jeff nodded, again, "Marty, thanks. I'm glad you were here, with me, tonight," then he crawled under the covers.
Marty sighed, watching Jeff settle in to sleep, and thought, I only wish I was physically here, Jeff. I wish I could hold you right now.Then he disappeared.
