Noble Memoirs
by Nicol Leoraine
Chapter 8
The walk around the castle wasn´t as relaxing as Nick though it would be. He was looking around too much, feeling insecure in the open space. Janet luckily didn´t notice his nervousness, or simply didn´t react to it. She felt totally secure in Nick´s presence and enjoyed the garden.
"I think you´re lucky," Janet spoke, while trailing the surface of the lying lion statue on the end of the gardens.
"Why?" Nick asked, confused.
"Alex told me about your amnesia... I´m sorry, Nick."
He stopped and looked at her.
"So why do you think I´m lucky?"
"You know, if something like that happened to me, I think I would´ve lost it. I don´t have family... my father died three years ago and mother, well - you can say we don´t go along very good. And she´s living in Canada."
"My father´s also dead, Janet... and I didn´t talk with my mother since the accident. I don´t even know how she looks like. I´m just as alone as you."
Janet shook her head and smiled.
"No Nick, you´re not. I spent in this house only few hours but I can see that they care about you greatly. To an outsider, you look like family, Nick. No memories can change that."
With this said, she resumed her walk. Nick dumbly looked at her back, then caught up with her - but neither one spoke for a long time.
When they returned, the sky was slowly getting dark. Derek approached them, frowning at Nick in disapproval.
"It would be better if you two don´t leave the castle today."
"We´re not planning to," Nick cut off, confused by his reaction.
"It´s not safe, Nick. Lopez can be around here. You two are his prime targets."
"I know this," Nick replied.
"I´m sorry, Dr. Rayne. I just needed to take some air and the shore looked inviting." Janet said, sensing the tension.
Derek smiled at her, then at Nick.
"The dinner will be ready in a hour. Your room is already prepared, so if you want to rest..."
"Yes, thank you, it sounds good."
"Mitchell? Please, escort Ms. Powell to her room," Derek said to the buttler and Nick spun around, not even realizing his presence. Mitchell pointed at the stairs and with a smile led Janet to her room.
"You like her." It was more of a constation than a question and Nick blushed.
"Yeah," he admitted, not knowing why.
"You must understood Nick that you´re both still in danger. Lopez is smart, he can probably get through our security system. I need you to concentrate on this - not on the girl."
Nick was about to protest, but Derek continued.
"When this ends, you can do what you want. But right now - her and your life is more important. Don´t let her distraught you."
"I was careful, Derek. And I know Gerry was watching our back."
"You saw him?" Derek was impressed and Nick chuckled.
"Hell, yeah. If he wasn´t a ghost, even Janet would see him."
"The point is - don´t pull any stunt here, Nick. You´re not one hundred percent and we can´t afford to lose you. Now - why don´t you use that hour and get some rest? If I remember correctly, Dr. Goddard ordered it rather then jumping in the way of a motorbike."
Nick swalloved his protest and with a shrug left to his room. The bed didn´t sound so bad after all.
They were in the middle of the dinner - rather silent one if Alex should tell, when Mitchell interrupted them.
"You have a phone, Dr. Rayne, from Detective Preston."
All heads turned up and Derek stood.
"Thank you, Mitchell. Excuse me," Derek apologized and left the table. Nick stood and followed him. The Precept only frowned at him, but knew it would be futile to send him back, so he just put the call on the speaker, so they could both hear it.
"Detective Preston. I´m glad you called. Did you caught him?"
"I´m afraid I don´t have such good news, Dr. Rayne."
Derek sighed and Nick eased himself in one of the chairs.
"What happened?"
"We´ve got an adress from that licence plate. It was registered to one Kurt Holton. We get a search warrant, but Lopez was gone."
"Was he even there?"
"Oh yes, he was. Actually, he lived in the house for the last three weeks."
"Under his own name?" Derek wondered.
"No, he had a passport for the name Jake Brant, but we pulled out his photo from the archive and Holton identified him."
"What was he doing there for three weeks?"
"Looks like first few days nothing much. He stayed in the room, eat only pizza and china. Kolton mentioned something about notebook - looks like Lopez had an internet connection. Don´t ask me where a man who was last twenty years in prison got such a technology and money in that short a time.
After few days, Jake Brant - or rather Lopez - asked Holton where he can get some car or motorbike. Looks like Holton sold him his own under the agreement that once Lopez won´t need it, he will sell it back to Holton, but only for half the price. Holton of course agreed."
"So what happened? Why didn´t you catch him?" Nick asked nervously.
"Ah, Mr. Boyle. Well, looks like your intervention in Berkeley scared Lopez. He hurriedly packed, returned the motorbike to Holton and said good-bye. Holton said he took a cab. We´re currently checking with the taxi services but if Lopez had a little brain, he used also other means of transport."
"So... you lost him?"
"I´m afraid so."
"Damn," Nick hit the table, earning a scowl from Derek.
"I´m sending to you two police officers - for your security."
"That´s unnecessary-" Nick started but Preston stopped him.
"I don´t think so, Mr. Boyle. Lopez had enough reason to kill not just you and Ms. Powell, but also the other members of your Foundation. If he´ll get desperate - and I believe he just got - you won´t be safe."
"I agree with you, detective Preston," Derek calmly commented and Nick looked at him with surprise.
"But I think you´ll have to wait till tomorrow."
"Why?"
"Because the last ferry just left the island and it won´t return till early morning." They both could hear the sigh on the other end of the line.
"Okay, tomorrow morning, then. Look, Dr. Rayne - if you have any problems at all... call me. We can get someone through by Coast Guards."
"Thank you, detective. Good night."
"What now?" Nick asked as Derek severed the connection.
"We´ll wait."
"Great," Nick sighed and shook his head. "The others won´t like it."
Derek shrugged.
"Who likes it? But we have to be prepared. Lopez can already be on the Island."
"Do you have cameras around there?"
"Yeah, the security system is good."
"I´d like to check it out."
Derek smiled and pointed at the computers around them.
"It´s all yours."
It was almost midnight and Nick was ruefully yawning, when the Precept entered the Control room and swiftly kicked the security chief out, ushering him to the bed. Nick protested that he wasn´t tired, but another head splitting yawn interrupted him. Derek just pushed him out of the control room, resuming his place behind the monitors.
"Nick!" It was Gerry and he sounded urgent. Nick opened one eye, then the other.
"What-?"
"He´s there. Lopez is in the house!"
This worked like a cold shower on Nick as he bolted upright. For a second he saw stars. Gerry shimmered before his eyes and Nick felt lightheaded - but it passed. Nick quickly pulled up his pants and grabbed for the gun.
"Where? What´s Derek doing?"
"Back entrance - I think he´s in the kitchen."
"Warn Derek!" Nick hissed and Gerry vanished.
Eyeing the gun only a second, Nick took it. The cold metal felt reassuring.
Janet´s door wasn´t locked and Nick let himself in. Quietly, he walked to the bed and watched the sleeping woman. She was beautiful and he could´ve watched her for hours, but this wasn´t the right time.
"Hey, sleeping beauty. Wake up," he shook her and Janet´s eyes shot open. She didn´t recognize him right away so she yelped in scare. Nick put his palm on her mouth.
"Hush, that´s me, Nick. We need to be quiet."
"What... Nick?" Finally the recognition set in and she eyed him with confusion.
"Lopez is here. We need to move."
Her eyes went wide with fear, but she nodded and get out of the bed, grabbing for her jeans and shirt. Nick just now realized she was in her lingerie and his heart skipped a beat. Sensing his look, Janet frowned at him and Nick turned around.
"Okay, go to the bathroom and lock the doors. I´ll warn the others."
"Wait!" Janet hissed, stopping him. "I´m not staying here, alone."
"Just lock yourself-"
"And what if he get´s here and finds me alone in the bathroom, unarmed? He can knock the door open easily," she added, seeing his protest.
"So what do you propose?"
"I´m coming with you."
Nick opened his mouth to argue, then thought better of it. If she´ll be with him, he can at least protect her.
"Okay," he sighed. "But you´ll listen to me, understood? No stunts."
Janet snorted.
"Look who´s talking."
Nick turned and was out of the room, Janet close on his heels.
Derek almost had a heart attack when Gerry shouted at him to wake up. The Precept jumped, knocking the chair down with a crash. The sound startled him even more.
"I fell asleep," he mumbled, cursing himself.
"Yep. And Lopez is here," Gerry announced. Derek froze, his eyes on the monitors. They were still working, except the one monitoring the back entrance leading to the kitchen. It played only static.
"Damn it! Warn Nick!"
"I already did."
"Where´s he now?"
"With Janet. We should wake the others," Gerry suggested and Derek nodded.
"I´ll take care of it - you find Lopez. We need to know where he is."
Gerry nodded and was gone. Derek wanted to kick himself, but there was no time. He needed to move. Getting out of the control room he stopped in the library. Was Lopez already here? He hoped Gerry would inform him soon enough.
Nick swiftly woke Alex, while Derek took care about Philip. They were now standing in the foyer before Derek´s office. Whispering like kids after curfew and waiting for Gerry.
"You go to the Control room," Nick said to Alex and Janet. The women looked at each other, rolling their eyes.
"We can take care of ourselves,"
"Yeah, well... humour me. I want you safe so we can concentrate on catching Lopez."
"Nick is right. Philip, take Alex and Janet to the Control room. You can also call Preston, he will send help."
"Wait - we need to know where´s Lopez. I´m not running around blind," Alex said.
"Gerry?" Nick hissed. Janet shot him a weird look but he ignored it as Gerry appeared.
"Where is he?"
"Currently? Breakfast room, but he´s moving to the hall."
"Okay, he´s still down, you can go."
"How do you-" Janet wanted to ask, but Derek stopped her.
"Believe him, he knows."
"What about you? Nick is the only one with a gun," Janet pointed out.
"We´ll be careful. Now go."
As Philip and the women run for the library, Derek headed for his office. Opening one of the cabinets, he pulled out a crossbow and several darts.
"Okay, we need to stop Lopez. Gerry, watch him and let us know. Nick - come on. We have work to do."
They made it down the stairs, trying to be as silent as it was possible.
"He´s gone - I lost him!" Gerry said just inches from them and both Nick and Derek jumped, startled.
"Gosh, don´t do this to me," Nick whispered and with his free hand rubbed at his ribs.
"How could you lose him?"
"I don´t know, but he´s not on the ground floor anymore. Think he could made it up the other stairs?"
"Doubt it," Nick commented.
"What then? Basement?"
Derek´s head shot up.
"There´s the generator. If he wanted to cut us off..."
"Basement´s it then,"
With mutual understanding, they headed down - Gerry checking the terraine before them.
Alex was first in the Library and she quickly vanished in the Control room. Janet stayed out with Philip, glaring at the wall in confusion. Philip almost chuckled, her face bore the same look as Nick´s just the day before.
Alex turned off the hologram so Janet could get in without having to put in her scan. It was much faster this way. Once Janet stumbled inside, Alex turned the hologram on and gave a relieved sigh.
"Wow," Janet exclaimed, looking around the Control room.
"Yeah, Nick reacted the same."
"What... who the hell are you, people?"
"Long story, one we will tell you later. Now I think we should call the cops," Philip said and Alex already held the receiver and dialed the numbers.
"Detective Preston? We-" The lights went out, the computers shut down and the hologram vanished. The phone was silent. "-have a problem," Alex added and put down the receiver.
"What happened?"
"The energy is out. He probably messed with our generator."
"O-kay, I don´t want to whine, but..." Janet looked around in growing panic, "what will we do?"
"We need to call back-up, and we need to find some safe place," Philip said with equally growing fear. He was a priest but they were not dealing with an angry spirit right now. No amount of praying would stop a crazy man and Philip hoped that Nick and Derek get Lopez, before anyone got hurt.
"Why don´t you use a cell phone?"
"Derek´s office. His cell will be there, and there´s also a pretty good lock on the doors." Thus said, they left the control room hoping that Lopez didn´t get past Nick and Derek.
The basement was dark and an unknown for Nick. His memories were back only partially, much of it just thoughts relating to his Journal. Philip gave him a pretty good tour through the castle, but it didn´t involve the basement. So even if Nick was the one with a gun, Derek led him through the darkness. True, Gerry was ahead of them, but there were many junctions. Even if Gerry wanted to find Lopez, he couldn´t link to him like he wanted. Obviously, it worked only with people he knew or liked, not with his own killer.
Nick stopped, glancing behind him. It was too dark to see more than shadows, but he wasn´t really looking. Sometimes, people had to rely on other sense. Nick learned in the seals that your hearing could save you just like good eyes. Of course, he didn´t remember it now, but the knowledge was still there, the instincts working just the same.
And Nick heard something.
A slight rustle, clothes rubbing together. And it came from behind him. Nick spun around and fired as the shadow ran for the door. The others also turned as Nick fired two other times. One of the bullets hit its target, because Lopez yelped and slightly stumbled. But he was too close to the door and with a push, he was outside. Nick was only three yards from them, when he heard the clicking of the lock.
"Damn it!" he shouted and grabbed for the knob. Nothing happened.
"He locked us!"
"Gerry, where is he now?" Derek frantically asked. Gerry vanished just for a second.
"Heading up the stairs. And I should inform you, the energy is out, and the hologram is down."
"Shit," Nick angrilly hit the door and took three steps back.
"What are you doing?"
"We have to get out. He´ll kill them, Derek!"
"We do it together," the Precept suggested. Nick only nodded.
"On three. One - two - three!"
And they hurled themselves at the door, which gave a crackling sound and let them out. Both Nick and Derek fell on the floor, feeling the pain from their shoulders. Nick clutched at his chest and moaned, but the anger and fear for Janet gave him energy to stand.
"Hurry," he mumbled to Derek and they ran up the stairs, hoping they weren´t late.
Philip heard the shots just as they ran through the hall to Derek´s office. They stopped for a second, frozen with fear. Philip nervously thought if he should get down and help them, but then looked at Alex and Janet, both watching him with scared eyes.
With a sigh and silent prayer for his friends, Philip turned away and pointed to the office. The girls just nodded and followed him inside.
Unknown to them, Lopez was near behind them. It took him only a moment to run up the stairs, and he managed it in relative silence - Nick and Derek made enough noise to hide his movements. He watched as the trio get inside the room, his left arm gripping the gash on his side from Nick´s bullet. But it wasn´t enough to stop him, Lopez sneered and stood by the doors, bloodied hand on the handle, while the other gripped the knife.
"Lock the door!" Alex shouted at Philip, while she frantically searched Derek´s table for the cell phone.
Lopez waited. He heard steps, felt the knob in his hand slightly turning. With all his force, Lopez lunged himself at the door and burst into the room.
The door connected with the priest, the force throwing him to the wall and down the floor. Philip didn´t know what hit him. He lay crumpled on the carpet, unconscious.
Janet screamed as both she and Alex tried to get away from Lopez. They were now standing behind the table, simultaneously watching Lopez and the door behind him - hoping for Nick or Derek to appear here.
"Come here," Lopez smiled at Janet, sending shivers through her body.
"W-what do you want?" she stuttered.
"Ah, just a little payback. Come here and I won´t kill the others."
"He´s lying," Alex warned Janet needlessly.
"Shut up, bitch!" Lopez yelled, the knife in his hand raised, ready to strike. Alex and Janet shrinked back.
"Really, Jane... I won´t hurt them," the madness was shining from his eyes and Janet shook her head, grasping Alex´s arm for support.
"What about Nick?" stalling time was the only thing keeping them alive.
"Boyle! I´ll kill him - slowly!" Lopez sneered, then spit, showing his intentions.
"Enough of this." He took a step forward, then collapsed on the floor when a vase collided with his skull. There stood Philip, swaying slightly, the remains of the vase in his hand.
"Run!" the priest shouted and Alex with Janet quickly obeyed. They were just out of the door, when Lopez came to himself. With a growl he pulled Philip down and kicked him in the stomach, then knocked him unconscious with a right hook. Once the priest was still, Lopez frantically searched for his knife.
"Philip!" Alex shouted as she bumped into Derek.
"He´s there - with Lopez!" Janet specified and never thought to be so glad for the gun in Nick´s hand.
While Derek sent both women away, Nick was already gone.
Lopez found his knife and was rushing out of the room, when he collided with Nick. They both fell, Nick´s gun flying through the air and landing out of their reach.
Nick was winded by the collision and Lopez used it to his advantage, when he kicked the ex-seal in the stomach. As Nick curled up, Lopez neared him with the knife.
Nick lay there, moaning in pain and Lopez was sure he wOn. With an evil grin he came closer. It was a mistake, as he realised when Nick kneed him in the groin. Lopez gave an unhuman cry and grabbed at his tender parts, cursing Nick to hell.
The ex-seal looked for his gun - spotted it lying two yards from him and jumped for it. Lopez saw it too - pushed back the pain and lunged for the pistol.
Nick knew he lost as Lopez raised the gun and pointed it at his head.
"I wanted to make it slow - and painful, but I don´t have time. It´s a real pity," Lopez said, looking like he would really rather have some fun. "Send my greetings to your dad, Boyle. Burn in hell."
Nick closed his eyes, not wanting to see the bullett. Lopez´ finger curled around the trigger.
"No!"
It wasn´t Nick who screamed, and it wasn´t Derek nor Philip.
Lopez gasped as an image appeared between him and his target. An image of a man, who he killed.
"No, this can´t... you´re dead!" Lopez screamed, his hand shaking from horror.
"Yeah, well - hell can be closer than you think." Gerry Stelton stood there, shielding Nick with his body.
"No! I will kill you, I will!" Just as the grasp on the gun tightened, something swished through the air, through the image of Gerry Stelton, embeding itself in Lopez´ heart.
With a gurgled gasp, the man fell to the floor. The dart protruding from his chest was turning crimson as the blood seeped through. Nick looked up from the floor and sighed out in relief. Here stood Derek, the crossbow still in hand.
"It´s over?" Janet appeared in the door.
"Yes, it is over," Nick whispered as Lopez breathed out for the last time.
Philip opened his eyes with a moan and Alex helped him up, while Nick checked Lopez. He didn´t find a pulse.
"Are you okay, Philip?"
"A little beat, nothing serious," the priest said and knelt down next to the body. Even if the man wanted to kill him and his friends, he gave him his last rites.
Janet came to Nick and he hugged her, trying to calm down the shivers running through her body. Derek just watched the scene, glad that everyone was all right.
"You´re free," Nick said to Gerry, who was standing aside. His eyes held content and peace, something Nick never saw before.
"Yes, I´m free," Gerry replied and Janet looked up from Nick´s shoulder.
"Who are you?" she asked and Nick looked at her, surprised.
"You see him?"
She shot him a look, but nodded.
"I see him too," Philip stated.
"I wanted to thank you - all of you. My time had come and I have to go. Thanks and... good bye." he smiled as a bright light engulfed him. It was so strong that they had to cover their eyes. When the light vanished, Gerry was gone and they were left with the body of one Frederick Lopez.
Nick´s Journal Entry
It´s already a week from Lopez´ death, and almost all my memories are back. The few days I didn´t had them, I realized one thing. Only weeks ago I wanted to forget everything bad that ever happened to me. I longed for a clean bill, a new start. But now I know that is not possible. Even with an amnesia, I was pulled back into my old life. I think my life in the Legacy was a given, something I couldn´t - and shouldn´t change. I found there much more than just a job. I found my family.
Now I´m treasuring every memory - even those bad. Because our past made us who we are and what we are. And we should respect it.
Epilogue
"Call me," Janet whispered and put a paper with her number into Nick´s hand. He looked at it and smiled.
"I will," he replied with a grin.
The cops just left the castle with Lopez in the body bag. It was already morning, but no one wanted to sleep. Janet longed for her tiny apartment in Berkeley, for a hot shower and a soft bed. Nick on the other hand felt full of energy. He had several flashbacks through the morning, good and bad alike. His memories were returning and for a moment he felt good. Janet´s presence only emphasized it.
With no one wanting to kill them, the atmosphere eased.
"Wanna grab some breakfast in the city?" Nick suggested, his stomach grumbling at the idea. Janet laughed.
"Why not," she agreed.
Derek rolled his eyes - he himself felt wiped and wondered just how could these two have any energy left.
"Here, take my car. But be careful, Nick. Don´t want to see a scratch."
Nick grabbed the keys with enthusiasm, when another flashback hit him and he frowned.
"Ah, Derek?"
The Precept turned.
"Just where the hell is my Mustang!"
THE END
A/N: Hope you liked this, because it´s the end, folks. This story was written in 2000, when they still aired the show. As they stopped with the second season, the only contact I had was through the net. The fics there kept me a fan of the show, even if I didn´t watch it for the last four years. Thus, it was a little hard to maintain a correct characterization. Also, this was much more a re-write than a translation:-)
Your reviews kept me going, and I hope you´ll find a time and send me a note as to what you think - not just about this last chapter, but about the story as a whole. Thank you.
Now I can work on the Road Not Taken, so - check it out.
