"Boheiman Rhapshody" part ( )

Chapter 11: "Madness caught another victim"

The Ecto-M has never pulled into a parking space or a garage as fast as it did this day. Entering the garage ajacent to Doom Patrol's HQ at a high velocity, Statler nearly broke the break pedal off as he safely guided the car to a sudden halt.

"OUT, NOW!" screamed Rob. "Take whatever equipment you can grab and hi-tail it into the lobby!"

CJ and Salina exit from the backdoors of Ecto-M and make their way to the rear of the car. "We only have enough time to grab the packs from back, nothing else.", CJ stated. "Then that's all we're gonna need", replied Statler with a serious tone in his voice. Andrew while sitting in the passenger side this entire only now exits the car. "Move it Andy! Brian's on his way here", yelled CJ as he and Salina walk by before following Rob through the side door within the garage. Andrew slowly walks towards the entrance to the garage bay as he removes his sword from his sheath. "What's on it's way here is only filled with the puriest of evil. That sure as hell ain't Brian." Unknown to Andrew, Salina has been watching him from the doorway since she initally walked past a minute ago. With a concerned look on her face she hesitantly turns towards the door and makes her way inside.

Rob sticks his head back out through the side door looking for Andrew. "Hey, you coming or are you waiting for the damn Pizza Delivery man?" Andrew slowly turns turns around and grabs his pack from the rack shutting the rear door. He didn't bother to shut the bay door, for what they were about to encouter no measly garage door could prevent from getting in. Andrew runs through the door and up the stairs to find the rest of the crew near the front desk with Erin.

"What's going on!", Erin states worringly. "Brian is on his way here, and he isn't leaving until we are all dead", states CJ. "Oh No!...He couldn't fight it any longer could he... He's...He's gone isn't he?", Erin asks distressed. "...I'm afraid so Erin..", replied Statler hesitantly. "We all need to get into defensive positions. I have an idea, but it's the only one and I'm not sure if it will work", said CJ. "Brian may not be an appariton but there is something inside him that is. If we can get a trap under him we may be able to seperate whatever has changed him from his body", added CJ. "What if there isn't anything within him. What if...he really made that choice on his own to turn on us.", stated Andrew with coldness in his voice not rarely heard often. "I refuse to believe that Andrew. I refuse.", said Rob firmly. "Alright, enough of the chit-chat guys. Time for action", said CJ confidentally. "Rob, stay behind the desk and protect Erin.", barked CJ. "Check!", stated Statler. "Salina you take the corridor to the right, I'll take the one to the left. Don't reveal your positions until I give the signal. Taking Brian by surpise may be our only chance", said CJ. "Andrew, go upstairs and get a trap, get on top of the roof and wait for Brian to enter the building. As soon has he does, quietly take the front door and wait for my signal", stated CJ. Salina and CJ start to talk off to their respective corridors but not before Andrew grabs Salina's shoulder. She turns around to face him and for the first time Andrew sees something in her eyes he's never seen before...fear.

"What's wrong?", stated Andrew. "What do you mean?", replied Salina. "You you haven't said a word for the past 20 minutes. That's..That's not like you. You're usually calm and collective", said Andrew. Salina pauses for a moment, looking down at the floor as if she was going to reveal a hidden secret. "I'm...I'm scared Andrew. For the first time in my life I'm scared. I've never been scared of anything until now", said Salina sounding somewhat resistant.

"It's ok to feel that way. We're all scared. We have to face one of our own", said Andrew calmly. "No. you don't get it", Salina stated harshly. "What are you talki--", Andrew tried to say before he was cut off. "I'm scared...I'm scared for YOU!", Salina stated clearly as she tried to be strong. Andrew stood there in awe looking into her eyes. As much as she was trying to be strong Andrew could see through that. He could see her eyes start to water. She quickly turned away as if to hide something and she continued on to her post with out looking over her shoulder.

Chapter 12: "When Darkness Falls"

Andrew turns around facing the front door out in the open with his sword out. "What the hell are you doing! Get upstairs Andrew!", shouted Rob from behind the desk. He doesn't respond, not even with a glance. His focus continues to remain on the front door. Through the inter-personel communicator on his shoulder (similar to the ones police officers wear) Rob could hear the voice of CJ coming through about to have to a nervous breakdown. "What the fuck is he doing?" Rob presses the button in on the shoulder communicator. "I think he's lost his god damned mind Ceej", replied Rob in disbelief. Salina comes through on Andrew's communicator if only for a moment. "Don't do this Andrew. Don't!", she cries out. Without taking his eyes off the door Andrew raises his arm and presses the button on the two-way. "I have to. There is no other way around this.", states Andrew in a surpisingly calm voice. He then proceeds to rip the two-way off his shoulder and out from beneath his trenchcoat tossing it aside like garbage.

Crouching behind Erin, Statler places his positron glider on the desk with his right hand, still keeping it on the trigger. Deafining silence sweeps throughout the building. Waiting for the reaper is never fun. Suddenly a rapidy growing swell of power is felt from all directions coming closer and closer with every passing second. It is at this point that CJ notices that all the clocks have stopped and began to run counter-clockwise. The feeling of the swell seems to be getting "louder" as time moves...backwards as it seems. It begins to have a cresendo effect building up to a conclusion that would feel no less than an atomic bomb going off. Then everything stops, and silence takes over. Everyone aside from Andrew braces for somekind of impact, fearing the worst.

White light fills what was once black cracks in the front doors, reaching almost sun-like blindness. Without a moments notice the doors are ripped from their hinges and sent hurtling past Andrew hitting the walls of the right and left corridors which his fellow teammates are hiding behind. Upon impact the doors melt into the walls becoming a permanent fixure in the Doom Patrol Headquarters. Just like a bad pun, the most vile and demonic force ever felt within the confines of these walls steps into the light, which now occupies a big gap in what used to be the front door. Brian, or what is now left of him stands before the remaining Doom Patrol team. However his appearance is much...much different. Long gone is his specially designed monk inspired flight suit. In it's place is a one piece tunic. The top is like a sleeveless vest with the bottom end covering his feet like a trench coat. In the center of the vest was a strange large symbol. It was an eye in the center of triangle which in turn was in the center of a circle. Within the circle surrounding the triangle were the symbols of every single major secret society to ever use black magic: Builderburgs, Tri-Laterial Commisson, Bohemian Grove, Skull & Bones, Knights Templar, the Illuminati and the Order of Ra. The other most noticable change was that he no longer had a mustache, just a very long beard that grew to a point.

"Oh look. Here comes the Undertaker", said Andrew cynically. Brian staring directly at him speeds up his pace to stand face to face with him. "It amazes me how a fool such as yourself can find time to make jokes when you are just a few moments away of finding the answer to the age old question of 'What happens when we die?' ", states Brian in a deep cold voice. "What the hell happened to you Brian", replies Andrew. CJ peering from behind the wall yells out to Andrew. "Get out of there Andrew! You won't stand a chance. You saw what he did in the Temple of Ra. Everyone there is dead! For god sakes he killed Jason Riddle!", screamed CJ. "I don't give a damn who he killed. This bullshit ends here. Now", stated Andrew. Brian starts walking around Andrew in circles. As he does this he slowly reveals a sword that was apparently in a sheath on his back. It closely resembles an old sword used by a templar knight, except much different. On the hilt of sword just before the blade starts, the same symbol that is seen on Brian's chest glows yellow. The symbol on the hilt of the sword has something additonal however, arched over the top and bottom of the symbol is lettering which reads " Sum Fine". "Salina this is CJ, come in please!", stated CJ quickly. "Salina here, over.", stated Salina. "I have a vague understanding of those symbols based on what Brian told before...this occured however that text on his sword, any idea what it is?", asks CJ. "Yeah. It's Ancient Greek." , says Salina nervously. "What's wrong?", says CJ concerned. "CJ...It means... 'I am the End'!.."

Chapter 13: "End of the Road"

"So, Brian." stated Andrew. "Are you going to walk around me in circles all day or are we finally going to do something." "Brian?... Brian? My dear boy you are mistaken. Brian is no more. You will address me until your death as Lord Thanatos!", he shouted. "Oh dear god!", yelled Salina. "CJ, remember the Greek text I mentioned earlier?." "Yeah, what about it Sal.", stated CJ. "Thanatos is the greek god of Death, this going to be bad. Real bad", said Salina. "What a minute, I thought the greek god of death was Hades", said CJ. "That is true, however death went my many names: Hades, Pluto, Mors, Devouring Mother or Kali, but least known was.. Thanatos", said Salina. "We're not dealing with some soul possesing demon here. We're deal with hell itself", says Salina with a hint of fraility in her voice.

Thanatos stops pacing around Andrew and points his sword at his throat. "Say goodbye to your friends. That is...if I let you", says Thanatos sinisterly. Andrew backhands the sword away with his left hand all the while trying to bring his right hand up to counter with his own sword. However, Andrew is too slow and as soon as he gets into position to deliver a blow he gets sent flying over the desk that Statler and Erin are behind. Rob peers over the desk and sees a blue glow evaporate from Thanatos' hand. His eyes are pearl white and no-longer blink. "You fail to realize that I've studied every form of black magic there is evoke power from. I know more than the best sorcers who have ever lived. More than Alistar, more than even the mighty Belmont!", yells Thanatos. " And certianly more than that pitiful excuse of a take over from that washed up old man Vego", sneers Thanatos. Andrew sits up and shakes his head. "You ok man?", asks Rob. "Yeah, I'll be fine", said Andrew. He gets up and briskly walks back toward Thanatos. Rob turns his head to follow him but sees Erin curled up under the desk. "Hey, Don't worry hun. If we can't handle this we shouldn't be wearing these packs in the first place" says Statler gently trying to calm her down. "I may be a tough girl and I may have been through some crazy stuff with you guys but sometimes this job scares me. I know I don't show it alot, but it's true", states Erin. " Hey, they are times where I think your fearless enough to kick StayPuft in the balls. Outside of Salina you are probably the most fearless woman I know", says Statler with a smile. Erin cracks a smile herself, knowing she has friends like these that are one of the few things that gets her through tought times.

Andrew unleashs blow after blow but it's counter by Thanato's at ever turn. The sparks that fly from the blades of their swords are starting to reflect electricity over a broken power coverter. Thanatos delivers a punishing elbow after he parrys one of Andrew's attacks, however instead of stumbling back or falling Andrew retorts with an uppercut knocking Thanatos back a bit. "So you have a little fight left in you after all", says Thanatos cockily after spitting blood out of his mouth. "CJ what should we do", radios Rob. "For now, let them fight it out. We can't do anything until Andrew is out of the way or at least gives us a chance to throw a trap under Brian..err Thanatos.", says CJ. "Hey man. Don't talk like that. That still is Brian weather you want to admit it or not. He's still there. Don't give up on him. We can't give up on him!", shouts Rob. Thanatos swings his sword at Andrew's only to be met with his. They lock up and push towards each other with every ounce of strength they have. Mystical power stemming from Thanatos surrounds both blades. Sweat and blood both drip from each of their faces. Then, in an odd turn of events Thanatos cocks his back and to sides very quickly and begins to scream. "AHHHHHHHHHHH, I AM IN CONTROL!", shouts Thanatos. "He's...He's fighting with something!", shouts CJ. "Not something...SOMEONE!", yells Salina. Thanatos then quick cocks his head foward appearing "In Control" again. A huge smirk adorns his face has he hits Andrew in the face with the hilt of his sword and sends him flying back and hitting the floor hard. Thanatos now stands staring at his fallen foe waiting for him to move. His head jerks again like before and Thanatos proceeds to fall to his knees. "Andrew...your sword..", whispered by a faint voice. "Wha?...that sounded like...no..can't be", Andrew says to himself. "Use your sword...strike him down in the darkest place. A place where nothing resides in him but in all of us exists hope", whispers the faint voice again. "Brian...you're still alive...somehow...you still are", says Andrew. "No time for questions...do what needs to be done", says the voice. "Where do I strike him? You never tol..", started Andrew before getting cut off by the voice. "You will know when it becomes time to know. For now you must trust me", and just as soon as it came the voice vanishes.

Thanatos, snaps back into reality and rises once again with his sword only to find Andrew standing. "You are becoming an annoyance. I will toy with you no longer!", shouts Thanatos. He stands straight and with his sword lining up with the bridge up his nose and extending past his head. He closes his eyes and chants, "Sum Fine" and instantly disappears from Doom Patrol's reality. It suddenly became quiet in D.P. Headquarters. Andrew looks around the room and notices he can begin to see his breath. "What the hell just happened?", says Statler quietly. For what seemed like an eternity Thanatos re-enters reality in front of Andrew and drives his sword into Andrew's shoulder. "ANDREW!", Salina screams. He screams in pain as he falls to one knee and drops his sword. "My...my. Not strong anymore are we? However you did have quite the heart!", said Thanatos coldly. It was then that time seemed to stop for Andrew. He only focused on the last word he heard, "heart". If it was one thing he was sure of, Thanatos had no heart. It was a bottomless void. A void screaming to be filled in. Andrew grips his sword for one last blow. "Heart?", he says in pain. "That's something you'll never have!", Andrew says screaming has he shoves his sword through Thanatos' chest through what would have been his heart had he had one. "How!...How did this happen?", screams Thanatos. "Let's just say, I had a little help from a friend", states andrew. Thanatos drops his sword to the ground and clutches at what now peirces through his chest. Blood and energy seep through the wounds in his upperbody. Thanatos tries to pull himself off of the sword but is too weakened. "Oh no you don't!", yells Andrew. He begins to use the rest of his strength to lodge the sword as deep in his chest as he can possibly get it. "He's...He's doing it!", shouts CJ. "Now!" he yells. CJ and Salina appear from behind their walls and fire proton streams at Thanatos' body. Rob never moving an inch from his poisiton hits the button his positron glider and bring yet a third proton stream around Thanatos' body.

Thanatos' head arches back as he screams in agony. It is now visable to team that they are pulling something away from Brian's body. "How dare you!", the demon Thanatos screams barely in a barely audiable deep voice. "Rob throw the trap!", screams CJ. Ron grabs a sphere trap from his belt and chucks it over the desk rolling past Andrew and finally coming to rest underneath Brian's body. The sphere opens up and bright yellowish/white inverted pyramid of light emerges from it's center. It englufs the demon and drags it down back to it's core and immediately seals it self afterwards, with only a blink light left as reminder of what just happened. The team runs out from their poisitions to behind Andrew. Brian's body appears still on andrew's sword. His eyes open for one last glimpse. "We did it...together". His head falls foward and his body limp as it slides down the sword towards the hilt of Andrew's blade. He does nothing but stare at the body. Andrew doesn't even appear to blink. Erin turns around and buries herself into Statlers shoulder. Salina drops her pack, gets on her knees and embraces Andrew, her eyes watery. The rest of the team dropped their packs as well. "Brian was there all along", stated CJ also well aware no one would respond. "The name Thanatos came from Brian. The comic book character Thanos is a alteration of that name. That was one of his favorite characters. He was trying to warn us. He had some sort of control all along." "He did. He reached out to me. The only way to defeat the demon was to...kill him.", said Andrew with a hint of insanity in his voice. "I...I killed him." Silence never hurt so bad as it did this day.

"Here we are, now lay the burden down. We're coming to the end of our road.

Sorrowful yet glorious somehow. To be humming this one last ode.

So calm and still...it wasn't all that bad, or was it now?

Fulfilled...it doesn't only hurt to end it now.

The Funeral.

The memories beneath the dust of years.

They seem like those of someone deceased.

There's no more to be done, or hoped or feared.

Just waiting for the final release.

So calm and thrilled...it wasn't all that bad, or was it now?

Still...it doesn't only hurt to end it now.

Is life over, this life's over?

Or has it only just begun?

It grows colder, starts to moulder...

Coming apart yet still not done

Forever one."

- "End of the Road" by Sentenced