The Night of the Ice Cold Death

by Andamogirl

Doctor Loveless and Colonel Vautrain (from TNOT Lord of Limbo) get together to eliminate James West and Artemus Gordon. Our heroes' Nemesis will use a new machine of his invention and the ex-Confederate officer will use his power to transport Jim and Artie into the past.

3. Act One Part Two

THE NIGHT OF THE ICE COLD DEATH

By Andamogirl

WWW

ACT ONE

Part two

The White House, Oval office, a week later.

President Ulysses S. Grant exhaled a long puff of odorant smoke and then lowered himself into his chair, looking with worried eyes at the shadow of a man seated in front of him. Fatigue, grief and sorrow were written in every line of James West's ghostly face and he cringed at the level of pain he saw in the other man's hollow, almost dull, lifeless green eyes.

He looked terrible.

Grant sighed and said, "Jim, I already lost Artemus; I don't want to lose you too. I know that Artemus's death was hard for you, and still is, that you hurt, and miss him terribly and you always will… as will I. He was like a son to me… You have withdrawn from everything and everybody. I'm sure that you're not eating and not sleeping. Dr. Henderson came to see you two days ago and he is very worried about your health, both physical and mental, and I can see why… You look like a ghost, Jim. You can't remain in that state, letting yourself die little by little, already buried alive in the Wanderer, like it is a tomb on wheels. I'm sure that Artemus would not want this to happen."

His eyes riveted on the desk in front of him, but seeing nothing, Jim whispered. "Sometimes I could swear Artie's still there with me in the Wanderer, working on a new device in his lab… or preparing food in the galley, but he's dead, he's gone. Marmalade and AG are searching for him everywhere since he died… but he won't come back." He slammed his eyes shut and shoved his hand into his right jacket pocket, his fingers brushing against the cool metal of Artemus's watch (still covered with its owner's blood), keeping a part of Artie with him.

His heart sank and he looked at his feet with a dazed, unfocused look in his eyes. "Artie is gone." He pulled out a letter from the left pocket of his jacket. "I have something to give you Mr. President. I can't do this without Artemus… It's my…"

Grant furrowed his brow and shook his head. "You can put that letter back where it was, Jim. I'm not going to accept your resignation." He watched Jim do that, stood and moved toward the other man, ignoring the trembling of the younger man's hands and the smell of alcohol that emitted from him.

But Jim explained with a barely audible voice, not proud of himself, "It helps me sleep, keeps the nightmares away."

Grant placed a compassionate hand on Jim's shoulder, took a step back and sat on the edge of his desk. "I know, it's very hard to think that I won't see him again – at least in this world. I'm slowly getting over it… but it's very difficult. But I have to move on, and you too." He puffed on his cigar and added, "I'm sorry, but I'm going to be brutal, Jim. I have no choice. It's for your well-being. I think Artemus would be disappointed in you for acting like this, or rather not acting at all, letting yourself die little by little. I can't let you give up, killing yourself gradually like this. You have to get back in the saddle, literally. You must live again, be the man you were before this terrible loss. Your life doesn't end with Artemus's death. You have to move on. I need you; the country needs you. That's why Colonel Richmond has a new assignment for you. And you will accept it, I'm not giving you a choice, that's a direct order."

Jim nodded absently. "Yes, Sir."

Maybe someday he'll feel okay again, he thought. 'But not anytime soon.'

Grant nodded. "Good." He added, "Colonel Richmond received a report from Jeremy Pike. He spotted Dr. Loveless and accompanied by a certain Colonel Vautrain at the Phoenix's railroad station, this morning. He followed them – but they vanished inside the Golden Eagle hotel. He searched for them for a couple of hours but didn't find them. Loveless is planning trouble again, without a doubt. When I read Vautrain's name I remembered the personal report Artemus wrote, after you gave the official version to Colonel Falk. He wanted to tell me the truth, even if it was unbelievable, even if there was no proof, because the corpses were gone… Artemus always told me the truth. He never lied to me."

Sparks of interest were now lighting Jim's eyes. "Colonel Vautrain? But I thought he was dead, that he had died in the explosion of his house, Live Oak Manor."

Grant shook his head. "He's still alive."

Still doubtful Jim asked, "Is Jeremy sure that he man he saw was Vautrain, Mr. President?"

Grant nodded. "Yes, he is. He looked at the register at the reception desk and it bore the signature of Colonel Noel Bartley Vautrain. Loveless and he are planning something bad… I want you to find out what it is and of course, I want it stopped and I want those men and their accomplices arrested as soon as possible."

Jim stood and straightened his shoulders, suddenly feeling revitalized. 'Then Vautrain is still alive…' he thought 'and his men too, I suppose. They have somehow escaped Live Oak Manor… Colonel Vautrain probably using his powers to send him and his men back into the past or forward into the future… Hum! Artie and I always suspected that, because no corpses were found in the ruins of the burnt manor, but we didn't have any proof to support this intuition, because the explosions and fire could have vaporized the bodies… 'Could Colonel Vautrain be able to send me into the past again so I can save Artie?' he mused. His heart started hammering with hope in his chest. Artie could be saved, no, will be saved.

Nothing was lost.

He blinked then looked at the President. "I will do it, Sir." 'For Artie'.

WWW

Loveless's hideout,

The same day, in the evening

Dr. Miguelito Loveless poured himself a glass of cherry brandy and turned toward Colonel Vautrain sitting in his wheelchair next to the door. "No cherry brandy, are you sure Colonel?"

The former Confederate officer shook his head. "No, thank you. Let's talk about what you want from me Dr. Loveless. I hope it's related to Mr. West and Mr. Gordon."

The diminutive man's smile grew broader. "Ah! Straight to the point, I like that." He sat on a chair resembling a throne and continued, "Yes, it is related to Mr. West and Mr. Gordon." He took a sip of liquor and said, "Mr. Gordon is dead, Colonel. He was killed a week ago by an assassin in the line of duty, while protecting President Grant. As I can't bring people back from the dead – yet – but it is part of my future plans, I need to someone else to save him in order to kill him myself, later, along with his partner James West of course, and that's why I want your help." He took another sip of cherry brandy and then added, "You see, Colonel, Mr. West and Mr. Gordon and I are old adversaries… I tried to kill them many times, but each time they managed to escape my deadly games… but they won't next time. I've planned everything perfectly in every detail. They will die, and it's going to be a slow and painful death, my favorite."

Upset, Noel Bartley Vautrain furrowed his brow. "I still want to kill them myself. I was heading toward the door of my manor house when they attacked my men. I came back to help them and that Union shell destroyed the grand salon… and that beam fell on top of me, crushed my beautiful new legs. I therefore hold them responsible for what happened and I want my vengeance…"

Loveless shook his head. "You won't kill them; that won't be possible Colonel, they're mine, all mine. It's a definitive no. But if you consent to help me, I could let you… play with them… before their inevitable demise." He chuckled. "I'm sure that you've already dreamed about torturing them and…" He paused and offered Vautrain his best cruel smile. "I offer you that."

Vautrain's face contorted in rage. "I lost everything I had because of them! And again my legs are shattered and again I am stuck in this prison on wheels. Oh yes, yes, you're right, I dreamed of torturing them - and I will. I will make them suffer, a lot."

Loveless rubbed his hands with pleasure. "You accept my proposal then, good, that's settled, Colonel. I will send one of my men into that 'temporal rift' of yours so he can eliminate the assassin before he kills Mr. Gordon." He rubbed his forehead pensively. "But by doing that, he'll change the future… it means that Mr. Gordon won't die, won't have a funeral, but it also means that I won't have the idea of contacting you, and this conversation will never happen…"

Colonel Vautrain nodded. "And it means too that no one will help me revenge West and Gordon. I thought about that and I have a solution. It's not going to be easy, but I think I can use my power to create 'a bubble' here, so that we are not affected by those changes. You and I will retain what happened and we could continue our partnership."

Loveless rubbed his hands with pleasure again. "Perfect! I have a newspaper to show to Mr. Gordon… but before that I will find a way to attract Mr. West and Mr. Gordon here."

Smiling like a bird of prey awaiting its dinner, Vautrain nodded. "I'd like a glass of cherry brandy now. We have a lot of things to talk about – and I'm going to need a room to open my temporal rift… No one will be able to enter it except the travelers… Because it will be on the border between two dimensions, it will be the portal of access to the past, or to the future ..."

Loveless's eyes shone with excitement.

WWW

Washington DC, October 9 1875, at noon.

The assassin was standing, hidden behind a curtain, at the opened window of the hotel facing the presidential platform where Grant was delivering his speech.

Finger poised on the trigger, he had the President in his sights and was ready to fire… when the door opened silently. A man dressed in black, entered and immediately threw the knife he was holding.

Hit in his back, the sniper died instantly but in an uncontrollable reflex he pulled the trigger of his hunting rifle before collapsing to the floor like a… deadweight.

BANG!

And the bullet went off course.

Hearing the single gunshot ring out Artemus Gordon moved in a flash in front of the President to protect him with his own body and felt a sudden intense line of fire burn his left temple and his vision blackened. He swayed on his legs and finally collapsed on the platform, passed out, taking Grant with him as he fell.

Screams echoed throughout the crowd.

Immediately a line of soldiers holding raised rifles encircled the two men. The crowd, gathered there for the presidential speech, dispersed rapidly while other men in uniforms deployed all around the platform securing the place.

President Grant knelt beside the fallen agent, rolled Artemus Gordon onto his back and made a rapid survey of the other man's body searching for a wound and located one on Artemus left temple, oozing blood.

He sighed in relief. It was a graze and it was superficial. "Thank God."

Grant glanced at the cavalry officers now surrounding Artemus and him on the platform, guns in hand, ready to fire then stopped his gaze on a Captain. "Captain Jones, fetch an ambulance! I want Mr. Gordon to be carried to the Military hospital immediately."

The officer saluted. "Yes, Sir," and gave orders.

Somewhere in the crowd, Jim felt his blood run cold in his veins when he saw that his companion had been hit and was lying on his back, immobile on the platform beside Grant. "Artie!'

He resisted his urgent need to see how Artie was as he had spotted an opened window of the hotel facing the platform. Unholstering his gun, he rushed there pushing people to the side to clear his way.

He reached the second storey in record time and entered the room located in the middle of the corridor… to find a dead man, holding a hunting rifle. The blade of a knife was embedded in his back and he was lying in a pool of blood. Someone had killed the assassin… He was not a threat anymore. He left the room at top speed and was in the street a couple of minutes later.

He jumped onto the platform shortly after and dropped on his knees beside Artemus, slapping his face, not too gently in his pressing need to see that he was okay. "Wake up Artie!"

Grant removed the handkerchief red with blood he was pressing to the wound and said, "He's alright, Jim, it's just a graze. The bullet has taken with it a bit of hair, skin and flesh but it's not serious. He was very lucky again. An inch to the right and he would be dead."

Shoulders sagging, Jim closed his eyes and sighed in relief. "Yes he was."

Moaning in pain, Artemus slowly opened his eyes and winced. "Ow-ow-oww!" He looked up at Grant leaning toward him and asked, "Are you okay Mr. President?"

Grant nodded. "Thanks to you, yes. You saved my life Artemus. Thank you very much." And pressed his handkerchief against Artie's wound again. "An ambulance should be here soon to transport you to the Military Hospital. Dr. Henderson will take care of you."

Artie groaned. "Great!"

Smiling Jim, said, "I know a dozen nurses who are going to be very pleased to see you again, Artie and will pamper you." then he chuckled softly.

His vision blurring around the edges, accompanied by pain and dizziness and nausea, Artemus looked up at his best friend, and asked, "Did you get the man who fired, Jim?"

Jim shook his head. "He was dead, stabbed in the back, when I found him. I don't know what happened… But I will."

Feeling dizzy, Artie nodded, his vision now graying. "We will… O-oh, no, I think I'm going to…" and he passed out again.

WWW

The Wanderer, the next morning.

Artemus Gordon was sprawled on his back on the floor in a large pool of blood. His own blood. There was a gaping hole in the center of his brow. A bullet had gone through his head, taking a good part of the brain and of the back of his skull in its gory exit. His eyes were wide opened in surprise, but Artie couldn't see anything, not anymore.

He was dead.

James West abruptly opened his eyes, blinking the sleep out of them, his face bathed in sweat, his heart hammering in his chest. "Oh God!" he rasped between ragged breaths. He blinked finding himself sitting on the chair next to the windows of the parlor car. "What an awful dream…"

He turned his head hearing a light snore and took a moment to observe Artemus Gordon curled on the golden upholstered sofa, sleeping soundly, his bandaged head resting on a pillow.

Safe and sound.

Marmalade was rolled in a ball, nestled against her owner, her back to his chest and she was cuddling AG protectively. The cats were sleeping too.

He let out a long sigh as a wave of relief swamped him. "He's not dead, it was just a nightmare… but he could be dead… an inch to the right and he would have been no more..."

Smiling, he moved to Artie's side and shook his partner's shoulder. "Hey, sleepy head, it's time to wake up," he said.

He was rewarded by a groan.

He did it again. "Wake up buddy-grumpy-bear; if you want to eat something edible this morning, I suggest you prepare breakfast. You know I can't boil an egg."

Opening his eyes at the same time the cats opened theirs, Artie breathed out, "Jim my boy, you're a grown man now, so I think it's time for you to prepare breakfast." He yawned, Marmie and AG doing it too. "There's a first time for everything. But don't poison me, or I'll haunt you for the rest of your life and after that too in the afterlife. Now let me sleep because I need rest – doctor's orders - and of course try not to burn the galley down to the ground. I'm quite fond of it. And don't leave it in disarray. Put everything back in its place. Begin with the basics, like making an omelet. It's not difficult at all."

He closed his eyes while the cats were stretching.

Smiling, James patted Artemus's shoulder with affection. "Yes mom. I'll wake you when breakfast is ready." He was ready to head toward the galley when there was a knock at the door.

Changing direction, Jim opened it a few seconds later, revealing Colonel Richmond standing on the rear platform.

Jim smiled. "Good morning, Sir. Please do come in."

Pulling himself into a sitting position, Rubbing one eye, Artemus watched his CO close the door while Marmalade and AG leaped to the carpeted floor. "Good morning, Sir," he said.

Richmond placed his hat on the work table. "Good morning gentlemen. I'm sorry to wake you Artemus, but it's important." He frowned. "How are you?"

Raising his left hand to his head, Artie touched his stitched wound and winced. The graze had caused a minor concussion but fortunately he wasn't dizzy and nauseous anymore, he mused. "I'm fine Sir. I had much worse. This is nothing. What brings you here, Colonel?"

Richmond sighed. "I've just received a telegram. It says, I quote: 'Colonel Vautrain and I would be delighted to see you again. If you are interested, please join us in Phoenix as soon as possible. Signed, Dr. Miguelito Q. Loveless." He sighed and added, " It's a trap, of course. But you will make it so that this trap turns around against them. The President wants them stopped and sent behind bars! And me too."

Rubbing his stubbled chin pensively, Jim said, "Then Colonel Vautrain is alive… He was trapped under a big beam; his legs crushed by its weight and couldn't move when Artemus and I left him. I bet that he has somehow escaped the burning Live Oak Manor… probably using his power to travel back to the past or forward to the future… Hum!"

Richmond nodded. "When I discussed the message with the President, he told me what really happened in that manor." he frowned upset. "Speaking about that, why didn't I read the true version of what happened? Instead colonel Falk transmitted me a report about Artemus having had a concussion and a memory loss, explaining his disappearance for three days…"

Pulling on his waistcoat, Jim said, "I take the responsibility for that, Sir. With all due respect to Colonel Falk, he is not… open minded, Sir. And what had happened was so extraordinary…it was time travel, Sir! I preferred to give a more rational explanation, in my report, Sir." He glanced at his best friend, then added, "Artie tried to explain what really happened to Colonel Falk but seeing that he wasn't ready to hear the real version, he… confirmed what I had put in the report."

Artie nodded. "I didn't want to end up in a hospital for a mental evaluation Sir, or worse, end up locked in the cell of a lunatic asylum."

Remembering that particular embarrassing moment, Artie smiled and said, "But Jim and I weren't sure that Colonel Vautrain was dead, Sir. We always suspected he and his men were gone before the manor exploded, because no corpses were found in the ruins of Live Oak Manor… But we didn't have any proof to support this belief, because the explosions and fire could have vaporized the bodies." Grimacing, he stretched the muscles of his back attempting to ignore his headache but in vain. "No one should sleep on these couches…it's torture, "he said.

Colonel Richmond nodded. "I understand now. But next time something extraordinary happens, make your report directly to me. I know that sometimes you encounter… non rational situations, like having to fight against a ghost but I want to read the true version, gentlemen."

The two agents nodded, and said, "Yes, Sir!" in concert.

Jim sighed and added. "And now Vautrain and Loveless are inviting us to join them… not for a picnic, but without a doubt, to kill us."

The Colonel nodded. "As usual. But as usual you will get away from them. The President and I want them arrested and in jail, gentlemen. Richmond moved toward the door. "Jim, Artemus, be careful, these two men are very dangerous, good luck," he added, then left the carriage, closing the door behind him.

Rubbing his tired face, Artie let out, "I have a very bad feeling about this."

Nodding, Jim held out a hand to Artie, pulling the older man up on his legs. "Yes, me too. But we have orders, buddy and we have to follow them." He smiled and added, "I was starting to miss this cat and mouse game with Loveless."

Running a hand through his hair, Artie said, "Not me," then, yawning he headed for the galley, Jim following him his stomach making hungry noises.

Marmie and AG followed, meowing hungrily.

Starting to prepare coffee, Artie said, "Loveless wants us dead, we both know that. But Vautrain doesn't. It's not our fault if that Union shell destroyed the grand salon of his manor house and that that beam fell onto his legs, crushing them…"

Jim nodded. "Yes, I know. But they both want to eliminate us to have the free hands to bring to a successful conclusion their common project…"

Opening the top cupboard of the two parts dresser, Jim smiled. "You're right, Artie. Loveless has certainly in mind one of his usual plans: kill the President, destroy the government to be king; kill everyone in the country in a massive genocide to be throned emperor… Take your pick." He pulled out two cups and two plates. "But Colonel Vautrain… What is his place in all this? What does he want? With his extraordinary power, he can do anything he wants… and that's the problem." He placed the cups and plates on the small table, then opened the drawer to take out the silverware.

Nodding, Artemus broke the shell of the first egg on the edge of a frying pan. "I don't like it at all," he said, before looking down at Marmie and AG both rubbing against his leg.

Looking up at her owner, Marmalade let out a loud meow, pawing Artie's pants impatiently; AG looking up at Artie too, copied his adoptive mama. "Meowwwwwww!" he let out.

Cupping the back fluffy kitten, Jim brought AG to his chest. "Tiny kitten, big meow," he said, and let AG climb on his shoulder. Watching his partner prepare an omelet, he added, "I don't like it either. We are going to have to be very careful, Artie. Loveless wants to kill us and Vautrain too."

Smiling at the cats, Artie said, "I'm busy. Humans need to eat too, you know? Be patient. Jim's going to give you something to eat…" Glancing at his best friend he pointed his spoon at the top shelf. "There are two boxes of canned tuna there Jim, open them, please."

WWW

Phoenix, hotel Paradise, in the evening

Room 14

Entering the attached bathroom Jim said, "I noticed two men watching us earlier, standing on the other side of the street, in front of the hotel, probably two of Loveless's henchmen."

Loosening his ribbon-tie Artemus sat on the bed testing the mattress that was hard like wood. 'Perfect for my old back', he thought. Smiling he lay down, pulled the pillow beneath his head and closed his hands on top of his chest. "I'm betting on something 'classic' to capture us: like a knockout gas. Men with guns could hurt us, and he wants to…" He yawned. "To keep us intact to do what he has planned to do with us…" He yawned again and closed his eyes. "Torturing us first…"

Nodding, Jim removed his jacket. "To kill us after that. Yes, it is fast and effective and Loveless adores using that. I hope he'll leave us some time to eat before kidnapping us, I'm hungry." He poured some water from a pitcher in the porcelain basin placed on the small table, beneath the cracked mirror. "What about going to a saloon? I dream about a juicy steak and mashed potatoes and gravy…" He unbuttoned his blue waistcoat and opened the top of his shirt. "And I'm not against a good fresh beer, you?" He splashed his face with the cold water then toweled it dry. As there was no response from his partner he glanced into the bedroom and noticed that Artie was fast asleep on top of the bed. "Hmm…"

He smiled. His partner always took a nap before going into action. Artemus was able to cat-nap anywhere, anytime. 'I've watched him sleep sat on his horse, under heavy rain during the war while shells exploded all around him', he remembered.

Going back into the bedroom, Jim sat on the edge of the bed and observed his sleeping companion. "Have a nice nap, Artie," he said. With his finger he traced the faint and fading scar that the bullet had left on Artie's left temple, remembering their first mission together, as special agents. A bullet had grazed Artemus in the same place. It had been close too that night.

A knock at the door drew James West out of his thoughts. Taking up his revolver he slowly opened it and… found no one there.

He looked down and saw a brown packet sat on the rug. "What do we have here? I bet on a welcome present sent by Loveless…" He was reaching out to pick it up when it suddenly exploded releasing a thick cloud of yellow smoke. "Artie was right…"

The knock out gas rapidly propagated within the room and Jim couldn't resist its effects for long. Coughing, swaying, he finally collapsed in the corridor, unconscious.

Artemus who had woke up with a start at the sound of the explosion jumped to his feet, hiding his nose and mouth with his corduroy sleeve but it was useless he realized, feeling his consciousness abandon him. He fell backward on the bed.

Tbc.