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Unexpected Sidekick
Chapter 13: Unexpected Sidekick
Rhodes chuckled to himself as he entered his own car. After that fiasco up on the rooftop, Rhodes felt very amused and relaxed for the first time in a while. They had done it, the Four Horsemen, and Rhodes was finally one step closer to getting the revenge he always wanted.
There was a small problem though. Rhodes had initially instructed Henley to go in the opposite direction of the others, to quickly transfer the safe money into Bradley's bank account. But just as Rhodes came down from the roof along with other exasperated police officers, he saw the three magicians head down to an alleyway across the street. Henley included.
Rhodes wondered if they would do what he told them or if he had to do it himself. The Horsemen, after New Orleans, were not following the plan. Jack was dead and that threw everything off. Rhodes felt a deep sadness overcome him.
He didn't want the kid dead.
But the magicians kept fighting, creating new techniques to even throw him off. It was refreshing to see them in action, to actually be confused and awed by the tricks in front of him.
Rhodes wondered how Dana was doing.
Rhodes started his ignition, preparing to head back to headquarters. Just as he was pulling out of the parking lot, he saw a postitnote on his window.
Thought you might want the money back! I had fun. Check behind you. –D
Rhodes turned around, confused at the note, just in time to see Bradley enter the parking lot. The man sauntered up to his car, as if he had all the care in the world, and unlocked his vehicle.
Only to find it packed with hundreds and thousands of bills.
Laughing out loudly, Rhodes quickly reached for his walkie-talkie, informing the other agents of what just occurred. Rhodes grinned widely to himself, watching the bewildered doe-in-the-headlights look the older man gave as a Calvary of police cars entered the parking lot, sirens ablaze.
He really like that kid.
"Um…guys," Dana said, slowly stepping forward, stumbling a bit in the darkness. "Why are we at…" Dana squinted to read the sign, "A…graveyard?"
Daniel winced again, "Well you see…" he turned to the others for help only to see Merritt and Henley busy trying to open the lock on the gate.
"It's locked!"
Dana stepped forward again, trying to figure out what exactly was going on. She opened her mouth to ask, only to hear a sound that she thought she would never hear again.
"Nothing is ever locked."
Dana stared. She stared and honestly, she couldn't do anything else but stare. There was a ringing sound in her ears, her throat became dry and she couldn't do anything but stare.
"Hey, Dana," Jack said, opening the doors to the graveyard.
Finally Dana managed to say, "J-jack?"
"The one and only."
Dana shook her head," I'm hallucinating."
"S-surprise?" Daniel said weakly.
Dana took a stumbling step forward, as if she was afraid that moving would cause Jack to disappear. Seeing that Jack was still there, visible, and alive, Dana ran head first into Jack's arms.
"JACK!"
Dana wrapped her arms around her friend tight, not really believing what was happening. She quickly pulled away and brought her hands to Jack's face, touching it, "It's you! It's really you! You're alive!"
"Yeah," Jack breathed, looking into Dana's eyes, "Look, I'm sorry that—"
Jack stumbled when he felt a pair of soft lips against his. His eyes widened as Dana kissed him with all her might, wrapping her arms around his neck.
Jack automatically closed his eyes and kissed back, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. Jack sighed in contentment; he didn't realize how much he wanted this.
It was wonderful.
A loud cough broke them out of their embrace. Dana pulled back, a blush staining her cheeks.
"Congratulations!" Daniel said, smiling in relief. He was glad that Dana wasn't mad and read to kill him, "Although I would like to say that—"
Daniel couldn't get another word in as he was suddenly punched in the face by one angry assistant, "You ass!"
"Dana!" Jack shouted in astonishment, trying to pull back his friend…lover…girlfriend? from Daniel.
"I. THOUGHT. HE. WAS. DEAD!" Dana emphasized, pushing Daniel to the ground and punching him hard with each punctuation.
"I wasn't the only one!" Daniel immediately shouted before pointing at Merritt and Henley, who were trying to look innocent, "They agreed to the plan."
"WHICH is WHAT exactly?" Dana asked, angrily glaring at the other two.
"We needed the FBI out of our trail," Henley said, raising her hands in submission.
"And when did you think was a good time to—I don't know—tell me?" Dana asked, her chest heaving and her eyes ablaze.
"Cupcake—"
"Don't you cupcake me, mister!" Dana said, pointing an accusing finger at Merritt. "Do you have any idea what I went through? What guilt? I thought—I thought it was MY FAULT!" Dana broke down crying onto the cold ground of the graveyard, covering her face as tears escaped her eyes.
Dana angrily wiped her tears, and stared longingly at Jack, "I—I thought I lost you."
Jack didn't know what to say, "I'm sorry."
"You didn't do anything wrong," Dana said, turning toward the three other Horsemen, "They on the other hand…"
"It wasn't their fault," Jack tried to say, trying to take all the blame. "I wanted to—"
"No."
Dana and the others glanced at Daniel, who slowly stood up, cringing and wincing at the bruises forming on his cheeks, "It is my fault. I—I made a mistake, Dana. I didn't trust you, even though you were with us all this time. It was a bad judgment on my part. I…" Daniel took a deep breath, struggling to piece the words together, "I made a mistake."
Dana drew in a deep breath. Daniel never admitted to his mistakes. Never. "I—" she sighed as she glanced at her group, her team.
She really couldn't stay angry at them for long.
Dana sighed again, "I forgive you…but if you EVER pull something like this again, I will KILL each and everyone of you."
"Understood," the three Horsemen nodded frantically.
"And you too!" Dana said, wagging a finger at Jack. "Don't think that just because I love you-mmph!"
Jack wrapped his arms around Dana's waist and pulled her lips against his as soon as he heard those words. Dana fell apart instantly, melting into his embrace.
Jack pulled away first but immediately moved his lips next to Dana's ear, "I feel the same…"
"Good," she whispered, before bringing Jack's mouth against her for the third time.
The two teenagers kissed underneath the lights of the graveyard. The other three Horsemen glanced at the pair, amused. Daniel looked grumpy as he searched his pockets before handing a twenty into Merritt's waiting hand.
"Thank you," he said, pocketing the bet.
"They couldn't wait for just one more day," Daniel grumbled, crossing his arms.
"One day? I betted three months from now!" Henley complained, copying his actions.
Merritt shook his head, "Oh take a leaf out of their book and get a room."
"What is that supposed to mean!"
Dana and Jack held hands tightly as they found the stump the Four horsemen were looking for. One by one, each magician brought out the cards that started it all. The shows. Their new friendship. And their new future lives.
The four cards entered the pile, one by one, until the final card, 'Death' landed, causing a suddenly burst of music to play. The five recruits glanced up at the carousel that suddenly started to move.
"Come on!" Daniel said, rushing over to the carousel. Henley and Merritt soon followed.
"Ready to go?" Jack asked, squeezing Dana's hand tightly.
"Always," she said, before they too ran toward the carousel.
The five recruits stepped forward, awed and mystified, scared and excited, and saw a figure form beneath the shadows.
Rhodes.
"Oh my god."
"I did not see that coming."
"That's impossible!"
Dana said nothing.
"That was actually..uh," Daniel said, looking stumped, "Pretty good."
"Thank you," Rhodes said, glancing at each individual before falling on Dana.
"When I said, always be the smartest guy in the room…"
"We were in an agreement," Rhodes said, calmly. "Henley…"
Henley was shocked beyond belief.
"I'd never seen her speechless."
"I'll take that as a compliment," Rhodes said, reaching over to shake her hand.
"And…I-I-I'm so sorry…for kicking you ass," Jack remarked, causing Rhodes to grin. Dana merely grinned as well.
"You're in," Rhodes said just as Merritt said, "God bless."
"Come," Rhodes said, leading the four up to the carousel steps. "The real magic…"
"Come on Dana," Jack said as Rhodes spoke, giving his hand out for Dana to hold. Dana glanced at his hand and back at Jack's face, biting her lips. "What's wrong?"
Dana smiled widely, "Nothing," she took a step back, away from the steps so that her feet were firmly placed on the ground, "It's just this is where I leave you guys."
"What?" Jack asked, confused, "I don't understand."
"Dana! We get to finally learn real magic! Why would you give up an opportunity like this?" Daniel asked in confusion.
Dana just shrugged, but her eyes were fixed on Rhodes. She smiled again before turning back to the others, "I just don't like magic, you see."
"You only have this one shot," Rhodes warned.
"I know," Dana said, before stepping back one more step. "See you guys on the other side."
Jack took a step forward toward Dana, but saw her encouraging grin. Nodding, Jack returned to his fellow Horsemen.
"Welcome to the eye."
Dana sighed, watching her breath float across the night sky. The stars looked pretty tonight of all nights, as if there was a certain magic in the air.
The park was filled with noises. She could hear the soft leaves rub against each other, the crickets sounding mating calls, and the sighs of the squirrels and birds sleeping in their homes.
"May I sit here?"
Dana lifted her head and grinned, "Hello Mr. Shrike."
"You can call me Rhodes," the FBI agent said, taking a set on the steps of the carousel.
"Ok, Rhodes," Dana said, before sighing once more.
The two sat in silence, just feeling the park and the solitude after many weeks of chasing each other and playing mind games back and forth.
"You know," Dana said, "I really didn't think it was you until only a couple of hours ago."
"Really?' Rhodes asked, "Not even when I tried to read your mind back at New Orleans?"
Dana shook her head, "I really didn't think about it. But I guess it makes sense…"
"You surprise me, Miss Zancig."
"You can call me Dana," Dana said, "And why am I so surprising?"
"I was sure that you would have agreed to come along with your friends to train."
"So are they going to start training?"
"They are being initiated as we speak," Rhodes said, before fiddling with a piece of fallen tree branch. "So why? Why did you stay behind?"
"It's simple really," Dana said, shrugging, "I just don't like magic."
"Even after all that's happened?" Rhodes asked, his eyebrows raised.
"Well…" Dana said, "I can't say that my view on magic didn't change since this whole thing. But…I'm just not ready to go to the Eye."
"I understand," Rhodes said. He watched the girl from the corner of his eye, and when he saw Dana shiver, Rhodes pulled off his own jacket and placed it around her shoulders.
"Thanks," Dana said, pulling the jacket closer.
"What are you going to do now?" Rhodes asked, staring up into the sky.
Dana sighed, "I don't know. Probably go back to New York. Lay-low for a while."
"So you don't have anything planned," Rhodes asked, hinting something more.
Dana glanced at him, "Yup. You?"
"I'm planning on visiting an old friend," Rhodes said, standing up. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and shrugged, "It would be nice to have some backup."
Dana grinned, "Who would do such a thing?" but she was already standing up as well.
Rhodes's lips twitched in amusement, "I can teach you a few things, if you would like. Magic isn't all about secret spells and potions, you know."
Dana nodded in a mock seriousness, "Can you teleport?"
"Only the most respectable magicians can," Rhodes whispered, before turning his back on Dana. He walked slowly waiting for the pitter patter of footsteps behind him.
Luckily, he didn't have to wait long.
The two persons, one powerful magician and one trainee, strolled together, their backs facing the old broken down carousel. If an outsider had seen these two, they would have thought it unusual to see the younger more energetic girl accompany the older, more serious and gruff man. And yet they would have agreed that there was something magical about the way they smiled at each other; as if they both honed secrets that they only knew.
"You know I was just kidding about the teleporting thing," Dana's voice rang.
"I wasn't."
Dana stopped abruptly, her face turning into one of awe, "Wait. What? You can do that?"
"Yup."
"Cool!" Dana said, "You need to teach me that!"
"I thought you said you didn't like magic," Rhodes teased.
Dana complained, explaining how teleporting was not magic at all but a form of science. As she babbled Rhodes couldn't help but smile.
He had no idea what the future instilled. He had spent all his life preparing for this moment that once he was here, he had no idea what to prepare for.
Who would have thought he would have an unexpected sidekick?