The End of the Game

by jenny0198

How it might have ended for Team Machine. Canon divergent, set towards the end of Season 5. Starts normally but turns in a dark direction. A companion piece to "The Start of the Game". Features Finch, Reese, Fusco, Shaw, Root plus Lambert, Greer, Bear.

9. Chapter 9

The End of the Game - 9

They drove out of the city to Long Island, mostly in silence, with Fusco driving and Reese in the back seat with gun drawn.

"It's funny, John" said Fusco ruefully "When we first met I took you for a ride to Oyster Bay to kill you and now you're taking me on the same journey for the same reason"

"I don't want to kill you Lionel. Damnit, we were family! Were the last years a waste of time?" he questioned

"You know that you'll end up doing it, John" said Fusco grimly "Just to stop me doing the same. Listen! We saved a whole bunch of people, YOU saved people. So, no, it wasn't a waste of time"

"What will you do afterwards, John? You like to help people but without the Machine or even me, you're blind"

"One thing at a time, Lionel" sighed Reese "I'll talk to Thornhill and try and straighten things out, if I can. Then we can get back to what we were doing before". There was a desperate hope in his voice that Fusco noticed.

ooooooooooo

Reese followed Fusco with gun in hand as they trudged across the sandy foreshore of Oyster Bay, gulls calling in the bright blue sky and the breeze rustling through the clumps of sea-grass. After a while Fusco took a deep breath of sea air, stopped, and turned; jabbing a thumb at his chest "I want it here, John". He pointed forcefully at Reese "I want to see it coming!"

"Fair enough" said Reese and shot him in the heart, watching sadly as Fusco crumpled to the ground. "I'm so sorry, Lionel" he whispered, walked over to the body, and put a round into Fusco's head "Just in case, as you're a tricky bastard".

He sighed, turned away, and died. After a pause the gulls resumed their calling, their shadows flickering across the two bodies. The breeze kept rustling through the sea-grass.

Nearly a mile away the sniper spoke into his radio "They're both gone Mr. Thornhill, it went just like you said it would; if you are interested, Reese was actually the last man standing. Will a clean-up team handle the bodies?" "I understand, I am leaving the area now and will await further instructions. Out"