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“Dave is the spy!” Dark Mateus couldn’t believe it.

Pierce looked at Ethan, and Ethan looked back. “You said you figured it out.” Pierce said in a voice ringing with doubt.

“I had,” DM said. “I had figured out a damn good scenario where Rachel was the spy. Do you have any proof Dave’s the spy?”

Pierce pulled out a computer print out of a computerized scan. Pierce laid it on Ethan’s desk. It was a scan of the paper from the Golden nugget with Ethan’s, Frank’s, and even Detective Green’s phone numbers on it. “I got that off of Dave’s computer,” Pierce said. “He has very good locks on his doors, but not his windows. He also has very good photos on his computer of what you and Rachel were doing. I do not believe Rachel would ever give him some of the photos on his computer.”

Ethan snorted his disapproval at Pierce’s innuendos. “I guess it is easier to blame the dead than the living,” Ethan said.

“That’s it I’m going to call Dave right now,” DM said angry. “I’ll make him tell me if he is a spy.”

“I have no problem with that,” Ethan said leaning back in his chair. “The CIA can thank us later.”

DM pressed the familiar buttons into his satellite phone. He counted ten rings and then hung up. “No answer at his home. I’ll call his store.”

The phone was picked up on the second ring. “Last Stop,” someone other than Dave said. The voice was a young male, and sounded very tired or drugged.

“Is Dave around?” DM asked the employee.

“No he said that he was going on vacation,” the drugged voice said.

“When was this?”

“Yesterday I think.”

“And I don’t suppose he said where he was going for vacation did he?”

“Yeah, Paris, France I think.”

DM hung up without saying good-by. “He’s on his way to Paris.”

“Not quite,” Ethan said. “He’s in Paris. Our guys tried to pick him up, but the French government did a damn good job making sure our men didn’t even see Dave. By now he could be anywhere. That’s why I want you two to go find him. Officially you’re bringing back the murderer of Rachel Dodd.”

“Excuse me,” Pierce said. “Did you forget that I’m still in college?”

Ethan gave Pierce a long stare. “You just got done telling me that the professors are nothing more than someone to read the text book out loud,” Ethan said with a grin.

“Then there’s the labs,” Pierce whined.

“All the more incentive for you to help Mateus to wrap this up fast,” Ethan said with an evil smile.

“Okay but I want help,” Pierce said. “Have Heather meet us in Paris.”

“I’ll see if the Brits can spare her,” Ethan promised. “Get going to the airport. I’ll have tickets waiting for you when you get there. Oh, and one more thing, it isn’t important that we get Dave back alive, just that he can’t tell his secrets to the French.”

On the cap ride to the airport DM was thinking. “You know if Dave is in the hands of the French government, then he’s had more than enough time to tell them all about me.”

“This is more than about you,” Pierce said. “Dave is an American who turned traitor. He knows how to train French agents to act like Americans. Dave also has friends who don’t know he’s a spy, and can get inside information from them. In truth Dave is a minor player, but I think Ethan wants him because of what Dave might turn into.”

“What’s that?” DM asked not understanding.

Pierce gave him a look. “Dave was doing more than just spying on you. He was also collecting DNA samples every chance he could get. A few years ago you accidentally had your finger cut off. Well Dave kept the finger and sent it off to his handler from France. Thankfully they haven’t been able to clone it, and who knows if the magic that keeps you alive, and able to control people can even be cloned. Dave needs to be brought in to learn what else he knows about you, what you can do, and any other secrets.”

“What happens after we do bring him in?” DM asked scared he already knew the answer.

“My guess, he’ll be held indefinitely at some military prison awaiting trial,” Pierce said as they pulled up to the airport.

Their flight was in three hours, so Pierce had time to call all his professors to tell them he’d be missing classes for the next few days. DM on the other hand called Lucy.

“Hello love,” DM said to Lucy. “I hope this isn’t a bad time.”

“For you never,” Lucy said. “How are you?”

“I think my life has gone to hell, and I’m okay with that,” DM said with a grin. “How are you?”

Lucy laughed at the dark man for sounding so serene in the face of his life falling apart. “I’m tired of this country in all honesty. I liked it when Hong Kong was free, but now under Chinese rule I’d rather be free.”

“You could always come to the states,” DM said thinking of her glowing lovely face.

Lucy was quiet for a while. “Dark, my parents tried to set me up with someone,” Lucy said sounding guilty. “They took it really hard when I told them that the man was a jerk. He was! He thought that I should be at home and do nothing but cook, clean, and mother children. I think I really offended my parents.”

“I’m sorry,” DM said feeling his heart go out to the woman. “Is there anything I can do?”

“I don’t know,” Lucy sounded like she was bout to cry.

“I love you,” DM said. He did love her. In the short time he knew her he knew deep down he loved her from the start.

“That’s what I needed,” Lucy said sounding like she was crying. “So is it sill cold there in the US?”

“Bitterly cold, so people sleep together to keep warm,” DM said dripping with sexuality. “Are you cold right now?”

“Stop that,” Lucy laughed through the tears. “I’ll talk to you later, Dark. I love you.”

“I love you too,” DM said waiting for her to hang up her phone. “You hang up first.”

“Hey you be the gentleman and take the initiative,” Lucy said.

“Ladies first,” DM said.

“Not in this century pal, you hang up first,” Lucy said.

“Okay, but only because you asked me to, and I love you,” DM said hanging up before Lucy could get out her devotion of love.

“Careful,” Pierce said, “you might just love her.” He had been listening the whole time.

“You are so nosey,” DM said.

Pierce gave the dark man a self satisfied grin. “That’s what makes me a good detective.”

The flight took off with a thundering roar of the engine and as soon as they were airborne Pierce pulled out his lap top. He was plugging away at a computer program when a stewardess came up to him. “Sir, would you please turn off your computer?”

Pierce looked at the woman like she was crazy. “Why?”

“It’s the policy of the airline,” The woman said, she was nervous about the glowing screen.

“Lady there isn’t enough electromagnetic interference in this thing to delete a credit card,” Pierce said defending himself.

“Pierce just turn off the damn computer,” DM said, “I’m sure you have other work to do that doesn’t involve the thing.”

Pierce grumbled and saved his work before powering down the thin computer. “Paranoid people who don’t know science,” Pierce grumbled. The stewardess mouthed a thank you to the dark man, and walked on.

“I think she likes you,” Pierce said pulling out a book as thick as the phone book from Hollywood.

“I have someone else in my life now,” DM said putting his head back. Flying always seemed to calm him.

“That quickly after Rachel,” Pierce said it more as a question than anything else.

“Rachel is gone, and I have cried my tears for her. I have lived so long that I have learned I can’t grieve for someone forever. Now I’m after Dave. He killed Rachel and I plan on repaying the favor.” The dark man knew that he would see Dave dead, but how was the question.

A short stop over in London and then they were off to Paris. The plane landed just after sunset, and darkness fought against the lights from the city. There was a cold wetness in the air that made it seem more like a dream as the fog shadowed the light and people seemed to appear out of nowhere.

“Hello McKullen,” a voice from the fog made both DM and Pierce jump. They had just checked into the motel and were on their way to find something to eat.

“Heather don’t you know how not to sneak up on people?” Pierce asked the shadowy figure.

Heather stepped into the light of a street lamp. She had curly blond hair, and a French looking face. Her blue eyes were sharp, and seemed to small and close set for her face. She was about thirty years old, but her body was that of a teenager with small breasts, and slim waist. She had on a pair of blue jeans and a warm looking blue coat. She might have been handsome, but something about the way she stood, talked, and moved made her seem so ordinary she wasn’t worth a second glance. She was a good spy in that respect. “Now McKullen you know I can’t help walking silently. That’s why my niece gave me a bell to wear around my neck at Christmas.”

Pierce took a deep breath for the introductions, “Heather this is Dark Mateus, also know as Voice.”

DM shook hands with the British spy. She looked him up and down. “So you’re the one who can control people with your voice,” She said with a French accent, “I have to say the British government is quite jealous of the Americans for stealing you from us all those centuries ago.”

“Water under the bridge,” DM said, “as long as our governments remain allies.”

“Agreed,” Heather said. “Where were you two off to?”

“To find someplace to eat,” Pierce said. “That trail mix on the plane only seems to make me hungrier.”

“I know a good place just around the corner where we can talk in privacy,” Heather led the way.

The restaurant was a quiet wood structure with numerous small booths with large partitions so no one could hear what was being said in the next one. The menu wasn’t the typical tourist food, but real French food, no snails served there. DM and Pierce dug into the hot bread while Heather filled them in with what she knew.

“Your target arrived this morning. We’re sure he’s still in the area. We have all the trains and roads monitored. If he tries to leave the city we’ll know it.” Heather sipped her wine.

“Any idea where he is specifically,” DM asked sipping his water.

“No clue, but with a man like him he’s probably in one of the save houses set up until a more permanent is set up outside Paris. Our best bet is either finding him in Paris, or catching him as he leaves.” Heather said.

Just then DM’s phone beeped. “Hello?” He asked into the black plastic box.

“Hello Dark,” it was Dave, “this is Dave. Don’t bother trying to use your power on me this is a recording. I know you’re in Paris looking for me. I’d like to have a chance to talk with you. Be in China town near the big bear, you’ll find it, tomorrow at nine in the morning. Oh and I forgive you, pal.” There was a hiss on the other line, and then it went dead.

“That was a recording Dave made,” DM said. “He wants to meet me near the big bear in China town tomorrow at nine AM.”

Pierce pulled the phone from DM’s hand. He pressed a few buttons and listened to the phone. A pen appeared in his hand and he wrote down on the paper restaurant placemat. “I’ve got a number that sounds like a cell phone,” Pierce said. “Heather can you figure out which cell the phone called from?”

“Sure, and the French government only owns a limited amount of property to have safe houses. Hopefully this should pin point the location of Dave.” Heather pulled out her own phone and spoke French so low that the only person who could hear her is the person on the other end of the phone.

While DM and Pierce were served their food Heather kept talking. Her placemat was filled with notes and numbers. DM ate his liver and onions, and Pierce chewed on his garlic roasted chicken while Heather worked. While Pierce and DM were finishing their meal with a small bowl of salad Heather finally put her phone down and ordered a glass of wine.

“Well I can’t say this has been the best dinner conversation I’ve ever had, but I’m sure it was the most productive,” DM said sipping his water.

“We have a good idea where he might be,” Heather said smacking her lips after sipping her wine. “It seems that he’s on Vaugirard Street. That’s the historical area with a bunch of antique shops in the area. The French government has only one property in the cell area. May I suggest we pay the check and head on over there now?”

Pierce looked over at DM with a questioning look. “I sure hope you have enough cash for this, because I only changed the twenty bucks I had?” DM paid for the three of them.

“I was just thinking, is your former friend dim?” Pierce thought out loud as they walked to their rental car.

“What do you mean?” DM didn’t get the question.

“Did he really think we wouldn’t be able to trace the call?” Pierce clarified. “I mean if Dave didn’t think of that, then at least someone in the French government should have.”

“You might be over estimating the average French government employee,” Heather huffed.

“Pierce might have a point, this was too easy,” DM said. “Dave knows that cell phones can be traced to their cell location. If the French government has only one property in the area of the cell location, then it could be a trap.” At the wet and cold car they got in but DM didn’t start the engine.

“Don’t tell me all that phone work was for nothing,” Heather whined.

“It wasn’t for nothing, Heather. It probably saved your life.” Pierce said. “Just like when we went after Chapman.”

“Don’t remind me,” Heather said.

DM started up the engine and just had to ask. “Who’s Chapman?”

Heather blushed and Pierce smiled telling the tale. “She and I went after Doctor Chapman after he tried to test his sociological theories on the hapless American public. Chapman’s work was being funded by the French government in hopes that his theories would work and the American social structure would crumble. I found out about him, and chased him here to Paris, Heather and I met up, and Chapman had a change of heart.”

“He’s now hiding out in Scotland as a mail carrier.” Heather said.

“Dare I ask what those sociological theories were?” DM asked just curious.

Pierce laughed. “He thought that if women were as horny and to the frequency as men, they wouldn’t be able to function in daily society. Heather here had her phone stuck to her ear for over three hours to cut a deal so Chapman wouldn’t be a prisoner here in France.”

“Yeah he’s a prisoner in Scotland,” Heather laughed. “That’s a fate I had no intention on subjecting him to, but he amazingly enjoys Scotland.”

“I think we’re in the area,” DM said easing the rental to a stop on the side of the road. “Does anyone have any ideas on how to proceed?”

“We should split up and look around, and try to act normal,” Heather said and then looked over at Pierce. “Okay act more normal than usual.” Pierce grinned at her.

“Agreed we’ll meet back here in one hour,” Pierce said. “I am so going to need a long nap after this.”

“One thing,” Heather said to DM. “Do you want a gun? I always carry a spare.”

DM looked over at Pierce for help, but there was no help. “I guess a gun couldn’t hurt.” DM said.

Heather pulled from under her coat a nine millimeter automatic. It had an oily smooth blackness to it that shined in the street lights. She handed it over to the dark man with some kind of silent ceremony. “The clip is full, and here’s another clip.” She put the spare stick of metal into DM’s other hand.

For a moment DM looked down at the gun in his hand. He hadn’t touched one since the Second World War, but now it was a war, and his former best friend was the enemy. He slipped the heavy weapon between his pants and back, and pocketed the spare clip. “Thanks,” was all he could get out.

“One other thing,” Heather said before they parted. “The property that the French government owns is the wood building painted green on the north part of Road Desnouettes so watch yourself when you’re in that area.” With that they broke up.

The night was cold, and the fog made it feel colder as it seeped into the cloths, and spread the chill all over. The stars in the sky seemed too dim to even twinkle without going out entirely. There seemed to be no sounds in the air except for a steady trickle of water off the roofs. The lateness of the hour made people turn out their lights, and fall into a blissful sleep until morning.

There was another world in the night. The world of government agents about making each other sweat in fear. At any moment a bullet could end the other’s life. This was the world that they three spies went into the darkness looking for.

DM felt good blending into the shadows. His black clothing and dark looks made him feel like the night itself as he stayed in the darkness looking about. His ears were open for anything that could be important. Then he heard it, snoring. DM’s ear’s pricked up as the sounds echoed off the ally walls. He recognized that snoring. The sputtering lawnmower sound from the human throat was so familiar to the dark man, that it was as good as a face. It had to be Dave. DM followed the sound to a small building on Road Olivier, and to the second floor.

He knew he didn’t have to see his face. All those years and all those times Dave had slept over to get away from his parents. All those times he fell asleep on the couch while watching a hockey game. His snore was as familiar as his voice. It was Dave.

After checking the area and only finding one guard outside the building the dark man went back to the car. A little later Pierce came back looking very tired. “I sure hope this is over quick,” Pierce whined.

Heather appeared out of nowhere. Pierce was right DM thought she doesn’t make any sound when she moves. “I found one car full of government men ready to move,” She said.

“I found one sniper on the roof pointed at that government building you talked about.” Pierce said.

As if to trump them DM spoke up. “I found Dave.” They all turned to him in shock. “That man can snore loud enough to wake the dead. He’s over on Olivier, and the building has only one guard on it.”

“Great I might get back to the states by tomorrow,” Pierce said. “How are we going to do this?”

“We get Dave, get on board a train headed for the Chunnel, and then take him on the Eurostar to London. When we get to London we’ll official arrest him and extradite him to the US. How does that sound?” Heather knew what she was doing.

“Okay how do we get Dave then?” DM asked noticing she glanced over that part.

“You want me to think of everything?” Heather asked in the mixture of French accent and English accent.

“It would be nice,” Pierce said. “Dark here could just get by the guard and then drag Dave out with no one the wiser until they check on the man.”

“When does the next train leave?” DM asked.

Heather checked her watch. “The next one that heads north will be in an hour. Do you think we can get Dave in that amount of time?”

“Let me handle it,” DM said. The three piled into the rental car with DM driving. “Heather you might want to reserve us a box on the next train.”

Heather was just pulling out her phone when DM spoke to her. “Way ahead of you, we’ll be ready to go by the time we get to the station. With any luck we’ll be in London by morning.”

DM parked in the alley that led to where he had heard Dave snoring. “I’ll be right back.” With that the dark man disappeared into the night. He rounded the corner into the alley. Still hearing the snoring he went to the front of the building to see the guard there.

Acting like he was confused about his location he looked relived when he saw the man standing outside the building. “Ah, hello there,” DM said in a heavy American accent. “Do you speak English?” DM walked closer to the guard which was his intent.

“Move along,” The guard said in English with a heavy accent of French.

“I’d love to but I don’t know where to go. Is this road anywhere close to Cimetière de Montparnasse?” DM asked with the sound of hope in his voice.

The guard looked at him like he was crazy. “No, that isn’t even in this district.”

By that time DM was so close to the guard that no one else could hear if they talked in a normal voice. “Is there an American named Dave up there? Tell me the truth.”

Unable to resist the command the guard answered. “Qui, he is on the second floor.”

“Good you will come with me,” DM said and opened the door to the building. On the second floor the guard unlocked the door to where Dave was. “Stand there and don’t move or speak until I tell you to.” DM walked in.

Dave was in bed, snoring away. The sheets were heavy and thick pulled up to his neck over his thick body. He shaved his goatee and died his hair black, it was not his color. As silently as possible DM approached the sleeping man, and then as if in slow motion DM slipped his hand over Dave’s mouth.

Dave’s eyes flashed open to see his former friend, looking down at him in the darkness illuminated only by the indirect light from the street lamps outside. Dave tried to scream, and struggle, but he should have been covering his ears. “Hello Dave, stop moving so I can control your mind.” DM looked like a demon from Hell to the fear filled eyes of Dave.

DM was pushing Dave to the rental car where Pierce and Heather sat waiting. Heather had moved to the driver’s seat and Pierce was up front. DM pushed Dave into the back seat and got in after him. Dave had on a black winter coat, and dark blue slacks that were put on quickly and hadn’t been straightened yet. “May I suggest we get going, someone will notice Dave has stopped snoring?” DM said as soon as he was in the car. Heather drove off.

“Hello Dave,” Pierce said turning around to face the traitor.

“You,” Dave said recognizing Pierce. “I blame you for all of this.”

“If I knew what ‘this’ was I could better respond,” Pierce said with a flash of a smile.

“If it wasn’t for you Dark would never have been working for the US government. If it wasn’t for you I would still be paid just to watch Dark. If it wasn’t for you I wouldn’t have had to kill Rachel, Old man Smith, or Clark.” Dave said.

“Who’s Clark?” Pierce asked looking at DM.

“Clark is the name of my employee that I shot when I shot Rachel.” Dave said as if offended.

“Thank you,” Pierce said lifting up a digital recorder. “I love taped confessions even if they’re not exactly on tape.” Dave sunk deeper into his seat realizing how dumb he was acting. “Dark,” Pierce said to DM, “I called ahead to the motel and told them to go into our rooms and get our luggage that we were checking out. They should have it ready for us to pick up. I’ll run in and get it while you keep an eye on your friend.”

DM agreed and as soon as Heather stopped Pierce was out of the car and running up to the hotel. Dragging the luggage he tossed them into the trunk and they were on their way to the train station. Dave was silent the entire way, and that infected the rest of the troupe to keep their tongues tied. At the train station they boarded and got two private booths all to themselves.

Pierce and Heather took one, while DM and Dave took the other. Amazingly no one checked to see if they had any guns on them, but that was partly due to the money Heather slipped the security agent. The train rumbled forward slowly, and then faster and faster until only the distant lights weren’t streaks by the windows. Dave, not saying anything, curled up on the seat and started snoring again. DM realizing that it was as good of a time as any also went to sleep, but he froze time first. With the blur of motion outside turned into a frozen picture the dark man entered the darkness of sleep.

DM woke up and the darkness outside was still present, and the gun was digging into his back. Dave was still lying on the couch across from the dark man. DM started time again, and the train pushed him back into the seat. He was still getting use to his new power. DM didn’t take his eyes off Dave, even when Dave started to snore.

Daylight was just making the dark sky gray when Dave woke up. He expressed his desire to relieve himself, and DM let him. When Dave came back he sat across from the dark man, and looked him straight in the eye.

“I don’t hate you,” Dave finally said.

“That’s nice,” DM said. He didn’t want to talk to Dave. Dave may not hate him, but DM hated Dave. The dark man hated Dave in such a way that DM didn’t think he could hold himself back from killing the man.

“Do you hate me?” Dave asked. His voice was quiet and low. This was a prompting question, and the rocking of the train was quickly forgotten.

“Yes Dave I hate you,” DM said flatly. “I hate you for lying to me. I hate you for spying on me. I hate you for betraying your own country. I hate you for destroying my apartment. I most of all hate you for killing Rachel.” The dark man’s voice didn’t change from the near monotone with a hint of anger. It was a challenge for DM not to say, ‘Drop dead’ to his former friend.

“I didn’t intend to kill Rachel you know,” Dave said sounding serious.

“That’s right you always carry around a loaded shotgun and just on the spur of the moment decided to rob your own store. Rachel just happened to be there at the end of your shotgun that just mysteriously went off. Dave, don’t insult me,” DM said with the anger getting louder in his throat.

“Why not, you were dumb enough to trust me?” Dave had just switched from trying to get into DM’s confidence to not caring.

“So the only question I have is why did you do it?” DM asked curious.

“Why!” Dave yelled at the dark man, and almost got out of his seat. “Why? You are a dumb fuck. I did it for money. You’ve millions of dollars in banks, and have more free time then you know what to do with. I had to work night and day just to scrape up enough money to pay rent and for food. You were my nest egg. I figured some foreign government would pay a great deal for you. The French deiced that they would pay me to keep an eye on you. As long as you didn’t get involved with foreign affairs all I had to do was watch you.”

“Then I joined the Office of Homeland Security,” DM said thinking about that.

“Pierce found out about you, and dragged your sorry ass to them, and they were recruiting you. I burned your apartment hoping you’d come live with me and I’d persuade you from joining the OHS, but Rachel intercepted you first. Then I shot Rachel thinking I was the only person you could turn to, but then that Asian chick showed up, and Pierce was there for you. I blame Pierce for loosing my lifestyle and nest egg.” Dave was angry.

“I’ll have to thank Pierce for that. I love America. I wasn’t born there, but I love the freedom. I will fight for the freedom of all the people who want that freedom. You gave up that freedom for money. I have no problem bringing you in,” DM said in a flat voice.

Dave crossed his arms and looked out the window of the train watching the skeleton trees go by. “They’ll kill me, you know,” Dave said. “They’ll take me to a gas chamber and I’ll hold my breath until I can’t anymore and then take one final breath as my insides turn to mush. I’ll die sitting down. Rachel died standing up at the end of my shotgun. I enjoyed blasting away her huge face. Watching it split away from her skull before the bone crumbled and her brains splattered away from me was amazing. It was like I was watching her die in slow motion.”

“You want to die,” DM said sure of himself. “You want me to kill you. I’ve figured that out. I also know why you want me to kill you right here and now. You have stuff to hide.” DM used his power on his former friend, “Tell me truthfully what you are hiding?”

Dave tried to keep his mouth closed. He tried not to move his lips. The traitor tried to still his tongue. “I have recordings from when you were on the phone in my apartment.”

“Where?” DM asked.

“In the ceiling above my refrigerator,” Dave said.

“What else are you hiding?” DM asked.

“Nothing,” Dave said.

“Why is it that I don’t believe you?” DM asked. “What information do you have on me that you have or were going to give to the French?” DM commanded of Dave.

Dave stiffened and then spoke slowly. “I spliced together a recording of your voice when you used you power over the phone.”

“Where is the recording now?”

“In the portable tape player with all the other recordings,” Dave responded.

That’s when DM asked the important question. “What does this recording of my voice say?”

Dave tried to stop himself. “You must obey me,” Dave said in half a breath.

There was just the rumble of the train to occupy the ears of the two men. DM couldn’t believe what Dave just said, but there was another question. “What did you do with this recording?”

“I made women have sex with me,” Dave said with a grin. “I then took a queue from you, and made the women forget they had sex with me.”

DM narrowed his eyes at the man. It wasn’t something the dark man hadn’t done himself, but Dave did it through deceit and espionage. “Did you ever use it on Rachel?”

“What if I did?” Dave asked himself with a smile.

DM deiced to stop playing the game and cheat. He used his power, “Tell me the truth. Did you ever have sex with Rachel?”

“No,” Dave said his grin going away. He looked out the window to the gray overcast morning sky.

DM gave a sigh of relief. At least his former best friend didn’t have sex with his former love of his life. DM just let his mind shut down and watched Dave.

There was a knock at the door. “It’s me,” Pierce said on the other side.

DM got up and unlocked the door. “What’s up?” DM asked.

“Breakfast,” Pierce said. He held up a couple of packages of shrink wrapped croissants with something yellow that could have been eggs in between. “How’s our little guest?” Pierce tossed one of the packages to Dave.

“He’s being quite talkative,” DM said looking down at the seated man. “You might want to call it in that there are recordings in the ceiling above the refrigerator at Dave’s apartment in Chicago.”

“Right I’ll get on it,” Pierce said. “I also wanted to let you know that we’ll be hitting Sangatte, where the Chunnel is, in about an hour. We’ll have to switch trains before going through, so be ready.”

“Thanks,” DM said. Pierce closed the door and turned back to Dave. “You’re going to golly old England.” Dave snorted behind his sandwich.

The train started to slow, gently so things wouldn’t go anywhere. Dave on the other hand got more nervous. “Doesn’t our friendship mean anything to you?” Dave asked as one desperate grasp at hope.

“Less than what you thing it means.” DM said sealing it. “You’ll come along quietly and make no move or indication to cry out for help.”

Dave shut his mouth as the train came to a stop. The sun was just an outline in the clouds when the four people left the train. Pierce took point looking around, but didn’t see anything. “Where’s our train?” Pierce asked Heather.

“On the other platform over there,” Heather said and pointed.

“Let’s go,” DM said with his hand on Dave’s elbow. “Nice and slow Dave don’t make a run for it or I’ll just have to chase you.”

“Go to hell,” Dave said in a whisper that only DM could hear.

Pierce took point looking around, with Dave and DM in the middle with Heather following up behind. There were people all about early in the morning trying to either get to the UK or into France. Few took notice of the four people walking across the concrete platform.

That’s when Heather went down to the ground. She gave out a cry of pain when she went down, and there was a burst of gunfire into the air. Everyone dropped to the ground, or couched low, so the gun man stood out. He was a short man with dark brown hair that stood out straight on his head. He looked like a normal thirty something year old man ready to get on a train. In his hand was a small rifle with a double clip on the end.

Pierce ran at the man taking no heed of the gun, but the short man was ready. With one swift movement the gunman swung his rifle and got Pierce right in the side of the head, and the young man fell to the hard concrete. Flipping his rifle around gave the dark man a short burst of bullet.

The pain exploded in DM’s mind even before he could react. The bullets had ripped into his left side tearing way flesh, and blood came spurting out. The gun man grabbed the front of Dave’s coat and dragged him away.

It all happened in less than five seconds. Pierce got quickly to his feet and checked on Heather. “She’s alive,” Pierce called out.

DM had clasped his hand on his side keeping his guts from falling out. It wasn’t the first time he had been shot like that, but it was still as painful. DM blocked out the pain as he saw Dave run with the gunman. They ran down the train tracks in the direction of a closed painted blue door.

The dark man, half blinded with pain, ran, or tried to run, after the two men. The pain was incredible, and his run was turned into a stagger for the blue door. In the distance the gun man pointed his rifle at the lock on the door and shot the bold where the key would have been out of the door.

DM blinked with pain and didn’t see them go through the door. Pierce ran ahead and got to the door two steps before the dark man. DM didn’t wait for a moment at the door, like he wanted to, but ran on. DM was just in time to see Pierce throw a knife. The shiny sliver of metal flew through the air and hit the rifle knocking it out of the man’s hands. The rifle rattled off down the long electrically lit access tunnel.

No one else was in the tunnel except for the four men. There was a large opening right beyond the door where there were large machines with huge pipes that gave a large opening on the concrete floor. Then the tunnel narrowed to the width of a car with five meter spaced florescent lights. That stretched on for miles until they converged to a point where the end could not be seen.

Realizing that his gun was gone the man turned to face the two men. “You Americans are so arrogant,” He said with a thick German accent. “Did you really think that the German government would send someone whose only weapon was his firearm?” That’s when the German spy tensed up. His veins bulged out, and his dark eyes flashed to yellow. His brown hair spread all over his body. The fingernails on his hands extended to sharp claws. The flat features of the man turned to a muzzle and his teeth sharpened and protruded out of gums that were under long lips covered with fur. The jacket that he had been wearing shredded itself and his pants stretched tight against fur covered muscle filled legs. His shoes ripped open as wolf like paws touched the ground.

“A werewolf,” Pierce said with a little awe. His arms flashed and from under his gray sweatshirt he whipped out two throwing knives. “Oh yeah, this’ll be fun.” With a jump through the air Pierce attacked the wolf-man slashing and moving fast.

Dave took off running down the tunnel. DM ran after him. His left side was dripping blood now, and his was getting light headed. This was not a time to die DM said in his mind and gave a burst of energy after Dave. Dave spotted the gun and scooped it up as he ran. DM swore when he saw this and trailing blood in his wake ran after Dave.

“Stop running,” DM said. He tried to use his power, but the pain in his side was clouding his mind.

Dave slowed but didn’t stop. He turned and pointed the rifle at the dark man. DM waited for the bullets to rip into him, but they didn’t come. With his eye still closed he heard Dave yell down the tunnel. “You’re bleeding like a leaky condom. You can’t chase me all the way down the tunnel.”

DM pulled the gun out from behind his back and pointed it at Dave. “What are you going to do run the thirty-one miles to the UK?” DM didn’t have a chance to finish his speech. A rumbling that shook the ground and made the lights in the tunnel flicker as a train ran parallel to where the two men stood with guns pointed at each other.

The dark man felt a stab of pain in his side as something slipped inside, and DM sank to his knees. When he opened his eyes he saw Dave aiming the rifle. The dark man swore as his eye clouded over red with pain. Time he thought and took his hand from his left side feeling the rising numbness of pain flow over him. Just as he squeezed his left hand his head was kicked back and darkness of death filled him.

Time lost all meaning as when the dark man opened his eyes he couldn’t see. He tried to move, but if he could move, he couldn’t feel anything. He tried to think, but found that difficult too. He closed his eyes, or thought he did, and let himself go again.

DM opened his eyes again, and only saw a small point of light filtering through complete blackness. His whole body was dumb, but his fingers more than others. If his ears worked, he couldn’t tell. He had hoped that time was till frozen, but until he knew what he was dealing with he didn’t want to find out what would happen when he squeezed his left hand again.

When Dark Mateus opened his eyes again the light before his eyes had widened. He could just make out the face of Dave in black and white colors with the rifle pointed just above where DM could see. DM moved his hand, or thought he did, and saw his fingers in the pin prick of vision he had, but couldn’t feel anything but numbness. That’s when the dark man realized what happened. Dave shot him, in the head, just when time stood still. Now DM really wanted to kill the man.

When the dark man opened his eyes the light was wider and Dave’s face still was there, frozen with a surprised pleasurable smile on it, and still only in black and white colors. Oh DM really wanted to kill that man. DM still couldn’t feel his fingers, but when he lifted his right hand he could see the gun in it. With energy and strength he didn’t know he had he pointed the gun at Dave and pulled the trigger with the last pit of strength he had.

The light was brighter surrounded by the darkness, and Dave’s face was still there, and again still without color. Something was missing, and the dark man could tell, but what was it? There wasn’t a bullet. DM swore at himself. He didn’t cock the gun. He swore again. The lack of feeling in his body made the lifting of his right hand only visual. He couldn’t feel his fingers on the gun, and when he tried to cock the gun his fingers slipped off the slide. DM was doing a great deal of swearing he noticed. Then tried to cock the gun again, and he felt the vibration deep down in his body of the bullet sliding into the chamber. DM lost what energy he had, and closed his eyes.

When DM opened his eyes again he was looking at the concrete floor of the tunnel, there were two bullets in the thumb size hole in the darkness of his vision. Dave had shot him twice. That made DM very angry. He raised his eyes, and then his hand. Looking down the sites of the automatic pistol he aimed for Dave’s frozen face, and squeezed the trigger. The kickback jerked his whole body, and DM let the darkness fill him again.

When DM opened his eyes again he saw that the bullet in the monochrome colors. Even with his mind only working at half speed he could tell that the flying metal would go wide of Dave’s head. DM grunted and took aim again. He could feel his heart beating, but nothing else. His aim had to be true. He was going to kill his former best friend. He couldn’t let the man leave. He couldn’t let Dave escape. He had killed Rachel, he had killed Old man Smith, and he had killed his own employee. DM couldn’t let the man live. He pulled the trigger.

The muzzle flashed the bullet ripped out of the gun faster than anyone could see only to be frozen in mid air like a bubble in clear glass. It hung there in mist of its flight. DM felt certain that it would hit Dave square in the face. DM smiled that Dave would be dead in less than a second, for everyone else. Dark Mateus closed his eyes and let the familiar darkness take over him as he squeezed his left hand.

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