The long awaited night has arrived. With the information that Count Andreas Petofi would soon be arriving in Collinwood, the members of Collins Investigations have hurried to Eagle Hill Cemetery. Nicole Collins is well aware that if Richard Pickman is to appear it will be via the Ghul tunnels that honeycomb New England, and more than likely, Eagle Hill. As they await, each reflecting of what the cost of failure could well bode for Collinsport, perhaps the world, they stand a silent vigil. When suddenly . . . .
Soundtrack: [www.youtube.com]
The road wound up and out of the forest.
Not paved, no, but of hard packed earth with little underbrush owing to the winter. The dirt road separated and gave way to an even less substantial avenue of access, leading through the hundred-year oaks to the cemetery and the stonewall which surrounds it, looming like the gray walls of a prison.
A prison that cannot hold its dead.
Of course, there was an easier and shorter route through a cut in the woods using the Collins estates back way from The Old House, but either the driver was unaware or did not want to avail himself of that particular avenue of access.
The sound of the tires of the rental car crunching upon gravel echoes through the stillness of the night. Bright headlight beams seem a ghostly apparition moving as they do among and along the interval between the oaks and hemlocks, the sleeping corpses of briers and underbrush.
Someones coming, Esther whispers.
Nikki, Rhyaad, Esther and Sam had used the shorter route.
Once they gained the cemetery, they had ominously slipped into a near-by crypt.
Nikki, aware of the approaching car, steps up beside Esther to watch the headlights bobbing on the uneven ground. Lets see what happens, she whispers, Everyone be careful.
The rental car comes to a halt.
A car door opens and then closes.
A gray haired, bearded gentleman slowly makes his way along the entrance of the graveyard. He looks at a few of the ornate tombstones he passes as if he recognizes a name . . . here . . . there.
Esther readies her rifle, still uncertain if she is able to use it.
She can see that the man does not carry a flashlight and yet he seems to be able to make his way perfectly well via the light of the moon breaking through the clouds.
He approaches a freshly dug grave.
Rhyaad already has his gun drawn and aims it carefully now while crouching behind a low, moldy verdigris spotted stonewall hidden in the shadows of a huge oak tree.
The gray haired man walks up to the grave and stops.
He stands now beside it, his hands crossed before him, solemnly as if he were there about to pay his respects to someone he knew.
He watches as the moonlight, falling awkwardly through the twisted, barren limbs of the giant oak, slant down into the open cavity in the earth to reveal the earthen floor of the grave.
It seems to be moving.
Earth is being pushed up so that a pale hand can be seen reaching up, fingers grasping. The pale hand tears at the earth as another hand appears and slowly they claw away the floor of the grave to reveal the figure of a man pushing up, forcing his head and shoulders, forcing his way up through the opening he creates as he rises out of the ground.
Count Andreas Petofi steps back and watches as Richard Upton Pickman stands in the open grave; and then, the gaunt, man reaches up his ghastly, dirty, pale, claw like hands to grasp the side of the earthen cavity to pull himself up so that he can stand before the aristocrat.
Esther watches in silent, still horror, and fascination. This is it. This is the meeting they have all been anticipating . . ..
Rhyaad watches silently, mentally cursing necromancers, and glad to feel the touch of the cold metal amulet strapped to his chest under his armor.
Edward, the low growl of a voice from the man having arisen from the grave says.
“Richard, it is so good to see you again.” The Counts baritone voice hints of a broad non-localized European accent.
“I am sure.” Pickman says brushing damp earth for his blood stained clothing.
Samantha now silently climbs to her favorite limb of a tree, watching closely.
The opening of the grave now shudders. The Count can feel the ground tremble beneath his feet as a huge hound-like creature arises from the hole Pickman has clawed in the floor of the grave. It climbs up to stand behind Pickman, watching balefully with bright yellow eyes it was an ancient Ghul.
Pickman looks around, able to see perfectly well in the dark, “Edwardyou are alone?”
“Yes, Richard. The Count tells him evenly, You see, Nicholas was detained, but we need to move forward with the transaction.”
“And so Edward? Pickmans voice seems as if he is unaccustomed to speaking as a human, You would dare the very powers from whence you derive your own?”
“There are other powers, Richardpowers which I will inherit.”
Rhyaad shudders at the sight of the Ghul, but remains silent, listening. How will they make their ‘transaction’ without Lillian Snow?”
Insert
“Or, perhaps you shall inherit the wind . . . Pickman looks at the Count with horrid red eyes, As I so long to see my beloved Veraand yet, alas Edward, I see naught but the tombstones in the night.
Samantha quietly now hefts a very strange rifle, one she has preloaded to save on noise and time and watches their motions through the scope, reading their lips.
Count Petofi, still standing as patient as a minister at a graveside, hands claps before him, nods, “Yes, yes, Richard but the important matter at the moment is do you have the High Priest?”
Esther now does not shudder at the loathsome sight of the man who had once been a human but was now a ghoul; she does not breath any more than absolutely necessary. She has gone into her hunters “Hunt Mode” and becomes as silent and still as the night.
Richard Upton Pickman cocks his head to one side, even as the Ghul beside him growls, “Edward Hutchinson, I have seen hell, and I know it’s meaningas I know the meaning now in your voice . . . you would betray me even as you betray those who give you power? Edward, where is Vera?”
“She will be here shortly.”
Rhyaad waits, hoping the high velocity silver .50 caliber Slayer gun adequate. In his most stealthy vampiric mode, though not invisible, he is almost undetectable.
“I who have risked much crossed the cold wastes, and entered the temple of Leng on your behalf? And you seek to deceive me?” Pickman spits a phlegmy splatter of mucus and blood on the ground near the well-polished shoes of the Count.
The Ghul rises and snarls, its lips pulling back to reveal black gums and razor sharp teeth.
“I should let the hounds have youbut noI shall leave you to your master who shall know of your deception and ways of your punishment.
Count Petofi now steps forward lifting a hand as it to stay the ghoul, “Richard, it is only a momentary delay, I assure you . . . She is here in Collinsport.”
Then I will seek her on my own.” Pickman tells him angrily as he and the Ghul descend back into the open grave.
You shall not deceive me again, Edward Hutchinson!
And with that warning, he is gone.
Esther watches as Pickman leaves and whispers, “Is that it?”
Count Petofi stands at the graveside, “Richard!”
He reaches down and grasps a clump of earth and tosses it into the grave, “I will not be hindered in my plans . . . I shall obtain that which I seek.”
Overhead, from a dead tree branch, two bats watch the scene, completely unnoticed.
Rhyaad wonders what that could mean. He is well aware that Snow, a.k.a. “Vera”, is in protective custody as arranged by St. Clair.
“Really, Count?” Nikki steps out of the dark shadows.
Esther turns abruptly Nik had slipped past her and she had not even noticed.
The Count turns and smiles.
Samantha from her advantage point of the tree limb almost hisses in surprisewhat is Nikki doing?
Petofi steps away from the grave.
“Miss Nicole Collins, He begins now to slowly walk away from the grave, along the tombstones toward the ruins of the old church, I should have guessed. The bastard child of my old nemesis, Barnabas Collins.”
Esther can only watch.
Rhyaad finds himself startled now as Nikki chooses to reveal herself.
He aims for the ‘Count’s head.
Nikki saunters along parallel to the Count as he moves into the ruined foundations of the church, her sapphire eyes bright in the moonlight. Her lips slightly parted to reveal the sharp edges of her fangs. She wonders if he is seeking the protection of the hallowed ground? If so, this church can afford no protection as it has long ago been corrupted.
“And how is your father? He continues to move into the ruins of the church, Have you seen him lately? Or do you even remember him? He stops to stand now amidst the ruins of the church. He notices and wipes earth off of his fingers. Perhaps his is merely some handwriting in an old, musty, yellow paged journal?
He seems now to have found the spot from which he will now face her, Nikki thinks, and her blue eyes narrow. She feels the tightness of her lips draw across the sharp fangs.
Whereas you see I do remember him wella gentlemen in all things. But he thought it wise to cross my path, until I had to teach him just how unwise that truly was. His hands fall to his sides, And so, now it is the daughters turn to learn that lesson.
Rhyaad listens to the necromancer taunt Nikki, glad that for the moment it’s only taunts.
“Perhaps, Count, someone needs to educate you.” Nikki tells him her voice devoid of all emotion the voice that sounds too much like one she has feared to succumb.
He laughs, “And who might that be you? A mere fledglingand one that I might add who can’t even seem to make up her own mind.”
His eyes grow intense, watching her every movementwarily. “Whether to cling hopelessly to a life that is long past dead or to embrace the supremacy of her own un-death, over this realm of mere mortals.”
Nikki approaches ever closer.
“Yes, it quite the dilemma is it not, that age old question. Whether it is better to serve in heaven or reign in the hell of your own devising. He says, watching her move closer.
And you know you have thought of it, haven’t you Miss Collins, He flicks dirt from his fingertips, It haunts you . . . has haunted you ever since . . . when? When did you become conscious of it? Was it in the gutter? Or, later perhaps, in the morgue?
Rhyaad now recognizes the tactic taken by Blair/Orne. The Count is trying to encourage Nikki to embrace her beast. So far, though, there have been none of those hand motions, although, when he flicked something from his fingers it did give him a start.
When did your temptation begin, Nicole?” He smiles malevolently, Oh, wait perhaps it was your temptation that brought on your curse. Or was it? Perhaps you were born to be un-dead.
“Let me ask you one better, when did you come up with this mad scheme?” She steps across the sunken earth of a grave.
“Mad scheme? To seek power and seek it absolutely?” He laughs, “From the moment I read the same books as you . . . when you too had the same thoughts . . . and desires . . . or you would not have sought out Marceline de Champeaux or Joseph Salpetriere.”
This is an odd twist, Rhyaads eyebrow rises. Did Nikki ever truly have dark desires as a result of reading those awful books?
Was there more to her than he had suspected?
How innocent she first appeared but, yes, she knows too much.
“I have paid the price for mydesire.” She tells him and suddenly removes a Glock 9mm from her coat pocket a throwaway gun given to her by St. Clair and holds it level, “Isn’t it time you paid for yours?”
Count Petofi smiles wickedly, “Oh, and the bullet, the one for me. Can I guess? Does it have the name of Miranda du Val on it?
Rhyaad finger tenses on the trigger. Who is du Val?
Miranda, who I gave to Judah Zachery, for a book! Miranda, whom he raped, and then taught her all about the powers of the darkness Miranda, who escaped to Martinique and changed her name to became the ever-lovely Angelique. Your mother.
Nikki stares at him, her finger on the trigger.
Or does it have the name Barnabas Collins on it? Whom, your mother cursed to live the hell of her own making, forced into becoming one of the un-dead? Cursed that everyone who should ever love him should die–even you. Who was so gullible as to believe in the Experiment. Who interfered with my plans once too often and whom I saw to it found precisely what he was looking for in Alexandriaand then was never seen again? Your father.
Nikki’s finger tightens on the trigger — but she wants to hear more of what this b*****d has done.
Count Petofi takes a step back as she steps forward, approaches, the gun leveled at his head.
“Or does it have the name Ezserbet Bathory? Who drained you of the life she unknowingly gave you! Who was to leave you dead in a Paris gutter? Who was forced to murder you because of the power of a painting I had made of her and gave to the Brides to torture her for her many past deeds and for crossing my path one too many times. Who was ordered by the Brides to kill youbecause I told them to order her to do so? Your biological mother.
Her finger tightens.
Or does it have the name Nicole Collins? Who I helped give life and then un-death? Whose guardian I strangled, as she came to know too much? Who seeks now to avenge this night her family?”
“It has your name on it Edward Hutchinson.” She says evenly
Samantha grits her teeth reading the whole revolting exchange in her scope.
So? Rhyaad is shocked to learn . . . this Count did all of this? He arranged for Barnabas’s disappearance? He painted Elisabeth? He gave her over to the Brides? He ordered the brides to have Elisabeth murder Nikki? But did he also tell the Diogenes Club of the Russians plans? Did he give Bathory over so that Praetorius would use her? Did he actually orchestrate the Experiment?
Good Goddid he create Nikki!
“Oh, so it has your grandfather’s name on it?”
Esther swallows and looks down the iron sightsoh, this cannot be believed, what kind of f**ked up family does poor Nikki have?
Nikki’s eyes narrow, “What?”
“I am Miranda du Val’s father. And Miranda du Val is Angelique.
“You are a liar!” Nikki shouts at him.
“Everyone you have ever know has been a liar, Nicole.”
Just how convoluted is Nikki’s past? Or is this a lie? Rhyaad wonders.
“They have all told you nothing but lies.”
“Youyou are . . . She points the gun at him, You are the lair!”
Rhyaad grimaces. If he’s somehow getting through to her . . . he may have to join in this.
You dont even know the truth about The Experiment!
What?
They all lie, He tells her Every single one of them have lied to you. Dr. Hoffman. Elliot Stokes. Hallie Stokes. Catronia Kaye. Praetorius. Bathory. Marceline de Champeaux. Most of all your mentor, Alzis.
Esther feels the tears in her eyes and suddenly screws her cover as she stands up, I have never lied to her!
Count Petofis fingers now, finding the opening he had been waiting for as Nikki turns back to look at Esther suddenly begins moving as if folding paper.
Rhyaad sees it.
Oh F**k! Sam says aloud as she sees it in her scope.
And suddenly, as if a great hand had plucked her up Nikki is lifted and hurled across the broken grounds and foundations of the old church toward a stone monument with a cross atop it.
Esther quickly recovers and aims her rifle at his hand and fires.
It seems Esther’s thoughts were the same as Rhyaads, when he sees the fingers. He fires at the Count’s head just a second after Esther.
But even as he hurls Nikki with one hand, the other is lifted in a wave in their direction.
A shimmer appears around him.
His free hand now removes a pair of nine-inch silver nails from his pocket as he hurls them after Nikkis flying body.
With his glimmer the bullets somehow miss their marks.
Nikki slams up hard against the cross. She drops the 9mm. The back of her head smacking the rough granite, as her hands whip up and out as the silver nails appear.
Each drives deep as if struck by sledgehammers into her palms nailing her onto the cross.
The pain of the silver is intense driven through flesh and bone as she tires to maintain control of her thoughts trying to see where the Count is, what his next move will be . . . how could she have been so careless.
Destroy him utterly, she hears Nyarlathoteps voice.
S**T, Samantha arising screams angrily, as she had tried to track Nikkis flight across the open course to the cross in her scope and fired behind her, a soft barrier hurling out . . . but missing the silver nails.
Count Petofi, aware of his assailants all around him, waves his hands and the shimmering, glimmer now brightens as it surrounds him.
Rhyaad curses and fires again.
You seek to save them Miss Collins. The Count taunts her, Then by all means grand-daughter, die on the cross, like the good savior you once believed would save you but are lost to forever as you are un-dead.
Nikki grimaces from the pain of the silver burning in her palms, holding her bound to the cross.
They say there are a million ways to die, my dear, I just need to decide on just one for you. But at the moment, first things first, Hastur – Hastur Hastur! He says aloud.
Esther drops the rifle and draws her knife.
Rhyaad gasps you are never to say that name three times!
Esther is prepared to dash across the graveyard toward this aristocrat from hell, only suddenly the very air begins to vibrate and the churchyard and ruins of the sanctuary begins to glow.
She looks now, as the trees seem to melt, as if they were made of wax.
The sky above strangely now has two moons!
Rhyaad seeing the bullets have little effect draws the massive silver claymore
Around him the tombstones begin to drip like something from a Salvator Dali painting.
F**k f**k f**k f**k Samantha says as she quickly changes clips, a hint of gold shining in the top of the odd gun she welds, while the sky above her begins to roil.
An odd darkness, something like a black hole is forming, it swirls and from within it she can see what looks like a giant mouth, or sucker, or vagina, or eye or maybe whatever it is is really all four. And, as she looks at it in horrified amazement, it begins to reassemble now into the shape of a man-like figure. It begins to slowly take substance, suspended, his feet yet to touch the ground. Her height, being on the limb of the old oak tree, allows her to see him now clearly. His face is jaundiced, so much so the skin appears pale lemon, his clothing all tattered, almost nothing more than hanging rotted rags.
She is struck now how almost biblical it all seems, his appearance in the air the strange sound of pipes playing, as his voice speaks now like some angel to give proclamation:
Strange is the night where black stars rise,
And strange moons circle through the skies
Esther below is utterly stupefied by this appearance.
Who calls upon my name?
Samantha trains a dead bead upon the center of his head, muttering words in an odd mix of Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, the volume slowly growing louder, words she hopes she pronounces correctly having learned them from the scroll she took from The Metropolitan.
Rhyaad whirls to face the voice coming from the sky, backing closer to Esther.
Nikki tries to move her hands, to move the silver nails driven through her palms but they are embedded deep into the stone of the cross. Her blood drips down on the top of the crypt and runs off to the ground below.
Are Ye Wise? Keziah Masons voice says.
Count Andreas Petofi raises his arms heavenward: “I have seen the Yellow Sign, I long for Lost Carcoso.”
The voice above says in reply:
Songs that the Hyades shall sing,
Where flap the tatters of the King,
Must die unheard in
Dim Carcosa.
Jub..carco..Flibi? Meshiguna! Esther says as she points at the figure in yellow with her knife, babbling.
The King In Yellow, the King in Tatters looks below he sees the un-dead servant on the cross, smells her acid blood, sees the man beseeching him, and then sees that his feet are suspended, “Has not the Phantom of Truth come?
“NO, he has not Nikki yells up to the figure, The ritual is not complete he seeks to circumvent the incantation. He knows not what he is doing.
Rhyaad glances at Esther. She seems confused. He looks up to see Samantha aiming the strange gun in the air.
Samantha rises now to a precarious standing position on the branch, her voice now audible as it echoes across the darken ruins of the church ruins as Samantha finishes her chant.
“Look about you, there has never been a land so ripe for Carcsoa? Petofi implores.
The figure looks down at Petofi:
Song of my soul, my voice is dead;
Die thou, unsung, as tears unshed
Shall dry and die in
Lost Carcosa.
Esther closes her eyes, takes a step back, refuses to look at the figure in the air and takes a deep breath.
She hears Nikkis voice in her head, Look at me!
Esther opens her eyes again and focuses solely on Nik Nik on the cross.
Cessare esse!! Samantha hurls the words as she fires, a gold tipped round hurtling towards Hastur, leaving blue waves of sound and energy behind it, restoring a measure of normalcy to the distorted land it touches.
Pefoti waves his hands and a much larger sheen covers himthe ground below his feet seems to be breaking up, atomicallyas if he were opening up some rift by sheer force of will.
Rhyaad raises the gun again, shifting the sword to one hand, and aims at whatever Sam is firing at as he has yet to see the figure speaking from above, hoping to add his silver bullets to Sam’s fire.
The bullet from Samantha Brooks strange gun collides with Hasturs forehead in an explosion of force, enveloping the “king” in a barrier of constricting noise and energy, attempting to push him back beyond the rift that continues to grow.
Esther starts to run, breaking across the uneven ground, running to Nikki.
Focus, Concentrate ” Nikki remembers Erzsebets directions as she taught her to focus on a mirror.
Esther leaps upon the monument and scraping her fingers, tearing a knuckle, climbs up to Nikki crucified.
Nikki turns her head and looks at the nail in her left hand and stares at it.
Esther sees it begin to quiver.
It moves!
Nikki looks at Esther, then back at the nail.
She narrows her eyes.
It begins to pull out.
She gasps in pain and bites her lips as it pulls free.
“Esther! Pull the nails out!” Rhyaad calls to her.
Esther grabs the bloody nail and pulls it free of Nikkis hand.
Nikki looks to the left.
The nail moves.
It comes free and is hurled by the power of her mind into the darkness.
Looking down she sees the protective sheen does not cover the Count, Edward Hutchinson, her grandfather, from above.
She leaps down upon him.
Esther turns, slips and falls on her back at the base of the cross.
Petofi hits the ground with Nikki atop him.
Nikkis bloody hands try to hold his head as the shimmer weakens.
Esther lies on the cold ground, feeling now once again the helplessness once again useless when it matters the most.
Nikkis bloody hands grab his hair and lift his head back, Esther for God’s sake shoot!!!!!!” She yells.
Esther gets up dazed, hearing her name Nikkis voice calling her.
Nikki holds the Counts head up in her bloody hands, and she looks over to Esther . . . Please Esther! Shoot! I can’t hold him much longer”
It can not be by your hand that Petofi dies! Nikki hears the voice of Anastasie Roulet.
Dazed, Esther looks at the Count. Draws her pistol and aims it at his head.
Rhyaad turns and sees Nikki holding the Counts head, the glimmer down, and he aims for the head carefully, perfectly, pulls the triggerand the gun jams.
Get off me! Nicole you can not do this! Hutchinson yells at her, You do not know what happens if you do!
So long asshole. Esther says.
CMON ESTHER! Samantha yells from the tree limb.
Esther fires.
The bullet hits the Count dead center between the eyes at point blank range. The back of his skull explodes in a spray of blood and brains showering Nikki.
The bullet slams into her chest and she falls back, sitting now as she looks down amazed to see the bullet hole smoking in her sweater.
Nikki! Esther screams.
Nikki feels lightheaded, about to topple, but then takes a deep breath and the bullet pushes its way back out and she sits looking at her bloody hands.
Samantha jumps from the tree running along the wall towards the church.
The sky above has returned once more to merely a night sky as The King in Yellow has disappeared.
Rhyaad rushes towards the fallen Count and Nikki, and with a swing of the sword, he cuts off Petrofi’s head.
Esther stares at the revolver in her hand for a brief moment.
Samantha sighs in relief, hurrying to Nikki’s side.
Nikki sits trembling “Is the Bastard dead?”
Dropping the gun Esther runs to Nikki’s aid.
Rhyaad gasps, more in relief, “Does that mean we did it?”
I shot him . . . I shot him . . . The realization now dawning on Esther, I shot a man . . . oh god! I shot a man!
“Not a man Esther Nikki tells her He gave up being a man a long time ago.”
Rhyaad stands over the headless body of Count Petofi and looks over to Esther, “We have all killed. You did it to save Nikki. To save this whole city. You did what had to be done.”
Samantha puts a hand on Nikki’s shoulders, God you have blood and She says as she wipes away bits of brain from Nikkis jacket and sweater.
Nikki tires to rise, but owing to her wounded hands she looks up to Samantha and asks her to help.
Rhyaad steps over and as Samantha helps Nikki up, he bites his own tongue. He smiles a bloody smile and then taking Nikkis hands he begins to lick at the wounds in her palms. Rhyaads very dark blood, mixed with Nikki’s brighter blood, begins to slowly heal the wounds despite the silver.
What had to be done . . . yes. Esther says softly to herself as tears begin to well up, It had to be done. Yes. She looks now at Nikki’s hands, And now what needs to be done is we need to patch you up.
Nikki walks over to Esther, she puts her arms out and then puts them gently around her, “My Esther!”
Esther in turn reaches to help support Nikki.
Nikki gasps suddenly in pain as she feels the bones in her hands beginning to knit. She looks wearily at Esther, “It’s my fault, I should not have allowed him distract me.”
Rhyaad returns to the body of Petrofi and begins now to brutally destroy it, chopping his head into bloody and gray pieces with the sword, and cutting out his heart, which he also chops into pieces and stomps into the ground.
Samantha watches Rhy and quickly steps over, Hey, hey . . . I want his skull. . .
There is no one to fault. We did what needed to be done. Esther shakes her head as she helps Nikki away from the ruins of the church.
Well, Looking at Esther, It is over dear God I think it is over.”
Esther says nothing, but looks down at the ground in thought.
Rhyaad turns to Sam. “No. Some necromancers of Old had the power to rise again as an undead. We must completely destroy and burn his body.”
Samantha sighs, Damn, my desk is never gonna have a skull on it and she begins to pout for a moment and then suddenly giggles, still rather giddy.
Esther props Nikki up on the half-wall of the church, I’ll be right back.
Nikki looks down at the bullet hole in her sweater, the splatter of blood and bone and pieces of Petofis brains on her clothing; she can feel it in her hair. She resists the urge to lick away his terrible blood and turns to look back at the body of Petofi . Was he really her grandfather? Well, at least not biologically even if he were Angeliques father.
Esther walks over to her former hiding spot and picks up her rifle, the one that was ineffective.
So, you want a skull? Rhyaad asks Samantha.
And a lollipop. . . and some canaries. . . ooh, ooh maybe even a shrubbery!
He looks at her oddly.
Esthers trembling hand takes out her pack of cigarettes and shakes one out. She looks at her hand now seeing how it is shaking. She takes a long deep draw off the cigarette as she lights it . . . feeling its comforting rush of nicotine.
“Get me some gasoline and matches, Rhyaad looks up at her, And I’ll get you a skull, Sam.”
Nikki walks away, holding her arms across against her chest as she feels her hands continue to heal. She steps over broken debris of the old church.
She steps back into the private burial ground within the cemetery, near the crypt. “Esther?” She calls out.
Samantha skips past Nikki like a schoolgirl and hurries into the mausoleum. Nikki watches as she quickly reappears and steps back out now with Rhyaads requested items cans of gasoline.
Nikki sits down on one of the stone slabs.
“Esther?” She calls out, looking for her.
Esther leaning against the far wall looks up, Hmm? She says softly.
“That fast?” Rhyaad questions her as she returns.
I have caches all across the town, She giggles.
He takes the red gasoline can from her and begins to splash it all over Petrofi’s remains. “You just happen to have caches of arson equipment scattered about town?” He raises an eyebrow as he looks over at the grinning Samantha Brook.
Not arson. Just useful things.
The scent of gasoline now hangs heavy in the night air.
He nods, deciding for once to not say what his real thoughts are about the woman. Better to be thankful she had what was needed at the right time.
“Esther, please come sit by me?” Nikki asks, noticing the rising cigarette smoke from the opposite side of the stonewall.
Rhyaad ignites a match, its flame sparking in the darkness.
Esther drops the cigarette in the dirt, steps on it, and crushes it into the earth.
He drops the match and the body whooshes in flame, lighting up the night.
Rhyaad and Samantha are illuminated in a flickering glow.
“I know you are not feeling good about what happened.” Nikki says looking at her hands, watching as the flesh slowly continues to heal itself. “It is good that you do.”
Esther glances over the wall, Looks like Sam will be getting her human skull after all. Complete with my godd*** bullet hole right through the center.
Black smoke and the stench of burning flesh soon arises into the night air.
Esther steps back through the gate and over to Nikki.
Nikki looks over and sighs, “I know there is little I can say right now”
You could say we saved millions by killing one intelligent being, human or not.
“It had to be done, yes, Esther that goes without saying. She tells her, But that does not mean we should not feel bad about it.
Nik, I’ve killed hundreds of Animals, but never a human. I don’t want to kill humans Nik.
“I am so sorryit should have been me to carry the burden of doing it.”
Now you know we could not have let you do that . . . Esther says and sits down beside her. She sighs, You know were in this together you and I.
Samantha glides around, picking up what was left of the shell that hit The King in Yellow.
Nikki turns to look at her friend and places a wounded hand on her shoulder, “Esther my dear, dear Esther.
Esther looks up, This is where we started Nik.
Yes I know.
Samantha blows on a ridge in the tattered casing, a haunting note escaping that makes reality shimmer slightly. Ooooh, She says, Pretty. And then pockets the shell.
“And just what in the nine hells are those?” Rhyaad asks, turning now from watching the burning body to point at the shell as she slips it into her pocket. “Magic bullets? What kind of magic bullets? And where did you get them?”
Samantha grins, Not magic. Science bullets.
“Science my ancient arse!” He exclaims. “What are they? I’ve never seen anything like that before. It caused a ripple effect not unlike what Blair could do.
Oh, something I made.
How could you make such a thing? What do they do?” he asked her.
Oh, Energy distortion by acoustic manipulation. Samantha grins slyly.
Rhyaad shakes his head and looks at the burning body of the Count, “Well about that skull. How about the skull of Robert Daeson? He raped a lot of women in Los Angeles in the 1980’s. I ripped his head off and put it on a pole.”
Nikki puts her arms around Esther and holds her comfortingly, Yes, this is where I found my best friend.
Esther embraces her as a tear or two rolls down her cheek.
Nikki places her damaged hand on Esther’s head and lets her cry, holding her so the others will not see.
Cue Music
Later, a pair of dark shoes steps over a jutting piece of broken ruin. A man carrying a small spade and a black plastic bag makes his way carefully over toward the stone monument with the cross.
He stops and looks up at it.
The Reverend Lamar Trask begins to carefully scoop up the ash remains of the Count and ever so cautiously places his ashes into the black bag.
End of Episode