From v4s@FKFANFIC.COM Fri Oct 2 00:41:30 1998 Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 10:04:56 -0400 From: Virtual Fourth Season To: FKFIC-L@LISTS.PSU.EDU Subject: V4S: When Darkness Falls (06/11) Episode Number: Forever Knight Virtual 4th Season - Episode #18 Episode Title: "When Darkness Falls" "Air" Date: September 28, 1998 Author: Libby Singleton Part 6 of 11 This story is based on characters and situations created by James Parriott and Barney Cohen and owned by Sony/TriStar. No infringement is intended. Copyright 1998 Elizabeth Ann Singleton ------------------ WHEN DARKNESS FALLS "Dammit! The picture's fading again," Adam said, trying to adjust the picture. He wanted to blame the cheap, lowest bid equipment for the quality of the tape. However, the lab technicians had taken the original weather exposed, out of focus tape and made it viewable even if not all the details were clear. "I think that's about as good as it is going to get," Nick said. Giving up, Adam moved back around the room's table to sit next to Nick. They both had notepads, although Nick was more intent on writing down details than Adam. The video was remarkably uneventful, mostly apartment buildings and their parking lots. "I recognize some of those as being burglary sites," Adam said. "Uh, huh," Nick muttered, staring intently at the screen. "But others aren't," Adam added. "Yeah," Nick mumbled. "Maybe they couldn't find a pattern to the occupants." Nick emitted an incoherent grunt. "Or could be that those buildings had better security. Something we need to look into," Adam suggested. "Oh." Falling silent, Adam looked away from the screen to glare at his partner. Obviously, Nick hadn't adsorbed a word he'd said. "You know who I suspect?" "Huh, uh." "A certain annoying purple dinosaur," Adam quipped. "I mean if he can break into song, why can't he break into...." "Hey, that's inside." Nick interrupted, leaning over the table. Focusing back on the screen, Adam saw his partner was right. The scene had switched to the inside of a small studio apartment. The camera's view circled the room, seeming to focus on valuables and electronics. Then the view spun around, where two males were shown. Once was black, tall, and slightly overweight. The other was white, tall and extremely thin with shoulder length straight hair and a pronounced, sharp nose. "Teenagers," Adam said. "Or maybe in their early twenties." Nick offered no reply. Glancing at his partner, Adam saw that Nick also had stopped writing notes. Instead, he stared at the video, mouth slightly open and forehead wrinkled with worry. He gripped his pen so tightly in one hand, Adam expected it to snap any moment. Silently, they watched as building after building, apartment after apartment passed across the screens. Sometimes a third young man, older than the others, very fair-skinned with bleached white hair appeared. Adam decided he was the usual cameraman, but sometimes demanded his own time in front of the lens. Near the end, they trio entered Natalie Lambert's apartment. The mode of operation was the same until the bedroom door was pushed open. The faint word "cool" could be heard on the tape as they focused on Natalie, sleeping soundly beneath a thin blanket, Sidney curled up on top of her. Adam fought not to squeeze his eyes shut, almost embarrassed by the invasion of Nat's privacy and modesty. Without looking at Nick, he asked, "You okay? Want a break?" "No," Nick said, voice deep and strained. Adam decided not to clarify which question, if not both, he was responding too. Natalie shifted slightly. Sidney yawned, then looked straight at the camera, meowing inquisitively before suddenly leaping from the bed. The perps, camera still running, fled from her apartment. Because whoever was holding the camera had it pointed at the floor, there was no visual hints how they managed to unlock Missy's door although Sidney could be seen rubbing against their legs. The animal was kicked away, but quickly returned to a chorus of whispered cursing about cats in general. As soon as they were inside, the camera was raised and the filming of the room began. "Damn," a voice said on the video, "it was already running." "Don't worry about it, should still be plenty of tape left," was the reply. A faint sneeze was heard in the tape's background. The camera swung around to show Missy Pias entering the door, tissue up to her face. "What the....?" she muttered before the tall, thin teenager grabbed her from behind, covering her mouth with his hand. The steadiness of the camera and focus of the picture became even worse as she tried to fight back. The assailant seemed to dance around the room with her, colliding into furniture. A bump into an end table sent a lamp onto the carpet, although it didn't break. Finally, they crashed into the bookcase, which shook visibly. A bust of Beethoven wobbled, then fell, striking Missy on the head. Her head split. Sidney could be heard yowling as he fled out of camera range towards the door. The boy, covered in blood, stared down at her for a moment, then stared straight into the camera, wide-eyed and obviously horrified. He dropped her. The tape ended. "Nick?" Adam asked. When his partner didn't answer, he shifted slightly, glancing at the stiff, unmoving Nick Knight. "We ought to see about printing some stills from the tape. See if any of the other departments recognize them. Maybe juvenile has something. If we can get the okay, we can see about giving copies to the media. And," Adam paused to swallow, "We'll have to show it to Nat." "No." "We *have* to, Nick," Adam protested. "You know that." "I know," Nick sighed. "She knows they were in her room." Staring down at his tablet, Adam drew a circle, adding eyes and a frowning face. "Didn't you see her?" Nick said through clinched teeth. "She doesn't know they filmed her *in bed*, for God's sake!" "Think of it as a show of just how stupid these guys are!" Adam replied. "They obviously didn't expect to ever get caught or they wouldn't have filmed themselves. Or maybe they're on such a big ego trip they didn't care. In any case, they're going to be looking for the camcorder, for this tape." Nick drew in an audible breath, something Adam had never seen him do before. "You're right. We need to set up a patrol, keep an eye out for the suspects. "Now that's the Nick Knight I know and work with," Adam said. "Why don't I go see about the prints now. Nat could see those first." Nick smiled slightly. "Thanks." Adam patted Nick's back on his way to the door. *** Nat, sleeping so peacefully and unawares. Nick couldn't shake the image from his mind as he drove from apartment building to apartment building, following the list of addresses from the video. Some of it involved retracing Adam's steps, yet there'd been several buildings on the video which had not been robbed. He saw nothing new. The area seemed peaceful, windows for the most part dark. Inside, he could imagine the residents sleeping soundly in their beds. Only occasionally did he pass someone out walking a dog or a stray pedestrian on his way to an early morning destination. Dawn was too close for him to do much more than to study the surroundings from his car. About to give up and head home, he rounded a corner to find his headlights reflecting off a pair of yellow eyes. Although there were tons of stray cats in Toronto, he pulled over on the chance that this one was Sidney. By luck, it was. Nick opened the Caddy's door slowly. "Kitty? Sidney?" Sidney sat down on the sidewalk, staring at him suspiciously. "Kitty, kitty, kitty," Nick said, stepping out of the car. Sidney literally leaped up, running towards a group of nearby business buildings. "Oh, no you don't," Nick growled, giving chase. Before he'd taken more than a few steps, the cat had disappeared. Nick paused, listening carefully for the cat's heartbeat. It wasn't easy as there were other small animals such as squirrels and rats in the area, but finally he mentally filtered down his 'prey' and took off with vampiric speed. Sidney peered at him from inside a large, bush-filled planter. Even with super-human speed, his grab came away empty. Focusing again on the soft 'thump, thump,' Nick's instincts directed him to a small drainpipe running down from a five-story building. He knelt on the ground, reaching into the pipe trying to feel Sidney's soft fur. Instead, he was rewarded with a spit, cat saliva splattering on his hand. Sitting up, Nick looked up to the lightening sky. "Damn." There simply wasn't time. He'd have to go back to the loft and call animal control. (to be continued ...) -------------------------------------------- For more information or to participate in the Forever Knight Virtual 4th Season, write to V4S@fkfanfic.com. From v4s@FKFANFIC.COM Fri Oct 2 00:41:36 1998 Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 10:05:06 -0400 From: Virtual Fourth Season To: FKFIC-L@LISTS.PSU.EDU Subject: V4S: When Darkness Falls (07/11) Episode Number: Forever Knight Virtual 4th Season - Episode #18 Episode Title: "When Darkness Falls" "Air" Date: September 28, 1998 Author: Libby Singleton Part 7 of 11 This story is based on characters and situations created by James Parriott and Barney Cohen and owned by Sony/TriStar. No infringement is intended. Copyright 1998 Elizabeth Ann Singleton ------------------ WHEN DARKNESS FALLS After seeing how fidgety and hesitant Nick seemed, Natalie forced herself to remain as calm as possible while looking at the prints at the loft. Inside, though, her stomach felt tied in knots and she could feel her heart pounding in her chest. Nick would be able to sense her racing pulse, but she decided not to worry about what couldn't be changed. That decision in and of itself seemed to have a calming effect as she looked up from the stack of photos on the table into Nick's tired, blue eyes. "They just don't look familiar at all," she said. "Not that I haven't seen them around, but they don't seem like the type who'd stand out. Maybe I simply don't remember them." "Damn." Nick replied, softly. "I was kind of hoping they were from your immediate neighborhood or something." "Not that I know of." Natalie idly scooted the stack around. "Doesn't mean that someone else won't recognize them, though. Or... or could be there's something else on the tape that might trigger a memory. When can I see it?" Nick snatched her coffee mug from the table, rushing quicker than necessary into the kitchen to refill it. "Most of it isn't real clear." Slowly, Natalie rose, staring across the room at him. "What else is on that tape?" "Do you want some sugar or cream?" he said without turning around. "Nicholas Knight, what the hell are you keeping from me?" Natalie barked louder than she meant to. "You know I'll see it sooner or later. I'd kinda like to be prepared. I gather Missy's ... death." "Yes." "You said that too quickly," Natalie said. "I know you too well. There's something else." "You. Asleep," Nick stated, spinning around. Coffee sloshed from the cup, covering his hand and dripping to the floor. "Is that all?" Nat asked with a shrug although the room began spinning. "How bad can that be compared to Missy's big scene?" "Bad enough, believe me." Natalie walked into the kitchen, carefully taking the hot, wet coffee mug from Nick's hand. "The imagination is often many times more vivid than reality, Nick." Nick brushed his hand across her hair. Nat rewarded the gesture with a smile. "To be honest, though, I'm beginning to think you're becoming a bit too wrapped up in all this, in what has happened to *me*. You ought to get out and do something for yourself. Like the Pompeii exhibit. I know LaCroix is refusing, but what's stopping you, besides me?" "I'll go, if you'll accompany me." Nick suggested hopefully. "We've been through this, Nick," Nat said. "I do want to see it, but not right now." "Why?" "I still don't feel quite up to putting on the ritz when my emotions, my life, in such upheaval." Reaching around him, Nat sat her mug on the counter, chuckling softly. "This is going to sound strange, but I can see why LaCroix won't go with you. When you feel invincible and suddenly become aware you're about to be buried in burning ash, that can't be pleasant, you know? Maybe he doesn't want the reminders.... I know I'll never look at a bust of Beethoven with a smile again. Meanwhile, you," she placed her index finger against his chest, "go to the preview tomorrow night. I know how much you want to. Then you can tell me the highlights so if it's crowded, I know which displays to hit first when we go together. Okay?" "Okay," he agreed, wrapping his arms around her. *** <<....So as the ashes rained down, do you honestly believe the residents of Pompeii, of Herculean, felt secure and safe? The afternoon turned into night as the poisonous gases and searing soot blocked the sun, burning the noses, eyes and lungs of those unfortunate enough to be trapped in the cities. "...We come to discover the moments of agony are likewise permanent...>> >>--------> "Ah, but those days are long past now, old friend," Lucius said absently, quickly growing bored with the conversation. Marcus had been gone nearly an hour now, by Lucius' reckoning, and he was quickly becoming weary of the old man's prattle. "Is not the past the stuff of legends?" Flavius asked, a twinkle in his eyes. "Men grow old while their stories grow into epics." A look of puzzlement formed on Flavius' face, slowly evolving into realization. With agonizing determination, the old man managed to maneuver his twisted body until he was standing. "Most men *do* grow old, Lucius, but not you. You *are* my old friend, are you not?" Lucius considered denying it, as in truth he was no longer the man Flavius had known in his youth. However, he could see in the old man's determined, red-shot eyes that such a denial would not be believed. What did it matter if the feeble formal general knew, Lucius pondered. Ravings from such a man would hardly be believed. "Yes." Flavius stumbled stiffly forward. The old man stumbled and would have fallen had Lucius not caught him without thinking. Flavius' weak, trembling, as cold as a vampire's fingers wrapped around Lucius' forearm. "What magic keeps you young, old friend?" he asked eagerly. "Is it some gift from our gods? Or perhaps the God of the Jews and the Christians?" "Our gods are dead," Lucius proclaimed, allowing his fangs to drop, his eyes to glow. "I have beaten them and taken their place." "But *how*?" Flavius pleaded, eyes growing wide at Lucius' change in appearance. "Look at me! *Look* at the sniveling, incontinent old has-been that I've become. Can't you see that I failed to become all that I could have? Oh, I had my victories, but will they even be written down in histories? My passing will be soon, then the memory of General Flavius will be as buried in time as Pompeii, as Herculean! Tell me your secret!" Lucius raised an eyebrow. "As you so wish," he muttered, rearing his head back for the bite. Flavius did not flinch as his teeth broke through dry, leather-like skin. Although the blood was thin, it was as full of taste as any Lucius had yet to sample. Victories and losses. The death of the old man's oldest son at Flavius' own hands when the boy had refused to obey and follow his father into the military. There were flashes of rape and of love, of ambition fading into the acknowledgment of failure, and, to Lucius' surprise and anger, of joy of his own supposed death beneath the ashes of Pompeii. Flavius apparently had tried to claim the power and glory which were rightfully Lucius', but others, more intelligent and more ambitious, had grabbed it from Flavius forever. Lucius relished his meal until the heart pumped its last and the body went totally limp. He looked up to see the great-grandson staring at him from one of the room's entranceways. The young man's mouth was gaping, his eyes wide with horror. "What have you done to him?" Marcus choked out. Calmly, his eyes glued to Marcus's, Lucius lowered the body to the floor and moved toward the young man. "I merely caught your great-grandsire as he fell, dead," he explained. "The old die quite suddenly at times, which can be a blessing. He will no longer live in the past, as he *is* the past, is he not?" Dazedly, Marcus nodded. "He will no longer live in the past...." he repeated. "You will have matters to attend to, no doubt," Lucius said. "If you would be so kind as to have the young slavewoman who served us earlier show me out, I will be on my way." <----------<< <> (to be continued ...) -------------------------------------------- For more information or to participate in the Forever Knight Virtual 4th Season, write to V4S@fkfanfic.com. From v4s@FKFANFIC.COM Fri Oct 2 00:41:41 1998 Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 10:05:12 -0400 From: Virtual Fourth Season To: FKFIC-L@LISTS.PSU.EDU Subject: V4S: When Darkness Falls (08/11) Episode Number: Forever Knight Virtual 4th Season - Episode #18 Episode Title: "When Darkness Falls" "Air" Date: September 28, 1998 Author: Libby Singleton Part 8 of 11 This story is based on characters and situations created by James Parriott and Barney Cohen and owned by Sony/TriStar. No infringement is intended. Copyright 1998 Elizabeth Ann Singleton ------------------ WHEN DARKNESS FALLS "Hey, I thought you'd taken the night off to go to that premiere thing for the Pompeii exhibit," Adam said as Nick approached their desks. Nick didn't bother slipping out of his jacket before slumping into his chair. "I might still go. I thought I'd get some things done here first. The reception doesn't start for a couple of hours. Maybe... maybe Natalie will change her mind and go with me." "Might do her a world of good, just don't force it, Nick," Adam said, taking a sip of his coffee. "She's strong. She'll snap back fine once we get a crack in this mess. I'm sure you've heard other victims say it's the 'not knowing' that's the worst." "Speaking of which, anything new?" Adam handed a clipboard over the desks. "Not really. I've just been trying to get the video information in order. Buildings 'hit' verses buildings on film but apparently not burglarized yet. There's a lot of apartment complexes in that area, and it looks like they filmed them all." From the length of the list, Nick decided Adam wasn't joking. "Wait a minute," he muttered. "Do you have security reports on the buildings that haven't been hit yet?" "I've got reports for the affected buildings," Adam said, handing Nick a manila folder. "Apartment complexes don't really have much going besides a deadbolt." "Exactly!" Nick exclaimed. "Most of the buildings they've hit are older complexes! Some of the newer ones have burglar alarms, even security cameras!" Standing, Nick moved to the visitor's chair next to Adam's desk. "Look, the Amour Arms is an old complex, one of the oldest, in fact. They had a fire in one of the buildings not long after I moved here. While they were rebuilding it, they extensively remodeled the entire complex." Adam retrieved the yellow pages from a desk drawer. After thumbing hurriedly through it, he dropped the open book beside Nick. "Their ad says 'security alarms.'" "So our perps are not only studying the buildings for coming and goings, but ease of entry as well," Nick said. "All we have to do is figure out if there are any complexes they haven't hit that don't have security systems, guards, or anything besides common deadbolts." "Once we get a list, we'll need to arrange for some stakeouts," Adam murmured. "If you can cover the day, I'll take the night," Nick stated, moving back to his chair. He grabbed the phone, dialing the number to the loft. "Nat? We may have a lead so I'm going to be skipping the exhibit after all." *** Nat fingered the dress she'd had Grace fetch from her apartment and drop off at the loft on her way to work. Draped across a chair, the garment was a part of a surprise for Nick. She'd convinced herself to go to the exhibit after all and had hoped to meet him at the door dressed and ready to go. Now with the stakeout planning, he wasn't attending the exhibit. Not that she was truly disappointed there'd been a break in the case. A quick resolution to the crime would allow her to get on with her life. "Oh, well," she said to herself, "I'll talk him into dinner at an upscale restaurant tomorrow night." The unexpected buzz from the intercom started her. Holding her hand against her chest to will her heart to calm down, she activated the camera. "Vachon?" "And friend," the young vampire said, lifting a cardboard box into view. "Can I come up?" The sound of muffled spitting and yowling cut him off. "Quick? He's already clawed his way out of one box." Tears came to Nat's eyes as she nodded. "Please!" The few moments it took Vachon to take the elevator up was enough time for Natalie to locate the cat food and litter box Nick had retrieved from her apartment in case Sidney was found. As soon as the door opened, she rushed forward, taking the box from Vachon's hands. The pitiful mewing became more frantic. The box shook so violently she had trouble holding it until she could safely sit it down on the sofa. Sidney immediately leaped from the box, regarding his surroundings with wide eyes. Natalie sat down slowly. "Kitty, kitty, Sidney." The cat approached her cautiously, sniffing her stockinged feet before erupting into an excited round of purring, mewing, and rubbing against Nat's legs. Natalie resisted the urge to grab and hug Sidney lest the sudden movement startle or frighten him. Instead, she reached down and petted him reassuringly. Although he seemed thinner, and his fur was stained with dirt and grime, he otherwise looked fine. "I take it that I did find the right cat," Vachon commented. "Oh, yes! Thank you, Vachon," she said, choking slightly. "Thank you." Vachon shrugged. "No problem. He wasn't far from where Nick last saw him. All it took was patience and a can of tuna fish. That cat bribes easily." "There's a reward...." "Nah. You're doing enough for me as it is with the treatments," Vachon interjected. "Say," he said, moving towards the dress. "Finally getting out tonight?" "I... I was going to," Nat said. Sidney jumped up into her lap, allowing her to cuddle him. "Nick has to work though." "If you need an escort...." "No," she said quickly. "I'll stay here with Sidney. Besides, it's black-tie." "Yeah, and my wardrobe isn't exactly extensive at the moment," Vachon admitted. "If you need clothes, why not take the reward money and buy some?" Natalie offered. Vachon shook his head slightly. "Clothes may make the man, but the man makes his life. Thanks anyway." He reached down to pet Sidneyy who promptly spat. Smiling slyly, he yanked his hand back. "Hate to drop the cat and run, but I'm going to anyway." He pointed up to the skylight questioningly. "Do you mind...." "Actually, yes, but go ahead," Nat said. With a nod, Vachon launched and was gone. Scooting Sidney off her lap, Nat stood and stared at her dress. "A man makes his life," she whispered. She really wanted to stay with Sidney, yet he'd be safe enough here. A glance over her shoulder showed the cat intently taking a bath. She looked back a the dress, then back at Sidney. "What do you think?" she asked him. He answered with a contented "meep." New places, at least when indoors, never did seem to faze him. So why, she decided, should a solo trip to a well-secured exhibit faze her? "You're right, Sid," she announced. She grabbed the dress and headed upstairs to shower. *** Adam stretched his arm out, popping open the glove box to his car to fumble for some chewing gun. Once he found the gum, he pulled the package out only to have all the other clutter fall onto the seat and the floorboard. Cursing under his breath, Adam slipped a stick into his mouth, letting the glove box hang open. Stakeouts normally proved boring and frustrating for Adam, especially solo. However, when he focused the night vision goggles to the lot where he'd found the camcorder, Adam noticed a trio of people entering the area. He watched as they seemed to be looking for something quite intently. He radioed for back-up before driving up to the lot. Rolling down the window, a cool wind blew against his face. "Hey," he called to the nearest guy. He immediately wondered about their intelligence. Did they not watch the news or glance at a newspaper? Had they not seen their faces plastered on the 'wanted' signs that were popping up around town? "Looking for something?" "Yeah, my video camera," the kid said without pause. "I lost it a few days ago." "Shut up, stupid!" another suspect, old enough to be considered an adult, said. There was a pause of just seconds as the three young men looked at each other, then took off running. Adam automatically leapt from the car in pursuit, barely hearing the sirens of his backup arriving. (to be continued ...) -------------------------------------------- For more information or to participate in the Forever Knight Virtual 4th Season, write to V4S@fkfanfic.com. From v4s@FKFANFIC.COM Fri Oct 2 00:41:48 1998 Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 10:05:16 -0400 From: Virtual Fourth Season To: FKFIC-L@LISTS.PSU.EDU Subject: V4S: When Darkness Falls (09/11) Episode Number: Forever Knight Virtual 4th Season - Episode #18 Episode Title: "When Darkness Falls" "Air" Date: September 28, 1998 Author: Libby Singleton Part 9 of 11 This story is based on characters and situations created by James Parriott and Barney Cohen and owned by Sony/TriStar. No infringement is intended. Copyright 1998 Elizabeth Ann Singleton ------------------ WHEN DARKNESS FALLS Natalie found herself immersed in the history and fate of Pompeii. The video proved to be a step above most museum pre-tour productions, almost allowing her to forget she was alone in a crowd of strangers. She could almost imagine herself in one of the more elaborate homes, entertaining guests, perhaps even playing hostess to a conquering hero back from one campaign or another. "Look at how beautiful the mosaics are!" the woman next to her whispered. "How in the world did they manage to reproduce them so wonderfully?" "We did it with computers," a man behind her said softly. "I was one of the artists." Smiling, Natalie turned to find a young, red haired man leaning forward slightly. He barely looked old enough to be out of high school. She was about to add her own praises to those being whispered around her when a tall, familiar figure standing in the back of the dimly-lit theatre caught her attention. For a brief, yet eternal moment, Natalie found her eyes locked with LaCroix's. As she reminded herself, finally, to breathe, LaCroix, still holding her gaze, approached her. He quirked a smile, then nodded his head almost imperceptibly in her direction before leaving. Natalie found she was, quite suddenly, very cold. *** As soon as he'd heard the suspects had been spotted, Nick rushed to the area. He'd taken the Caddy to avoid any possible questions concerning his mode of travel and quick arrival. Now Nick cursed silently, having spied the two uniformed officers where he'd planned to take flight for the search. He pulled over next to their patrol vehicle. There were no other isolated, private areas in the neighborhood where he could launch without risk of being noticed. Both officers leaned over a map spread out on the hood of their car. They seemed to be studying it intently. "Any luck yet?" Nick asked after stepping out of the Caddy. "No, sir. We're trying to pinpoint any possible hiding places." Looking over their shoulders, Nick gave the document a quick glance. "There," he said, pointing to a building on the map several kilometers from their current location. "There's a large, fenced-in storage area about twenty meters from the back of the building that isn't indicated on the map. If you'll head over in that direction, I'll head out and check it out and recheck the area where the suspects were first spotted. They may have doubled back." As soon as the uniforms pulled away and drove around the corner, Nick glanced around him to make sure he was truly alone. A quick look above for troublesome power or phone lines, then he launched. Senses toned and heightened by the thrill of the hunt, Nick immediately began scanning the ground for the suspects. >From the air, he could cover the area much more quickly and thoroughly than all the officers searching by ground. When he felt his fangs begin to drop, he didn't fight the instinct. He was doing this, after all, for Natalie, he reasoned. *** Although her mind screamed for her to leave, Natalie followed the group from the theatre to the area where they were being assigned tape players for the pre-recorded tour of the exhibit. She glanced around, looking for any sign of LaCroix. Perhaps her appearance had caused him to have second thoughts and leave, she theorized. Telling herself silently to calm down, she forced herself to slip the headphones on and activate the recorder. As usual for these exhibits, a sexy-sounding, British actor was the narrator. He instructed her to begin at the back of the first display room. The room was packed, with not enough empty space near any of the cases to squeeze in for a peek. With disgust, she switched off the recording, skirted the crowd, and advanced into the next, only slightly populated room. Deciding she'd double back when she noted the crowd drifting into this area, she started toward an assortment of urns on the far wall. As she passed a door, something, a feeling or intuition, caused her to pause. Stepping hesitantly through, she found the door led into a long hallway lined with pictures of art from the walls of Pompeii. At the end of the hall was yet another display room. Pausing in the entryway, she saw LaCroix, alone, standing before a large, glass case. He stood stiffly, even more so than usual. His arms hung at his side, each hand balled into a tight fist. Although she knew he could at least hear her heartbeat, he offered no acknowledgment of her presence. Her eyes drifted to a sign attached to the case - "Objects Thought To Have Belonged To A General, Possibly By The Name Of Lucius'" The scientist within her, as well as her curiosity, rushed to the surface and overwhelmed her fear. She took a tentative step into the room. When LaCroix continued staring unwaveringly at the display, she final managed to speak aloud. "I thought you gave your ticket back to Nick." "A ticket was not required in my case," he stated coolly, without turning. "Oh, I see," Natalie muttered. "This must be very odd for you." "Hardly, my dear doctor," he said softly. Natalie approached his side. LaCroix offered her a glance, then a slight nod of greeting. Among the items in the case were a general's breast plate, shining as if new; two swords; and several large pieces of what might have once been a bust. "This stuff did belong to you, didn't it?" "Most of it, yes," LaCroix admitted matter-of-factly. "But tell me, Dr. Lambert, do you feel ... strange looking at mementoes of your childhood? Photographs in an album?" "Not really," Natalie replied. Childhood belongings and family photographs were not something she spent a lot of time contemplating. The few toys she still owned tended to bring back the pain and scoldings inflicted by her grandmother, or sometimes moments of sibling rivalry. Smiling, she recalled how her brother would claim one of her toys, no matter how 'girlish,' just to get her riled. Most of the time they got along fantastically, especially as they entered adulthood. Sadly, however, he was now just a memory invoked daily by this and that, such as his watch. Wait, she reminded herself, the watch had been taken in the burglary. The familiar fears and insecurities began to over take her. Could LaCroix possibly be feeling some of the same? Could the items before him be reminding him of hot ashes, his daughter, or other unpleasant things? "What was Pompeii like?" Natalie asked quickly, hoping to distract herself from her own thoughts. From LaCroix's raised eyebrow reaction, Natalie feared she'd blurted the question too quickly, too abruptly. Yet, he chose to answer. "Quite beautiful and grand, especially by today's mediocre standards," he said. "In many ways, I preferred Pompeii to Rome." "In what ways?" Natalie inquired when LaCroix fell silent. LaCroix turned from the display case to look directly at her. "My, my, but we *are* full of questions tonight, aren't we?" Natalie stepped back, involuntarily wringing her hands. "I... I didn't mean to pry, but this entire situation fascinates me." "Pompeii was not the first, nor was it the last, city to be destroyed by a volcano." "It's not that. Not exactly," she explained, shaking her head slightly. Natalie knew there'd be no use lying to LaCroix. "I'm talking about standing here with you, looking at artifacts nearly two thousand years old! I can't help wondering what you were doing when the volcano erupted? Nick once told me you'd just returned from a victorious battle." "He should use more discretion when discussing family matters." "He only told me what I needed ... oh, never mind. Just please believe me, he's always hesitated discussing you." She paused, swallowing hard before risking locking her gaze with his. "W...what were you, the triumphant general, thinking when your supposedly safe and secure world came crashing down?" "Secure?" LaCroix said sarcastically. She found herself unable to move even as he reaching out, running his right hand through Natalie's hair. Switching to a single finger, he continued the motion down her cheek until he reached the vampire's preferred biting spot on her neck. That he circled as Natalie could only think how much colder his touch seemed than Nick's. "The only way to be truly safe in life, my dear, is to never feel *too* secure." LaCroix lowered his hand, then wandered slowly down the hall as if nothing were out of the ordinary. As Natalie watched him leave, her hands began to shake violently and a lump rose in her throat. By the time unshed tears began burning her eyes, LaCroix was gone. Natalie rushed down the hall, turning back toward the exhibit entrance. Pushing past the crowd, she ignored the curious stairs and ran into the Ladies' Room. There, she waved off the concerned restroom attendant, going directly into the privacy of a stall. Tearing off a generous amount of toilet tissue, she finally let the tears fall, sobbing violently, yet as quietly as possible as her entire body trembled. (to be continued ...) -------------------------------------------- For more information or to participate in the Forever Knight Virtual 4th Season, write to V4S@fkfanfic.com. From v4s@FKFANFIC.COM Fri Oct 2 00:41:56 1998 Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 10:05:20 -0400 From: Virtual Fourth Season To: FKFIC-L@LISTS.PSU.EDU Subject: V4S: When Darkness Falls (10/11) Episode Number: Forever Knight Virtual 4th Season - Episode #18 Episode Title: "When Darkness Falls" "Air" Date: September 28, 1998 Author: Libby Singleton Part 10 of 11 This story is based on characters and situations created by James Parriott and Barney Cohen and owned by Sony/TriStar. No infringement is intended. Copyright 1998 Elizabeth Ann Singleton ------------------ WHEN DARKNESS FALLS At first, the three figures were indistinguishable from any of the police search teams in the area. The only reason Nick became suspicious is because they were huddled closely together in a temporary dump for the construction site. He landed on the opposite side of a makeshift privacy fence. There was no need for him to lean towards the fence since his superior hearing could easily detect the conversation. However, habit and years of pretending to be mortal caused him to press his ear against the wood as the boys spoke in harsh whispers. "It is not my fault! I didn't mean to kill her! You're the one who dropped the damn camera." "You're the one who insisted on coming back to find it!" "This whole ... thing was *his* idea." "Yeah!" "Hey, you didn't have to do it." "Shut up." "*You* shut up!" The conversation droned on, nothing but petty bickering back and forth among the young men. As Nick listened, his fangs extended out to their full length. He'd heard enough to convince him these were the suspects and that they were guilty. Everything within him cried for Nick to launch over the fence and take the perps now. After all, not only had they killed, they'd harmed Natalie. Not physically, but the strain of the experience had obviously left a mental scar on her soul that Nick could not bear to see. Perhaps this was one time he should push aside his self imposed morality and let the beast rein freely. Otherwise, Natalie would face the stress of a trial to convict those Nick knew were guilty. "No," Nick said silently. He shook his head to dispatch the vampire. If he'd followed through, taking the three's blood even in revenge, Nick knew Natalie would never forgive him, even under the circumstances. He'd never be able to live with the knowledge he'd driven her away from his life once and for all. Moving a safe distance away, he flipped open his cell phone to call for reinforcements. No man, no average man at least, could handle three possibly dangerous suspects easily. He'd have his revenge - in a normal, mortal manner. *** "Ma'am?" the soft, female voice said as the attendant tapped on the bathroom stall door. "Ma'am, are you okay?" Blowing her nose, Natalie replied hoarsely, "Yeah, just a little ... sick." "Do you need help?" "Oh, no," Natalie said. "Must've been something I ate. I... I'll be better in a minute." Sitting on the toilet, fully clothed, Natalie wiped her face with tissue. She couldn't believe she'd let LaCroix get to her like that. After all, she'd probably given him exactly the reaction he wanted. He may have been teasing, but no matter how serious his intentions, she knew she should have held her ground, refused to let him break her down despite her own built-up tension over Missy's death and ... everything else. By letting her weakness surface, she'd boosted his already overgrown ego and did little to heal her own. Ripping the soggy tissue in half, she wondered if she'd be able to make it to a taxi then home. No, not home, she remembered, Nick's loft. In fact, he'd be more than willing to come pick her up if needed. Sighing, she pulled her cell phone from her purse, preparing to dial Nick's number. The absurdity of the situation suddenly brought a smile to her face - she'd been hiding for the past few days from burglars who'd apparently accidentally killed her neighbor. Out there, somewhere in the very same building as her, was a man who'd murdered thousands if not millions of times. Strangely, when all was said and one, she'd much rather face LaCroix than Missy's murderers. she thought as she flipped the phone closed and shoved it back into her bag. He was dangerous, true, but Natalie felt he was also unlikely to do anything in the 'here and now.' Surely LaCroix knew that to harm her now would be to drive Nick away forever. Standing, she tossed the tissue into the toilet and stood. "Get a grip and get back out there, Natalie Lambert," she whispered. "Show that pompous Roman general that you're not going to run from his arrogance!" "Did you say something?" the attendant asked, sounding as though she was back in her usual spot. "Er, no. Just talking to myself," Natalie assured her as she left the stall. She paused in front of a mirror to brush her hair and touch-up her makeup. She'd be damned before she'd let LaCroix see what a mess she'd made of herself. Finding LaCroix proved to be easy when she spied a mass of people hurriedly leaving an area with dazed expressions. The vampire stood alone before a plaster cast of an individual. Turning to face Natalie when she approached, his eyebrows were raised. "Don't look so surprised," Nat snapped slightly. "I am *not* surprised." "Really? Your expression says otherwise." "My expression is one of amusement, my dear," LaCroix commented. "You are quite a sight. Red eyes, swollen...." "Listen, LaCroix," Natalie said, raising a scolding finger defiantly. "You may scare me, scare the hell out of me at times, in fact, but I'll be damned if I'm going to spend my life hiding from you." "Hiding from me?" LaCroix said, raising an eyebrow. "That would be a rather futile gesture." "If you say so," she replied. Patting the tape player she wore at her side, Natalie continued, "As for here and now, I can listen to some smooth talking actor reading from a script, or learn from a real expert - an eyewitness to the time. Personally, I'd prefer the latter." "You do enjoy playing dangerous games, my dear." LaCroix offered Natalie his arm. When she refused to take it, he smiled smugly. "Shall we start at the very beginning?" "That'd be a very nice place to start," Natalie agreed. "Lead the way. There's no way I'm letting you get behind me." *** Shortly after Nick called for backup, the suspects were on the move again. He began to feel like a cowboy, guiding a herd this way and that as he moved them in the direction at least some of the police units would be traveling. When they tried to run another way, Nick would divert them by rushing ahead and letting himself be seen just long enough to divert them. Once he resorted to throwing a heavy rock into a group of metal trash cans. It wasn't until he had them heading towards the road that two uniformed officers came charging from behind a corner. Nick joined in, careful to keep his pace slightly behind the fastest of the officers. The suspects ran into the street. One slowed to let a car pass and one of the uniforms sprinted ahead, grabbing the kid by the back of the jacket collar. The pair fell, the boy's face hitting the pavement hard enough that Nick heard a bone crack. One of the other suspects looked back at the scene only to run directly into a car - Adam's car. Before he could recover, Adam threw open the driver's side door which slammed the young man backwards. Nick's partner leapt from the car, handcuffs ready. The third suspect used the confusion to his advantage, veering to the left and away from the police. Kicking his vampiric powers in only enough to allow him the edge needed to nab the teenager by grabbing his arm. The boy twisted wildly, falling to his knees on the asphalt. "You're being too damn rough, man!" he protested. "You can't do this to me! My dad's a city councilman! He'll sue...." "You better shut up while you're ahead," Nick growled as he fastened the handcuffs. "Believe me, you wouldn't like me when I'm angry." Pushing the kid towards the waiting patrol cars, Nick couldn't help feeling the entire chase had been anticlimactic. All the worry, all the waiting, all over three unarmed young men. But he'd done it for Natalie, he silently reminded himself. That, in the end, was all that mattered. (to be continued ...) -------------------------------------------- For more information or to participate in the Forever Knight Virtual 4th Season, write to V4S@fkfanfic.com. From v4s@FKFANFIC.COM Fri Oct 2 00:42:03 1998 Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 10:05:26 -0400 From: Virtual Fourth Season To: FKFIC-L@LISTS.PSU.EDU Subject: V4S: When Darkness Falls (11/11) Episode Number: Forever Knight Virtual 4th Season - Episode #18 Episode Title: "When Darkness Falls" "Air" Date: September 28, 1998 Author: Libby Singleton Part 11 of 11 This story is based on characters and situations created by James Parriott and Barney Cohen and owned by Sony/TriStar. No infringement is intended. Copyright 1998 Elizabeth Ann Singleton ------------------ WHEN DARKNESS FALLS "The kid wasn't lying," Reese said, dropping a manilla folder onto Nick's desk. "He's Bryan Blackshear, son of a city councilman." "Bet 'Pops' is screaming his head off, trying to get the twerp released without bail," Adam said. "Well, he *is* screaming." Reese cleared Adam's visitor's chair of papers, depositing them on the floor before sitting down. "But not at us. Believe it or not, he's telling me to make sure Bryan's punished to the fullest extent of the law, juvenile of course. Says if the boy isn't taught his lesson now, there'll only be more trouble down the line." "Too bad they can't try him as an adult," Nick murmured. "I don't like it any more than you do, Nick. It's not a perfect world, but Francis Humphries, the one who actually killed Missy, is twenty-two," Reese pointed out. "What gets me is they seem to have started their crime spree just for the thrill of it. All are from well-to-do homes, and Humphries has a sizeable trust fund and was one semester away from a degree in, get this, criminal justice." He sighed, long and deeply. "Idiots." "Hey, partner, have you told Natalie about all this yet?" Adam asked. "The answering machine picked up," Nick explained. After looking at his watch, he stood and grabbed his jacket. "She must've been sleeping. It's past time for me to be heading home anyway." Nick automatically said his goodbyes to the usual co- workers as he walked towards the precinct doors. They might have the criminals, but would Natalie ever be the same? He paused and looked at the dark, pre-dawn sky. He agreed with Reese, this wasn't a perfect world. Natalie would always carry the scars of this experience somewhere within her, just as she coped with the aftereffects of his biting her and thus her near death. He opened the door to the Caddy and settled into the driver's seat. Of course in a perfect world, he never would have been brought across in the first place and they would have never met. Turning the key, the engine engaged and Nick headed for home - and Natalie. *** Nick, who clutched the handle of Sidney's pet carrier, offered Natalie his free arm as she stepped from the Caddy. Although the suspects all managed to make bail and had been released two days before, she'd insisted on returning to her apartment. The building's owners had installed new deadbolts on all the doors, including the front entryway. Each apartment also now featured a top-of-the-line burglar alarm. Natalie took Nick's arm, and he guided her up the steps. "Should I carry you over the thresh-hold?" he asked teasingly. "Don't get fresh," she replied with a smile. "You'll have to settle for Sidney." Untangling her arm from Nick's, she unlocked the entry way. "Go on in." "Ladies first," Nick said. "Or... are you sure about this? I really don't mind if you want to stay at the loft a little longer." Her gaze shifted up the stairs leading to her apartment. She swallowed audibly and started climbing. "I might as well get this over with. When you fall off a bicycle, you're supposed to get right back on." "I always heard it was a horse," Nick said, watching her climbing slowly, step by step as if it were a physical struggle for her to make it to the top. Only when she reached her apartment and put the key in the lock did he rush to her side, reaching under her arm to turn the doorknob. Once in, Natalie shut the door and looked around while Nick released Sidney from the carrier. The cat walked out sniffing the air, jumped on the sofa, then immediately sat down to begin a thorough bath. "I... I hope Grace and I put everything back where it belongs," Nick said. "She insisted on helping me clean up the mess." "That's not the problem," Nat muttered. "It... it just feels strange to finally be back here. It's been too long. I should've moved right back in." "Oh...." was all Nick managed to say. "Don't worry, it has nothing to do with you," Nat said quickly, her familiar smile lighting up her face. "You were a wonderful host." She moved towards him, her arms parted and her expression quizzical. Nick embraced her loosely, rocking her slightly with his body. "I tried. Adam said I was being overprotective, but I couldn't help myself." "You weren't overprotective, just concerned," Nat assured him. "Well... maybe a *little* overprotective. Just a little." She gently pulled away and looked around her. "I think this experience has left me a little more cautious, a little more skittish, about certain ... things. In the end, though, I've come to see that even a bunch of fancy gadgets and locks can't keep me safe from everything. Some dangers you just have to take on face-to- face and deal with, you know." "If you're talking about LaCroix being at the exhibit, you really should've called me as soon as you saw him there." "And then what? Listen to you two bicker?" Nat asked good naturedly. "Once he saw I was there for the evening, he turned out to be a fascinating guide. A bit guarded, perhaps.... but definitely interesting. I'd like to go see the exhibit again, with you. I can give *you* the General Lucius tour." "I'd like that," Nick admitted. "Maybe ... maybe I'll learn something through you that'll at least help me understand why he's, well, like he is." "Don't count on it," Nat murmured. "I was there with him and still think he's a jerk. Anyway, I've a new obstacle to take on face to face now," Natalie said. "That's staying here by myself." "Please, let me stay with you tonight," Nick pleaded. Her shaking hands betrayed any readiness to stay alone. "I'll leave right before dawn." She reached out, rubbing his upper arm gently. "Don't tempt me. I need to do this. Now. Or I'm afraid I never will get my nerve back. What you can do, though, is give me a ride to work tomorrow night. My car's still in the garage, you know." "Okay," he replied. "I'll see you then." "Oh, I nearly forgot!" Natalie cried, diving into her purse. She retrieved a small vial and handed it to Nick. "Just a little souvenir they were handing out at the exhibit the other night. I'd forgotten I had it!" Before Nick had a chance to ask her what it was, Natalie stretched up on her tiptoes, kissing him gently on the cheek. "See you tomorrow," she said. *** <> LaCroix studied the small vial in his hand before crushing it with his thumb. The action freed the previously glass imprisoned gray dust - dust which had once buried Pompeii and nearly his life. <<....When darkness falls across our paths, dear listeners, that is when you must muster up strength and perseverance or in your failure, cease to exist. Memories, however, are *of* the past, not the past itself, resurrected to taunt. For once a moment has passed, it is the past, never to be reborn, even in your most fearsome waking nightmares. "Ash on an old man's sleeve/is all the ash the burn roses leave./Dust in the air suspended/Marks the place where a story ended..." and an epic came to life.>> One soft puff, and the ashes flew from the small shards of shattered glass, becoming indistinguishable from common dust. -------- The Nightcrawler quotes from T.S. Eliot's THE FOUR QUARTETS -------- DEDICATED to the N&Ners because I owed them one. I hope they found the wait worth it. Special thanks to all involved, especially Julia Kocich for agreeing to disagree with me about LaCroix resulting in a better portrayal than I could have done alone and for recommending THE FOUR QUARTETS. Also to Lisa McDavid, not only for being such a wonderful listmommy, but for helping me name the Roman characters. I mustn't forget Gwenky and the other alpha and beta readers, along with TJ for sharing my enthusiasm in this story. -------------------------------------------- For more information or to participate in the Forever Knight Virtual 4th Season, write to V4S@fkfanfic.com.