| From: | Mike Goldberg <michael.goldberg@*******.COM> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Blackened tails? (or should I say tales?) |
| Date: | Sun, 17 Sep 1995 00:00:03 MST |
You hear the phone chirping in the background. It rings several times. A
familiar voice (in german) says, "Are you going to pick that up?" Another
familiar voice (also in german) (both voices are human males) responds, "I
was hoping the messaging service would get it. But since it didn't, I
believe that means it is one of my decker friends with some news." In the
corner, oblivious to the conversation or the phone ringing a classical
guitar is being played. The melody is a sad one. It seems to be familiar,
but that too you cannot place.
A click is heard, as the second voice says, "Good morning. You are speaker
phone. May I be of some assistance?"
A metallic voice says, "Greeting, dark ones. It is I, Black Knight. The
children are on route. Doomsday is traveling late, due to an encounter
with someone who apparently involved with the massacre a while back. The
encounter was left unresolved. It would appear that the children and
anyone claiming to be a friend of Doomsday is going to be in danger."
The second voice calmly says, "Anything else?"
"Negative sir. It was a quiet night on the front. Had a small run in with
Ratspeak, but then again, what is a night where that doesn't happen.
Ratspeak almost revealed the running name of 'a Collector.'"
There is a soft chuckle and then the second voice says, "Next time let
Ratspeak say it. BIS would respond in kind and I wouldn't have to deal
with it. You really should stop protecting -- him."
The first voice says, "Interesting move. Are you and I playing the same
game, Herr Nightmare."
The second voice responds, "We were, Herr Harker, but then again, maybe we
aren't."
Black Knight says, "I will have Sprinkler make sure everything is in order
for when the children arrive. I imagine they shall be quite out of sorts
with Doomsday not shepherding them. Good morning to you all. And
Blitzkrieg, you really should try and play something a little more
cheerful."
A quiet voice says, "Fuck you, Knight."
Nightmare says, "Good morning, Black Knight. Thank you for the news. Be
sharp. Today promises to be long."
Black Knight says, "Work never goes short. Good-bye."
The line goes dead.
---
Nightmare says quietly, "You know where Shadowfox is. Why won't you tell
us where."
Christopher responds, "I refuse to let people go there and get themselves
killed. I refuse to give you the knowledge on the chance that you would
send people there. I went there to kill Shadowfox. The only reason I got
out alive was because Shadowfox said for me to. We have been over this
Nightmare. I won't do it."
Nightmare sighs, "Look, I know you don't trust me. We have been arguing
about this for hours . . . but why don't you tell me why it is so dangerous
and I will decide whether or not it is worth dying for? Mark was very
vivid on how he feels about the whole thing. You know how I feel. I'm not
about to send someone on a suicide mission. I don't normally send people
on missions I wouldn't take. It's bad business."
Christopher responds, "Mark would prefer him to remain missing and if not
that maybe dead. But we have been over that. Alright, you win, I'll
describe what happened to me. From that you can draw your own
conclusions."
---
Nightmare says quietly, "I take it you figured out the location, due to all
the time you spent pouring over maps."
Christopher responds equally quietly, "Yes."
Nightmare says, "I surrender this game to you. Let us prepare for the
children."
Christopher says, "You know, we just signed our own death warrants."
Nightmare calmly responds, "I think our death warrants were filled out
years ago. Just nobody has been able to fulfill the order yet. And I
don't plan for these children to be the agents to succeed where others have
failed." You hear a discordant chord from a guitar in the background.
]<<<<<
-- Christopher Harker <22:59:50/09-16-59>
