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Posted by Blue Beetle
on 8/17/2008, 10:52 pm, in reply to "Quiet Moves Prologue: Quid Pro Quo (Revisited)"
76.84.93.240
"Something for Something." I mutter the words as I stare Alchemy in the eyes.
"A scholar, excellent! Now perhaps you can tell me what you have given up? What have you sacrificed in order for a better tomorrow?" He's playing me; I can feel it in my gut.
"I've given...." The rain continues to hit the ground; the mud is stained deep scarlet, obviously a result from the explosion that took out the city.
"You've given up nothing; none of you heroes have experienced true sacrifice...” He's laughing, slowly beginning to drop his guard. Lifting up his hand I watch as he removes the black leather glove that covers it. The skin beneath is charred and cracked, the veins and arteries in it pulse in synch with his heart. "I've traveled the world, channeling death, funneling it into me and into my stone. I've done some pretty nasty things Mr. Beetle. What have you done?"
"...."
"That's what I thought, a fool just like your predecessor." Dan never told me about Alchemy, how'd he know? Red energy swirls around his open palm as he raises his arm before I have a chance to react. This is going to hurt. The blast of red light sends me flying at least fifteen feet into the remains of one of the sky scrappers concrete pillars.
"Something for Something Mr. Beetle."
"Ted are you sure about this?" The hum of the Clocktower's computer's is the only audible noise in the room, besides my heavy breathing of course.
"I think so; yeah." I answer as sternly as I can. After a meeting with the rest of Gotham's costumed vigilante's Oracle and I came back to WayneTower. I'm thinking that we should form a union; it might make things easier given our numbers.
"Is it something I..?" She finally turns away from the computers to ask me. I cut her off before she can finish.
"No, it has nothing to do with you. More with me, plus its getting pretty crowded here with Dick back and Bruce and Tim and Dinah and Zinda and..." I smile hoping to draw a laugh, a reflex of mine at this point.
"I get that but are you sure going back to Chicago is best? Things have changed so much since you came here...." Her words are sincere, even the pause has meaning that's not lost on me.
"Chicago needs me, Booster can't be everywhere even though he make think he can."
"He does have Skeets, can't forget about Skeets." She grins a little bit.
"I wouldn't dare. And then there's Jaime, everything that's happened you'd think I completely abandoned the kid."
"I'm sure he understands Ted, he's knows your a busy guy. He's got his family there to ground him and the Titans if he ever needs someone to talk to."
"Yeah, but he should have me. I should be there for him like Dan was there for me. He deserves that much."
"Always thinking of others aren't you?." I slump to one knee getting down to eye level with her.
"I guess...." I feel the warmth of her hand as it clasps around mine.
"So..... this is it...." I squeeze her hand knowing that this moment won't last forever no matter how much I want it to.
"Yeah, suppose it is....." She squeezes back, I watch as the green monitors behind her go from green to flashing red, something's wrong. Her attention goes to the computers and I fade into the background of the apartment.
"So was this you're doing?" My chest burns, the blast searing a hole in my uniform. He clearly has other things on his mind as he turns his attention away from me.
"An example had to be made, I needed souls and this city had no hero, no one to stop me. I can feel their dreams they taste like...."
"You know you should really learn to talk less." Having gotten to my feet I dash towards him pulling back my arm ready to deliver a right hook to his face. He catches the blow, deflecting it and causing me to lose my balance and fall to the ground once again.
"Do you know what the Philosopher’s Stone is? The power that it is capable of giving a person?" Two more ribs break as he kicks my fallen body rolling me over to my back. I see it now, a small tear drop shaped jewel draped around his neck, it glows through the dark haze of the storm. The sky flashes red and I see the Helicopters that had been circling the two of us erupt in explosions, lightning cutting through them forming a circuit with the sky and ground. "This power does not come without a price."
"The first Philosopher’s Stone was destroyed many years ago before my first trip to Iron Heights. I was young and arrogant thought that I would have power and that it would last forever, I was wrong." The sky fades back to black, golden embers of the aircraft float towards the muddy ground. The red glow surrounding Alchemy glows stronger a smile creeping onto his face.
"I've spent every moment since then focusing, channeling energy to create a new Philosopher’s Stone. I've sacrificed much..." He sneers as he bends down towards me, his foot still applying pressure to my chest. He smells like death, his red beady eyes seem to shake me to my very core.
"The only thing that you've sacrificed is your soul." I spit back tried of hearing him carry on. Using all the strength I have I make my moves quickly. My right leg catches him off guard as I leg swipe him to the ground. I scurry on my hands on knees away from my attacker; I have trouble getting any traction in the mud. My right gauntlet is cracked the platting and LCD panel on it most likely broken. I press the button activating the Bug's remote tracking system.
Alchemy gets to his feet, clutching the Philosopher’s Stone around his neck. I watch as the Bug approaches from behind him, the solar powered vehicle doesn't make as sound as it flies towards his back. I watch in slow motion as Alchemy turns around only to watch as the front of the Bug collides with him. The energy around him seams to absorb most the impact but from the look on his face that's where his concentration is. As the smoke begins to clear I watch Alchemy fall to the ground the storm beginning to weaken. Blood runs from his nose and eyes, it had taken all the power his stone had to prevent him from being injured if not killed. The shell of the Bug surrounds him the energy feild he had created splitting it in half.
I hear the footsteps before I see the troops that had been waiting on the outside of the crater descend upon the two us, the pain in my arm starting back up, this time is worse though, more intense. The agents scramble toward Alchemy putting him in restraints, my chest begins to burn as if it's on fire. Something's wrong. I try to catch my breath and relax I can't. My breathing becomes shallower each breath is more of gasp.
My vision becomes blurred; I see the hazy shape of Alchemy getting to his feet, his voice pounds in my head as I fall towards the ground my world fading into black.
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