LNH/Acra: The Road to Killfile Wars #11

[cabbagewielder at yahoo.com]

	The Road to Killfile Wars #11 of 12
	And in the End
	By Jesse N. Willey

	Appleseed waved his arms in an overly melodramatic circular gesture.
Rick knew what it meant.  He'd used it before.   When he spoke to
friends and family after the disaster.   All the families of those
unfortunate souls that he could not save.

	"I'm sorry..." the man said. "He's gone."
	"Noooo!" Carolyn said.  "You son a bitch! You set this up!
You..."
	"I did nothing.   You were the one who made the choice," Appleseed
said.
	"Look, Carolyn.  I'm sorry.  I tried to warn you," Electra said.

	Carolyn turned and spat in her face.

	"To hell with you," Carolyn said.  "Come on Rick, let's get
out of here."
	"I-I can't," he said.  "There are still some things to take
care of."

	The wind blew dust through the air.   Terrence's body lay on the
ground and turned into a pile of dirt and clay.   The dirt sprayed
through the air.  A glowing penumbra of a man still lay on the ground.

	"The boy is right," Appleseed said.   He took the pot off his head
and shadow into the pot.  "Come on, Terrence.  I'll take you to the
cave.   Then I'll rebuild you when you're needed.  Course that
could be a few millennia."

	Appleseed turned around and began to walk off.

	"Wait a minute... Excalibur... cave... you're not Johnny
Appleseed... or Death... you're Merlin," Carolyn said.
	"I am whatever you believe me to be," he said.
	"What is it with these mystic types?   Can't they give anyone a
straight answer," Electra said.

	Appleseed turned his head.

	"One more thing before I go. Like your name sake, you didn't guard
your grail, Dalton Percival Asters," Appleseed said.
	"Percival?" Electra giggled.
	"It doesn't bode well for the rest of us," he said ignoring
Electra.

	______________________________


	Tyler Bridge sat waiting for the hyperspatial corridor to open.   He
knew whatever part he was supposed to play in this little drama was
over but he still wanted to know the outcome.   Speed sat next to him,
half asleep.

	"Tyler Bridge, Speed Richardson? Absurd Lass and Patient Zero--
Afterlife Police-Freeze!"

	Tyler jumped.   Appleseed had told him these afterlife police were
after him.

	"Nicole!  Cut that out," another voice retorted.
	"Oh, come on Sam... I was just trying to spook him," she said.
	"I get it," Tyler said.  "We've served our purpose so
Appleseed stopped protecting us.  Presumably, Speed Richardson and I
have to face whatever afterlife there may be."

	Patient Zero looked to Absurd Lass and laughed.

	"What?  What's so funny?" said Speed.
	"Well... at the start of our mission, years ago mind you, our job
was to locate and capture Tyler.  But after the incident with Chatillon
it changed.   We were supposed to locate and recruit you."
	"Recruit?" Tyler said.

	Patient Zero hovered over the chairs.

	"You two are both dead and have a knack for containing mystical
menaces," Patient Zero said.  "And ever since President Hades
declared War on The Bliss and then tricked the Greek Gods into invading
Valhalla, our ranks have been a little thinned out."
	"Come on, whattya say?" Absurd Lass whined.
	"Well, it's not like the LNH really holds any place for me
anymore," Tyler said.
	"Why not... we got nothing better to do," said Speed.


		______________________________


	The Handless Ultimate Ninja and one of his twins sat in the office
playing ping pong.

	"You have no chance," said Ultimate Ninja #3.
	"Not true... I've been practicing like this.  Helps me..." he
said as he hit the ball over the net.  "Keep my combat skills up."

	The ball went sailing past Ultmate Ninja #3.

	"I guess the makes the score is 17 to 19.   You're catching up,"
Ninja #3 said.

	The intercom chirped.

	"We have Vel on channel," Fred said.
	"Put him through down here," Ultimate Ninja said.

	The gym TV set, which had previously been turned to Extreme Makeover:
Super Hero Headquarters Edition, switched to the image of Vel in a
Dorfan uniform.

	"You traitorous dog, what do you want?" Ultimate Ninja said.
	"What are you talking about?  Oh.. right... the helping with the
civil war thing.  Things have finally settled down.   I've been
assigned to do to be my father's diplomatic aide, as well as the
Dorfan liason to the LNH," Vel said.  "Assuming that position is
still open."

		______________________________

	The funeral was kept small.  The few surviving former members of
Teenfactor and The Team.   A couple of the neighbors they had gotten to
know.  Rick and Amelia stayed toward the back of the room.  Amelia
squirmed back and fourth uncomfortably in her wheelchair.

	"Rick... just give me an answer one way or another," Amelia
whispered.
	"Not now," he said.

	Carolyn spoke a few words.  About what Terrence had meant to everyone
one who knew him.  She spoke of how great a father he was.  She
nervously bit her lips when talking about what a great guy he was.
 Then it was over.  Rick slowly walked up behind her and wrapped his
arms around her.  He escorted her out of the room as fast as he could.

	"So that's your choice," Amelia whispered.  "I guess I kinda
deserve it."
	"Kinda?" Electra asked.
	'Oh... it's you.   Where's your spazzy boytoy?" Amelia asked.
	"At the motel.  He said he couldn't find any black foil for his
head," she said.

	______________________________

 	As they stepped into the kitchen, Carolyn put her face on Rick's
shoulders and cried.   He gently kissed her forehead.

	"Look Rick, I think we should..." she said.
	"Yeah," he said.
	"Just until... you know..." she said.
	"I understand," he said.  "Amelia's going to move back in with
her dad and brother.  If you want to take a few days off... I can watch
Sammy for a few days."

	Mucus flew from Carolyn's nose onto Rick's jacket.  She grabbed a
handkerchief and wiped it off.

	"Thank you," she said.

	She kissed him softly and he walked out the door.

	The End

	Next: Epilogue

________________________________________________________________________
Appleseed, Rick Henkerton, Dalton Asters, Patient Zero and Absurd Lass
created by Jesse N. Willey.   Carolyn Forge, Electra, Terrence Coffe,
Tyler Bridge and Speed Richardson created by Tom Russell Jnr.  Ultimate
Ninja created by wReam.   Fred is public domain.