Southend
6.
by MistThing, published on December 28, 2000
Gabriel let go of Saunders and backed off, sitting on the damp grass beside him. Saunders rolled to his side, away from the void, and lay folded on the ground with his back to Gabriel. It was a while before his breath was regular again and he was able to sit up. Gabriel watched him wordlessly with evident distrust.
Saunders tightened his coat. "We're trapped here fer now in this bloody fog, yah know." The thick fog surrounded them like a solid wall. Trying to move in there was plainly suicidal.
-"Fine by me" - Gabriel leaned backwards on his hands -"Since I'm havin' such great company."
Saunders fumbled under his overcoat.
-"Are you lookin' for this by any chance?"-Gabriel waved Saunders' gun at his face, taken during their struggle, and threw it over the cliff. Saunders touched his bruised lips and swollen left eye, and gave a short demonstration of Scottish cursing.
-"Enough with the small talk"-said Gabriel-"So...basically, you're a Met Special Branch inspector, and a MacAlister yourself. What's with you MacAlisters, anyway? Plannin' your world domination?"
-"Now that's bloody funny, Knight."
-"Yeah, I'm a regular comedian, Saunders. Tell me, what's with you people and this clan thing?"
-"I can't share that with yah. You can try 'n' throw me off that cliff again, if yah'd like."
-"Tempting..." Gabriel toyed with that thought a bit. "Does Chinook ZD-576 mean anythin' to you?"
-"Of course," replied Saunders "As it does to any Brit. Why are yah diggin' this oot now?"
-"Happened right here..." Gabriel observed Saunders "Interestin' that Gracie's plane crashed around here, too. Wouldn't you say?"
-"Dinnae know what yah're talkin' 'bout."
-"Your accent kind of gets real obvious when you lie, you know."
-"Shut up."
Tryin' to get the guy mad isn't working too well, thought Gabriel, I need a little somethin' extra...let's see... he rummaged through his mind searching for something, anything...the shreds of a dream... "You know, this Alasdair Mor that y'all worship isn't such a big hit, Saunders."
-"What did you say?" Saunders turned his head to Gabriel.
Uh-huh...Touchy... "Ya know, him bein' a great Scottish warrior an' all..."-Gabriel bet his luck again-"that dumb hand-holding-a-dagger symbol... a little corny, don't ya think?"
Saunders sprang to his feet. "You don't know what the hell you're talking about!" he shouted angrily "You...Yank!!! When the Prediction's time comes, when the Stones are aligned, you'll beg for the Galloglaich's return!"
-"Come again?"-Gabriel jumped up, too.
Saunders gathered he said too much. "You're in enough trouble as it is, assaulting a Met Special Branch Inspector, as you mentioned yourself. Let me give you a friendly advice. Get on the next flight to the U.S."
-"Heard that before."
-"Cute."
The fog was thinning, revealing a half-moon, its dim light enabling them just barely to find their way. They paced silently, their obvious dislike for each other indisputable by now.
Saunders opened his car's door. "I give you twenty-four hours to get bloody out of here," he told Gabriel.
-"Was that an official threat, Inspector?" Gabriel smiled. "By the way, love that license plate...what could possibly 'MA-S23A' mean... could it be...' M ac- A lister- S ept- 23 ' ? But the ' A ' in the end... Could you be an 'A'?"
Saunders snorted and entered his car. He reversed violently, turned the car sharply and took off. I think I pushed too hard, thought Gabriel. And then again, nah... He smiled bitterly. Better get back. Gracie’s masterpiece... Gotta catch up on my reading.
Last update: October 24, 2007
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