Southend

11.

by MistThing, published on January 5, 2001

Morrigan handed out her hand. "May I have my wallet back now?"

Gabriel didn't appreciate looking at her from that perspective. He slowly gathered himself off the ground and stood up, still a little unsteady. Now that's a better view. "You sure are dropping a lot of things today" - he gave her the wallet.

She was going to answer, but then cast a sharp glance over Gabriel's shoulder. He turned around. A black, familiar-looking car advanced along the hill, raising bits of grass, and pulled over at the barn. Well I'll be damned if it's not Mr. 'MA-S23A', thought Gabriel, I guess I rate high on popularity today. Gabriel approached the car, Morrigan lagging behind, as Inspector Saunders stepped out. His dark sunglasses weren't able to conceal his battered face.

- "Mr. Knight..." - he stated wryly, pulling up his sunglasses - " I see yah still haven't taken my advice."

- "Detective Saunders" - smiled Gabriel - "You seem to be all over the place these days. Doin' some sightseeing?"

Morrigan joined them now, wearing a strange expression.

"Inspector Ryan Saunders" - Gabriel was enjoying himself - "Meet Miss Morgan - Ah, Morrigan - Campbell."

Saunders and Morrigan stood rigidly, their gazes locked, apparently aiming to kill each other with mere looks.

-"I've already met Miss Campbell" - Saunders spoke quietly, his words loaded - "She and her kind are known terrorists."

Morrigan spat on the grass. "Why am I not under arrest, then?"

-"I'm sure the Council will soon come to its senses," Ryan's fists clasped.

-" Terrorists is a harsh word, MacAlister" - Morrigan sputtered the name - "I prefer to think of my kind as dedicated enthusiasts."

Gabriel studied them, fascinated. Hell, looks like I just dropped into an ancient family dispute... "Now, now, kids" - he sniggered - "Keep it clean, will ya?" They both turned their heads to him. Oops, he thought. Not healthy getting those two pissed off...

- "I'd like a word with you, Mr. Knight" - said Saunders. He shot a quick glance at Morrigan. "Alone," he added. Morrigan jammed her hands into her pockets and smiled crookedly.

Gabriel nodded. "It's about damn time, Saunders."

The two men strode towards the seashore. Saunders was silent until they were far enough from Morrigan. "Listen, Gabriel" - Saunders stirred uneasily - "I meant what I told you last night... I'm on yer bloody side."

-"Aha...You have an interstin' way of showin' it, Saunders."

The Inspector stopped walking and faced Gabriel. He grabbed his right arm. "I drove a long way to find you... I am serious, Gabriel Knight. As Chief Inspector made quite clear to me yesterday, I made a grave mistake bringing you here."

- "No, you didn't" - Gabriel didn't shake off the man's hold - " Here is the only place for me to be."

- "Fer God sake, Knight!" - the Inspector's eyes lighted with anger - "Get it through yer skull...Yah can't fix this... I won't allow more innocent lives to be lost! This is by far the worst place fer yah tah be!"

- "This is not your choice to make!" - Gabriel's eyes shot green sparks, his voice hard - " I won't ever quit until I find her! "

The two men stared at each other, and then Saunders lowered his head. "Fine, Gabriel..." - his voice was flat - "Do as yah bloody wish."

- "Hey, wait a minute..." - It was Gabriel's turn to grab Saunders' arm - "You're not getting off that easy! You wanted to tell me somethin', damn it! Hell, you level with me now Saunders, before it's too f*cking late!"

Saunders raised his head, meeting Gabriel's gaze. He slowly turned away to look at the sea, obviously conflicted. "It looks fairly peaceful, yah know" - he finally said, staring at the distant horizon.

Gabriel joined him. "Yeah" - He said softly - "It does."

Saunders still didn't look at him. "I phoned yah 'cause... 'cause I felt yah had a right tah be here - - -" Gabriel kept silent, waiting.

- "It's an auld story, Knight... 'bout five thousand years auld, maybe more...and I don' know it all. And some things, I can't tell yah...Not fer me tah decide..."

- "Give me somethin'" - asked Gabriel - "Anythin'."

Saunders glared at him again. "Yer friend - "

- "What about Grace?"

- "I suspect she never got on that crashed plane to start with, Knight." Saunders' inner struggle showed on his face. He was torn between ancient loyalties and the dictates of his conscience. "Look, we members...have our difference of opinions here...we do things differently, we have... different approaches to... things... situations."

- "You mean, like the MacAlisters and the Campbells, takin' different courses of action handling certain problems?" - Pressed Gabriel - "Could you be any less clear then that?"

- "I'm sorry fer not bein' straight with yah, Gabriel" - Saunders shook his head - "What I mean tah say is...try yer luck with the Campbells. Morrigan - she has taken a special interest in you an' yer friend... I couldn't get through as a Met officer, an' as a Council member there are certain things I simply can't afford to be doin' - - -" He was quiet again, having said all he could.

- "I'll hitch with Morrigan, then" - said Gabriel - "Your help means a lot to me, Detective."

Saunders didn't answer. He put his sunglasses on and paced back to his car. Gabriel paused for a brief moment, looking at the sea. Grace, he called silently. A sudden light breeze blew to the shore, caressing his face and his hair. Gabriel's heart skipped a beat. It isn't much...but it's something.

Last update: October 24, 2007

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Southend

11.