xand_harris (xand_harris) wrote in endless_epitaph, @ 2009-05-24 13:17:00 |
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Current mood: | uncomfortable |
The Players : Xander Harris
Where : Chicago, IL
When : January 28, 2009.
Rating : PG13 – R for language.
Xander walked towards the bar with his Xander thoughts running around in his head. It had been a weird few days. Meeting both Lois and Alli had been great. Dealing with Simon had not.
Seeing Lois go was kind of sad though. Sure, he just met her, but it was good working with her. If it hadn’t been for the whole Joker thing, they probably would have had a better goodbye than the awkward one they had.
Xander headed downstairs to the bar and smiled at his two co-workers. “Evening ladies. How are my gals?”
“We should be asking you the same thing…we heard what happened. Kind of surprised you’re here. What the hell happened that you were thrown on top of a car,” Mary asked.
“Yeah. Piss off a Terminator,” Wendy asked.
“It’s a long messy story. Don’t worry about it. I’m fine. Still a bit sore, but otherwise fine.”
“And that girl you left with the other night? Made in progress?”
“Yeah. Like every other woman in the world I’ve met, she left as quickly as she came into my life.”
“Oh?”
“Went back to Metropolis…you know where she lives. I’m sure our paths will cross at some point again.”
“Right,” Wendy said placing a newspaper on the bar. “And Xand, we’re gonna need you in the back in a little bit to bring in the beer mugs.”
Xander took the paper and nodded as he started going through it. When a few articles caught his eye. The front page was all about the Joker robbery. It still made his blood run cold when he saw the Joker with that gun. Also made him nervous. Wondering if the Joker was still around and if he bumped into him, would he try to finish the job.
Xander turned to the back and saw an article about another death…a young woman. The same woman Simon was talking to the other night. Died of a suicide the article said. But something inside Xander was telling him otherwise.
“Looks like he made his third wish,” Xander thought aloud.
Crap. Now he can kill anyone now to get that card to give him strength. No more wishing required. Things just got a lot harder for him.
Why the hell was he even doing this? He’s not the superhero. He had no powers or anything that made him remotely special.
But he knew the answer. It was her.
She changed his life for the better…despite the hell he had both been through and fought. She gave him a purpose. Something to fight for. A purpose without ever having a purpose.
In the end, he did it because it was right. Because now with her being God knows where, he was alone in this city. He saw the things that lurked in the darkness.
He did it because no one else would.
He did it because the only thing that kept him from going crazy with being alone is saving lives, helping people. Ironically, he was still very much alone. Even with his new “sidekick”. That’d even be short lived cause it was how things were in Xander’s life.
“Xander,” Wendy said coming to the back. “Someone out front is looking for you.”
“Is it a pretty blue haired girl,” he asked standing up.
“No, its that guy you helped out a few nights ago. The guy that almost got beat up.”
Xander blinked then moved quickly upfront to see Simon talking with Mary. He turned towards Xander and smiled.
“Buddy. So good to see you again,” Simon said as Xander arrived.
“What do you want,” Xander said keeping his distance. He needed space in case he tried to attack.
“Just came to thank you. Wanted to see if that girlfriend of yours is okay. I heard what happened at that museum. Horrible isn’t it when things like that happen.”
“She’s alive and safe now. Especially from you.”
“What are you talking about Xander,” Mary asked.
“Mary, just take Wendy to the back. Both of you stay back there.”
They looked at each other confused. But they did as he asked. They could tell this was something he needed them to do.
Xander turned to him. “I know everything about your special card. You know that thing is going to kill you at some point right?”
“Like I care. All my life I heard stories of my amazing uncle. Superstrong while I was small and weak and finally I get what made him strong. I’m finally capable of getting everything I want. And anyone.”
“But at what cost,” Xander asked. “You’re killing…”
“Innocent people. You said that already.”
“It’s murder. All of those deaths, no matter how horrible those people were, are on you. That’s something that’s hard to come back from. You were such a nice guy…this card is corrupting you. And you’re going to end up dead.”
“What a coincidence. You’re going to end up dead too. But considering I went easy on you last time, I should say this…I do feel I owe you for helping me, but if you cross me again or try to stop me…”
He pounds his fist into the bar breaking it in half.
“Hey what the hell is going on out here?!”
It was Xander’s boss. “You,” he said pointing to Simon. “I want you out of my bar now.”
He walked towards Simon ready to toss him out. “Mcclaren, stay away from him,” Xander warned.
“What’s he gonna do?”
Simon grabbed his neck and snapped it, killing him instantly. “That,” Simon replied with an evil grin.
He closed his eyes turning a faint reddish glow. And as quickly as it came it disappeared. He had the card on him. And he just fed it.
Simon pulled out The Strength Card. “Come after me…and you die.”
With that he left the bar.
“Fuck…CALL 911,” Xander yelled. The girls saw everything from the kitchen window.
“How…Its not possible.”
Xander had done many a dumb things in his life but what he was about to do was one of the dumbest.
He decided to chase after Simon.
Simon turned and saw Xander run out of the bar looking in all directions to find him.
“The chase begins,” Simon muttered as he took off running down the street.
Xander spotted him and followed. This was not how he planned things to go down. But that’s the key isn’t it? You can’t plan stuff like this. He just wished he had a weapon on him so he’d be ready to face Simon.
He followed him to a familiar part of town. He spotted the comic book store ahead. Simon raced past it. Xander ran stopped in front of it and banged on the window to get Alli’s attention. He saw her inside and signaled her to follow.
Xander raced to catch up hoping Alli spotted him.
The sun was quickly setting as rain started to pour onto the city.
Simon stopped in front of a building and ran up the fire escape towards the roof. A minute later Xander arrived almost out of breath.
“Okay…note to self more cardio.”
He looked up as Simon made it to the roof.
“You want me? Come and get me,” Simon said peering down. A thunder clapped and boomed in the distance.
“Yeah, that’s not ominous,” Xander thought.
What did he get himself into?