When Evil Prevails

Section 2

Writer - Gabriel Shaytan

FX is a Rysher production in conjunction with Fireworks Entertainment Inc. and Winterset Productions Inc as well as Hallmark Entertainment.

Don’t own ‘em, aren’t bein’ paid.
     

         Angie woke early and got up.  Making her way down to the floor level, she quickly scribbled a note and left it where Rollie would see.  Pulling on her rollerblades she decided which way to go, hoping the exercise might clear her head.

         She pulled the green loft door to behind her and bladed off down the street, finding herself feeling happier than she had for months.  She finally knew how Rollie felt towards her, it had been a long wait from when she'd first laid eyes on the seventeen year old with the wavy brown hair, that Australian accent and the warm smile.  Dodging people on the sidewalk as she went, Angie started to smile, it was a nice day for a change and it felt good to be out.

 
        It wasn't long after that Rollie finally awoke.  ' Must have been zonked' he said looking about bleary eyed.  Yawning he stood up, moving towards the coffeepot.  After his first cup he saw the note from Angie and picked it up, reading through it.  ' She's gone' was his first thought.  ' Loubar's in the city' was his second.

        A few seconds later he pressed an icon on the P.D.A and saw the connection was made, at least her P.D.A was responding.  Quickly sending a message he got a reply that she was ok and asking if he'd seen the note.  He replied that he had and he just wanted to make sure, and to tell her he had to go out for a while.

        Rollie headed out after a quick bite, dressed in a suit, he had an interview for a movie starting in several weeks.  Driving along and thinking, Rollie thought with Angie getting used to me again we might as well make some money.
 
 

        Viktor Loubar watched as first Ramirez and then Tyler left the loft, it was time.  Sauntering over, face unmasked, Loubar dropped the first of many small gifts in the delivery chute and strolled on, smiling at the camera as he went.

        He returned to his vantage point, concealed as it was in a derelict old building nearby.  He had made his plans for the killing of the man he'd missed earlier and even now looked down at his watch.  Deciding he'd like to see his handiwork in person, Loubar walked the dozen blocks to wait a street or so from the carpark.

        The man, a minor functionary who'd gone to the cops about Loubar's deals drove steadily down the ramp and up to the pressure sensors, which along with his card would allow him to leave the building.  The car hit the sensors and the man pushed his card into the reader.  As the boom began to swing up the car moved forward, rolling onto the street.  Five seconds after the boom had swung away, the car became a fireball as the combination plastique and napalm device exploded, the fire so intense that nothing would survive.

        Walking away from the scene as though it were an every day occurrence, Viktor Loubar took in the sights of fire engines and police vehicles racing to the scene.  Didn't they know they were too late?  They'd be lucky if they found teeth after that bomb was through with the body.  The rate they were moving it was likely they'd cause an accident themselves.  He stopped for a moment, some of them were pouring water onto the fire, now that was funny.  The temperature of the fire, about seven thousand degrees was enough to split water molecules back to their constituent parts, splitting the water back into hydrogen and oxygen, they were producing more oxygen to feed the fire.

        Moving back through the streets he returned to his dingy room, hoping that the building wouldn't fall down around him before he was through.  His high powered binoculars were locked to the front of the loft.
 

        Angie stopped off at a small café for a morning snack, she'd been blading for several hours already and she wished she'd had breakfast before heading out.  She knew Rollie would be out for a while, he'd had several jobs to do and she wasn't sure exactly what was happening between them now, she'd come out to think about it.

        Blading on she slowed her pace, it was hard to think and concentrate on not running into anyone at the same time.  It had been so confusing since Loubar…  Nothing had been right since, her best friend had been turned into her worst nightmare.  Blading back to the loft to think, Angie slid inside and removed the rollerblades, replacing them with her shoes.

        Moving to a small bookcase her father had installed she reached down one of the albums.  She'd flicked through it when Rollie hadn't there before, trying to overcome her anxiety of the Loubar/Rollie dilemma.  Almost every picture was of her and Rollie, laughing together, working together, dressed for another party or just sitting around.  The pictures bought tears to her eyes they'd had so many good times and she remembered a long time ago when they'd only just met that he'd just sit and talk with her, no matter what was happening around him, he always made time if she needed anything, even then.

        She finally sat down at the workstation and began typing an e-mail to her friend Kim in London.  Just sending it she noticed a small light reflecting in the monitor.  Turning she saw a package had been dropped in the chute and headed over, picking it up.
 

        Rollie drove through the streets, a happy smile on his face.  This was amazing, Spielberg himself was going to be making a movie in New York and Rollie had gotten them hired on as part of the FX crew, this was going to be the big one, bigger than Independence Day.
        ' Just wait until Angie finds out' Rollie said to himself happily.  He drew into Brewery Lane, pulling up outside the loft.

        Entering the loft he saw Angie standing still, a small package in her hand, wrapping paper lying on the floor.
' What you got there Ange?' he asked.

         Angie spun around and saw him, eyes widening and she took a step back, away from him.  Drawing back she threw the package at him, smashing against the door as Rollie ducked.
        ' GET OUT.  Haven't you hurt us enough?' Angie shouted.
        ' Angie, it's me, Rollie' Rollie said, destroyed at this turn of events.
        ' Don't lie to me, it's just like last time.  I HATE YOU' she screamed running up the stairs, grabbing the phone and calling Mira, locking herself in the bathroom.
 
         Rollie looked down at the shattered mess that lay on the floor, what was left of a small bottle.  He inhaled and caught the smell of perfume, one he knew well enough to know he'd brought her a bottle of it in Paris a while ago.
        ' Angela what is it?' Rollie shouted, he didn't move, still standing by the door.

         Mira arrived shortly to find Rollie sitting on the floor by the door, head in his hands and muttering softly to himself, motioning for her partner to wait just outside but not to let anyone leave.
        ' Where is she?' Mira asked in a serious tone, Angela had told her Loubar was there but unless Loubar was doing a really good job of being a mess, this was Rollie.

         Rollie raised an arm and pointed it up the stairs.

        ' Don't go anywhere' Mira warned.

         Rollie shook his head and stayed where he was.

         Up the stairs Mira went, looking around and seeing only the bathroom door, shut.
        ' Angie, it's Mira, open up' Mira called, watching as the door slid open a fraction and then was pulled open, Angie standing before him, eyes red.
        Mira reached out and put an arm around the young woman.
        ' What happened?' she asked softly, sitting Angie down on the bed.

        ' I got back, there was a package.  Perfume, I thought it was from Rollie until I saw this' Angie said quietly, handing Mira a note.

         The detective looked down at the note, reading what it said.

        Do you remember our night together Angela?  You wore this perfume for me.  I hope we'll have a chance to do it again.  I did enjoy it, and you.  Loubar

         Mira looked at her friend, so much had happened to her, this had really damaged the great friendship her friends shared.  Angie had been through much even she couldn't understand.  She understood that the blonde still loved Rollie but the fear that it wasn't him had become overwhelming.
        ' Angie listen to me.  Rollie is downstairs he doesn't know what's going on, he's going out of his mind worrying' Mira started, of that she was certain now.

         Angie's eyes widened and she cried ' No.  Oh no, please don't tell me it was Rollie.  I'd almost rather it were Loubar'
        ' Why?' Mira asked, the sudden revelation startling.
        ' I… I told him I hated him' replied Angie.
        ' Hey, you know Rollie, he'll forgive you anything, he knows what a hard time you're having with this' the detective responded ' Now, I'll go down and talk to him, ok?'

         Nodding mutely, Angie watched the detective depart, back down the stairs before moving herself, standing where she could see.  The figure sitting on the floor looked so forlorn, so hurt.  He had tears in his own eyes she could see, she'd only ever seen him cry a few times, at Rick and Leo's funerals, and at her fathers… when he'd thought she was dead and when he'd found out about Loubar.

        ' Rollie?' Mira asked looking down.
        ' What?' he replied angrily, not knowing why.
        ' She thought you were…' Mira cut off being interrupted by Rollie.
        ' Loubar, I'm not bloody thick you know'
        ' No you're not, but she didn't mean what she said to you' the detective tried again, hoping to smooth things out.
        ' You didn't see the look she gave me detective Sanchez, you didn't hear her voice' Rollie retorted.
        ' Take a look at this and try to understand, think about how she must feel for once if you're not too busy caring about yourself' Mira fired back, handing him the note.
        ' What the hell do you mean FOR ONCE.  Do you think I've been worried about myself for the last four months?  I spend every minute thinking about her and how she feels.  How the HELL can you accuse me of not caring?  How many twenty year olds do you know that would take a fifteen year old girl, who wasn't family and try to look after her, buy her things even when he was barely paying the rent on the place he stayed?' Rollie said scathingly, brown eyes staring at the detective from under his dark hair ' Dingo's never around, it's Angie I care about, not myself'

         Mira took a step away, each of his statements hitting home.
        ' Well I'm glad to see you're still alive in there, I thought I might have to step on your foot to get a rise out of you' Mira replied, suddenly grinning at the Aussie who rather shamefacedly smiled back weakly, his anger dissolved.
        ' That wasn't nice Mira, you KNOW how I feel about Angela' Rollie replied.
        ' You needed to get it out of your system Rol, and I didn't want you taking out on Angie' Mira replied.
        ' He wouldn't have' came a soft voice from behind her and she saw Angie standing there ' When Loubar hit me I knew something was dreadfully wrong… Rollie would never ever hit me' Angie finished.

         Rollie looked at her and could see the tears in her own beautiful blue eyes.  ' I'm sorry Angie, I am so sorry' Rollie said from where he sat.
        ' I know you put everything aside when my father… so you could look after me even though I tried to keep you away' Angie replied, sitting down at the bottom of the stairs.
        ' I don't care about that Ange, you know that.  I couldn't let you go on on your own, I wanted to be there for you' Rollie answered.
        ' I didn't want you to leave' Angie said.

         Mira swung her head between the two friends, things had certainly cooled down and it seemed as though they'd finally said a few things that had needed saying for quite some time.
        ' Well if you're not going to go for each other's throats I'd better get back to work' she grinned at the looks they threw each other.
        ' I think we'll manage without that huh sweetie?' Rollie asked directing his question to Angie.
        ' Yeah, I think we will' she said softly, not willing to meet either of their eyes.