"Revenge" -- A Post Red Storm Fanfic

Part 1:

It had been 3 hours since Angie had shot Rollie, thinking he was Loubar. It had been 3 hours since Loubar disappeared yet again, slipping between Rollie's fingers yet again. It had been 3 hours since Angie had said "nothing has changed." To Rollie Tyler, it had been an eternity. His stay in the hospital had been quick. After all, he was a quick healer, being so used to being pummeled. Angie had gone, back home he imagined. She couldn't look at him. She couldn't talk to him. He wanted so badly to say something to her. But he had said nothing. He couldn't either. What could he say? Mira was still out looking for Loubar. No sign of him in the lake. No sign of him anywhere. But then, what would you expect from a man that could turn into anyone. Be anyone. Be Rollie Tyler enough to fool Angie, and....

Rollie shook his head. It was too much. Was Loubar alive or not? He might never know. No, that wasn't true. If Loubar was alive he would show up again. Rollie had beaten him again, and he was still going to be out for revenge. It was only a matter of time. Rollie walked out of the hospital doors, just as Detective Mira Sanchez drove up.

"Need a lift?" she asked.

Rollie smiled, slightly. Angie had driven the van back to the loft after they parted. Rollie slid into the passenger seat.

"Anything?" Rollie asked, tentatively.

Mira shook her head.

"We'll find him," she said.

Rollie nodded.

"Sure," he said, "that's what I used to think. But now I know, he'll find us."

"You can't let him do this, Rollie," Mira said, "you can't let him win like this. And if you and Angie don't work things out, he will have won."

"Work things out?" Rollie said a bit louder than he wanted to, as they pulled into the street, "work what out, Mira? I don't even know what to think, much less what to say. After what Loubar did, Angie will never be able to look at me the same way. Now, what I know, I may never be able to look at her the same way either."

"That's what Loubar wanted," Mira said, "he wanted a sick kind of revenge. Not one of murder or physical pain. But one of mental pain, anguish. That's his game. And if he still is alive you'll bet he'll want more of it. You and Angie need each other now more than ever, now if you're going to fight Loubar. But first, you have to talk to each other."

Rollie nodded again, slowly.

"I know," he said, "but I can't be the one to initiate anything. Not after what she went through. She has to come to me."

"Rollie-" Mira began.

"No!" he said, "I won't torture her. I won't make her talk. Loubar took so much from us, I won't deny Angie her right to choose her own destiny. Choose what she wants to do, what she really wants to do. Not illusion, nothing fake, no FX."

Mira pulled onto Rollie's street.

"What if she doesn't come, Rollie?" she asked, "what if she wants to desperately, but is too afraid, too afraid of facing you to do so? She needs to draw strength from you."

"Angie doesn't need strength from anyone," Rollie said, "she's far stronger than I'll ever be. I don't know what I would have done all these years without her..."

"Maybe she is strong, Rollie," Mira said, "but she needs her friends, just like anyone else."

"There's the question, then, Mira," Rollie said, "am I her friend? What am I now?"

Mira pulled up along side the door to the loft. Rollie slid out.

"Thanks," he said, simply, closing the door.

"Don't you give up, Rollie Tyler," Mira yelled, "because if you do Loubar will have destroyed your life. Don't let him do that, Rollie!"

But Rollie was already closing the door to the loft. He listened as Mira pulled away.

"Bluey, lights," he said.

The lights to the loft came on, and Rollie headed to the refrigerator.

"Bluey, check mail, please," he said as he pulled out a beer.

A beeping sounded, new mail had come in. Rollie slowly walked to the computer screen. A single message was there. With a file attachment. A video. Rollie hit a few keys, and it began to play. And Rollie's heart beat began to quicken. The face of Victor Loubar played across the screen.

"Hello, Tyler," Loubar said, "good to see you again. I must tell you that your dear Angela is a terrible shot. Fortunate for me, I guess. Also a good thing I can hold my breath for such a long time."

Rollie's mind was racing. So quick this time. Loubar always waited longer to begin again. He would take his time, regroup, plan. What was he doing?

"You know, I've faced you, been beaten by you so much you've forced me to consider in my planning what I've never done before," he said, "what to do if I lose. A fail safe plan. I must tell you how terribly strange that is for me. But in this case, that was fortunate. You stopped me yet again, Mr. Tyler. You and your little partner."

Loubar sighed.

"A shame, really," Loubar said, "I guess I can't beat you. Not my way anyway. I should have just shot the both of you and be done with it. But that's really not my style. I'm much more of a "big bang" kind of a person anyway. This last time, you might say, was the straw that broke the camel's back. I simply can't afford the risk of you in my way Tyler. So the question is, what to do? Normally I would need more time, but since I had backup plans, I can put them into action immediately. I knew, that if I was beaten by you again. I would have to exact a special revenge. One that would cause you agony, then kill you myself. That's the plan anyway. We'll see how it develops. My first thoughts were, how to make you feel more pain than you've ever felt before? My little fun with Angela was one way, but something tells me you'll patch that up. Besides, I'm done with her. So I dug back in my brain, and recalled things in the past. You see I've kept track of you Tyler. I know about that policeman friend of yours, the one who was killed. I know you must have felt great pain with his demise. So, I shall let you relive those feelings person by person. Starting with the lovely Angela, whose apartment it was so easy to break into, with a little gift which will activate 5 minutes after you arrive at home-"

Rollie took off out of the loft, not bothering to close the door behind him. He jumped into the van and pealed out into the street. He picked up the cellular and dialed Angie's phone number. It rang several times, with no answer. He then dialed Mira's personal cell phone, and strangely she would not answer. Rollie took a corner at breakneck speed, thinking furiously. He dialed the precinct, and spoke to an officer who tried to calm him down.

"Sir" the man said, "slow down, a bomb? How do you know this?"

Rollie slammed the phone against the passenger door, furious. He rounded the last corner and pulled up and pulled up in front of Angie's building. He jumped out of the car screaming her name. He ran into the foyer, where he could be buzzed in. He buzzed Angie's apartment furiously, to no avail. He ran outside again, screaming at the top of his lungs. A few tenants started opening their windows, yelling at him to be quiet. Rollie scanned the street, and quickly picked up a trash can, ready to break the door of the apartment in. However his mind had been ticking off the minutes, subconsciously perhaps, and he felt a terrible dread. Then it happened. An enormous explosion rocked the building, as a huge ball of fire shot of what must have been Angie's window. The force threw schrapnel for hundreds of feet, yet somehow Rollie couldn't bring himself to run for cover. He only stood there, and as the sound of the explosion died out, his screams, which had been hidden underneath, were heard.

* * *

A half an hour later, the fire department was finishing up on the last remnants of the fire. It had incinerated Angie's apartment. Nothing left but ashes, and among those were hers, Rollie thought. Loubar had done it. He had killed her. Rollie's mind whirled, not accepting it. How would Loubar know when he arrived at home? He must have been watching him, or had someone watching him. If Rollie could only find out who. Make that person talk. Too, where was Loubar. It was too soon for him to get out of the city. He had to have recorded that message while still in the city, even if he had planted the bomb earlier. Too, the bomb must have been radio controlled. Loubar must have had someway of activating it. How?

Too many questions, Rollie thought, not enough answers. A police officer walked up.

"Mr. Tyler?" he asked.

"Yeah," Rollie said softly.

"Strange," he said, "we can't find Detective Sanchez. She's not home and she's not answering her cellular phone."

"What about Frank?" he asked.

"Detective Gaddy nor his wife are home," the officer said, "they seem to have disappeared. We'll be starting an investigation into this bomb blast. The Captain is on his way, as you asked. He says for you to stay here until he arrives. He wants to talk to you."

Rollie nodded, and the man walked away. But Rollie knew what the Captain would do. With Loubar on the loose and his kidnapping, or done something worse, to Mira and Frank, and killing Angie, the Captain would place him under protective custody, whether he liked it or not. Rollie couldn't let that happen. He had to do something. Rollie slowly walked backwards, away from the light of the police cars headlights. His van was only a few feet away. Rollie waited until the police officer who had talked to him turned around, then he broke into a run for the van. He heard a shout behind him.

"Mr. Tyler wait!" the police officer yelled.

But Rollie was already in the van. He turned around quickly and pealed off as several uniformed men ran up along side him. He veered arounda police car in front of him, scrapping the van against the side of the wall and sending a shower of sparks up into the night sky. He had always driven the van fairly well, but now he pressed the accelerator down as far as it would go, swerving into the road. He didn't think they would follow. They had no reason too. He wasn't wanted for anything. Just then he heard sirens. The Captain had probably ordered his officers to keep him in sight. But Rollie couldn't let that happen. He had supplies in the van, and he needed time and to be by himself. Only he could stop Loubar and he knew it.

Rollie turned another sharp corner. First he had to lose the police. Then figure out how Loubar was watching him. Then find Loubar and his friends. Then, then for the death of his best and truest friend, he would exact revenge, on Loubar.

* * *

Part 2:

Rollie wasn't sure where he was going. But he was sure he had to get away. He couldn't let the police put him in protective custody, he couldn't let them stop him from helping his friends. Rollie spun the wheel hard, skidding around the next street. He knew this area well, fortunately. He turned another sharp corner into an alleyway that connected two parallel streets. He took a hard right and began to circle back around. Hopefully he would be able to confuse the police. However it didn't seem to be working.

Rollie flew down the street and saw more police cars coming up in front of him. And many behind him. Quickly he swerved, narrowly missing some pedestrians, into a side street which led into the Park. He took off down the small street, which quickly dead-ended into a parking lot. He swerved again, hopping the curb and pulling the van onto the grass. The van's shocks groaned now, not built for this kind of punishment. He cut across an open grassy section, heading for the street on the other side of the park. He desperately hoped there were no late night joggers for him to run over. That ended quickly, though when the van lurched as it hit an unseen hole in the ground made by some animal. The van veered wildly and Rollie vainly tried to regain control. It spun, lifted up on two wheels for a brief moment and the side of the van smashed against three trees simultaneously with a sickening crunch.

Rollie was stunned, but he knew he didn't have time. He could already hear the voices coming toward him. Launching himself into the back he grabbed whatever equipment was loose and stuck it in his jacket. He bounded out of the passenger side door and into the wooded area. He knew the police were right behind him. But he had to lose them somehow. The night was unusually dark, and the light of the streetlights were mostly blotted out by the trees. Only a few sparse rays broke through the leaves just enough to give an eerie shadow effect to the area. The moon, partially covered by clouds overhead, lighted only a fraction of the area, bathing Rollie Tyler in a soft, silver aura. He ran, he ran faster and more determined than he ever had before. But as the sounds of New York's finest closed behind him he knew he wouldn't make it.

No, he thought, I've got to escape, I must escape.

The sounds had grown much louder, though, and Rollie couldn't see the ground well. He tripped on a root sticking out of the ground and fell. As he struggled to get up, his body tense and vibrating with fear, suddenly automatic gun fire erupted. He heard startled cries of police officials, and people diving to the ground. Rollie, however, did the opposite. Knowing it might be his only chance he took off, keeping low to the ground. Adrenaline filled, he covered ground quickly. Soon he was on the other side of the woods and out into a street. He wasn't sure which, and he didn't care. He ran for an unknown amount of time. Finally, unable to go on any longer, he slid into an alleyway, and fell amongst a pile of cardboard, newspaper, and other assorted items he was too tired to think about. He was too weak, had been through too much. Slowly, against his will, but too strong for him to fight, the world around Rollie Tyler faded to black.....

* * *

Rollie was dreaming. Dreaming of Angie. She was standing over him.

"Wake up!" she was saying, "are you all right? Wake up!"

Rollie reached for her.

"Hey!" a voice said, and Angie melted into an older black man.

Rollie struggled to sit up quickly.

"Hold on, hold on," the man said in a gentle, deep voice, "I'm just trying to help you."

Rollie's eyes finally focused in the morning light to reveal the man. He was a begger, from the looks of him. Grey haired, shabby clothes, and more lines on his face then probably should have been there.

"Who are you?" Rollie asked.

"My name's Joe," the man said, "Joe Crictor. But you can just call me Joe. Who are you young man?"

"Tyler," Rollie said, "Rollie Tyler."

"Well, Rollie Tyler," he said, "you look like you've been through something."

"You might say that," Rollie said, getting up and moaning as he held his throbbing head.

"Got a place to stay?" Joe asked, "From those clothes you don't look homeless."

"Right now I am," Rollie said, in realization, no doubt the police would be watching the loft.

Joe nodded.

"I see," he said, "I thought as much. People don't come down to this area to sight see."

Rollie looked around. He was in a run down district, delapidated buildings circled around him. The ground was covered in mud and trash, and there were several cardboard boxes lining the streets which showed signs of people living in them.

"Well," Joe said, "you might as well come and get something to eat."

Joe stood, and held his hand to Rollie. Rollie grasped it and heard his back crack as he quickly stood up.

"Follow me," Joe said, and began walking.

Rollie hesitated, but followed. His stomach grumbled with hunger. They walked two blocks and ended up at a large, abandoned warehouse. Inside there were dozens of homeless people.

"Welcome to my house," Joe said, "mi casa es su casa."

Rollie looked around. There were people of all ages and types here. Barrels littered the area, burning something for them to keep warm. Cots and blankets also were strewn across the cement floor. Joe led him across the room to a line of tables, where some sort of soup was being passed out. They got in line.

"What is this place?" Rollie asked.

"Our own private hotel and soup kitchen," Joe replied, "people get food by whatever means necessary, at least for the morning, sometimes getting it from the 'legal' soup kitchens around town. Then they pass it out to us."

"Why not go to the city operated ones?" Rollie asked.

"A lot of people here are in trouble for one reason or another," Joe said, "mostly because they did something out of need. We don't deny anyone."

Rollie picked up a bowl and let it be filled by the server. It was thin, and brothy. But it was warm. Walking around Joe led Rollie to a spot where a bunch of men were watching an old T.V.

"So," Joe said, "how'd you end up lyin' in the trash?"

Rollie smirked.

"It's a long story," he said.

"I'm not goin' anywhere," Joe said.

Rollie opened his mouth to respond, but stopped as the news popped a familiar area onto the screen.

"Last night the home of one Angela Ramirez was bombed," the anchor said, "the entire apartment was incinerated by a tremendous blast. Forensics has determined the mechanisms used to control the bomb were the same ones used by one Rollie Tyler, of F/X, a special effects company which Ms. Ramirez worked for. Rollie Tyler, the owner of the business, was at the scene of the crime. However he fled, and in the ensuing police chase opened fire wounding several officers including the police captain himself. No one was killed, but they are all in the hospital, three in critical condition. The police have now issued a city wide man hunt for Tyler, and are proclaiming him armed and dangerous. If you see this man, do not attempt to apprehend him, but contact the police immediately."

The anchorman began to relate his physical specifications and a large picture of himself was plastered across the screen.

"Again," the man said, "Tyler is wanted for attempted homicide, and a suspect for the homicide of Angela Ramirez. The police ask for anyone with any information to please contact them."

Rollie began to back away from the T.V. in shocked disbelief as Joe turned to look at him.

"I didn't," Rollie said, "I didn't Joe, you have to believe me!"

Several people turned and looked at Rollie in shock. Suddenly someone cried out a warning.

"The cops!" someone yelled.

People began to frantically move about, as several police officers came through the door. Rollie had already turned and quickly slid against a far wall, behind people who were standing. The officers began to fan out across the area. It soon became obvious that they were searching for him, and they showed his picture to ones, asking if they had seen him. Amazingly everyone said no, so far. Meanwhile Rollie was inching his away toward a large open window on the far side of the warehouse. The police were getting closer though, and he could only hope they wouldn't see him. Suddenly one police officer moved so that Rollie and he were perfectly lined up through a gap in the crowd, all he would have to do was lift his head. And he began too, slowly.

Then a familiar person filled in that gap. It was Joe, and he seemed to be pretending that he was nonchalantly walking across the area, a bit dazed, or drunk. The officer obviously fell for it and ignored him. Rollie got the time he needed and with a quick check to make sure it was clear dove out of the window. He landed hard with a grunt, picked himself up, and took off. He ran around one corner, then another, amazed no one had seen him. He slipped on a puddle and fell to the ground. Then he heard the click of the hammer of a gun set in place behind him. He turned slowly to stare into the mouth of the weapon, and behind that into the face of Elena Serrano.

"Ok, Tyler," she said, "you'd better explain, and you'd better explain fast."

* * *

Part 3:

"Elena!" Rollie said with shock, "man am I glad to see you!"

"Well, that makes one of us," Elena snapped, "you'd better tell me a good story about what's going on because I'm two seconds away from hollering for back up."

"Loubar," Rollie said, "he...he murdered Angie and framed me for it. Now he's got two friends of mine, detectives Francis Gaddy and Mira Sanchez. You've got to help me!"

"I know," Elena said, "why do you think I'm here? When I got a tip that Loubar was back in New York, I figured it was because of you. Especially after the Chinese Minister incident."

"How'd you know about that?" Rollie said, slowly standing up.

"I have my sources," she said, "the question is now, what do I do with you?"

"You can't let them take me," Rollie said, "Loubar kidnapped them to get at me. I've got to find them and save them. If I get locked up they're all as good as dead."

Elena stared into Rollie's eyes for a moment. He met her gaze. She sighed.

"I don't know why I always cave in to you, Rollie Tyler," she said in an exasperated voice.

Rollie grinned.

"Because I'm always right," he said.

"We'll see about that," she said, "what do you need to do?"

"Get to the loft," he said, "if I know Loubar he's left a message for me. Maybe a clue on how to find them. He wants me to go after them."

"You mean lead you into a trap," she said.

"Whatever," Rollie said, "but if I can get some equipment I'll be prepared. I can't clear myself without them."

Elena nodded.

"All right," she said, "I can get you into the loft. The rest is up to you. I'm putting my career on the line here, Tyler."

"I know," Rollie said, "and I appreciate it. In fact, I plan to give you a little gift."

"What's that?" Elena asked.

"Loubar," Rollie said, "gift wrapped and all."

* * *

There loft was still swarming with police. They had, apparently, ransacked the whole place looking for clues. Rollie knew they wouldn't find anything, unless Loubar planted something. But Angie had sweeped the whole place, and if anyone could find anything....

Angie. He had almost forgotten for a moment. But not completely. Now the pain flooded in fully. Dead. Angie was dead, and he never had even talked to her. Loubar would pay, Rollie mentally swore he would. He also swore no one else would die. No one else would pay for being Rollie's friend. If it meant killing Loubar, if it meant his own death, Rollie would not allow it.

Elena was walking back to her car, where Rollie was hiding on the floor in the back.

"The place is still under surveillence," Elena said, "any other way?"

"The van!" Rollie said, "It's remotely connected with the computer in the loft."

"It's been impounded," Elena said, "I can get us in."

Several minutes later, they arrived at the impound yard. Elena was able to easily get in and Rollie hopped a fence and snuck in behind her. Once the security man had left Elena, Rollie got in the van with her.

"We're fortunate," Elena said, "they didn't tear this apart."

Rollie nodded.

"Looks like everything's here," he said.

Rollie started up the systems. Just as he suspected, there was a message waiting for him from an unknown source.

"I take it Loubar's taken care of tracing the message," Elena said.

"Yeah," Rollie said, "but let's see what it says."

Another video message. Rollie tensed as Loubar's face came up onto the screen.

"Hello Tyler," he said, "having fun running from the police? I know I always do. In fact it's been so much fun I thought you might like to try. A shame the reason though. How could you do that to dear Angela?"

"Loubar you-" Rollie started, but realized he couldn't hear him.

Loubar moved aside from the front of the camera, to show Mira Sanchez behind him, tied up in a chair.

"You haven't done much Tyler," Loubar said, "I'm disappointed, and impatient. So I'll have to give you another incentive."

Loubar raised a gun to Mira, and her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and hate. Rollie leaned toward the screen, but he knew whatever was happening had happened hours ago.

"It's a shame really," Loubar said, "but this one has talks too much anyway."

Loubar pulled the trigger. The bullet hit her in the chest and she slumped over.

"No, Mira," Rollie said softly.

"Two down," Loubar said, "one to go. I know what you're thinking. I have Detective Gaddy and his wife. Well, I did. But he tried to resist me, and I was forced to take action. Did you ever see a man's response when his wife is killed in front of him?"

Loubar smiled.

"Quite intriguing," he said, "anyway, Tyler, try and find me if you can. Try and stop me if you can without the help of your police friends. You have 3 hours to find me before Gaddy is killed. Talk to you later."

The screen went blank. Much like Rollie's mind. He was overwhelmed. It was too much, to see Mira.....

"We've got to do something," Elena said, "he's even more insane than before."

"Oh, we'll do something all right," Rollie said, his fists clenching, "as soon as I get my hands on him."

"But we don't know where to find him," Elena said.

"Ma'am?" a voice said from behind the van.

Rollie quickly jumped into the front seat and ducked down.

"This woman said she had to see you," he said.

There were footsteps, and a gasp from Elena.

"Elena," a familiar, and unbelievable voice said.

The security man walked away, and Rollie spun out of the chair. His eyes opened wide. Angela Ramirez was standing there, a huge bruise across her face, but alive.

"Angie?" Rollie gasped, refusing to believe it.

"Rollie," she said in a tired voice.

"Angie I don't believe it!" Rollie said, and threw his arms around her, "how?"

"It's a long story," she said, "Rollie, Loubar killed-"

"I know," Rollie said, "I know. How are you?"

"I'm fine," she said, "and I know where Loubar is."

Rollie's head was swimming with this discovery. Angie alive. It was more than he could have dreamed for. He hugged her closer. Elena Serrano looked on, shaking her head in disbelief. But then she started a bit. For she saw Angie's face reflected in one of the monitors as Rollie held her. Her eyes were narrowed. Across her face was a strange smirking smile.

"We'll get him Rollie," she said, "together we'll get him."

* * *

Part 4:

Rollie snuck back to the car the way he came. He met Elena and Angie there.

"I still can't believe it," Rollie said, "how did you escape?"

"I wasn't in the apartment," Angie said, "I caught Loubar exiting my room. He didn't see me. I figured he was up to no good, so I went outside to find a phone and call the police. I was wrong, though, Loubar had seen me, and grabbed me. He stuffed me in his car and took me to a warehouse scheduled for demolition. He said he was going to torture you by framing you for my murder. And was just going to let me wait it out until the building was blown up. I managed to get out of the handcuffs he put me in by popping my thumb out of its joint."

"Ow," Rollie said, "unbelieveable."

"I did what I had to do," Angie said, "I couldn't let him win."

They pulled into the street.

"Since you're alive that gets Rollie off the hook," Elena said, "we can take you to the police, and you can tell your story."

"No!" Rollie said, "Loubar still has Frank. If he sees police anywhere near he'll kill him. I only have 3 hours left before he kills Frank. Angie knows where he is."

"You can't go in without backup, Tyler," Elena said.

"Loubar's already killed Mira, Frank's wife, almost killed Angie," Rollie's voice broke, "I've got to do this."

"Personal vendetta or not," Elena said, "Loubar will just kill you too if you go in alone."

"Maybe not," Angie said, "I know the building Loubar's hold up in. It's another abandoned building, near the docks. There's plenty of entrances, he's only one man, he can't guard them all. All we need is some equipment."

"There are still a few things bothering me," Elena said, "who shot at the police while you were running Rollie? And someone's obviously kept track of you. You were right, Angie, when you said Loubar's only one man. He must have people working with him."

Rollie and Angie were silent.

"I hadn't thought about that," Rollie said, "I guess Angie being back, I was too happy to think."

Angie turned and smiled at him.

"We've still got a lot to talk about," Rollie said.

"Later," she replied, "we've got bigger things to worry about right now."

"All right," Rollie said, "if you can get me off and get back up in 3 hours, let's do it. But we've got to be quick about it."

Elena nodded.

"Finally," she said.

She started to turn the corner.

"I still think you're making a mistake," Angie said.

"No Ang," Rollie said, "we've got to. Who knows how many people Loubar's got working for him? We need help."

Angie sighed.

"I was afraid you'd say that," Angie said.

Angie reached into her pants, and pulled out a gun, pointing it at Elena.

"You're not going to the police," she said.

"Angie!" Rollie said, "what are you doing?"

"Oh, shut up Tyler," she said, her voice suddenly changing into something not of Angie, "Loubar was right when he said you were pathetic."

"You'll follow my instruction exactly," she said to Elena, "or I shoot you."

She gestured at Rollie.

"That goes for you too," she said.

"Who are you?" Rollie said, horrified.

The woman who looked like Angie smirked.

"Someone who's getting paid a lot of money," she said, "now, turn right here, and head toward the docks."

"You were going to lead us into a trap," Elena said.

"Yup," the fake Angie replied, "but you wouldn't go by yourselves. I guess we've got to do it this way."

"You won't get away with this," Elena said, "Loubar is wanted around the world. Working with him is a very bad idea. He'll only get you put in jail. Or kill you if he thinks you're a liability."

"It's worth the risk," she said, "I assure you. Besides I've been in trouble before. Nothing I can't handle."

Rollie was tempted to jump for the gun, but he didn't have a chance, it was pointed right at Elena's head, and he could tell the fake Angie was keeping an eye on him.

"Anyway," she said, "once this is done I'm on my way to somewhere warm and comfortable, somewhere in the Caribbean perhaps."

She laughed, no cackled was more like it.

"And I'll be rich enough to live out my life in peace," she said, "too bad your lives will be coming to an end so soon from now."

"Don't bet on it," Elena said, and jerked the wheel.

The car swerved wildly and the fake Angie was thrown off balance. Rollie leaped toward the front and grabbed the gun. Struggling it fired and took out one of the backdoor windows. Meanwhile Elena was swerving wildly trying to keep the fake Angie from getting her bearings and trying to help Rollie at the same time.

"If you don't let go your friends are dead!" the fake Angie yelled.

"If you don't let go we'll crash and you'll die!" Rollie yelled back.

Elena veered the car toward a pole on the side of the street and struck it with the side of her car. The fake Angie's door popped open and she was thrown out, leaving the gun behind. Elena and Rollie jumped out. The fake Angie was lying on the grass, unconscious, a few people were stopping to look.

"Shows you the importance of wearing your seatbelt," Elena said, with a smile on her face.

Rollie leaned over the fake Angie, and put his hands to her cheeks, on an impulse. Squeezing lightly, he pulled, and Angie's face came off.

"What?" Elena said.

Rollie held up the most sophisticated and oddest looking mask he'd ever seen. It was perfect. It even felt real.

"I knew it!" Rollie said.

"A mask, sounds familiar," Elena said, "we've got to get her to the police."

"No, Elena," Rollie said, "don't you see, we can use her."

"How?" Elena said.

"To lead us to Loubar," Rollie replied, "we can let her go and tail her."

"She'll recognize us," Elena said, "we can't tail that close, and she's not stupid. She'll be on the lookout."

"Then we'll pose as somebody she knows," Rollie said.

"I don't get it," Elena said.

Rollie smiled for the first time in a long while. He held up the mask to the sunlight.

"If Loubar can look like me, then I can look like Loubar," Rollie said, "it's time to fight fire, with fire."

* * *

Part 5:

"I still don't understand," Elena said.

The car had still been operational, and they took off as quickly as possible with the fake Angie in the back. Under the mask she was a young woman in her late twenties. She had short, blond hair, and dark eyes, and was roughly Angie's size. Loubar must have chosen her specifically to fool them. She didn't seem to be too badly injured though.

"This mask is incredible," Rollie said, "the microcircuitry is beyond anything I've seen before. Whatever material this is is made to feel like skin, but more than that it can be manipulated in some way I can't quite figure out. It looks like the whole mask is split up in a grid format, much like the software I use when I digitize a persons face to make a mask. I think that each square section is manipulated differently to match a pattern given to it by the same means I give the mask creation tools in the loft. It somehow, molds itself into a person's face. It's unbelieveable."

"Ok," Elena said, "so, how does that help us?"

"Well," Rollie said, "if I'm right, the microcircuitry stores the face on its own memory chips, if we're really fortunate it will store multiple faces. If Loubar has ever used this, it will have a memory of his face."

"And you can interface it with your systems?" Elena said.

"It's remote controlled," Rollie said, "Angie would have been able to do it a lot faster-"

Rollie choked up a bit again. He was back to Angie being dead.

"But I think I can do it, yeah," he said in a softer voice, but for this I need the equipment in the loft.

"The police are done combing your place by now," Elena said, "they may have it under surveillance, though."

"Then we go in the back way," Rollie said, pulling a portable interface out of his pocket, he had grabbed it a long time ago, when he had had to run, "I can give the security systems the override code and get in through a window."

"What about her?" Elena asked, nodding at the unconscious woman in the back.

"We'll bring her with us," Rollie said, "I've got a plan."

Not much later Rollie and Elena, carrying the woman, were up at a back window of the loft. Rollie hit a few keys, and then slid the window open.

"Piece of cake," Rollie said.

They slid into the window, dragging the woman in after them.

"She'll wake up soon," Elena said.

"We won't be long," Rollie said, running up to his computer systems.

A few keystrokes, and he pulled up the mask creation program.

"Ok," Rollie said, "I've got the frequency this thing operates off of, now I'm pulling the digital mapping info off the chips."

The screen switched to a three dimensional rotating image. First Angie's pulled up, a computer rendition of her face rotated across the screen.

"There are more," he said, anxiously.

A few more keystrokes, and the woman's real face pulled up on the screen.

"As I thought," Rollie said, "for the mask to operate properly it's got to start off with the wearers face."

Another keystroke and another face pulled up. Rollie sat back in his chair. The face of Mira Sanchez whirled across the screen.

"Mira," he said, his mind whirling yet again.

"So," Elena said, "she impersonated Mira at some point. She impersonated Mira and-!"

"And pretended like Loubar shot her!" Rollie said, "it all makes perfect sense now! I've done fake gunshots hundreds of times. A small explosive device with some red die. Harmless to the wearer, but very realistic looking."

"So Mira is still alive," Elena said.

"Maybe," Rollie said, "and if she's still alive then who knows who else is."

Rollie felt his heartbeat quickening. Maybe they all were still alive. Maybe he could still save them all. The next image cued up. This one also familiar. Real familiar.

"Well, there you are," Elena said, "when did he impersonate you?"

"It's a long story," Rollie said, hesitantly.

He pulled up the next image. Rollie froze. That image, too was familiar. Too familiar. That face was imbedded in Rollie's mind forever.

"Got you," Rollie said, as Loubar's stonelike face rotated around and around.

Rollie ran up the stairs of the loft suddenly.

"Rollie what are you doing?" Elena yelled.

"Changing!" he said, "If I'm going to be Loubar, she can't see me in the same clothes!"

A moment later, Rollie was back, dressed in all black. He grabbed a wig off a shelf, and slipped it on. It was just like Loubar's hair.

"Now for the most important part," he said.

He pulled up the image of himself, and activated it. The mask morphed in his hand. He slipped it on.

"A perfect fit," he said, slightly muffled.

"Now for the test," he said.

He pulled up Loubar's image, and activated it. He watched in a mirror as his face changed from his own, to his worst enemy.

"Unbelieveable!" Elena gasped.

"Yeah," Rollie said, "no wonder he could fool Angie-"

Rollie broke off his sentence.

"A few finishing touches," he said, pulling up his collar, "and we'll be ready."

"What are you going to do?" Elena asked.

"Pretend Loubar was keeping tabs on her," Rollie said, "I'm going to rescue her from our clutches."

Rollie walked back to the still unconscious woman.

"We don't know her name," Elena said.

"Wrong again," Rollie said, "each one of those faces stored in the mask was under a file name. Conveniently Loubar used the names of each person as that name. Tyler for me, Angie for Angie, and Sonya for this woman."

"Good," Elena said, "so let's get her outside."

They hauled her and themselves back outside and back to Elena's car. She stuck her in the backseat.

"You'll have to hide in the trunk," Rollie said.

"The trunk!" Elena said, incredulously, "Tyler-"

"It's the only way, Elena," Rollie said, "unless you want to be left behind."

Elena shook her head.

"I'm going to get backup," she said, "you call me on the cellular when you arrive."

Rollie nodded.

"All right," he said.

"And be careful!" Elena said.

Rollie reached in the back as Elena walked away and began slapping Sonya lightly in the face. After a few times, and a couple harder slaps, she began to moan. Rollie cleared his throat. He had been practicing a Loubar voice for a while. From the time this business started up again, he knew being able to impersonate Loubar would be useful, and perhaps necessary.

"Wake up," Rollie said, "Sonya, wake up."

She slowly opened her eyes, and then opened them wide when she recognized the face.

"Victor!" she said, "I don't believe it!"

Rollie was surprised when she grabbed and kissed him.

"How?" she said.

Rollie smiled in his best imitation of that Loubar smirk.

"I was keeping an eye on you my sweet," he said, "I saw what happened, I surprised Tyler and that woman as they were trying to pull you out of the car in some alleyway. They're both dead. I was tired of waiting."

She smiled, it sent shivers down Rollie's spine.

"Now what?" she asked.

"We head back," he said, "we've got some cleaning up to do at home."

Rollie smiled again.

"You'll have to drive, though," he said, cradling his hand, "in the fight I got a bit banged up."

"Oh!" she said, "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," he replied, "much better than they are, anyway. Just get going."

She jumped in the front seat, and headed down the road.

"So Tyler's really dead?" she asked.

Rollie nodded.

"I let him suffer a bit though," he said, "I couldn't let him go quick and painless. Not after all he put me through."

Sonya nodded.

"So once we're done, we can head to Bermuda, right?" she said.

Rollie was about to say yes, when a thought hit him. She might be testing him. Rollie looked at her quizzically.

"Bermuda?" he asked.

She smiled, looking relieved.

"Just testing," she said, "with all this mask stuff I had to be sure."

"I understand," Rollie said, "just drive. I want to get this done with. Tyler and his friends have taken up enough of my time."

They drove in silence for a good while, and pulled onto the docks. A few minutes later they pulled up to an old building which must have been used to store incoming cargo at some point. They got out, and Rollie followed her a little ways toward the building.

"Oh, Sonya?" Rollie said.

She turned around.

"Sorry," he said, and punched her as hard as he could.

She fell to the ground.

"I know," he said, pulling out his cell phone, "not very chivelrous, but I had to make an exception."

He opened the phone and started to push the keys. Finally something was going right. He was so glad he didn't hear the footsteps behind him, but he did feel the pain briefly as he was hit over the head. In the moment as he fell to the ground and the world turned black he thought -

"Uh-oh."

* * *

Rollie woke up, his head pounding. Groggy he started to sit up, and a huge blinding light hit him.

"I wouldn't move if I were you Tyler," a familiar voice said, "in fact, I wouldn't even take one step."

Rollie held his hand up to shield from the light. Slowly his eyes adjusted and he was able to focus beyond it. And his heart stood still. Before him were Angie and Mira. Both alive. And both with nooses around their necks.

"Welcome, Mr. Tyler," Loubar said, "I must admit, I'm impressed you were able to find me, but since you've beaten me before I shouldn't be all that surprised, I guess. However, you did rather bungle the ending, and that's the important part."

Loubar walked around, to show himself. Behind him, Angie stood on a beam, and Mira on another, both ready to be hung.

"Loubar, what are you doing?" Rollie said stepping forward.

"Don't move!" Loubar warned, "I'd look down first."

Rollie looked at his feet and saw that a large group of rubber pads encircled him.

"Pressure sensitive pads," Loubar explained, "you step on them and you activate them."

Rollie looked at Mira and Angie.

"How?" he asked.

"Angela I kidnapped before blowing her apartment," Loubar said, "Ms. Sanchez I grabbed later. I also faked her death with the help of my ex-assitant, Sonya. Too bad about her, I will have to dispose of her. After all she's seen my face."

"What sort of game is this, Loubar?" Rollie asked, gesturing around.

"It is a game, Tyler," Loubar said, "think of it as a 'Door Number 1' or 'Door Number 2' style game show."

Loubar swept the air with his hand.

"Welcome to Tyler's Choice!" he said, "Where my estimed enemy Rollie Tyler chooses who lives or dies!"

"What?" Rollie said.

"You heard me," Loubar said, "I've been setting this up for a while. You see each of these beams has a small explosive in them, when activated the beam will thus fall out from under the person, hanging them."

He walked to Angie.

"My dear, sweet Angela," he said, venom in his voice, "is hooked to a remote timer, which will countdown 5 minutes until it's detonation."

A wire from the beam ran to a small timer on the floor.

"All you have to do is disconnect the green wire," Loubar said, "and you can save her."

"So?" Rollie said, "You won't let me do that."

"Actually it's not my decision," Loubar said, "Oh, but I forgot one thing. You see those pressure sensitive pads on the floor. If they are activated, they detonate Ms. Sanchez's explosive, hanging her. However, once Ms. Ramirez's detonates, these pads will deactivate."

Rollie stared at Loubar, his mouth hanging open realizing the implications.

"That's right," Loubar said, smiling, "You're choice. You walk across the pads to save Angela, Sanchez dies. You wait until Angela's detonates, she dies and you save Sanchez."

Loubar smiled even broader.

"So," he said, "who's more important?"

"Loubar," Rollie breathed, "so help me, when I get my hands on you-"

"Oh Tyler," Loubar said, "Spare me the rhetoric. I've bested you. Either way one will die. Then I'll come after you personally. But, you see, I want you to mentally be tortured for a while. Knowing you killed one of your friends."

"What about Frank?" Rollie asked.

"I'm keeping those two," Loubar said, "as insurance."

"So you didn't kill his wife?" Rollie said.

"Well, Gaddy thinks I did," Loubar said, "but I may keep her just to have some fun."

Loubar laughed, and began walking away.

"Have fun deciding Tyler!" Loubar said, "I can't wait to see how it will turn out!"

Loubar pulled out a remote control and hit it. The timer next to Angie began to countdown from 5 minutes.

"Give my regards to the surviver!" he said, laughing again.

Loubar was gone. Rollie Tyler, was sweating perfusely, the hot spotlight still on him. He couldn't let either of them die. He couldn't. He couldn't choose. He looked up at them. They were both bound and gagged. He locked eyes with Mira, then Angie.

I can't let them die like this, he thought, either of them.

Rollie thought quickly. But his mind was cluttered with hate for Loubar and fear for these two women, two of his closest friends whom he'd both thought dead. However, in one of the few and most horrible moments in Rollie Tyler's life, he had no idea what to do.

* * *

Part 6:

Time began to slow down for Rollie Tyler. The seconds on the timer ticked slowly, slowly counting down to death. He was still partially blinded by the spot light, and he could feel every bead of sweat that ran down his hair and face from the heat. He could hear is own breathing, slowly, in and out. He could feel every beat of his heart in his chest, throbbing, beating like a drum. He could smell every scent clearly, the water, the old rotten wood the place was built out of, the smell of whatever countless items had once been stored here. And he could see. He could see into Mira's eyes, afraid but at the same time impatient, impatient for him to do something. He could see into the eyes of Angie and beyond. Could see her fear. Could see her anger. Could see her pleading. Could see her trust in him.

Rollie scanned the area with a well trained eye. Loubar must have made a mistake, must have forgotten something! Rollie's pockets were empty. He had no tools to work with. Rollie thoughts sped up. He locked eyes with Mira, then looked above her. The light was trained at him from directly above her, to Rollie's left. In fact the light was positioned on the very beam her rope was tied to. The beam was about 10 feet above Mira, and angled downward. Mira's hands were tied behind her. And Rollie had an idea.

"Mira!" he yelled, "I've got an idea! If I can get you something to cut those ropes with!"

Mira shook her head, looking confused. Rollie shook his head.

"Just duck down as best you can!" he yelled.

Rollie took off his shoe. He stood and wound up like a baseball pitcher and hurled it at the light. The light shattered when the shoe hit it and shards of glass fell over Mira. Rollie didn't know if any had fallen into her hand. Then the look in Mira's eyes changed. She had miraculously caught one, and was working feverishly on her ropes. The timer on the clock read 4 minutes, 20 seconds. Thirty seconds later, Mira had her bonds off, but she was bleeding, apparently she had cut into her hands to do it. She ripped off the noose and jumped down. Rollie immediately ran across the mat. The beam Mira had been standing on blew. Then something else clicked. Another booby trap. And and explosion deafened Rollie's ears. He was still running as it hit, and he lept into the air ripping the noose off Angie's neck, then jumping off the beam as the explosion hit. The pads themselves had been explosives, and they erupted in giant balls of fire.

Then a seconds explosion hit as Rollie sheltered Angie, and a ball of fire erupted in the back of the building.

"Run!" Rollie yelled at Mira, and they made a mad dash for the exit.

Fire was everywhere. A giant fiery beam slammed to the ground in front of the door. Mira skidded to a stop and spun around.

"What now!" she yelled.

Rollie looked around. The area behind them was simply a wall of flame. To his right there was an opening in the debris, though.

"This way!" Rollie yelled and they sprinted, ducking from falling debris and rafters.

They were forced to stop, though, as the flames in front of them and behind them got too hot. A small window was to their left against the wall. Rollie slipped off his other shoe, and threw it through the window. Taking a small piece of wood he swept away the shards of glass, and helped Angie through.

"Let's go!" Angie yelled, coughing slightly.

Mira was next. Then Rollie tried to squeeze through. The window was large enough for the two smaller women, but Rollie wouldn't fit.

"Come on, Rol!" Angie yelled.

"I can't!" Rollie yelled, as the glass cut his hands, and shoulders.

Rollie hopped back down, and spun around. It was fire all around. Huge black clouds of smoke filled the room, and as Rollie ducked to the ground to get under the smoke, he saw tall flames of yellow and red devouring the old wood around him. Rollie ran around a few fallen beams further into the inferno. Then he saw it. One of the beams had fallen and slammed against the old walls so hard, a hole had been made. Rollie ran to it and began kicking at the wall furiously, hurting his shoeless feet.

"Next time I bring an extra pair!" he yelled as the wall finally gave way enough for him to squeeze through.

Rollie ran away from the building, coughing from smoke inhalation, his lungs painfully and wonderfully took in the fresh air outside. Then he saw Loubar. He was about to take off in his car parked on the docks, Francis in the front seat and his wife, Sarah, in the back. Rollie ran, despite the pain and he felt an ache rise in his chest. But he ignored it all and sprinted faster than he had ever in his life. Loubar's car started and began to take off. Rollie made a diving leap and landed on the hood of the car.

Well I was a stuntman, Rollie thought, I've done this before.

Loubar's eyes opened wide as he recognized Rollie.

"No!" he yelled, and leveled his gun at him.

Rollie lept to his feet as the shots shattered the front windshield and lept onto the roof of the car. Small holes were quickly being made in the roof of the car as Loubar tried to shoot Rollie through the roof. Loubar hit the gas and Rollie tumbled, nearly off the car. He grasped the sides where the passenger window was opened and hung on. Loubar began to swerve erradically as he drove.

Ok, maybe this is a bit different than the movies, Rollie thought as he struggled to hang on.

Rollie had managed to crawl a bit further onto the roof and was holding onto both sides with his hands in the classic stuntman style. He rolled to his left slightly as Loubar again pumped the roof with bullets. Then the shooting stopped as Rollie realized Loubar had run out of bullets.

"Tyler!" Loubar screamed in a crazed voice.

Loubar had leaned out of his window, insanely, trying to beat Rollie's hands with the handle of his gun. Rollie's eyes opened wide as he saw the end of the docks coming up fast.

"Loubar!" Rollie yelled, but it was too late.

Loubar turned to see the end of the docks, and the car flew off of them. Rollie lost his grip as the car took a wild dive into the water. He hit the water hard, and the car immediately began to sink. He realized quickly, though, that his friends were tied up and would be unable to swim. Rollie took a deep breath and dove down. He swam to the car and kicked in the passenger window. He pulled Sarah out but in front there was no sign of Francis. The front windshield was shattered though, and his door had flown open. Rollie swam to the surface and Sarah took a deep breath. Rollie quickly untied her hands.

"Francis!" she gasped.

Rollie dove back down and frantically looked for both Loubar and Francis. But there was no sign of either of them, and if they were nearby Rollie couldn't see far in the murky water. He came back up only as his lungs felt as if they were about to burst. Then he went back down again. Rollie dove again and again. But he couldn't find anything.

"No!" he yelled, "No!"

Rollie scanned the waters, but there was nothing to be seen. The sun was slowly setting and the colors split along the horizon, and bathed Rollie in a glorious aura of a rainbow. It would have been beautiful, but somewhere buried under those colors, was one of Rollie's best friends, and his worst enemy.

* * *

"Here is your friend, Mr. Langford," the doctor said, ushering Mr. Langford into the room.

"How is he Doctor?" the man asked.

"Well," the doctor said, "he's suffered severe head trauma. He was very fortunate you brought him in when you did. However, he has amnesia as a result of that."

"For how long?" the man asked.

"Can't say," the doctor said, "could be a few days, could be forever. He'll need your help."

"Of course," the man said, "he is my brother."

"No other family to call?" the doctor asked.

"No," the man said, "our parents died, we were traveling across the country together and I lost control of the car."

"Well, it's a good thing you fished him out of the river," the doctor said, "we don't have the facilities here to help him as much, he could be transferred to city hospital."

"No," the man said, "I'll take care of him."

"Very well," the doctor said, "I'll leave you alone."

The man walked up to the bed, where the other man lay. A strange smile went across Mr. Langford's face, a smile full of evil.

"James," the man said.

The other man stirred, and opened his eyes.

"James," the man said, smiling, "how do you feel?"

The man blinked a few times, finally focusing.

"Who are you?" the man in the bed asked.

"I'm your brother, James," he said, "you've suffered a bad accident. You have amnesia."

"Amnesia," the man in the bed said, "what happened?"

"It's a long story," the other man said, "I'll explain it in due time."

"Who-who am I?" the man in the bed asked.

"Your name is James," the other man said, "James Loubar. You're my brother."

The man closed his eyes, as if trying to see if the name made sense.

"I don't remember anything," he said, "not even my own name."

"It's all right," the other man said, "I'll teach you everything you need to know."

* * *

TO BE CONTINUED IN MY NEXT FANFIC -- "FRIEND OR FOE"