Circles Of Life (3/6)

Kasim wakes up. He hears 'A Whole New World' playing in the background as he notices he's in a cell of some description. He can see the Fountain of the Archive as he gets up with a start and notices his face is bare, his carpet is gone and everything else he was carrying gone.

"How does the carpet work?"

Kasim turns around to see Jody with his headpiece off sitting on a chair looking at the carpet, which is in a cell of its own.

"Like, seriously? Because it's almost like it's alive. That must have some SERIOUS tech in it!"

"It is alive..."

Jody nods. He then gets up and walks up to the cell. Kasmin joins him from inside.

"So, your highness, you're evidently here to make good on your threat".

"You saw that?"

"It was widely reported".

"Well, let me go then so I can make sure my brother is dealt with correctly".

Jody looks confused.

"Nurul Khan was your brother!?"

"It's a term we use to refer to our fellow countrymen. We are all one in the eyes of God".

Jody nods.

"That's fair. I can guarantee you that we're doing all we can".

"Babylonia and the United Kingdom have been in a state of war for over 100 years. We do not trust the methods of your law enforcement. Especially due to the way they've treated our brothers and sisters through the years".

"Then accept my word as Caretaker",

Kasim chuckles.

"YOU are the Caretaker?"

"Yes".

"A child?"

"A child that royally kicked your ass. Pun intended!"

Kasim concedes to that.

"Ok. I accept you are not responsible for the actions of your countrymen, but I will still ask you to step aside from this situation and allow me to capture the culprit".

"I can't let you do that".

"Why?"

"Because your life would be at risk".

"And yours wouldn't?!"

"You have no idea what you're dealing with..."

"I do not try to understand the actions of nefarious men!"

"He's not a man. Not how you'd know him".

Kasim looks confused.

"How do you mean?"

"He's called Lifeforce. He kills people and consumes their souls before they can reach something called the Veil. The more he consumes, the more powerful he becomes..."

Kasim steps back.

"You know of the Veil?"

Jody looks confused once more.

"YOU know it?"

"It is central to my culture. In my country's culture, the Veil is the first step of death to meeting God. If something is attacking the Veil, then something is attacking my culture too".

"It's attacking the Earth Veil. Not just Babylonia's Veil!"

They pause for a moment.

"Look, I know we've fought and you're probably annoyed at me for that. But if you're really here to bring Khan's killer to justice then help me. You obviously know more about the Veil than we do. I've been to it but you have an entire culture's worth of information behind it. Help me and my friends bring Lifeforce down and, I give you my word as an alien, that you can have him face trial in Babylonia!"

Kasim smiles.

"You're not of this world?"

Jody smiles and shakes his head. Kasim looks impressed.

"Ok. Fine. We'll work together. But Lifeforce is mine at the end".

"Absolutely".

Kasim nods and smiles. Jody looks at the carpet, and then back at Kasim.

"Quick question...you have the magic carpet...does the Genie exist too?"

******

"In Western culture, the stories of Aladdin suggest that the Genie came out of a magic lamp. But the reality is very different..."

Kasim shows the group an amulet.

"The Genie is kept in this amulet. You rub it...and..."

He rubs the amulet and a puff of blue smoke comes out. An blue obese being comes out of it and stands in front of them.

"Ah. Your highness! Nice to see you again!"

"Genie. I'd like to introduce you to my new friends. This is Jody Kent, his sister Laura, his friend Mel and this is Detective Warren..."

Warren looks astounded. The Genie smiles.

"Pleasure to meet you, everyone. How can I be of assistance, Prince Kasim?"

"I need you to try and find the individual that goes by the name of 'Lifeforce'. Someone is attacking the Veil so it of the utmost importance".

The Genie looks attentive.

"Yes, sir. Would you require me to go incognito? Inconspicuous?"

He appears next to Jody dressed as Sherlock Holmes.

"Elementary, my dear Jody!"

He appears again next to Warren, this time as a pretty woman.

"Or would you require me to go...DEEP...cover..."

Kasim chuckles.

"Just go as the usual. Nothing particularly outrageous like last time".

"So I bedded the Sultan. So what!?"

"As Marilyn Monroe?"

Genie thinks.

"...Touche".

Jody steps forward.

"Genie, may I call you Genie?"

"ABSOLUTELY. It makes a change from 'Blue Man Group' or 'Robin Williams'".

"Ok, Genie, why don't you do the searching and then let me know when you find him. I'll go and stop him?"

Kasim steps forward.

"I'll survey the city too. That way we can take him down better. Laura, Mel, Warren, you stay here and hold the fort down here!"

They nod. Jody and Kasim nod to each other.

"Ready, Speedfreak?"

"Ready, your highness?"

They chuckle.

******

Jody speeds around for a bit and then stops outside a supermarket. He looks around. Nothing.

"Kasim? Genie? You guys found anything?"

Kasim answers first.

"Apart from nearly colliding with Boeing 747, nope".

"Yeah, Trillingham Airport is a little tricky at night".

The Genie responds too.

"I can sense some soul energy but I can't quite place where it is..."

Jody looks around.

"Where are you, you bastard..."

"LANGUAGE, JODY!"

Laura shouts down the comms. Jody adjusts his earpiece.

"Don't tell Mum..."

Laura chuckles. Laura, Mel and Warren sit in front of the screen. Warren becomes restless.

"Can they seriously not find any trace?"

"Goodness only knows what else this guy is capable of. He might be able to mask himself, who knows!"

Mel continues to look.

"If he can consume souls...does he HAVE to kill or can he just, you know, take them?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, if Jody or Kasim run into him, he might just be able to take them. Like breaking a twig!"

"Jody's a speedster and Kasim is a badass. They'll be fine!"

Mel doesn't look convinced.

"Let's hope so".

They all look again. They continue to concentrate looking before something bangs behind them. Laura shakes it off.

"Warren, mind your leg".

"That wasn't me..."

"Ok, Mel, mind your leg".

"It wasn't me either".

They all look at each other confused and then they slowly turn around to the Fountain. They see Lifeforce standing there, his black hood up. Laura, Mel and Warren look terrified. Lifeforce just stands there and points to Warren.

"I hear you've been searching for me, Detective..."

Warren stands up, pulls out a gun and fires 4 times. Lifeforce raises his hand, which starts to light up purple, and stops the bullets in mid-air. They drop to the floor. Warren looks amazed.

"Oh...shit..."

Laura gets up and backs away with Mel. But she's unimpressed.

"Seriously, what is it with everyone's language today!?"

Lifeforce slowly moves towards them. They move back slowly. Mel looks back and and sees a corridor.

"FOLLOW ME!"

They all run down the corridor. Lifeforce follows them slowly.

******

The team run down the corridor and onto other corridors.

"Mel, WHERE ARE WE!?"

"I don't know! I just found a corridor and carried on! I think we've lost him!"

They turn around and see Lifeforce at the end of the corridor just staring. Laura goes in front of Warren and Mel.

"Guys, go. I've got this..."

Warren grabs her arm.

"He'll kill you!"

"JUST TRUST ME, GO! GET JODY AND KASIM HERE!"

Warren, begrudgingly, goes with Mel. Laura looks back at the corridor and sees Lifeforce has gone. She's not sure where...but he's disappeared. She looks around frantically.

"I know who you are! I know what you're trying to do! Just give yourself up and we won't hurt you..."

Nothing. She can feel the fear rising within herself. She looks around at every angle she can frantically before she hears a familiar voice...

"Hello, sweetheart..."

She freezes. She knows that voice. She slowly turns around to see a man standing there. She looks sad at his appearance.

"What are you doing down this corridor by yourself?"

A tear falls down her cheek.

"Daddy..."

The man smiles.

"What are you doing down this corridor on your own? Where's your brother? He should be looking after you..."

Laura looks confused. She shakes her head.

"You...you can't be..."

"When I see him again I'll tell him off for leaving you on your own!"

The man notices Laura's expression.

"What's the matter, sweetheart?"

"You can't be here..."

"Why can't I? Am I not allowed to find my daughter and say hi to her?"

"But..."

"Am I not allowed to come and tell her I miss her?"

"...You..."

"Am I not allowed to tell her I love her?"

Laura starts to cry more. Her dad puts his hand on her shoulder.

"Hey...what did we say about tears?"

Laura sniffs trying to hide the tears.

"They're not welcome..."

"Because you're stronger than that, Laura. You survived a trip in Space, you can survive anything..."

"But, Daddy, you can't be here..."

Her dad chuckles.

"And why's that? Have I found your secret hideout or something?"

"No...you can't be here because..."

"Do you want me to go?"

Laura shakes her head violently.

"No...No I really don't...please stay..."

"Because I can, you know. I can stay you know! All you've got to do is say yes! And I can stay here for as long as you'd like..."

Laura laughs and puts her hand on her Dad's face.

"I want you to stay forever..."

"Good..."

"...I didn't get a chance to say goodbye before and I don't want to say goodbye again..."

"You won't have to..."

Laura smiles.

"So, I'm staying? All you have to do is say 'yes'..."

Laura smiles.

"How can you be here though? How did you come back?"

"Come back? What do you mean?"

"Well, you died...during the Leptil invasion. Remember?"

Her dad smiles.

"I didn't die. I just went away for a while. But I'm back now...so...would you like me to stay?"

Laura smiles again and is about to say yes before Jody appears.

"LAURA!"

Laura looks at him and smiles.

"Jody! Look! Look who found me!"

Jody looks confused.

"What do you mean?"

Laura smiles.

"I stayed to take on Lifeforce, but look who found me! It's Dad! He didn't die! He survived and now he's staying with us!"

Jody looks around her.

"Laura..."

"Why aren't you happier? Dad's fine! We never have to say goodbye ever again!"

"...Laura..."

"Come and hug! I'm sure he'd love to hug you again!"

"LAURA..."

"What!?"

Jody looks sad.

"There's no-one there..."

Laura chuckles nervously.

"What do you mean? He's..."

She looks at her Dad again to find he's gone. Laura looks back between Jody and the now empty space. She's confused.

"No but he was...he was here! Jody, he was here! Dad!"

"There wasn't anyone there..."

"HE WAS! HE WAS HERE! AND HE WAS FINE! HE WAS ALIVE AND FINE! LIKE HE WAS BEFORE..."

She stops for a moment, looks sad, then angrily towards Jody.

"Why didn't you save him?"

Jody looks defensive.

"Laura, please..."

"Why didn't you save him!?"

"It's not as clear cut as that..."

Laura runs over and pushes him over. She jumps on him and slaps him.

"YOU COULD'VE DONE MORE TO SAVE HIM! YOU COULD'VE USED YOUR SPEED BUT YOU DIDN'T! YOU LET HIM DIE! YOU LET MY DAD DIE AND I BLAME YOU!"

"ENOUGH!"

Jody pushes her off and stands up. Laura looks at him angrily.

"I blame you, Jody. I'll always blame you for the loss of my father. And I'll NEVER forgive you for it..."

There's a slight pause before Jody walks away. Laura stands up and walks in the same direction.

From a close vantage point, Lifeforce watches on. He smiles. His plan is working...