EYE OF THE STORM	    I hope I'm sending this to the right place.
This is my first peice of Due 
South Fanfic. It's set in an alternate universe, and could be the first 
part in a series if people like. 
Red 
    EYE OF THE STORM  by Red Skye 
 ======================== 
 NOTES: Red's Alternate Universe Stories: 1 
 Ray never went away, Stanley doesn't exist & Fraser is 
too intimidated by the Dragon lady to do anything about a 
certain yearning. 

 This is Rated [P.G] for the occasional four letter word 
and [W] for Weird. 
 Where ever you see =words bracketed like this it 
indicates what someone is thinking = 
 ======================== 

 The park was quiet that afternoon as Deif ran around on 
a very long leash as Fraser and Ray sat at a table eating 
and talking away. Well to be more accurate, Ray was eating 
and talking between mouthfuls, Fraser was just staring at 
him. It finally registered and Ray looked at his food, then 
checked his shirt and followed that by wiping his face with 
a napkin looking for evidence of sauce or the like on his 
face - there was none. He threw down the napkin. 
 "What are you staring at me like that for?" 
 "I'm sorry." 
 "Don't give me I'm sorry, give me an explanation." 
 "It was..  something you did." 
 "What?" 
 "And said." 
 "What?" 
 "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse. Then you bit into 
it your burger and said.. .And I probably am." 
 "Oh *soooo* sorry, I made a tasteless joke." 
 "No.. . You just reminded me of someone who said 
exactly the same thing once..  It wasn't a burger though it 
was a piece of meat we took from an ice box in a hunter's 
cabin..  I lost my appetite when she said that." 
 Ray chuckled at that and took another bite of his 
burger. 
 "Of course you would never say what she did to make me 
run outside and throw up." 
 Ray savoured his bite, and made Mmmhmmm noises, then 
swallowed and looked at his burger before he waved it in the 
air along side the table. 
 "Deif.. Come and get it." 
 Deifenbaker bounded up and leapt into the air Ray 
dropped it and the wolf clapped his jaws around it then 
landed and gulped it down. 
 "What was wrong with it?" 
 "It was a really sick joke, ok..  I was going to say, 
definitely horse, probably Arabian, thoroughbred..  Gelded 
too." 
 Fraser's jaw dropped. 
 "But it put me off it..  and don't tell me that's 
exactly what she said." 
 "She said, definitely a horse, Gelded, thoroughbred, 
probably Arabian. You said the same thing in a different 
order." 
 "What a coincidence." 
 Fraser smiled faintly. 
 "No..  I don't think so." 
 "Hey I have no idea who you're talking about Fraser." 
 "I wasn't inferring you knew about that joke she made. 
I just meant..  I stopped considering that sort of thing a 
coincidence a year ago. It's not the first time you've said, 
done or.. in someway moved or sounded just like her.. And by 
sound I mean..  Tone of voice." 
 "Uh-hu." 
 "It just happens..  But that's the first time you've 
ever said almost the exact same thing, and did the exact 
same thing she did.. " 
 "Like I said, coincidence." 
 "No.. It just *is*, it's why I.. . like your 
company." Fraser said hesitating a moment midway. 
 "And you liked her company?" 
 "Very much." 
 "So what was she like?" 
 "She was.. like you is so many ways. " 
 "Uh-hu." 
 "We were unofficial partners - like you and I. We 
worked together to solve crimes..  After a time, whenever I 
went on patrol, she joined me and it would take us two weeks 
to make a complete circuit..  Four if something came up, 
like illegal hunting, a crime.. or a wanted felon crossing 
our path. And we got each other into trouble all the time." 
 Ray laughed. 
 "And she even shot me once..  By accident." 
 "When she was aiming at someone else and you got in 
the way." 
 "I was trying to avoid being knifed by an enraged 
poacher who had no respect for the law, when she cried don't 
worry Benton, I'll save you..  Ripped my rifle out of its 
scabbard and shot me instead of him." 
 Ray chuckled. 
 "Clumsy." 
 "Couldn't hit the side of the barn with a rifle if she 
was standing inside it." 
 Ray laughed. 
 "But she had a dead eye when it came to throwing 
knives, bola's and using spears and lances. We used to 
practice our lance work against her, which is how I became 
her unofficial partner, or was that the other way around, I 
could never work it out. It generally depended on where we 
were and who was referring to us. But as I saying we used to 
practice against her." 
 "We being?" 
 "The other mounties at the post." 
 "Ah." 
 "And no one could ever take her off her horse." 
 "Until you came along." 
 "There are times when in the course of his duties to 
achieve his goals a Mountie must improvise. I improvised, 
and made her laugh so much she not only dropped her lance, 
but fell off her horse." 
 Ray burst out laughing 
 "Then she spent the next three years trying to return 
the favour." 
 "Did she?" 
 "Make me fall off my horse laughing? No. In stunned 
amazement, yes. Once." 
 "How?" 
 "Do you remember that woman you arrested in front of 
the Embassy for Indecent Exposure." 
 "She flashed you!" Ray said laughing and slapped the 
table. 
 "In a manner of speaking. I stopped at the river to 
give my horse a drink and was looking over the water when 
out she rose from it, with nothing more than a big fish 
flapping around madly in her arms between her and indecent 
exposure." 
 Ray slapped at the table again and again as he cackled 
with laughter. 
 "And then it got away.. and I hit the dirt." 
 Ray thumped the table. 
 "Stop, before I wet myself." 
 "And then she was standing over me and asking are you 
all right, Benton..  Here let me give you a hand up..  Did I 
mention she was my age and a had a body like.. Mae West." 
 His hands flew up to cover his eyes and then he peeked 
through. 
 Ray fell off the seat laughing. Fraser reached down and 
detached Deif's leash from the table leg, then walked around 
the table to look down at Ray laughing. He waited till Ray 
stopped laughing and just gasped and held his ribs. 
 "Oh, there was one other thing.. " 
 He squatted down to Ray's level." 
 "April Fool.' 
 Ray gaped, the laughed again. 
 "Jokes on you Benni. I changed the date's on 
everything in your place, got everyone at the consulate to 
work with me on this and made sure you got a misdated paper. 
I even crept into your apartment while you were dead to the 
world and reset your clock and watch." 
 Fraser stared at him then perched an elbow on his knee 
and rested his chin on his palm while Ray rolled around 
laughing and cackling at his great joke. 
 "Did I ever mention that I'm Bi-sexual." 
 Ray stopped rolling around and sat bolt upright. 
 "And you look adorable when you roll around laughing, 
and when you give me that green looked of startlement." 
Fraser said with a grin. 
 Ray threw a handful of dirt and grass at him, hitting 
him fair and square in the face. While Fraser was the one 
left looking startled, Ray bounded up and bolted way 
laughing. Fraser sluiced it away, rose and bolted after him, 
with Deif in hot pursuit. 

    ======*====== 

 "I can't believe you did that," the dripping wet Ray 
grouched as he fished his keys out of his pocket. 
 "I can't believe you *really* set me up with the 
Consulate's help." 
 "The hard part was getting you to run yourself ragged, 
first, so you'd think you'd slept the clock around, that 
part appealed to the Dragon Lady." 
 They stopped at the location where Ray had left his 
car, there was no car, just a piece of litter blowing around 
in the wind. Deifenbaker looked at Benton. 
 "All right, Benni, where did I park the car?" 
 Fraser looked around, it was the right place all right. 
 "This *is* where you parked your car, Ray." 
 The torrent of Italian that poured from Ray's lips was 
both obscene and not for delicate ears as Ray stomped around 
expressing his opinion of all tow away zones, till Fraser 
pointed out it wasn't a tow away zone. Ray vented his 
extremely obscene opinion of all car thieves instead, then 
pulled out his cel phone which hadn't appreciated getting 
wet. When he realised his cel phone was dead he glared at 
Fraser who decided it really was time he got back to the 
consulate, bid Ray a hasty farewell and departed. 
  
    ======*====== 

 Fraser was sleeping deeply and peacefully when two 
things woke him, Deifenbaker jumping onto him and a loud 
banging on his door. With a little groan he pushed Deif away 
and rolled out of bed, taking the blanket and wrapping it 
around himself toga style as he crossed the apartment. 
 He opened the door to find Turnbull on his doorstep. 
 "Turnbull what are.. " 
 "Mr's Vecchio contacted the consulate and asked us to 
tell you that Ray was in the Hospital," Turnbull reported. 
 The last traces of sleep fled. 
 "She can't get there, there's a storm passing over 
their part of town and the roads are closed. Your friend was 
apparently one of the first victims of the storm's affect on 
drivers." 
 "He had a car accident." 
 "I spoke to the station, they told me his car was a 
total write off, and that it took the emergency services 
people an hour to cut him out of the wreck." 
 Fraser spun and moved through the apartment with 
Turnbull on his heels following him into the bedroom where 
he dressed hastily. 
 "How many people were involved." 
 "Three, Two cars, one 16 wheeler rig..  Apparently the 
car behind your friends couldn't stop at lights, and rammed 
his car directly into the path of the truck." 
 Turnbull pulled a note pad from his pants pocket and 
flipped through it. 
 "Ah, here it is. They said the Truck driver hit.. " 
 "Turnbull, either tell me what his injuries are, or 
shut up." 
 Turnbull flipped to the next page. 
 "No one at the station knows what his injuries are.. 
They've been two busy trying to deal with all the other 
storm related emergencies. His family were notified and if 
Mrs Vecchio was aware of the seriousness of his injuries she 
didn't relay them to us. She just asked us to ask you to go 
to the hospital in her place." 
 Fraser jammed his boots on and grabbed a coat pulling 
it on as he headed for the door with Turnbull on his heels, 
grabbing Fraser's formal red coat off its hook as he went. 
 "You'll need this if you run into any of the 
blockades." 
 Fraser spun around and took the coat Turnbull threw at 
him. The great coat was tossed at Turnball as they hurried 
into the corridor and the red serge took it's place. 
 "Do you have a car?" 
 "The inspector sent me out in a taxi..  I've already 
asked for another to be sent here, if it hasn't arrived yet, 
you can take that one." 
 He pulled a wad of notes from his pocket extracted some 
and stuffed them into his pocket then the remainder went 
into the pocket of the great coat before Fraser retrieved 
it. Then as he began to race down the stairs, off came 
Turnbull's hat thrown through the air, to land on Fraser's 
head. He jammed it down and looked up. 
 "The money for the Cab is in your left pocket." 
  Fraser nodded and running down the stairs pulling the 
coat on as he went. 

    ======*====== 

 Fraser was highly relieved to find on his arrival at 
the hospital that Ray's injuries were minor. He was led into 
a room where the deathly pale Italian lay with an I.V 
attached to his arm and tube's taped to the side of his 
face, feeding something into his mouth. His nose was 
bandaged and his face was one huge mass of bruises and a 
plaster cast covered his entire rib cage. 
 "Ray.. " 
 "Wazn' s'pecting.. you.. " 
 "The storm has forced your family to remain indoors it 
had already passed through my area and they were able to 
convince the consulate to send someone out to send me in 
their place." 
 Ray's eyes closed. 
 "Thought.. .I waz a dead man." 
 "You were extremely lucky..  Others haven't been as 
fortunate this night." 
 "They're gonna be pizzed.. " 
 "Who?" 
 "The car boys..  Told me..  It was a brand new car.. 
Special car..  Rebuilt from the ground up..  They were 
raving about all the special feature's..  Tol me..  if I got 
so much as a scratch on it they'd have my hide. First time 
out..  of the yard and I totaled it." 
 "It wasn't your fault, Ray..  Another driver was 
totally at fault." 
 Ray looked at him. 
 "From what I heard, someone ran into your car from 
behind and rammed your car into the path of a truck." 
 "Is that what it was..  Couldn't see a damn thing.. 
Couldn't move..  When that car hit, the airbag exploded in 
my face..  And the next thing I know..  something..  *big* 
hit the car..  there were all these explosions..  and the 
car went..  flying..  rolled..  over..  and over..  Larz 
thing I remember is..  someone screaming get away from the 
car..  it's gonna blow..  " 
 "Obviously it didn't. Because I was told it took over 
an hour to cut you from the wreck.. " 
 "Remember..  bits and pieces.. .. . Someone..  kept.. 
asking me questions." He gave a doped little giggle. 
 "All I could zay waz they're going to kill me..  I'm a 
dead man..  they're going to kill me." 
 Fraser gave a weak smile. 
 "And to think you were cursing the thieves who stole 
your car." 
 "Good point..  If I'd been in the Riv..  I wouldna 
survived that accident." 
 "Agreed..  I'd be interested in know what its special 
features were..  To enable you to come through an accident 
like that with nothing but bruises and shock." 
 "And cracked ribs." 
 "Oh..  they didn't mention those." 
 "And a busted beak and what might be a hairline 
fracture of the cheek." 
 "They didn't tell me that either." 
 "Still think I look adorable." 
 Fraser reached out and stroked Ray's hair or what was 
left of it. 
 "I think you look like you just went ten rounds with 
Mike Tyson." 
 Ray gave a weak smile and a groan. 
 "And that's just how I feel." 
 "Hurts..  so..  much.. " 
 "Didn't they give you anything for the pain?" 
 "Yezzz.. . but..  everything..  hurts..  still.. 
anyway. Just..  dulled the pain..  couldn' give me anything 
strong..  Shock. Talk..  to me..  Distract me..  tell me.. 
about her..  Mae West..  Wazn' jokin' waz you?" 
 After a pause Fraser shook his head. 
 "No. She was real. The Mae west line was a lie, the 
rest was true." 

    *----*----*----* 

 Ray watched Fraser return with a bowl of slushy ice and 
a spoon and smiled weakly trying to sit up, everything 
trembled and he feel back grabbing at his plastered ribs. 
 "Don't do that, and it won't hurt as much," Fraser 
said, and set the bowl aside then adjusted Ray's bed and 
pillow's before helping him to sit up. He felt Ray trembling 
as he arms wrapped around him, then Ray's shaking hand 
landed on his arm and he looked into Ray's face to see eye's 
filled with pain again. 
 "Hurts.. " 
 "Where?" 
 "Everywhere.. most.. of all.. where you're touching 
me." 
 Fraser stopped and then a took a peek at Ray's back. 
That was covered in bruises too making Fraser wince. 
 "I'm sorry." 
 "S'o.k forgive you for some of that, mouth feels like 
the Sahara." 
 Fraser began feeding Ray spoon fulls of slushy ice. 
 "I have bad news.. Swallow." 
 Ray swallowed. 
 "I saw your mother in the corridor." 
 "She made it." 
 "The Emergency Service's crew bought her here, with 
Francessca..  Francessca in Emergency now, being treated for 
a fall down the stairs." 
 "Oh G-d.. is she.. " 
 "I can't tell you more yet..  But your mother knows 
your condition and..  told me to tell you about Francessca. 
And the house." 
 "What happened to the house?" 
 "I'm not sure about the order but.. It was hit by 
lightning, no longer has a roof or window's in the upper 
storeys. Your mother described it very graphically. 
Francessca was running down the stairs when it happened and 
the concussion shook the house to its very foundations and 
Francessca slipped on the wet stairs while she was trying to 
get one of the children out. The baby." 
 "Is.. " 
 "The baby is fine.. apparently Francessca managed to 
throw her to your mother as she was falling, which is why 
she was unable to recover her balance." 
 Ray cursed away in Italian. 
 "The rest of your family was transferred to a shelter, 
you house was not the only one hit in your block. Six lost 
roofs, one was struck and burned down." 
 A Doctor rushed into the room. 
 "Mr Vecchio, we're transferring all critical patients 
to another hospital, and non critical to their homes if 
they're not in the declared zone, you fall into the Non 
Critical category. There are two more Vecchio's here, who's 
home was destroyed are you related.. " 
 "My mother and sister." 
 "Your sister is to be transferred to another hospital, 
for treatment. We can transport you to the same hospital as 
your sister.. " 
 "What's going on.. Why are you.. " 
 "We *must* evacuate now..  The storm is heading right 
for us." 
 "That must be some storm." 
 "They've never seen anything like it." 
 Fraser moved to the window looking out at the 
approaching storm his eyes wide as he recognised that unique 
patten of the seething clouds. 
 "I have. There is nothing natural about it." 
 Ray and the Doctor both looked at him. 
 "Ten years ago.. .Today, if Today is April 1st?" 
 They both nodded as he looked around. 
 "And there was nothing natural about it either." 
 Then he spun 
 "I need a phone..  I need to chart its course if it 
started where I think it began.. " 
 The doctor tossed Fraser a cell phone and then turned 
back to Ray and started preparing him to be moved. 
 Fraser rang the consulate. 
 "Turnbull you got back safely, good, I need you to do 
something find out where that storm started and chart its 
course. Tell me if it started over an open air dam which 
supplies water to the greater metropolitan area. And find 
out if there was any form of aircraft seen over that damn 
before the storm began to gather. You can call me back 
on.." 
 The doctor supplied the number and Fraser relayed it. 
 "What is going on, Fraser?" 
 "There was a forest fire which devastated a large area 
in the Yukon Territory..  A scientist who lost his wife in 
the fire began experimenting with ways to build a storm and 
use it to put out a forest fire." 
 "And he did it.. " 
 "I don't understand how, I'm not a scientist, but I 
know he built a storm just like this one, to combat a fire 
that threatened the district, the only problem is once he 
built it, it kept growing..  The only control he had over it 
was the direction it travelled." 
 "How?" 
 "Some form of airborne apparatus.. .which he used to 
draw the storm onto its destination..  It takes time to 
build up..  But once it does.. " 
 "It destroys everything in its path." 
 "Right..  And the pilot can't do anything but control 
which direction it goes.. Once it builds up, it can't be 
stopped unless the Storm maker is taken out." 
 The phone rang. Fraser answered, listened and nodded. 
 "Turnbull, contact the RCMP main .. ." 
 "Is he ?" The doctor made loopy gestures. 
 "If he said it happened, it happened." 
 "Yes, you understand..  Yes, that aircraft started 
it..  Yes..  It's controlling its direction..  You can find 
out all about it by getting the records on the Storm Maker 
from RCMP central records, the last time it was unleashed 
was ten years ago today, its creator was arrested for the 
destruction it caused..  Find out where he is.. this time 
I'll hold, make it fast.. " 
 "Benni?" 
 "It started over the dam, several people sighted a 
light aircraft which looked like something out of a science 
fiction movie making passes over the Dam and reported it and 
what they saw is exactly what happened the last time the 
Storm Maker was used.. " 
 Fraser looked out the window again. 
 "This storm is his work..  There is absolutely no 
doubt about it..  Its path of destruction has been anything 
but natural..  Your neighbourhood, Elaine's, Huey's.. 
Everywhere people who are among my circle of associates live 
- it's struck." 
 "What about your neighbourhood." 
 "It passed over it before it had built up enough force 
to destroy buildings in its path. It has that power now, Ray 
and it's growing.. It could destroy a house..  When it 
reaches here..  It won't have enough power to destroy the 
building, but it can inflict an incredible amount of 
damage..  No window will survive, the lighting it's 
generating will blow out the generators.. ." 
 The Doctor started taking him very seriously. 
 "That's what they told us.. That's why we're 
evacuating." 
 "He can't change its course in a hurry, but it is 
possible..  That I can make him change its direction.. . If 
he's piloting the Storm Maker.. " 
 The phone trilled he answered it. 
 "That was quick, what did you..  He's out.. I expected 
as much. Evacuate the consulate..  And get everyone in the 
immediate area to evacuate also.. The next place that storm 
will hit will either be, the consulate or the 27th." 
 Ray bolted up and the Doctor grabbed him as he made a 
strangled scream of pain. 
 "Yes tell them to evacuate also..  And tell them 
*everything* about the Storm Maker..  Make them listen, if 
they don't evacuate, they will be killed." 
 The Doctor tried to get Ray to lie back down but Ray 
wasn't having a bit of it. 
 "Benni.. . *Why* is he doing it?" 
 Fraser flipped the phone closed and handed it back to 
the Doctor as a prelude to carefully scooping Ray up into 
his arms. 
 "He thinks I destroyed the first storm maker, his son 
was piloting it. He swore that he would destroy everything 
that was precious to me. And now he's keeping that vow, he 
was released from prison for good behaviour six months ago 
and today is the anniversary of his sons death." 
 "How do we stop that thing before it destroys the 
city? " 
 Fraser headed for the door. 
 "He knew I was here, that you and your family were 
here. That's why it's heading in this direction..  But how 
he learned that.." 
 "How did you get here?" 
 "I started out in a cab, but an Emergency Services 
blockade stopped us, and I ran the rest of the way.. " 
 "The Emergency Services teams.. He must be listening 
in on their band..  They must have called it in when you 
ignored the blockade and started out on foot." 
 "Doctor I advise you to inform the authorities a crazy 
Mountie by the name of Fraser just abducted one of your 
patients - Ray Vecchio..  And the storm will veer away from 
its current path when they start tracking me. And you 
will.." 
 "Make damn sure they track you..  Understood." 
  
    *----*----*----* 

 As Fraser carried him down the corridor full of 
orderlies trying to evacuate people, Ray told him to stop as 
they passed a patient limping through the corridor on 
walking crutches. 
 "Excuse me, Ma'am I'm Detective Ray Vecchio and this 
is Constable Benton Fraser.. " 
 The woman was ignoring him to drool over Fraser. 
 "We need to borrow your crutches, I need them to save 
the city." 
 The patient looked at Ray as if he'd gone mad. 
 "All right Benni..  I tried it your way, got any 
bright ideas. I need those crutches if I'm going to get 
around." 
 Fraser smiled at the woman. 
 "Would you care to trade them in for a dinner date 
with the city's most eligible Mountie?" 
 Ray got his crutches. 
 "Thank you Ma'am, most appreciated. Contact the 
consulate and leave your details.. " 
 "Move it Benni, we've got a city to save." 

 They were stopped just once at the doors by a very big 
nurse. 
 "Fraser and Vecchio?" 
 "Yes." 
 "Hold still." 
 She took hold of Ray's chin and told him to look into 
the pen light torch she produced after checking his eyes and 
pulse she produced a loaded syringe and yanked up Ray's 
patients gown to uncover his thigh. Ray yelped as he got his 
shot then the nurse pulled out a ampoule of medication and a 
syringe in a sterile packet and shoved them in Fraser's 
pocket. 
 "This is for when that shot wears off. You'll know it 
when that happens and now the shocks wearing off he's gonna 
feel every bruise and cracked rib and be no use to you 
without it." 
 Fraser nodded. 
 "It's the strongest stuff we have, 10cc's a shot, any 
more than that in one hit and that birds gonna be flying 
high, got it?" 
 Fraser nodded and the Nurse tugged Ray's robe down, 
stepped out of the way and dangled a set of key's in the air 
along with a pistol. 
 "Transports right outside. Vecchio women are being 
transferred out - *now* by the ESC." 
 "Two decoy's..  Us and them.. " 
 Ray snatched the items from her hands as Fraser carried 
him past. 
 "How efficient." 
 Ray held the key's in his teeth, and checked the 
pistol's load. 
 Ray muttered through the key's. 
 "What?" 
 Ray jammed the pistols clip back, and pulled the key's 
out of his mouth. 
 "Very, this baby's got a full clip. We can attract a 
lot of attention with it." 
 They approached the Ambulance and Ray reached out to 
yank open the door. The driver looked at them and Ray aimed 
the pistol at him. 
 "You're being hijacked by a Crazy Mountie." 
 "Wrong vehicle..  They one you want to hijack is over 
there." 
 He pointed and the pair looked around and Ray's eyes 
widened as he saw the sleek Red Ferrai the driver was 
pointing at, then he grinned. 
 "Raymondo!" 
 He peered around and saw his mother jumping out of the 
back of the Ambulance. She rushed to their sides and clucked 
a little. 
 "How's Frannie, Ma?" 
 "Her leg's broken, she has concussion the rest is 
superficial." 
 "Ray, we have to leave now." 
 "Right, take care of Frannie Ma..  And whatever you 
do, stay off the phone and don't try to track down the rest 
of us, there's a whacko out there who'll go right for them 
if you do. Do you understand?" 
 She nodded, and pulled off her necklace and reached up 
to drape it around Ray's neck before she turned and rushed 
back around the ambulance to join her daughter. The 
Ambulance driver attracted their attention. 
 "The Doc say's, Don't worry, his baby has 
Comprehensive cover..  Do whatever it takes..  It's 
covered." 
 "Best news I've had all day, all right, mush Benni, 
that Ferrari is ours." 
  
    *----*----*----* 

 The Emergency service workers watched the sleek Ferrai 
roar through the sheeting rain approaching their road 
barrier and tried to flag it down, the window opened enough 
for them to see a red coated figure at the wheel, then gun 
shots rang out. They hit the dirt, and watched as it ran 
right through the blockade. Out came handsets to report it. 

    *----*----*----* 

 Ray looked around to see them climbing to their feet 
handsets to mouths, then checked the clip on the gun he'd 
just fired another burst from. 
 "I hope we don't have to attract much more attention, 
Benni, I'm running out of bullets here." 
 "Then let's hope the Doctor was as equally efficient 
at predicting our need for another weapon." 
 "Bullets Benni, I need bullets." 
 "The pistol was probably taken from a patient. Look in 
the glove box, there may be another there." 
 Ray opened the box and looked in and rammed the clip 
back in and then reached into the box and pulled out a piece 
of paper with his name on it, unfolding it. 
 "What does it say?" 
 "Look in the boot." 
 Fraser pulled the car over and jumped out, Ray watched 
him move around the car, then laughed as Fraser closed the 
boot returning with a pump action shot gun and passed it to 
him before climbing back in. 
 "Very efficient." 
 "This will attract all the attention we need to get 
that sucker to follow us." 
 Fraser clipped his belt on and then checked the road 
behind them before pulling out. 
 "I wonder where he got this.. " 
 "It took us time to reach the exit due to the crowding 
in the corridor's, perhaps he used that time to get us what 
ever he thought we'd need to achieve our goal." 
 "As if this is going to help us take that sucker out. 
What we really need is.. ." 
 "By now Turnball has informed your people about the 
Storm Maker and they've launched their own response team to 
take him out. All we have to do is lure him out of the city 
into the open where they can take him down." 
 "You don't have a plan here, do you Benni - the only 
thing on your mind was getting that Kook away from the 
hospital. Just like the Doc when he got them to launch that 
chopper and say Franni & Ma were on it." 
 "Oh, no.. " 
 "So you do have a plan?" 
 "To lure him out into the open where your people can 
move against him without destroying half the city trying to 
do it." 
 "And what happens if they can't take him out?" 
 "Then we have a problem, the longer he stays up, the 
more destructive the storm will become. Which is why we had 
to destroy the first Storm Maker..  It was causing untold 
devastation in it's wake.. " 
 "How'd you take it out?" 
 "They used a relay of men and horses, to get a 
portable Anti-Aircraft missile launcher into the area it was 
heading for.. . It was actually my partner who took it 
down." 
 "You mean Mae West?" 
 "Yes." 
 "You gave Mz couldn't hit the side of a barn if she 
was standing inside it your Missile launcher to take it 
down." 
 "There is a big difference between a rifle and a 
missile launcher Ray. Besides..  I didn't have much choice, 
when we reached the eye of the storm my horse bolted.. And 
threw me..  She was the only one who could fire it in time 
before it passed over." 
 "How many times did she have to fire that baby to take 
him down?" 
 "At least three times.. She lied and told everyone I 
did it. To make up for shooting me. She figured they'd pin a 
medal on whoever did it, which they did." 
 "And you let her lie?" 
 "First she can't ride..  At least not very well, she 
can stay on a horse, but not at speed..  She alway's used a 
bike to keep up with me, and I left her behind, when the 
horse went over ground the bike couldn't..  She wasn't there 
when the horse threw me, and when I was thrown I lost 
consciousness..  It was all over when I came round, and I 
was in a different place, she made it look like I'd done it 
in a daze and came back leading my horse and acted as if she 
had only just tracked me down. And since she's such a bad 
shot, I just automatically assumed I'd done it in a dazed 
state." 
 "How did you find out she did it?" 
 "She dislocated her shoulder firing it. She told me 
she did it coming off her bike over a rough patch of ground. 
I believed her until I saw her in her halter top the sling 
didn't cover her shoulder and there were no grazes on her 
shoulder just a very big bruise..  If she'd dislocated it 
the way she told me she had.." 
 "There would have been grazes." 
 "Exactly..  That was when I worked it out." 
 "And you didn't tell anyone?" 
 "She was very.. . persuasive.. " 
 "I bet.. " 
 "That's not how she persuaded me, Ray." 
 "Oh..  How'd she do it then." 
 "She took Deif hostage.. until I agreed to keep the 
truth to myself and accept the medal." 
 "Whatever works.. " 
 "It worked very well. He followed her around instead 
of me after that.. " 
 "Oh, so how'd you win him back?" 
 "He came back to me when she was killed." 
 "Oh." 
 "He helped me track her killer." 
 "Track, not capture.. " 
 "Deif can't track a man over water.. " 
 "Did you catch him eventually?" 
 Fraser shook his head. 
 "Once Deif lost his scent we lost him." 
 "You *know* it was a guy - not a woman." 
 "There was a serial killer in the area.. One who'd 
already killed six women. 2 in our area. That's why I didn't 
try very hard to win back Deifenbaker's affections..  I 
thought that he would protect her." 
 "Didn't do a very good job of it, did he." 
 "On the contrary, he did try and was almost killed 
trying to protect her. And he was a great help tracking her 
killer once he recovered. He lead me to another body, a 
man's this time, mutilated so that we couldn't identify him. 
The killer stole his identity." 
 "You're sure of that?" 
 Fraser nodded. 
 "There were no other attacks in the area.  Deif lead 
me to a river,  where a boat had been moored.  It took over 
5 months to find someone who'd seen the boat, to get a 
description a name and a description of the man who'd moored 
it there. 18 months later, we identified the body. His wife 
identified the remains by identifying scars we found and 
very distinctive marks. He was an American, The boat was 
found somewhere in America 6 months later, and the person 
using his identity was almost caught then." 
 "But he got away." 
 "A week later another body turned up, mutilated in the 
same way. The killer stole someone else's identity and his 
bike. A Harley Davidson I believe. They identified the tyre 
marks they found at the scene as belonging to a Harley, the 
man was definitely a biker, he had numerous tattoos, and 
unfortunately very few bikers will assist the police with 
their enquires." 
 "Which is why he's never been caught, because you 
don't know what identity he's using." 
 "Exactly. Though they do regularly take photo's of his 
tattoos to parlours and biker events in an attempt to find 
someone who can tell them who.." 
 "Look out!!!" 
 Fraser was forced to hit the brakes and swerve to avoid 
a tree brought down by the storm as it had approached the 
city they were leaving behind. He almost lost control of the 
car and it took everything Ray had not to scream as he was 
thrown forward, the belt bitting into his body as it kept 
him from being thrown of his seat. 
 Fraser fought to bring the car's motion back under 
control and Ray concentrated on watching his white knuckled 
hands on the wheel. 
 "Don't..  ..  Fight it.. .Go with it Benni..  and ease 
up on the brakes..  the..  side.. get us.. to the side." 
 Fraser's grip on the wheel relaxed as he followed that 
advice and controlled the urge to jam down the brakes. He 
successfully managed to bring them out of the skid and onto 
the grassy strip at the side of the road and brought the car 
to a shuddering hold then applied the hand brake and sagged 
back in the seat just staring at the road. 
 "That was too close for comfort." 
 He noticed how dark the sky was and reached for the 
window controls lowering it. He poked his head out the 
window to scan the skies before he looked back at Ray 
opening his mouth to speak but his announcement went 
unspoken when he saw the Italian slumped in the seat, arms 
wrapped around his rib's head thrown back, blood running 
down his chin. 
 "Ray!" 
 "I.. .I.. .think.. .That.. I just broke a rib when 
that..  threw me..  into the belt," Ray said with an 
effort. 
 Fraser threw open the door, jumping out of the car and 
went over the hood to get to Ray's side, threw the door open 
and examined Ray. 
 "No..  But it probably aggravated the injuries." 
 "I think..  I'm gonna throw.. up.. or.. faint.. " 
 Fraser reached around to release Ray's belt and gently 
drew him out of the vehicle and helped him to the ground 
where Ray did start throwing up. But there was nothing in 
his stomach to throw up and all he did was dry retch and 
make the most agonised groans Fraser had heard since he'd 
carried his dying partner's through the snow, as he clung to 
Fraser's arm with a grip so tight the Mountie almost cried 
out in pain. 
 Then Ray released his arm and started scrabbling at 
Fraser's pocket and Fraser remembered the medication and 
he pulled out the syringe and ripped the package away with 
his teeth as he fumbled in his pocket for the ampoule and 
then filled it. Ray slumped forward onto one arm, the other 
wrapped around his plastered rib cage, while Fraser was busy 
with the syringe. A press of the plunger sent a jet of the 
medication into the air clearing away the air bubbles then 
Fraser reached out for Ray and sank the needle into 
Italian's neck and Ray let out a positive howl of pain, 
rearing up. 
 Fraser snatched his hand back fast to avoid needle 
break then wrapped his arms around Ray holding him as the 
Italian almost fell back. 
 "I'm sorry, Ray..  It's the fastest way." 
 They cradling the Italian close, he reached for the 
syringe again and injected the shot direct into his jugular 
before pulling the needle out and fumbling behind Ray's back 
to recap it as the Italian shuddered and dry retched over 
his shoulder, whimpering between retches now. With an effort 
Fraser got it back into the pocket and reached up to stroke 
Ray's head till the medication started taking effect. 
 He watched the dark skies with dread as he did so and 
pondered wether giving Ray the prescribed dose instead of 
the whole ampoule full was doing Ray any favours. Then Ray 
finally stopped retching and whimpering and just trembled in 
his arms as reaction set in. 
 "It's.. .here.. .isn't..  it ..  Benni?" He panted in 
Fraser's ear. 
 Fraser nodded and Ray pushed at his chest weakly. 
 "Not going to die on my knees.. like this..  Get me 
back in the car.. " 
 "We can't.. ." 
 "Do it! Driver's seat, Now..  And I'll show you how a 
Ferrari ought to be driven." 
 "But.. " 
 "Now!" 
 Fraser jumped a little and then complied picking up and 
carrying him around the car to put him in the drivers seat 
and strap him in. Ray's hand went out to fall on the wheel 
and Fraser started the engine before he gently as possible 
closed the door and threw himself over the hood to get to 
the passenger side and climbed in. Looking around he saw 
that Ray was deep breathing, eyes closed, his chin resting 
on his chest. 
 "Are you sure you can drive, Ray?" 
 "That stuff works like a charm..  The pain's.. 
manageable..  now.." 
 Then he got his feet on the pedals found the clutch and 
put the car into first before easing the car off the verge 
and back onto the road. 
 "There's a cel phone in the box." 
 Fraser reached into the glove box and pulled out a cell 
phone and checked the power levels. 
 "Punch in Welsh's number then gimme and take over the 
gear stick - and you better be ready to react fast when I 
tell you to change gears." 
 Fraser nodded and punched in the number Ray fed him 
then handed over the phone before he reached for the gear 
stick. 
 "Ok..  Keep your eyes peeled for a turn off, we've got 
to get past that tree.. That means exits." 
 Fraser's window went down and he poked his head out 
shielding his eyes and searched for an exit. 
 "Welsh.. Vecchio." 
 Ray, sign, exit, 2k." 
 "Got it - No I meant Benni. Keep going, Sir" 
 Fraser ducked back in and wound up the window and 
sluiced water of his faced and wiped his hand dry on his 
pants before reaching for the gear stick. Ray glanced down 
and then put the pedal to the metal as Fraser changed gears 
anticipating his next move. Ray nodded and made uh-hu's then 
dropped the phone into his lap getting both hands to the 
wheel to make the turn off. 
 "O.K Benni, I've got bad news.  That great plan of 
yours is kaput. They got the hint, and they've got trouble's 
they can't get any choppers off the ground to act. That kook 
took the storm out over all the chopper bases and let the 
storm take care of them before he started moving in on us." 
 For the first time in memory Ray heard Fraser curse and 
reached for the phone again as he got the car back onto a 
straight stretch of the deserted Express way. 
 "Sorry about that..  Yeah, that was Benni. He's not 
very pleased." 
 He listened to Welsh. 
 "Well, he didn't have another plan, but I've got one.. 
Did you evacuate the ..  You did.. Damn.. Stand by." 
 He dropped the phone into his lap again and eased the 
pedal back. 
 "Reverse this baby, we're going back." 
 "But..." 
 "They can't take him out Benni.. And he *is* tracking 
us now. It's do or die. If we don't take him out, he'll take 
us out. And trust that, if can make the precinct, we can 
take him out Benni..  Reverse now!" 
 Fraser crunched the car into reverse and Ray swung the 
wheel around till they were facing the other direction. 
 "Third." 
 Fraser changed gears again and Ray floored it. 
 "How do you intend to take him out, all we've got is 
a pump action rifle and a pistol. That's not going to take 
him out." 
 "Back at the 27th there's something in the weapons 
locker we can use. We confiscated it from some gang who'd 
seen too many episodes of Miami Vice and had big idea's and 
big guns.. " 
 "How big?" 
 "Try a Stinger, that's an over the shoulder missile 
launcher. That baby could take out a chopper or a fighter 
jet.  Unless that sucker's got a titanium hull on that plane 
of his, it'll take him out." 
 "Agreed, what is your plan? Apart from acquiring the 
stinger?" 
 "How high up do you think he is?" 
 "I couldn't say.. It was Mae who shot him down..  Not 
me..  All I can tell you is that he'd be in the Eye of the 
Storm." 
 "Lieutenant.. . You heard, good, get me what I need 
from the Met boys, I need height, I need, coverage, I need 
speed, got that, good, now, this sucker is gonna be coming 
after Benni and Me.  We can use that, to sucker bait him, 
that means you get that locker open, and then get someone 
out up as high as they can get with th.. " 
 Welsh interrupted.. 
 "What is it?" 
 "Well let me put it like this Benni, it's a good thing 
we lured that maniac away from the hospital, a good three 
quarters of the crew are there." 
 "Oh dear." 
 "And the rest had their vehicles wiped out trying to 
reach a chopper with one of those Stingers." 
 "One of.. How many were there?" 
 "Six. And enough ammo to blow away an entire city 
block." 
 Welsh chipped in again. 
 "What was that?" 
 He listened nodding. Then dropped the phone to make a 
hard turn off the express way before picking it back up. 
 "All right, I made the turn off, what now?" 
 He listened nodding and agreeing with his commander 
then checked his fuel gauge. 
 "Uh-uh..  We're running pretty low on gas here. We 
need ..  What..  " 
 He listened to Welsh outline a plan on the fly and 
nodded. 
 "Got it." 
 Then switched the phone off and threw it at Fraser who 
snatched it out of the air. 
 "You carry it." 
 Fraser tucked it into a pocket. 
 "What's the plan now?" 
 "Ok.. Here's the deal they can't contact the teams 
because this guy is definitely listening in over all the 
bands. So here's what he's gonna do to help us out. he's 
gonna get a route between us and the station and from there 
to the place the Met boy's give us as the perfect place to 
take that Psycho out with the stinger, but that'll take 
time, so what we've got to do is keep that guy on our tail 
until they get the evac completed." 
 "The longer it takes.. ." 
 "It's bloody obvious, Fraser and he knows that it's 
only going to get worse. They'll move as fast as they can. 
We ditch the Ferrari and high jack an Emergency Services 
vehicle. He can direct us in the right direction to get 
another when the fuel runs out to give them time to 
evacuate. And get someone to fuel this beast up and drop it 
off somewhere we can pick it up for the return trip. Because 
this beauty's built for speed and we're gonna need it." 
 Fraser nodded. 
 "Understood." 
 "Huey's still mobile. He's heading out our way now, 
He'll take care of the car. And drop off the key's for the 
locker." 
 Ray swung the car around the corner and Fraser's hand 
flew to the dash as the manoeuvre threw him against the 
straps then back against the seat. 
 "I see lights. The blockade must be up ahead." 
 Ray took a deep shuddering breath and tried to ignore 
the pain. Fraser glanced at him. 
 "I'm ok. I can do this." 
 "Do you think you can walk? It will look very strange 
if..." 
 "I'm not your hostage Benni, the guy knows we're 
partners. It's about time we started acting like it. You 
take the rifle, and get those crutches ready for me. " 
 Fraser found the pistol and then tossed it onto the 
dash before Ray. 
 "Good." 
 Fraser collected the rifles and crutches and held the 
crutches on his lap and balanced the rifle on his shoulder. 
The lights turned out to be exactly what Fraser thought they 
were, the blockade. Down went the window and out went the 
rifle to blow a stop sign apart as the service worker held 
it out. As one the team scattered in all directions, well 
aware there was a maniac Mountie in a shiny red Ferrari 
taking pot shots at other teams. 
 Ray brought the car to a halt close to the Service 
teams four wheel drive and Fraser threw his door open and 
climbed out to stand in the rain, looking menacing and 
firing off a round every time a service worker poked a head 
up or around shelter. Ray dragged himself up to his feet and 
got the crutches on, then grabbed the pistol and thumped on 
the roof. 
 "Let's move, Benni." 
 He headed for the vehicle while Fraser fired off a few 
rounds to deter any heroes on the crew before he threw 
himself over the Ferrai's hood and moved off after Ray, 
moving at his back, keeping him covered till he reached the 
vehicle and clambered in. He checked the ignition, then 
reached up and pulled down a flap and the key's dropped down 
into his hand. 
 "Great the key's are right here. All right Benni, 
climb in and pray none of them decides to be a hero and 
tries to stop us." 
 Fraser ran around the vehicle and convinced the heroic 
type with an Akubra hat on her head that it wasn't a good 
day for it to head back to shelter with a round or two 
before he clambered in and slammed the door. Ray put the 
pedal to the metal the moment Fraser's bum hit the seat and 
Fraser slammed back into the seat, while Ray sped out of 
there. 
 "Belt up Benni." 
 Fraser caught his breath and belted up. 
 "And find me one of those CB radio sets." 
 Fraser popped the glove box open and one tumbled right 
into his lap. Ray snatched it out of Fraser's hand and 
activated it. 
 "Hey Storm Boy, You messed with the wrong Family." He 
growled into it. 
 "Ray!" 
 "Stuff it, Benni, You hear me Psycho, your number is 
up. You messed with my Family, you took out my house, you 
messed with my crew and you messed up my city, and I'm gonna 
take you and your Storm Maker down for it. You hear me, 
Mister, you and Michael Jackson's Greatest hits have got 
something in common, *You're Both History.*" 
 Then he tossed the CB at Fraser. 
 "That ought to do it." 
 "There was no need to do that to make him move after 
us." 
 "Maybe not, But it sure as hell felt good." 
 The phone trilled and Fraser snatched it out and when 
he answered it he got a furious Welsh expressing his opinion 
of Ray's stunt. 
 "It's for you Ray." He said holding the phone to 
Ray's ear and watching him wince. 
 "Yes, sir, No sir..  Fraser, can that guy jack up the 
power?" 
 "I don't know Ray, but it's very possible we'll find 
out after that tirade." 
 "Yes sir.. Got it..  No more tirades." 
 Then he punched off. 
 "Well, lets hope that he wasn't the only one that 
little broadcast pissed off," Ray muttered as he threw the 
4-Wheel drive into a sharp u-turn and headed back the way 
they'd come. 
 A lightning bolt struck a building behind them and Ray 
floored it, the vehicle narrowly escaped the shower of 
debris that fell in their wake. Down went Fraser's window 
and he poked his head out looking up. 
 "I can *see* him! He's right over us now!" 
 "I thought that thing couldn't move fast?" 
 "You took us straight into the eye of the storm." 
 Another lightning bolt struck a nearby building and 
Fraser reared back as Ray swerved to avoid a shower of 
debris from it. 
 "You call *this* the eye of the storm." 
 "It's not a natural storm, this is just what it was 
like in the Eye of the Storm ten years ago. The Lighting is 
always at it's worst in the eye." 
 "Now I understand why your horse bolted." 
 "Lightning strike, a few meter's ahead.. " 
 "Fraser there's lighting striking everywhere." 
 "I meant ..  Forget it, just floor it. This vehicle is 
one big lighting rod. We've got to get out of the eye." 
 "What do you think I'm trying to do?! I've already got 
the pedal to the metal, this crate doesn't go any faster 
than this. Compared to the Ferrari this thing's a snail. Go 
point, I can't see a damn thing any more." 
 Fraser poked his head out the window and directed Ray 
yelling back instructions, until the 4-Wheel drive ran 
through a deep puddle and the sheeting slush blinded him. He 
reared back sluicing it off his face and blindly searched 
through the glove box. 
 "Benni?!" 
 "Water threw mud into my face." 
 Ray's window went down and he poked his head out, 
steering on handed as he leaned on the door. Fraser found 
what he was looking for and pulled out a packet of pocket 
tissues and ripped one out and dabbed at his eyes till he 
could see again. He looked around teary eyed to see a 
blurred view of Ray and blinked away trying to focus on him. 
Ray looked around and his eyes widen when he saw blood 
running from Fraser's eyes. But he had to keep his eyes on 
the road and forced himself to look away and not hit the 
brakes the way he wanted to. 
 "Hey Benni, is there any of that dope the nurse gave 
you left?" 
 "Yes. Why?" 
 "Give yourself a shot and don't tell me you don't need 
it. If you do, I'm gonna hit the brakes and sedate you with 
the bloody gun, got it." 
 Fraser didn't argue, his eyes were on fire, and he 
fumbled the medication out. When he finally got the needle 
ready he ended up stabbing himself in the finger as he tried 
to plunge the needle into the bottle. He muttered something 
uncomplimentary about mud and used a finger to direct the 
needle into the ampoule. 
 "We have a problem, Ray." 
 "Don't tell me you lost it." 
 "No..  I can't see clearly enough to find a vein to 
inject it and you have to stop the car long enough for me to 
do it." 
 "Great," Ray growled, then something ahead caught his 
attention. 
 "There is a God! Our problem is solved." 
 He swung the car around and a few moments later Fraser 
found himself in darkness. 
 "Wha.. 
 "Tunnel Benni.. " 
 He drew himself back in and then reached out to take 
the hypodermic and made Fraser hold out his arm. 
 "Clamp your hand around it." 
 Fraser obliged and when a vein popped up, Ray stabbed 
the needle home and Fraser shouted. 
 "No!" 
 "What?!" 
 "You didn't get rid of the air bubbles first." 
 With a growl of frustration Ray pulled it out and 
pressed the plunger squirting the precious fluid up till 
there were no bubbles in the tube, then he sank it back into 
the vein and this time Fraser didn't object as he pressed 
down on the plunger. 
 When Ray pulled it out Fraser held up the cap. Ray 
capped it and returned it to Fraser to pocket then looked 
around the cab of the vehicle and grinned. 
 "Well, well, what do we have here." 
 "I don't know, what do we have?" 
 Ray unbuckled and scrambled into the back, muttering 
obscenities as he went and Fraser had a blurred view of him 
moving around amongst bright coloured blobs, then Ray became 
one of them. 
 "You changed colour." 
 "Suit's Benni, clothes. No more drafty Hospital gown 
that doesn't close up at the back." 
 "Ah, I see. Well, Actually I don't see very well at 
all but.. " 
 "I can take care of that too.. . There's a medical kit 
or three here..  Let's see what we've got.. " 
 Fraser heard him opening boxes and rustling in them. 
 "Ditch the syringe, we've got plenty here, and pass me 
that bottle.. " 
 Fraser complied. 
 "Jackpot. One of those guys must have been a trained 
paramedic. There's a virtual pharmacies worth of stuff back 
here. They've even got the same stuff. Here put this in your 
pocket this suit doesn't have any." 
 New syringes and two more ampoules were passed to 
Fraser. 
 "Ray, you can't take more than..." 
 "Benni, shut up, and put your head back and open your 
eyes, wide." 
 Fraser complied with a little sigh and Ray leaned over 
him with a syringe full of saline solution and cotton pads 
that he used to rinse the Mountie's right eye. Fraser 
blinked away and Ray rinsed his eyes out five times till 
Ray's hand closed tight on his shoulder. 
 "Don't blink now, whatever you do." 
 "What is it?" 
 He was aware of the blob that was Ray moving away, 
heard rustling then Ray was back - with a magnifying glass 
to examine the eye closely. 
 "Just what I thought, a tiny sliver of glass.. Hold 
very very still. I don't want to cut your eye here." 
 He angled the syringe just so and gave it a hard 
plunge. Saline solution jetted across Fraser's eye and not 
blinking took an extreme effort on his part. He was rewarded 
for it with a burred close up view of Ray's face and felt 
his breath on his face then the dabbing of the cotton. 
 "O.K, got it.. you can blink now." 
 Fraser did and half his vision cleared. 
 "If we survive this you're coming back to the hospital 
with me, as a patient and getting your eye's checked out, no 
telling what sort of damage that inflicted. All right, open 
the other eye nice and wide, Benni and let me see what 
you've got in it." 
 Fraser obeyed and focussed on Ray's concerned gaze, and 
heard his intake of air. 
 "Oh, you're definitely going in as a patient, I am not 
even gonna try to clean this eye out.. " 
 Then he was moving away, to return with various things 
collected from all three of the kits. The eye was squirted 
with something that took away the pain, then soft cotton and 
gauze was applied and taped down before Ray snapped an eye 
patch over it. 
 "There, that ought to keep it from getting any worse 
than it is." 
 "What did you put in my eye?" 
 "Local anaesthetic, Benni..  You had glass in the eye, 
and I do mean in it." 
 "Oh.. . Would you climb back over here.. I'm getting a 
crick in my neck." 
 Ray looked around, grabbed another suit and two pairs 
of goggles and then scrabbled back into his seat, the suit 
he tossed at Fraser. 
 "Here put this on, no point in getting yourself any 
wetter than you already are." 
 The goggles went around his neck while Fraser struggled 
into the suit. 
 "The worst thing about..  her death was that there 
were so many things I wanted to say to her and never.. 
said.. to her. And I have never stopped regretting that." 
 "Uh-Oh, are you going to get mushy on me, Benni?" 
 "You have no idea what was going through my head as I 
ran to the hospital..  All they could tell me was that a 
truck had taken out your car, that it had taken over an hour 
to cut you from the wreck." 
 "I can guess what was going through your head, 
Benni." 
 "I.. value your company more than you know, Raymond 
Vecchio - if you were a woman I'd have proposed marriage to 
you long ago." 
 Ray chuckled and smiled. 
 "Thanks for the compliment." 
 "And.. .I know how much I irritate you, but you have 
no idea how much you drive me crazy and - The kind of crazy 
that make me glad I wear a uniform that has a mid thigh 
coat." 
 "Oh.. ." 
 Then it hit him what Fraser meant. 
 "Ohmig-d, you weren't joking about being bi." 
 "No." 
 "I never..  imaged that you'd.. " 
 "I said I was bi, I didn't say I was promiscuous." 
 "Just one guy." 
 Fraser nodded. 
 "He was..  a friend.. For years..  And that's all he 
was for  years..  I drove him crazy, doing what he called 
panting after..  Mae. Well, actually Mae was panting after 
me, but that's another story." 
 "That wasn't her name, was it?" 
 "No..  she had a very hard to pronounce name. And if I 
say Mae you know who I mean." 
 "Did he make a move on you before or after she died." 
 "After..  But he didn't.. it wasn't so much a *move* 
as a confession after we were partnered up because no one 
trusted me not to disappear going rouge after Mae's 
killer." 
 "He got hurt and thought he was gonna die." 
 "No..  I was the one who was hurt..  a head injury.. 
He had to try and keep me conscious..  And talked and 
talked.. and when I started drifting off, he grabbed my 
attention and kept it by making his very startling 
confession." 
 Ray chuckled. 
 "I didn't react to it so he thought I'd forgotten it 
and I was just.. waiting for some sort of sign that it 
wasn't just some strange addle headed imagining.. " 
 "Cut to the chase." 
 "We got snowed into a cabin together, and.. he had a 
bottle of bourbon in his saddle pack..  And that's how it 
started." 
 "Ah.. 
 "But it was.. never a full on.. sexual relationship." 
 "So you never.. " 
 "No." 
 "That means your not Bi." 
 "No.. It doesn't. We had a *relationship*..  After the 
cabin incident, we shared a bed and a bedroll..  We just 
never did that. I was extremely inexperienced, one intimate 
encounter short of a virgin to be exact." 
 "Mae?" 
 "Yes." 
 "Before or after the storm maker.. " 
 "Shortly after." 
 "Was she good looking, beautiful, plain, pretty.." 
 "She was stunning, absolutely stunning." 
 "So why'd it take so long to .." 
 "Her brother was the District's Zuko..  What happened 
only happened once because I learned to control my reaction 
to her after he slammed me into a wall and said he'd have me 
castrated, very slowly with a blunt and rusty knife, before 
he used a few traditional methods of executing people if he 
ever heard so much as a whisper about our relationship being 
anything but platonic." 
 "That'd do it." 
 "It worked very well. Much to her disgust, she never 
stopped trying to get me into her bedroll. But the fish 
incident came very close." 
 Ray chuckled. 
 "I took a dip in the river, fully dressed instead." 
 "Much to her disgust," Ray quipped. 
 Fraser nodded with a chuckle. 
 "Yes. She caught another fish and hit me with it." 
 Ray hugged his ribs and gave a little moaning laugh. 
 "So.. I irritated her a lot - just as I irritate 
you." 
 "I'll have to remember to batter you around the head 
with a fish some day." 
 Fraser chuckled at that and Ray reached out to lay a 
hand on his thigh and squeezed it. 
 "Just for the record, Benni I value your company 
too." 
 Fraser removed his hand. 
 "Don't.. touch me like that." 
 "Sorry." 
 Then he belted up started up the vehicle again. 
 "Ready?" 
 Fraser belted up, nodded and pulled the goggles on. 
Ray's went up, and he eased the 4-Wheel drive into motion. 
Fraser looked at the dash, and saw a tape poking out of the 
tape deck and out of curiosity popped it in and hit play. 
 "What ever it is, jack the volume up. That'll really 
drown out that thunder." 
 Fraser complied and as he sat back, a woman's voice 
shrieked out. 
 Hey Baaaabe. 
 Followed by a dance beat. 
 "Dance music..  Great..  Some Rock 'n' Roll would be 
*perfect*.. " 
 Fraser started looking through the glove box and 
checking out the tapes for names he would recognise as Rock 
acts, then the woman's voice returned. 

 Heaven 
 When you touch me baby 
 Heaven 
 When you touch me baby 
 I'm in heaven.. 
  
 Fraser hit eject so hard it flew across the cab. 
 "It wasn't *that* bad Fraser." 
 Fraser jammed the first tape that came to hand into the 
deck and hit play to the immediate sounds of a snare drum 
and cymbal. 
 "More dance music." 
 Then a guitar followed, in a manner that was definitely 
not dance style. Someone's fingers were definitely flying 
over those strings. 
 "Perhaps not." 
 Thunder.. 
 The tape followed the first one on a high velocity trip 
through the cab and Fraser stuffed another in and the result 
was moody pipes and deep drums. 
 "Great - what a perfect piece - Gothic music to go 
with the Gothic atmosphere out there.. " 
 Fraser ejected that one too. 
 "Make up your mind Benni." 
 In went the next tape, moody tones and a bass guitar 
sounded, then a rude brass line, and power drums. Ray nodded 
and thumped the side of the cab in time. The tape went the 
way of all the rest. 
 "That's it, Benni, the next tape stay's put no matter 
what it is." 
 "Ah.. This sounds like a Rock band." 
 "What's the name?" 
 "Noiseworks." 
 "Never heard of them." 
 Fraser popped the tape into the deck and hit play to 
the sound of a synth and bass. He almost ejected it 
remembering that Ray wanted Rock music, then he remembered 
Ray said the tape had to stay put so he left it. 
 You never expect it to be in your wildest dreams 
 So you take a step backwards for a little while 
 You'll find it's there it's something that I can't 
explain. 
 =That describes this storm= 
 So I remain trapped inside still holding strong 
 Still holding onto you, to you 

 Take me back to you, it's been a long time 
 Although woh every night I think of you 
 It's such a lonely life 
  
 Watched you say good bye as you drove away. 
 I didn't know that it would be your last time with me. 
 You said life ain't worth living if nobody cares 

 Ray ejected the tape, much to Fraser's relief he hadn't 
wanted to hear any more. 

 "Find something less morbid." 
 Fraser returned to raiding the tape collection. 
 "What else is there in there?" 
 Fraser looked at a case. 
 "AC-DC." 
 "Now that's rock. Slot it in Benni, that'll do it any 
day." 
 "The case is empty.. .Here's another. Inxs..  Or this 
one..  The Angels.. " 
 "Hmm.. Sounds like they had an Aussie on their team 
half those names are Australian bands.. " 
 "How about this one, it has a punk rocker on the 
front, by the name of Billy Idol? " 
 "Go for it." 
 Fraser popped the tape in and as Ray put the pedal to 
the metal, Fraser hit play. What came out of the speakers 
was not, Billy Idol it was a woman singing.. . 
 Ohhhhh .. . so if you'll just say you want me too I'm 
Never gonna let you go.. . 
 Ray hit the brakes and Fraser grabbed at the back of 
the seat to stop himself being thrown forward. The tape shot 
out with a pound from Ray at the deck. 
 "That was not Billy Idol." 
 "The case said Billy Idol." 
 "Look Fraser, you find me the right piece of mood 
music or.. I'll stuff the next tape down your throat." 
 "Yes Ray." 
 "Get me something Hard and Rock and get it right this 
time. I don't want to hear any more of that soppy fluff. I 
want something that drowns out the thunder and the only 
thing that would drown out is the sound of me strangling 
you." 
 Fraser nodded and rustled through all the tapes and 
recognised the name on a tape, and glanced at Ray then 
popped it into the slot and hit play. Ray's fingers drummed 
on the wheel while he waited, and once again it wasn't Rock 
he heard, it was definitely a dance track and Fraser's hand 
shot out but Ray's hand came down and grabbed his wrist and 
stopped him. 
 "Wait.. I know that song..." 
 No force of 
 You are the kingdom 
 No Force of 
 You are the kingdom 
 No Force of 
 You are the kingdom 
 History. 

 Ray hit stop. 
 "Find that CB and hit transmit and hold that up to the 
speaker and keep it there till I say stop." 
 "Why?" 
 "I want to remind him we're still out here and that's 
a hard dance remix..  Of.. " Ray grinned, "Michael 
Jackson's History." 
 Fraser chuckled and rustled up the CB and obeyed, Ray 
hit play, then with a deep breath put the pedal to the metal 
and they roared out of the tunnel, like a bat out of hell. 
 Within a minute the phone was trilling but neither Ray 
nor Fraser heard it over the thunderous volume of the music. 
Ray let out a low whistle as  the 4-wheel drive sped through 
the streets swerving, skidding around piles of derbis torn 
up tree's and tossed flaming wrecks. It looked like a war 
zone outside the tunnel. 
 "O.K - Stop" 
 Fraser put the C/B on the dash and popped the tape out 
and went looking for another. 
 "When you said that thing can wreak devastation you 
weren't kidding. It looks like a war zone out here." 
 Fraser jammed another tape in the deck, then poked his 
head out the window to check the skies. 
 "He's passed over. We're not in the eye any more." 
 "He lost us..  But you can bet he's gonna be looking 
for us after that musical piece reminded him we're still out 
here." 
 "The road block." 
 "Yeah.. Good idea." 
 He orientated himself, then sped off for the road block 
they'd hijacked the vehicle from. Fraser hit play and there 
was a blast of guitar and a rough male voice singing. 
 We've gotta get out of this place.. If it's the last 
thing we ever do." 
 Fraser glanced at Ray who made a throat cutting 
gesture. The tape joined the rest which were accumulating in 
a pile between the seats and a new tape was slotted in. With 
a thumping base line. 
 "Soft rock.. Hmmph." 
 You know they think we're crazy. You know they think 
we're all insane. 
 "But I like it." 
 He proved it, with his hand thumping away at the side 
of the cab in time to the beat. 
 But you don't have to grow up, you don't have to grow 
old, and I'll tell you why. We're never gonna die. 
 Ray stabbed out rewinded it a tad then gave Fraser the 
signal and the C/B came down and attached itself to the 
speaker. Ray hit play. 
 We're never gonna die 
 We're never gonna die 
 Kiss em all good bye 
 We're never gonna die 
 We're never gonna die. 
 When it segued to the music the C/B went back to the 
dash. 
 "Find something else to piss him off Fraser, we need 
him to get pissed enough to come back after us." 
 Fraser nodded and found another tape and popped it in 
to the strains of a base beat and snare drum. 
 "Hmm.. " 
 I've been up and down.. I've been all around I was 
mystified all most terrified.. 
 Fraser looked at Ray. 
 "Fast forward, I know that, that's Kiss. You finally 
hit the hard rock jackpot. Maybe there's some good mood 
piece there." 
 Fraser fast forwarded through each track, listening to 
the track's start and getting the cut off from Ray on every 
track.. 
 Mmmm Yeah.. . 
 Ha! 
 Dodododododododo 
 Doodododoodododo 
 Tonight I want to give it all to you. 
 In the Darkness.. 
 Ray made the cut throat gesture but under the influence 
of the drug he'd let Ray shoot him up with, the imp in 
Fraser came out and he left it running. 
 There's so much I wanna do 
 And tonight 
 I want to lay it at your feet 
 Cause girl I was made for you 
 And girl you were made for me 
 I was made for loving you baby 
 You were made for loving me 
 Ray slammed the eject and the tape made a fast exit. 
 "I said cut it." 
 "It seemed to speak to me, Ray." 
 Ray growled and Fraser popped in a new tape, another 
Dance music tape by the sound of the intro but as he was 
about to eject it the tape chopped and changed. 
 "Home job.. let it run for a bit see what it's got. 
This guy obviously likes rock.. Dance Rock, Soft Rock, 
Gothic Rock...It's mostly rock.. And there's gotta be some 
Hard Rock in that collection somewhere." 
 Then he added in a low mutter. 
 "But I seriously doubt it." 
 "Road block, Ray" 
 "I see it, Benni. Brace your self it looks like they 
strengthened it with drums. But if they want a wrecked 
machine, that's their business." 
 A grungy guitar and thumping drums filled the cab and 
Ray's hand went up and hit the roof. 
 "That's more like it, whatever it is." 
 "Ray, That's Huey!" 
 The vehicle came to a screeching skidding stop before 
the blockade and Ray's door flew open. Huey raced to the 
vehicle and was soon helping Ray out. Fraser quickly 
snatched up a handful of tapes and shoved them down the 
suit, including the Kiss tape, before he climbed out, 
collecting his shot gun on the way out. 
 "They know what's going on, that babies fuelled and 
ready to fly, and the Eagle is cleared for take off." 
 "Already?!" 
 "It didn't take long at all, people have been watching 
the storm footage on TV all day as soon as the cars went 
through with the megaphones blasting, they hit the road, no 
one stayed, no one argued.. By the way, The Lieutenant's 
steaming that you didn't answer the phone." 
 "He rang, I didn't hear it.. " 
 "Over that music, I don't doubt it." 
 "Mood music, But Fraser's idea of what constitutes the 
perfect mood music and mine aren't exactly the same. I say 
Hard Rock, he gives me Michael Jackson." 
 Huey chuckled and looked around to see Fraser toting a 
rifle on his shoulder with an eye patch under the goggles. 
 "What's with the patch?" 
 "A lighting strike covered the road with glass slivers 
and Fraser copped a load in the eye." 
 Huey grimaced hissing in sympathy. 
 "That's why we disappeared for a while there..  I had 
to find a place to stop and clean out his eyes." 
 Huey dangled a set of key's before Ray's eyes. Ray 
snatched them out of his hands. 
 "Anyone know where the Storm Maker is now?" 
 "As soon as you hit the road again, we'll have him 
back on your tail." 
 Then he produced a piece of paper. 
 "This is a list of the best places to try and take him 
out with a Stinger," Which ever you can reach first, or 
that you can lure him too - makes no difference, they'll all 
get you into range." 
 Fraser climbed back into the Ferrai and the tapes came 
out of the suit and into the glove box where he sorted them 
out till he found the one he wanted and checked out the 
titles again. With a little nod he popped it in the tape 
deck and turned the volume right down before starting the 
tape. He listened to the intro while Ray discussed details 
with Huey and then rewound the tape back to the start and 
turned the volume up nice and loud. 
 He jumped as the Akubra hatted woman ripped open the 
door and stuck a flare gun in his face then she wiggled her 
fingers at him. 
 "Hand over the goodies." 
 "Which goodies?" 
 "The tapes you nogoodnick." 
 Fraser handed all but the one in the deck and the Kiss 
tape back she checked them out and then wiggled her fingers 
at him again. 
 "The Kiss tape too." 
 Fraser delved into his pockets and then pulled out what 
remained of the money that Turnbull had given him and waved 
it at her. 
 "I'll buy it from you." 
 She snatched the notes from his hands and counted them 
up. 
 "With this kind of happy lettuce you could get a 
ticket to their show." 
 "Show? What show?" 
 "They were supposed to be playing in the area sometime 
next week. After this the chances of that are unlikely." 
 "What a pity they sound like fine musicians." 
 "Sometimes." 
 "So what's a nice girl like you doing in a war zone 
like this?" Fraser asked. 
 She laughed and moved back to slam the door closed. He 
rolled down the window. 
 "Do you ride?" 
 "What?" 
 "Horses?" 
 "Yeah.. " 
 "I thought so, you have the hands..  And that hat, 
it's an Akubra isn't it, an Australian Cattleman's hat." 
 "It's *our* national hat as far as some people are 
concerned." 
 "I'm sorry I didn't mean to offend." 
 Ray slipped into the front seat his crutches thrown 
into the back by Huey. 
 "Perhaps I will see you again at the show." 
 "Yeah, right.. " 
 Fraser detected sarcasm in her voice and searched the 
box finding paper and pen and wrote down his address and 
held it out to her. 
 "My address..  If you want a companion to attend with 
you." 
 She snatched it from his hand, then stuffed it down her 
bra. 
 Ray slammed the door and started up the car. 
 "Two dates in one day, Benni you're on a roll." 
 Fraser's window went up and Ray put the car into gear 
while Huey called out for the block aide to be cleared. The 
workers went into high gear, rolling drums away and removing 
barriers clearing the road. 
 "They started blasting our location over the airwaves, 
he should be turning back and heading our way again in no 
time, so we've got to get to the station before he catches 
up." 
 "Did you get the keys?" 
 They dropped into his lap and went into his pocket. 
 "Ready?" 
 Fraser nodded then hit play. Ray jumped as the 
extremely recognisable strains of an AC-DC standard started, 
then broke into a grin and gave him the thumbs up making 
Fraser return the grin. Pedal to the metal the Ferrari 
roared out of there at high speed with a p'd off E.S worker 
in an Akubra shaking her fist at the tape napper. 
  
    *----*----*----* 

 Welsh stood on a street corner with a road block team 
waiting for his signal. He lifted his binoculars again and 
looked through the sheeting rain. There it was a gleaming 
red Ferrai tearing through the streets heading their way. He 
signalled the men and the blockade was pulled apart, the 
road cleared in record time. 
 To the sounds of a strident bagpipe, loud guitar's and 
a pulsating beat the car speed through the area and the 
workers called it in, rebuilding the blockade, then Welsh 
told them to haul butt - double time before the storm swept 
through on their tail. One look at the boiling skies above 
was all it took to convince them that clearing the area asap 
was a great idea. 

    *----*----*----* 

 To the wailing guitar of Steve Steven's, Ray brought 
the Ferrai to a screeching halt in front of the station 
house and Fraser threw open the door and threw himself over 
the hood to reach the other side and help Ray of out the car 
and into the crutches then followed him, pulling a 
medication ampoule and syringe from his pocket. He ripped 
the packet with his teeth, extracting the syringe then 
loaded it up as he moved slowly behind the hobbling 
detective. 
 "Forget war zone, it looks like they were filming 
Apocalypse Now here.. " 
 "Ray.. Stop." 
 Ray stopped and looked around. Fraser held up the 
syringe. Ray didn't need to be asked, he rolled up his 
sleeve and clamped the arm till Fraser had a vein to drive 
the needle home into. 
 "Can't fool you can I?" 

 "You should have said something earlier." 
 Ray rolled the sleeve off and hobbled away. 
 "We couldn't afford to stop and take the time to shoot 
up - give yourself a shot while you're at it. Once we leave 
we won't be stopping again till we reach a target site." 
 Fraser nodded and rolled up a sleeve, yanked off his 
lanyard and wrapped it around the arm, pulling it tight with 
his teeth, waiting for a vein to pop up. 
 Ray swung himself up the stairs and turned to watch as 
Fraser jammed the needle home and injected himself, then 
with perfect aim, tossed the syringe into a bin before 
racing up the steps, tugging at the lanyard to loosen it, 
without pulling it away. 
 "Keys." 
 Fraser handed them over and Ray got to work on opening 
the doors. Fraser turned to study the skies. 
 "I'd say, we've got perhaps twenty minutes Ray." 
 "Better than nothing, Benni. O.K we're in." 
 Fraser spun, moving and surprising Ray by scooping him 
up into his arms to carrying him into and through the 
building at a run. 
 "Fraser!" 
 "We don't have time to pander to your pride. Now, 
which way?" 
 Ray pointed Fraser turned into the next corridor and 
raced down and through them as Ray directed him pointing the 
way out till they reached the weapons locker. Fraser set him 
down and Ray jangled key's sorting through them till he 
found the one engraved with a W.L and slipped it into the 
lock springing it. He backed up. 
 "O.K Benni, haul it open." 
 Fraser grabbed the steel door and hauled back with all 
his might. The door swung open and he jumped back. Ray 
pointed into the room. 
 "3rd shelf from the roof, that long box." 
 Fraser nodded and hurried in to find the box and haul 
it down. He opened it to pull out the Stinger and slung it 
over his shoulder while Ray hobbled in and worked out where 
the ammo was. Fraser pulled another out and slung that over 
his shoulder too. 
 "Found the ammo, this box." 
 He turned and saw Fraser with two Stingers. 
 "You will drop me off at the first target area, and 
move onto the next with out me. If I miss, you have to take 
him out." 
 Ray stared at him as he approached and pulled the 
indicated box down ripping it open to pull out belts of 
ammunition, a dozen to a belt. 
 "Don't argue with me about it." 
 "I'm..  not..  I just.. " 
 "Never even considered it until now." 
 "You got any of that dope left, there's no way I'm 
going to be able to haul that thing up G-d knows how many 
flights of stairs without a major dose." 
 "I'll give you one last shot before I leave the car." 
 Ray nodded and let Fraser sling one belt of ammo around 
his torso, then Fraser was scooping him up again, grunting 
under the load with all the extra weight he was carrying. 
Ray started to object. 
 "18 minutes." 
 Ray shut up and let Fraser carry him out kicking the 
door closed behind him before heading off down the corridor. 
Ray slipped the paper Huey had given him out from under the 
band of the watch he'd borrowed and looked over the page of 
target sites as Fraser carried him through the deserted 
halls. 
 "Jackpot.. Benni, splitting up will give us the best 
chance of taking him out *together*.  Two of the places on 
this list are across from each other.  With you on one roof 
top and me on another." 
 "We can get him in the cross fire." 
 "Bingo Benni." 
  
   *----*----*----* 

 Fraser kicked open the roof top door and looked out 
into the roiling skies wincing a lighting crashed across the 
skies. With a deep breath he stepped out and looked up. The 
Storm Maker had definitely taken the bait. 
 He moved to the edge of the roof and looked across at 
the building across the way. The door opposite exploded 
outward and Ray lurched through it, the launcher and slung 
to his back, ammo around his shoulder, rifle in his hands. 
Fraser waved to him as he looked around and Ray slung the 
rifle over his shoulder before he balanced himself and waved 
a crutch at him. Fraser watched as he lurched across the 
roof looking for something to brace himself against. 
 Fraser looked around, then moved to the middle of the 
roof before unslinging his launcher and checking it out. 
With out hesitation he loaded it up and then swung it up 
into position and took the weight on his shoulder and 
sighted the cloud with it, looking for that tell tale sign 
that marked the Storm Maker's presence. 
 He sighted it, out of range but closing in fast and 
looked across to see Ray loading up his launcher and heft it 
up onto his shoulder. He saw Ray repeat his actions and 
pulled out the cell phone Ray had made him collect from a 
desk as they passed through the station house. He hit redial 
and saw Ray start then yank his phone off the ammo belt and 
flip it open. 
 "Ray, its coming in due south." 
 Ray looked around and sighted it. 
 "Yeah, I see it now..  Can't miss that huge ball of 
light in the center of that maelstrom." 
 "It's out of range, we have to wait till it gets in 
range or we'll just be wasting ammunition we may need if we 
miss." 
 "Got it.. " 
 Then Ray was hanging up and dialling Welsh and Fraser 
watched the eye of the storm through the stinger's site. It 
changed course slightly and then began moving, faster on a 
direct course for their location. His phone trilled and he 
answered. 
 "I got through to Welsh they broadcasted our location 
over the E.S band..  That sucker's .. " 
 "Taking the bait, he's moving in, faster now. Hold 
your fire till he's well in range..  And if we lose contact 
wait till I fire, and then follow it up." 
 "Gotcha..  Hey.. look at that formation behind it, 
doesn't it look like a bunny to you." 
 Lighting shrieked between the buildings and there was 
an explosion down below. 
 "The Doc's gonna be pissed..  I think that was the 
Ferrari." 
 Fraser moved back to the edge and looked down. 
 "No.. .It wasn't our Car..  I think it was that Dodge 
left in the street." 
 "Pity it didn't.. " 
 "Didn't what?" 
 "Dodge," Ray said, then giggled. 
 Fraser sighed Ray was definitely flying high, just as 
the nurse predicted he would be if he got more than 10cc's 
of the drug at a time. 
 Ray stopped giggling suddenly. 
 "Ray? Ray, say something?" 
 Then he heard the phone scrape on something, and Ray's 
voice at a distance, when he looked across the way he 
realised Ray had the hand held C/B radio set. 
 "Shit!" 
 Then he ran back to the center of the roof and set 
himself, sitting on the clouds again finding the eye of the 
storm, still just out of range. 
 Ray was ranting every third word an obscenity as he 
expressed his opinion of having his city and home trashed. 
As Fraser watched, the eye of the storm picked up speed 
again, and then Ray was raising something high into the sky 
and window's exploded in the building he was on the roof off 
as lighting struck and gale force winds hit. Fraser felt his 
own building rock as it hit, and dropped the phone, bracing 
himself with his free arm, watching and waiting. 
 "Come on, come on.. " 
 Then Fraser was startled as music filled the air and he 
snatched up the phone to hear Ray cackling away. 

 Good God! Help us all 
 Cause Everybody's hearing it around the world 
 And we only wanna live 
 If you open your mind you'll hear it ringing 
 The Bell I hear the Bell 
 if you open your mind you'll hear it ringing. 
  
 "Hear that Benni.. Now *that's* hard Rock." 
 "Yes, I can hear it, but where is it coming from." 
 "The P.A of this building, I set it up to play the 
local Hard rock station full bore Benni.. . The moment that 
sucker blew out the window's they stopped blocking the 
sound..  Great track isn't it." 
 Fraser sighed and sighted on the cloud again. 
 -Yes! That's it, just a little closer.- 
  
 Need no messing around 
 We gotta break outta here before the sun goes down 
 But one thing I wanna say 
 Speak your mind don't live the life 
 Of a sheltered man. 
 With Love in our Hands 
 Then all the millions of people will understand 
 It's the one thing in our lives 
 So if you open your mind you'll hear it ringing. 

 "It is an.. interesting song, what is it?" 
 "I've got no Idea.. . But I like it..  The Bell, I 
hear the Liberty Bell," Ray sang along with the music." 
 "Ray, its in Range *NOW*" 
 "Goodie.. " 
 Then a rocket shot across the sky. 
 "That's for Liberty.. " 
 Fraser sighed and tracked the rocket across the sky and 
as expected, it missed. He fired and missed. Both men cursed 
and reloaded, Ray singing along with the music as he 
prepared to fire again. 
 "This ones for Francessca!" Ray roared as he fired. 
 He missed and Fraser brought his Stinger around for 
another shot at it, and sighted the storm, and his ears 
caught a change of music, as a Guitar wailed and he listened 
to it, waiting for the perfect shot, as Ray reloaded. 
 Don't Lose your head 
 don't lose your head. 
 No don't lose your head 
 Hear what I say. 
  
 -I'm afraid Ray's lost his.- 
  
 Don't lose your way, yeah 
 Remember Love's Stronger, 
 Remember Love walks tall. 

 -Tall!- 
  
 He scrambled to his feet and grabbed up the phone he'd 
set down. 
 "RAY!!!! Hold your fire, you won't hit it!!!" 
 After more than a few agonised seconds he heard Ray's 
voice. 
 "What do you mean? I thought I came pretty close with 
that last shot." 
 "I *remember* I *was* semi conscious, I had to tell 
her how to load and fire the launcher..  I saw her take it 
out, she couldn't hit it, till it passed *directly* over her 
head..  We have to fire at the belly of the beast to take it 
out." 
 "Now he tells me." 
 He saw Ray lower the Stinger and rub at his shoulder 
and back. 
 "God that thing's got a kick." 
 Fraser heard the song end and the announcers voice, 
then cut Ray off and dialled the number the announcer 
announced as being the request line and listened to a very 
vibey voice answer. He made his request and heard that vibey 
voice take on a disgusted drawl and then mentioned that he 
was trying to save the whole damn city and if he wanted to 
request something fluffy, they could damn well play it. The 
not so vibey phone gal hung up. Fraser dialled Ray back. 
 "Hey, Benni I lost you there for a while." 
 "Must be the storm Ray," he said lying through his 
teeth. 
 All right all you guy's and Gal's out there watching 
the skies this is a request from the guy in Red to the Green 
Eyed Italian across the way. 
 "Hey Benni..  Did you phone in a request." 
 "Yes, Ray." 

I can't fight this feeling any longer 
and yet I'm still afraid to let it flow 
What started out as friendship 
has grown stronger 
I only wish I had the strength 
to let it show 

I tell myself that I can't hold out forever 
I say there is no reason for my fear 
cause I feel so secure when we're together 
You give my life direction 
you make everything so clear 

 "I can't believe you got them to play something so 
fluffy." 
 Fraser laughed at that. 
  

And even as I wonder 
at keeping you in sight 
you're a candle in the window 
on a cold dark windless night 
And I'm getting closer 
than I ever thought I might 

And I can't fight this feeling any more 
I've forgotten what I started fighting for 
It's time to bring this ship into the shore 
and throw away the oars forever 
Cause I can't fight this feeling any more 
I've forgotten what I started fighting for 
And if I had to crawl upon the floor 
come crashing through your door 
Baby I can't fight this feeling any more 

My life has been 
such a whirlwind since I saw you 

 Then the music became a shrieking electronic static 
wail, and the phones shrieked with it. Fraser dropped the 
phone and fought the urge to cover his ears as he winced and 
sighted on the eye of the storm. He took a moment to look 
around to see Ray reaching for his launcher as a bolt of 
lighting streaked through the sky. His shout of rage and 
grief was drowned out in the immediate thunder clap as the 
lighting struck the roof of Ray's building. 
 Then he shook the after glare away and sighted, firing, 
and reloading, firing and reloading. He froze when he saw a 
second rocket streak across the sky and looked around to see 
Ray standing, not kneeling and lowering his launcher to 
reload. 
 His cry of joy was drowned out as another lightning 
strike and thunderclap shook the building to it's very 
foundations. He looked up and saw the last rocket miss its 
target as the eye of the storm moved in directly overhead. 
Up came his launcher and two rockets screamed through the 
sky as the lightning struck all around them, the buildings 
shuddered, rocking and swaying in the near cyclonic winds 
and Fraser fought to stay up, as he reloaded and looked 
around to see Ray doing it too. Then he saw Ray scoop 
something off the roof and bring it to his mouth, screaming 
into it. He doubted it was the phone, most likely the C/B 
and he raised his Stinger and sighted again, then looked 
across the way, seeing Ray raise his stinger. 
 They both locked their sights on the stinger, and 
fired. He lowered the stinger and reached for the belt, then 
looked down and realised he was out of Ammo. Then he looked 
up, dropping the stinger and crossed his fingers as the 
rockets streaked through the air and then passed *over* the 
eye of the storm. He cursed and looked over at Ray, still 
yelling away into the C/B nursing it on his shoulder as he 
reloaded the stinger, then swung it up on his shoulder and 
sighted. And then something incredible happened. The 
lightning and thunder ended, the shrieking winds that were 
part of the storm dropped and it was as if they really were 
in the eye of the storm. 
 The clouds parted in the eye and he had a temporary 
glimpse of the fantastic vessel that was the Storm Maker. 
 "And this one is for wrecking Fraser's Fluffy Stuff." 
 Fraser almost laughed, but his laugh caught in his 
throat as well as his breath as Ray fired and he watched the 
rocket streak up and up. Memory returned, of that day, ten 
years ago, of lying on the wet ground, watching another 
rocket streak upward, fired during the same moment in time, 
as the *real* eye of the storm passed over their heads, it 
was their last chance. There was no more ammunition, then 
and now, if it missed, they would never get another chance. 
 His hands raised, fingers crossed so tightly his 
fingers turned white, and didn't breath, wishing with all 
his might that this shot would hit it. That this shot would 
take it out. And then it happened, it *missed* skimming past 
the nose of that vessel. 
 He heard Ray hurling down the launcher and then popping 
sounds and looked across the way and laughed, it was all he 
could do as he watched Ray fire round after round from his 
pistol at something he couldn't hope to hit. The music 
returned in a blast of sound. 
  
 Life is a mystery 
 Everyone must stand alone 
 I hear you call my name 
 and it feels like home. 
  
 He rushed to the side of the roof and looked down and 
around, then ran along the edge till he reached the flag 
pole sticking out of the roof. He dragged the rope up and 
then measured it and the gap between the buildings visually. 
 Ray tossed his gun down in disgust and scooped up the 
C/B again and yelled into it. 
 "So you win you bastard but hey, I'm the one who's 
getting the last laugh, Fraser wasn't the one who took the 
1st Storm Maker down." 
 Fraser climbed onto the ledge, wrapping the flag around 
himself and tying it off. 
 "It was his partner the broad who followed him around 
like a cat on heat! How do you like that, a Broad who 
couldn't hit the side of a barn if she was standing in front 
of it took your first Storm Maker out." 
 Fraser jumped off the ledge then backed off as far as 
the rope would allow then launched himself forward running 
to take a flying leap over the ledge and into the air. 
 "Fraser!!!!" 
 Ray ran to the edge and saw Fraser sail through the 
air, twisting as he went catching hold of the rope as it 
carried him over the gap then the mad Mountie was passing 
through a shattered window and into the building. 
 "Fraser you are Insane!!!" 
 He waited for Fraser to reappear and just when he 
thought the man had managed to kill himself the rope went 
slack and slid away, dragging the flag with it. He let out a 
pent up breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding when 
Fraser peeked through the frame, gripping it to hold himself 
up as he looked up at him, waved then disappeared back into 
the building. Satisfied that his friend was safe and semi- 
fine Ray returned to his ranting. 
 "And another thing you *Moron* the woman is *dead* 
D.E.A.D, you came all this way, wreaked all this havoc and 
devastation for nothing! The person you want vengeance 
against ain't here, never was, and never will be, because 
she's dead!! You hear me. You may have won the battle, but 
you lost the war, because what you want, what you came all 
this way and devastated this city to do is beyond your 
reach. So enjoy your *victory*.. .it's a pretty hollow 
one." 
 Then he threw the CB away and walked away from the edge 
to see the door burst open and Fraser burst through it and 
race toward him. He didn't even try to stop the Mountie from 
wrapping his arms around him, then he felt something sliding 
across his back, and Fraser was pulling away. 
 He gaped then slapped himself in the head as he 
remembered taking the rifle from the car to blow the locks 
off the door of the building they were standing on. Fraser 
raised it, sighted and fired, round, after round after round 
at the fantastic aircraft that hovered over them. He fired 
until there was nothing left to fire and a pile of spent 
shells were clustered around their feet then he tossed the 
rifle down and growled in frustration. 
 "You took that insane leap through space just to make 
that futile gesture of defiance..  Benni - That was.. " 
 "Not futile.. Look!" 
 He pointed up into the sky, Ray spun looking up and his 
eyes widened as he saw the futuristic aircraft's nose 
dipping, as it started falling from the sky, a trail of fire 
racing across it's belly. 
 "Ohmig-d! You hit it! You did it!" 
 He threw himself at Fraser hugging him. 
 "You took him out!" 
 Fraser wrapped his arms around Ray as he staggered back 
a foot or two, then his hands moved, and he was cupping 
Ray's head, and pulling it up for a kiss. 
 How long it went on for he never really knew, Ray 
didn't seem to mind in the slightest and returned it measure 
for measure and it only broke up when very building in the 
block shuddered and a huge explosion rent the area, as the 
Storm Maker crashed to earth and went up in a ball of flame. 
 Then and only then did it break up, and Ray giggled as 
he nuzzled Fraser's neck. 
 "Did the Earth move for you too, Benni?" 
  
   *----*----*----* 

 The End.. (for now) 

 Copyright Red Skye December 30, 1997 
 ===================================================== 
 Continued in Eye of the Storm II 
  

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