Helix By Todd Kelley EPISODE 8 "The Bajoran In The Windy City" TEASER: IT WAS ALL SO SIMPLE THEN Ian Rojeti was led through the Promenade of Tarok Nor in shackles, and surrounded by four armed Cardassian guards. The other tattered and beaten Bajoran prisoners looked on in sympathy and dread. It was known that the 'walk through the Promenade' was the prelude to execution or worse. It was a way of showing the natives who was in charge, and what happened to those was resisted the Cardassian Occupation of Bajor. From what he could piece together, his grandmother, who was known as a friend to the Cardassian military, was actually an agent for the Bajoran Resistance. She had managed to be extracted from Bajor by the Resistance before the authorities could get her. But he was not so lucky. He had just arrived at Tarok Nor to deliver needed supplies for the . (Ore Processing Operation), when an armed detail took him into custody. As they made their way through the bowels of the station and into one of the cargo bays, Ian came face to face with what many Bajorans believed to be the devil himself, Gul Limmec. He stood ominously at almost seven feet tall and sported a wide massive frame, which eclipsed everyone around him. He walked toward Ian, studying his message pad. "Well, well, what do we have here?" he punched a few keys. "Ian Rojeti, age seventeen, provisional cargo shuttle pilot for Occupational Services. He handed the message pad to one of his subordinates. "Do you know why you're here, son?" Ian shook his head feverishly. He couldn't contain is terror. "Your grandmother, Kari Rojeti was one of my most trusted liaisons to the Bajoran people. I loved her like a family member. It's the reason why you were spared the…" he smiled. "…unpleasantries of the Occupation. Twelve hours ago, I received information that Kari gave vital information of a Bajoran Resistance Cell, which enabled them to unleash a deadly virus to an entire fleet of Cardassian ships. It was quite brilliant, actually. You see, they infected Bajoran slaves aboard the ships. Since it was DNA specific, it was only deadly to Cardassians." Limmec approached the boy and stared directly into his eyes. "Two of my three sons- both loyal Cardassian officers, died from the virus. And I will hunt down all those involved and make them pay!" he backed away just as another Cardassian entered the room. "Unfortunately, the Bajoran scum were able to get Kari off Bajor before I could get her. But, on the bright side, I now have you." When he smiled, Ian felt like her was going to vomit. There were stories he'd heard of what Limmec did to prisoners to amuse himself. "Ian Rojeti, let me introduce you to Dr. Malaan." A small, gangly Cardassian appeared alongside Limmec. "He's one of the foremost leaders on inter-species genetic engineering. He's been put in charge of experimenting and cataloging Bajaran effects to Cardassian illness. And you will be his test subject." "No!" Ian cried as he struggled to get loose of his shackles. "Hold him, please." The Doctor said and the armed guards restrained him as Malaan pulled a large, sharp object from his coat. "There's no time like the present to get started. This is a genetic restructuring of the Ogun virus your people used on us. Now, lets see was happens when the tables are turned, hmm?" Ian tried to pull himself free, but the guards were too strong. "There's no need to fight, child. I promise… the pain will be…. tolerable." The large object was violently pushed into his neck. Ian screamed in agonizing pain…     Ian's eye opened wide to find himself staring up and Jann Jaxa's face. "Calm down, kid. You're having a bad dream." She said restraining his shoulders to the bed. "You're back on the transport." "How long was I out?" he asked in a scratchy voice. "Six hours. I came in to wake you for your shift in the pilot's seat and I found you flailing around the bed. It must've been a doozy." "I was back on Tarok Nor with Gul Limmec. It was seven years ago, when I was first given to Dr. Malaan for testing. I know it's because we just left from Deep Space Nine for this supply mission. But being there, it brought back a lot of unpleasant memories, you know?" Jann just nodded. She wanted to say something to comfort her partner, but she knew it would be impossible. She remembered all too well, what Bajoran prisoners under the custody of Gul Limmec went through on the daily basis. She had been brought to him after she released the 'Ogun' virus on a horde of Cardassian soldiers during the Occupation. The torture she received during those three months was something she would pay to get wiped from her memory. But Ian probably had it the worst. After growing up as one of the Bajoran elite who's family was spared in exchange for cooperative actions, he never knew the true impact of the Occupation on his people. That is, until his grandmother was exposed. To make a point to all those who would oppose Cardassian rule, Ian was taken into custody and given to Gul Limmec's 'Testing' facilities. The excruciating torture he endured was something she could never fathom. And when she first met him as his new caregiver, she did her best to make him comfortable. They had both experiences hell in it's truest form. In a way, it made them kindred spirits, and would always link them like brother and sister. "I usually have the nightmare about twice a month." Jann confided in him. "It's always about that day Kyle and Alex rescued us from the 4th Order. I'm in the cargo bay and I'm running to Kyle's arms, when Limmec steps out of the shadows and grabs me. He kills Kyle with a disrupter shot and then starts to beat me…" Before she could finish the tale, the ship to rocked by a strong jolt. They both fall to the floor. Quickly, the RED ALERT sound sprang to life. "Jem'Hadar!" they both said in unison, making their way to the door.     When they reached the bridge of the modified Starfleet Runabout, they found that the entire crew unconscious. They quickly fell into the roles which they played as a part of Team Helix. Jann started to check the bodies around them, while Ian pulled the lifeless body out of the navigator's chair and assumed the controls. "I'm reading six Jem'Hadar fighters! The support Starships are engaging them!" Ian called out. "We've lost shields and there's massive hull breaches on the lower decks." He looked back at his partner. "We've lost our cargo!" Jann quickly scanned the crew with her mini tricorder. "I've got a dead captain and three ensigns! The rest are alive but need some attention quick!" Another jolt sent the instruments around them exploding and catching fire. Ian accessed what was left of the computer. "I'm reading a M-Class asteroid in this system! I think we can make it!" "Then that's where we're headed! Set a course- maximum velocity!" "What about the rest of the fleet?" Jann made her way to a working console. "I'm sure they've picked it up too. But I'll relay the information, just in case. There's nothing else we can do, except save ourselves." "Acknowledged!" Ian took the modified runabout into the asteroid field, followed by a Jem'Hadar fighter. The Dominion ship took potshots at the damaged shuttle as it weaved and bobbed its way through the thick asteroid field. "Jann!" Ian called out as another blast from the enemy sent his ship rocking. "I can't land this thing with that fighter on our tail!" "I'll try and…" Suddenly, another blast sent Ian's console into a massive explosion. His chair was uprooted and he was sent flying across the room. Jann rushed to him and checked his vitals. "Internal bleeding… Damaged lungs…. Ian, you've got to hold on! You've got to…." She looked up at the view screen and saw that they had pierced the asteroid's atmosphere and were rocketing down toward the rocky surface. She had to think fast. She quickly rerouted the navigational controls to a free console. "Engaging atmospheric thrusters!" But then she looked up again at the view screen and saw that it was too little, too late. "This isn't gonna be good…" The Runabout crashed onto the asteroid….     At first everything was still dark. Then, Ian heard himself gasping for breath. There was the sound of a woman crying in the distance. He was laying face down, now. He pushed upward and braced himself for the pain in his face from the explosion, but now it was all in the back of his head. He felt the back of his skull and knew from instinct that it must be blood. He opened his eyes and saw blurred color's around him. "Jann?" Ian called out. He pulled himself up until was leaning against the wall. As his vision started to clear started to notice his surroundings. The room appeared to be from the earth's 20th century. He knew from the various holodeck programs he accessed on the period in Earth's history. How'd I get in a bathroom? And why am I on the holodeck? he thought. He looked around as his vision began to clear. And as he looked into the mirror beside him, he realized it was another face staring back at him. The glass was foggy, but he could tell it was a different face! The door to the bathroom flung open and a woman carrying a very large gun walked in. She was wearing an evening dress, but it was covered with mud. "By the Prophets." Ian gasped. He woman was unmistakable. "Is… is that you, Mia?" The woman smiled and pointed the gun at him. "Well, well, well. You are a hard one to kill, aren't you Mr. Hill!" He raised his hands instinctively in the air. "Who?"     ACT 1: DIXON HILL, AT YOUR SERVICE   "Knuckles!" the seductress called out. In a matter of seconds, a large henchman with no neck appeared behind her. "It seems the detective is more wiry than you first thought!" "I....uh......I..." Knuckles stuttered, trying to find an excuse. "He wasn't movin' after I hit 'em, so I thought...." "I DON'T PAY YOU TO THINK!" the lady cried out. "Now, since you can't do the job correctly, it looks like I'll have to do my own dirty work. Take him out front." "Yes, Madam!" Knuckles replied. At the point, Ian managed to get a good look at the henchmen's face. The spots along the sides of his face were gone, but it was him. "Kyle? Do you recognize me?" he said in shock. "Shut ya friggin' hole!" The henchman shouted as he grabbed the back of Ian's bloodied collar with his massive hand and dragged him into the next room. The living room was small, yet elegant in appearance. Champagne glasses and empty food platters cluttered the large dining table, and the room had a hint of perfume. The faint sounds of Duke Ellington played in the background. A giant painting of Chicago hung over the fireplace, and the wood below had burned to red hot cinders. Knuckles tossed Ian in the corner, but almost stumbled over the small white tiger, floor rug in front of him. Ian tumbled onto the hard wood floor and into the corner. He felt disoriented again. "Tie him up!" he heard the Madam ordered. His hands and arms were quickly bound, and then he was sat upright. "Uh, can someone please explain what's going on here? I seem to be a little out of it!" Ian exclaimed. He struggled to loosen his hands, but it was no use. "Please Mr. Hill. I don't feel like playing games, anymore." she said sliding a cigarette from her handbag. Knuckles quickly grabbed a Zippo from his pocket and lit it. "First you knock off three of my favorite men, then you make us chase you through that dreadful muddy field, and now you don't have the courtesy to stay dead when we kill you. Honestly, you're starting to become very annoying." Ian is the first to hear the rumbling in the distance. It grows louder until a large subway train roars passed the window. The lights dim slightly and the living room trembles violently. The half full champagne glass waddle across the table until they reach the edge. The train disappears from the window and fades into the distance. "Please..." Ian said. "...I don't know what's happening. One minute I'm in the middle of a firefight with the Jem'Hadar, and then I woke up in that bathroom, and...." The woman sighs. "Mr. Hill. This is getting very tiresome. But since I'm a fair woman, I'll give you one more chance." She walked over to him and gracefully knelt until they are face to face. "All you have to do is tell me where you hid the money, and maybe I'll set you free." "Mia, please..." She slapped him in a fit of anger. "Knuckles, bring in the girl! It's time to leave!" The henchman left the room , and then the Madam quickly stood up and went into the bathroom. The front door opened again and Knuckles reappeared dragging an unconscious woman in a dropped her in the corner. Ian gazed at the redheaded woman in shock. "Jann!" he cried trying to struggle over toward her. It was Jann Jaxa all right. The ridged, Bajoran nose was changed and her hair was different, but it was clear that the woman unconscious next to him was his partner. "What the hell is going on?" His attention was quickly diverted to the other lady who had just returned from the bathroom. She had slipped out of her muddied evening dress and into a black jumpsuit. Knuckles grabbed her fur coat from the couch and draped it over her shoulders. "Mia… uh, Madam, please. I honestly don't know what's happening." Ian said. "All I remember is waking up in the bathroom. Honest." The Madam reached for another cigarette. Knuckles immediately lit it. "So you want me to believe the Knuckle's attack has done something to your memory, huh? O.K., I'll play along." she replied with a seductive grin. She nodded toward Knuckles and pointed to the bedroom. The henchman left the room. "O.K., Mr. Hill. I am known affectionately as Madam Q. I'm in the business of..... repossession- preferably lost and stolen items." She leaned against the white-leather couch and picked up a Champaign glass. "A week ago, you intercepted my employer's precious shipment of grain whiskey. According to him, you destroyed several crates of his alcohol with a baseball bat, and stole $8000.00 in cash from the driver. He's hired me to recover his money." She gently sipped the champaign until the glass was empty. "I whipped up this little party to bring you to me. And when you wouldn't cooperate, Knuckles was suppose to take care of you. Unfortunately, he's not the sweetest cupcake in the package, so I'll have to kill you myself." "Kill?" Ian repeated. "Kill!" the Madam replied with a fiendish grin. Knuckles reappeared from the bedroom carrying a large bundle of dynamite. He set it on the floor near the dinning table and stretched the unusually long fuse across the room to the front door. "You won't get away with this, Madam!" Ian knew it was a stupid thing to say, but it was the only thing he could think of. She laughed. "I'm afraid there's nothing you can do, Mr. Hill. After lighting the fuse, we'll have just enough time to exit the building and drive away before you and your assistant are blown to bits." She walked to the front door. "Good-bye, Mr. Hill. You were a good adversary. Unfortunately, not good enough." She nodded to Knuckles and made a dramatic exit from the room. Ian started to squirm feverishly. He knew his only chance was to wrestle his hands free. He looked up and saw Knuckles strike a match. "Kyle, listen to me. Someone's done something to us. You have to untie us before you do something you're gonna regret." The henchman smiled as he knelt and lit the end of the fuse. It sparked to life and started to burn across the floor toward the mound of explosives. Knuckles laughed and slammed the door shut. Ian heard the Madam's car drive off, but he was hysterically watching the fuse grow shorter and shorter. He turned to the gorgeous redhead who was still unconscious. "Jann! Wake up!" he shouted at her over and over. She didn't move. The fuse's spark rounded the couch and passed by the end table. Ian frantically scooted along the waxed floor. He had to intercept the burning fuse and somehow put it out. It burned passed the end table and onto the white tiger throw rug. He turned back at the unconscious woman. "Hey! Wake up! Wake the hell up!" She still didn't move. It climbed over the tiger's head and onto the wooden floor, passing by Ian's legs. He held his breath and raised his bound feet to reach for the burning fuse. His shoes barely scraped the end of it. As the spark passed closely, Ian stomp in it, repeatedly rubbing his soles along the fat string. The spark reached his left shoe and then seem to disappear. He exhaled with a slight grin. The redhead softly moaned. Her head shifted from one side to the other. "Now you wake up, huh?" he whispered, still gasping for breath. He slowly lifted his feet to study the fuse. At first, it looked like it was smoldering. But then Ian saw the tiny cloud of smoke ignite into a spark again. "NO, NO, NO!!!" He screamed in panic. The fuse flared to life and continued it's journey. Ian was caught off guard, and it was moving too fast for him to catch it. He knew he didn't have time to reach to door. The spark would pass by the dinning table and then have a direct path to the dynamite. He turned to the woman again. "Jann! By the Prophets, help me!" She rolled her head slightly and moaned again, but he knew it wasn't going to be enough. Without warning, the lights in the living room began to dim. That's when Ian heard the faint rumble in the distance. The spark moved under the dinning table... The train's roar started to shake the house again. He turned to see it race pass the window. The furniture went into convulsions. The champaign glass tipped over and fell to the floor. The burning fuse appeared from under the table. The falling glass shattered on the wood surface, remaining champagne droplets splashed over the explosives and the fuse. Ian turned to see the spark reach the dynamite. He squeezed his eyes shut and waited for the big bang. But there was none. He squinted over at the explosives. The fuse was gone, and only a thin line of smoke rose from the dynamite. "By the Prophets, thank you!" he cried out. His body went limp from emotional exhaustion.     It took him a half an hour to wrestle out of the ropes. His wrists and ankles were bloody from being bound so tightly. He grabbed the dynamite sticks and carried them to the bathroom. He dropped them in the toilet and shut the lid. "Better safe than sorry..." He went the mirror and decided to get a look at his new face. He was a lot older; maybe thirty-ish. He had a baby-like face with a serious five o'clock shadow. "Dixon Hill." He whispered to himself. "Why do I look like Dixon Hill?"     He grabbed the woman and brought her into the bedroom. He gently laid her on the bed and tried to revive her. She frowned and moaned when he touch her head. He assumed she received the same treatment he got at first. She mumbled a few words and then began to open her eyes. She blinked and then focused on him. "Welcome to the land of the living." he said with a smile. "I thought you were dead, Jann. But I'm guessing you really aren't my Jann, are you?" "Boss......" she whispered. Her words were hard to decipher. "....saw...... Boss." Ian figured she was talking about the man Madam Q was working for. He hated the fact that this was all new to him. He fantasized, and even acted out scenarios like this on the holodeck. But at that moment, there wasn't anything fun about the situation. "You saw him? Who is he?" Ian asked. "Don't...... know....... who. Just...... saw..... nails. Steel....... fingernails......." She let out one last moan and then fell silent. Ian rose to his feet. A fine chill ran down his back. He knew who The Boss was now. He had faced him too many times before. But that was on the holodeck. That was make-believe. This time, for some unknown reason, it was looking like the real thing. "... Tiger Claw."     ACT 2: GIVE ME THE SKINNY "Let me get this straight, Dix..." the redhead named Gloria exclaimed. "You're not Dixon Hill, the cute, dashing and famous P. I. Your a kid named Ian Rojeti from a planet called… I wanna say Bagger?" "Bajor..." Ian corrected her. "Bajor. You woke up in the bathroom in Dix's body and now you don't know where you are. Oh, and also, I'm your friend and my real name is... Jaxan?" "Jaxa.. Jann Jaxa.." "Jann Jaxa, and I'm also from... Bajor. Is that what your sayin?" "Yeah..... I guess. Oh, also Madam Q and Knuckles are also my…." He frowned in confusion. "…old friends." Ian replied as he poured Gloria another glass of wine. "Don't' worry. I don't understand any of this either. I use to pretend I was Dixon Hill on the Helix's holodeck. But I don't remember this story." He walked around and ran his hands along the walls. "This objects feel too real to be holograms. Something must've happened when…." Ian tried to go back in his mind and retrace his actions before he revived. "Something happened… But a can't remember…" "Stop it, Boss. You're givin' me the sick-willies." After Gloria had awaken from their ordeal ten minutes before, they exchanged information about the current situation. She, and Detective Hill had been invited to the party by a 'secret admirer'. When they arrived, they were ambushed and interrogated. Unfortunately, the villains got everything they needed out of Gloria. "I told 'em that you had a hide-out somewhere on the north side and that Knuckles guy put my lights out!" she said sipping her wine. "Next thing I know, I'm here.... with you." The plot was all too familiar. Ian had lived it time and time again in the Mystery Detective Holo-Novels he had purchased from a Federation Outpost. Every story found Dixon Hill in the middle of some type of mystery and the super detective had to use his wits to survive. Out of the 37 episodes Ian had engaged in, he had come across Mr. Tiger Claw over a dozen times. He was 'Old Earth' Chicago's most notorious crime boss. His influence spanned the entire east coast of the Northern continent and the local authorities were helpless against him. Only the brains and brawn of Dixon Hill could stop him from taken over the world– well, at least Southside Chicago… Ian had to follow the basic principles of the other stories. The holo-program would end when Dix solved the crime, and in this case, it had to start by finding out what actually happened to Tiger Claw's money. "Did you here them say anything else?" Ian asked. "That Q lady has a meeting with her partners at midnight. She said it was at 'The Big Room'". "Then that's where I'm going." Ian said heading for the living room. He stopped in the bedroom doorway. "Uh, do I have a car?" "Of course you do!" Gloria climbed out of bed and followed him. "But...you don't know where 'The Big Room' is, Dix?" "Of course I do." Ian smiled. "It's the only place a stereotypical gangster villainess would meet her partners at the stroke of midnight." "We'll I'm stayin' here." Gloria said pouting. "This body wasn't made for crime-fighting." "Actually, I'm gonna need you to come with me." "Why?" "I don't think I know how to drive..."     The warehouse at Pier 13 was exactly how Ian pictured it. The dimly lit boardwalk was barely visible through the thick fog rolling in from the harbor. Three cars were parked in the shadows. One of them was a large, white luxury model. Ian knew it had to be Madam Q's. "How are ya gonna deal with them all by your lonesome, Dix?" Gloria asked with concerned eyes. "Don't worry. I just need to know what they know about the money. That's the only way we're gonna be able to find it before them." "But how ya gonna get in? They gotta have hired muscle walkin' around everywhere!" Ian reached into his pocket and pulled out his Dixon Hill Special revolver (which he acquired from his former foe: "Arkus, The Mad Martian from Dementia-7" in issue #41. But that's another story...). "If my memory serves me correctly, the bad guys always meet in the warehouse at a tiny, lit table to talk business. There's always a backdoor they forget to lock, and a pile of crates to hide behind." He grabbed his hat from the back seat. "I need you go find the cops and bring him here." "Gotcha! I can get 'em, Dix!" He gave her a quick kiss and climbed out of the car, disappearing into the fog     The backdoor was unlocked, just at he had thought. He quietly slipped in through the shadows and crouched behind three wooden crates. He peeked over the top crate and watched four criminals sitting at a card table, plotting their next scheme. They were all there, just like Ian remembered from Mystery Detective Holo-Novels #200 (the anniversary issue). Poker Face, the man who could stare you to death! Pixie Stick, so skinny, no jail cell could hold him! Ghost, the albino hitman from Jersey's Eastside. And at the head of the table; the infamous Madam Q. "Why did you blow 'em up, Q? He was the only one who knew where the money was!" Ghost yelled pacing the floor. "Because, he was dangerous, rude and very uncooperative. Besides, we got everything we needed from the redhead." The Madam reached into her briefcase and pulled out a manila envelope. "We searched Hill's office and found this piece of paper in the girl's desk. It's the combination to his safe." The criminals crammed around the paper with anticipation. "But we don't know where the safe is!" Pixie said stroking his five o'clock shadow. "Mr. Claw gave us twenty-four hours to find his money, and we're almost out of time!" "Aw shut up, Skinnyman!" Poker Face mumbled through his chiseled stare, a deck of cards shuffled through his fingers with lightning speed. "The Madam always has a plan." "That's right, boys. I do have a plan. A plan that's gonna make us all rich." Ian wiped his sweaty palms on his khaki pants. All he needed was to hear where the money was hidden and he would be able to leave. "When we ruffed up the broad, she let it slip that Hill had a little hideaway on the north side. Someplace he calls 'The Shack'. If there was anyplace he'd hide the money, it would be there!" Ian smiled. That was all the information he needed. Recalling Mystery Detective Holo-Novel #6 (his favorite issue), 'The Shack' was the old abandoned steel factory on 5th street. He started make his exit, when the back door began to creep open. Ian retreated back into the shadows and watched Knuckles quickly walk toward the gathering of super criminals. "Boss! Something's gone wrong!" he said reaching the table. "What have you done this time?!" Mia Q angrily shouted, rising out of her seat. "I just got a call from Vinnie the Stooly! He was walking by the old apartment, and.....and......" "And what, you idiot!?!" "It's still there! There wasn't no explosion!" Madam Q slammed her fists on the table. "Curse you, Dixon Hill! Somehow you got away, AGAIN!" Poker Face's poker face was broken. "That means he's on the loose again. As far as we know, he could be running with the money right now!" "Not exactly, my impulsive Poker Face." a voice called out from the darkness. Ian's heart jumped. It was a stranger's voice, but very familiar. It was calm and collective, but still represented the most dangerous criminal of them all. "Detective Hill isn't the type to take the money and run. He would prefer to enter his enemy's camp and catch them off guard." The voice surrounded Ian. He tried to control his panic, but his rapid breathing was gonna give him away soon. He caught movement in the shadows in front of him. The figure was silhouetted in the darkness, except for the hand that reached for the table; the steel finger-talons sparkling in the lamp's light. "Mr. Tiger Claw!" Madam Q said startled. "We... I didn't expect you to come so soon." She nervously slid the manila envelope into his grasp. He examined the combination. "Always expect the unexpected with Tiger Claw, my dear." Ian felt trapped. He couldn't see his arch-villains eyes, but he knew they were looking at him. He slowly backed away from the crates and headed for the door. In his fit of nervousness, his foot got caught in a mesh of wires. He stumbled backwards onto a pile of crates and they fell apart, revealing his hiding place. Ian looked up to see the assembly of criminals staring down at him in shock. "What the... how in the hell did he find us!" Madam Q exclaimed backing up into the shadows. "Never underestimate your enemy, my dear. Especially when he's been trained by the best." Tiger Claw replied. Ian rose to his feet and pulled out his piece. He could hear footsteps approaching from outside. He was trapped....again. "Don't move, people!" Ian said raising his Dixon Hill Special revolver at them. "I ain't afraid to use this!" Once again, the cheesy crime drama clichés seem to run from his mouth. "Now, before this gets ugly, I'll take that combination, Tiger Claw." The gangster placed the envelope on the table. Ian quickly grabbed it and stepped away. The back door flung open and three goons ran in. "Don't move or your boss gets it!" Ian yelled. "Do as the detective says, boys." The Madam calmly said. The men complied. "Now, we're all gonna stay here until the cops get here." Ian said. "So we meet again, Mr. Hill!" Tiger Claw said from the shadows. "Yeah, but this is the last time!" Another cliche rose from his throat. "This is it for you! I'm sending you the big house!" Good one... Suddenly, there was a faint siren ringing in Ian's ears, but he didn't recognize it as a police siren. It was almost hypnotic. "Step out of the dark, Tiger Claw. Let's get a good look at you!" "As you wish." the villain responded. When he appeared in the light, Ian's mouth dropped. Now, he understood why the voice sounded familiar, and why it frightened him. It was a voice, which haunted him in his reality. The voice of the man and memories he could never seem to escape. "Gul Limmec?" Ian whispered. "Charge 'em up!" a voice inside Ian's head called out. He jumped from being startled. "We're gonna need to move 'em quick once the others clear the way!" "Who was that?" Ian asked. The villains in front of him just stared in confusion. "What was what?" Tiger Claw answered with a long. Cold Cardassian stare. "That voice!" he exclaimed. "Everybody step back!" The mystery voice called out again. "You had to have heard that!" Ian voice grew uneasy. "Clear..." Ian's body suddenly sprang into convulsions. He quickly went limp and toppled to the warehouse floor- his revolver falling from his grasped. His limbs flopped around like fish out of water. He could see the villains were still hadn't made a move, so Ian tried to reach for his gun again. "I'm gonna have to hit 'em again. Clear!" Another shock hit him and his body, once again and contorted in pain. His legs twisted and kicked his gun out of reached. As the seizures calmed, Ian was able to see Madam Q reach down and pick up his gun. He wanted to try and stop her, but his body was useless. Whatever hit him had left him for a sitting duck. "Somebody… help… me…" Ian whispered as he began to lose consciousness. The last thing he could remember was Madam Q drawing the gun on him, and Mr. Tiger Claw standing over him and bellowing a sinister laugh. Everything went black…     He heard the sounds of phaser fire and explosions coming toward him from the distance. His chest ached and his body was still slightly twitching. He opened his eyes to see a familiar face sitting over him. " Gloria..." Ian whisper. "Don't try to talk, Ian. Save your strength." Jann Jaxa said as she injected a sedative into his neck with a hypo-spray . "You got us down, kiddo, but you were injured in the crash. I've been working on you for about twenty minutes. We'll get you patched up as soon as the rescue team lands, so stay still." She stood up and quickly made her way across the Starfleet camp to the commanding officer on the front-line. "Commander Weller!" she shouted to him over the sounds of war. "I've got too many wounded back there! If we don't get moving, I'm we're gonna lose them all!" "I understand, Doctor!" the Commander replied. "But the Jem'Hadar have was flanked from the rendezvous point!" he paused for a second to fire a volley of phaser shots at approaching Dominion troops. "It looks like our entire convoy was destroyed in the initial attack. We seem to be the only people who managed to escape. Luckily, the U.S.S. Defiant has arrived and will get us out of here as soon the Dominion ships in orbit are taken care of." Jann peaked over the dune ridge and watched as two dozen Jem'Hadar troops weaved their way through the rocky plans 50 yards away. "How long you think we can…" Before she could finish her question, she heard the portable Starfleet medical monitor go crazy. She turned to see Ian's body violently switching and the heart meter growing unstable. She quickly made her way to him and started to administer CPR. "Damnit, Ian! Don't do this to me!" she grabbed another hypospray and started to inject him when the massive explosion ripped through the campsite. Commander Weller and her officers on the front-line were blown into the air. Through the thick dust clouds, she could see wounded Starfleet officers reaching for weapons and continuing to fight. She wanted to join them, but the only thing that mattered was keeping Ian alive. One of the Starfleet nurses found his way to Jann's side. "The other patients are dead! We need cut our losses and retreat!" "No!" Jann yelled. I'm not leaving him! He's got severe damage in his chest area and I need you to help me stop the bleeding while I keep his lungs form collapsing!" "Limmec..." Ian called out harshly as a wave of pain brought him back to consciousness. He felt the fluid slowly pouring into his lungs. Jann grabbed another hypospray, when the nurse grabbed her wrist. "You inject him with another shot and it could kill him!" Jann yanked her arm loose. "If I don't, he'll go into shock and die! I have no choice!" After a few seconds of concerned thinking, the Starfleet nurse agreed. "Put him out. We gotta do this fast, the Jem'Hadar aren't far away!" Jann administered the hypospray sedative and Ian's muscles locked up. He grabbed her shirt collar and pulled himself up to her face. "Gotta… stop him…" he whispered in her ear, just as the sedative took effect. His body went limp and fell back to the makeshift bed Ian felt blackness again….     ACT 3: THE BIG GOOD-BYE ...the next minute, Ian felt very uncomfortable. He opened his blurry eyes to find himself, in a small chair, bound by a mesh of heavy ropes. He smelled blood. It was strong and heavy. When his vision cleared, he saw where the smell was coming from. Poker Face... Pixie Stick... Ghost... Knuckles... Madam Q... All dead... The last thing he remembered was being knocked unconscious at Madam Q's hideout. He wiggled in his ropes until his hands could reach into his coat pocket. He pulled out his trusty razor-blade (which was properly hidden so the criminals wouldn't find it), and slowly sawed at the ropes until they fell to the floor. After rummaging through the bodies and finding a gun, he tiptoed through the puddle of red until he was near the exit. He slowly recognized the place as his hideout, 'The Shack' on the northside. "The money..." he whispered. Ian felt his way through the darkness until he reached what appeared to be his office. The light was still on and he could hear someone rummaging through his desk. He gripped the gun tightly and kicked the door open. That's when he came face to face with his arch-nemesis once again. "Hold it right there, Tiger Claw!" Ian said raising the gun. Tiger Claw slowly turned around to face Ian. It was Gul Limmec all right, at least in a more human form. "Impossible..." Tiger Claw said beholding the super sleuth. "You were dead when the Madam checked on you." He looked back into the darkness. "Well, I guess the shoe's on the other foot, huh?" Ian said slowly moving into the room. "Oh yes." the villain smiled. "It seems I gave them all 24 hours to find my money. They were a tad bit late, so I killed them." When Tiger Claw smiled, it was just like Gul Limmec. It was the same smile he had seen just before every torturous beating he received. "You are the most evil man I've ever known!" Ian said, cocking the hammer of the gun. "You've done nothing but torment, torture and kill everyone I've ever loved. And I hate you. All this ends right now!" He wanted to squeeze the trigger and watch his tormentor die before his eyes. But he had to play out the scenario the way Dixon Hill would react. It was the only way of escaping.     Ian led Tiger Claw outside to the alley. The detective felt tired. He didn't know how much longer he could stay in this world, but he was going take care of Tiger Claw one way or the other. "You won't hurt anyone anymore." Ian said. "I won't let you." He could see the villain smiling under the glare of the bright street lights. "Come, come, detective. You actually think you could ever get rid of me?" he took a step back. "Before you came to me, you were an arrogant, spoiled, and soft the core. I took you and made you what you are today. Strong! Righteous! A warrior! You are these things because I brought them out of you!" he slowly reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a cigarette. "You don't seem to understand, boy. You can never get rid of me, because I'm a part of you. No matter where you go, Tiger Claw will always have a hold on you!" "Not this time, I'm afraid." Ian replied as a mass of police sirens filled the air. Ian smiled. "You here that? In a few minutes, it'll all be over. I have you pinned to the murders of your colleagues, attempted murder me and my friend, plus whatever I can beat out of you..." Ian's victory speech was cut short by the loud sound of engine blades from above them. A large, flying vehicle descended from the low clouds above, leaving Ian in shock. "You see, detective. I taught you everything you know, but I didn't teach you everything!" A rope ladder fell from the flying vehicle. "It's called a helicopter, detective. Another miracle of the modern age!" Tiger Claw grabbed the ladder as the chopper started to ascend. "This is where we say our big goodbye for now, Mr. Hill." Ian raised his gun in defiance. "Don't try it, or I swear I'll..." "...you'll do nothing." The copter slowly lifted the super criminal off the ground. "You should've checked to see if the gun had bullets. You would've realized I confiscated all the ammunition before my colleague's ...unfortunate accidents." Ian pulled the trigger, but nothing happened. "Noo!!" He knew he couldn't let it end like this. He ran and leaped for Tiger Claw's boots, but the criminal was already too high. "Farewell. We will meet again, Detective. In this life....and the other. Remember, a true hero can not exist without an arch-nemesis." Tiger Claw disappeared into the night's cloudy, darkened skies. The chopper's whirling blade faded and became drowned out by the sirens pulling into the alley. "This ain't over, Tiger Claw" Ian said putting away his gun and backing toward the approaching cop cars. "Maybe it's time I made an effort to hurt you, just as badly as you've hurt me." He lit a cigarette and watched as keystone cops poured into his formerly 'secret' hideout. "Detective!" he heard someone cry out. Gloria appeared from the crowd of police officers to race toward him. She gave him a big hug. "We though they offed you! When we reached the pier, you were already gone. Jeez, they said you were dead!" Ian smirked. "Why Gloria, you should know it takes more than a few super criminal's to put me to sleep." "That's for sure!" she looked around. "Where's Tiger Claw?" "Got away again, I'm afraid. But don't worry, he can't hide forever." Ian took a pull from his cigarette, but then started to caugh horribly. "Remind me to stop smoking." "So...you wanna grab a cup of coffee?" Gloria said staring deeply into his eyes. "Sounds good to…" before he could finish, the sound of strange voices began to creep into the head again. He paused and tried to focus. "…can you hear me?" the faint voice called out. "Did you hear that?" Ian asked Gloria, who was standing next to him. "Hear what?" she replied, lighting a cigarette. Ian stared down the darkened alleyway, as if to see who was speaking to him. "…come on, sweety. Open your eyes." The familiar voice called again. Something inside him told him to listen. It was a voice calling to him from home. It Glora's voice-- Jann's voice. "She's call me home." He whispered to himself. "You o.k., Dix?" Gloria asked him. "Yeah, I'm fine. Listen, I have to take a rain check on that coffee. It's late. Why don't you head on home." She nodded hesitently. "Sure thing, Dix." And as she started to walk away… "When will I see you again?" Ian smiled. "I'm sure it'll be real soon, Gloria." She smiled back and quickly made her way back to the mass of cop cars blocking the other end of the alley. "..come on, Ian. Open your eyes. Please…" the voice grew louder. That's when the bright, white light engulfed him….     The next moment, Ian found himself standing in complete nothingness. He was surrounded by bright white emptiness. "O.K., this does not look good." He whispered to himself. "Actually, it's quite the opposite, Mr. Hill." A familiar voice called from behind him. Ian turned to view his captor. "Madam Q?" he said startled. "Well…" the impostor said with a smile. "You have it half right." And in an instant, the woman's appearance morphed into the form of a strange man. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Q! Not to be confused with Q, Q, or Q! But you can called me Q." "What?" Ian said in confusion, watching the man in a Starfleet uniform circling him. Q sighed. "You life forms have no sense of interstellar humor." "What the hell am I doing here?" "If you must know, I'm saving your life." He snapped his fingers and a view screen appeared. "Remember this?" Ian watched as Q showed him what happened when the Jem'Hadar attacked his shuttle. He watched himself being caught in the console's explosion and Jann doing everything she could to save him. "Your lady friend wouldn't give up. Even though you died about six time during your stay on the asteroid." "So that whole mess with 20th century Chicago was your doing?" Q nodded. "I stand guilty. I posed as a Starfleet nurse and aided your friend in the surgery. I went into your mind to shield you from the pain, when I found a familiar memory in there." "Dixon Hill?" "Yes. A friend of mine, Jean-Luc loved the character. And being the fun, omnipotent being that I am, I decided to make it fun for you." "Fun?!" Ian grew aggravated. "Fun?! I was slugged in the back, tied up, manhandled and almost blown to bits. You call that fun?" Q smiled from ear to ear. "Of course! Besides, It wasn't all bad, right?" Ian tried to keep his composure, but a slight grin escaped. "Well, I have to admit, it was…. somewhat…." "go ahead, say it…." "It was… fun." "That's my boy!" "O.k., The real question is why? Why would a fun, omnipotent being like yourself bother with saving the life of a meager Bajoran man?" Q's grin disappeared. "After your little experience, it should be quite obvious." The picture on the viewscreen changed. Ian gazed upon the face displayed and snarled. "Lemmic? What does this have to do with him?" "It has absolutely nothing to do with him, and everything to do with you." "I don't understand…" "Of course you don't, humanoid. But you will in time. All you need to know at this time is that you're gonna play a big part in the preservation of the known universe." "Me? How?" Q snapped his fingers and the view screen disappeared. "All in good time, boy. All you need to do right now is get well." He turned and started to walk away, disappearing into the bright light. "And what after that." Ian shouted. "What am I suppose to do, Q?" Q turned and looked at the young Bajoran with another grin, this time it was fiendish. "If you remember anything from our little experience, remember this. You can't hide from your greatest fear forever. You already know what you must do." He snapped his fingers.     Jann stroked Ian's wet hair back along his head. It had been almost three hours since his fever broke and the repair to his chest had been completed. She had at by his bedside ever since the rescue team picked them up from the battlefield. Ian had remained unconscious the hold time. There wasn't anything she could do know, except wait and pray for him to make his way back to her. "Please, Ian. You have to open your eyes." She softly said to him just has he unexpectedly took a deep, gasping breath and began to cough. "That's it, kid. Come on back." When Ian first opened his eyes, he saw Jann's beautiful face staring down at him, "Where are we, Gloria?" he whispered to her. Jann smiled. "We're aboard the U.S.S. Defiant. And who's Gloria?"     EPILOGUE: IT ALL SEEMED SO REAL The Defiant docked at starbase Deep Space Nine for repairs two days later. As one of the main starships in the front-line of the Dominion War, the Bajoran outpost was a vital way-station for the repairs and supplies. "He's gonna be fine." Chief Medical Officer Dr. Julian Bashir told Jann Jaxa in DS9's medical facility. "Except for a minor internal infection, which should clear with time, everything looks O.K." he smiled at her. "You did a great job." She smiled back. "I was lucky. If it wasn't for those Starfleet Officers who held off the Jem'Hadar, we'd all be dead right now." She glanced over at Ian, who was getting dressed. "Well, in any case, he's gonna be fine and you're to thank for it. Great work." Bashir finished. "You can see him now." With a thankful nod, Jann made her way to Ian who had just grabbed his coat. "How ya feeling, Dix?" she asked him. "What?!" he replied in surprise. When he saw she was just joking, he pushed her in the arm. "You're not funny." "Do you remember anything else?" Ian wanted to tell her about his strange experience with the Q entity, but he thought it best keep it quiet until he could determine what actually happened. He shook his head. "No. It was weird. It was… so real. I mean, you and Mia and Kyle…" he shuttered. "…Limmec." Jann sighed. "From what Dr. Bashir and myself found, it seems there was a viral infection indigenous to the asteroid which linked itself into your central nervous system. It seems it was able to numb your pain receptors for the time being-- some type of chemical reaction in the brain." "Hallucinations?" "Most likely…" she helped him off of the bed. "In any case. It's all over." Ian shook his head. "No." he occasionally glanced up to make eye contact with his friend. "When we were with Team Helix, it was my understanding that we were gonna get a chance to go after Limmec-- make him pay for what he did you and me. Unfortunately, that never happened… Well, the team may be gone, but Limmec is still out there. And I'm never gonna be free of him until..." "…Until what?" Jann asked. Ian locked eyes with her in a long stare which actually scared her. "…until I bring him the Big Good-bye."   THE END Next Enter: Walter Chapel. Who is he, and why is he interested in Team Helix? Find out when he goes head to head with Mia in: "Interview With A Vulcan"