Day One Day Two Day Three Day Four Day Five Day Six Day Seven Day Eight

Checkmate

Gideon, astonished, grabs the front of his goggles in disbelief.

Tex takes off his goggles and looks at Gideon on the monitor. "Checkmate, Mr. Gideon."

Gideon slowly removes the goggles from his face and places them on the console in front of him. He reaches down and opens a drawer. Inside is a gun. Gideon takes it and stares at it apprehensively for a moment. Then, suddenly, a wild look comes into his eyes. Tex stands up steps away from the computer terminal.

A sliding door opens onto the catwalk that runs through the enormous Overlord computer room. J. Saint Gideon wheels through, a tray resting on his lap. He wheels toward Tex, as Tex walks across the catwalk to him. They meet halfway.

"Your case is finished," Gideon says. He looks down at the bottle on the tray. "I've been saving this to celebrate my success. I suppose I should drink to yours."

Gideon pours from a glass decanter into two glasses sitting on the tray. He hands one glass to Tex, then raises his own. "To the future," he toasts, and Tex and Gideon clink glasses. Gideon takes a swallow as Tex downs the whole thing.

Gideon reaches into his coat and pulls out two cigars. Tex gives a slight grin as Gideon hands one to him. Gideon sniffs the end of his cigar, then lights it and takes a puff. Tex simply puts his in the inside pocket of his coat.

Tex sets his glass back on the tray and moves around Gideon's chair. He begins walking back down the catwalk, but Gideon calls after him.

"Mr. Murphy."

Tex turns back and looks at Gideon. Gideon looks at the lighter in his hand, then tosses it to Tex.

"I shan't be needing it any more."

Tex backs his way down the rest of the catwalk and the door opens behind him. Gideon continues smoking his cigar as Tex backs through the door, and it closes in front of him.

Tex turns from the door and looks down at the lighter in his hand. He lights it. At the same time, a gunshot rings out from the other side of the door.

Click here to continue...