Johnny felt sick. He couldn't stop it. The media personality, Marshall Frost was dead, the believed assassin of Vice President Danbury during a hunting excursion. And Stillson came up smelling like a rose, or even worse, a hero. All staged for his benefit so he could be sworn in Danbury's place. And now Stillson was a heartbeat away from the one spot that Johnny had tried so hard to keep him from. The place that once he's there, will lead to Armageddon.
And right now he was staring back at one of the orchestrator of Stillson's rise to power. Janus.
He angrily said, his finger pointing at him, "You did this. You murdered the Vice President."
Janus just smoothly stated, "I prefer to see it as a liberation. The freedom to usher in new perspectives of leadership."
"You're insane."
"Again, I believe we'll have to agree to disagree.
John then asked, "Why let me in on it? You knew I'd see the truth."
"I thought I made that clear in our last conversation."
He then remembered the Bible with the highlighted quote bookmarked in it that was given to him a while ago, "The third ruler in the Kingdom."
Janus then pointed out, "Technically, you'd be number two, but everything's negotiable."
Thinking of Janus former compatriots and allies, his team from Vietnam, John hoped it would get to him, "Those people that you killed, they were your soldiers. Did you offer them a chance to negotiate their lives?"
It seemed to work since the other man grew more reflective, and it struck an inward blow, "Their mission was to serve the greater good of the unit. In that respect, they died heroes. We should all be thankful to pass with such dignity."
"Dignity? Is that what it took to poison Miranda Ellis on her wedding day? Or was she just more collateral damage on your way to the White House?"
"We have philosophical differences, I accept that, but at the core we both desire the same things. A safe and powerful land in which to raise our children and build our future. You've seen what we can accomplish without you, imagine the things we could do together.
He seemed to caught the gist of Janus words, and bluntly asked him, "Are you suggesting this was all some kind of audition for my benefit?"
He then explained, "Not an audition. A preview. The opening act of the greatest drama ever conceived by a man. An epic tale born of victory and penned in blood. You simply need to decide on which side of the curtain you'll stand.
"And if I turn away?"
Janus words grew harsh, cold and brittle as he warned, "You won't need psychic powers to see that future. There won't be one." He then got up, and strode toward the door to leave.
"Think it over, John, it's almost show time." He remarked as he left back for the shadows he seemed to have emerge from. A shoulder devil on Stillson, just further encouraging his own dark ambitions.
While Johnny was left in the lit room, considering his words, and what was meant by the threat. He needed to get out and get some air so he headed out a different door, only to see the bar laying in wait behind it.
Good, he really needed a distraction, and time to sort this out.
(ooc: Quotes taken from The Dead Zone, Season 5 episode, "The Hunting Party.") |