A Lunatic's Death
The Invaders fanfiction



Disclaimer: The Invaders, its universe and characters belong to their legal owners, who unfortunately aren't me. This is an unofficial fanfiction that is not officially endorsed in any way. It was written solely for enjoyment and I make no money with it.

Title
A Lunatic's Death
Status
Completed (29th January 2021)
Genre
Drama, science-fiction
Rating / warnings
Like the series itself: non-graphic death.
Spoilers
Big spoilers for Beachhead.
Characters
David Vincent, Alan Landers, sheriff Lou Carver, tiny mention of Kathy Adams
Summary

In an alternative universe, Alan didn't enter the old power plant alone. Instead, it was David who interrupted the aliens while they were removing their regeneration tubes.

January episode of David Vincent's monthly death.

Written for the Killing a character once a month of 2021 AO3 challenge, with the following prompt:

1. "Switching places" - Is there an iconic death in your fandom? Well, time to replace it with a different character. What about killing Harry Potter instead of Voldemord? Iris instead of H.R. in the Flash season 3? Or what about Obi-wan instead of Ben? Is there no iconic death in your fandom, then pull yourself lose. Is there a death from another fandom where your character could fit in? Do a crossover!

This story is also available on AO3.


Alan Landers thanked the nice old lady for her helpful information on where to find his friend, and he started walking on the road to the abandoned power station. His mind free to think in the calm silence of the night, he wondered what awaited him. Was any of what David had said on the phone true? Was there proof of an alien invasion in there? It sounded so… well, incredible. If David hadn't been a long-time friend on top of a colleague, Alan would've dismissed it all out of hand.

He hadn't made it half way to the hydroelectric plant when the town sheriff intercepted him: "Hey, you. You're a friend of Vincent, right? I'll ask you to come with me," Lou Carver demanded.

The sheriff's smug air unsettled Alan, but he wasn't one to question authority. He supposed sheriffs in small towns were more quirky than he was used to in the city –and to be frank, he understood how the man might see David, when Alan himself was having trouble taking his claims seriously.

"My name's Alan Landers," he introduced himself politely, "and yes, I'm a friend of David Vincent. A woman told me he's waiting for me at the power station?"

"Well then I can arrest him for trespassing when he comes back. There's nothing there, the plant's been empty since it closed. Now please come with me to my office."

Sheriff Carver seemed to ready himself for a struggle, and Alan frowned. "What for? Am I under arrest?"

"No, but your friend has been disrupting the town's peace, rebelling against authority and actively fleeing the law. I need to ask you a few questions."

There really was nothing Alan could do, so with a resigned sigh, he climbed into the sheriff's car.


David stared in horror at Kathy Adams. She was one of them! How could he have been so naive? She had manipulated him from the start, and now they were going to kill Alan! Shock, disgust –at her for what she was, at himself for having liked her–, anger and fear swirled in his mind. But mostly, worry for his friend.

He darted out of the bar and searched for Alan at his car, at the hotel. He was nowhere in sight. There was only one last possibility: David ran all the way to the power plant, shouting Alan's name on top of his lungs.

He barely registered the big truck parked in the yard, only quickening his course; once inside however, he slowed down, all senses in alert. As he could see no sign of Alan from up the stairs, he climbed down silently, and tentatively inched forward to the room where he'd seen alien apparatus earlier.

Several men –no, aliens– were taking down the installation and carrying the transparent tubes and metallic poles away; only one of the devices still stood intact. The aliens all had similarly unremarkable facial features, all wore the same blue-green coveralls, all sported the same empty expression, and all worked in silence. There was, however, no sign of Alan.

David cautiously backed away. As he turned to leave, he came face to face with two more aliens, and before he could run, two more from the back closed in on him. He was surrounded.

He couldn't let them win. He needed to escape. He dashed forward, trying to push past the aliens, but they were just too many for one man. Two of them immobilised his arms, while a third grabbed him by the neck and forced him to walk to the last remaining machine.

The more David tried to free himself, the tighter the aliens held him. Combining their efforts to overcome his struggle, they led him to the strange pole raising from the ground. As its crystalline tips reacted to the proximity of his body and glowed, and the tube started to slid down, David doubled his efforts one last time in desperation.

He snatched his right arm away, punched the alien on the left, freed himself from the third one and rushed away from the sinister implement. But the fourth alien caught up with him and held him long enough for the others to secure him fully. They pushed him back into the machine; the transparent tube went down to surround David, and it was too late.

He screamed as the bright red energy engulfed him and stopped his heart.


At the sheriff's office, Alan answered Carver's questions as best he could. Of course, he knew how David sounded, but please give him a chance. David had claimed there was some kind of proof at the plant, and it was where he was supposed to be anyway: they should both go there and hopefully, everything would become clear.

The sheriff agreed with Alan's reasoning, if only because it meant a good chance of finally getting his hands on David Vincent, and the two men drove to the abandoned hydroelectric plant.

After passing the rusty gate, Alan felt his heart skip a beat. A body was lying on the ground, inert. David's body. Alan ran forth, filled with dread, and he reached a tentative hand to feel his friends' pulse. Alas! There was none to be found. Although the body was still warm, all life had already left it.

Alan let out a stifled moan, half-sigh half-cry, and let his hand fall limply. If only they'd come as soon as he'd arrived, they could've called an ambulance while his friend was still alive. Even just a few minutes earlier, they could've revived him. They might've saved David. If only the sheriff hadn't sidetracked him.

Slowly, like an automaton, Alan stood back up and entered the plant, Carter on his heels. Of course, it was empty and filled with dust. It likely had been for ages. No trace of David's aliens. Of course.

Carter shook his head with a sigh. "I don't know what you expected."

Really, Alan didn't know either.

THE END

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The Invaders fanfictions.
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Last update: 30th January 2021.