Now You See Me: Daniel Atlas

Chapter Seventeen: Final Show

The remaining four Horsemen stand around a hologram machine, preparing to be projected to the whole crowd who was outside. Carly adjusts her hair before taking a deep breath and looking across the machine to Daniel who smiles at her.

"Ready?" He asks earning nods from everyone. They all turn on their machines, ready to begin the final show.

"What is magic?" Daniel starts off. "Magic is deception. But deception is designed to delight, to entertain, to inspire. It's about belief."

"Faith," Henley says.

"Trust," Merritt adds.

"And pixie dust," Carly finishes hearing the crowd laugh.

"Without those qualities, magic as an art form, would no longer exist," Henley explains.

"But what would happen if these qualities were not used for a higher purpose?" Daniel asks.

"What if they were used to cheat, lie, steal?" Carly asks. "Magic would no longer bring joy to so many faces."

"For personal gain or greed," Merritt speaks up. "Then it's no longer magic."

"It's crime," They all say in unison.

"And so tonight, for our final show, you're going to help set a few things right," Henley says with a cheeky smile.

"Thank you and enjoy the show!" Daniel says and they all turn off their holograms.

"Showtime," Merritt rubs his hands together. They all then run off towards the elevator which they take up, all standing in separate corners from one another. "Daniel?"

"Yeah?" Daniel replies and turns to Merritt.

"As out, let's call it, year of living dangerously comes to a close," Merritt starts a small monologue. "In a rare moment of vulnerability, I'd like to express a sentiment to you about our relationship."

"Don't," Daniel responds but Merritt doesn't listen to him.

"When I first met you, I thought you were kind of..." Merritt trails off. "A dick."

"And?" Carly presses on but Merritt just shrugs.

"That's it."

"I'm touched," Daniel gives a tight lipped smile.

"From the heart," Merritt says sincerely.

"I didn't say where I was touched," Daniel says earning a smack in the arm from Carly. They all take time to laugh at their silliness.

"Oh God, what are we going to do?" Henley asks with a grin.

"We're on our own," Daniel answers. "Our instructions run out after the show."

"Even if there is no 'Eye' if we were completely played and we spend the next 20 years in jail," Carly speaks up. "Then, I just want to say that..."

"I know me too," Daniel says and gives her a half smile.

"Whoa," Merritt holds up a hand. "Little too sentimental for me."

They walk off the elevator and to a platform that would lift them up in front of their fans. The lights shine in their direction causing the audience to look up.

"Hello New York!" Henley yells making the crowd cheer in response. "Thank you for the magic. And thank you for being such an incredible and dedicated audience!"

"Unfortunately," Carly yells out. "Like all good things, it must come to an end."

"We'd like to start our show tonight," Daniel trails off.

"By saying goodbye," Merritt finishes.

"All we wanted was to bring the world to a magic show!" Carly shouts smiling.

"And thereby bring a little magic back to the world," Daniel says.

Before Rhodes and Dray can get to them, they drop down the trap doors and run under the audience to the other stage across the way. The light flickers on them again and the crowd turns around.

"This has been one hell of a ride for all of us," Merritt says. "But it's time for us to disappear."

"Goodnight New York," Henley says.

"Thank you for believing in us," Daniel adds.

"We'll be back soon," Carly says and winks to the audience.

Daniel grabs her hand and they run. Carly faintly hear Rhodes shouting for them to stop, but of course they don't listen. They all jump off and throw fake one hundred dollar bills in the air to make the effect that they disappeared into money. They land on the building next door and run some more. Dray and Rhodes couldn't find them. The Horsemen have disappeared. Nobody could follow them.

*~*

They hop off the subway arriving in Times Square, just in time to see all the screens change to the news. It was all about them. They did it. They were going down in the history books as the most famous magicians of this century.

"We did it," Carly says quietly with a huge smile on her face. She turns to Daniel and jumps into his arms, hugging him tightly. He held on just as tight.

"Just kiss already," Merritt says.

Carly pulls away, but stays leaning on Daniel, looking up at him as he pulls her tight to him. His lips claim her own in a sweet kiss in Times Square.

"YES!" Henley shouts. "I knew it!"

"My ship is now canon." Merritt says and they all laugh.

"Come on losers," Carly interrupts the gleeful moment. "Let's go see this tree."