He felt the cold, damp stone against his bare flesh almost as a comforting touch. In this utter
darkness, it was the only thing that was real. The cold, the deep, numbing cold of the grave
seeped into his body from the rock. He reached for his weapon and when his fingers encountered
only his belt he remembered he had lost it. The sound of his rapid breathing was too loud. He
could hear his own heartbeat as well, and feel it: his heart beating against his ribs like a
caged bird trying to escape.
He took a deep breath and tried to hold it. Tried desperately to control his fear and growing
panic. To slow his breathing so he could listen.
He heard the echo of a shout, reverberating through the place where he hid, amplified by the vast
cavern. They were getting closer. He knew he must have left a trail behind him. He had no choice
but to keep moving. With one hand on the stone wall, he headed further into the tunnel. He kept
stumbling over rocks he couldn't see in the dark, swallowing the cries that wanted to force their
way out of his throat. The wall was his only guide.
He didn't want to die like this ...
~~~
Matthew McCormick had been having a pretty regular day up to that point. Well, as regular a day
as he got. The serial killer he was chasing had struck again, leaving a man lying dead, in the
middle of a park, during daylight.
No one had seen the killer come or go. The victim had simply been reading on the bench one
minute, and lying dead on the ground the next. The case was both baffling and annoying.
Matthew sighed in frustration, crouching down over the body. "Any witnesses?" He asked of the
officer standing behind him.
"Yeah. A park full. Only one problem, they all swear they didn't see a thing." The officer
responded with a groan. "One minute he's sitting on the bench, reading his book, perfectly
healthy and the next he's lying dead on the ground with a bolt from a crossbow stuck in his
heart."
Matthew felt like echoing the groan. He'd thought the days of killing people with crossbows had
long gone. He'd been more than glad to see them go. At least with a gun, you usually had the
advantage of the shot to warn you, barring a silencer of course. But with a crossbow there was no
such luck.
Straightening up, the Immortal FBI agent ran a hand through his dark hair. "Any idea which
direction the shot came from?"
"We're working that out now."
"Then call me when you have something." Matthew turned to head back for his car. "Make sure the
forensics reports get sent to me before copies make their way into the hands of the detectives."
The officer nodded. "Got it, Agent McCormick."
"Cami's going to kill me if I'm late for dinner." Matthew grumbled, thinking of his wife. "And
then she'll kill me again just for spite."
Camryn McCormick was mortal, beautiful and too smart for her own good...or was it too smart for
Matthew's good? Given a choice, Matthew would bet on the latter rather than the former.
But for all her talents, Camryn McCormick could also be painfully shy when she wanted. And
usually that was when she met an Immortal friend of her husband. It wasn't so much the part about
the Game that bothered her, it was that most of Matthew's Immortal friends were at least two
hundred years old.
And the man they were having dinner with that night was definitely older than two hundred.
When Duncan MacLeod had heard Matthew was coming out his way again and bringing Camryn, he'd
insisted upon them having dinner with him. He wanted to meet the woman crazy enough to marry
McCormick.
Matthew laughed aloud as he got into the rental car. "I don't think Cam would argue with that
assessment of her sanity." More than once, the beautiful woman had wondered what had possessed
her to marry the man she had. Nevermind the fact he was Immortal, that didn't bother her, it was
the regular old habits that bothered her.
His habit of tossing his briefcase and coat on the chair nearest to the door without a thought to
whatever weather happened to have accumulated on it, or his habit of kicking all the covers off
when he got too warm in his sleep. That one tended to bug her the most. Camryn had often claimed
Matthew was a human radiator while she was just human. More than once he'd been woken up in his
sleep by a pillow smacking him in the face and Cami's irritated voice saying.
"You keep this up McCormick and I swear, we're getting twin beds."
Matthew chuckled at that one. He wouldn't put it past Camryn to do it either. She was that kind
of woman. When she got something into her head, he'd have the damnedest time getting it back out.
He was so caught up in his laughter that it took him a few minutes to realize that someone was
following him in a dark colored sedan. Once he did notice, McCormick had the worst feeling that
he was going to be late for dinner after all.
Moments later his suspicion was confirmed when they rounded a corner and found themselves on a
deserted stretch of road. It didn't take long for the sedan to pull along side his.
Swearing, Matthew slammed his foot down on the accelerator, hoping the rental car would out run
the older sedan. He shot ahead and took advantage of the momentary reprieve to grab out his
cellphone and punch in Camryn's cell's number.
"Camryn McCormick." A familiar voice said after two rings.
"Cami," Matthew began but was cut off by his wife.
"Matthew McCormick! Where are you? We're going to be late."
"Sorry, darling," Matthew said hurriedly. "But something's come up."
"And that something would be?" Camryn asked cautiously, hearing the urgency in her husband's
voice.
"A car chase." Matthew responded ruefully.
"Is the driver one of you?" Camryn put extra emphasis on 'you' and Matthew didn't have to guess
at who she meant.
"No buzz yet. But..." Matthew didn't want to tell her, but he knew she would need to know.
"But what?"
"Remember the Hunters?"
"Renegade Watchers who killed Immortals." Camryn acknowledged. "Yes. But they disbanded after
their leader was killed. Maddie told us so."
"We thought they did." Matthew countered. "Laurel told Ceirdwyn she wasn't sure."
"Damn." Camryn said, summing it up for the both of them. "Get away."
"I'm trying, darling." Matthew said patiently, taking a breakneck turn with only one hand on the
steering wheel. "Look, just go over to MacLeod's loft. He's handled the Hunters before. If it is
them, I don't want you becoming a target."
"I'm not Immortal."
"No, but you're married to one. Trust me, they don't like that." Matthew sighed heavily. "Just
go, Cami, please."
"All right," Camryn acquiesed. "I love you."
"I love you..." Matthew started to say more but dropped the cellphone when the sedan slammed into
the tail end of his car.
"Matthew!" Camryn yelled, her voice tinny through the speaker. "Matthew!"
The sedan rammed him again and the car bucked slightly.
"Go to MacLeod!" McCormick yelled down at the cellphone as the sedan hit him again.
This time however, Matthew was trying to negotiate a turn. He lost control, the car smashed
through a guardrail, and careened down a steep incline, crashing into a rock.
The sedan screeched to a halt and the four passengers jumped out.
"Do you see him?" One asked.
"There!" Another yelled, pointing a finger at the dishevelled figure stumbling away from the
wreckage.
"Get the equipment. McCormick's not going to get until he starts healing. We've got to catch him
before that."
~~~
Camryn set the phone down in its cradle, her hands shaking.
Hunters. And they were after Matthew.
"Maybe its not the Hunters." She told herself, hooking her dark hair behind her ears. "After all,
Matthew wasn't sure...It could be something else. Somebody who doesn't know he's Immortal..." She
stared into the mirror at her reflection. "Please let that be it."
Her hands shaking still, Camryn crossed the room to her handbag. Dropping her lipstick into the
bag, she closed it and picked it up.
"Matthew better be all right." She whispered, slipping into her coat. "He's not supposed to die
first."
~~~
Matthew stumbled through the woods, the survival instincts drilled into him by Ceirdwyn guiding
his movements. He had to find someplace to hide or to lose them. His body needed time to heal.
He'd been injured somewhat severely in the accident. The only reason he'd even walked away
from the wreck was sheer determination accompanied by more than a little adrenaline.
Behind him, McCormick could hear the shouts of his pursuers. They were moving faster.
He was sure of it now. They were Hunters. Ones who were either still a part of the Watcher
Organization or still had connections inside. Connections funnelling information to them.
How else could they know how to track him? Know how he would react when being pursued?
Matthew paused, leaning against a tree, trying to catch his breath. He had to get his brain in
gear or he was never going to see Camryn again.
~~~
Camryn checked the address one more time then opened the door and walked into the dojo.
Inside she chose the stairs over the lift. The lift didn't look too reliable and Camryn wasn't
taking any chances.
~~~
Duncan slipped into his suit jacket and reached for his overcoat.
He was about to put it on when someone knocked on the door. Someone quite obviously mortal as he
hadn't sensed anyone's approach.
"Now who's that?" The Scot wondered aloud, crossing the loft to the door.
Opening it, he found a beautiful, dark haired woman standing there.
"Duncan MacLeod?" The woman asked, lifting her chin slightly.
Mac nodded. "Yes, can I help you?"
"I'm Camryn McCormick. My husband is Matthew McCormick." She answered quietly, her features drawn
and pinched.
"Are you all right?" Duncan asked in concern. "Come in, where's Matthew?"
"He...uh...He called. From his car. Someone was chasing him." Camryn walked in then turned to
look at the Highlander her eyes filled with worry. "Matthew thought they may be Hunters."
MacLeod's face darkened. "What happened?"
Camryn bit her lip slightly. "He...He called from his car and said he was being chased." She ran
a hand through her hair. "He said..."
MacLeod led her to the couch. "Sit down, I'll get you some tea." He made sure she was settled
before walking into the kitchen. "So, what happened then?" He queried, prompting her, trying to
keep her talking.
"He suspected it might be the Hunters, but we weren't sure. After all, they'd supposedly
disbanded when you killed Horton. But Matthew said Laurel wasn't sure they were gone for good."
Camryn was starting to calm down but her hands were still fidgeting with her handbag which sat in
her lap. "Then he told me to come here, because you'd handled the Hunters before and I'd be safe
here. Matthew was worried they'd try and kill me because I married an Immortal."
Duncan nodded slightly, setting the kettle on the stove. "It is possible. They're fanatics."
"That's what Matthew thought." Camryn sighed. "I agreed to go then told him I loved him. He said
he loved me then he must've dropped the cellphone."
"How'd you figure that?"
"Well, I couldn't hear him well, but I could hear the sound of metal on metal. I think they were
trying to run him off the road. They must've succeeded because I heard Matthew yell go to MacLeod
then the line was disconnected." Camryn's eyes turned fierce. "We have to find him!"
MacLeod nodded, leaning on the counter. "Question is how?"
Camryn went fishing in her handbag, coming up with a small address book. "Well, Matthew was
checking out a crime scene. It wasn't on the news because the police are trying to keep a lid on
the investigation."
"The serial killer?"
"Mmhmm...Matthew was on his way back from the crime scene when he called. Now, I can't get the
location of the crime scene but another FBI agent could." Camryn waggled the address book in the
air. "And I just happen to know of an Immortal FBI agent that'll help."
Duncan looked puzzled for a moment. "Who?"
Camryn looked askance. "You mean you don't remember Maddie?"
A grin spread across MacLeod's face as he thought of the feisty Spanish Immortal. "As if I coul
ever forget her."
"Yeah, well, she's living in Cascade now. Matthew and I were going to pop up there and see her
tomorrow. But tonight's as good a time as any."
~~~
"Where is he?" One of the Hunters questioned in frustration.
"I don't see him." Another grumbled.
"Times like this I wouldn't mind having that stupid buzz thing of theirs." The third hunter
mumbled.
"I hear you." The final one, the one who carried a notebook in his hand.
"Check the notes again. Find us a clue." The leader ordered, turning to the fourth Hunter.
"Umm..." The notebook's pages rustled as the Hunter flipped through them. "According to this,
there was a training session with Ceirdwyn and Laurel McKennon during McCormick's first year with
Ceirdwyn. They chased him through the countryside. It was meant to teach him how to avoid being
captured by another Immortal apparently."
"Anything there on how it turned out?" The leader asked impatiently.
"Yeah. He lost them by ducking into some caves."
"Any caves near here?" The leader turned to his second, who held a map.
"Uh huh. To the north."
"Ten to one that's where he's headed." The leader decided, brandishing the sword he held. "Let's
go!"
Almost as one, the four men took off in that direction.
~~~
Since Cascade was about a half hour away from Seacouver, Maddie left the minute Camryn called.
On the way she called the local field office and bullied an agent into telling her where the
crime scene was. Once that was done, the seven hundred year old Spaniard called MacLeod and told
him the location. They agreed to meet there since Maddie had someone else she wanted to pick up.
~~~
Before Duncan and Camryn left to head for the crime scene, Duncan called Joe Dawson and alerted
him to the fact that the Hunters were on the move again.
Dawson was suitably shocked and horrified when he discovered who they were in the process of
Hunting. While he wasn't too familiar with Matthew McCormick, he knew Camryn McCormick very well.
When she'd married Matthew, the Watchers had tried to recruit her. She'd turned them down flat
and promptly told her husband about the Watchers.
Matthew in turn had called his friend, Laurel McKennon, a Celtic Immortal. Laurel'd verified the
existence of the Watchers but had assured him that they were a harmless organization.
Of course, Horton and his band hadn't been on the go then. But when Darius had been murdered and
Duncan went after Horton, Dawson had seen to it that Laurel had reassured Matthew it would never
happen again.
And now, Dawson found his assurances falling apart before his eyes. He only hoped that MacLeod
and company found the Hunters before the Hunters found Matthew.
~~~
Duncan and Camryn were driving along the highway when Duncan spotted the parked sedan.
They pulled up alongside it and got out.
"Duncan, is it my imagination or is that damage on the front of the car?" Camryn asked, crouching
down to examine the front of the car.
"It is. What color car was Matthew driving?" Duncan asked, as the mortal woman stepped back to
allow him a chance to inspect the damage.
"That color." Camryn whispered, pointing down the incline to the wreckage.
Duncan stepped up behind her and stared. "I don't see a body. He must've survived and ran into
the woods."
"Safest place for him." Camryn murmured. "Matthew always said that Ceirdwyn saw to it he knew how
to avoid trackers."
"I doubt that she taught him how to avoid Hunters though." Duncan commented. "I'm to go on ahead.
Wait here. When Maddie gets here, you two come after us ok?"
Camryn frowned then and nodded. "All right. But leave a decent trail. Maddie may be a good
tracker but I'm not."
Duncan flashed a smile at her then reached into the T-bird. "Do you know how to handle a gun?"
She looked slightly affronted. "Duncan MacLeod. I'm married to an FBI agent who happens to be
Immortal. There are very few weapons I don't know how to handle."
He laughed softly. "Point taken." He handed her a nine millimetre. "If any of them come back here
..."
"Shoot 'em." Camryn finished. "Don't worry. I know how to do that. And considering these men hate
my husband for being what he is, hate him enough to kill him, I don't think I'll have much
problems pulling the trigger."
"Didn't think you would." Duncan commented before making his way down over the embankment.
"Watch your head." She called after him.
"Plan on it."
~~~
He was starting to get tired.
McCormick knew he needed to rest. But he couldn't. Not until he got somewhere safe.
The trees were starting to thin out and beyond the tree she could see several cave openings.
Harkening back to the lesson Laurel and Ceirdwyn had drilled into his head, Matthew selected one
of the openings and, as soon as he'd cleared the trees, ran into it. Hopefully, he could lose
them in the caves.
~~~
Duncan raced through the woods, making sure to leave a trail evident enough that Camryn and
Maddie could follow it even in the approaching twilight.
Fortunately for him, the Hunters hadn't expected to be followed so they hadn't worried about
covering up their tracks. The ground looked like a herd of elephants had gone over it.
He paused to examine the ground more closely. They'd stopped here. Probably to try and figure out
where McCormick was going.
Given the efficiently they were tracking Matthew, Duncan was starting to suspect these were
Hunters who still pretended to be regular Watchers. They probably even had assignments of their
own. Which, they weren't stupid enough to kill of course. That would draw too much attention.
Duncan snorted with disgust. Sometimes he wondered, why he and the rest of the Immortal race
should even bother with letting the Watchers stick around.
Sighing, he knew why. So someone would know they'd existed. After all, if he destroyed their
organization then who would know the effect the Immortal race had exerted on mortal history.
When it all boiled down to the basics, they were a necessary evil. Duncan just wished they would
institute a better screening process. Too many lunatics were making their way inside for his
liking.
~~~
Camryn was pacing back and forth when Maddie's jeep pulled up next to MacLeod's T-bird.
The mortal woman smiled in relief when the Immortal stepped out. Her relief turned to surprise
when she saw who was with her.
Laurel McKennon unfolded her tall frame from the jeep and hurried over to Camryn. "Are you all
right?" The Celt asked, touching the shorter woman's hair. "Where's MacLeod and Matthew?"
"Matthew's running in the woods we think." The young woman responded. "And Duncan's trying to
track the Hunters."
"Let's get going then." Maddie said in her elegant Spanish accent. "MacLeod's good but he can't
handle all those Hunters at once. Some of them have to be carrying swords as well as guns."
"We guessed that."
Maddie and Laurel started down over the hill, Camryn right behind them.
~~~
He felt the cold, damp stone against his bare flesh almost as a comforting touch. In this utter
darkness, it was the only thing that was real. The cold, the deep, numbing cold of the grave
seeped into his body from the rock. He reached for his weapon and when his fingers encountered
only his belt he remembered he had lost it. The sound of his rapid breathing was too loud. He
could hear his own heartbeat as well, and feel it: his heart beating against his ribs like a
caged bird trying to escape.
He took a deep breath and tried to hold it. Tried desperately to control his fear and growing
panic. To slow his breathing so he could listen.
He heard the echo of a shout, reverberating through the place where he hid, amplified by the vast
cavern. They were getting closer. He knew he must have left a trail behind him. He had no choice
but to keep moving. With one hand on the stone wall, he headed further into the tunnel. He kept
stumbling over rocks he couldn't see in the dark, swallowing the cries that wanted to force their
way out of his throat. The wall was his only guide.
He didn't want to die like this ...
When Matthew McCormick died, if he died, he wanted it to be a fair fight. Sword on sword. A
warrior.
He didn't want to be hunted like an animal and beheaded with no one to receive his Quickening.
He didn't want to die. He wanted to go home with his wife, curl up in front of a good movie and
fall asleep in her lap again. Not die on his knees in some cave.
McCormick straightened slightly. He wasn't going to die. He wasn't going to let some mortal
pipsqueak end seven and a half centuries of life.
He stumbled slightly over another rock, his mind racing. He had to think, find a way to fight
back.
His spine stiff with determination the Immortal slipped further into the cave.
~~~
Duncan had just reached the caves when the buzz of another Immortal washed over him. He didn't
see anyone near the caves but he did hear footsteps behind them.
Turning, he was just in time to see Madalena Carreira-Morales, Laurel McKennon and Camryn
McCormick come racing out of the woods.
"Find him?" Camryn called out.
"No." He replied, forcing himself to breath slowly. "But he's in one of these caves I think."
Laurel looked at the caves then pointed at the center one. "In there."
"And you know this how?" Camryn asked, looking over at her.
"Because Ceirdwyn and I taught him a lesson very similar to this. He'll have chosen the center
cave."
"But that's the most obvious." Maddie protested.
The elder Immortal nodded patiently. "Yes, but that's why it would stand a better chance of
working. It was so obvious that most people would go into the other two."
"Unfortunately, these guys probably know you taught Matthew that." MacLeod said ruefully. "And
they'll be expecting it."
Laurel cursed in Gaelic. "True."
She and Maddie pulled out their swords, as did MacLeod while Camryn checked her gun.
"Let's go." MacLeod said.
"Anybody bring a flashlight?" Camryn asked suddenly.
Laurel smiled wickedly. "Ask the boy scout."
"I am not a boy scout!"
"Sure you're not." The elder Immortal said in a patronizing tone then reached into his coat
pocket and pulled out a small flashlight. "Aren't they always prepared?"
Flicking it on, she started into the cave with Camryn. Behind them, Duncan made a face and
muttered. "I'm not a boy scout...am I?"
Shrugging, he followed after the two women.
~~~
One of the Hunters paused and turned back toward the opening of the cave. "Did you guys hear
something?"
The other three turned to look at him.
"No." The leader snapped. "Now come on!"
They advanced further into the cave until they reached a large cavern.
A large empty cavern.
"There's no where out of here so where is he?" The second hunter questioned.
"Right here." Matthew said suddenly, appearing out of a shadow.
He kicked the flashlight out of the leader's hand and tackled him to the floor.
The other three men fumbled for their flashlights, trying to train them on the men struggling on
the floor.
Matthew pinned his attacker to the floor then stiffened slightly as the buzz of Immortals filled
his mind. "Looks like the cavalry's here." He drawled. Camryn must've gone to MacLeod's like he'd
asked.
"Matt?" Laurel called out, running into the cavern, accompanied by Duncan, Maddie and Camryn.
"Grab those three." He called back, over his shoulder.
The other three Immortals all whirled on the remaining Hunters who found themselves held tightly,
with their hands pinned behind their backs.
Matthew knocked out the man he was sitting on and stood just in time to catch a Camryn-sized blur
hurling itself at him.
"Don't you ever do that again!" Camryn ordered firmly, before burying her face against his neck.
"Yes, ma'am." Matthew drawled.
"Let's get these idiots out of here." Maddie snapped.
Duncan took hold of the Hunter Laurel had been holding so that she could drag the leader to his
feet.
"You'll never get away with this." One of them sputtered.
MacLeod snorted. "Funny, I was just about to say, the Watchers are never going to let you get
away with this."
"Nope. I'd say these four are headed for a Tribunal and execution." Laurel commented. "Isn't that
what they do to Watchers who break their oaths?"
Duncan and Maddie nodded their heads in agreement.
"Can't say that makes me feel very sad." Camryn commented as Matthew led her from the cave.
~~~
The four Immortals and one mortal were finishing off their pizza when the lift rose up and Joe
Dawson lifted the grate.
"Good to see you in one piece Agent McCormick." The Watcher acknowledged with a nod.
"Good to be in one piece Mr. Dawson." Matthew responded as Camryn snuggled closer to him.
"Well?" Duncan demanded.
"A full-scale investigation will be launched. All Watchers are undergoing psychiatric
assessments. If there are any more Hunters that should find them." Joe eased down into a chair
and accepted the piece of pizza Laurel offered. "And as for the four that went after McCormick? A
tribunal is being picked but we all know the outcome. They'll be executed."
"Gotta give the Watchers credit." Maddie commented, "They clean up their own messes."
The others nodded.
"Ok, can we please leave talk of Hunters for another night?" Camryn asked. "I've had my quota of
them for tonight."
"I like that." Laurel said with a smile. "Say, Joe, how about we all go down to Joe's and we'll
sing a few duets for these lot."
Joe grinned. "I like that idea Red." He teased.
The Immortal unconsciously fingered one of her thick red locks. "Cute Dawson. Didn't your mommy
tell you to respect your elders."
"No." He countered sweetly.
"Ugh!" She tossed her hands in the air. "You are incorrigible!"
"Damn straight." Dawson agreed, pushing himself to his feet. "Lets go,"
The rest all stood and Maddie grinned cheekily. "Drinks are on MacLeod."
All nodded their agreement while MacLeod gaped.
"What?" He managed.
"Mac, you're a sweetheart." Laurel said patting his cheek.
"Thanks Mac. I'm feeling thirsty." Matthew agreed, clapping him on the shoulder.
They all herded into the lift, leaving MacLeod standing in the center of the loft, his mouth
opening and closing.
Finis
darkness, it was the only thing that was real. The cold, the deep, numbing cold of the grave
seeped into his body from the rock. He reached for his weapon and when his fingers encountered
only his belt he remembered he had lost it. The sound of his rapid breathing was too loud. He
could hear his own heartbeat as well, and feel it: his heart beating against his ribs like a
caged bird trying to escape.
He took a deep breath and tried to hold it. Tried desperately to control his fear and growing
panic. To slow his breathing so he could listen.
He heard the echo of a shout, reverberating through the place where he hid, amplified by the vast
cavern. They were getting closer. He knew he must have left a trail behind him. He had no choice
but to keep moving. With one hand on the stone wall, he headed further into the tunnel. He kept
stumbling over rocks he couldn't see in the dark, swallowing the cries that wanted to force their
way out of his throat. The wall was his only guide.
He didn't want to die like this ...
~~~
Matthew McCormick had been having a pretty regular day up to that point. Well, as regular a day
as he got. The serial killer he was chasing had struck again, leaving a man lying dead, in the
middle of a park, during daylight.
No one had seen the killer come or go. The victim had simply been reading on the bench one
minute, and lying dead on the ground the next. The case was both baffling and annoying.
Matthew sighed in frustration, crouching down over the body. "Any witnesses?" He asked of the
officer standing behind him.
"Yeah. A park full. Only one problem, they all swear they didn't see a thing." The officer
responded with a groan. "One minute he's sitting on the bench, reading his book, perfectly
healthy and the next he's lying dead on the ground with a bolt from a crossbow stuck in his
heart."
Matthew felt like echoing the groan. He'd thought the days of killing people with crossbows had
long gone. He'd been more than glad to see them go. At least with a gun, you usually had the
advantage of the shot to warn you, barring a silencer of course. But with a crossbow there was no
such luck.
Straightening up, the Immortal FBI agent ran a hand through his dark hair. "Any idea which
direction the shot came from?"
"We're working that out now."
"Then call me when you have something." Matthew turned to head back for his car. "Make sure the
forensics reports get sent to me before copies make their way into the hands of the detectives."
The officer nodded. "Got it, Agent McCormick."
"Cami's going to kill me if I'm late for dinner." Matthew grumbled, thinking of his wife. "And
then she'll kill me again just for spite."
Camryn McCormick was mortal, beautiful and too smart for her own good...or was it too smart for
Matthew's good? Given a choice, Matthew would bet on the latter rather than the former.
But for all her talents, Camryn McCormick could also be painfully shy when she wanted. And
usually that was when she met an Immortal friend of her husband. It wasn't so much the part about
the Game that bothered her, it was that most of Matthew's Immortal friends were at least two
hundred years old.
And the man they were having dinner with that night was definitely older than two hundred.
When Duncan MacLeod had heard Matthew was coming out his way again and bringing Camryn, he'd
insisted upon them having dinner with him. He wanted to meet the woman crazy enough to marry
McCormick.
Matthew laughed aloud as he got into the rental car. "I don't think Cam would argue with that
assessment of her sanity." More than once, the beautiful woman had wondered what had possessed
her to marry the man she had. Nevermind the fact he was Immortal, that didn't bother her, it was
the regular old habits that bothered her.
His habit of tossing his briefcase and coat on the chair nearest to the door without a thought to
whatever weather happened to have accumulated on it, or his habit of kicking all the covers off
when he got too warm in his sleep. That one tended to bug her the most. Camryn had often claimed
Matthew was a human radiator while she was just human. More than once he'd been woken up in his
sleep by a pillow smacking him in the face and Cami's irritated voice saying.
"You keep this up McCormick and I swear, we're getting twin beds."
Matthew chuckled at that one. He wouldn't put it past Camryn to do it either. She was that kind
of woman. When she got something into her head, he'd have the damnedest time getting it back out.
He was so caught up in his laughter that it took him a few minutes to realize that someone was
following him in a dark colored sedan. Once he did notice, McCormick had the worst feeling that
he was going to be late for dinner after all.
Moments later his suspicion was confirmed when they rounded a corner and found themselves on a
deserted stretch of road. It didn't take long for the sedan to pull along side his.
Swearing, Matthew slammed his foot down on the accelerator, hoping the rental car would out run
the older sedan. He shot ahead and took advantage of the momentary reprieve to grab out his
cellphone and punch in Camryn's cell's number.
"Camryn McCormick." A familiar voice said after two rings.
"Cami," Matthew began but was cut off by his wife.
"Matthew McCormick! Where are you? We're going to be late."
"Sorry, darling," Matthew said hurriedly. "But something's come up."
"And that something would be?" Camryn asked cautiously, hearing the urgency in her husband's
voice.
"A car chase." Matthew responded ruefully.
"Is the driver one of you?" Camryn put extra emphasis on 'you' and Matthew didn't have to guess
at who she meant.
"No buzz yet. But..." Matthew didn't want to tell her, but he knew she would need to know.
"But what?"
"Remember the Hunters?"
"Renegade Watchers who killed Immortals." Camryn acknowledged. "Yes. But they disbanded after
their leader was killed. Maddie told us so."
"We thought they did." Matthew countered. "Laurel told Ceirdwyn she wasn't sure."
"Damn." Camryn said, summing it up for the both of them. "Get away."
"I'm trying, darling." Matthew said patiently, taking a breakneck turn with only one hand on the
steering wheel. "Look, just go over to MacLeod's loft. He's handled the Hunters before. If it is
them, I don't want you becoming a target."
"I'm not Immortal."
"No, but you're married to one. Trust me, they don't like that." Matthew sighed heavily. "Just
go, Cami, please."
"All right," Camryn acquiesed. "I love you."
"I love you..." Matthew started to say more but dropped the cellphone when the sedan slammed into
the tail end of his car.
"Matthew!" Camryn yelled, her voice tinny through the speaker. "Matthew!"
The sedan rammed him again and the car bucked slightly.
"Go to MacLeod!" McCormick yelled down at the cellphone as the sedan hit him again.
This time however, Matthew was trying to negotiate a turn. He lost control, the car smashed
through a guardrail, and careened down a steep incline, crashing into a rock.
The sedan screeched to a halt and the four passengers jumped out.
"Do you see him?" One asked.
"There!" Another yelled, pointing a finger at the dishevelled figure stumbling away from the
wreckage.
"Get the equipment. McCormick's not going to get until he starts healing. We've got to catch him
before that."
~~~
Camryn set the phone down in its cradle, her hands shaking.
Hunters. And they were after Matthew.
"Maybe its not the Hunters." She told herself, hooking her dark hair behind her ears. "After all,
Matthew wasn't sure...It could be something else. Somebody who doesn't know he's Immortal..." She
stared into the mirror at her reflection. "Please let that be it."
Her hands shaking still, Camryn crossed the room to her handbag. Dropping her lipstick into the
bag, she closed it and picked it up.
"Matthew better be all right." She whispered, slipping into her coat. "He's not supposed to die
first."
~~~
Matthew stumbled through the woods, the survival instincts drilled into him by Ceirdwyn guiding
his movements. He had to find someplace to hide or to lose them. His body needed time to heal.
He'd been injured somewhat severely in the accident. The only reason he'd even walked away
from the wreck was sheer determination accompanied by more than a little adrenaline.
Behind him, McCormick could hear the shouts of his pursuers. They were moving faster.
He was sure of it now. They were Hunters. Ones who were either still a part of the Watcher
Organization or still had connections inside. Connections funnelling information to them.
How else could they know how to track him? Know how he would react when being pursued?
Matthew paused, leaning against a tree, trying to catch his breath. He had to get his brain in
gear or he was never going to see Camryn again.
~~~
Camryn checked the address one more time then opened the door and walked into the dojo.
Inside she chose the stairs over the lift. The lift didn't look too reliable and Camryn wasn't
taking any chances.
~~~
Duncan slipped into his suit jacket and reached for his overcoat.
He was about to put it on when someone knocked on the door. Someone quite obviously mortal as he
hadn't sensed anyone's approach.
"Now who's that?" The Scot wondered aloud, crossing the loft to the door.
Opening it, he found a beautiful, dark haired woman standing there.
"Duncan MacLeod?" The woman asked, lifting her chin slightly.
Mac nodded. "Yes, can I help you?"
"I'm Camryn McCormick. My husband is Matthew McCormick." She answered quietly, her features drawn
and pinched.
"Are you all right?" Duncan asked in concern. "Come in, where's Matthew?"
"He...uh...He called. From his car. Someone was chasing him." Camryn walked in then turned to
look at the Highlander her eyes filled with worry. "Matthew thought they may be Hunters."
MacLeod's face darkened. "What happened?"
Camryn bit her lip slightly. "He...He called from his car and said he was being chased." She ran
a hand through her hair. "He said..."
MacLeod led her to the couch. "Sit down, I'll get you some tea." He made sure she was settled
before walking into the kitchen. "So, what happened then?" He queried, prompting her, trying to
keep her talking.
"He suspected it might be the Hunters, but we weren't sure. After all, they'd supposedly
disbanded when you killed Horton. But Matthew said Laurel wasn't sure they were gone for good."
Camryn was starting to calm down but her hands were still fidgeting with her handbag which sat in
her lap. "Then he told me to come here, because you'd handled the Hunters before and I'd be safe
here. Matthew was worried they'd try and kill me because I married an Immortal."
Duncan nodded slightly, setting the kettle on the stove. "It is possible. They're fanatics."
"That's what Matthew thought." Camryn sighed. "I agreed to go then told him I loved him. He said
he loved me then he must've dropped the cellphone."
"How'd you figure that?"
"Well, I couldn't hear him well, but I could hear the sound of metal on metal. I think they were
trying to run him off the road. They must've succeeded because I heard Matthew yell go to MacLeod
then the line was disconnected." Camryn's eyes turned fierce. "We have to find him!"
MacLeod nodded, leaning on the counter. "Question is how?"
Camryn went fishing in her handbag, coming up with a small address book. "Well, Matthew was
checking out a crime scene. It wasn't on the news because the police are trying to keep a lid on
the investigation."
"The serial killer?"
"Mmhmm...Matthew was on his way back from the crime scene when he called. Now, I can't get the
location of the crime scene but another FBI agent could." Camryn waggled the address book in the
air. "And I just happen to know of an Immortal FBI agent that'll help."
Duncan looked puzzled for a moment. "Who?"
Camryn looked askance. "You mean you don't remember Maddie?"
A grin spread across MacLeod's face as he thought of the feisty Spanish Immortal. "As if I coul
ever forget her."
"Yeah, well, she's living in Cascade now. Matthew and I were going to pop up there and see her
tomorrow. But tonight's as good a time as any."
~~~
"Where is he?" One of the Hunters questioned in frustration.
"I don't see him." Another grumbled.
"Times like this I wouldn't mind having that stupid buzz thing of theirs." The third hunter
mumbled.
"I hear you." The final one, the one who carried a notebook in his hand.
"Check the notes again. Find us a clue." The leader ordered, turning to the fourth Hunter.
"Umm..." The notebook's pages rustled as the Hunter flipped through them. "According to this,
there was a training session with Ceirdwyn and Laurel McKennon during McCormick's first year with
Ceirdwyn. They chased him through the countryside. It was meant to teach him how to avoid being
captured by another Immortal apparently."
"Anything there on how it turned out?" The leader asked impatiently.
"Yeah. He lost them by ducking into some caves."
"Any caves near here?" The leader turned to his second, who held a map.
"Uh huh. To the north."
"Ten to one that's where he's headed." The leader decided, brandishing the sword he held. "Let's
go!"
Almost as one, the four men took off in that direction.
~~~
Since Cascade was about a half hour away from Seacouver, Maddie left the minute Camryn called.
On the way she called the local field office and bullied an agent into telling her where the
crime scene was. Once that was done, the seven hundred year old Spaniard called MacLeod and told
him the location. They agreed to meet there since Maddie had someone else she wanted to pick up.
~~~
Before Duncan and Camryn left to head for the crime scene, Duncan called Joe Dawson and alerted
him to the fact that the Hunters were on the move again.
Dawson was suitably shocked and horrified when he discovered who they were in the process of
Hunting. While he wasn't too familiar with Matthew McCormick, he knew Camryn McCormick very well.
When she'd married Matthew, the Watchers had tried to recruit her. She'd turned them down flat
and promptly told her husband about the Watchers.
Matthew in turn had called his friend, Laurel McKennon, a Celtic Immortal. Laurel'd verified the
existence of the Watchers but had assured him that they were a harmless organization.
Of course, Horton and his band hadn't been on the go then. But when Darius had been murdered and
Duncan went after Horton, Dawson had seen to it that Laurel had reassured Matthew it would never
happen again.
And now, Dawson found his assurances falling apart before his eyes. He only hoped that MacLeod
and company found the Hunters before the Hunters found Matthew.
~~~
Duncan and Camryn were driving along the highway when Duncan spotted the parked sedan.
They pulled up alongside it and got out.
"Duncan, is it my imagination or is that damage on the front of the car?" Camryn asked, crouching
down to examine the front of the car.
"It is. What color car was Matthew driving?" Duncan asked, as the mortal woman stepped back to
allow him a chance to inspect the damage.
"That color." Camryn whispered, pointing down the incline to the wreckage.
Duncan stepped up behind her and stared. "I don't see a body. He must've survived and ran into
the woods."
"Safest place for him." Camryn murmured. "Matthew always said that Ceirdwyn saw to it he knew how
to avoid trackers."
"I doubt that she taught him how to avoid Hunters though." Duncan commented. "I'm to go on ahead.
Wait here. When Maddie gets here, you two come after us ok?"
Camryn frowned then and nodded. "All right. But leave a decent trail. Maddie may be a good
tracker but I'm not."
Duncan flashed a smile at her then reached into the T-bird. "Do you know how to handle a gun?"
She looked slightly affronted. "Duncan MacLeod. I'm married to an FBI agent who happens to be
Immortal. There are very few weapons I don't know how to handle."
He laughed softly. "Point taken." He handed her a nine millimetre. "If any of them come back here
..."
"Shoot 'em." Camryn finished. "Don't worry. I know how to do that. And considering these men hate
my husband for being what he is, hate him enough to kill him, I don't think I'll have much
problems pulling the trigger."
"Didn't think you would." Duncan commented before making his way down over the embankment.
"Watch your head." She called after him.
"Plan on it."
~~~
He was starting to get tired.
McCormick knew he needed to rest. But he couldn't. Not until he got somewhere safe.
The trees were starting to thin out and beyond the tree she could see several cave openings.
Harkening back to the lesson Laurel and Ceirdwyn had drilled into his head, Matthew selected one
of the openings and, as soon as he'd cleared the trees, ran into it. Hopefully, he could lose
them in the caves.
~~~
Duncan raced through the woods, making sure to leave a trail evident enough that Camryn and
Maddie could follow it even in the approaching twilight.
Fortunately for him, the Hunters hadn't expected to be followed so they hadn't worried about
covering up their tracks. The ground looked like a herd of elephants had gone over it.
He paused to examine the ground more closely. They'd stopped here. Probably to try and figure out
where McCormick was going.
Given the efficiently they were tracking Matthew, Duncan was starting to suspect these were
Hunters who still pretended to be regular Watchers. They probably even had assignments of their
own. Which, they weren't stupid enough to kill of course. That would draw too much attention.
Duncan snorted with disgust. Sometimes he wondered, why he and the rest of the Immortal race
should even bother with letting the Watchers stick around.
Sighing, he knew why. So someone would know they'd existed. After all, if he destroyed their
organization then who would know the effect the Immortal race had exerted on mortal history.
When it all boiled down to the basics, they were a necessary evil. Duncan just wished they would
institute a better screening process. Too many lunatics were making their way inside for his
liking.
~~~
Camryn was pacing back and forth when Maddie's jeep pulled up next to MacLeod's T-bird.
The mortal woman smiled in relief when the Immortal stepped out. Her relief turned to surprise
when she saw who was with her.
Laurel McKennon unfolded her tall frame from the jeep and hurried over to Camryn. "Are you all
right?" The Celt asked, touching the shorter woman's hair. "Where's MacLeod and Matthew?"
"Matthew's running in the woods we think." The young woman responded. "And Duncan's trying to
track the Hunters."
"Let's get going then." Maddie said in her elegant Spanish accent. "MacLeod's good but he can't
handle all those Hunters at once. Some of them have to be carrying swords as well as guns."
"We guessed that."
Maddie and Laurel started down over the hill, Camryn right behind them.
~~~
He felt the cold, damp stone against his bare flesh almost as a comforting touch. In this utter
darkness, it was the only thing that was real. The cold, the deep, numbing cold of the grave
seeped into his body from the rock. He reached for his weapon and when his fingers encountered
only his belt he remembered he had lost it. The sound of his rapid breathing was too loud. He
could hear his own heartbeat as well, and feel it: his heart beating against his ribs like a
caged bird trying to escape.
He took a deep breath and tried to hold it. Tried desperately to control his fear and growing
panic. To slow his breathing so he could listen.
He heard the echo of a shout, reverberating through the place where he hid, amplified by the vast
cavern. They were getting closer. He knew he must have left a trail behind him. He had no choice
but to keep moving. With one hand on the stone wall, he headed further into the tunnel. He kept
stumbling over rocks he couldn't see in the dark, swallowing the cries that wanted to force their
way out of his throat. The wall was his only guide.
He didn't want to die like this ...
When Matthew McCormick died, if he died, he wanted it to be a fair fight. Sword on sword. A
warrior.
He didn't want to be hunted like an animal and beheaded with no one to receive his Quickening.
He didn't want to die. He wanted to go home with his wife, curl up in front of a good movie and
fall asleep in her lap again. Not die on his knees in some cave.
McCormick straightened slightly. He wasn't going to die. He wasn't going to let some mortal
pipsqueak end seven and a half centuries of life.
He stumbled slightly over another rock, his mind racing. He had to think, find a way to fight
back.
His spine stiff with determination the Immortal slipped further into the cave.
~~~
Duncan had just reached the caves when the buzz of another Immortal washed over him. He didn't
see anyone near the caves but he did hear footsteps behind them.
Turning, he was just in time to see Madalena Carreira-Morales, Laurel McKennon and Camryn
McCormick come racing out of the woods.
"Find him?" Camryn called out.
"No." He replied, forcing himself to breath slowly. "But he's in one of these caves I think."
Laurel looked at the caves then pointed at the center one. "In there."
"And you know this how?" Camryn asked, looking over at her.
"Because Ceirdwyn and I taught him a lesson very similar to this. He'll have chosen the center
cave."
"But that's the most obvious." Maddie protested.
The elder Immortal nodded patiently. "Yes, but that's why it would stand a better chance of
working. It was so obvious that most people would go into the other two."
"Unfortunately, these guys probably know you taught Matthew that." MacLeod said ruefully. "And
they'll be expecting it."
Laurel cursed in Gaelic. "True."
She and Maddie pulled out their swords, as did MacLeod while Camryn checked her gun.
"Let's go." MacLeod said.
"Anybody bring a flashlight?" Camryn asked suddenly.
Laurel smiled wickedly. "Ask the boy scout."
"I am not a boy scout!"
"Sure you're not." The elder Immortal said in a patronizing tone then reached into his coat
pocket and pulled out a small flashlight. "Aren't they always prepared?"
Flicking it on, she started into the cave with Camryn. Behind them, Duncan made a face and
muttered. "I'm not a boy scout...am I?"
Shrugging, he followed after the two women.
~~~
One of the Hunters paused and turned back toward the opening of the cave. "Did you guys hear
something?"
The other three turned to look at him.
"No." The leader snapped. "Now come on!"
They advanced further into the cave until they reached a large cavern.
A large empty cavern.
"There's no where out of here so where is he?" The second hunter questioned.
"Right here." Matthew said suddenly, appearing out of a shadow.
He kicked the flashlight out of the leader's hand and tackled him to the floor.
The other three men fumbled for their flashlights, trying to train them on the men struggling on
the floor.
Matthew pinned his attacker to the floor then stiffened slightly as the buzz of Immortals filled
his mind. "Looks like the cavalry's here." He drawled. Camryn must've gone to MacLeod's like he'd
asked.
"Matt?" Laurel called out, running into the cavern, accompanied by Duncan, Maddie and Camryn.
"Grab those three." He called back, over his shoulder.
The other three Immortals all whirled on the remaining Hunters who found themselves held tightly,
with their hands pinned behind their backs.
Matthew knocked out the man he was sitting on and stood just in time to catch a Camryn-sized blur
hurling itself at him.
"Don't you ever do that again!" Camryn ordered firmly, before burying her face against his neck.
"Yes, ma'am." Matthew drawled.
"Let's get these idiots out of here." Maddie snapped.
Duncan took hold of the Hunter Laurel had been holding so that she could drag the leader to his
feet.
"You'll never get away with this." One of them sputtered.
MacLeod snorted. "Funny, I was just about to say, the Watchers are never going to let you get
away with this."
"Nope. I'd say these four are headed for a Tribunal and execution." Laurel commented. "Isn't that
what they do to Watchers who break their oaths?"
Duncan and Maddie nodded their heads in agreement.
"Can't say that makes me feel very sad." Camryn commented as Matthew led her from the cave.
~~~
The four Immortals and one mortal were finishing off their pizza when the lift rose up and Joe
Dawson lifted the grate.
"Good to see you in one piece Agent McCormick." The Watcher acknowledged with a nod.
"Good to be in one piece Mr. Dawson." Matthew responded as Camryn snuggled closer to him.
"Well?" Duncan demanded.
"A full-scale investigation will be launched. All Watchers are undergoing psychiatric
assessments. If there are any more Hunters that should find them." Joe eased down into a chair
and accepted the piece of pizza Laurel offered. "And as for the four that went after McCormick? A
tribunal is being picked but we all know the outcome. They'll be executed."
"Gotta give the Watchers credit." Maddie commented, "They clean up their own messes."
The others nodded.
"Ok, can we please leave talk of Hunters for another night?" Camryn asked. "I've had my quota of
them for tonight."
"I like that." Laurel said with a smile. "Say, Joe, how about we all go down to Joe's and we'll
sing a few duets for these lot."
Joe grinned. "I like that idea Red." He teased.
The Immortal unconsciously fingered one of her thick red locks. "Cute Dawson. Didn't your mommy
tell you to respect your elders."
"No." He countered sweetly.
"Ugh!" She tossed her hands in the air. "You are incorrigible!"
"Damn straight." Dawson agreed, pushing himself to his feet. "Lets go,"
The rest all stood and Maddie grinned cheekily. "Drinks are on MacLeod."
All nodded their agreement while MacLeod gaped.
"What?" He managed.
"Mac, you're a sweetheart." Laurel said patting his cheek.
"Thanks Mac. I'm feeling thirsty." Matthew agreed, clapping him on the shoulder.
They all herded into the lift, leaving MacLeod standing in the center of the loft, his mouth
opening and closing.
Finis