Stranger than Fiction
Richie Ryan, orphan, thief and according to himself Don Juan of the 20th century had lived with Duncan MacLeod and Tessa Noel for a few months now. He worked in Mac's antique store and slept in the spare bedroom in the back of the apartment adjoining the antique store. Tessa and Mac where pretty straightforward people. Richie helped Mac run the antique store while Tessa slaved over sketch books and welding torches in her work shop creating works of art Richie didn't quite understand but still thought where beautiful in their own right. Tessa herself was one of the most beautiful women Richie had ever met. And she was French! Richie didn't understand why, but that seemed to make her even more beautiful.
There was only one really strange thing about this whole affair and that was Mac's real age. That last December Mac turned 400. Richie hadn't thought that Mac was a weird guy when he was casing the shop a few days before he broke in. Upon breaking in Mac nearly cut his head off with a sword, if that hadn't been an awakening some dude fell threw the sky light with an another sword aimed at Mac. To make matters worse some other guy who he later learned name was Conner MacLeod some old friend of Mac's jumped threw a window looking for Slain "The Cat" Quince the guy who fell threw the roof. Richie thought it best to high tail it while he thought no one was looking. The cops nabbed him as he left, but Mac posted for him on the basis that Richie wouldn't tell anyone what he had seen the night before. Richie's nearly fatal curiosity prompted him to follow Mac a day later. He saw Mac and Conner sparing in an old fish cannery. The night after however he didn't expect to see Conner try and decapitate that Slain guy. Quince ran Conner threw with his sword and fell off Soldier's Bridge into the bay below. Then like some knight charging into battle Mac showed up cut off Quince's head, was hit by the forth of July fireworks and saved Conner from the bay. Mac's explanation for the whole thing didn't help much, Richie wasn't very sure he believed him but after a few months of living with an Immortal and seeing what kind of trouble one could get into his doubts where soon squelched.
Mac wasn't a weird guy all in all; sure he was 400 years old and had been nearly everywhere on Earth, knew almost anything about history and martial arts. All in all Mac was a good guy. And after the feeling of "is he going to jump up and cut off my head?" Faded away Richie thought of Mac as a regular guy, trying to live his life as peacefully as he could. Of course that was impossible being an Immortal in the Game, but that didn't keep him from trying.
It wasn't really odd to hear Mac talk about people he once knew, every once in a while he would say something about Napoleon or Bonny Prince Charley, whoever that was, but this morning Richie heard something he didn't believe in the slightest.
Mac was in the back room as usual doing his morning kata, in about half an hour or so he and Richie would go for their morning jog. That was something that had become mandatory when Richie had come to live with them. Mac wouldn't sit by watching Richie turn into a puddle of mush (like Richie would have liked) when he was young and full of energy. Richie had thought Mac was going to kill him their first morning out, but soon Richie got the hang of it and could even keep up with Mac. Running also came in handy when fleeing from whatever Immortal he had gotten mixed up with. Richie was a good kid, almost completely reformed, but he still had a knack of attracting trouble and sometimes trouble carried a sword.
Richie was in his jogging clothes when he sleepily bounced off the hallway wall and walked into the kitchen. He snatched his customary morning soda from the fridge. To spite the fact he knew there wouldn't be any in the house he scoured the cabinets for a lunch cake or something like that. He finally settled on a bagel. Tessa usually wasn't up this early but she was sitting at the island a cup of coffee clutched in one hand and the morning paper in the other. Richie sat opposite her and read the headlines on the front page of the paper. This morning one of the headlines was something that kinda interested Richie. It was about some billionaire donating something or other to someone found elsewhere on page 3.
Duncan was in the final stage of his kata when the teakettle sounded off its usual high-pitched whistle. Tessa was removing the kettle from the burner when Mac appeared. He kissed her on the cheek, his suave way of saying good morning. Richie looked back you the paper when he kissed her again on the lips. Richie had correctly interpreted the all too familiar noises issuing from their bedroom the night before. When they finally 'unlocked' Mac smiled and said "Mmmm minty." Tessa smiled and pinched him in a place that made Richie inadvertently turn away again.
"Anything interesting in the paper?" Mac asked Richie as he fixed his tea.
"Ehh nothing much obituaries, births, court news. Hey look it that Jake has a hearing tomorrow." Richie replied
"I think he means anything-new Richie." Tessa said as she yawned (Author actually yawned at this moment)
"Well there is some billionaire donating to a Hospital or wild life preserve, something like that."
"Oh Duncan, I was reading that, it turns out your friend Bruce has a soft spot for endangered animals."
"Let me guess bats." Duncan laughed taking a drink of his tea. He made a face that stated he had grabbed Tessa's mint orange by mistake.
"Ummmm" Richie said reading "yeah actually. Says hear 'Multibillionaire Bruce Wayne (Please visualize Michel Keeten) arrived in Seacouver Today to finalize the purchase of 10 square miles of forest outside the city limits. Mr. Wayne purchased the land from the St. Catherine's Hospital, who planned to erect a new building this fall. This 10 miles of forest is the last habitat of the endangered Keeton Vampire Bat. Mr. Wayne plans to turn the forest and surrounding grounds into a wild life preserve and animal rehabilitation center.' All that over a bat? Hey I've heard about this guy . . .Wait one sec, Mac you know this guy?"
"Yeah Bruce and I go way back."
"Yeah right. You and billionaire Bruce Wayne buddies... I don't see it."
"Well it's the truth. Tess tell Richie that Bruce and I are old friends."
"Duncan and Bruce have known each other longer than Duncan has known me."
"Yeah sure and I bet he's an Immortal too." Richie said
"No he isn't."
"Ok now I'll buy that."
"You want me to prove it?"
"Yeah for once Mac, I'm gonna make you prove it."
So far Mac hadn't swayed and after they closed up the shop for the day he and Richie piled into the Thunderbird and headed to the more posh part of town. Tessa had opted to stay home; she had a sculpture in desperate need of tending to. Richie was beginning to worry. Maybe Mac had been telling the truth. They where outside a very large and very expensive looking hotel. Richie had wished he had been more careful with this choice of clothes. It was obvious Duncan hadn't been worried though. What if this was some big prank and by the time they got to whatever floor they where headed to Tessa would jump out of a broom closet armed with a cream pie? Too late to turn back now they where riding the elevator to the 34 floor.
The doors opened to an immaculate suite instead of a tasteful hallway. Tessa wasn't throwing a pie at him yet. But an old British butler who introduced himself as Alfred nearly scared him to death as they stepped from the elevator.
"Ahh Mr. MacLeod! How nice to see you again, it's been ages." Alfred seemed to have emphasized the ages part a bit. "Master Wayne will be very pleased to see you. Who might I ask is your friend?" Alfred said with a kind smile
"This is Richie Ryan. Uh we didn't come at a bad time I hope?"
"How do you do young man?" Alfred asked Richie and they shook hands, Richie didn't hear himself answer though "Oh no not at all, Master Wayne buttoned down for the evening. He isn't expecting anybody. I'll show you in and tell him your here."
Alfred left and Duncan looked at Richie "Believe me now?"
Richie felt he needed to defend his honor for some strange reason replied "Oh you've proven you know some old codger, but I'm waiting to see-"
"Mac!" Someone interrupted Ritchie's next word.
"Bruce!" Duncan smiled stepping past Richie to greet his old friend.
There had been a picture in the paper but Richie had expected him to be older. (Again please picture Michel Keeton) This guy didn't look like a billionaire at all. He was dressed causally in a pair of jeans, a white t-shirt and socks. He had a towel around his neck and his hair was wet and a bit messy. He had obviously just gotten out of the shower.
"How the hell have ya been? How long has it been?"
"Hong Kong 1975 and I'm fine."
"Who is this ya got with you?"
"Richie Ryan meet Bruce Wayne."
Richie shook hands with the multibillionaire but again he didn't feel himself respond. "Hiya." He thought he said it took a few moments for Richie to scrape his tongue off the floor but he finally managed some dignity. "So uh how do you two know each other?"
"Bruce was touring the Far East when he stopped in Hong Kong. He was looking for a Hung Gar instructor and I happened to be in the right place at the right time."
"Yeah back then they still weren't to keen on teaching Martial Arts to foreigners. I wouldn't give up so the Sifu's I spoke to referred me to Mac here." Bruce replied
"Sifu?" Richie asked
"Master, those who have mastered one or several Martial Arts are known as a Sifu."
"Oh I get it." Richie said
At that moment a phone rang somewhere in the suite and Alfred appeared a moment later. "I'm sorry sir but the Mayer is on the phone."
"Tell him I'm in a meeting."
"I did that sir and he said and I quote 'I don't give a damn if he is in a meeting tell that skinny ass white boy he had better take this phone right now. One of those damn bats has attacked someone.'"
"But Keeton bats are non-violent, ahh forget it. I'm sorry guys I'll be back in just a second."
Bruce ran off into another room and Alfred followed. "Believe me now?" Duncan asked
"Ok I believe you Mac. You and Bruce Wayne? Unbelievable! I mean you and one of the most rich people in the world!"
"Richest."
"Oh come on man don't correct my grammar here, not now wait till we get home."
"No Richie he is the Richest person in the world. The Wayne's have been building their fortune for centuries. I knew Bruce's great, great, great, great, great, great, grandfather when he owned a small pub in London. I've been a friend of the family for 350 years."
"Sounds like a bunch of tight wads to me."
"Not tight just pore. Ezekiel Wayne was one of the poorest people I knew he always talked about saving enough money his kids could have a decent future. There was a man who could squeeze a pound till the Queen screamed. Years passed and each generation had it better than the next."
"Looks like it paid off too."
"Well with a little help."
"What do you mean?"
"Lets just say I've seen them threw some hard times."
"Really? Cool, so does old Brucy know about you?"
"Yeah, it's a long story though."
"That means you don't want to talk about it."
Just then Bruce returned to the living room where Duncan and Richie had been waiting. "Guys I'm sorry but I have the Mayer breathing down my neck, some kids where annoying a hollow tree the bats roost in and one thing led to another and they got defensive. It's a long story. I have to go I'm sorry."
"Hey it's ok, don't worry about it. If your not busy tomorrow night why don't you stop by the shop and have dinner with us?" Mac asked
"Oh I don't want to put Tessa out."
"Sure you can and besides she has been dying to see you again."
"Then how can I say no to a beautiful woman?" Bruce said with a smile
"You can't. See you tomorrow come on Rich."
"Nice to meet you Mr. Wayne." Richie said with a goofy smile.
"Call me Bruce and it was a pleasure meeting you."
Richie still had that goofy grin on his face as they all said good bye and left. "You and Bruce Wayne, unbelievable!"
When Mac and Richie got back to the Antique store Mac had that look on his face as if someone had just insulted his mother. Richie had been around him long enough to know he felt an Immortal and when Mac told him to stay outside he did. At least while Mac was visible. From some "magic pocket" Mac pulled that cool sword. A katana Richie remembered, he had asked Mac one day. He didn't really ask he just kinda blurted it out.
The door to the shop was ajar and was scared by a crowbar that had been left outside the door. Just as Mac slipped in the door Richie bolted for the back. It was locked as usual and with a set of fast fingers Richie had it open. It was dark inside and Richie clung to the walls like a mouse. He checked each room he came to. So far the bath and laundry rooms where clear, his room was its usual mess and for some strange reason Tess wasn't in her work shop. Her sculpture was though, it looked like Tessa had spent most of the day on it but Richie couldn't tell if it was finished or not. But all of a sudden Richie went blind and his ears rung, he hit the floor of the workshop and saw a pair of very expensive loafers step in front of him.
Mac found no one or anything missing in the shop or Kitchen and Tessa was sound asleep in their bedroom. He breathed a sigh of relief and checked the rest of the rooms. The presence of the Immortal had long since faded away and he finished checking the rooms. He stepped outside to tell Richie the coast was clear, but he wasn't there. Mac circled the building and found the back door unlocked. He looked around again and found a small piece of paper lying on the floor next to one of Richie's sneakers. One he had been wearing that day. Mac read the note.
Hell make a nice prize MacLeod, or I'd be happy to exchange him with something a little less virgin.
Your Pal,
K.
Just then Tessa stepped from her room and into the doorway of the workshop. She yawned as she asked "What's wrong, why are all the doors open?"
"Tess... Richie was kidnapped."
Tessa snapped to life and replied "Kidnapped! By who, how could this happen? He was with you!"
"When we got back the front door was open and I felt an Immortal. I searched the house and when I went back for Richie he was gone. I found this note on the floor.
Tessa read the note "K? Who the Kell is K?"
"I don't know but he is going to kill Richie if I don't give him my head."
"You can't do that! We have to find him! . . . Bruce-"
"Tess he can't get involved."
"But he has the resources to find Richie!"
"So do I."
"No offence Mac but a buzzing sensation? We need him and you know it."
Upon receiving Mac's call Bruce dropped his meeting with the Mayer (it hadn't been bats after all, but flock of whippoorwills) and headed his friends call. Like a trained detective Bruce Wayne scoured the home for any clues to may have kidnapped Richie. He had read the note a dozen times and examined it under a microscope he had brought along as well as a duffel bag Duncan could only guess what it contained. Now they where in the kitchen recounting the mornings events.
"So you said you finished working on the sculpture and came to get a cup of tea. Then you took a nap?" Bruce asked a worried Tessa who was sitting at the kitchen island
"But there are 3 cups here and Rich doesn't drink tea?"
"Duncan accidentally made a cup of my orange mint this morning instead of his English tea he usually drinks. But I don't see why that matters."
"If I'm right," Bruce said looking in the cabinet where the tea was kept "the kidnapper knew you usually drank a cup of tea after you finished in your workshop. He stole in here while you all where asleep last night, drugged your tea Tess and didn't put it back where he found it. Instead he put it where Mac kept his English breakfast tea, causing Mac to grab yours instead, but he didn't finish his cup. After finishing up in the work show you drank the tea, felt drowsy and laid down for a nap till Mac and Rich came back. K made it look like a break in and waited for Mac and Richie to show up. When Mac went inside Richie ran around the back being the take charge kinda guy he is. K knocked him out, left the note and carted him away."
"That's thin Bruce." Duncan said in a somber tone
"I know it's thin Mac, my life is biased on thin, but it's all we got. I can take the tea and probably find out what he used to drug Tessa. I might be able to track him down. I also want to put a trace on your phone. He knows you won't go to the cops so he won't be worried about a trace."
"Whatever it takes." Duncan said
"What I don't understand" Bruce said "is why he risked being caught by taking Richie and not Tessa?"
Tessa looked at Duncan for an explanation. Duncan had kept this a secret from everyone as long as he had known Richie. "I haven't told him but Richie is what we call a Pre-immortal."
"What?" Tessa asked
"I get it now;" Bruce said "if he takes Richie and finds out that you're on to him he could kill Richie and take his Quickening... Ether way he wins."
"Not if I can help it." Duncan said an angry edge to his voice "What do we do while your testing the tea?"
"The best thing you can do is wait for him to call. I know you don't want to sit here and do nothing but you have to be here if he calls."
Richie's head was killing him and it took a second for him to realize he was DUCT TAPED to a chair. "Great," He said "it always happens to the sidekick."
"That's what they are there for." A man's voice said from behind him, he was British
"Who are you?"
"A friend of MacLeod's, like you."
"We are nothing-alike pal."
"Oh I beg to differ young Richie. We have more in common that you think. We both want something MacLeod has. For me it's his head for you it's his money."
"I work for Mac I don't steal from him."
"But don't tell me you haven't thought about nicking one of those priceless antiques and fencing it."
Richie didn't answer, sure he had thought about it, but he had come to like Mac. He was good to him; Richie would never steal from him.
"A sudden burst of conscious little Richie?"
"Why don't you untie me and we'll see whose little!"
"Oh little mortal Richie up against a bit bad Immortal hummmmm, I'd pay to see that."
"You don't have to pay pal."
"You don't even know what you are do you?"
"Bait."
"Besides that... You're an Immortal little Richie."
"No man you're the Immortal remember? I'm Mother Teresa."
"Moxy is nice sometimes, but in the long run it's gonna cost you your head."
Mac had been sitting by the phone for the last 2 hours while Tess paced the apartment and Bruce did whatever he does when searching for a lead. The phone rang Mac knew better than to snatch it off the receiver before Bruce came in. It only took half a second for Bruce to appear and turn on the tracing device he had brought with him. He nodded to Mac and he picked up the phone. "MacLeod." He said in a rough tone, he waited hearing a reply "Sure Monique she is right here." Mac Handed Tess the phone and said "It's Monique, your late for your dinner date."
Tess took the phone and started making her apologies in French as Duncan stalked off into the kitchen where Bruce had been working. Bruce turned off the tracer and followed him. "Don't worry Mac we'll catch him."
"I know it's just..."
"You feel helpless, like you hands are tied behind your back."
"Yeah."
"Welcome to the club pal."
Just then they where interrupted by the loud cursing of Tessa. "So help me God if you touch one hare on his head I will rip your head off myself!"
Mac ran and wrestled the phone as gently as he could away from Tessa who was now yelling at the phone on French.
"How's the misses?" A voice chuckled from the phone.
"Your glad it's me your dealing with and not her." Mac spat back at
"Oh I bet."
"What do you want?"
"Oh I thought that would be obvious by now Highlander, I want your head."
"Then come and get it, leave Richie out of this."
"Oh MacLeod where's your sense of fun?"
"Why don't you come and help me find it?"
"You know MacLeod little Richie has a lot of spunk, I think you've been keeping secrets from him."
"Let me talk to Richie."
"What's a matter don't you trust me?"
"About as far as I can throw you."
"Fine, say hello to MacLeod Richie"
Mac's eyes where wide as he heard the distant frantic yells of his young friend "Mac I want you to kill this son of a bitch!"
Just then Richie's yells whent silent and Mac head the lonely hum of the dial tone. He hung up and turned saddened eyes on Bruce, who was checking a print out from the tracer, he had turned it on as Mac took the phone from Tessa.
"We didn't get it he blocked our trace."
"Duncan was Richie alright? Did you talk to him?"
"He sounds fine."
Mac Stalked off again, this time Bruce saw Tessa needed some form of comfort. "We still have the tea I will find him."
"Bruce I'm so scared."
"I know you are and it will be fine, don't worry I won't stop until I track him down."
"You son of a bitch! Mac is goana kill you!"
"Oh I'm sure he'll try. But not before I have your curly little head." K patted Richie on the cheek and left, turning out the lights leaving Richie in the dark.
Bruce had left the store; he had told Tessa he needed a few more things from his hotel room. Duncan was somewhere in his office fuming. After about an hour of waiting, pacing and cursing silently in Gaelic he finally emerged from his office and found Tessa in the living room.
"Hey." He said somberly Tessa crossed the room and put her arms around his neck
"Oh Mac I'm so scared."
"I am too."
"What if he does something to Richie?"
"I'll kill him if he does."
"I know I've been a little cold to him -" And she had. For the last three months she had not really wanted the young man in the house. It was partially because he was a former thief and partially because she didn't want to share Duncan with anyone. "But I really do care for him. I don't want anything to happen."
"Nether do I."
"So how long have you know?" She said giving him back his neck
"Known what?"
"That he is an Immortal."
"Oh, uh . . . remember the night he broke in?"
"Yes." She said with a misplaced smile "How could I forget." Tessa was unaware that her French was showing
"I felt him coming."
"Oh so it's like when you feel another Immortal?"
"Not really, it's more faint and not all of us can feel it, I don't think."
"So one of these days someone is going to come along and kill him and then he will be just like you?"
"Not necessarily, he has a chance to live a normal life. He can grow old and die as long as he doesn't die by a violent death."
"Can he have children?"
"No . . . but in all honestly could you imagine Richie being a father?"
Tessa laughed slightly "In all honestly I can say no." She wrapped her arms around her lover once more and silently thanked him for letting her laugh for a moment.
"Tess," Duncan said lifting his head like a dog to a sound only his ears could here "where is Bruce?"
"Oh he left, said he needed to get some things from his suite, why?"
"I feel something."
"Is it an Immortal?"
"Yes, get behind me." MacLeod pulled his katana from somewhere on his person and eased for the living room door.
"Whoa whoa! Mac it's me!" Bruce said coming from the hall.
"Bruce get back there's someone else!"
"Relax Mac there isn't anyone here."
"I just felt an Immortal get back!"
"Mac what you felt was this." Bruce said holding a small electric devise
Bruce walked into the room and handed Mac the device "What's this?" Duncan asked
"That my long-lived friend is our new secret weapon. It mimics the 'buzz' you guys get when your close to each other
"How did you do that?"
"Ehh a little research and ingenuity. I never tried it out till now."
"How is this going to help us?" Mac asked
"Well if I can mimic the sensation with this then I can block it with this." Bruce said holding up a second devise "it sends out a pulse that blocks your Immortal vibration from other Immortals."
"I can't use this."
"Why not?"
"It's . . . it's against the rules."
"What you guys have a handbook? No fighting on Holy Ground and only 1 on 1! Listen Mac, this isn't an Olympic event anything goes in life or death and it will help you save Richie. While I'm knocking out the security around Richie you can get close to K and surprise him. I'm not asking you to cheat Mac I'm just asking you to surprise the guy so he doesn't kill Richie before you can get to him."
"Mac maybe he has a point." Tessa said
"Alright, I said whatever it takes and I'll stick by that. What did you mean by knocking out the security, you found him already?"
"Yeah! I isolated the herb and I tracked it down to one small shop in China Town. I learned that a young, very well dressed white man had bought some and was expecting a delivery tomorrow. I got the address and checked it out. I found blueprints for a warehouse outside of town and several pictures of the store and you guys."
"You found all that out in one hour?" Tessa asked
"Trade secret." Bruce smiled
It was midnight and K was playing some kind of opera somewhere in the building where Richie was being held. Richie didn't understand how people could like this stuff. "This is defiantly not my idea of a fun weekend." He said. He rolled his eyes and tried to revert to some long lost song of his what would soon be his former youth. He had just got the lyrics to Princes of the universe by Queen stuck to his brain when he heard something beyond the whale of the Foust and the Devils Bargain. It was the subtle scraping and tap, tap, tap that was unmistakably the sound of a glass cutter slicing threw a pain of glass. Richie looked up and saw right in front of him light only slightly by the moonlight outside what looked like a single black drop of water dripping from the window above him. It landed soundlessly fifty paces in front of him and crossed the dark room in a flash. Richie was scared at first, instantly thinking that something like a vampire had come to kill him. Hey if Immortals could exist why not vampires! But it wasn't a vampire as the shape got closer Richie saw that it was Bruce Wayne the man he had made a fool of himself to earlier.
"Bruce! What the-"
"Be quiet kid I'm gonna get you out of here."
"Where's Mac"
"Taking care of our alphabetical problem."
K was enjoying a fine Havana cigar, a glass of 300 year old Brandy and the tormented singing of a man who had struck a deal with the wrong underworld ruler. He was sitting in one of the upstairs offices of the warehouse that had been thoroughly cleaned by someone besides the man who occupied the Corinthian leather armchair enjoying his music. He had a row of monitors in front of him showing him 3 different views of Richie. Unbeknownst to him Bruce had fixed the tapes so they showed a continuous loop of Richie sitting in the chair. He nearly fell out of his chair when he heard the deep once Scottish accent say "Funny meeting you here." K shot up and grabbed his sword from the Chinese writing desk at which his now the overturned chair sat.
"Surprised to see me?" MacLeod said standing at the doorway
"MacLeod!"
"That's my name I'd appreciate if you didn't wear it out."
"How long have you been there?"
"Oh about the same time Foust was cast into Hell. Hell of a story, always was a favorite of mine."
"And mine." K had seemed to have regained his nerve "so how did you find me?"
"You should be little more careful with who you drug. You where sloppy and Sune Lee wasn't very loyal."
"Ahh the storeowner . . . Seems I've underestimated you."
"Not me, just a friend."
"So you had help?"
"Let's just say Richie won't be a problem anymore K . . . what the hell is your real name any way?"
"It's K."
"Just K?"
"Yes the writer of this story had exhausted her creative talents trying to think up a decent bad guy name for her other story. As you can tell by the situation we are in right now we are the leftovers. I'd think her dear Duncan would know that."
"Well how do you expect me to know, she doesn't tell me anything!"
"Guys!" Raven said sitting at her computer slightly frustrated
"What?" Both Duncan and K said in unison
"Can we get on with it?" She replied
"Your the writer! You do know this is how Highlander 2 got started right?" K snapped
"Get on with it or I'll take your head!" She said
"He's mine." Duncan told RC
"Then take his head and put us all out of our misery!"
"If you'll cut to the next scene and make this look like an actual story he will." K said snottily
"Hey watch how you speak to her!"
"Thank you Duncan."
Richie was finally free from the chair and the lull in the story as Bruce was trying to pull him from the warehouse. Something occurred to the young pre-Immortal. "Hey wait, wait, wait, how did you find me?"
"I'll tell you later Rich." Bruce aid holding Richie's arm trying to get him from the building before Richie put 2 & 2 together.
"Wait a second . . . (Too late Bruce thought) Yeah your from Gotham City right?"
"Yeah now come on!"
"Your rich too . . ."
"Thanks for reminding me now come on!"
"No that guy, the nut who runs around in black underwear risking his life . . ."
"Batman?" Bruce screwed up before he realized it
"Yeah! That's it, yeah I heard about him."
"Richie we gotta go."
"Wait . . ." Richie looked hard at Bruce "Your him, aren't you?"
"Richie!"
"No you tell me or I'll ask her!" Richie said pointing at the writer
Bruce glanced at the only person in the world who watched Multiplicity more than once then back to Richie and said "Listen he doesn't exist! He's a tabloid gag to sell magazines."
"Oh come on! How do you explain that?" Richie said pointing to the skylight from which Bruce descended.
"I've been around a lot. We gotta go."
"Oh no not till you tell me."
"Richie!"
"Tell me!"
Bruce huffed and paced for half a second He knew he wouldn't get Richie from the building unless he spilled his utility belt. "Alright, you happy?"
"Your Batman?"
"Yes! Now can we go?"
"Unbelievable, wait . . . does Mac know?"
"No," Bruce said with a suppressed smile "And it's be best if you never told him. This kind of secret is better left under wraps."
"So you don't want me to tell Mac?"
"Yes."
"So I'm one of your inner people now?"
"What?"
"You know one of the only people in the world you trust with the secret of your identity."
"Something like that." Bruce said stealing a line form every Highlander movie and episode ever made
"So do I get a ring?"
"A what?"
"A ring! Something you can communicate with me with if you need to."
"I'll see what I can do."
"Unbelievable!"
"Yes it's amazing, now GO!"
K wasn't as splendid a fighter as Duncan had thought. In fact he was downright bad. He kept up a good defense against Duncan though but was as irritating as Kell. Only when Raven realized the story needed something more did K pull a 32-caliber pistol from his coat pocket. "I knew this would come in handy." He said taking aim at Mac shooting him in the chest. He tried three more shots but the gun jammed as most movie or story guns do and Duncan scored a slice across K's stomach. He fell to his knees and Duncan took his head without a thought.
Bruce had finally pulled Richie from the building and had gotten him to stop asking him stupid questions about his nightlife when they both saw the interior of the building light up like the 4th of July. They watched with bated breath as someone emerged from the building with Duncan's katana in his hand. They where relieved to see that it was in fact Duncan. He hugged Richie when he saw the young boy was alright. Bruce stood back and smiled.
Tessa nearly pulled Richie's head off when she saw that the young man was unharmed. Both Bruce and Duncan where met with kisses and hugs when they walked in the store. Tessa was babbling about being worried and thinking they where all dead. Duncan didn't bother the telling her the fight had been a walk in the park, he knew could cash in on this later. But half of what Tessa said Richie couldn't understand because she was speaking in French as well. Heck even Duncan couldn't understand her and he spoke French.
Three days later Bruce was scheduled to leave so he stopped by the store to say good bye. In his usual manner he left with parting gifts. He gave Tessa a pair of pearl earrings to match the necklace he had given her on his last visit. He kissed her on the cheek and said "How on Earth did Mac find you before I did?" They laughed; of course Bruce was joking.
To Duncan he gave a pocket watch that was almost older than him. "Next time we can actually visit. Maybe you'll teach me a few things."
"Maybe, take care of yourself Bruce." Duncan said and hugged his friend
Richie was standing on the sidelines as they said their goodbyes. He didn't expect to get anything because he didn't know Bruce. Bruce did shake his hand and as he said his goodbyes to Richie the throaty sound of a Vespa motorbike roared up to them rounding out Bruce's voice. The bike parked and a young man stepped off and took his helmet off.
"I got one 1984 Vespa racing bike for a Mr. Richard H. Ryan. Any of you him?"
"I'm Richard Ryan." Richie said stepping up to the bike "But I didn't order a bike."
"Listen Mister I got orders to deliver this bike to this address, if you don't take it I could loose my job. The forms say it's paid for but uh if you don't want it alls you got to do is sign and I'd be happy to take it off your hands, this thing is a honey!"
Richie looked back at his friends, Duncan and Tess where obviously confused but Bruce was suppressing a very large smile. "Bruce did you-"
"Sign for the bike Richie." Bruce said and Richie complied, the young man jogged over to a car waiting on the other side of the street and drove away.
"Listen Bruce I can't."
"Of course you can."
"But-"
Bruce put his hand on Richie's shoulder and said in a low voice "I couldn't manage a ring but this should do. If you need me Mac has my private number."
"What can I say?"
"Say thank you Richie." Tessa said
"Thanks!"
"Take care of yourself Rich." Bruce said shaking the young mans hand
"You too."
Bruce got into his convertible and said one last good bye and drove away. Duncan and Tessa left Richie standing in front of the store staring at the bike. They had better ideas in mind to spend their afternoon. Richie would get acquainted with his bike and they embarked on very charted territories in their bedroom.
Writer's Notes: Ok I apologize! I couldn't resist putting these guys in a story together. I realized half way threw that the Series never explained how Richie got his bike. I have no idea what model bike Richie drove so I just chose a Vespa. If memory serves 1984 is the last year Vespa manufactured their racing bike. It's supposed to be a wonderfully fast machine and as Duncan asked in See no Evil "Does that bike of yours still haul ass?" What else could I choose than a Vespa? This story has a different flow to it than a few of my others. I tried to do it in a more Richie style with not so great grammar. I think it's more to the point and not so evolved with movements or reactions. Hope you liked it! Any and all feedback is appreciated.