We'll always have Paris
Chapter 3
Immortal? What did that mean?
Okay, I'm not stupid. Immortal means something that can't die. And that certainly seemed to apply to me since I had just been shot twice without it even leaving a mark. But how does one become immortal? And why hadn't I ever heard of it, if it was possible? And obviously from what Amanda had said about 'our kind', she was one, too. How many immortals were there?
I was brimming over with questions, but they had to be put on hold when my earpiece began to vibrate. Somehow through all the excitement of being shot and falling to the floor, it had stayed in place.
Quickly, I reached up and tapped the button that turned it on.
"This is Texas Ranger, over." Even though my radio was encrypted, protocol required the use of codenames for radio communications. And with the name Annie Walker, of course my codename would be Texas Ranger.
"This is the Emperor."
And by the same logic, Augustus Anderson would have to get the code name Emperor. Who picked these codenames? I wondered. They did sort of match Auggie's sense of humor, but I didn't think he had that much pull within the Firm. But then I would never bet against him either.
"You're twelve minutes overdue, Ranger," continued Auggie. "What's your status?"
As soon as I had started talking, Amanda had paused in her headlong race down the seven flights of stairs. Before Auggie finished speaking, she unceremoniously ripped the earpiece out and held it so we could both hear.
When Auggie paused, Amanda closed her hand tightly over the microphone end. "You can't go back to your people right now, it's too dangerous. You will have to come with me at least until I have a chance to explain about immortals."
I truly wanted to understand what was happening to me, but I also was committed to fulfilling my duty. And then I remembered I had just found what I was looking for when the guards had burst in and shot me. Damn, in all the excitement, I had forgotten to grab the papers or my camera when I had reawakened. Damn.
Amanda must have read something in my expression, as she quickly added, "I used your camera to take digital photos of the papers on the desk while I was waiting for you to revive and I had a minute to peruse them. There is nothing in them that can't wait until morning."
Suddenly, we both heard the door at the bottom, still three levels below us, slam open and more than one man begin charging up the stairs.
Amanda handed the earpiece back to me. "Make whatever excuse you have to, but we need to talk before you rejoin your people."
Then she vaulted over the railing and lithely dropped down the central shaft about which the stairs spiraled.
I glanced over the railing while I jammed the earpiece back into place. Amanda landed in a graceful roll three stories below me and instantly went on the attack. I had graduated top in my class in unarmed combat, but based on what I was seeing, I would last exactly two seconds against the other woman. She waded into the group of men still congregated around the bottom of the stairs with a fast, fluid fighting style I had never seen before.
After one long look, I began racing down the remaining stairs. I could hear intermittent 'phfft' sounds of silenced guns being fired and wondered how crazy I must be to be running straight towards the fight without any sort of weapon. But it seemed to be a night to do crazy things.
"Ah, Emperor, I've run into a bit of trouble. I'm going to have to get back to you," I said into the earpiece.
"Ranger, I'm sending in backup."
"Negative on the backup, Emperor. Repeat – negative. I can get clear, but I may have to lay low for a while. Don't create an incident. I'll contact you in one hour. Ranger, out."
I could hear Auggie protesting, but I hit the earpiece's off button and turned my attention ahead.
As I rounded the last corner and found myself half a flight of stairs up from the main floor exit, only one man remained on his feet between me and Amanda. The others, at least six, but they were difficult to count all tumbled together, were on the floor moaning or unconscious.
The last man was standing five steps below me. He was looking down and had his gun pointed in Amanda's direction. Immediately, I threw myself into a hard dive at his back. If I could survive being shot, I would surely survive tumbling down a flight of stairs.
As I collided with him, I aimed my clenched fists at his kidneys, the most vulnerable spot I could reach from this angle. He went crashing forward down the stairs and I managed to ride down on top of him. By the time we reached the bottom, he was groggy enough that a quick elbow strike to the neck took him down.
"Come on, we have to go," said Amanda, as I got to my feet and started climbing across the intervening bodies.
I saw a grimace of pain flash across Amanda's face. "Are you okay?"
She had been clasping her right bicep with her left hand, but now she pulled her hand free. "I caught one in the arm. I'll be fine."
Once her hand was out of the way, I saw what looked like miniature blue lightning bolts dancing around her wound. After about five seconds they began to fade and Amanda shook her right hand a couple of times, as though working out a cramp.
"Let's go," Amanda repeated, as she turned towards the door.
"Where are we going?" I asked, as I followed her out into the grand and fortunately deserted lobby.
"Hmm, I think we better go to Duncan's. It's possible we were caught on surveillance video, which might lead them straight to my place."
She had to be referring to Duncan MacLeod. Oh, I still might not remember Amanda's last name, but I certainly hadn't forgotten the name of her escort from the ball. Handsome and athletic were the first words that popped into my head when I thought of Duncan MacLeod. And better yet, he apparently must know about immortals, if he wasn't one himself.
