Chapter Four
They were attracting a lot of attention at the restaurant. Brian attracted a lot of attention wherever he went. Especially when he was on the cover of four current magazines, on posters above every school girl's bed, and on the radio in every trendy store.
Duncan was trying to ignore the fawning girls staring at them- or rather at Brian- from across the room. Tessa looked like she could barely hold in her laughter and Brian handled it like a pro. He still looked completely natural, but there was a flourish in his moves that hadn't been there before and his smile became much more prominent and showy.
Dinner was pretty uneventful; the high note was when one of the girls got up the courage to approach them as they were leaving and ask for Brian's autograph. He obliged with a friendly smile and sent the girl, squealing in joy, back to her friends.
"I thought we were trying to be low profile?" Duncan said lightly.
Brian grinned. "Got to enjoy the fans when you've got 'em, Mac."
They arrived back at the antique store, Brian and Duncan intending to do some more secretive catch up- mostly having to do with Immortals Brian had met up with in the past two years. Richie was waiting for them, holding an ice pack to his neck. As soon as they entered, he stood, put down the ice pack and held a card out to Brian. "You had two visitors, *Mr. Maxwell*."
"What happened?" Tessa asked Richie, rushing to his side.
"I think its safe to say the first guy's an Immortal. Came in here, grabbed me by the throat, had a big sword. The second guy's-"
"That damn reporter," Brian hissed, looking down at the card. "Arthur Stuart. Again. You remember when I was Tommy Stone, right? Well, Stuart brought me down then too. I wasn't doing anything illegal, per se. But the fans didn't like that their conservative idol had been the bisexual leader of the sexual revolution. I had to kill myself because of him; I lost all my assets and had to start all over again! And I have. The music might not be inspired or great, but it's *mine*. And he wants to take it away again."
"I think we should focus on the guy with the sword, Bri. He seemed a *bit* more irritated with you," Richie said.
Brian looked annoyed at that. "My career is more important-"
"Than what? Your life?" Duncan snapped.
Brian looked away. "Of course not," he murmured, but didn't sound convincing. Then he looked over at Richie. "You didn't tell him where I was staying, did you?" he asked sharply.
Richie rolled his eyes. "Yes, of course, I give out information like water. Ask me a question and I'll tell you the truth, even if you have a huge broadsword!"
"Not him- Arthur!"
"No, I didn't tell Arthur where you were staying." Richie shrugged off Tessa's arm. "I'm going to bed. G'night, all." He walked back to his room, exhaustion plain in every step. Tessa quickly said goodnight and followed the young man.
Duncan watched them go, then turned back to his old student. "Priorities, Brian. That Immortal could come for your head anytime, or come back here and kill Tessa and Richie to send you a message."
"I know!" Brian snapped, then collapsed into the chair Richie had vacated.
"So why do you care so much about this reporter?"
"He has a grudge against me. He doesn't even know I'm me and he has a grudge against me. I don't know why… Plus, he's with Curt, you know, the bleedin' fruit," Brian said dejectedly, kicking at the edge of the carpet.
Duncan rolled his eyes at the mention of Brian's ex-lover. "That explains it then."
"This kid has ruined my career once, wants to do it again, made my life a living hell and you think I hate him because he's living with my ex-boyfriend?" Brian asked in disbelief. He was quiet for a moment. "Well, you'd be right. I loved Curt, yeah. But I moved on, and so did he. It was another life."
"Then get your mind off him and the reporter, and onto the current situation."
"Can do, Mac." Brian stood gracefully and smiled. "I will see you tomorrow."
"Be here early," Duncan commanded. At Brian's questioning look, Duncan shrugged. "Sword practice. It's been- what, years?- since you've had an actual opponent."
Brian laughed. "See you then."
*
The Seacouver Marriott was twenty minutes from Mac's antique store. Brian got there in ten, driving at breakneck speed for no real reason. He left his rental car for the valet and hurried up to his second floor room.
The door was slightly ajar. Brian froze at the sight of the narrow ribbon of light peaking through to the hallway. But he didn't feel the buzz that indicated another Immortal's presence, so instead of running (which was commonly misconceived as the coward's way out; in truth, Brian knew, it was the smart way out) he crept to the door and pushed it open gently, then peaked inside.
And immediately rolled his eyes. "Stooped to breaking and entering to get your stories already, Mr. Stuart?"
They were attracting a lot of attention at the restaurant. Brian attracted a lot of attention wherever he went. Especially when he was on the cover of four current magazines, on posters above every school girl's bed, and on the radio in every trendy store.
Duncan was trying to ignore the fawning girls staring at them- or rather at Brian- from across the room. Tessa looked like she could barely hold in her laughter and Brian handled it like a pro. He still looked completely natural, but there was a flourish in his moves that hadn't been there before and his smile became much more prominent and showy.
Dinner was pretty uneventful; the high note was when one of the girls got up the courage to approach them as they were leaving and ask for Brian's autograph. He obliged with a friendly smile and sent the girl, squealing in joy, back to her friends.
"I thought we were trying to be low profile?" Duncan said lightly.
Brian grinned. "Got to enjoy the fans when you've got 'em, Mac."
They arrived back at the antique store, Brian and Duncan intending to do some more secretive catch up- mostly having to do with Immortals Brian had met up with in the past two years. Richie was waiting for them, holding an ice pack to his neck. As soon as they entered, he stood, put down the ice pack and held a card out to Brian. "You had two visitors, *Mr. Maxwell*."
"What happened?" Tessa asked Richie, rushing to his side.
"I think its safe to say the first guy's an Immortal. Came in here, grabbed me by the throat, had a big sword. The second guy's-"
"That damn reporter," Brian hissed, looking down at the card. "Arthur Stuart. Again. You remember when I was Tommy Stone, right? Well, Stuart brought me down then too. I wasn't doing anything illegal, per se. But the fans didn't like that their conservative idol had been the bisexual leader of the sexual revolution. I had to kill myself because of him; I lost all my assets and had to start all over again! And I have. The music might not be inspired or great, but it's *mine*. And he wants to take it away again."
"I think we should focus on the guy with the sword, Bri. He seemed a *bit* more irritated with you," Richie said.
Brian looked annoyed at that. "My career is more important-"
"Than what? Your life?" Duncan snapped.
Brian looked away. "Of course not," he murmured, but didn't sound convincing. Then he looked over at Richie. "You didn't tell him where I was staying, did you?" he asked sharply.
Richie rolled his eyes. "Yes, of course, I give out information like water. Ask me a question and I'll tell you the truth, even if you have a huge broadsword!"
"Not him- Arthur!"
"No, I didn't tell Arthur where you were staying." Richie shrugged off Tessa's arm. "I'm going to bed. G'night, all." He walked back to his room, exhaustion plain in every step. Tessa quickly said goodnight and followed the young man.
Duncan watched them go, then turned back to his old student. "Priorities, Brian. That Immortal could come for your head anytime, or come back here and kill Tessa and Richie to send you a message."
"I know!" Brian snapped, then collapsed into the chair Richie had vacated.
"So why do you care so much about this reporter?"
"He has a grudge against me. He doesn't even know I'm me and he has a grudge against me. I don't know why… Plus, he's with Curt, you know, the bleedin' fruit," Brian said dejectedly, kicking at the edge of the carpet.
Duncan rolled his eyes at the mention of Brian's ex-lover. "That explains it then."
"This kid has ruined my career once, wants to do it again, made my life a living hell and you think I hate him because he's living with my ex-boyfriend?" Brian asked in disbelief. He was quiet for a moment. "Well, you'd be right. I loved Curt, yeah. But I moved on, and so did he. It was another life."
"Then get your mind off him and the reporter, and onto the current situation."
"Can do, Mac." Brian stood gracefully and smiled. "I will see you tomorrow."
"Be here early," Duncan commanded. At Brian's questioning look, Duncan shrugged. "Sword practice. It's been- what, years?- since you've had an actual opponent."
Brian laughed. "See you then."
*
The Seacouver Marriott was twenty minutes from Mac's antique store. Brian got there in ten, driving at breakneck speed for no real reason. He left his rental car for the valet and hurried up to his second floor room.
The door was slightly ajar. Brian froze at the sight of the narrow ribbon of light peaking through to the hallway. But he didn't feel the buzz that indicated another Immortal's presence, so instead of running (which was commonly misconceived as the coward's way out; in truth, Brian knew, it was the smart way out) he crept to the door and pushed it open gently, then peaked inside.
And immediately rolled his eyes. "Stooped to breaking and entering to get your stories already, Mr. Stuart?"