Code Duello - Chapter 6bypatricia51

"You're wrong."

The combatants fell back from each other. Surprise showed on Deirdre's face but shock was written on Guiseppe's.

"Who are you?" demanded the Italian.

"I am Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod."

"Duncan! How, why, how did you get here?"

"It wasn't that hard," replied Duncan as he cautiously circled the room, searching for a position close enough to both his friend and to her daughter that he could get between either of them and Guiseppe should that Immortal attempt a movement in either direction.

"I found your message to William. Once I realized who had taken Susan I did a little immediate research on the computer. This city was once a hotbed for duels. The most common place for them was a level area just outside of what was then the city. Right where we are now in fact. Knowing what you told me about him," Duncan indicated the other man with a jerk of his head, "I was confident this is where he would make you come."

"Very clever, Duncan MacLeod," said Guiseppe as he recovered his arrogant attitude. "But irrelevant. This is between her and me."

"You can't interfere Duncan."

"She is right. The Code Duello forbids it. And I have challenged HER, not you."

"Since you are so bound by its prescriptions Guiseppe, I am going to remind you of one item of the Code that you seem to have forgotten about," said Duncan.

"What is that?" replied the baffled Immortal.

"A lady doesn't fight the duel. Her chosen champion does for her." Duncan drew his katana and assumed the high guard position. "And as her oldest living friend I claim the right to be that champion."

"Duncan!" Deirdre protested.

"Take Susan and go." When the petite Irish woman hesitated he added, "NOW!" As she scurried to comply he moved once more to shield her.

With barely concealed mounting fury Guiseppe watched Deirdre free her daughter and start to leave. "It's not over!" he yelled at her.

"Oh yes it is," stated Duncan. Swords rang and the fight was on.

Back and forth the two Immortals dueled across the floor. The Italian rapier and the Japanese katana clashed. Sparks flew from the violence of their meeting. Guiseppe thrust, his blade a lightning quick blur and Duncan barely managed to parry. The Highlander feinted and swung, his katana spinning through the air at his opponent's neck. The other Immortal managed to duck, barely in time, but his riposte was as vicious as ever and Duncan was forced to leap back.

Both fighters were master swordsmen, each having battled many a foe with the blade, both human and other Immortals. Each had always been victorious. Although their styles were completely different each one of the pair had fought strange opponents over the centuries and they quickly adapted to each other. The blades seemed to blur with their movements.

Chests worked like bellows as both men panted from their exertions. Neither slowed the intensity of their attacks. Time and again each man avoided an attack that would have finished a lesser swordsman. The broken concrete floor added its own hazards. Duncan stumbled when his foot caught the stub of a pipe and only a desperate twist of his body kept the Italian rapier from running him through. Stepping back Guiseppe's heel snagged a crumbling cinderblock as Duncan aimed a powerful cut at his head. The challenging Immortal dropped to the floor and rolled frantically as Duncan chopped at him.

Guiseppe kicked out, catching Duncan's wrist and sending his sword flying. The Highlander raced to recover it as it skittered across the floor. The Italian sprang to his feet and pursued. Just as Duncan snatched up his katana Guiseppe dropped into a classic lunge, extending his body as he thrust for Duncan. Spinning around and sidestepping the Highlander's sword sang through the air. Guiseppe's body still looked like a pose for a fencing magazine, except that his head was gone.

The body had no sooner slumped to the floor than Duncan was seized in the Quickening. It was a powerful one. Guiseppe had been a ferocious opponent who had sought out other Immortals to take their heads, The currents of power flowing into Duncan lifted him from the floor; a floor he collapsed on once the storm ran its course. Dazed, he picked up his sword, wiped it clean and made his way to his car. He stowed his sword in the secret place in trunk where he kept it and then returned to the building. He found a sagging stairway leading down to an old cellar that ran for some length underground and concealed Guiseppe's body there. Getting in his car he took several deep breaths, cranked the engine and left.

Several hours later it seemed all the loose ends had been wrapped up. He had got together with Deirdre and William and they had hammered out a believable story that he appeared in only as a friend who had gone to look for Deirdre. On her part she told the authorities that she had found Susan wandering the streets, having escaped from a captor whose description matched Guiseppe's just enough to confuse anyone who came forward that might have been in the park.

Duncan worried that the weak link would be Susan. But the now teenager looked the questioning officers right in the eyes and told the simple story that after she was abducted she pretended to faint. When the car stopped and the man opened the door she suddenly kicked him and ran away. The questioners fell hook, line and sinker; patted her on the head and declared what a brave girl she was. Duncan completely agreed.

The conclusion of the investigation was that the attack was aimed at William and the kidnapping was a crime of opportunity when the assasin realized he had failed, probably in an attempt to draw William out. An examination of the witness cases he had been involved with over the last several years was conducted but no immediate suspects were identified. However it was recommended that a transfer to another office, preferably on the other side of the country, be implemented as soon as possible.

"Well, how do you think you'll like San Francisco?" Duncan asked a few days after the excitement had calmed down enough to allow things to start to return to normal.

"It's been quite a while," Deirdre admitted. "It was the 1870's as I recall." She looked at Duncan with a grin. "I missed all the excitement of the Golden Horseshoe club and everything else that took place during the Gold Rush, but I was busy elsewhere."

"Ah, that's right. I had forgotten."

"Well that's okay," cooed Deirdre with a smile tugging at her lips. "I understand that when you get as old as you are forgetfulness is only to be expected."

Duncan snorted in amusement, well aware that the Irish Immortal was some four hundred years older than him.

"How about the girls? How are they taking it? And Susan, is she alright?"

"Thanks to you she's fine. And she knows something is, as she puts it 'different' about her Uncle Duncan. But she thinks its cool. Still, William and I might have to have THE talk with her long before we were prepared to do so. As for the movement, well, they're both excited about it and upset at the same time. This is the city they've always lived in. Their friends are here; their lives are here. But children move all the time. They'll adapt."

"In fact," William joined the conversation as he entered the room, "Last night we took a virtual tour of San Francisco and the girls were intrigued by their new city. Fortunately it's near the end of the school year; close enough in fact that I think we'll be able to delay the move until then." Deirdre's still heavily bandaged husband gingerly settled himself on the edge of a chair. "We know of course that there is no more danger here, at least from the 'unknown assailant' but it's better for us to go along the Marshalls Service on this."

Deirdre fussed over her husband for a minute, making sure he was comfortable before she turned back to Duncan.

"Duncan, thank you."

"Let me second that," Chimed in William. He looked embarrassed as he went on softly. "I don't think I could have stood to lose Deirdre. And the girls, she's not their Step-Mother anymore, she's simply 'Mom'."

Duncan swallowed a bit of a lump that seemed to have caught in his throat. "You're welcome," was his simple reply. He stood up and checked his watch. "Well if I'm going to catch my plane I better get moving. Tell the girls goodbye for me." He crossed the room and shook William's hand.

Deirdre stood on her toes and kissed the Highlander on the cheek. "We expect you to visit us in San Francisco once we get settled."

"It's a deal." Duncan started for the door, smiling wistfully at the look the couple was sharing; a look that shouted the love between the Immortal woman and her mortal husband. A grin crossed his face. To lighten the moment he turned around as he reached the door.

"William. By the way, has Deirdre ever told you how she prefers to be dressed for her fights?"

"Duncan!"

(The End)