Chapter 9

Alex and Duncan had just finished lunch when Duncan looked at his watch "Oh damn!" he said before getting quickly to his feet "What's the matter" Alex asked.

"I promise Fitz that I would meet him at an auction" Duncan said as he started to stack their plates, "he wanted some advice on something" Alex reached out "here let me do that you get going" Alex replied as she took the plates from him "go on, go" she said gesturing towards the door, Duncan smiled "Yes M'am" then he playfully saluted.

After getting his coat from the peg near the door, he turn to back to Alex "Heh, do you want to come with me?" Alex smiled at him as she walked over carrying a tray with their plates on it "I know I'm not sure of much these days, but I really don't think I want to hang around with a lot of dusty old relics" Duncan raised his eyebrows as Alex walked past him to the kitchen "don't be so sure about that" he quietly to himself.

"Sorry what was that?" Alex asks as she turned around "Err.nothing but what will you do?" Duncan asked as he put on his coat, Alex shrugged "I don't know.I might have a read of one of your books if you don't mind.I mean whatever I choose will be new to me, even if I've read it before" Duncan nodded and walked up the steps to her "I shouldn't be too long.as long as I can keep Fitz from bidding for everything" he kissed her lightly on the lips before opening the door and disappearing into the afternoon Paris sun.

Alex washed up before going over to the book case where she let her fingers run along the spines of the books as she look at each of the titles until she found one that interested her, after taking the book down she flicked through the pages as she walked over to the couch.

Duncan pulled the car up to the front entrance of the auction house, he could see Fitz leaning against the wall by the door, Duncan got out and handed his keys to the valet he had just finished telling the valet his name when Fitz took hold of his arm "Where have you been Laddie.it's already started" Duncan prised Fitz's hand from his arm "I'm sorry I lost track of time.I got a little distracted" Duncan replied raising his eyebrows and he hadn't realise that there was a grin on his face, his expression stopped Fitz in his tracks, Duncan took several steps before turning round to see where Fitz had got to "I thought you wanted to get into the auction".

"Who was it?" Fitz asked but Duncan just stood a few feet away his hands on his hips and the grin still on his face "Oh don't tell me.I don't believe it.it's Alex isn't it.but you said you wouldn't get involved Laddie.anyway you said she needed time to remember what her type was" Fitz shook his head before walking up to Duncan putting his arm around Duncan's shoulder "Well Laddie.you can tell me all about it later.but now we have some business to conduct" Duncan walked with Fitz to the Auction room but before entering he whispered in his ear "I guess she remembered her type and I'm not going to tell you anything." Fitz was about to protest but Duncan had already entered the room so all he could do was to follow.

Alex had been reading for about an hour but it was slow, no matter how hard she tried to concentrate on the book her mind keep drifting to the café and the man that she was supposed to have met there. Alex laid the book down on her lap and closed her eyes to try and get the image of the man to become clearer. Through the mist that had been surrounding her mind for days the face became clear but his name and why she wanted to meet with him was still held deep in the mist. Alex opened her eyes 'there is only one place that might jog my memory and that's the café' Alex though as she moved the book from her lap to the table. 'I should wait for Duncan.no why bother him he's done enough already' she thought as she put on her shoes, Alex then picked up her bag "I won't be gone long" she said to herself as she closed and locked the door to the barge.

As Alex walked towards the steps that led to the streets of Paris she was watched by four pairs of eyes, one pair from the bridge some distance away, two pairs from the car where Thomas and Ray were waiting and the last pair that had disappeared back into the dim light of the tunnel when he had seen Alex leave the barge, but as Alex was half way up the steps a figure appeared from the tunnel 'where are you going?' Methos thought to himself as he set out to find out. Alex didn't see Thomas or Ray as she was heading in the other direction, Thomas was about to get out and go after her when he felt Ray's hand on his arm "No wait"

"Wait?" Thomas said looking round he then followed Ray's gaze and saw a man following Alex "I think our Alex might be on to something if she's interesting enough for someone to follow her.let's hang back and see what happens" Ray said smiling, a wicked smile came across Thomas's face "Ok we'll see what happens".

It was only as she got nearer to the café that Alex started to become cautious, the way she blended into the surroundings was not lost on Methos 'I think someone's done this sort of thing before' he thought as he too kept to the shadows and melted into the afternoon crowd. Alex found a place she could observe what went on in the café without being seen, they must have been there for nearly an hour when Alex saw the face of the man, part of her wanted to run across the road and demand that he told her what he knew but she managed to hold this part of her back. Alex watched as he went in sat down and ordered, Alex watched as the man drank his coffee and paid, only when he stepped out on the street did she move, Alex kept her distance as she trailed the man through the streets, he made a couple of stops at other shops before he reached an old office building. Alex stayed in the shadows and watched as he entered the building.

As Alex lent back against the wall a name came to her "Philippe du Pont.that's who you are" she said quietly to herself as she tried to think of his connection to her. From where he was watching Methos saw Alex's hands go to her head and from the look on her face he could tell she was in pain but he resisted he the impulse of going to her, he then watched as Alex walked away, he waited before following, as Methos got closer to the office building, Methos felt the presence of another Immortal, quickly he scanned the surrounding area but when he couldn't see no-one his eyes returned to the office building and he knew that one of them was inside. Methos moved so that he could see the door but could not be seen, he didn't have to wait long before the man Alex was following came out with another man dressed in a long black coat and black hat. As the man in the hat lifted his head looking around for the Immortal he could feel Methos got a good look at his face "Lazarski!" Methos exclaimed out loud to himself, shaking his head Methos slipped out of sight round the corner "Oh Highlander, what have you got yourself involved in" Methos said before following Alex back to the barge.

Thomas and Ray had stopped further down the street and had been watching both the stranger, watching Alex, and Alex. They both watched as Alex walked away but the stranger stayed, Ray turned to Thomas "well, what was that all about?" Thomas shook his head "I have no idea." the words fell away from him as two men came out of the building and the man in the hat lifted his head "I don't believe it!" exclaimed Thomas "that's Lazarski.isn't it?" Thomas said the surprise obvious in his voice, Ray had been watching as the stranger trailing Alex as he slipped round the corner but what Thomas had just said made him look over to the office building "if that's not him then he must have a twin.maybe Alex was right after all.come on we had better get back to the barge" Ray said as he walked off, Thomas took one last look as the two men got into the large black car which was waiting at the kerb before catching up with Ray "Yeah.maybe our Alex isn't as crazy as we all thought".