Disclaimer: See Acknowledgements page
CHAPTER NINE
Duncan sat on his sofa staring at the empty whiskey glass he held in his hand. He had returned to the loft a short time ago, having spent the majority of the day with Richie and Methos in a futile search for Margaret. Joe, on the other hand, had remained behind checking with other watchers as to the possible whereabouts of Corrigan.
First, the trio had gone to talk to Sonny hoping that there might be some additional information he could provide that would help in their quest. Unfortunately, there wasn't much for Sonny to add to what he had already told them. So they returned to the warehouse district and separated, each taking a section hoping they could find something which would to lead them to Margaret. No such luck. They decided to take a break and regroup later. Methos headed for Joe's to see if he came up with anything, while Richie went to get something to eat. Duncan told them he would wait for them at the loft. He hated waiting.
The Scot got up and went to the armoire to refill his glass. He was interrupted by a ringing telephone. Walking over and picking it up, he answered and heard a familiar voice.
"Hey, Duncan," the voice said. "No luck in finding Margaret, huh? Well, don't worry. With my help, you just might get lucky," the voice on the other end chuckled.
"Anna?" Duncan queried, presuming Margaret believed herself to be Anna. "Where are you? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Duncan. I'm quite safe," she assured him. "I called because I've got some news for you. You see, I know you're convinced that I'm someone called Margaret Grey, but I'm not. And I can prove it. Curious?"
"Of course I'm curious," was the response. "Just how do you plan to prove it?"
"Well, first we'll have to meet. But before we do, I need you to promise me something."
"And just what would that be? Not to tell anyone about our meeting?"
Anna chuckled. "How did you ever guess?" she said, highly amused. Then her voice changed to a somber one. "Actually, I want you to swear on the honor of the MacLeods that you will not tell anyone in anyway where we are meeting or that you have even spoken to me. You are also to swear that you will not allow anyone to follow you, that our meeting will just be between you and me."
Duncan was silent for a few moments. "Okay, I swear I won't tell."
"No, Duncan," Anna interrupted, the tone of her voice was very serious now, "swear on the honor of the MacLeods and I know I will be able to trust you."
Duncan knew she had him. "Alright, I swear on the honor of the MacLeods that I won't tell anyone where we are meeting or that we are even meeting. I won't let anyone follow me. It will only be between you and me."
"Good. I want you to meet me at the China Gate Restaurant on Eden Parkway in about 20 minutes."
"The China Gate?"
"Hey, I'm hungry."
"Alright, the China Gate it is," the Scot said and hung up the phone. He grabbed his coat and scrawled a quick message to Richie letting him know he was going out and not to worry. He would contact them later and let them know what was going on. He then left for his meeting with Anna.
Duncan pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant about 20 minutes later. He got out of his car and looked around. At first, there was no sign of Anna, but then he saw her emerge from the shadows of the restaurant. She smiled at him and waved, so he approached her.
"Hello Duncan. Long time, no see," she said with an impish grin.
"Anna. Glad to see you're all right."
"Told you I could take care of myself. Anyway, Corrigan's isn't finished with me yet, so we're both safe for the time being," she said as she slipped her arm through his. "Now on to more important matters. I ordered take out for us so why don't you go inside and pick it up?" She grinned at the exasperated look on his face. "Hey remember, I don't have any money." Then she added with a fake little pout on her face. "Besides, I haven't had anything to eat today except some soup."
Duncan smiled and rolled his eyes. "Okay, let's go get your food." The two entered the restaurant, collected the food, and then settled themselves in Duncan's car. "So where to now?"
"You'll need to turn right and head up Eden eight blocks, then turn left onto Serenity Drive. It dead ends into Paradise Lane. I'll give directions from there." Duncan started the car and followed the directions Anna gave him. They chatted along the way about the area. Duncan informed her it was one of the oldest sections in the city. It had fallen into disrepair over the years, but in the last ten years a massive restoration had been taking place returning it to its former glory. They were obviously doing a wonderful job because these homes with their spacious yards were quite beautiful. As they turned onto Paradise Lane, the homes were even more isolated from each other. At last, they reached their destination. "Ever hear of Thaddeus Blake?" Anna asked as they pulled up to the house.
"He was a Science Fiction writer who died recently. I've never read any of his books, but Richie was a fan. If I remember correctly, he lived here in the city." Duncan gave her a puzzled look. "This is his house? What are we doing here?"
"Let's go inside and I'll explain it to you," Anna replied as she got out of the car and headed towards the house with Duncan in tow. Anna opened the door, switched on the light and they stepped inside. "As you already know by now, I know Kevin Corrigan. I first met him several years ago, only he was going by the name of Michael Lansing then. Kitchen's this way. He had always loved playing mind games with me, so I knew that was exactly what he was...or is doing now. I just had to go back to the warehouse to look for a clue which I knew he had left me." As they entered the kitchen, Duncan placed the food on the table while Anna went to get plates and silverware for them.
"You should have waited for me. Corrigan's a very dangerous person, one not to be taken lightly."
Anna exploded with rage. "I know exactly how dangerous a person he is, Duncan, and what he is capable of. And I can take care of myself, whether you believe it or not." Anna slammed the drawer shut and stood silently for a moment. Duncan walked over to her to comfort her, but she shook him off, turning away to compose herself before she continued. "I think we better sit down and eat before it gets cold," she said, still a little miffed. She carried the plates over to the table, sat down, opened the containers and filled her plate. Duncan joined her. Having calmed down, she continued. "As I was saying, I knew he was playing a game. I've played them with him before, so I'm quite aware of his tactics. He wanted me to come after him first. Alone. I was in no danger from him at anytime as he was just setting the stage. He left me clues and they led me to this house. When I arrived here this afternoon, I was amazed. It is almost an exact duplicate of my house in LA. But that isn't all I discovered." Anna grinned at him and continued to eat.
"Okay, you've piqued my curiosity. What did you find?"
"A secret passage to some sort of lab. It contains computers full of interesting information. Read several of the files. I'll show it to you when were finished."
"I can't wait," was the dry response. Then it was Duncan's turn to grin. Anna smiled back.
CHAPTER NINE
Duncan sat on his sofa staring at the empty whiskey glass he held in his hand. He had returned to the loft a short time ago, having spent the majority of the day with Richie and Methos in a futile search for Margaret. Joe, on the other hand, had remained behind checking with other watchers as to the possible whereabouts of Corrigan.
First, the trio had gone to talk to Sonny hoping that there might be some additional information he could provide that would help in their quest. Unfortunately, there wasn't much for Sonny to add to what he had already told them. So they returned to the warehouse district and separated, each taking a section hoping they could find something which would to lead them to Margaret. No such luck. They decided to take a break and regroup later. Methos headed for Joe's to see if he came up with anything, while Richie went to get something to eat. Duncan told them he would wait for them at the loft. He hated waiting.
The Scot got up and went to the armoire to refill his glass. He was interrupted by a ringing telephone. Walking over and picking it up, he answered and heard a familiar voice.
"Hey, Duncan," the voice said. "No luck in finding Margaret, huh? Well, don't worry. With my help, you just might get lucky," the voice on the other end chuckled.
"Anna?" Duncan queried, presuming Margaret believed herself to be Anna. "Where are you? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Duncan. I'm quite safe," she assured him. "I called because I've got some news for you. You see, I know you're convinced that I'm someone called Margaret Grey, but I'm not. And I can prove it. Curious?"
"Of course I'm curious," was the response. "Just how do you plan to prove it?"
"Well, first we'll have to meet. But before we do, I need you to promise me something."
"And just what would that be? Not to tell anyone about our meeting?"
Anna chuckled. "How did you ever guess?" she said, highly amused. Then her voice changed to a somber one. "Actually, I want you to swear on the honor of the MacLeods that you will not tell anyone in anyway where we are meeting or that you have even spoken to me. You are also to swear that you will not allow anyone to follow you, that our meeting will just be between you and me."
Duncan was silent for a few moments. "Okay, I swear I won't tell."
"No, Duncan," Anna interrupted, the tone of her voice was very serious now, "swear on the honor of the MacLeods and I know I will be able to trust you."
Duncan knew she had him. "Alright, I swear on the honor of the MacLeods that I won't tell anyone where we are meeting or that we are even meeting. I won't let anyone follow me. It will only be between you and me."
"Good. I want you to meet me at the China Gate Restaurant on Eden Parkway in about 20 minutes."
"The China Gate?"
"Hey, I'm hungry."
"Alright, the China Gate it is," the Scot said and hung up the phone. He grabbed his coat and scrawled a quick message to Richie letting him know he was going out and not to worry. He would contact them later and let them know what was going on. He then left for his meeting with Anna.
Duncan pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant about 20 minutes later. He got out of his car and looked around. At first, there was no sign of Anna, but then he saw her emerge from the shadows of the restaurant. She smiled at him and waved, so he approached her.
"Hello Duncan. Long time, no see," she said with an impish grin.
"Anna. Glad to see you're all right."
"Told you I could take care of myself. Anyway, Corrigan's isn't finished with me yet, so we're both safe for the time being," she said as she slipped her arm through his. "Now on to more important matters. I ordered take out for us so why don't you go inside and pick it up?" She grinned at the exasperated look on his face. "Hey remember, I don't have any money." Then she added with a fake little pout on her face. "Besides, I haven't had anything to eat today except some soup."
Duncan smiled and rolled his eyes. "Okay, let's go get your food." The two entered the restaurant, collected the food, and then settled themselves in Duncan's car. "So where to now?"
"You'll need to turn right and head up Eden eight blocks, then turn left onto Serenity Drive. It dead ends into Paradise Lane. I'll give directions from there." Duncan started the car and followed the directions Anna gave him. They chatted along the way about the area. Duncan informed her it was one of the oldest sections in the city. It had fallen into disrepair over the years, but in the last ten years a massive restoration had been taking place returning it to its former glory. They were obviously doing a wonderful job because these homes with their spacious yards were quite beautiful. As they turned onto Paradise Lane, the homes were even more isolated from each other. At last, they reached their destination. "Ever hear of Thaddeus Blake?" Anna asked as they pulled up to the house.
"He was a Science Fiction writer who died recently. I've never read any of his books, but Richie was a fan. If I remember correctly, he lived here in the city." Duncan gave her a puzzled look. "This is his house? What are we doing here?"
"Let's go inside and I'll explain it to you," Anna replied as she got out of the car and headed towards the house with Duncan in tow. Anna opened the door, switched on the light and they stepped inside. "As you already know by now, I know Kevin Corrigan. I first met him several years ago, only he was going by the name of Michael Lansing then. Kitchen's this way. He had always loved playing mind games with me, so I knew that was exactly what he was...or is doing now. I just had to go back to the warehouse to look for a clue which I knew he had left me." As they entered the kitchen, Duncan placed the food on the table while Anna went to get plates and silverware for them.
"You should have waited for me. Corrigan's a very dangerous person, one not to be taken lightly."
Anna exploded with rage. "I know exactly how dangerous a person he is, Duncan, and what he is capable of. And I can take care of myself, whether you believe it or not." Anna slammed the drawer shut and stood silently for a moment. Duncan walked over to her to comfort her, but she shook him off, turning away to compose herself before she continued. "I think we better sit down and eat before it gets cold," she said, still a little miffed. She carried the plates over to the table, sat down, opened the containers and filled her plate. Duncan joined her. Having calmed down, she continued. "As I was saying, I knew he was playing a game. I've played them with him before, so I'm quite aware of his tactics. He wanted me to come after him first. Alone. I was in no danger from him at anytime as he was just setting the stage. He left me clues and they led me to this house. When I arrived here this afternoon, I was amazed. It is almost an exact duplicate of my house in LA. But that isn't all I discovered." Anna grinned at him and continued to eat.
"Okay, you've piqued my curiosity. What did you find?"
"A secret passage to some sort of lab. It contains computers full of interesting information. Read several of the files. I'll show it to you when were finished."
"I can't wait," was the dry response. Then it was Duncan's turn to grin. Anna smiled back.