Chapter 36
Methos put Mac's car in park and turned off the ignition. He glanced at Eleanor whose eyes were focused on the school and on the three-ring circus of news and police surrounding it. All cars were being stopped and parents... at least Methos assumed they were parents... were being checked with hand-held metal detectors before being allowed into the building. Moments later... they would emerge... children in tow.
Eleanor was still trembling, so he reached over to give her a hug. She shrugged him off... so he sat quietly just watching her.
"I told you there's no way in..."
"Maybe for you... now hush so I can concentrate..."
Methos leaned his head back. He was tired. First there had been the long flight from London... then the events on the playground and then his mad dash across town fearful that Eleanor would learn of the shooting before he could get to her. He glanced over at her once more... but it was not rage or self-destruction he saw in her eyes... there was just that stubborn, determined immortal he had known for so long. She had to be independent! She had to be on her own! Except she seldom had been. One of them had always been there to keep an eye on her... Methos reached out and smoothed the auburn hair that had fallen loose from the French twist.
Eleanor smiled and reached up to clasp his hand. "Thanks for playing human shield... I know that hurt."
He grinned, "You have no idea!"
With her other hand she pulled the visor down and started combing her hair with her fingers and checking how she looked. Letting go of his hand, she tossed the glasses onto the dashboard and rubbed her eyes. When she was ready... she removed her short sword from the lining of her coat and handed it to him. "Keep this... I can't get in with it on me." Then she opened the passenger door and stepped out.
Methos threw the sword into the back seat... he climbed out as well... then leaned in and tossed his own broadsword back there as well. Then the gun he carried as backup. She wasn't going alone! He followed her.
She had already charmed her way through the police barricade by the time he caught up with her. He was held up there answering questions while she was checked into the building and disappeared from sight. Just as he was finished... a newswoman came up... "Weren't you one of the people who helped shield the children when the sniper was shooting... Would you let me interview you for the news?" Methos groaned... he hated being the center of anyone's attention!
"Sorry... got to go..." he murmured and walked to the door considering how to get in... He wondered what story Eleanor had used... should he admit to being with her? He shrugged and stuffed his hands deeply into the pockets of his coat and tried to slouch as much as possible... Adam Pierson once again.
Eleanor was led into the gym. The remaining dozen or so children were on the bleachers there... along with the remaining faculty and several police officers. She saw Derrick immediately and smiled... content to see for herself that he was all right... that he wasn't hurt. She could leave now...
Derrick saw her too. He raced across the gym, eluding an adult who tried to grab him, "Ellie!" He flew into her arms and clung to her with all his strength. Eleanor held him too. Tears sprang to her eyes and she kissed the top of his head. "Don't leave me Eleanor... don't ever leave me again!" Derrick sobbed.
"I'm here Derrick... I won't leave you... I won't."
A trim black woman in a business suit walked up, "I'm Principal White and you are?"
Before Eleanor could say anything, Derrick whipped around. "This is my sister Ellie... "
Principal Amelia White checked her clipboard and cleared her throat, "I don't have a sister named Ellie as an approved pickup for you young man... besides aren't you in foster care? I don't recall there being any family mentioned."
"She's my sister... just because she's not on your list doesn't mean she's not!" Derrick trembled with rage.
Eleanor pulled him close to her, "Shh... Derrick! We have to play by the rules." She smiled at the woman. "I am his sister... I lost custody of him recently... some unforeseen problems... I'm not trying to take him out of here... I just heard about the shooting and needed to be certain he was all right. We'll just sit and wait for the foster parents... they'll be here soon?"
"I need your name for my records!"
"Ellie Trenton," said a voice behind her. Methos slouched into the gym. "She happens to be my... cousin... I was here earlier."
"Yes... I do remember you... you were on the playground earlier when the shooting started..."
"Right," nodded Methos. "I had stopped by to see Derrick over the fence when the shooting started... " he shrugged, "kinda got involved. Then I brought Ellie here as I knew she'd be worried." Half-truths were likely the best and he was probably the clearest thinking one of the three at this moment. Besides... he had to work their identities into what either of them may have said.
"Well... as long as you don't try to leave with him... I suppose you can wait on the bleachers, " the principal said... though clearly still suspicious. Trouble was... and she could see it clearly... Derrick knew them... was clearly attached to them... both of them... but if he had family... why was he in foster care... Amelia White did not like this one bit. But it had been an upsetting and traumatic day... perhaps the continued presence of this strange couple could calm the boy back down. She watched carefully as Ellie and Derrick sat on the bleachers... brother and sister holding onto one another for all they were worth. The cousin stood looking about... assessing the room... then sat next to them. Amelia wished Ron or Betty Commons would get there so she could turn both the boy and the problem over to them.
An hour later they were still there. All of the other children had been picked up by this time... but the Commons couple was still a no-show. Amelia White had asked the police to check on the couple... they were usually very reliable. Betty or Ron Commons was always there every day to pick the boy up from school. Amelia dismissed the other faculty... they'd have an in-service day tomorrow and set up their crisis management teams... but for now... everyone needed to go home... be with families... grieve... get through all of this. Even she needed to go home... she wanted to hold her own babies... her mother... her husband.
She glanced over at the three on the bleachers. Both of the adults now had their arms about one another and the boy... just one big happy family! Amelia narrowed her eyes... if they were cousins... they were certainly close to one another... maybe she should do some extra checking. Just then a policewoman entered and motioned to her.
From the bleachers Methos watched the principal cross the gym to talk to the policewoman. He had a bad feeling about this. He'd never met the Commons couple... but he gathered that they were quite conscientious about their charges. Their delay here to pick up Derrick was bothersome. He clasped Eleanor and Derrick tightly and gave Eleanor's arm a slight squeeze. When she met his gaze, he nodded toward Principal White and the policewoman. Eleanor watched their conversation and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and then re-met Methos' gaze. She nodded and bit her lower lip.
Another black woman, who was wearing a navy pantsuit and carrying a file, joined Principal White and the policewoman. She was wearing a badge and about her neck was a red scarf. The trio of women came over to the bleachers.
"I'm Felicia Washington... with Social Services... Derrick I'm going to need you to come with me."
"No!" Derrick buried his face in Eleanor's chest. "I'm staying with Ellie!"
Methos asked calmly, "What has happened?"
"I'm sorry... you are?"
"Adam Pierson... I'm family."
Felicia checked the file she had, "I don't see your name in his file."
"That's because Derrick had amnesia... but you can see he knows us now." Methos continued to keep his voice pleasant and even.
Derrick looked out once more, "Ron and Betty... something happened to them too... didn't it?"
Felicia nodded reluctantly, "Seems there was a fire at the house. They're both dead... I have to take you with me... re-found family or not... we have rules... they are for your protection... your safety."
Derrick turned his face back into Eleanor's chest and his shoulders shook with his sobs. His hands twisted into her clothes and he hung on for all he was worth.
"Can't you see he needs his sister right now?" Methos gestured and put his arms about them once more.
"I am sorry... perhaps you could accompany us to the offices... maybe we can work something out... but not tonight... he has to go back into the system tonight."
Eleanor finally spoke up. "Yes... he does..." Methos glanced at her. "But you need to put him in protective custody. If his foster parents were also killed... as were our parents..." she arched an eyebrow at Methos, "then the people who tried to kill us all four years ago are trying again. The shooting here and the fire have to be related."
Felicia Washington's eyes widened. "Just who are you? Who were your parents?"
"I really can't say anything... at least not here. Please... let me stay with Derrick until you have him in custody. Until you have him safely under guard somewhere."
Felicia Washington nodded, "Well... he clearly knows you from somewhere..."
"There is a Duncan MacLeod whose name might be in the records... he could also help... I think the police may have taken him downtown... Also... there was a former Social Services friend of his George..." Eleanor shook her head, "I don't recall his last name... Derrick do you remember?"
"George Layton... we play chess. Call him... I'll go with you if you call George Layton." Derrick's grief seemed to have passed for the moment. But he still clung tightly to Eleanor. It was obvious the boy was going nowhere without his sister.
Felicia nodded and pulled out her cell phone. She recalled meeting George Layton when the boy's file had been dropped into her lap. She'd have to call the office to get his number from them. She turned away to make her call.
The policewoman... evidently satisfied that things were in hand... walked off. Amelia White watched everyone suspiciously. She was tired. She wanted to go home... Sometimes being the one in charge was not a pleasant job. She'd have to stay until all of this was cleared up. She turned and walked over to the school counselor to talk about the crisis teams they would be implementing when school resumed.
Behind her on the bleachers... Methos whispered to Eleanor... "Good thinking... I've always wondered how you seem to know just what to say to people to get them to trust you." Eleanor smiled and hugged Derrick.
"Oh something an old teacher once taught me... long ago. By the way... thanks again for the support."
"You shoulda seen him earlier Ellie," Derrick interjected, "Adam was great during the shooting... he seemed to go everywhere... and I know he took a bullet... but like Superman... it bounced off of him."
Eleanor grinned, "Yeah... he's kinda my knight in shining armor sometimes."
"I never liked wearing armor as you well know." Methos smirked... but then he smiled and stroked her hair. Maybe this could work after all.