CH 94

China was howling mad that five of their 'diplomats' had been beheaded in the Nevada desert. One being an Army officer. They threatened war on the US for such a 'cruel and brazen' act.

The US responded by showing pictures of the illegal holding crates those five Chinese had used to contain American Citizens who under oath had told of those Chinese Diplomats intentions of using them to attack a town in the US, and promptly slapped economic sanctions on China, and stated what China did was an an act of war, and if they found any other Chinese involved in criminal activities, all Chinese diplomats would be send home and the US would stop doing any business with China.

In other words, politics as usual.

While the nations squabbled. things in Driftwood were getting back to normal. The moment she returned, Joan told Allison that she had beheaded Horton and stuck his head on a pole outside their destroyed compound. The trio wanted to go see Jackie's boat. So did the others around the lake. Since Jackie's boat wasn't big enough, deck space wise, they all decided to have a boat and swim party on the big lake.

Football for Austin was done for the year. Horton's head was still waiting to be found. Until it was, Austin wasn't playing any games. That meant Joan and Allison had the rest of the summer off. There was no rush to return, so they planned a big boat party. Besides Jackie's boat, The Connor pontoon boat and Mark's family pontoon boat was also going to be there.

Sonya's belly was getting big, so after the boat party, a baby shower was also in the works for Sonya.

.

"Mom, you gotta come," Bob pleaded with his mother. "Even the sheriffs are coming."

Carol frowned at him. "What do you mean sheriffs?"

Bob shrugged. "Well the guy who filled in while our sheriff was away has decided to stay on, so we have a deputy sheriff now. I think you'll like him."

Carol eyed her son. "Are you trying to hook me up with this guy?"

"No Mom, I'm just saying you should come. All the women are going to be planning Sonya's baby shower. You don't get out much so come on, it'll be fun," he insisted. "Its Sunday, I'll let Cameron know you'll be there."

Carol saw this was important to Bob for some reason. "All right! I'll come."

Bob clenched his fists and shouted, "Yes! You'll love it Mom, I promise! I have to go tell Jackie. Oh! We'll be driving to where Jackie's boat is moored, not at the public dock. So you'll have to follow us."

"Didn't that boat almost sink once?" she asked.

"It did but it's all fixed now. Jackie also has a life raft for it, just in case," Bob explained.

"That makes me feel better," she said dryly.

.

Of course everyone who had a mermaid tail brought it, along with swim fins for the boys. A caravan left for the big lake, Carol drove Bob, Joan and Allison rode with Allison's parents. They followed Delilah, Jackie, Daniel and Louise in Christine, who followed Cameron, John in Cameron's purple jeep, who followed Mark, Sonya and Mark's family in the excursion towing the Connor's boat who followed Marks brother in the truck towing their family boat. At the head of the pack was Connor and Duncan in Connor's private car.

Getting to the lake, the caravan split up. While the head of the pack went to the public boat launch, Christine went further on by Jackie's directions. Half way around the lake, Jackie said, "Up here, there's a parking area on the left."

The parking area did look out onto the lake. Delilah backed Christine on, they the cars behind her parked.

"This was the only dock we could find," Jackie explained. "It was cheap to buy, so we took it."

Delilah could see why it was cheap. They had a hundred yards to walk to get to the dock. That was all it was too. no buildings or services, just a dock. Seeing a car was already here, and figures were on the boat, she asked, "Jackie, who's that?"

"Our crew! The terminators that came to guard me wanted to be the crew," Jackie said brightly.

Even from here, Delilah could see the dock was only about six feet wide. It was also a walk to get to it. No wonder it was cheap. The got out the coolers, tails and fins and trooped down to the boat that was much bigger than the dock it was at.

The captain stood at the bow as they came down to the dock. "Miss Connor, we are ready to sail," he announced.

"Wow, they even got sailor uniforms," Joan noted.

"I wonder if they line up and sing 'In the Navy'?" Bob wondered quietly.

"We can ask," Allison said with a giggle.

Carol especially was impressed with Jackie's boat. This was an ocean going cabin cruiser with two full bedrooms, kitchen, lounge and a bathroom in it. Jackie showed the captain the cove they were going to. Joan and Bob were amused that the crew cast off and operated the boat using real navy type commands. There was plenty of room on board, just not in one spot. Cruising down the lake at a modest 'one third' they got to the cove before the pontoon boats. Swim time!

On the front deck, Joan, Jackie, Allison and Louise put their tails on. All at once they dove in and swam away to look for the pontoon boats and what was keeping them.

Unlike the lake at home, Joan noticed a couple things right away about this lake. One was many fewer fish, and they were all small ones. Instead of seeing a fish anywhere she looked, she had to search to find them. The other thing was there was a near constant hum from far off boat engines. This lake was noisy. The third thing she found out after they had left the cove.

They were a ways out from the shore, Louise was swimming on the surface. Joan was just underneath. The engine noise in the water suddenly was becoming louder. Joan saw a small boat shape coming fast. Louise had paddled to back up and down in a frantic motion. The speed boat flew by not ten feet from Louise, splitting the water in it's speed and the roar was unkind to their ears. Louise was almost ran over, this lake was dangerous!

Joan looked for Jackie and Allison. They were coming up and motioned to the land side. They all swam closer to shore before they got within five feet of the surface again. Joan peeked up, then raised herself half out of the water and searched for another speed boat. Not seeing one, she motioned it was safe to come up now.

Coming up in a group, Louise asked, "Did you see that? That boat damn near ran me over!"

"We saw," Joan assured. "I don't think he was even watching where he was going, other than straight ahead."

"Maybe we should punch a hole in his boat," Jackie grumbled.

Looking around, Allison said, "Maybe we should go back to the cove and stay near Jackie's boat. We might get run over out here."

"Here comes another one," Jackie noted.

This boat was bigger and it wasn't going that fast, but still moving along at a good speed. The boat turned right towards them. They could see a couple people looking their way.

"Are they aiming to hit us?" Louise asked in a squeak.

"We head back, let's go," Joan said and dove under. The other girls followed. They went down 20 feet and swam away.

.

"Hey you see that!" the young man on the boat said as he pointed ahead of them with his beer.

"I did, were those fins?" the boy driving asked.

"I thought they were swimmers who swam too far out." A thin girl said.

"Those were mermaids! A whole pack of them!" another boy said. "Let's go get a closer look!"

The driver slowed as they approached the spot where they saw heads in the water. They all looked over the sides.

"I know I saw them," a boy complained. "Where'd they go?"

"Man, they swam away," a boy whined. "Think we can find'em?"

"They're known to be here," the driver said firmly. "There's all kinds of stories. Wish we brought a camera with us."

"We scared them away," the girl said sadly.

"Well, that sucks."

.

Jackie was next to go up and take a peek to be sure no boats were close to them, then waved everyone up so they could get a fresh breath of air.

"I never thought about someone almost getting ran over," Allison said as she tread water.

"Even in the ocean I never had that worry," Jackie noted.

"People here are careless," Louise stated.

"Well, there's nothing here to eat us, except for a boat prop," Joan said with a shrug.

"Yeah, all the alligators probably got ran over," Jackie said. She nodded and said, "There's that boat."

The boat was angling away, everyone on it was looking over the side.

"Hey, look! Here comes the pontoon boat!" Joan cried.

Coming towards them closer to the shore was a pontoon boat. They dove back under and went to meet it.

Joan and Jackie led them to the boat. As she approached, Joan noticed from under water anyway, it didn't look right. There was no wheel assembly underneath and it had two motors hanging off the back.

They surfaced off the to the side. A skinny guy was driving while he puffed on his joint. A couple were making out naked near the back and another girl lay sunning herself topless near the front.

"Not them," Joan said in a grumble.

"Then where are they?" Jackie asked.

Louise came up beside them. "Guys, I'm getting tired. I'm heading back."

Allison offered," I'll go back with her."

Jackie grew a grin, "Want to catch a ride?"

Louise eyed the boat and blushed, "They are doing it on an open boat?"

Joan giggled. "They are all probably high as a kite. Grab a support, they won't even know you're there."

Allison giggled. "Let's!"

Louise ginned and swam for the boat. Allison followed. They swam right up next to it and grabbed pontoon supports. Above, they heard a guy cry out his orgasm. They giggled. Voices came to them.

"Who was that? Your laughing at us?" a man asked. "Pam! I asked if you were laughing at us!"

"Wha ... what do you want Brian?"

"Chill dude, Pam was sleeping."

"Then who fuckin interrupted us?" a woman's voice asked in a demand.

"It was the water spirits dude."

"What water spirits?" Pam asked.

"Ya know, the water spirits who inhabit the lake. Fine gossamer creatures that live in the water, ya know in nature and like hang around and like.. do their thing."

This made Allison laugh. That got Louise laughing at them.

"That's no spirit! Someone's laughing at us!"

"The water spirits are, I'm telling ya dude!"

A bottle blonde head with dark eyebrows appeared above Louise, peeking out between the rails. Her eyes went wide. "We got passengers! They're mermaids!"

"Shut the fuck up, Pam, you're seeing things."

"I'm telling ya, it's the water spirits!"

Allison looked to see the cove up ahead. "Louise, we're almost there."

"Are you water spirits?" Pam asked, eyeing them.

"Bye," Louise said and rolled away to dive under. Alison followed.

The other man came over and looked over the side. "I don't see anything!"

"No shit dude, they're spirits."

"Awww, I was hoping they'd party with us," Pam said sadly.

.

While Louise and Allison swan back to the cove, Jackie and Joan swam on, closer to the shore. Keeping in ten to fifteen feet of water not far from the shore, they were staying out of the boat traffic going up and down the lake. The water was cloudy here they swam near the bottom just in case another speedboat zoomed by. Coming up for a breath, Joan scanned the area for boats. There weren't any close by and none were pointed at them.

"Where are they?" she asked. She also noticed they were only about 50 feet from shore. A couple were having a picnic near the water, a young boy was throwing stones out in the water at the shoreline.

Jackie, propelling herself along at an easy pace beside Joan, asked, "Think they had an accident or something?"

"Maybe we should go check, they should be out here by now," Joan agreed.

They scanned the lake for pontoon boats. No others so far.

"Aww wow, Mom, LOOK!"

The turned to the sound. The boy was pointing at them. He then ran into the water and in over his head.

Joan and Jackie swam towards him as he parents jumped up. The boy flailed his arms looking scared. His father ran into the water and went from knee deep to step off a drop off. He plunged in and flailed near the boy.

Closing on them, Jackie grabbed the boy and swam him back to shallow water. Joan grabbed the father and swam him back to the shallow water as the mother stood on the shore looking frantic.

"You OK? Be careful in the water!" Jackie admonished the boy.

The boy only grinned widely at Jackie.

Now sitting in the shallow water the father offered, "Thank you, I didn't see the drop off."

"The water is kind of murky here," Joan replied. "You're OK now?"

"Dad, it's fishy women!" the boy cried happily.

"Yeah son," he agreed. "Thanks for the rescue," he told Joan.

"Just be careful, you too!" Jackie said, eyeing the boy.

The boy nodded, beaming Jackie a big smile.

"Joan Connor?" the woman asked.

Joan waved to her. "Hi. We're looking for a couple pontoon boats that are traveling together. Have you seen them?"

"One went by a bit ago. Haven't seen two of them together," the man offered. He looked like he was in a daze.

"Darn. Well we gotta go, be careful!" Joan told him. Her and Jackie turned around and went under over the drop off and tried not to splash then with their tails as the swam away.

"Dad, the fishy girls have big pillows!" the boy beamed.

"I noticed," the man said getting an eye full of those jugs that had been right in front of him. Those would be fun to 'motorboat' with.

.

Hearing more boats as they went along, Joan peeked up again. She saw two pontoon boats coming. It was them.

Jackie popped up. "There they are!"

They swam out to meet the boats. Joan let Jackie go first as they approached. They waved, Everyone on both boats waved back. Jackie swam up and grabbed the ladder on the front of their boat and hauled herself up and on. Joan then followed.

Sitting on the deck, Jackie asked, "What took you so long?"

Sitting nearby and her putting her own tail on, Delilah said, "There was a long line at the boat ramp, then this guy stalled his truck on the ramp and it rolled into the water. We had to wait until the truck was towed out and away."

Still on the ladder, her arms holding herself up, Joan said, "Maybe getting a dock like Jackie has would be better than using the public ramp."

"Mark can just use the other side," Jackie said.

The pontoon boats were close together. John looked over at Mark, "That would be easier than using that ramp. That place is a zoo."

"We do use this boat mainly here," Mark agreed. "We'll take a look later."

Cindy came over to the rail of Mark's boat and waved, "Hey guys!"

"Hi Cindy," Joan and Jackie called back.

"Where's Allison and Louise?" Cindy asked.

"In the cove up ahead on my boat," Jackie told her.

"You got a boat too? I thought you just swam in the water?" Cindy asked.

"We came from Maine, That's a long way to swim!" Jackie replied.

"A boat like ours?" Cindy asked.

"Nope, it's a cabin cruiser made for the ocean," Jackie told her.

"It's big too," Joan added.

"How did you get it here?" Jimmy, Cindy's father, asked.

"We sailed it down to Port Lavaca on the coast south of here, then a truck brought it up to the lake," Jackie explained.

"What's the best way to tie up?" Mark asked. "One boat to each side?"

Jackie looked at him. "Yeah, probably. Side by side so we can just walk back and forth." Looking at how high the decks of the pontoon boats were out of the water, she said, "They're about the same height. That should work. I'll go tell the captain."

Jackie got up and dove off the front then swam away under water.

"I'll go make sure a speed boat doesn't run her over," Joan added and jumped off to follow her.

Mark frowned and asked, "Jackie's boat has a captain? How big is this thing?"

.

Coming into the cove, Mark saw how big it was. This was indeed an ocean-going yacht it was 40 feet long if it was an inch. All the girls were on deck and so were 4 sailor suited men. They one on back motioned Mark to the left side and John to the right. Slowing to stop on either side of the small ship, the sailors helped tie the pontoon boats to either side of it.

Seeing it for the first time, John now realized why it cost so much to get it up here, that boat would only fit on something the size of a tractor-trailer and it would be a wide load. John thought the pontoon boats were kinda tall, but their decks were below the front deck of Jackie's boat, the backs were about even. Since the lake was smooth, they tied up tight together, only the few inches of rubber bumpers on Jackie's boat kept them slightly apart.

With the side gates open, people stepped from the pontoon boats up onto the fore deck of Jackie's boat. It was tour time for Jackie's cruiser.

Carol was on the fore deck by Mark's boat. she greeted Jimmy and his wife Darlene, and their teenage daughter Cindy. She shared pleasant greetings with the sheriff happily noting his secretary wasn't present. Then she met the new sheriff. Her breath caught in her throat.

The man was a GOD! The sheriff was built and handsome. The new one, she heard him introduce himself to her as Duncan. Thick dark hair tied back in a ponytail, broad shoulders, smoky dark eyes, a kind handsome nearly boyish face on a thick neck and chiseled muscular body, he was gorgeous!

Somehow, she broke her stare and forced out, "I'm Carol, Bob's single mother."

He leaned towards her. If he touched her she was going to melt in place! He only asked, "Are you OK, Carol?"

Collecting herself, Carol nodded, "Yes, it's just a bit warm out." She was warm, all but on fire from being in his presence. "May I show you around?" she asked, thinking of the bedrooms below.

He chucked and crooked his arm. "Shall we?" he asked with a smile.

Oh, you beautiful brute, yes we shall!

.

Bob was sitting down putting his swim fins on on the back deck when he saw his mother come around the side of the cabin, her arm hooked onto a man who had to be a body builder. Her face was glazed over in rapture. "Hey Mom! We're going swimming." he offered.

She didn't appear to hear him. The new sheriff did. "Hey Bob," he said. "Going to try to keep up with the mermaids?"

Bob chuckled. "Not a chance unless Joan pulls me along. This lake was made larger when the dam was put in. I want to see if there is anything interesting down there."

"Good luck. Have you seen Cameron Connor?"

Bob got up. "She's right over there." he said pointing, "The thin woman in the blue and green mermaid tail. Looks like she's going fishing."

"I heard she was the one who got Horton?"

Beside Bob, Joan spoke up. "Mom caught him, she let me have the honor of cutting his head off with a sword and sticking it on a pole."

Duncan nodded and offered his free hand. Joan shook it. "Thank you," he said sincerely.

"He hurt my family and my friends, he had it coming," Joan stated.

"He's hurt many. You did the world a service getting rid of him," Duncan said sincerely.

"Happy to help," Joan said with a grin. "Now I have to get Bob wet."

Joan turned and grabbed Bob under his arms and threw him off the back of the boat. He windmilled his arms and let out a yelp before he hit the water. Joan dove in after him.

Duncan laughed. So did Carol.

"Joan's a bit wild," she explained to this hunk of a man. "Bob calls her the Energizer Bunny. I swear that girl can't sit still."

"I take is she lives life close to the edge?" he asked

"Over it sometimes," Carol said in a grumble. "She's got this thing with alligators. There's one she has that is basically her pet. At a party, her and her sister fed it cake at the table! Front paws in her and Jackie's lap, they held it up. She's swam up behind one and pulled on it's tail in the middle of the lake! Her antics have gotten her in trouble, One grabbed her arm. She pulled her arm out of it's mouth somehow and left all the flesh behind. That was gross. If it wasn't for Bob getting her in the house to stop the bleeding, she would have bled to death!"

Duncan raised an eyebrow. "Has anyone talked to her about how she behaves?"

"Yes," Carol said with a sigh. "Joan thinks she invincible. So far, surviving what she has, nothing has proven her wrong. She's been shot twice, and that alligator stripped all the flesh off her arm, and she's done other things too. Bob loves her, and she had been good for him. She just needs to calm her ass down."

Duncan watched Bob and Joan talk, then Joan dove under, he saw a flick of her tail and she was gone. Bob followed. He didn't feel anything from her, but he knew she wasn't a normal human. "Maybe she'll grow out of it," he offered. Then again, he knew if she and her mother took Horton down, they were anything but calm.

In the wheelhouse, the captain explained all the navigation gear to people as they came in. Carol stood by Duncan, sure that her fantasy had to be coming true. As she thought about it, it was a man just like Duncan that was her fantasy hero. Wait, the man in the book was named Duncan. In the book Caroline Marsh wrote, Duncan McLeod was hundreds of years old. A romantic warrior 'with the heart of a poet', as she put it. Also a tragic figure, having to see his first love die from a fall off the cliff. If she remembered right, he was cursed to walk alone for all time due to a Gypsie curse - you will bury many women but you will marry none. And all though the book, that was his fate. A woman he was going to marry, Tessa, was shot on the street not long after he proposed.

Carol looked at Duncan. Was he the Duncan in that book? She thought maybe Caroline had know Duncan and used him as a role model for her hero. Well she certainly had good taste. She was sure most of that romantic epic was made up. Surely there really wasn't a thief / prostitute named Amanda that came running to Duncan for help every now and then, or a scoundrel named Clarence Coventry who took advantage of women.

They headed down into the cabin. Carol pointed out all the new things Jackie had gotten as well as cleaned up and polished the woodwork. Pointing out a small brass 'helm' on the wall that was a clock, she asked, "I wonder if Amanda would want to steal that."

Duncan chuckled, "Not unless there's diamonds on it."

That made her look at him. This Amanda was real? "Were you born in Scotland, In Glen Finnen?" she asked.

"How'd you know that?" he asked.

She was dying to ask the year, but wasn't quite brave enough. "I read it," she said.

She now had his full attention. "Where?" he asked. "Carol, where did you read it?" he asked a little more firmly.

"In a book, by Caroline Marsh." she said. "The blade of the McLeods."

Duncan took on a look of distaste. "I see. She embellished quite a bit."

"So none of that book is true?" she asked

He winced. "Some is but like I said, she made up her own version of happenings."

"There is an Amanda?" she asked.

"Yeah, there's an Amanda. I see her now and then. Usually when she's in trouble and needs me to bail her out," he said with a huff. "And Clarence is a decent guy, he's not some brigand. Caroline was just angry at him so she made him a villain in her book."

Carol grinned. "I bet he wasn't happy with her."

"That's putting it mildly," he agreed.

"So this Caroline made things up to spice the book up. I take it you really weren't born back in the 1500s."

"Do you really believe that?" he asked with a grin.

"That does seem impossible that you're this tragic man who is doomed to walk the Earth forever," Carol admitted. "Still it was a great story. Up here is the lounge and dinning room."

.

With his goggles and snorkel, Bob was able to make short trips under water while Joan, Allison and Louise were flying around under him. He was hoping to find a shack or something that had gotten left behind when the land was flooded. So far he'd only seen a turtle and a few fish. He was under, looking around when Cameron and Delilah came back. Cameron had a fat catfish wiggling on the end of her trident. Delilah had a decent sized lake trout. They waved when he gave them a thumbs up.

Bob saw the water was getting much deeper. Not sure where he was he went up and blew out his snorkel and got a few breaths. Yup, he'd almost swam himself right out of the cove.

Allison popped up in front of him. "Bob! You gotta come see this!"

Allison dove back under, Bob followed. Watching her undulation motions, he tried it. Yeah he did seem to go a bit faster keeping his legs together and not kicking. Allison went down and pointed ahead of her.

On the bottom in front of them, Joan was swimming around a dilapidated log house. He went down until he started to feel the pressure around him increase.

Below, Joan peeked into the doorway, then looked up to point to their discovery. Bob could see some down through the roof that was rotting away. He did notice fish were inside. Needing to breathe, he went back up to the surface to get another breath. Boat motor noise permeated the lake. Bob didn't think to much about it until he surfaced and saw a boat coming right at him. He tried to swim to the side and then he met the rounded part of the bow, and everything went black.

.

Carol was showing Duncan how nice the bedrooms were when a yell sounded out from Jackie. "CAROL! BOB JUST GOT HIT BY A SPEEDBOAT!"

Carol ran back topside, Duncan right behind her. They ran to the Connor boat on the right where Sonya, John and Mark were crowded around the other side gate. In the water below, Allison and Joan were pumping hard to get back to the boats, Bob limp between them, Joan was holding his head above the water.

"Give us his arms!" John said loudly.

Carol stood, hands over her mouth as John and Mark lifted him up and onto the deck.

"Is he breathing?" Duncan asked anxiously.

John listened to Bob's chest. "No," he said weakly. "CPR, now," he cried.

Joan and Allison were hanging onto the rails, watching. "Not Bob!" Joan cried weakly.

"Please save him!" was Allison's mournful cry.

Duncan watched intently. Feeling the stir of another immortal, he left out a huff. He turned to see Connor coming. He mouthed, 'We got another one.'

The CPR didn't seem like it was doing any good, then Bob's eyes snapped open. He took a sharp breath and flailed briefly.

Everyone cheered. Carol got through the crowd to hug Bob.

Cameron announced, "No more swimming except right around the boats!"

Bob looked around, confused. He winced and rubbed his head. "What happened?"

"You got ran over!" Joan yelled in relief, "Be more careful!"

Bob looked at her. "YOU are telling ME to be more careful?" he asked.

"YES!" Allison barked.

"Thank god you're alive," Carol said in a weep.

"I'm OK, Mom," he assured her. "Just a headache."

Mark inspected his head. "I don't see any injury."

"We heard it when that boat hit him. There must be something there," Joan told them.

Carol inspected Bob's head. "I don't see or feel anything either."

"He wasn't breathing and his heart wasn't beating," John said.

"John's right," Delilah stated.

Connor looked at Duncan and said, "We need to fill out an accident report."

"We do?" Duncan asked.

"We do. Privately," Connor stated.

Bob got up under John and Carol's guidance. "I'm fine really," he insisted. "I think my swimming's done for a bit. Where's my goggles?"

"You scared us," Allison told Bob.

"You did," Joan added, She swung up onto the deck and took her tail off.

"Sorry," Bob offered meekly. "Anyone got an aspirin?"

Connor announced, "Bob, we need to do an accident report."

Bob nodded. Joan was out of her tail , Allison swung up onto the deck and took hers off also. "Wait for me," she said.

Seeing Jackie was right there, Duncan asked, "Is there a place on your boat we can talk to Bob privately for a moment?"

Jackie nodded.

Connor, Duncan, Bob, Joan and Allison followed Jackie down onto her boat . She showed them the store room and said, "You can talk in here."

"We need to talk to just Bob," Conner said.

"Sheriff, we saw it happen," Joan explained. "Bob just went up for air and this speedboat ran right into him! It didn't even slow down, it kept going!"

"Did you get the registry number of the boat, or see who was driving?" he asked.

"No, we were near the bottom that's all we saw was the bottom of the boat," Allison explained.

"That's why we need to talk to Bob, once he sits and calms down from his experience," Connor explained. He, Bob and Duncan went in and shut the door.

Inside, Duncan guided Bob to a box to sit on. Connor found a couple boxes for him and Duncan to sit on.

"Bob shrugged, "I didn't see hardly anything. I turned and got whacked. The next thing I remember is waking up on the Connor's boat with everyone around me. I guess John and Mark saved me."

Connor and Duncan looked at each other. Duncan said, "No one saved you, Bob. You died."

"No I didn't." Bob replied.

"You did," Connor said firmly. "Either from a brain injury, or a snapped neck. You were dead. CPR can't help either of those. Bob, you're an immortal."

Duncan nodded. "You are. That headache you have is from us being nearby."

Bob stared at them, open mouthed. "No, that can't be."

"Bob, we're immortals too." Connor said. "I was born in 1513, Duncan was born in 1592. You cannot die again unless someone takes your head."

Bob cracked a grin. "You guys are messing with me, aren't you?"

"We're not," Duncan stated.

Bob shifted in place. What they said sounded impossible, but they both looked serious. "I died?" he asked weakly.

"You did. There is much you need to learn," Connor said. "There are others like us. Some good, some bad. By legend, we have to fight each other to the death until only one remains. The last one standing will get The Prize. Many of us firmly believe that."

"What's the prize?"

"No one knows," Duncan said, "And no one also knows where the idea of 'there can be only one' came from."

"The point is, as long as anyone believes it, or just likes to chop off heads to get the Quickening of others, you are in danger," Connor stated. "You need to learn how to use sword to defend yourself."

"This is real?" Bob asked in a squeak.

"Go jump off the boat, you'll find you can't drown," Connor said. "That's how my teacher proved it to me."

"I think I'll pass on that," Bob told him.

"Bob, you need someone to teach you how to use a sword, and you need to be good at it," Duncan told him.

Connor looked at Duncan. "Will you teach him? I'm a little too high profile here."

"Aye, we need to get him a sword."

"Why a sword? Why not a gun?" Bob asked.

"Because you can't take a head with a gun," Duncan said firmly. "Shoot another immortal until your gun's empty and he'll get back up. The only way to kill another immortal is by cutting his head off."

Bob winced. "You really have to do that?"

"We both have, many times."

"We should get back out there," Connor said and got up. "Bob, listen to Duncan, he's trying to give you a chance at staying alive."

Bob let out a snort and said, "Wait til Joan and Allie hear about this."

"You can't tell them," Duncan stated. "It's best if you don't tell anyone. In fact, if someone sees you die, you need to leave. Normal people can't find out about us."

"It is best if you leave your girlfriends, Bob. Trust me on this." Connor added. "It is very hard to see one you love die of old age." He turned and opened the door to leave. Right there on the other side was Joan and Allison, wearing blank faces.

"We will help train Bob," Joan said firmly.

"Anyone who wants to hurt Bob, will have to deal with us," Allison agreed. "Yes, we heard everything."