THE ELIZABETH SERIES
CHAPTER THREE

NEW YORK

By JoLayne
EnyaJo@aol.com

RATING: PG

CHARACTERS: DM M A J Amy (OC) Elizabeth, Kevin, assorted watchers and immortals

SUMMARY: During the next week in New York, Methos is suspicious, Joe is healing, Duncan is in his protective mode, Amanda has an enemy, as they all investigate Joe's shooting.

NEW YORK CITY
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2000
DAYBREAK
JOE'S LIVING ROOM

After spending the night tending Joe, Amy was whipped as she ambled into the living room. When Kevin sensed her, the buzz of one fiancé sensing the other entering the room, he stirred on the couch. "You should have gone home last night, honey," Amy tenderly kissed him. "You have to be at work bright and early."

Kevin shook his head as he stood, "I called Myron last night, family emergency. He said not to worry."

Their voices roused the other three in the room out of their slumber. "How is Joe," Duncan groggily asked from his sleeping position on the floor.

"He's still sleeping," Amy said. "The sweating and shaking stopped about an hour ago, thank God. I was ready to call an ambulance but Liz talked me out of it."

Methos' head snapped up from the back of the armchair he'd parked himself on and had fallen asleep. "Hospitals... police... busybodies. Joe's only reacting like any mortal does when shot."

Amy snipped, "Well, Adam, I don't like to see my father sweat and shake."

Amanda stirred on the love seat and moved over so Amy could sit. When Amy looked like a very tired, worried daughter, Amanda put her arm around her.

Amanda told her, "Joe has a lot of fight in him. He's been through a lot and he's always come out the victor."

Duncan and Methos went to check on Joe to find out for themselves. When Methos rose from the chair, an empty beer bottle fell to the floor. There wasn't a drop left in it, so he only had put it on the end table, with a 'sorry' smile to Amy, who hadn't even noticed, she was so tired.

BEDROOM

Elizabeth was sleeping on a kitchen chair she had pulled up next to Joe's bedside, worried all night that she had put him in a coma, or killed him with the sleeping pill in his weakened condition, or forgot to do... something! The healing process of a mortal's immune system made her feel helpless. The new strong buzzes roused her from a light sleep and she moved out of the way so Duncan and Adam could check on their friend.

Joe was sleeping on his back when Methos slowly sat at his side so as not to disturb him, he felt his forehead for temperature, his pulse. The bandage had a spot of blood on it. Methos gingerly lifted the tape and gauze to look at the wound, patted at the trace of blood on the stitches, making Joe flinch. "Sorry."

Elizabeth was relieved he was awake. Her handiwork was a bit red, a bit swollen, but didn't show any sign of infection. "I changed the dressing a couple of hours ago, should it be changed again?"

"Yes. There's a small amount of blood seeping, but that's normal," Methos remarked. Elizabeth went to Joe's bureau, the make-shift hospital supply table, and brought gauze, tape and a scissors to Adam. Duncan smiled at her to signal for her to relax, her tense movements and voice reflected her sense of guilt, then he moved aside for her to rebandage Joe.

Joe's eyes flickered and opened. The first thing he saw was Methos leaning over him. "This can't be heaven," he muttered, then smiled. "If I was in heaven, you wouldn't be there."

"Ah," Methos smiled. "I see you found your humor. I'll take that remark to mean, because I'm not going to die, so why would I be in your heaven? I hate to think of why else you might have said that. You don't seem delirious. How do you feel?"

"Like I got shot," Joe simply stated, having to lean his head back on the pillow.

"I'm so sorry, Joe," Elizabeth muttered, thinking she would never be able to recompense him for almost getting him killed.

Joe followed the sound of the voice and said to her, "Why? Did you shoot me?"

"Well, this wouldn't have happened if--."

Joe looked down at the wound and lifted his shoulder a fraction of an inch before it hurt. "Who did the cutting and pasting?"

"We both did," Methos said.

"Looks like you did a good job. Liz must have done the cutting, though," he gleamed to Methos. "This one's a smaller scar than the last one."

"Smaller hole," Methos shrugged. "Smaller bullet. Smaller gun."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

Elizabeth laid fresh gauze over the wound, the last of it, and asked, "When were you were shot before?"

"Once when Adam here played doctor, and once in Nam."

She only saw one bullet wound on his upper body, along with an appendix scar. Viet Nam must have been where he lost his legs. "You fought in Viet Nam?" Elizabeth had been one of the multitude of protestors. It was the only war she didn't find her way to from the beginning of it, she didn't go until she realized that the soldiers hadn't decided where to go, when to fight. They followed orders and needed all the personnel they could get to help save them. So she faked some credentials and enlisted her skills. "We might have run into each other. A lot of men lost their legs over there."

Joe just nodded, could be, but didn't want to get into it. The memory of that time made him pissed. "I got a headache."

Elizabeth put her hand to his forehead and said, "You still have a little temperature, too. Do you want an aspirin?"

"I'm allergic to aspirin. I think I have Tylenol."

"It's always a good thing to ask," she smiled. "No wonder I couldn't find any last night. I'll go get you Tylenol."

After she left, Methos cut the tape with the scissors and tapped it on the edges of the fresh dressing. "So, enough excitement for one night."

Joe asked, "Who were those guys?"

"The way I hear it," Methos mumbled. "They were the welcome wagon for an immortal named Joshua Logan."

"Logan... that's who Liz asked about when she came over last night. I was on my way to the gig so I wasn't really paying attention. Who's Joshua Logan?"

"A disabled, very unpleasant immortal," Methos cringed. When the gauze was taped down, Methos covered his torso with the sheet and blanket.

"Disabled, how?"

"He's missing a leg."

"Well, at least he has one," Joe grumbled. Duncan shifted his body by the window, reflecting the light onto Joe. Only then did Joe realize he was there. He nodded, "Hey Mac."

"I'm glad you're feeling better," Duncan smiled. He'd never been a doctor and stayed clear to let others work, but was worried to death with the reminder of Joe's mortality. "Takes more than a bullet to stop you, huh?"

"Strong Dawson genes..." Joe smiled.

"Don't get too cocky," Methos warned. "You have a way to go to recover."

"Call Matthew Blair," Joe said, and grabbed Methos' hand when it seemed he was going to stand up, get on with his day. "His number's in my book. He's a good guy. He'll help you."

"Help us with what," Duncan asked.

"To find Logan."

Methos shook his head, sat heavily on the bed. "Now, why would I want to do that?"

"Logan is the reason I'm laying here. Methos, Mac, you find him and kill him."

Duncan immediately said, "Will do, my friend."

Methos looked from one friend to the other. It would take the strength of ten men to stop the gung-ho attitude of Duncan MacLeod, if his facial expression was any indication. Determination. Joe was staring at Methos, gauging how he would react, if he would indeed take care of it. Methos knew he was under close scrutiny, processed it all. "He's only after one of us. If she's out of the equation, you're fine."

Knowing that Methos would take the side of Switzerland made Joe angry. "I'm not worried about my safety, Methos, I'--."

Methos reminded Joe, "Adam!"

"That son of a bitch had me shot! I could be dead right now!" Joe's voice rose louder than he expected and the strain on his chest was immense. "Would you have just walked away from it?"

Joe leaned back, spent. "This is about righting a wrong, not about 'I'm scared he's going to finish the job'."

Duncan tapped his arm and said, "He's right, Methos."

"Adam!" Methos looked to see if any uninformed ears were within listening range. "What is wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with you?" Duncan sat on the bed, angry. The jostling caused Joe discomfort, but he was focused on Duncan's words to Methos. "That immortal shot our friend, he had no qualms about hurting innocent people! He's not playing the game correctly and he's murdering mortals in the process."

"So put him on the long list of immortals to stay away from!"

Duncan hated the need he felt to once again explain ethics to the old man. "So he can go on killing? We know about him now. We can't let it go on!"

Methos, who never did like the sanctimonious MacLeod inquired, "Aren't you tired of being commando cop of the immortal world, MacLeod? I don't like what Logan does either, but why

is it our place? We just have to get the hell out of his way. He's only got one leg, given time, someone will take care of him."

"That bastard shot me!" Joe's voice boomed, startling them both, and also Elizabeth, who just appeared at the doorway. "You find him and kill him!" Joe laid back on the bed. He knew he had Duncan on his side, but he always thought he could trust Methos with his life. Joe looked up at his old friend and said, "How many favors have I asked you for, Adam? Once, one time," he put up a finger for dramatic effect. "To help me save Amy from Walker. This time it's for me. I want this guy dead. I've only felt like this one other time. In Nam. They came out of the bushes, I didn't even see them coming. All my life I've regretted that I didn't have a chance to blow them all away for what they did to me."

Joe was sorry he admitted that foible and the wound on his shoulder was throbbing from his exertions. "I'm not proud of it. But that man is after the best friend my daughter has ever had and I'll be damned if I'm going to let you saunter out of here and allow Amy to get killed because she's not going to let Liz out of her sight! So I'm asking you this one time, and one time only, please, help Mac find him and kill him."

Amy charged past Elizabeth and into the bedroom, "What is all the shouting about? Dad has to rest!"

When the men saw Elizabeth at the door, they all had different reactions. Joe was sorry they were talking about her in ways she might not understand. Duncan wanted her to know that he'd help as much as possible, and Methos... well, Methos only wondered how long she'd been standing there, if she heard his real name. Elizabeth handed the Tylenol and a glass of water to Duncan for him to administer.

Amy tapped Methos on the shoulder and tipped her head for him to move. "Dad can't have this kind of excitement. He has to rest. Do I have to kick you all out of here?"

"I'm so sorry, Joe," Elizabeth said, hating that she had started crying at the door and now at Joe's bedside, the tears were freely flowing and her voice cracked. "I've lived with the threat of that man all my immortal life. I should have taken care of it before. I will take care of it, on my own.

I don't want anything more to happen to you. God, it would have killed me if you had died, if he hurt Amy, or any of you. Adam's right. I'll get out of your way. With me gone, there's no threat to you."

"No, no," Joe exclaimed, taking her hand. "From the moment those guys showed up, you protected me."

Methos stared at Elizabeth as he processed it all. Never liking to see Joe so vulnerable and Amy so helpless with the situation... he walked toward the door. Elizabeth cringed and stepped out of the way as Adam sauntered past and out of the room. Joe swallowed the Tylenol with a glass of water Duncan provided. Only when he lifted his head high enough to drink the water did he finally noticed his stumps under the covers. He moaned, "Can I at least have my legs?"

Duncan said. "The left one's a little... broken."

"Wonderful," Joe grumbled. "I've got an old pair in the closet."

Amy said, "You can't walk yet, Dad."

"I want my legs," Joe yelled, but finally spent, he gasped, "Okay?"

STUDY

Methos stood, looking at Joe's watcher address book. Just a short trip to the copy center and he wouldn't have to pester Joe again, he could go right to the sources. And, his password was in there for the Watcher Database.

Joe was thorough. There was an address for every single name he had in the watcher system. Kevin walked in as Methos was debating what to do, so he just called Blair. Not wanting to talk over the phone, he was as clipped as possible. "I'm Pierson, a friend of Dawson's. He wants me to talk to you."

"Dawson? I haven't heard from him for over a year. Why doesn't he talk to me himself?"

"I'll explain it when I see you."

Kevin left the room to let him talk watcher business, something so far outside his realm, just the thought of it all made him jittery.

There was a long pause. Blair didn't know this guy Pierson from a hole in the ground and it seemed awfully strange Joe didn't call him for a meeting himself. Blair picked a public place to meet, but that was vetoed down by Methos.

"Just come to Joe's apartment," Methos demanded. "1153 West 84th Street."

"What for?"

Watchers... Methos muttered to himself, shaking his head. Sometimes, they're more paranoid than we are. He put the phone back to his ear and said, "Look up anything you have on Joshua Logan and bring the information. Understand? Dawson's life depends on it."

That got the old watcher's attention but he was still leery. He'd need to figure out who Pierson was, and since he seem to be as much of a threat to Joe, as Logan was, he told him, "I have some things to do, I can't get there until after 2 this afternoon."

"As soon as you can," Methos said, then hung up. He looked again at Joe's address book. Joe was going to be laid up for a while. Hm, he wouldn't miss it for a couple of hours. Then he noticed Elizabeth at the doorway. He felt all the buzzes in that apartment, but it would be so lovely to be able to gauge distance along with presence.

She asked him, "Who was that?"

"A watcher friend of Joe's."

She nodded, but was confused. The chaos last night was because she talked to a watcher. "I thought there wasn't supposed to be any contact between Immortals and Watchers."

Methos shrugged, rules... he had no time for them when important matters were at hand. He put the address book at his side, then behind his back. Elizabeth looked tired, very tired, and uncomfortable wearing Joe's clothes. Patching Joe up and sitting up with him all night, Methos allowed one point in her favor. She had a lot of making up to do for getting him into trouble in the first place though. That he couldn't forget. "How are you doing," he slowly asked, surprised. It wasn't a base impulse.

"I'm fine." Last night he bit her head off and had every right to. "How 'bout yourself?"

"Peachy." Methos slipped the address book into his back pocket, pulled his sweater down over the bulge.

"What does a watcher friend of Joe's have to do with anything?"

"He'll give us a lead on how to find Logan."

"No," Elizabeth violently shook her head. "You all have nothing to do with this."

It was kind of late for that, wasn't it? Methos would think that was priceless, but it was too serious to laugh at. "Nothing to do with it? That man in there was shot by Logan," he said, pointing at the bedroom.

"Because of me." When he didn't argue, only put his hands on his hips and let the words linger in the air, she said, "Take care of Joe. I'll take care of Logan."

"How? With half-baked information?" Methos wondered how she managed to stay alive all those years. She would definitely lose her head. There was nothing he wanted to do about that, he just didn't want any of them to be in the vicinity when it happened. "What are you going to do? Sit on a street corner and wait until Logan comes and shoots you? Takes your head? Are you insane? Don't you think anything through?"

"I have a plan that will draw him away from all of you. That's my biggest fear, that one of you will lose your head, like he took Hotohke's."

"Don't remind me." It didn't make Methos feel any easier being near her. "And you just stood there and let that happen, too?"

The exhaustion from the stress and being up all night got to her. That was the only possible reason she could be thinking of standing there explaining, for the second time, what happened to this condescending man, but she spouted, "I had a bullet in me. He had two men with him. He had me kicked in the face and broke my cheekbone, and also three of my ribs," then she matched his squinted contempt. "But, yes, I guess you can classify it as standing there and letting it happen."

Methos relaxed his eyes and was sorry he said that, "How many times has he come after you?"

"Last night was the ninth time since I turned immortal 137 years ago."

"Then, maybe he'll be gone for another 15 years."

"You think so?" She was hopeful, but knew it wasn't to be. Logan didn't get to perform his power trip. "Did he really try to take my head?"

"He had your head pulled back and held a sword in the air."

Elizabeth instinctively put her hand to her neck and thought that through. "He never went that far before, I don't think."

"Oh, he always just took the nearest immortal's head instead? How many immortals have played sacrificial lamb for you?"

She was done talking to him. When Elizabeth walked to the living room door, with the determination on her face she'd only shown since finding out she was immortal, Amy stopped her, "Where are you going?"

"I have to take care of some things," she said, opening the door.

"I'll go with you," Amy offered, or rather, demanded.

"No," Methos said, having followed them to the door to see how she would pull Amy into her problem once again. He took Amy's arm in his hand and held her back. "You have to be here for Joe."

Amy's focus was on her friend. "Where are you going, Liz?"

"It's no longer your concern. I'll give you the all clear when it's over." Elizabeth kissed Amy on the cheek and disappeared down the hall.

Amy jerked her arm but couldn't release Methos' grip. He leaned close to her and said, "She has to do what she needs to do. You can't be involved in it."

"She's my friend, like a sister. Let go of me!"

Kevin came in from the hall carrying a paper, wet from a light misting outside, and glared when he saw Methos' hand on his fiancé, and his fiancé not liking it. "What's going on?"

Amy said, "Liz left."

"I know. We passed in the hall."

"Why didn't you stop her?"

"Why?"

"She can't be out there alone!"

Amy fought against Methos's grip on her arm. He yelled, "She's a grown woman. You can't deal with it!"

Amy got away from Methos' hand and rushed down the hall. Methos glared at the ceiling, why doesn't anyone listen? He was about to call out for MacLeod to go after her, but she was running and would get away. Amy had to be looked after. He took his coat and walked past Kevin to follow her. Kevin dropped the paper and shut the door behind him as he followed Adam down the hall.

STREET

As Methos barreled out the door of the building, he sensed Elizabeth's buzz. She was waiting at the corner with a throng of people for the light to change.

He saw Amy rush down the sidewalk to Elizabeth, who turned when she heard Amy call for her. "Amy? Go back to Joe. That's where you belong!" Then she felt the buzz, worried it was Logan, then saw Adam walking down the sidewalk. Elizabeth didn't know if that was a good thing, or a bad thing. She moved across the street with the throng when the light changed.

Amy ran up to her and pulled at her arm. "Where are you really going?"

"Home to change into my own clothes, then to NYU. I have an extremely hard test prepared and I really like torturing my students."

Methos chuckled, recalled how surprised he was by professor's power trips, and then remembered some of his own when he taught Ancient Greek at Oxford over 75 years before. He walked along with them as a chaperone, or a target, depending on how you looked at it. Methos tried to get a handle on the immortal who brought them all into the fray. Was she, herself, anything to be concerned about, did she had a history of mental illness and was Logan a big story she'd cooked up to get rid of three powerful immortals in one fell swoop. Bribe the men with guns to 'ambush' her, get their friend shot, save his life, make them all relax around her, then, bingo! She kept calling him Adam, but did she know about Methos?

When Elizabeth scolded Amy for not wearing a coat, then put hers around her Amy asked, "Well, what about you?"

Elizabeth whispered to Amy so no one would hear, "Have I ever had a cold the whole time you've known me?" When Amy's mortality registered, Elizabeth maintained, "You really should go back to Joe. You have no business getting into this."

"You already brought her into it," Methos said.

Elizabeth turned and shouted, "Shut up! I know it's all my fault! I've accepted that! Do you get off on reminding me every five minutes?" People on the sidewalk heard her and looked at the object of her rage, then just walked on.

Elizabeth stopped at the next intersection and turned on Adam. "How many times and how many ways and in how many languages do I have to say I'm sorry? I'm sorry! Je suis desole! Lo siento mucho! Ich bin traurig! Sono spiacente! Or do you just prefer it when people to kiss your ass?"

Methos stepped back and settled himself on one foot, hand planted on his hip and gave her a sly sneer, "I see you've had a lot of experience apologizing."

"Calm down," Kevin said when he caught up with them.

"You shouldn't be near me either, Kevin." The light turned and Elizabeth walked and Amy followed. Methos tried to take her arm, but Amy was too quick and he lost her in the crowd. He and Kevin looked at every single person in the vicinity as they followed the women to the apartment.

"You said you had to take care of things," Amy walked/ran with Elizabeth through the streets and asked, "What other things do you have to do?"

"I can't tell you," Elizabeth ran up the stairs to the apartment building and unlocked the door with a key that hung from a long chain she kept around her neck and had tucked under Joe's clothes.

ELIZABETH'S APARTMENT

Since he was there, Methos really wanted to collect more information about who Elizabeth was. He didn't like her outburst on the street, but could understand it. He really hated that Joe and Amy were vulnerable and as he walked into her home, he realized MacLeod's sermon may have made an impact without his knowing. He came to protect Amy, for Joe.

Joe's wrath if anything happened to Amy... well, that was something Methos wouldn't want to look forward to. Methos had grown to like and admire Amy too. Could she have picked a friend who would turn on her? Use her to get at the immortals in her circle?

Elizabeth and Amy went into the bedroom, Methos hung around the living room looking at her belongings. Kevin hovered in the hall by the bedroom, eavesdropping and wondering what in the world he'd gotten himself into. He ironically smiled and looked at the floor as he remembered seeing a pretty woman at his cousin's wedding, asked her to dance, kissed her good night after making sure there was the possibility of a date. How could he know just two years ago that his life with Amy would include immortals, shootings... Elizabeth was never the dangerous type. All the while he'd known her, she was funny, carefree, one to lean on, kinda ditzy when it came to men. As he stared at her in a new light, her past blew him away.

There were a lot of Civil War mementos and books on Elizabeth's shelves, some Methos had read before. There were also historical tomes of all eras. She had to indeed be a professor of history to have a volume of 'History of Western Civilization: Europe in the Making'. What a boring book! And poorly written. That book was one of the reasons Methos decided to spend his time researching and writing a textbook outlining the world of Ancient Egypt.

Six months before, he was in the New York Public Library, researching a recent acquisition the Metropolitan Museum of Art, his employer, had received. It was a quirt that came to the museum's possession with insufficient history. It was given to Adam Pierson to get the whole story of it's past. While he was pouring over volumes of India and Native American tools, he noticed a sweet little thing sitting at the massive study table across from him. After striking up a conversation, he found out she was studying to be an anthropologist at NYU, and was having trouble getting a handle on Ptolemy IV.

Happy to oblige, he sat with her and told her most of what he could remember of the man, using the guise of master of Egyptology that was required for his employment. She showed him the sorry excuse for a text she was using and he grumbled at the thought of the cold, matter-of-fact way it tried to explain what students needed to learn, to be interested, to stay in class, to be passionate enough to grasp it as a career. If he couldn't do any better, who could? So, he took it on himself to write the definitive text.

Methos fingered a statue on Elizabeth's bookshelf. It was of Vishnu, the preserver god of the Trinity. In it's four hands were a conch shell (sankha) indicating the divine sound "Om"; a discus (chakra), a reminder of the wheel of time, to lead a good life; a lotus (Padma) which is an example of glorious existence and a mace (gada) indicating the power and the punishing capacity of the Lord, if discipline in life is ignored. When Amy and Kevin walked in, he smiled and said, "I haven't seen one of these in a long time. Is that woman really someone who can be trusted?"

"I trust her with my life," Amy was emphatic.

Methos retorted, "You have."

"What happened last night was beyond her control and not her fault," Amy argued. "I think you've been too hard on her. Give her a chance. We have to help her."

Methos saw a red light appear on the cordless phone cradle on the small table by a bench seat. "Who's she calling?"

"I don't know."

Methos walked toward her room to hear her end of the conversation in case she was letting people know she had Methos in her apartment. The bedroom door was ajar. Elizabeth was sitting on the bed hunched over, elbow on her knee, with the phone held to her ear, wearing one of her own shirts. It was only when Methos walked in that he noticed she wasn't wearing pants.

"Okay, thanks," she muttered. She hung up and noticed Methos.

"Who was that?" He thought that sounded a little forceful, so he asked, "Was it about Joe?"

Adam had startled her. She felt his buzz, but didn't know he was right there in her room. "No."

"Who was that?"

"My assistant at school. I decided not to go in after all. Can't I dress in private?"

"I," he started to speak, but saw her pull the bedspread across the bed to cover her legs. "... sure," he said and walked out of the room. He listened at the shut door for any quick escape she might make out the window. For the start of a possible ambush, a thought that he couldn't get out of his mind. He only heard her open and close drawers, heard a squeak as she sat back on the bed. He tried to shake the suspicion from his head, but a woman who managed a surprise attack on him, even though it was over a hundred years before, wasn't one to let down his guard in front of.

For lack of anything better to do while he waited, he walked to the kitchen and opened her fridge. His eyes lit up when he saw she drank the same brand of European beer that he favored. The impulse to take one was strong, but he had his work cut out for him trying to convince Amy to let the immortal take care of her problem herself, and get back to Joe's and meet with Blair.

Amy went back to the bedroom and knocked before entering. When she opened the door, she saw Elizabeth packing a suitcase. "What's that for?"

"I'm catching a shuttle."

"Where to?"

"Anywhere but here."

Amy grabbed her arm, stopping her. "Liz, we're on the case. You're safe with us."

"But you aren't safe! That's the whole problem! I don't want to drag you all into it. Look what happened last night. Do you want a repeat performance?"

"Of course not."

Methos wandered into the hallway and stood near Kevin, listening. "I have a plan," Elizabeth said. "I just have to get away from the city, away from you, the people I care about."

"What kind of plan?" Elizabeth didn't answer Amy, so she repeated, "What kind of plan?"

"I'm going to buy a gun," she said, and it made both Methos and Kevin react. Methos shoved his hands into his pockets and paced. That wouldn't be good.

"A gun?" Amy stopped her.

"I'm going to make sure I shoot first. I'm going take his head and it will all be over."

"You can't do that. You can't play the game that way."

"Your suggesting I just offer him my head on a platter?" Elizabeth noticed the loiterers in the hall and shut up.

"No, but with reinforcements, you can have a fair fight."

"It wouldn't be fair and he wouldn't stand still for it."

"If there's no one shooting it would be fair."

"It wouldn't be fair for him," Elizabeth was offended by her assumption that she couldn't handle herself. Methos smiled. He knew what she had meant. "Logan only has one leg. I may not fight often, Amy, but when pushed to it, I take heads. If I don't have a bullet hole in me, I can take him. I'm pretty good, if I do say so myself."

"Great," Amy agreed. She found it impossible to get her head around what made immortals beam with pride about beheadings. "What's with the suitcase then?"

"I'm going to make myself very popular in Boston. Logan will find me, come after me... but I'll shoot him first."

"Why Boston?"

Elizabeth zipped up the suitcase and muttered, "I don't know a soul in Boston."

"We'll make sure you have the opportunity right here in the Big Apple."

"And someone else could get hurt. What if you or Kevin get caught in the crossfire next time? You may get it in an artery or in the heart where no one would be able to save you! Or in the stomach! Do you know how much it hurts to get shot in the stomach? It's not something to look forward to."

"That's not going to happen," Amy interrupted. "We'll make sure we're in public places or all together. In the meantime, I'm getting married to the love of my life on Saturday and I insist that you be standing right next to me. I've put a lot of time, thought, and expense into this wedding, I'm not going to let any part of it fall apart!" She gauged Elizabeth's reaction, she seemed to be weakening, as if she held out a double dip chocolate chip cookie dough waffle cone. Amy knew the woman well enough to know that if she laid a total guilt trip on her, she would do anything she wanted. She always did. "Besides, I don't have any other friends to wear that dress!"

They both smiled. Elizabeth wanted to believe that they'd all be safe, wanted to see Amy walk down that aisle, to Kevin, a wonderful man.

Amy continued, "On Sunday you can take off if you promise to take care of yourself and keep me posted. You can do whatever you need to do. I don't like it, but... that's what you have to do. A week, Liz. That's all I'm asking."

"What if Logan shows up at your wedding?"

"It's holy ground."

Amy really did know all about immortals... Liz didn't like the quick answer, "Okay, what if he shows up at your reception."

"A public place? He'd attack at the St. Regis? Has he done that before?"

"No," Elizabeth admitted. "But he seems to really wants my head this time. And he's probably pissed that it didn't happen. Or it could happen before then. He could be watching me right now. Bullets can come flying into the window right now as we speak!"

"They will not," Amy hugged her to calm them both. "Please stay. Please."

"If anything happens, Amy," Elizabeth cried.

"I'll blame you forever," Amy smiled. "But nothing will. No one's that crazy. There's strength in numbers. We'll all be with you at all times until the wedding. We have to head back to Joe's. Blair's going to show up."

"Amy?"

"What," Amy spouted, prepared to argue.

Elizabeth lightly said, "About the dress..."

Amy pulled back and squinted, "What happened?"

"I... haven't had time to get the final fitting."

"Liz! You need that dress in four days! You said you took care of it."

"I know... that's why I didn't tell you. She lives way over on 44th and it hasn't been on my way. I'll go now. And Joe needs supplies."

"We have to see Blair, he's expecting us."

The thought of being around another watcher and something happening again was something she didn't want to be a part of. Just two days ago, she didn't know watchers existed, hadn't sensed an immortal in months. Methos took Amy's arm, told Elizabeth, "We'll get things for Joe and see about him, you see about the dress."

"She shouldn't go alone," Amy said. "But I want to talk to Blair, too. I was a watcher, he may be more open with me."

"I can take Liz over to the seamstress," Kevin said.

"No," Elizabeth stated. "I don't want to have to worry about anyone but me out there."

"Fine," Methos said. "We'll be at Joe's."

Amy asked her, "You won't leave town?"

Elizabeth looked at her suitcase and thought she could still leave town. Amy's trust was evident on her face. "No, I promise. Not until Sunday."

"Come to Joe's as soon as you're finished," Amy said. Elizabeth faintly nodded. "Promise me you'll go to Joe's right after the fitting."

"Yes, Amy," Elizabeth stated. "I promise."

STREET

All the way out of the building, Elizabeth tried to talk sense into her, but Amy was adamant, and Adam didn't disagree. She promised she would not leave the city. They were going to go their separate ways when Elizabeth tensed. The denim man, wearing cords, was across the street. She ran to him and said, "This is not a coincidence! You should be at work! Or are you?"

The man panicked, didn't know what happened. He'd gone 12 years without Elizabeth even giving him the time of day and now she was confronting him, again, in front of others. Elizabeth said, "Is Logan paying you to keep tabs on me?"

"Logan who?"

Elizabeth grabbed his tattooed wrist, "What's that?!"

Amy said, "It's a watcher tattoo."

"I need to see what you've written about me," Elizabeth demanded as he yanked his arm out of her grip.

The watcher stiffened, "I can't do that!"

Methos turned his back on him, in case he was recognized. "I need to find out where Logan is," Elizabeth said. Darrell was stone silent, glaring at her for being put in a position that watchers clearly forbid. There was no gray area allowed for this to happen. "You saw it, didn't you?"

Darrell gave no reaction, which only made Elizabeth more angry. "You son of a bitch! You saw him attack me and Joe and you didn't do anything?"

"Watch and record," he said nobly. "That's all I do. How's Joe?"

"He's fine, no thanks to you!"

"Hey, I called the ambulance!"

"So you'll help him but you didn't lift a finger to help me?"

"Joe Dawson is mortal. You are on your own."

"How long have you been watching me?"

Darrell hesitated then said, "For a long time."

"And you haven't developed any compassion for me at all? What am I? A lab rat? A Nazi?" No answer. "Do you know where Logan is?"

"No."

"You're lying," she decided. Then glared at him, "Thanks a lot."

"There's a lot in your chronicle about him. But I'm not his watcher, I'm yours. I can't interfere, I can only record."

"Then what use are you?"

"None to you. You aren't supposed to know I exist."

"I could say the same thing about mortals!"

"Arguing isn't going to help anyone," Amy said.

"You haven't heard of his pattern?" Elizabeth had to hold the watcher so he wouldn't walk away.

"Yes, that's why I've had a close eye on you since the beginning of the summer."

"You followed me to Mackinac Island? You were just waiting for it to happen? Is it something you were looking forward to? Get your jollies from it? Or to make sure you get my date of death right?"

"All of the above," he looked down his nose at her.

"You son of a bitch!"

Darrell countered, "You don't know anything about me!"

"I'm couldn't be happier to know there's jackasses like you in the world!" Elizabeth walked away. As Amy, Kevin and Methos stood there, Darrell ignored them and followed her.

Kevin asked, "How can someone just stand by and let innocent people get killed?"

Methos didn't answer, just pondered Kevin's question, leading Amy and Kevin safely back to Joe's in the other direction from Elizabeth on her way to the seamstress and Foley, who followed her after she got a block ahead of him.

AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME IN SOHO

Amanda kept an arm on Duncan as they walked down the sidewalk. Amanda intoned, "They came out of thin air." She still couldn't believe it, hated to be reminded there were such unfair members out there playing the game.

"Who?" Duncan hadn't been expecting it so that came out of thin air. They'd had a good time talking about nothing dangerous or important, then she brought up Joe.

"Logan and his men. Men can be so infuriating. Oo," Amanda cooed, looking in a shop window. "Those shoes are exactly what I've been looking for! Ankle boots without too high of a heel."

"I thought we were going to the Guggenheim."

"It will just take a minute," Amanda promised. She walked to the door. Just as she was opening it, a man bumped into her. Amanda winced, felt a pin prick on her shoulder. The man just walked on. Amanda held her shoulder, she was in pain.

Duncan pushed the neckline of her blouse over to inspect it, they didn't see anything. He cat-called down the sidewalk, "Hey! You can at least kiss her ass, you ass!" The man had disappeared in the crowd of people.

"You've really blended in, honey," Amanda smiled. "Maybe it was static electricity or something," Amanda said as she rubbed her shoulder. "Where did he come from?"

"I didn't see him until he was on top of you," Duncan said. "How does it feel now?" He was rubbing it.

"Fine."

"Let's get this over with." He led them inside the woman's shoe shop, even though he'd rather stick needles in his eyes. If he knew Amanda, she'd let him hear about it all day if he didn't let her have her moment.

JOE'S APARTMENT

Methos went right for the phone when he got back to Joe's. Amy took the bag from the drugstore and went to check on her father, who had seemingly slept the whole time they were gone.

When Kevin asked Adam who he was calling, Methos said, "I want to call a contact at the police and get a trace on that license number."

Kevin said, "I thought you didn't let the police into what you're doing. And sorry, I forgot the number."

"I didn't." When Carrie answered, Methos lighted his demeanor and asked, "Hey... can you do me a favor?"

Carrie humphed, knowing the accent as soon as he spoke, "I don't know, Adam. You only call me when you need something."

"Carrie," Methos said as he sat in the chair. "This is important."

"Isn't it always? When are you going to take me out to dinner for the last favor I did for you? I almost got caught doing that background check on the chief of police! What did you need that for?"

The chief of police, of the great city of New York, was immortal and lived in Methos' building, that's what he needed it for! Even though Carrie didn't find anything recent, how could she know the chief of police was well over three hundred years old? Methos ended up moving out of the building anyway. Why borrow trouble? He said, "This time it's a license plate, very easy. New Jersey. AXD 776. I'm at 555-9832. Can you call me as soon as you find out?"

"I'm going to demand lobster, Adam," she said. "And dancing. And you're going to enjoy it."

"I heard you." There was a buzz, from the intercom. Methos heard Amy answer it and told Blair to come on up. "Call me when you know?"

"All right. But I have my own work to do. I'll get to it when I can."

"You're a love," he smiled as he abruptly hung up on her.

When he walked into the living room, Methos saw a short, stocky man with thinning hair being let in by Kevin. It had to be Matthew Blair. He was for a moment, leery, that he might recognize him from his time as a watcher and may have found out he was immortal. But then he remembered the watchers were far-flung.

There were too many fingers in the pot and the left hand didn't know what the right hand was doing. And, Adam Pierson worked in the Paris bureau. Blair sounded American and wouldn't have that knowledge. Hopefully.

Amy introduced them all and nudged Kevin to the hallway. "Can you go see about Dad, honey? I don't think you should be in on this conversation."

"Why not?"

"It's watcher business and I don't even want to have it. I'd just as soon it doesn't creep into our lives."

"Okay," he said, not needing much prodding.

Amy smiled as she sat on the couch with Blair. He didn't like the two of them looking at him, or the silence. Blair looked around and asked, "Where's Joe?"

"He's resting," Amy said. "He had a little accident last night."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Blair sat uncomfortably with a briefcase in his lap. "What kind of accident?" There were unfamiliar faces in the room and he wasn't used to the building. Blair was under the impression Joe would join them.

Methos sat on the chair and said, "We need to find out about a Joshua Logan. Can you tell us who his watcher is, or if there's anything you know about him personally? Where he's holed up?"

Matthew laughed. "Joshua Logan? You're serious? The one-legged immortal? That's a myth. Immortals need two hands and two legs to defend themselves."

"So you have heard of him," Amy prodded.

"Heard, yes," Blair nodded to her with a disbelieving smile. "I've heard the stories."

"He's not a myth," Amy said. "He attacked Joe last night. Then attacked an immortal who he was with, but was shot first so she couldn't defend herself."

"Joe's hanging out with immortals? I heard that's why he left the watchers."

Amy said, "He left to pursue a singing career. Joe didn't know she was immortal. None of us did."

Methos put his head down thinking that they may have to do something to calm the increasingly jittery man, but said, "Joshua Logan information, please?"

Blair finally processed what Amy said and asked, "You said Joe was shot? How is he?"

"He's lying down," she nodded to the bedroom.

"My God... Why was he shot?"

Amy said, "Joshua Logan is after an immortal named Elizabeth Bennett. She's a friend of mine."

"You're friends with immortals, too?"

"I only just found out she was immortal. I didn't know. She didn't tell me. She didn't know about watchers as a matter of fact."

"And you told her so she had Joe shot?"

"No! It was an accident."

"There are no accidents, Ms. Thomas." When Blair said that, Methos liked his way of thinking.

"What would you do with the information if I were to provide it?"

"Make sure Logan doesn't go on killing."

He looked at Adam and decided, "I didn't believe you could actually want that information so I didn't check. Let's see if he's in the computer."

"It's networked?"

Blair looked at him. "Yeah. You look surprised. Were you a watcher?"

"A while ago."

"We've never run across each other. What's your name again?"

Methos ignored the question to ask one of his own, "What do you have on Logan?"

Not wanting to give more than he got, Blair was quiet. He didn't see a tattoo on Pierson's wrist. Didn't know who he was talking to. Amy pleaded, "It's for Joe. Please tell us."

Joe had saved Blair's life on three occasions that he could think of off the top of his head. Got him into the watchers in the first place, so he owed him. Blair had a long and prosperous career with the watchers and didn't like to break the etched in stone rule of interfering with immortals, but one of them had almost killed his old friend. Friendship won out in his mind and he said, "Where's a phone jack?"

"Over there," she pointed to the table with the phone. "Under the table."

Blair moved the phone aside and lifted his briefcase onto the table. He gave the modem cord to the mysterious ex-watcher to plug it in. Inside the briefcase was a laptop, which Blair turned on, then logged onto Watcher Database.

After protecting his password from the two of them he flipped through some screens, Methos looked at what appeared to be a pretty technical set up. Much more modern than when he was with the group and networking was just a faraway dream. Even though it was networked, it seemed to Methos that the watcher needed to know what he was looking for to get anywhere, all the information wasn't at their fingertips upon logging in. That gave Methos a bit of relief, but how easy would it be to look up certain immortals? Any immortal? And get all their information such as where they lived, who they knew, what they did?

Blair got to the screen he was looking for and was surprised, "Logan is assigned a watcher. Diane Wentworth, we went through the academy together, but I haven't seen her since. She probably picked Logan as an assignment because he doesn't exist. She always was a slacker. Just like the watchers who chase the phantom known as Methos."

Methos didn't like his name being thrown about by just anyone. But he breathed easy, judging by how Blair was behaving, Methos was still a myth.

Blair continued, "I've only heard stories about Logan, I didn't really think he actually existed." On the general information screen for the immortal, they read that Logan was born in Ireland. His first death was during the battle with Cromwell. Had lost his leg in America, 1863. That's all it said. There was nothing about the way it happened. Diane Wentworth was the latest in a string of 18 watchers who were assigned to him over the years. Would wonders ever cease? A one legged Immortal survived the last 140 years... "Elizabeth... what did you say her name is?"

"Elizabeth Bennett," Amy said.

Blair searched and flipped through some screens until one appeared with Elizabeth's picture on it. "Is that her?"

Amy looked. "Yes." Her head swam, the friend she'd known for years was catalogued in the database, like every other immortal walking the earth. Elizabeth Bennett's information was all laid out. She was born in 1831 and was turned on July 10, 1863. Methos appreciated the fact that she had been honest with them. Amy shook her head, "I still can't believe it."

Methos also read that she was a history professor and that she'd been married six times. She was christened Elizabeth Maria Hiccock, used six other names in her life. Elizabeth Tennison, Elizabeth Richardson, also Bennett, Quigley, Myers, Abernathy, and had recently reverted back to Elizabeth Bennett. Amy saw the string of names and thought she knew Elizabeth so well. Abernathy, Eliot's name brand on her, was the only one she recognized. She had told Amy that Bennett was her maiden name. They would have to have a long talk after this mess was over.

Her watcher's name was Darrell Foley. Blair used the hyperlink to his page and there was the picture of a blond man with a slight scar on his forehead that they met up with earlier. He took up residence in New York after Elizabeth moved there and had been her watcher for almost twelve years. Methos also appreciated the fact that Foley had been honest with them. Methos shook his head trying to digest it, who would have thought that both an immortal and a watcher would be honest? There was Foley's address and phone number. Methos memorized it.

Blair flipped back a screen and said, "There's nothing in here about Logan, but that would be in her personal chronicle, this is just a database." He flipped forward to Darrell's page again. "I don't know of him. Maybe he has information."

Amy wrote down the address and phone number on a piece of paper even though she thought he'd be a dead end, wouldn't give them any more than he had already.

Methos' hands twitched he wanted so badly to peruse Blair's database for information on himself. He told them, "I think I heard Joe. Was that Joe?"

"I didn't hear anything," Amy said.

"Maybe he's awake," Methos put a hand on Blair's shoulder and made sure he used his first name. "Do you want to see him, Matthew?"

"I'd like that," Matthew would feel better if he actually saw Joe and made sure he wasn't in trouble letting them find out as much as they did.

"Amy," Methos politely asked, "Why don't you bring Matthew to see Joe? That would cheer his old friend up."

After they left, Methos hurriedly typed Methos in the search box. The screen that popped up after the search was in fact the Methos page. Date of Birth: Unknown. Area of Birth: Unknown. Date of First Death: Unknown. First Watcher: Unknown. Etc. Methos smiled. Even though they transferred the information to the database after he left the watchers, they hadn't added anymore to it. There wasn't even a picture. Satisfied, he was going to join the others in Joe's room.

But, there was a sneaking suspicion that rose up and he couldn't stop himself from trying it. He made sure they weren't on their way back in before returning again to the search screen. He typed in "Pierson, Adam" and the laptop rumbled to life, searching the database. The screen that popped up almost knocked him to the floor. Adam Pierson's file wasn't under the watchers, he was under the immortals file. It was too easy! Adam Pierson a.k.a. 'Methos' was what the screen declared. With a picture. An old picture, when he wore his hair longer on the top, when he first joined the watchers and the 80s hairstyles had influenced him. In fact, Methos thought it was the picture from when he had his watcher badge made.

The watchers realized that Adam Pierson was Methos! And they've networked their information! And put that information under a simple search of Adam Pierson! Anyone who looked up Adam Pierson would find out his secret!! If it was that easy to get a watcher to walk away from his database, who else could finagle it!!! Methos tried every way he could think of to erase the information, making the laptop crash. He turned it off and slammed down the lid.

"Beautiful!" he muttered to himself and paced. How did they find out he was Methos, and when did this happen?! Did someone suddenly develop a brain and put two and two together about what he'd been doing during his time with the Watchers? Why didn't Joe tell him his head was on the chopping block? If they knew he was Methos, did they assign a watcher to him?! Suddenly, Methos spun around to look again at the laptop, angry at himself for crashing the computer. He didn't think to look! He had to remember to be thorough, even when he felt like taking heads!

He snapped open and restarted the laptop. It went through scan disk as it wasn't shut down properly. Damn Windows based software products! It was even more annoying to him than rice farming. Then he heard voices. Methos shut it off and shut the cover again. Moved quickly to the other side of the room. Picked up a paper. Amy said, "You didn't hear Joe. He's still sleeping."

"Oh," Methos said with a slight, tight smile. "My mistake."

Blair closed the briefcase and said, "Well, I should get going. Lionel is going to head to Beijing today, I have to make that plane. Tell Joe I'm thinking about him. And good luck."

"Thank you so much for meeting with us, Mr. Blair," Amy said as she showed him to the door. Blair met Duncan and Amanda coming up the hall when he left. He nodded and went on his way, not knowing who they were.

When they came in, the phone rang and Amy answered it in the den. Methos felt the buzzes, but knew Amanda's tell tale laugh as they came down the hall, he only stared out the window lost in his thoughts. Could there be a Methos watcher out there? He saw Amanda's, but didn't see MacLeod's new one. He had to be out there, too. Along with Methos', there could be a little hen party going on down there on the street.

Amy walked in, "Adam? The phone's for you."

Adam. Adam Pierson, Methos thought. He'd have to change his name. He thought that identity would be safe, at least for a while. He wondered if it was time Adam Pierson died a horrible death by decapitation so it would all be wiped out of watcher database... He'd have to move from his apartment, maybe even New York, maybe the country all together.

"Adam?" Amy repeated. When he looked at her, she smiled. "Phone call."

"Oh, thanks."

"In your own little world, Adam," Duncan asked.

"Something like that."

It was Carrie on the phone with the information, Methos remarked, "That was fast."

"Well, I like lobster. And God help me, I like you too, Adam. The car is registered to Lawrence Tildon, Elizabeth, New Jersey. I didn't spend time looking up the title. What did you need the information for?"

"Just curious."

"I suppose you want his phone number."

Methos flinched at the karma of the city's name. Was that in Logan's mind? What kind of lunatic was he? "I couldn't care less about his phone number, I want his address."

NEW JERSEY

Duncan and Amanda used Joe's car to drove out to Elizabeth, New Jersey, to see Lawrence Tildon. While they were going down the turnpike, singing along to tunes, they didn't notice the short dark haired woman in the car following them.

The woman's knuckles were white, she wanted to follow Duncan's car, but not too close. He can't know she was there. It was almost impossible, during the last couple of days since knowing he was in the city, not to get close enough to him to give herself away with her buzz. When her denizen pricked Amanda on the street, she had to duck behind a building to not be seen. The woman didn't die right away, but that was to be expected. She'd be gone within days. Then she could show herself to Duncan and they could continue what they started oh so long ago.

They drove into Elizabeth a nice, quiet residential area. The woman wondered what the hell they were up to, and parked a couple of blocks back from where Duncan parked the Volvo.

As they walked past the for sale sign and on to the house, they were apprehensive and surveyed the area for anyone with a glint in their eye and a gun in their hand. Amanda looked at the suburban rambler and said, "Why would they want to sell this palace?"

"They rob banks besides shooting innocent people?" Duncan offered. After the coast seemed clear, he pushed the doorbell button. "Mrs. Tildon," Duncan asked when an old woman opened the door.

She squinted through her bifocals and smiled at the young, handsome couple although she had no idea what they wanted with her, "Yes?"

"Is Mr. Tildon home... or .... your son?"

She glared at him. "My son lives in Savannah. What do you want?"

"I just want to talk to your husband, Lawrence."

"You're too late," she teared up. "He died three months ago. He had a heart attack."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"What did you want? You didn't bring the realtor, did you want to look at the house? I wasn't ready for showing..."

"Well," Duncan looked at Amanda.

Amanda said, "Did you recently drive into New York, or let someone borrow your car?"

"My Taurus? It was stolen last week. Did you find it?"

"We think it was used in a robbery in New York City last night."

The woman put her hand to her chest. "Oh, good heavens."

Duncan and Amanda looked at each other, this was obviously a dead end.



CONTINUED in Chapter Four - Cockroaches