Chapter Two
"Hey Joe." Duncan Macleod said as he walked into Joe's Bar.
The proprietor looked up from the books he was
working on. "Hey Macleod." He replied courteously. He looked at his watch. It was just about noon. "Isn't
it a little early for you?" He asked as
his friend made himself comfortable on a stool.
"What, I can only come here when I want to
drink?" He asked sarcastically.
Joe grinned, "Who're you lookin' for now?"
"Why do you assume I'm looking for anyone?" He said evasively as he took a sip of the
drink Joe had set before him.
"I dunno, it's just every time you come in here,
you're looking for someone, or someone's after you. I thought I'd get a jump on things."
"Relax, Joe. No one's looking for me, and I'm not looking for anyone. I just came to have a drink with a friend."
"Well," said Joe. "That's a change. I don't remember you ever doing that
before."
"There has to be a first time for everything." Macleod took another sip of his drink. Just then, Macleod looked around expectantly,
looking for something. Joe knew he was
sensing another Immortal. He looked
towards the door of the Bar. He was
expecting some sword-swinging maniac to come charging in and challenge
Macleod. But it wasn't. The door opened, and Richie Ryan came in,
looking concerned. Macleod said hello
to his young protégé, then turned to the stool beside him.
"Here, take a stool." He said, indicating he should sit. "Take a load off."
"Sure, I think I will." Rich sat and placed his
jacket on the bar in front of him.
"You look troubled." Joe commented as he handed the
young Immortal a glass, and poured him a drink.
"Yeah. Thanks." He said.
"What's wrong?" Macleod asks worriedly.
"Nothing." Richie says toughly, then reconsiders, "I met this guy in the parking
lot. He told me someone will be coming
for you." He looked at his
teacher.
If that fazed Macleod, he didn't let it show. Then again, why should it? He's had
hundreds, thousands of people come after him, and he's beaten them all. Why should another one worry him?
Macleod turned to Richie. "What'd he look like?"
Richie shook his head no, "He's not coming for
you. He was human."
"Still…"
Richie sighed. "He was an old guy, homeless from the looks of it. Definitely not dangerous."
"He was just the messenger." Joe said.
"Yeah." Macleod agreed. "Ok, take me to the place where you saw him. Maybe we can follow him back to whoever sent
him."
"Why?" Richie asked. "If this guy is sending people to tell you that he's coming, he
obviously thinks he can beat you. Why
don't you just wait and let him come to you?"
"He's got a point." Joe said. "Besides, this guy also thinks he knows
you. He'll think that you'll follow the
messenger back to his place, so it'll be booby-trapped. Safer to let him come to you, and fight on
your own turf."
Macleod considered the points laid before him, and
decided they were probably right.
"Ok. We'll
stay and wait for him to come to us." He said finally.
