Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Highlander characters.
Ritchie was bored and had to keep himself from yawning when he felt Roger and Luisa coming inside. He straightened up and watched from his hiding place.
Duncan and Joe watched Roger come in and hesitate. At first they thought he had come alone until they saw that he had one arm stretched behind him. They heard him say something sharply and watched as he jerked Luisa to stand next to him. Joe had to restrain Duncan from breaking their cover.
"If Jase doesn't kill him, I will," Duncan growled low. Joe nodded and let Duncan go.
Roger came farther into the room. He kept a tight grip on Luisa's hair as she stumbled along behind him. He came to the center of the room and stopped.
"Come out Jase. I'm here. Besides, Luisa already sensed you so I know you're here," Roger called, releasing Luisa's hair and pushing her to her knees. "Don't move," he hissed at her. Luisa remained kneeling, her long hair covering her face.
Jase stepped out of the shadows. "Looking for me?" he asked dangerously, his eyes on Roger but his heart aching for Luisa.
Roger chuckled. "Didn't think you'd have the guts. But now that you are here, we can get the show on the road."
Everyone in the building tensed. What was Roger planning?
Luisa shivered in dread at Roger's little speech. She had the feeling that things were about to get ugly and Roger proved her fears true.
Roger stroked Luisa's hair once while he eyed Jase. Then grinning sadistically he withdrew a knife from his boot and jerked Luisa upright. He held the knife to her throat for a brief moment before suddenly taking it and slicing her shirt open.
Luisa let out a hoarse shout. "No! Don't!" she begged Roger trying to cover herself. Roger slapped her hands away and turned her to face Jase.
"I offer her to you as a way to avoid your death. I don't wish to kill you. You seem like an honorable man. One night with her and then we go our separate ways," Roger said cajoling.
Jase snarled at Roger in disgust. "You are sick, Roger Lionheart, and I will be proud to take your head!"
Roger threw back his head and laughed before looking at Jase. He stroked Luisa's face and smirked when she flinched. "Now, now pet, you know that's just a promise for later."
Jase's eyes narrowed and he drew his sword. "Let's dance," he said, assuming a defensive stance.
Roger laughed again. "Patience, young man. I must do something first." Roger whipped out a set of handcuffs and slapped them on a surprised Luisa. He pulled her to a pole and pulled out a rope and bound her tightly to it. He used sailor knots to secure her. He looked her in the eye and said in a whisper. "Once I'm done with him, you and I are going to party," he said, his eyes glittering cruelly as he licked her lips.
Luisa let out a disgusted cry and turned her head. Roger laughed and then walked back over to Jase.
"Alright, dance," he said as he drew his sword and made a flurry of blows that forced Jase to back up.
Roger took a vicious swing at Jase's neck but Jase meet him squarely and sparks flew off the two swords as they hit. The building was so quiet you could hear the harsh breathing of the two combatants.
"You can't beat me, pup. I've killed older ones than you," Roger said, his face a mask of mock serenity.
Jase shook his head. "You cheated that's why. It's the girl that gives you the advantage. Any Immortal within a few yards of her can sense her and come running to investigate. Poor girl isn't aware of what flows in her veins. Otherwise, she would have killed you and your bitch wife years ago. But you hid her away and drugged her so she wouldn't realize the truth. For that you will pay," Jase said thru gritted teeth as he and Roger sprang apart and circled each other again.
Luisa was listening to their conversation and her eyes had grown wide. Was that why she got the funny feelings, the ones that always told her that a person was there, usually with a sword, like Jase, waiting to fight Roger?
She shook her head. She wasn't sure of why they were fighting but she knew she needed for Jase to win or else her life would be an unbearable hell.
"True, I've kept her squared away. She is my ace in the hole. The rest of you were too stupid to find her but I wasn't. And she is such a beautiful piece of work. I finally sampled some of her fruits before I came here tonight," Roger goaded, his eyes on Jase's face when he gave the last bit of news.
Everyone in hiding stiffened. Jase let out a guttural growl. "What did you say?"
Roger smirked. "I said, old boy, that I enjoyed Luisa thoroughly before bringing her here. Couldn't present you with a blushing virgin now could I?"
"YOU BASTARD!" Jase snarled and launched himself at Roger.
Luisa had dropped her head in humiliation when Roger told Jase what they had done. She felt dirty and ashamed. She looked up when she heard Jase's shout and watched him charge Roger.
"Watch out for his hidden throwing knives, Mister!" she screamed as she saw Roger flick his free hand forward and a throwing knife slid into it and he threw it at Jase.
Jase hearing her warning, changed his charge into a dive and the throwing knife whizzed above his head. He swept out a leg and knocked a startled Roger to the floor. Jase leaped to his feet and put a foot on Roger's chest pinning him to the ground.
Roger looked up at Jase, fear in his eyes. "Don't hurt me, please. I was just kidding about the things I said," he whined, hoping to get out of his reversal of fortune.
Jase's eyes glittered as he gave Roger a smile. "Of course, what are friends for," he said solicitously as he took his foot off of Roger's chest and turned as if to walk away.
Duncan, Ritchie, Methos and Joe stared at Jase in disbelief from their respective hiding places. Was Jase insane? They all thought.
Luisa tensely stared at Jase and Roger. What kind of game was this?
As Jase turned his back, Roger jumped up, his second throwing knife coming from its hiding place.
"No!" Luisa shrieked just as Jase did a 360 and chopped off Roger's head.
There was a moment of silence and then Roger's energy flowed into Jase. Luisa watched the scene with wide eyes and gaping mouth. She hadn't seen this much when Martha died. Finally it stopped, and Jase sank to his knees, both hands wrapped around his sword. "I have avenged you, my sister," Jase said before standing back up.
He walked over to Luisa. Luisa cringed away from him when he stopped in front of her. Jase slowly reached out and touched her swollen face. He jerked his hand back when she let out a whimper and flinched away from his hand.
Jase shook his head sadly. "It's alright, little one. No one will hurt you again. I promise." Jase took his sword and slashed through the ropes. Luisa sank to the floor and refused to look anywhere.
Duncan and the others had come from their hiding spots. Joe retrieved the keys from Roger's body and limped over to Luisa. He knelt down beside her and unlocked the handcuffs. "It's okay, Luisa, it's over," he murmured soothingly as she threw herself into Joe's arms and cried. Joe sat and rocked her for a long time.
Duncan looked at the other men and saw the despair and the compassion in their eyes. Duncan knelt down next to Joe and Luisa. "Luisa, let us take you home," he said, his Scottish burr coming out.
Luisa looked up from Joe's embrace and looked at Duncan. "Please, I can't go back there," she said faintly.
It took Duncan a moment before he realized that she had misunderstood. "No, lass, we aren't going to take you back to where you lived with Roger and Martha. We're going to take you somewhere safe."
Luisa looked into Duncan's eyes and then to Joe. Joe nodded. Luisa let out a shaky breath and let Duncan help her up. Everyone sighed in relief as they left the building.