CHAPTER 34
"What's going on with Methos, Richie?" Duncan asked as soon as he came back inside.
"Joe got a call from the watchers. Methos is in South America . taking heads." He replied. Claudia and Amanda both shook their heads at the news, but Duncan had almost expected it.
"I'd worried he might turn to that, find a way to vent his anger."
"Well evidently he's vented on quite a few. Joe was really upset, said he was going to call you and then disappeared out the back door." Richie told him. "I have a feeling he went to find him."
"He should have let me do that." Duncan replied.
"He's afraid Methos isn't particular about the heads he takes darling. And I must agree with him. You know how nasty his temper can get." Amanda interrupted.
"That's why Joe shouldn't have gone alone. He shouldn't take that kind of risk." Duncan argued.
"He won't hurt Joe. No matter how angry he is." Amanda assured him.
"I'm calling him." Duncan said as he pulled out his cell.
Joe didn't tell him he hadn't left the airport yet. His flight had been delayed, but he did clue him in on exactly what Methos was doing.
"He sliced one poor bastard up so badly Mac, he was begging him to end it." Joe told the highlander. "And remember Sada Mills?"
"The dancer? Went underground a few years back to wait until it was safe to return to the stage?" Duncan replied. "Didn't they have a thing back in the 20's?"
"He ran into her in Mexico City. She asked him to dinner . he took her head on the roof of the Marriott before desert."
"Joe you need to wait for me. Tell me where he is and I'll meet you there before morning." Duncan said, his mind reeling at what he was hearing.
"No can do friend. It's too risky. He's accelerating the game and I can't stand by and watch the two of you meet . not like this."
"For the love of God Joe. Remember when I was under the influence of the dark quickening?" Duncan said. "He knew it could cost him his head, but he came anyway . hell I had my blade against his neck and he never wavered."
"This is different Mac and you know it. He's reverted back to the man he was more than a thousand years ago. He tells his victims he is Death, and he believes it." Joe argued. "He's out to be the only one Mac . so no, I won't tell you."
"Joe please ." the line went dead.
Duncan hung his head between his knees as he sat on the edge of the sofa. He wanted to scream out in frustration.
"What is going on?" Amanda asked, wrapping her arm around his shoulders.
Duncan repeated what Joe told him, and his fear that Joe shouldn't be doing this alone.
"Maybe Joe can reach him Duncan. We have to hold onto that hope." She sighed, wiping her eyes at the news about Sada. They'd been friends and she struggled not to hate Methos for robbing the world of such a talent. She knew he was hurting, but this was too much.
"Did he tell you the Watchers are pretty sure he's Methos?" Richie asked, realizing he hadn't when Duncan groaned once again. "Joe is still trying to throw them off, but it's like he's waving this sign. I'm wondering if we would be doing any favors for Beth to let him know we're looking for her. Can you imagine what it's going to be like living with him when every immortal on the planet wants his Quickening?"
Duncan knew what he meant. He was furious with Methos for not even trying to get past this without falling back into the blood thirst he thought his friend had put behind him. But as angry as he was, he also knew that he couldn't turn his back on him. They had to reach him and they had to tell him the truth about the woman he loved.
"Why does he have to make this so much harder?" Duncan gritted his teeth as he slammed his fist against the wall. "Isn't it bad enough every lead we had on Beth was a dead end?"
Richie and Claudia frowned. They'd hoped the news about Beth and the baby would have been better. Amanda and Duncan told them about Canada. A woman matching Beth's description had been seen by several people in the company of a man and baby. But just as they thought they were on the right track, the trail turned cold. The three had left the country. The same thing had happened in Flagstaff. Positive identification on Beth's photo and they arrive too late.
"You need to get some rest. If Joe isn't going to tell you where Methos is, then there is nothing you can do until tomorrow." Amanda said, coming to stand behind him as he stared out the back window.
"We'll be at Duncan's." Amanda said as she coaxed Duncan to follow her. "And then unless Joe needs us to help with Methos, we're going to Paris day after tomorrow and see if we can pick up her trail there."
Back in Ridgetop, Rick held Rayna in his arms as she slept. He'd spoken to Duncan earlier that day, and could hardly contain his amusement when the Highlander told him about the problems they'd encountered. The decoys he'd planted had led his old friend on an exhausting, wild goose chase. And the fun was just beginning.
He hadn't been able to locate Pierson. The man appeared to have vanished. No matter, the plan could go on without him. Maybe by the time his plan hit the next phase he would have resurfaced.
"What's going on with Methos, Richie?" Duncan asked as soon as he came back inside.
"Joe got a call from the watchers. Methos is in South America . taking heads." He replied. Claudia and Amanda both shook their heads at the news, but Duncan had almost expected it.
"I'd worried he might turn to that, find a way to vent his anger."
"Well evidently he's vented on quite a few. Joe was really upset, said he was going to call you and then disappeared out the back door." Richie told him. "I have a feeling he went to find him."
"He should have let me do that." Duncan replied.
"He's afraid Methos isn't particular about the heads he takes darling. And I must agree with him. You know how nasty his temper can get." Amanda interrupted.
"That's why Joe shouldn't have gone alone. He shouldn't take that kind of risk." Duncan argued.
"He won't hurt Joe. No matter how angry he is." Amanda assured him.
"I'm calling him." Duncan said as he pulled out his cell.
Joe didn't tell him he hadn't left the airport yet. His flight had been delayed, but he did clue him in on exactly what Methos was doing.
"He sliced one poor bastard up so badly Mac, he was begging him to end it." Joe told the highlander. "And remember Sada Mills?"
"The dancer? Went underground a few years back to wait until it was safe to return to the stage?" Duncan replied. "Didn't they have a thing back in the 20's?"
"He ran into her in Mexico City. She asked him to dinner . he took her head on the roof of the Marriott before desert."
"Joe you need to wait for me. Tell me where he is and I'll meet you there before morning." Duncan said, his mind reeling at what he was hearing.
"No can do friend. It's too risky. He's accelerating the game and I can't stand by and watch the two of you meet . not like this."
"For the love of God Joe. Remember when I was under the influence of the dark quickening?" Duncan said. "He knew it could cost him his head, but he came anyway . hell I had my blade against his neck and he never wavered."
"This is different Mac and you know it. He's reverted back to the man he was more than a thousand years ago. He tells his victims he is Death, and he believes it." Joe argued. "He's out to be the only one Mac . so no, I won't tell you."
"Joe please ." the line went dead.
Duncan hung his head between his knees as he sat on the edge of the sofa. He wanted to scream out in frustration.
"What is going on?" Amanda asked, wrapping her arm around his shoulders.
Duncan repeated what Joe told him, and his fear that Joe shouldn't be doing this alone.
"Maybe Joe can reach him Duncan. We have to hold onto that hope." She sighed, wiping her eyes at the news about Sada. They'd been friends and she struggled not to hate Methos for robbing the world of such a talent. She knew he was hurting, but this was too much.
"Did he tell you the Watchers are pretty sure he's Methos?" Richie asked, realizing he hadn't when Duncan groaned once again. "Joe is still trying to throw them off, but it's like he's waving this sign. I'm wondering if we would be doing any favors for Beth to let him know we're looking for her. Can you imagine what it's going to be like living with him when every immortal on the planet wants his Quickening?"
Duncan knew what he meant. He was furious with Methos for not even trying to get past this without falling back into the blood thirst he thought his friend had put behind him. But as angry as he was, he also knew that he couldn't turn his back on him. They had to reach him and they had to tell him the truth about the woman he loved.
"Why does he have to make this so much harder?" Duncan gritted his teeth as he slammed his fist against the wall. "Isn't it bad enough every lead we had on Beth was a dead end?"
Richie and Claudia frowned. They'd hoped the news about Beth and the baby would have been better. Amanda and Duncan told them about Canada. A woman matching Beth's description had been seen by several people in the company of a man and baby. But just as they thought they were on the right track, the trail turned cold. The three had left the country. The same thing had happened in Flagstaff. Positive identification on Beth's photo and they arrive too late.
"You need to get some rest. If Joe isn't going to tell you where Methos is, then there is nothing you can do until tomorrow." Amanda said, coming to stand behind him as he stared out the back window.
"We'll be at Duncan's." Amanda said as she coaxed Duncan to follow her. "And then unless Joe needs us to help with Methos, we're going to Paris day after tomorrow and see if we can pick up her trail there."
Back in Ridgetop, Rick held Rayna in his arms as she slept. He'd spoken to Duncan earlier that day, and could hardly contain his amusement when the Highlander told him about the problems they'd encountered. The decoys he'd planted had led his old friend on an exhausting, wild goose chase. And the fun was just beginning.
He hadn't been able to locate Pierson. The man appeared to have vanished. No matter, the plan could go on without him. Maybe by the time his plan hit the next phase he would have resurfaced.