CHAPTER 45
"Ellen Hanley?" the deep Scottish accent asked.
"Do I know you?" she replied cautiously.
"No, but you called Joe Dawson a few hours ago and he's asked me to follow up. My name is Duncan MacLeod and I'm at a restaurant called The Roong Thai. It's on North Milwaukee, do you know the place?"
"I know it, but I'm not sure why I should meet you there." Ellen was a bit wary. She knew who Duncan MacLeod was from the Watcher reports on Pierson, but wondered if she could really trust him. He was Connor's cousin, and there had been rumors about her teacher's death that she wasn't sure about.
"It's very public and there's a temple across the street if you get nervous." He replied. "I understand you had a run in with Adam Pierson."
"I'll be there in ten minutes." She replied, not sure why she was going out in the open.
Ten minutes later Ellen arrived at the restaurant, her sword tucked discreetly in her coat.
Duncan was a little surprised to find she appeared to be hardly more than a child. If it weren't for her serious expression, he would never guess she wasn't new to the game as opposed to being 200 years old.
He stood as she walked to the table and saw her eyes move to where his coat lay across the back of the booth. "I came here for the food and to hear what you have to say about Adam, not for anything else." He assured her.
Ellen took in his dark hair, seemingly kind and handsome face and neatly tailored clothes and couldn't help but think how different he was from his cousin. Connor was much more rugged and practical in appearance. Duncan looked like he stepped off this month's issue of G.Q.
"Do I pass inspection?" Duncan asked, waiting for her to sit down and then moving back into the booth when she complied.
"I guess you'll do. I was sort of expecting you to be a little different." Ellen replied, intending to get to her own questions before trusting this man with anything she might know.
"Different how?" he asked, waiving the waitress over and when Ellen admitted she didn't know much about Thai food but that it was very spicy, he ordered for both of them.
"I was expecting you to be more like your cousin." She stated directly.
"You knew Connor?" he replied, a little surprised.
"Very well in fact. He was my teacher." Ellen added, clearing up any ideas he might have that she'd been some kind of tryst.
"Was he now? Funny, he didn't mention you." Duncan replied. This was a little too coincidental.
"He spoke of you a few times." Ellen told him. "Seemed to be quite fond of you. Told me you were an honorable and courageous man. A real asset to your clan."
"Did he now?"
"But now I am wondering if his loyalty was misplaced. Would an honorable and courageous man take the head of his own kinsman?" she knew she would hit a nerve with that comment and she did.
"You have no idea what you are talking about, and I suspect anything you have to tell me about Adam Pierson is going to be just as misinformed so if you will excuse me I'll take my order to go." Duncan stated, picking up his coat as he started past her.
"Is it so wrong to want to know what happened to my teacher?" she asked, grabbing his arm as he moved into the aisle. "Connor gave me my life back, and that's what I'm trying to do for your friend. So forgive me if I wasn't expecting to come face to face with the immortal I am told took his Quickening and might have a few questions before I could begin to trust you with what I know."
Duncan looked down at his arm and waited for her to let him go. When she did he sat back down at the table and silently regarded her for several long minutes. "Why should I tell you anything?"
"Because it would be the honorable thing to do." Ellen replied simply.
"And how do I know you really are what you say you were to him? I've never heard of you before."
Ellen discreetly exposed the handle of her sword, glad they were in a quiet section of the restaurant. Duncan didn't have to touch the handle to know it was Connor's work. "He fashioned this for me. You can see his mark here . and there is the symbol he used for me."
Duncan knew the symbol. It was an ancient symbol meaning child of fire. "So you were her?"
Ellen was a little taken aback. "I thought you said he never spoke of me."
"Not by name, but once when we had been drinking a little too much he started talking about one of his worst binges. Connor always did love the ale." The laughter reached his eyes as he remembered. "He mentioned this innocent turned fire child and said that until he could find a way to quench the flames in her eyes he had to douse his own emotions or be consumed by the same rage."
"Aye, he would be referring to the time he left me for three days and got so drunk I had to hire an ox cart to bring him home. I'd been a pain in the ass with my determination to make everyone and everything pay for what I'd been through. He had a hard time dealing with me. I wonder why he even bothered." Ellen shared, shaking her head.
"What could have put that kind of rage into the eyes and heart of a someone so young?" Duncan asked sincerely.
"Something not so different from what has a hold on your friend." She replied. "But I'm not ready to talk about that just yet. First I want to know if it is true. Did you take the head of Connor MacLeod?"
Duncan let out a breath of sad frustration. "You know Connor always had to have things his way. And if he couldn't talk you into something, he had a way of forcing the issue." He began to tell her about Jacob Kell and how Connor was convinced neither of them could defeat him alone. "So he forced me into a battle and when I refused to take his head, positioned us in a way that I had to choose survival or death. He wouldn't be talked out of it."
Ellen stared at him in horror. Of course she knew how bull headed Connor was, but she couldn't fathom him believing he couldn't defeat any opponent. He was fearless.
"His last words to me were of brotherhood, and before I could respond he forced my hand." Duncan's voice was filled with emotion and he couldn't even look at her as he remembered. "So yes, to answer your question, I took his Quickening. And I carry the weight and the loss of it every single day."
Ellen leaned her forehead into her hands and tried to come to grips with what she'd heard. Finally she looked up, her eyes misted with tears. "I guess it's real then. He's really gone." She'd hoped the word of his death had been a mistake.
"He's never gone in the hearts of those who loved and respected him." Duncan replied.
"Why do I feel like I should be toasting a mug of ale instead of this bitter tea?" she added.
"That would be Connor's influence I would say."
"To Connor." She lifted her tiny cup and downed it in one quick swig.
"Now can you tell me what you know about Adam? I don't mean to be rude, but I think a young friend of mine is here looking for him and I'm not optimistic about his chances for survival if he succeeds before I do."
"Would this be someone named Richie?" Ellen asked. "Dawson mentioned him when I said I had news of a friend."
"That would be him, Richie Ryan. He was supposed to fly to New York to meet his girlfriend, another immortal. But he didn't make the flight and no one has heard from him in almost a week. He wasn't happy when I stopped looking for Adam and I'm afraid he might have decided to find him himself." Duncan explained. "He was very close to Adam's wife Beth."
"This woman must be something to have men doing so many crazy things over her." Ellen mused with raised eyebrows.
"She's a good woman and a good friend, probably the best thing that ever walked into Adam's life."
"And he thinks she walked out." Ellen replied.
"How do you know that?"
Ellen told him about Adam's run in with Riley Quinn, and her own search for information when she knew it would only be a matter of time before he found her.
"The Watcher's are much more thorough than I thought. I'll have to warn Joe about the phone tap, although he guessed as much."
"You said you gave up your search for Pierson? Can I ask why? Why wouldn't you want to tell him the truth about his wife and child being kidnapped and end this torture?" Ellen was more than curious.
"I'm afraid there is a lot of it I won't talk about, things that would betray his confidence. But suffice it to say that he is proving every day he is not the man we thought, and I'm not certain bringing him back into Beth's life would be a good thing for her or her child." Duncan replied. "Provided we find her of course."
"But that's not for you to decide." Ellen countered. "That's her choice . and his."
"Forgive me, but you've only met him one time. I've known him for years. And that has me more than a little curious. Why would you want to help a man who tried to take your head? Don't tell me you found the experience pleasant."
"On the contrary. I found it quite unpleasant, and unsettling, especially when I realized how well I knew him." Ellen responded.
"How well you knew him? I thought this was the first time you met." The more Duncan listened to Ellen the more confused he became about her motives.
"It was, but not the first time I'd seen what I saw in his eyes." She explained. "It was like traveling back in time and holding up a mirror."
They were finished with their meal, and Ellen really didn't want to explain about her life in a restaurant. "Will you indulge me and let me explain back at Riley's?" she asked. "It's a little personal and is going to take longer than I think these good people will want us to tie up their table. Plus, if Pierson is as clever as I suspect, I wouldn't mind the escort home."
MacLeod paid the ticket and followed her out into the early night wind. Once they arrived back at Riley Quinn's flat she told him about what her husband had done to her and how it had affected her. She also explained why that made her so attune to what she saw in Adam's eyes.
Duncan was shocked by not only her story, but by her need to reach out to another tortured soul. She claimed she felt incapable of real love, but this was not the actions of a woman whose heart was cold. He weighed her words and insight. She made several valid arguments, however he probably wouldn't have considered approaching Adam if it hadn't been for the danger he thought Richie was walking into.
"It's not going to be easy to find him." Duncan told her. "You said yourself you don't even know where he is staying."
"But he has probably guessed where I am staying, or is at least watching my apartment. As long as I know you are there, I don't mind being used as bait." Ellen replied directly.
Duncan didn't like it, but he also didn't know what else to do. Reluctantly he agreed to follow her back to her flat.
"Ellen Hanley?" the deep Scottish accent asked.
"Do I know you?" she replied cautiously.
"No, but you called Joe Dawson a few hours ago and he's asked me to follow up. My name is Duncan MacLeod and I'm at a restaurant called The Roong Thai. It's on North Milwaukee, do you know the place?"
"I know it, but I'm not sure why I should meet you there." Ellen was a bit wary. She knew who Duncan MacLeod was from the Watcher reports on Pierson, but wondered if she could really trust him. He was Connor's cousin, and there had been rumors about her teacher's death that she wasn't sure about.
"It's very public and there's a temple across the street if you get nervous." He replied. "I understand you had a run in with Adam Pierson."
"I'll be there in ten minutes." She replied, not sure why she was going out in the open.
Ten minutes later Ellen arrived at the restaurant, her sword tucked discreetly in her coat.
Duncan was a little surprised to find she appeared to be hardly more than a child. If it weren't for her serious expression, he would never guess she wasn't new to the game as opposed to being 200 years old.
He stood as she walked to the table and saw her eyes move to where his coat lay across the back of the booth. "I came here for the food and to hear what you have to say about Adam, not for anything else." He assured her.
Ellen took in his dark hair, seemingly kind and handsome face and neatly tailored clothes and couldn't help but think how different he was from his cousin. Connor was much more rugged and practical in appearance. Duncan looked like he stepped off this month's issue of G.Q.
"Do I pass inspection?" Duncan asked, waiting for her to sit down and then moving back into the booth when she complied.
"I guess you'll do. I was sort of expecting you to be a little different." Ellen replied, intending to get to her own questions before trusting this man with anything she might know.
"Different how?" he asked, waiving the waitress over and when Ellen admitted she didn't know much about Thai food but that it was very spicy, he ordered for both of them.
"I was expecting you to be more like your cousin." She stated directly.
"You knew Connor?" he replied, a little surprised.
"Very well in fact. He was my teacher." Ellen added, clearing up any ideas he might have that she'd been some kind of tryst.
"Was he now? Funny, he didn't mention you." Duncan replied. This was a little too coincidental.
"He spoke of you a few times." Ellen told him. "Seemed to be quite fond of you. Told me you were an honorable and courageous man. A real asset to your clan."
"Did he now?"
"But now I am wondering if his loyalty was misplaced. Would an honorable and courageous man take the head of his own kinsman?" she knew she would hit a nerve with that comment and she did.
"You have no idea what you are talking about, and I suspect anything you have to tell me about Adam Pierson is going to be just as misinformed so if you will excuse me I'll take my order to go." Duncan stated, picking up his coat as he started past her.
"Is it so wrong to want to know what happened to my teacher?" she asked, grabbing his arm as he moved into the aisle. "Connor gave me my life back, and that's what I'm trying to do for your friend. So forgive me if I wasn't expecting to come face to face with the immortal I am told took his Quickening and might have a few questions before I could begin to trust you with what I know."
Duncan looked down at his arm and waited for her to let him go. When she did he sat back down at the table and silently regarded her for several long minutes. "Why should I tell you anything?"
"Because it would be the honorable thing to do." Ellen replied simply.
"And how do I know you really are what you say you were to him? I've never heard of you before."
Ellen discreetly exposed the handle of her sword, glad they were in a quiet section of the restaurant. Duncan didn't have to touch the handle to know it was Connor's work. "He fashioned this for me. You can see his mark here . and there is the symbol he used for me."
Duncan knew the symbol. It was an ancient symbol meaning child of fire. "So you were her?"
Ellen was a little taken aback. "I thought you said he never spoke of me."
"Not by name, but once when we had been drinking a little too much he started talking about one of his worst binges. Connor always did love the ale." The laughter reached his eyes as he remembered. "He mentioned this innocent turned fire child and said that until he could find a way to quench the flames in her eyes he had to douse his own emotions or be consumed by the same rage."
"Aye, he would be referring to the time he left me for three days and got so drunk I had to hire an ox cart to bring him home. I'd been a pain in the ass with my determination to make everyone and everything pay for what I'd been through. He had a hard time dealing with me. I wonder why he even bothered." Ellen shared, shaking her head.
"What could have put that kind of rage into the eyes and heart of a someone so young?" Duncan asked sincerely.
"Something not so different from what has a hold on your friend." She replied. "But I'm not ready to talk about that just yet. First I want to know if it is true. Did you take the head of Connor MacLeod?"
Duncan let out a breath of sad frustration. "You know Connor always had to have things his way. And if he couldn't talk you into something, he had a way of forcing the issue." He began to tell her about Jacob Kell and how Connor was convinced neither of them could defeat him alone. "So he forced me into a battle and when I refused to take his head, positioned us in a way that I had to choose survival or death. He wouldn't be talked out of it."
Ellen stared at him in horror. Of course she knew how bull headed Connor was, but she couldn't fathom him believing he couldn't defeat any opponent. He was fearless.
"His last words to me were of brotherhood, and before I could respond he forced my hand." Duncan's voice was filled with emotion and he couldn't even look at her as he remembered. "So yes, to answer your question, I took his Quickening. And I carry the weight and the loss of it every single day."
Ellen leaned her forehead into her hands and tried to come to grips with what she'd heard. Finally she looked up, her eyes misted with tears. "I guess it's real then. He's really gone." She'd hoped the word of his death had been a mistake.
"He's never gone in the hearts of those who loved and respected him." Duncan replied.
"Why do I feel like I should be toasting a mug of ale instead of this bitter tea?" she added.
"That would be Connor's influence I would say."
"To Connor." She lifted her tiny cup and downed it in one quick swig.
"Now can you tell me what you know about Adam? I don't mean to be rude, but I think a young friend of mine is here looking for him and I'm not optimistic about his chances for survival if he succeeds before I do."
"Would this be someone named Richie?" Ellen asked. "Dawson mentioned him when I said I had news of a friend."
"That would be him, Richie Ryan. He was supposed to fly to New York to meet his girlfriend, another immortal. But he didn't make the flight and no one has heard from him in almost a week. He wasn't happy when I stopped looking for Adam and I'm afraid he might have decided to find him himself." Duncan explained. "He was very close to Adam's wife Beth."
"This woman must be something to have men doing so many crazy things over her." Ellen mused with raised eyebrows.
"She's a good woman and a good friend, probably the best thing that ever walked into Adam's life."
"And he thinks she walked out." Ellen replied.
"How do you know that?"
Ellen told him about Adam's run in with Riley Quinn, and her own search for information when she knew it would only be a matter of time before he found her.
"The Watcher's are much more thorough than I thought. I'll have to warn Joe about the phone tap, although he guessed as much."
"You said you gave up your search for Pierson? Can I ask why? Why wouldn't you want to tell him the truth about his wife and child being kidnapped and end this torture?" Ellen was more than curious.
"I'm afraid there is a lot of it I won't talk about, things that would betray his confidence. But suffice it to say that he is proving every day he is not the man we thought, and I'm not certain bringing him back into Beth's life would be a good thing for her or her child." Duncan replied. "Provided we find her of course."
"But that's not for you to decide." Ellen countered. "That's her choice . and his."
"Forgive me, but you've only met him one time. I've known him for years. And that has me more than a little curious. Why would you want to help a man who tried to take your head? Don't tell me you found the experience pleasant."
"On the contrary. I found it quite unpleasant, and unsettling, especially when I realized how well I knew him." Ellen responded.
"How well you knew him? I thought this was the first time you met." The more Duncan listened to Ellen the more confused he became about her motives.
"It was, but not the first time I'd seen what I saw in his eyes." She explained. "It was like traveling back in time and holding up a mirror."
They were finished with their meal, and Ellen really didn't want to explain about her life in a restaurant. "Will you indulge me and let me explain back at Riley's?" she asked. "It's a little personal and is going to take longer than I think these good people will want us to tie up their table. Plus, if Pierson is as clever as I suspect, I wouldn't mind the escort home."
MacLeod paid the ticket and followed her out into the early night wind. Once they arrived back at Riley Quinn's flat she told him about what her husband had done to her and how it had affected her. She also explained why that made her so attune to what she saw in Adam's eyes.
Duncan was shocked by not only her story, but by her need to reach out to another tortured soul. She claimed she felt incapable of real love, but this was not the actions of a woman whose heart was cold. He weighed her words and insight. She made several valid arguments, however he probably wouldn't have considered approaching Adam if it hadn't been for the danger he thought Richie was walking into.
"It's not going to be easy to find him." Duncan told her. "You said yourself you don't even know where he is staying."
"But he has probably guessed where I am staying, or is at least watching my apartment. As long as I know you are there, I don't mind being used as bait." Ellen replied directly.
Duncan didn't like it, but he also didn't know what else to do. Reluctantly he agreed to follow her back to her flat.