Chapter 58
Rick Shafer rewound the tape for the fifth time, wiping his eyes as the tears of laughter threatened to spill from them.
"This is better than I imagined." His laughter interrupting his words. "Did you see the look on his face when he jumped from that platform? And then . then . when he gets the phone call. Oh my God that is priceless."
Carl Bennett, the investigator who had helped Shafer select and track his victims smiled. His employer was beyond happy. No one had noticed him or his concealed camera in the commotion surrounding the man on the tracks.
"Do you have our next little challenge prepared for MacLeod?" Shafer asked.
"It's ready the moment you say the word." Bennett replied.
"Tomorrow . 2 o'clock." Shafer ordered. "The plane lands at noon, so that should give you plenty of time. And make sure that remote camera works. I don't want to have to wait this time."
Bennett went over a few of the details and then took his leave.
Rick Shafer picked up his cell and dialed the familiar number. "Rayna darling. Did you remember to pack everything?"
Rayna really didn't want to go on this trip, but since she hadn't been able to reach MacLeod and Amanda had shared how she suspected Rick knew more about her sister's disappearance than he had let on, she felt like she had to.
"You should see the size of my suitcase." She laughed to cover her nervousness. Her family would freak if they knew what she was up to.
"I'm counting the moments." Rick replied. "I've cleared my flight schedule and for the next two weeks I've planned to lay Europe at your feet."
Rayna wiped her eyes as she covered the receiver so he couldn't hear. A few months ago her heart would have soared to hear him say this. But now . "I can't wait." She managed to whisper.
"You sound tired. Try to get some rest on the plane." Rick urged. "I'll have a car waiting for you, and I'll be in Munich a few hours later. And then . I'll be all yours."
"I need to go." Rayna replied. "I don't want to miss my flight."
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Ellen had trouble keeping up with Duncan as he insisted on walking back to the hotel. He ignored traffic and crosswalks, almost being hit more than once while he stormed through the late afternoon traffic on the streets.
"Would you tell me what is going on?" She grabbed his shoulder and spun him around as they entered the lobby. Ellen's lungs heaved from the cold and the brisk walk.
"It was a set up." Duncan said as he pushed the button impatiently for the elevator. "The call from Garrett, the man on the tracks . hell, the reason we are in this blasted hotel with only one infernal elevator is all a set up."
"You knew that the minute we got off that plane and were lured into coming here." Ellen reminded him, following him up the stairs when he wouldn't wait for the lift. "So enlighten me MacLeod. Why does this surprise you so?"
Duncan pushed his way into their suite. "Because it's not about what I thought." He covered his face with his hands and walked to the window before wiping them away.
Ellen clearly didn't understand. "Duncan you told me you knew someone went to a great amount of trouble to make sure we were here."
"Yes, but that's because I thought I knew who was behind it. I thought this was Adam's way of calling me out . " Duncan replied.
"Wait . are you listening to yourself? You aren't making sense. That phone call that sent you to the train station was from Garrett . remember him? The one who kidnapped your friend and her baby? What would Adam have to do with him except to take his head? " Ellen reminded him.
"I knew Garrett's call had an agenda, but I didn't believe it was related to why we were here initially. I thought it was separate . Even when he really did turn up in Munich I thought maybe Adam had managed to find where he'd taken Beth and decided to have it all out here, in one place." Duncan admitted. "Now I don't know what to think except that this is bad . much worse than I imagined."
Ellen sat down on the edge of the bed and watched Duncan's tormented expression. "The voice on the phone said that next time it would be someone I cared about. They're setting me up for some game that will be designed to make sure I fail."
"If you think like that, you will." Ellen said flatly.
Duncan didn't reply. Instead he continued to look out over the darkening skyline. After several long moments Ellen came to stand beside him.
"I saw how much it hurt you to see that man die today." She began. "And I know that even if you hadn't thought it was your friend you would have been upset."
"Next time it will be someone I care about." Duncan whispered. "And I can't fail . I can't fail any of them."
"Then you won't. We won't." she said determinedly.
"It's just so confusing. I know Methos is somehow connected, but ." Duncan hadn't even realized his slip until he saw Ellen's head snap to look at him out of the corner of his eye.
"Methos? As in the legend Methos, the oldest known immortal?"
Rick Shafer rewound the tape for the fifth time, wiping his eyes as the tears of laughter threatened to spill from them.
"This is better than I imagined." His laughter interrupting his words. "Did you see the look on his face when he jumped from that platform? And then . then . when he gets the phone call. Oh my God that is priceless."
Carl Bennett, the investigator who had helped Shafer select and track his victims smiled. His employer was beyond happy. No one had noticed him or his concealed camera in the commotion surrounding the man on the tracks.
"Do you have our next little challenge prepared for MacLeod?" Shafer asked.
"It's ready the moment you say the word." Bennett replied.
"Tomorrow . 2 o'clock." Shafer ordered. "The plane lands at noon, so that should give you plenty of time. And make sure that remote camera works. I don't want to have to wait this time."
Bennett went over a few of the details and then took his leave.
Rick Shafer picked up his cell and dialed the familiar number. "Rayna darling. Did you remember to pack everything?"
Rayna really didn't want to go on this trip, but since she hadn't been able to reach MacLeod and Amanda had shared how she suspected Rick knew more about her sister's disappearance than he had let on, she felt like she had to.
"You should see the size of my suitcase." She laughed to cover her nervousness. Her family would freak if they knew what she was up to.
"I'm counting the moments." Rick replied. "I've cleared my flight schedule and for the next two weeks I've planned to lay Europe at your feet."
Rayna wiped her eyes as she covered the receiver so he couldn't hear. A few months ago her heart would have soared to hear him say this. But now . "I can't wait." She managed to whisper.
"You sound tired. Try to get some rest on the plane." Rick urged. "I'll have a car waiting for you, and I'll be in Munich a few hours later. And then . I'll be all yours."
"I need to go." Rayna replied. "I don't want to miss my flight."
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Ellen had trouble keeping up with Duncan as he insisted on walking back to the hotel. He ignored traffic and crosswalks, almost being hit more than once while he stormed through the late afternoon traffic on the streets.
"Would you tell me what is going on?" She grabbed his shoulder and spun him around as they entered the lobby. Ellen's lungs heaved from the cold and the brisk walk.
"It was a set up." Duncan said as he pushed the button impatiently for the elevator. "The call from Garrett, the man on the tracks . hell, the reason we are in this blasted hotel with only one infernal elevator is all a set up."
"You knew that the minute we got off that plane and were lured into coming here." Ellen reminded him, following him up the stairs when he wouldn't wait for the lift. "So enlighten me MacLeod. Why does this surprise you so?"
Duncan pushed his way into their suite. "Because it's not about what I thought." He covered his face with his hands and walked to the window before wiping them away.
Ellen clearly didn't understand. "Duncan you told me you knew someone went to a great amount of trouble to make sure we were here."
"Yes, but that's because I thought I knew who was behind it. I thought this was Adam's way of calling me out . " Duncan replied.
"Wait . are you listening to yourself? You aren't making sense. That phone call that sent you to the train station was from Garrett . remember him? The one who kidnapped your friend and her baby? What would Adam have to do with him except to take his head? " Ellen reminded him.
"I knew Garrett's call had an agenda, but I didn't believe it was related to why we were here initially. I thought it was separate . Even when he really did turn up in Munich I thought maybe Adam had managed to find where he'd taken Beth and decided to have it all out here, in one place." Duncan admitted. "Now I don't know what to think except that this is bad . much worse than I imagined."
Ellen sat down on the edge of the bed and watched Duncan's tormented expression. "The voice on the phone said that next time it would be someone I cared about. They're setting me up for some game that will be designed to make sure I fail."
"If you think like that, you will." Ellen said flatly.
Duncan didn't reply. Instead he continued to look out over the darkening skyline. After several long moments Ellen came to stand beside him.
"I saw how much it hurt you to see that man die today." She began. "And I know that even if you hadn't thought it was your friend you would have been upset."
"Next time it will be someone I care about." Duncan whispered. "And I can't fail . I can't fail any of them."
"Then you won't. We won't." she said determinedly.
"It's just so confusing. I know Methos is somehow connected, but ." Duncan hadn't even realized his slip until he saw Ellen's head snap to look at him out of the corner of his eye.
"Methos? As in the legend Methos, the oldest known immortal?"