April 14, 2005, Le Blues Bar, 230 PM
Nick and Amanda had arrived at the bar later that same afternoon, having only just arrived in Paris, to find a cheerful Richie manning the bar. "Mac, where is he?" demanded Nick.
"He and Adam left about an hour ago. Said something about having to make up for lost time," grinned Richie, to which Amanda delightedly smiled. "Don't tell me you flew all the way to Paris in hopes of finding Mac? Couldn't you have called, like any sane person?"
"I did. Ah, hell. I need a drink."
"Of course. What can I get ya? Just re-stocked the shelves myself. Even have Mac's very hidden, very special rum out today." Richie smiled both mysteriously and mischievously.
"Fine, fine. Give me some of that. Mixed with some cranberry."
Richie did, handing the glass to the frazzled Nick, who immediately drank close to half. Richie merely raised an eyebrow. "Amanda? How are you? You the designated driver today?"
"I'll have none of that, Richard," but she grinned as she chided him, leaning over the counter to hug Richie warmly. "Just some white wine, please."
"Ah, some culture. A breeze of fresh air. Quite lovely this time of year." He poured the wine, spinning the glass stem in his hands a few times, before handing it over. "Full flavor that way," he explained.
"Really?" to which Richie shrugged.
"So, tell me, what was it that you needed to talk Duncan about, that you rushed here?"
"Uh-just one thing, first, Rich? Duncan--? And, Adam--?" blinked Nick Wolfe.
"We were surprised too."
Nick swallowed the last of his drink. "But, Sam--?"
"We know, Nick. Asher noticed the tattoo. They met last night. She to say good-bye, he to return her sword to her."
"Does she know of the Watchers, Richie?" This time Amanda asked the question, as Nick was currently mouth agape, unable to speak.
"She does now. I explained everything to her last night. After seeing the tattoo, I figured I might as well. We can trust her."
"I know we can," muttered Nick, having found his voice again. "Asher is a great girl, Rich. Both for you, and in general, but that is not my primary concern. Sam Clarke is-"
"A manipulating bastard?" asked a new voice. All three Immortals turned to the direction of the new 'buzz' as Asher entered the bar, cheeks flushed from cold spring air, bag of groceries in hand. "Hey, Richie, the had no merlot left. I bought a second bottle of cabernet."
"You did fine. Thanks." Richie leaned in to kiss Asher as she came around behind the bar to drop the groceries behind the counter.
"When did you two get in?" she asked, smile lighting her face, turning now to Nick and Amanda.
"Just today," answered Amanda. "Would you believe Nick rushed all the way here, just to deliver some information on Nick? Information, it seems, you already know?"
"Men," groaned Asher, to which the two women laughed.
"As a man, I resent that," interrupted Nick.
"Oh, shush, Nicky. You don't count," laughed Amanda, winking with Asher.
"Ever get the feeling, Richie, that we are unappreciated?"
"All the time, all the time."
"So, what did you rush here to tell us?" Asher finally asked.
"Eh, Watchers, hired investigator, blah, blah, blah. I'm more curious as to Mac and Adam, and why you needed to buy wine."
"Going away party," explained Asher.
"For Duncan and Adam?"
"Nope," it was Richie, who answered. "For Mike. And Darcy. Mac's selling the bar, and both won't be returning with the new ownership."
"Selling--? Good gods," Amanda lightly swore. "Leaving with Adam, is he?" To which Richie nodded, and said, 'Next Month.' "Who will the new owner be?"
"He asked me, but nothing is definite yet."
Nick Wolfe, tired from working three days straight, a trans-Atlantic flight, and the digestment of too much information, ordered another drink. Amanda calmly sipped her wine, chatting with Asher of what to do come summer, showing only mild surprise when Asher mentioned the worldwide tour Duncan and Adam would be embarking on.
Only when Nick and Amanda left, to both sleep and 'sleep', and Asher and Richie were alone in the bar, (Mike having the day off, and Darcy being at the doctor's office), did they wonder really, just what the summer would bring, talking so aloud.
Nick and Amanda had arrived at the bar later that same afternoon, having only just arrived in Paris, to find a cheerful Richie manning the bar. "Mac, where is he?" demanded Nick.
"He and Adam left about an hour ago. Said something about having to make up for lost time," grinned Richie, to which Amanda delightedly smiled. "Don't tell me you flew all the way to Paris in hopes of finding Mac? Couldn't you have called, like any sane person?"
"I did. Ah, hell. I need a drink."
"Of course. What can I get ya? Just re-stocked the shelves myself. Even have Mac's very hidden, very special rum out today." Richie smiled both mysteriously and mischievously.
"Fine, fine. Give me some of that. Mixed with some cranberry."
Richie did, handing the glass to the frazzled Nick, who immediately drank close to half. Richie merely raised an eyebrow. "Amanda? How are you? You the designated driver today?"
"I'll have none of that, Richard," but she grinned as she chided him, leaning over the counter to hug Richie warmly. "Just some white wine, please."
"Ah, some culture. A breeze of fresh air. Quite lovely this time of year." He poured the wine, spinning the glass stem in his hands a few times, before handing it over. "Full flavor that way," he explained.
"Really?" to which Richie shrugged.
"So, tell me, what was it that you needed to talk Duncan about, that you rushed here?"
"Uh-just one thing, first, Rich? Duncan--? And, Adam--?" blinked Nick Wolfe.
"We were surprised too."
Nick swallowed the last of his drink. "But, Sam--?"
"We know, Nick. Asher noticed the tattoo. They met last night. She to say good-bye, he to return her sword to her."
"Does she know of the Watchers, Richie?" This time Amanda asked the question, as Nick was currently mouth agape, unable to speak.
"She does now. I explained everything to her last night. After seeing the tattoo, I figured I might as well. We can trust her."
"I know we can," muttered Nick, having found his voice again. "Asher is a great girl, Rich. Both for you, and in general, but that is not my primary concern. Sam Clarke is-"
"A manipulating bastard?" asked a new voice. All three Immortals turned to the direction of the new 'buzz' as Asher entered the bar, cheeks flushed from cold spring air, bag of groceries in hand. "Hey, Richie, the had no merlot left. I bought a second bottle of cabernet."
"You did fine. Thanks." Richie leaned in to kiss Asher as she came around behind the bar to drop the groceries behind the counter.
"When did you two get in?" she asked, smile lighting her face, turning now to Nick and Amanda.
"Just today," answered Amanda. "Would you believe Nick rushed all the way here, just to deliver some information on Nick? Information, it seems, you already know?"
"Men," groaned Asher, to which the two women laughed.
"As a man, I resent that," interrupted Nick.
"Oh, shush, Nicky. You don't count," laughed Amanda, winking with Asher.
"Ever get the feeling, Richie, that we are unappreciated?"
"All the time, all the time."
"So, what did you rush here to tell us?" Asher finally asked.
"Eh, Watchers, hired investigator, blah, blah, blah. I'm more curious as to Mac and Adam, and why you needed to buy wine."
"Going away party," explained Asher.
"For Duncan and Adam?"
"Nope," it was Richie, who answered. "For Mike. And Darcy. Mac's selling the bar, and both won't be returning with the new ownership."
"Selling--? Good gods," Amanda lightly swore. "Leaving with Adam, is he?" To which Richie nodded, and said, 'Next Month.' "Who will the new owner be?"
"He asked me, but nothing is definite yet."
Nick Wolfe, tired from working three days straight, a trans-Atlantic flight, and the digestment of too much information, ordered another drink. Amanda calmly sipped her wine, chatting with Asher of what to do come summer, showing only mild surprise when Asher mentioned the worldwide tour Duncan and Adam would be embarking on.
Only when Nick and Amanda left, to both sleep and 'sleep', and Asher and Richie were alone in the bar, (Mike having the day off, and Darcy being at the doctor's office), did they wonder really, just what the summer would bring, talking so aloud.