Chapter 3
Arthur Hanner yawned as he entered the small book shop in Paris that he worked with his assistant Daniel Descroix. That was at least what everyone thought. The truth was that the two men were "Watchers". Members of a secrete society of men that recorded the actions of immortals, but at the moment both were assigned research duties rather then field work. The council felt Daniel needed more seasoning before being assigned an immortal and Arthur because his wife was complaining about his long hours. The rude awakening he experienced an hour ago at Daniel's frantic phone call had only lowered his opinion of the young watcher. God that boy needs a good wife to steady him, but I can't see any sane woman taking on that job.
"Mr. Desroix I should hope you have a good reason for waking me up in the middle of the night and coming down here," Arthur said as he walked in on the young man pacing back and forth across the floor. The young watcher at first seemed to ignore Arthur, but almost as a delayed effect he realized someone had spoken.
"Oh thank god you're here. Sir you have to see this right away."
"Daniel, just tell me what is going on."
"No, No you have to see this. I don't have the words to explain this." Arthur sighed and then indicated that Daniel should lead the way. The two men walked to the back of the store where a small television and VCR had been crudely set up. Walking quickly over to the TV Daniels pressed the play button on the VCR, and then stepped back.
An almost dazed look appeared on Dan Descroix pale face as he spoke, "We received this tape about two hours ago. I didn't know what it was so I watched it. You ever have that feeling like you wish to god you had done something else?"
Arthur didn't answers because the tape began playing. After five minutes Arthur Hanner fully understood the young watcher's reaction to the tape. His trip to the bathroom required more then five minutes. When he exited he wore a similar expression to the young watcher's.
"Get me the phone. I need to call Joe Dawson."
Daniel turned without a sound.
====================
Joe Dawson pounded on the door to the London apartment where Duncan Macleod had been staying. God Damn it, Joe thought. Mac why the hell can't you ever just tell me where the hell you're going? Giving up on the pounding Joe started yelling.
"Mac, it's me Joe Dawson. Open Up!" After a second the door opened, and a weary Joe Dawson stood face to face with a semi-naked Duncan Macleod.
"Joe, look I'm a little busy. Can this wait till morning?"
"Mac I just spent the last two days tracking you down, and no this can't wait. No go tell Faith that you'll be a minute, and meet me in the living room."
"She's going by Kate again, and why do you want to meet in the living room?"
Joe reached inside his coat pocket, and then pulled out a VCR tape holding it up in front of Duncan.
"Because I need a VCR, and you need to see this."
==========
Five minutes later Kate, Duncan, and Joe are watching the TV as the tape starts. At first the camera shakes a bit then focuses on a man held up by chains. The man's clothes are nothing more then rags. Joe speaks softly.
"This was sent to the Watcher's after what happened at Sanctuary. There was a delay in getting this to us until after you killed Kell," Duncan noticed the look on Joe's face when he said delay. Clearly there was more to the story, but he doubted he would hear it. Despite his intervention to save Joe's life, Duncan knew little about the internal politics of the Watcher Council.
"Anyway we have identified the man hanging there as Peter Shanks. He was a hit man for the Russian mob up until a year ago when he was supposedly killed. This is the first image of him in almost a year."
The image on the screen flickers a little. Someone bumped into the camera, Duncan thought. Then someone started asking questions to Shanks from behind the camera. The voice was grating much like Kalas's voice, Duncan thought with a shudder.
"Mister Shanks? Are you with us?"
"Yes."
"Good, now I want you to tell me all about your association with Jacob Kell. Where he is? And why he attacked Sanctuary. Is that clear, or do I need to get the railroad spikes again."
A black figure hugged the edges of the screen circling Shanks like a predatory bird. Shanks kept moving his head trying to follow the man questioning him as he answered the questions, "Kell attacked Sanctuary to get some guy named Macleod. I don't know where he is at the moment."
"Why aren't you with Kell now?"
"You mean besides the fact that you have me tied up, and been torturing me?"
A knife flies out from the shadows striking Shanks in the hand. Another drives deep into Shanks thigh. Then a man stepped out of the shadows and grabbed the knife in Shank's hand. Both of the man's hands were covered in black leather gloves. His face was covered by a black ski mask, and he wore a battered black trench coat. In his right hand he held a gleaming katana which was held poised to strike against Shanks unprotected stomach. The man begins to twist the knife to cause intense pain, and Shanks clearly does as he screams.
"Peter, I really do not have to time to waste for your skin to grow back again. Why aren't you with Kell?"
"He got in a fight with another immortal. He's the one that gathered us all together, and put Kell in charge of us, but Kell went after this Macleod before this other immortal said it was okay."
The man in the ski mask twisted the knife deeper, and harder as he pressed Shanks for the information, "His name Peter. Say the others immortal's name!"
"Go to hell!" Peter screamed just before a loud disgusting snap was heard as man broke Peter's wrist.
"Tell me the name, Peter, or I'll gut you then start working on your insides till you tell me."
At this point Joe hit the pause button on the remote, and turned to Macleod and Kate. Neither Immortal seemed to know what to say or think so they just stared between Joe, and the paused screen.
"Do either of you recognize anything about this guy? Style, sword, or voice that could tell us who he is?"
"Sorry Joe. I don't know any immortal like the one on the screen."
Kate just stared at the screen, "Joe, how much longer does this go on?"
"This goes on for about another two hours, why?"
Duncan watched as Kate talked, and her hatred of this man seemed to ready across her face as if someone had written it on her forehead, "I met this pig when I was working for Kell. He deserved this."
"Joe, what else do we need to know?"
Joe hit the fast forward button on the remote the turned back to Mac, "The name of the immortal is Mark Daniels."
Macleod nearly exploded out of his chair, "I'd almost hoped someone had taken that bastards head by now."
"Apparently Daniels has spent the last couple of years recruiting young immortals right as they turn then taking them to training camps in Paris, Moscow, Istanbul, and an unidentified place in the United States. Then they go out under the command of an older immortal to hunt down new immortals to join them."
"How could the watchers not have caught this sooner Joe?"
"Mac, Daniels knows the Watchers almost as well as I do. If he wanted to keep something from us, he'd know how. Hell we both know the only reason we stopped him before. Hell if Daniels is involved for all we know this is him on this tape. He always has a plan, and this could just mean he wants us at a certain place at a certain time."
The two men stared at each other silently for a couple of seconds before Kate interrupted. "Why can't you stop Daniels like you did before?"
Macleod and Joe remained silent. Kate released she probably just crossed a line into something neither man wanted to talk about. Mac broke the silence with the answer.
"Because the only man who knew enough about Daniels to stop him is dead. Daniels killed him."
As the uncomfortable silence progressed Joe turned to look back at the screen. "Macleod. This is what you need to see."
The man in the black ski mask stepped away from Peter Shanks, and looked into the camera.
"I want this message given to Joe Dawson immediately, and Joe I'd suggest you rally those immortal friends of yours. You'll need help to stop Daniels, and the Watcher's might even have to come off the sidelines for this one. Oh and keep Macleod, Methos, and Amanda away from Daniels Joe, that piece of shit's head is mine even if I have to go through you guys to get it. Right now I have to finish my business with Mister Shanks seems he has a quickening of mine, and I am to get it," The man in the mask laughs for a second then makes a kind of short salute at the camera before saying, " See you 'round Mister Dawson."
Arthur Hanner yawned as he entered the small book shop in Paris that he worked with his assistant Daniel Descroix. That was at least what everyone thought. The truth was that the two men were "Watchers". Members of a secrete society of men that recorded the actions of immortals, but at the moment both were assigned research duties rather then field work. The council felt Daniel needed more seasoning before being assigned an immortal and Arthur because his wife was complaining about his long hours. The rude awakening he experienced an hour ago at Daniel's frantic phone call had only lowered his opinion of the young watcher. God that boy needs a good wife to steady him, but I can't see any sane woman taking on that job.
"Mr. Desroix I should hope you have a good reason for waking me up in the middle of the night and coming down here," Arthur said as he walked in on the young man pacing back and forth across the floor. The young watcher at first seemed to ignore Arthur, but almost as a delayed effect he realized someone had spoken.
"Oh thank god you're here. Sir you have to see this right away."
"Daniel, just tell me what is going on."
"No, No you have to see this. I don't have the words to explain this." Arthur sighed and then indicated that Daniel should lead the way. The two men walked to the back of the store where a small television and VCR had been crudely set up. Walking quickly over to the TV Daniels pressed the play button on the VCR, and then stepped back.
An almost dazed look appeared on Dan Descroix pale face as he spoke, "We received this tape about two hours ago. I didn't know what it was so I watched it. You ever have that feeling like you wish to god you had done something else?"
Arthur didn't answers because the tape began playing. After five minutes Arthur Hanner fully understood the young watcher's reaction to the tape. His trip to the bathroom required more then five minutes. When he exited he wore a similar expression to the young watcher's.
"Get me the phone. I need to call Joe Dawson."
Daniel turned without a sound.
====================
Joe Dawson pounded on the door to the London apartment where Duncan Macleod had been staying. God Damn it, Joe thought. Mac why the hell can't you ever just tell me where the hell you're going? Giving up on the pounding Joe started yelling.
"Mac, it's me Joe Dawson. Open Up!" After a second the door opened, and a weary Joe Dawson stood face to face with a semi-naked Duncan Macleod.
"Joe, look I'm a little busy. Can this wait till morning?"
"Mac I just spent the last two days tracking you down, and no this can't wait. No go tell Faith that you'll be a minute, and meet me in the living room."
"She's going by Kate again, and why do you want to meet in the living room?"
Joe reached inside his coat pocket, and then pulled out a VCR tape holding it up in front of Duncan.
"Because I need a VCR, and you need to see this."
==========
Five minutes later Kate, Duncan, and Joe are watching the TV as the tape starts. At first the camera shakes a bit then focuses on a man held up by chains. The man's clothes are nothing more then rags. Joe speaks softly.
"This was sent to the Watcher's after what happened at Sanctuary. There was a delay in getting this to us until after you killed Kell," Duncan noticed the look on Joe's face when he said delay. Clearly there was more to the story, but he doubted he would hear it. Despite his intervention to save Joe's life, Duncan knew little about the internal politics of the Watcher Council.
"Anyway we have identified the man hanging there as Peter Shanks. He was a hit man for the Russian mob up until a year ago when he was supposedly killed. This is the first image of him in almost a year."
The image on the screen flickers a little. Someone bumped into the camera, Duncan thought. Then someone started asking questions to Shanks from behind the camera. The voice was grating much like Kalas's voice, Duncan thought with a shudder.
"Mister Shanks? Are you with us?"
"Yes."
"Good, now I want you to tell me all about your association with Jacob Kell. Where he is? And why he attacked Sanctuary. Is that clear, or do I need to get the railroad spikes again."
A black figure hugged the edges of the screen circling Shanks like a predatory bird. Shanks kept moving his head trying to follow the man questioning him as he answered the questions, "Kell attacked Sanctuary to get some guy named Macleod. I don't know where he is at the moment."
"Why aren't you with Kell now?"
"You mean besides the fact that you have me tied up, and been torturing me?"
A knife flies out from the shadows striking Shanks in the hand. Another drives deep into Shanks thigh. Then a man stepped out of the shadows and grabbed the knife in Shank's hand. Both of the man's hands were covered in black leather gloves. His face was covered by a black ski mask, and he wore a battered black trench coat. In his right hand he held a gleaming katana which was held poised to strike against Shanks unprotected stomach. The man begins to twist the knife to cause intense pain, and Shanks clearly does as he screams.
"Peter, I really do not have to time to waste for your skin to grow back again. Why aren't you with Kell?"
"He got in a fight with another immortal. He's the one that gathered us all together, and put Kell in charge of us, but Kell went after this Macleod before this other immortal said it was okay."
The man in the ski mask twisted the knife deeper, and harder as he pressed Shanks for the information, "His name Peter. Say the others immortal's name!"
"Go to hell!" Peter screamed just before a loud disgusting snap was heard as man broke Peter's wrist.
"Tell me the name, Peter, or I'll gut you then start working on your insides till you tell me."
At this point Joe hit the pause button on the remote, and turned to Macleod and Kate. Neither Immortal seemed to know what to say or think so they just stared between Joe, and the paused screen.
"Do either of you recognize anything about this guy? Style, sword, or voice that could tell us who he is?"
"Sorry Joe. I don't know any immortal like the one on the screen."
Kate just stared at the screen, "Joe, how much longer does this go on?"
"This goes on for about another two hours, why?"
Duncan watched as Kate talked, and her hatred of this man seemed to ready across her face as if someone had written it on her forehead, "I met this pig when I was working for Kell. He deserved this."
"Joe, what else do we need to know?"
Joe hit the fast forward button on the remote the turned back to Mac, "The name of the immortal is Mark Daniels."
Macleod nearly exploded out of his chair, "I'd almost hoped someone had taken that bastards head by now."
"Apparently Daniels has spent the last couple of years recruiting young immortals right as they turn then taking them to training camps in Paris, Moscow, Istanbul, and an unidentified place in the United States. Then they go out under the command of an older immortal to hunt down new immortals to join them."
"How could the watchers not have caught this sooner Joe?"
"Mac, Daniels knows the Watchers almost as well as I do. If he wanted to keep something from us, he'd know how. Hell we both know the only reason we stopped him before. Hell if Daniels is involved for all we know this is him on this tape. He always has a plan, and this could just mean he wants us at a certain place at a certain time."
The two men stared at each other silently for a couple of seconds before Kate interrupted. "Why can't you stop Daniels like you did before?"
Macleod and Joe remained silent. Kate released she probably just crossed a line into something neither man wanted to talk about. Mac broke the silence with the answer.
"Because the only man who knew enough about Daniels to stop him is dead. Daniels killed him."
As the uncomfortable silence progressed Joe turned to look back at the screen. "Macleod. This is what you need to see."
The man in the black ski mask stepped away from Peter Shanks, and looked into the camera.
"I want this message given to Joe Dawson immediately, and Joe I'd suggest you rally those immortal friends of yours. You'll need help to stop Daniels, and the Watcher's might even have to come off the sidelines for this one. Oh and keep Macleod, Methos, and Amanda away from Daniels Joe, that piece of shit's head is mine even if I have to go through you guys to get it. Right now I have to finish my business with Mister Shanks seems he has a quickening of mine, and I am to get it," The man in the mask laughs for a second then makes a kind of short salute at the camera before saying, " See you 'round Mister Dawson."