Chapter 10
It was nearing midnight before they were all gathered in the living room, back from burying their shares of the crystal.
"So, do you need a getaway driver?" asked Joe after Methos explained the plan.
"It might be better if you stayed here, Joe," replied Methos, tilting his head towards Amy.
"This is becoming very old, very quickly," muttered Amy as she caught the gesture.
"Don't fret about it, dear," advised Amanda. "You'll be up and around on your feet any day now."
"If I live that long," she replied cynically.
"Don't talk like that, kid," her father admonished. "We'll figure out how to stop these guys, don't you worry."
Amy slumped back on the couch in answer.
"Tell you what," Methos suggested. "I came across some journal entries in the laptop. I couldn't make much sense of them but seeing as you've got time on your hands, maybe you could have a look at them and see what you make of it."
A glimmer of interest sparked in Amy's eyes. "Sounds interesting, I'll have a go."
"Right then," Methos said as he rose to go. "Joe will bring it into you."
Taking that as their cue, the other immortals got ready to leave. Soon they were in the van and on their way.
"Turn left here," Amanda directed, peering at the map on her lap.
"How much further is it?" Duncan asked from the back.
"It's three streets over," Amanda replied absently, taking another look at the map.
"Maybe we should park here and walk the rest of the way, then," Duncan suggested. "We wouldn't want them to have a good look at our brand new vehicle."
"You have a point," Methos said, looking around for a parking spot. "I'll pull in here." He pulled into the kerb and they all spilled out onto the pavement.
"Right, then," Duncan said grimly. "I suggest we split up and hit the building from both the front and back."
"We haven't had much luck with the two pronged attack of late, Duncan," Amanda pointed out. "Maybe we should stick together."
"No, Duncan is right," interrupted Methos. "We don't want to come at them in one group. It would make it too easy for them to turn the tables if they're expecting us."
"I suppose so," conceded Amanda. "Okay, here's what I suggest. You two go in through the front and kick the door down, make a lot of threatening noises and so on. Meanwhile, I'll creep around the back and let myself in quietly. That way, if they have something planned, I'll be able to catch them off guard and hit them from behind."
"Or, we could just use these," Methos said smugly, producing a couple of knockout gas canisters from his pocket.
"Well, you could have mentioned those before," Amanda said exasperatedly.
"But you were having so much fun," protested Methos with a smirk.
"Oh, you're so witty," grumbled Amanda, pulling her woollen cap on and tucking her hair in. "So, what do we do? Take a canister each and lob them through the windows? Not very neat, if you don't mind me saying so."
"Actually, I was thinking about being a little bit more discreet this time," commented Methos. "Which is why I was glad that you decided to come along, Amanda. I was hoping that you could quietly slip in the back and drop the canisters then let us in through the front."
"Hmm, I could live with that," Amanda agreed, holding her hands out for the canisters.
"Great, here's a gas mask as well," Methos replied as he handed them over and rooted around in his backpack for the other masks. "Here's one for you too, Duncan."
Once they were all suitably armed, they made their way to the house, Amanda slinking off down the back lane behind the street row. Methos and Duncan were within a hundred yards of the house before the felt the presence of another immortal.
"It could be Amanda around the back," Duncan suggested uncertainly, pausing mid-step.
"If it isn't, here's hoping that she manages to put him under before he raises the alarm," Methos muttered as he quickened his step.
They had just stepped in the front gate when they heard the sounds of a struggle inside. The two immortals ran up the garden path, only to come to a halt again when they reached the front door - the house had once again fallen silent.
"What do you think?" Duncan asked, looking sideways at Methos as his hand hovered on the doorknob.
"Don't look at me," hissed Methos as he strained to listen to what was going on inside. Suddenly, the door opened with a soft click, causing the two immortals to jump back in alarm.
"Hi, guys," Amanda said as she poked her head out through the door. "Sorry I took so long, I had an unexpected complication: our friend from the hotel the other night was in residence."
"You don't say," Methos said dryly, putting on his mask as he stepped up.
"He's having a nap in the hall as we speak," she replied, holding the door open for them.
The three immortals stood over the unconscious body. "Aw, how cute," Methos sneered. "Lets tie him up and bring him with us."
Duncan grinned. " Turnabout is fair play, I suppose," he said as he looked around for something with which to bind his hands.
"Here, use these," suggested Amanda, handing him a pair of handcuffs.
Duncan looked at her, eyebrows raised.
"Well, a lady has to be prepared," she replied primly to his silent question.
Methos sniggered. "Whatever you say, Amanda."
Duncan rolled the body over and relieved it of his weapons before handcuffing his wrists. Methos rooted around in his pockets and produced the van keys, throwing them to the highlander. "I'll leave it up to you to get him safely stashed away in the van," he said. "I'm going to have a quick look around. Coming, Amanda?"
With a nod, Amanda followed him up the stairs. Luckily, all the watchers had been downstairs when Amanda had broken in, probably because their mysterious immortal had informed them that they were about to get a visitor.
"What exactly are you hoping to find, Methos?" asked Amanda as they reached the landing.
"I'm not sure," he admitted. "But I think that we should at least see if our new 'guest' has left any personal effects around. We might turn up something useful."
"We better work quickly, then," observed Amanda. "We only have another quarter an hour or so before those watchers wake up."
Methos nodded in agreement. "You take the room on the right and I'll check out the one on the left. Hopefully, we'll stumble across something interesting before they start to awaken."
The first pair of rooms didn't have anything helpful for them, but the next room Amanda entered showed a little more promise.
"Methos," she called out. "I may have found what you were hoping for, get your ass in here."
Amanda was already dislodging a painting from the wall when Methos entered. "I don't think we have time to do a reprise of your earlier exploits as an art thief, Amanda."
"Oh, you're so funny, not," snorted Amanda. "It seems that our resident immortal is a classicist, he still hides his safe behind a painting.
"Very obliging of him, I'm sure," Methos said absently, running his finger along the book titles on the mantelpiece behind the desk.
"Though I'll have to admit," she said as she put her ear to the safe. "It's a very nice portrait of our captive - a Gainsborough, too. It would pick up a pretty penny at Sotheby's."
"I think we've picked up enough baggage on this trip, Amanda," Methos answered as he sat down at the desk and began to rifle through it.
"It was just a thought," she replied with a smirk, her nimble fingers fiddling with the safe's dial as she strove to crack the code. Eventually, she made a small sound of satisfaction. "Got it."
"Throw it all into your backpack, we'll have a closer look at it later." Standing to go, Methos took a last look at the desk. His eyes rested on a blank envelope that lay propped against the reading lamp. Picking it up, he felt its weight in his hand. Ripping the envelope, he shook its contents onto his hand.
"What have you got there?" Amanda asked curiously.
"A safety deposit key," said Methos, pocketing it as he left the room. They made it out of the building with time to spare, quickly piling into the van that Duncan had brought around the back. Stepping into the back, Methos noticed the accusing eyes of their captive.
"Well, well, well, we're awake, are we?" Methos said grimly. The immortal did not answer – though that may have had something to do with the electrical tape that now covered his mouth.
"He was creating a racket," explained Duncan from behind the wheel.
"No need to explain," replied Methos with a shrug. "Lets get out of here."
Quickly, they drove through the deserted streets of Sofia; the city had long shut down for the night. Soon, they had made it out to the suburbs and pulled into the driveway of the villa. The veranda light came on as they slid the van door open and manhandled their captive towards the house.
"I see you've brought us a present," Joe said sarcastically as he opened the door. "What are you… oh…"
Duncan watched as Joe stopped mid-sentence, and stared at their captive with a flabbergasted look on his face. "You recognise him, Joe?"
"That's Alain Tribeau," Joe informed them as he stared at the gagged man.
Methos started laughing. "You really should be more careful about who you enlist into the watchers, Joe," he said. "Or soon you won't be able to move for all the immortals!"
"You're kidding me, right?" asked Joe with a groan.
"I'm afraid not, Joe," Amanda told him. "He's one of us."
"Oh, for crying out loud!" Joe grumbled, retreating back into the house as they bundled their prisoner inside.
"So, where do we put him?" Duncan asked, looking around for a likely place.
"The wine cellar?" suggested Amanda.
"Perfect," Methos said, giving Tribeau a push in the cellar's direction and earning himself yet another glare from their captive. "Amanda, could you get the door for me?" Amanda obliged and Methos pushed him down the stairs. "Don't trip on your way down," he muttered to himself as he kicked the door closed.
Duncan glared accusing at him. "Was that really necessary? You've probably broken his neck."
"What? He'll live," Methos protested. "He'll be right as rain in half an hour, which is more than I can say about Amy." Grumbling under his breath, Methos made his way into the kitchen.
"The horseman rides again," Duncan said sarcastically.
"Relax, honey, I don't think he's going to go looking for his saddle just yet!" Amanda reassured him. "Come on, let's go join him."
Methos was already in the process of raiding the fridge when they entered.
"Hey," he mumbled as pulled out a beer. "Let's have a look at the contents of the safe."
Amanda emptied the contents of the safe on the table and they all gathered around to have a look. "This is the deed to the house," she said, giving a sheaf of papers a cursory look.
"And this is a receipt for a security box at a bank," Duncan said, reading the sheet in his hand.
Methos's ears pricked up. "Here, let me have a look at that." The other two immortals waited patiently as Methos read the document through.
"Well, what do you think?" Amanda asked.
"I think that it's more than just a coincidence that Tribeau rented out a security box the very same day he kidnapped you," Methos replied. "What do you think are the odds that this is where your piece of the stone is kept, Amanda?"
Amanda's eyes glowed in response. "Ooh, a bank heist, I always liked bank heists!"
"I think we can skip 'The Italian Job' this time, Amanda," Methos said dryly. "You know I found the box's key while we were in Tribeau's office and now we know which bank it's in."
"You're no fun," Amanda pouted.
Duncan rested his hand on her arm. "I'll go and empty the box in the morning."
"But we could go and get it now, though," protested Amanda.
Methos and Duncan turned, as one, to look at her.
"It was just a thought," she muttered under her breath.
"Chill, Amanda, its still going to be there in the morning," Methos told her with a grin.
"I know, I know, it's just that I feel naked without it," Amanda explained. "It's been my touchstone for over a thousand years and now that Rebecca's gone… well… let's say that I like to carry around a piece of her with me."
Methos and Duncan nodded in understanding. Duncan especially remembered the pain of loosing one's teacher; Conor's death was still very fresh in his mind. Footsteps alerted them that someone was entering the room and they all looked up to see Joe enter the room.
"Our 'guest' is kicking up quite a fuss in the cellar," he said, parking himself at the table.
"Up and about so soon," mused Methos. "He's not a young one, then. Pity, that would have been so much easier."
"Well," said Duncan. "Shall we get on with it, then."
As one, the three immortals stood. "So, who gets to play 'bad' cop?" Amanda asked jokingly.
"I think I've already auditioned for that part," Methos pointed out with a grin.
"Does that mean I get to be 'good' cop?" Amanda asked brightly. "Oh, go on, let me!"
Duncan sniggered. "Okay, just this once, then. I'll play the part of the 'mysterious observer' hovering at the edges."
"I don't think I've ever come across that script before," Joe said with a laugh. "What exactly does your part entail?"
"Oh, you know," he said with a shrug. "Lean against the wall, looking on ominously as the others interrogate him."
"Now that's all settled, let's get on with the opening act," said Methos, making his way to the cellar door. The threesome descended and observed the scowling immortal who had managed to prop himself up in the corner.
Casually, Methos strolled up to him and ripped the tape off his face. Tribeau gave a hiss of pain but otherwise was silent. Hunkering down, Methos looked Tribeau in the eye and smiled unpleasantly.
"Hello there. I can't tell you how much we've been looking forward to introducing ourselves properly – seeing as our last meeting was cut off so suddenly."
"Now, now, Adam," Amanda purred. "Why don't you step back and give the poor man some air?"
With a shrug and a grin, Methos got his feet again and rejoined the others. "I was only being… polite."
"You can do what you like with me, nothing will make me talk," Tribeau said hoarsely.
"Ooh, a challenge, I like a challenge," Methos pronounced cheerfully. "How about you, Amanda?"
"They have their attractions," she admitted. "But there is no reason that we can't settle this civilly."
"I believe, however, that Mr. Tribeau is not a very civil gentleman," Methos said coolly as he produced his dagger and tested its point carefully. "Mr. Tribeau strikes me as the kind of man who likes to terrorize old women by shooting up their homes."
"Oh dear, I think you may be right, Adam," Amanda replied, shaking her head sorrowfully. "I suppose we may have to be a bit more forceful."
"What exactly are you going to do to me?" Tribeau sneered. "Talk me to death?"
"He has a point," said Methos.
"He does at that," agreed Amanda.
"Well then, let's get down to business," Methos said briskly, lifting Tribeau onto his feet. Turning to the others, he raised his eyebrows enquiringly. "Which hand first - left or right?"
"I'm not sure, which one is his sword hand?" Amanda asked.
"Good idea, right hand it is," declared Methos as he turned Tribeau around and pushed him into the wall. "Now, hold still, this is going to hurt you a lot more than it hurts me."
Duncan rolled his eyes and shook his head in disbelief; sometimes the old man could be so damned camp.
A gasp of pain came from Tribeau's lips as Methos wrenched his shoulders back, raising his arms by his handcuffed wrists. Gritting his teeth, Tribeau tried to shift position to ease the pressure.
"Now, now, none of that," Methos warned, jerking the arms higher. A loud snap filled the room as one shoulder gave way. "Oops," said Methos softly. "I was hoping to leave the arm breaking until later.
"Well, you still have one arm left," Amanda chipped in.
Tribeau tried to buck against Methos's hold, but only managed to worsen the damage to his arm, instead.
"Why did you have to do that?" asked Methos reproachfully. "Now you've sprayed blood all over my shirt." Slamming Tribeau back into the wall, Methos craned his head to have a good look at Tribeau's face. "Oh dear, it seems that I've broken your jaw as well…"
"Okay, okay, I'll talk. What do you want to know?" Tribeau mumbled, wincing from the effort of speaking through his mangled mouth.
"Which one of you dreamed up this plan, you or Valmont?" Methos asked.
"Valmont?" Tribeau said. "Don't make me laugh, Valmont was only along for the ride."
"Why?" asked Amanda. "I mean, Valmont struck me as the quiet type. Why would he get mixed up with a crazy like you?"
"Everyone has their price, didn't you know that?" Tribeau said nastily. "Valmont's price was the life of his little stepdaughter. Leukaemia is a hard disease to cure and his little girl is losing her battle. When I approached him about the stone, he thought I was a godsend."
Amanda looked at Methos worriedly as he backed off Tribeau as if he'd been stung. "So, Valmont didn't know about your plan to use the 'pool of life'?" she probed, watching Methos's reaction to this new turn of events.
"Not 'til right at the end, no," Tribeau admitted. "And by then, well, his daughter was already in intensive care. He was too desperate to back out."
"I've had enough of this fool," burst out Duncan.
"He speaks," Tribeau muttered caustically.
"Enough!" Amanda said sharply. "Lets just stay on topic here, I want to know how long you've been planning this little operation of yours."
"What does it matter?" said Tribeau with a shrug. "The only thing that matters is that I've got the upper hand."
"Oh, and do tell us how you came to that startling conclusion," Amanda snorted. "I was under the impression that it was you who was in a bind here."
"What? You think that just because you've captured me that all your problems are over?" Tribeau said with a smirk. "Think again, little girl. Too many people have too much time invested in this. You kill me and another will rise to replace me."
"Well, aren't you the walking cliché," said Methos darkly as he slowly approached Tribeau once again. "Tell me, is this the point when you tell us we are all going to die horribly?" Pulling Tribeau's head back by the hair, Methos looked him in the eye. "Tell me about Jackson."
"Oooh, you liked the little present I left you, did you, Pierson?" Tribeau sneered. "Or didn't you appreciate the way I disposed of your informant?"
"Informant?"
"Aw, don't be coy. I was having him followed; I suspected that his heart wasn't with us for weeks. When I found out that his old mentor was that idiot Philip Turner, I followed the breadcrumbs to you. How do you think I found out about your little rendezvous in the woods?" he said snidely.
Methos let his words sink in for a few moments before he asked his final question. "Why didn't you take my head?"
"I had more important things to do," Tribeau said tightly.
Methos's eyes narrowed at the obvious lie, turning the question over his head, the answer came to him in a flash. "You weren't alone." Tribeau flinched and Methos knew that he had stumbled along the truth. "They don't know you're immortal, do they? That's why you couldn't take my head, it would have given the game away."
Tribeau's silence answered his question. Letting go of his hair, Methos pushed him back into the corner. "You've told us all we need to know." Gesturing at Amanda and Duncan to follow him, he climbed the stairs and stalked into the living room. Joe and Amy were still up, waiting for them.
"Well, what did he say?" asked Joe. Methos shrugged his shoulders as he slumped into an armchair. Joe raised an eyebrow at his silent demeanour. "What exactly happened down there?"
"He filled in a few blanks," Duncan said. "Mostly about Valmont." Quickly, he filled Amy and Joe in on what Tribeau had told them.
"This guy sounds like a real piece of work," observed Amy.
"And then some," agreed Amanda.
Joe slumped back into his seat. "So, what are we going to do with him?"
"Don't ask questions when you already know the answer, Joe," Methos replied ominously. "He's going to die, of course."
"That's a little cold blooded, isn't it?" said Amy unsurely.
Methos raised his head and looked at her levelly. "What would be the alternative, Amy? Give him a slap on the back of the hand, perhaps? Maybe we should give him a rousing speech about how he should mend his ways; do you think that would work?"
"We could do with less of the sarcasm, Methos," Joe interceded.
"And I could do with less of the moralizing jingoisms," retorted Methos. "This guy is a psychopath, you said so yourself, remember? We have two choices; we either lock him up for life or take his head. Even you, I'm sure, can see how there might be a few logistical problems with the first option."
"So, are you going to kill him execution style or are you going to hand him a weapon and challenge him?" asked Amy.
"That depends on how 'helpful' he is the next time I talk to him," Methos admitted. "They are still a few things that I want to know."
"Like what, exactly," enquired Amanda.
"Like if they're any other immortals involved in this scheme or are all of them mortal, like how far up the watcher echelons does this little conspiracy go, like is there any way we can walk away from this mess with our heads still attached?" he said impatiently. "Don't forget what is at stake here, Amanda."
"I haven't, Methos," Amanda replied softly. "Not for a second."
"This isn't going to end pretty, no matter what way you look at it," Joe added glumly. "I took a long look at that list of renegade watchers while you were gone. There are over two hundred names on it and I don't relish the outcome of having to deal with the consequences of all those tribunals. The best and the brightest of our research departments are on that list, it's going to take decades for the ranks of the watchers to recover."
"That is the least of our problems, Joe," said Methos dryly. "Though, if you're going to contact the watchers council about this, I would like you to enquire about Philip Turner's whereabouts. I'm a bit concerned about his welfare."
"Turner? Isn't he the guy who sent you that video tape?" asked Joe.
Methos nodded. "Tribeau mentioned his name downstairs, which means the renegades probably know that he tipped me off. That means that his life is in danger."
"I'll look into it first thing in the morning," promised Joe.
"You know… there might be a third option for dealing with Tribeau," Amy said thoughtfully. "We could incarcerate him in the sanctuary."
"There is still a sanctuary?" asked Duncan. "I thought that it had been shut down after that attempt to put me in it."
"No," Joe admitted. "It's up and running again. Though this time it's being run along the original guide lines, volunteers only."
"Well, that rules out Tribeau, then," pointed out Methos. "Somehow I don't think he's the volunteering type."
"He might be if he knew that the only alternative was decapitation," said Amy hopefully.
Methos looked at Amy with something akin to pity. "Amy, honey, he has to die. He's too dangerous to be left alive, to all of us." Amy didn't reply but Methos could see the resigned look in her eyes.
"Listen," said Amanda. "We're all tired, how about we catch some sleep. The de Valicourts are arriving in the morning; we'll all work out a game plan then. Okay?"
Everyone nodded in agreement and they all stood to go to bed, Duncan and Methos helping Amy to her room.
"I still think there must be a different way of containing Tribeau," Amy said quietly as they tucked her in. Methos's lips thinned, but he said nothing as he left the room.
Duncan sat down beside her on the bed. "Amy, both Methos and I have been in this situation before. When you come across an immortal like Tribeau, this is the only thing you can do. The mortal justice system isn't equipped to deal with him; he'd be out again within the week. Even the Sanctuary isn't a sure bet; that mess with Kane a few years back should have taught you that."
Amy smiled at him, but Duncan could still see the troubled look in her eyes. With a sigh, he decided to drop the subject. "Good night, Amy."
"Goodnight," she mumbled as he turned off the light.
TBC…