*6*

Amber Conroy ducked out of the rain now pelting the Paris streets as she entered le Blues Bar. She'd finished with her art classes early today and figured she'd just come on over and give Joe a hand with the place. In the past few weeks she had come to look forward to her time here more than she had many of the places she'd worked since becoming immortal almost two hundred years before.

Usually she moved from college to college... working at bars or cafes... something low tech and not requiring much in the way of I. D., nor commitment to remaining long. There was always a turnover in such places. Amber usually just became lost in that turnover... just one more pretty face and cheerful voice, who had worked there once and then moved on.

Even at the colleges she just showed up and unofficially audited the classes... That way there was no paperwork on her. She was just one more face in the class... one more student who might or might not finish the term... or turn in a paper. Amber Kathleen Conroy rather enjoyed her gypsy lifestyle. She knew Connor had set up a trust fund for her in case of emergency... but she'd yet to tap it. She sobered as she ran fingers through her damp hair and re-secured her pony-tail. Connor's death had played heavily on her mind for some time.

"Boss? Joe?" she called out... banishing her memories of Connor to the furthest reaches of her mind. He was dead and not all the memories in the world would ever give her one more moment with him. "Are you about Joseph?" Amber noticed the door to his office was open. She peeked in.

Joe's computer was on... but she did not see him. Entering she glanced around looking for him. Her eyes were suddenly drawn to the computer monitor and what she saw there. Amber leaned over the desk and stared at the photo as she read the information.

"I wish you hadn't seen that!" Joe's voice sounded from behind her. Amber straightened and turned to face him.

"You know about immortals? I mean besides MacLeod."

Joe leaned on his cane and then nodded abruptly. He crossed to his desk and sat down in the chair. Amber noticed the serious expression on his face.

"Then you know about me too?"

He glanced up at her... then down again as though afraid to meet her gaze.

Amber stared again at the monitor. "Are you worried about MacLeod? Do you think this boy is after him?"

Joe's mouth moved as if he wanted to say something and then thought better of it.

"Tell me! I'm not a child Joseph, despite appearances to the contrary." At that he met her gaze and then he sighed... shaking his head as he slowly rubbed one hand across his furrowed brow.

"I really shouldn't even talk to you now." Joe muttered.

"Whatever do you mean? I'm no threat to your friend... if that's what you're worried about. Connor always spoke highly of him. The Game is the Game... you do know about that... right?"

Joe nodded soberly.

"At any moment any of us might have to meet another and we may have no choice in it... friend or enemy. Connor told me it was a thing that would happen... It would draw us in and consume us. He always hoped that somehow what he'd been told was a lie... that we could stop it... That no matter how much the final combat called... we could turn our backs on it and just live our lives."

"I know," whispered Joe. "And that's what concerns me."

"Explain!" Amber crossed her arms over her chest and waited patiently... as if she were the adult awaiting the child to explain his actions.

Joe smiled weakly, "Have you ever heard of Watchers?" When she shook her head, Joe grimaced. How much should he tell her? How much could he omit? "Pull up a chair Amber... this might take a while," he finally said, knowing full well he was once more sliding along that slippery slope of what he as a Watcher should do... and what he as a friend had to do.

***

Duncan grinned and then shifted position. Amanda had begged him to spar with Robert Sutton, so he'd get the feel of a male opponent... a seasoned opponent. The young man was... as Amanda had said the other night... barely adequate... as if the moves and the strokes were somehow foreign to his nature. Duncan had the strangest feeling as he watched Sutton work out... that somehow it wasn't real.

Now Duncan lunged forward... steel crashing against steel. Once... twice... three times they traded blows. Duncan withdrew and held a moment... he knew his dark eyes almost glittered with his amusement. Sutton bent over and gulped air once more.

"Again," Duncan said and lunged once more.

This time Sutton hopped back as he attempted to parry Duncan's stroke with a one-handed maneuver that was more desperation than anything else he could do. Duncan's blade slid along Sutton's and then whipped up and about... sheering the sword from the young man's hands. End over end it flashed in the overhead lights. Duncan caught it with his free hand on the way down. Even now, his katana lay against Sutton's exposed neck.

"All too easy!" Duncan said handing the boy his saber back as he lowered his katana and stepped back.

"Easy for you to say... you've had what... centuries of practice? How am I supposed to compete with you?"

"You don't... not until you've been around a while." Duncan flexed the katana and then held it up as he took a stance for another round. He wasn't even winded yet.

Sutton waved him off. "Go play with yourself MacLeod... I'm done in for the moment."

Amanda's eyes widened at the remark and she flinched at what she knew would happen next.

Duncan attacked with a cold fury that backed Sutton against the wall. The katana slid along the young man's arm at one point. Finally Sutton attempted to fight back. This time, when the katana lay against his neck, Sutton blanched as the Highlander leaned in and snarled. "Once combat has been engaged... you can't call it off... you have to finish. In the end... only one of you will walk away. You need to get the point!"

"I got it... I got it... sheesh... You people take this so damned seriously!" Sutton rubbed his neck as Duncan walked away. There was no sign of any injury on his arm... almost as if there never had been.

Amanda tried to recall if there had been any blood at all. Finally she smiled and rose... there must have been... even if she hadn't seen it. "Enough for tonight Duncan... leave the boy alone. He still has a lot to learn before he'll be ready for a challenge."

"If he has the time to learn!" Duncan stated as he donned his long coat, carefully placing his sword within it.

Amanda cupped Robert's chin in her hands as she turned his face back and forth. "Well... no permanent injuries."

Robert shrugged her off and backed away. He was still breathing hard and his narrowed eyes glared at MacLeod. Sutton was seething with anger.

"Hey..." Amanda said to him as she touched his arm lightly. "Let it go Robert... In combat there is no place for anger. It will only blind you to what you need to do."

"You'd just let him take my head! You'd just stand by and let him kill me!" her student bleated... suddenly sounding more like a petulant child than a young man.

Amanda grabbed both his arms. "Now stop that! I won't let anyone kill you. Not anyone! You have to trust me Robert. Duncan was just trying to make you understand that this is not a game."

"But you call it the Game!" Robert ripped free of her, grabbing his coat and storming out.

"Let him go," Duncan said quietly as Amanda started to follow.

"Did you have to be so rough on him?"

"You know I did."

Duncan's even tone made Amanda pause. She met his gaze and nodded. "I just don't want to fail him. I've failed so many."

Duncan laughed. "A very old immortal once told me... 'you cannot fight my battles'..." He smiled at Amanda's gentle laugh. "The same thing applies here Amanda. If he is to survive at all... he has to want to survive. Let him calm down. He'll be back."

***

Outside Kenny huddled in the shadows.

"Fool!" hissed Kell. "What did you think you were doing? You cannot meet the Highlander head on... it's too soon!"

"Oh but the holding back of our power to draw him in... make him overconfident... learn his moves... that was brilliant!" laughed the Kurgan... his voice echoing harshly in Kenny's mind.

Kane snickered, "The boy is not after MacLeod... not yet. You both miss the point of it all. He wants Amanda to come to him... Care for him... Be with him."

Kenny smiled and nodded. Already she felt protective... soon... very soon... she'd want more than that. And then... Kenny grimaced lewdly at the thought of what he might be able to do then. Once he had her and her quickening... not even MacLeod would be able to stand against him. He'd have her moves... those acrobatic moves that were always such a surprise. And maybe... just maybe... in the moment and within the illusion... his child's body would be able to perform as he so wanted it to.

***

Amber stared out into the rain. Behind her she heard the slight tap of Joe Dawson's cane as he joined her at the window of Le Blues Bar.

"I know," Joe began, "it's a lot to take in all at once"

"Funny... I was thinking that would have been my line if you hadn't known and I told you what I was."

"Listen... I hired you here because you're good at your job... and you lighten the place up... not because I wanted to keep an eye on you... Like I said... I hadn't really filed a report on you yet."

Amber stared at him until he met her gaze. "So mortals have known about us for millennia and have simply Watched." She shook her honey-blonde head with a laugh. "Wouldn't Connor have found this amusing."

"He knew... he came to us to escape the Game after Rachel died... He just wanted to stop but he didn't want to die."

"But he died anyway. " she responded. Joe could hear a wistful tone in her voice.

"He wanted Duncan to survive. By giving his quickening to Duncan... he thought Duncan would be able to beat Kell... and then that something of him would remain."

"Something and someone to remember Heather on her birthday."

Joe nodded... not at all certain that Duncan did remember... but it seemed right.

"And now you think this boy... Kenny... is after MacLeod?"

Joe sighed, then nodded. "He's been sighted in the general area where the other immortals died... the ones we have no final information on as to who they met with... or which immortal killed them. Kenny has been in these areas without obvious reason and then moved on. He's the only common factor. There's bad blood between Mac and him. I think he's involved somehow."

"And you want MacLeod to know." Amber smiled.

Joe's gaze narrowed. He raised one hand and shook it back and forth. "No... I'm not letting you get involved. I'll find a way to get in touch with Mac on my own."

"Joseph Francis Dawson."

Joe laughed at the Irish lilt as she said his whole name... as his mother had often said it when he was in trouble for not saying his prayers or for teasing Mrs. O'Riley's cat... or for mocking Father Sheehan's stutter. "Yes ma'am!" he said with a grin.

"You get that paternal air out of your voice this moment. I've at least a hundred and fifty years on you. I do know how to take care of myself. Besides, Connor's ghost would be sure to haunt me if I knew something his kinsman needed to know and did not make the attempt to tell him. We Irish believe in ghosts you know."

Joe smirked as he nodded.

"Now then, boss... Will you be payin' my way to London?" Amber Kathleen Conroy tossed her head so that her hair brushed first one shoulder and then the other.

"Would you be flirting with me girl?" asked Joe suddenly wanting to laugh.

"Would you like me to?" Amber laughed as she took his arm and led him to the bar. "I have a desire for a whiskey after all this talk... Would you be joinin' me?" She slipped behind the bar and set two glasses on the surface... opening a bottle of Irish whiskey as she continued. "We have plans to make. Now just where do you think Duncan MacLeod will be in London, and just how might I find him?"