Chapter 24
As Duncan entered the building Methos followed close behind so that Claude would only have the sensation once as they approached. Duncan walked out into the large empty space his eyes searching around until his eyes met Claude's who was leaning against the railings overlooking the main floor. Duncan watched as Claude walked around the upper walkway to the stairs.
Alex watched horrified as the man she trusted was now meeting with Claude, one of Lazarski's men, her mind raced as she watched Claude walk out onto the floor to meet Duncan. Alex tried to think of a good reason for Duncan being here, she wished she could hear what was being said. "So where's the woman?" Claude asked as he walked to stand in front of Duncan, who smiled and started to walk around Claude who turned with Duncan to make sure he always had him in view, Duncan only stopped when Claude's back was to the door he had just come in, this allowed Methos to get closer keeping out of sight in the shadows. "I never said I was I going to bring her now did I? .I was thinking of a slightly different deal" Duncan said as his hand reached inside his coat bring his Katana out into the open "One where you give me Joe and I'll let you keep your head" Duncan said as he pointed his sword towards Claude. "Look I have no quarrel with you I just need the woman or Lazarski will kill me". Duncan smiled at Claude's words "I don't think he'll have the chance.Do you remember Akira Shokoma?" Duncan watched as Claude backed away "What the old monk?"
"Old monk.he was a great man and a friend, if he had to die he deserved an honourable death but you cheated him of that didn't you? When you shot him" Claude's mind raced as he took in what Duncan was saying "I.I didn't kill him.. you've got the wrong man" Duncan smiled as he moved his sword in front of him "No Lazarski did that but you had to shot him so he could" Duncan could see the confused look on Claude's face, they had been alone the day Akira died how could this Immortal have known his part.
Alex stood up as she saw Duncan bring out a sword, she had noticed that Duncan worn that coat every time he had gone out, was the sword the reason and why a sword there where a lot of more easily concealed weapons he could have used. Alex couldn't hear what they were saying and she didn't need to, their body language told her this wasn't a friendly chat.
Claude smiled as his hand went inside his jacket but it wasn't a sword he pulled out but a gun, as soon as it was free of the material he aimed it a Duncan. Alex jump at the gun shot and saw Duncan crumple to the ground, her hand went instinctively to where her gun should have been and she cursed at her decision not to bring it with her. Claude took a step forward taking his sword from his jacket "Now I have another idea.I take your head, kill the old man and take a little trip to your barge for the woman" Claude said as he watched the life drain from Duncan.
Suddenly Claude felt the cold steel of a sword at his throat "Yo..You can't interfere" Claude managed to say as the sharp blade gently caressed his neck "Sorry I didn't quite catch that" Methos said.
"Y..Your breaking the rules." Claude stammered, Methos laughed at the fear in the young Immortal's voice "You're the one who breaks the rules.I'm just bending them a little.. Now drop the gun" Methos pull the sword tighter into Claude's neck the blade biting into Claude's skin. Claude dropped both the gun and his sword, Methos sighed, "I just said the gun.you really should listen" Methos could feel Claude starting to shake "You know the rule about only one Immortal can challenge another.don't you?" Methos asked, Claude nodded "you see I believe there was a challenge made by MacLeod here" Methos said watching as Duncan gasped as life began to flow through his body again. Methos waited until Duncan was on his feet and had nodded his thanks to Methos before dropping his sword away and pushing Claude forward, he then crouched down and picked up the gun making sure he kept his eyes on Claude at all times, he then melted back into the shadows.
Duncan had picked up his sword as he had got to his feet and now it was pointing again at Claude "pick it up" Duncan said pointing at where Claude's sword laid in the dust. Claude backed away from Duncan checking over his shoulder for the other Immortal as he did so until his sword was in front of him, he then bent down keeping his eyes focused on Duncan "Now we do this the old fashioned way.by the rules" Duncan said lunging forward.
Alex couldn't believe what she was seeing Duncan had blood on his shirt where the bullet had hit him and now here he was on his feet as though nothing had happened. She watched as Duncan attacked Claude who just managed to block the blow, Alex seemed mesmerised by the sword fighting then she remembered Joe and she managed to get to the door her eyes still transfixed on the battle below. Alex made her way around the walkway to the office Claude had just come from. From the shadows Methos saw Alex "Oh shit!" he exclaimed to himself, Alex being here was not part of the plan, Methos made his way to the stairs.
Alex managed to turn away from what was happening below her to enter the office, unlike the other offices this one had been cleaned recently, there was a desk and an old leather chair, Alex crossed to the desk and started to search the room for the control box that was needed to enter the room where Joe was. Duncan grinned again as Claude made another clumsy attack "I think you should have practiced more with your sword than your gun". Duncan played with him for a while longer but then the memory of Akira and how he had died flooded Duncan's mind and he decided to end this. Duncan spun round as Claude lunged towards him and as the young Immortal stumbled past him Duncan's sword ran him through, after Duncan pulled his sword free of Claude's body and watched as Claude dropped to his knees, Duncan walked around the kneeling Immortal until he was stood by his side, Claude turned his head and looked up at Duncan "I guess your right I should've spent more time with my sword".
"I guess you should have" Duncan said as he raised his sword above his head "but it's too late now" then with one clean stroke Duncan severed Claude's head. The quickening started as Duncan saw Methos on the upper floor but before he could speak the lightening struck sending his body into spasm. Methos got to the office he had seen Alex go into to when the door opened the sound of the quickening had made Alex stop her search. Methos pushed her back into the room "do you know where Joe is?" he asked Alex went to go round him but he pushed her back again "let me out of here.what's happening out there?" Methos raised his hands in front of her "I'll explain it later but I need to find Joe". Alex wasn't pleased with being pushed around "he's in the office at the end" Alex replied "Wait here" Methos demanded as he went out onto the walkway, it was as he left that Alex saw the control box she had been looking for on a small shelf by the door, Alex moved quickly grabbing the box as she left the office she shouted to Methos "ADAM WAIT".
Methos stopped and turned to face her his hand on the door handle "I think you'll need this unless you want Joe in very small pieces" Alex said throwing the control box to Methos "Thanks" Methos said as he caught the box. Alex watched as Methos used the control box and entered the room she then turned her attention to the where Duncan was now kneeling on the floor the last of the quickening hitting his body, next to him was Claude's body and his head was about 2 feet away "Oh my God!" Alex exclaimed as she stared at the scene below. Alex's attention was brought back to the walkway as Methos came out supporting Joe, Alex looked at her watch in all that had happened she had almost forgotten the other bomb, by her calculations they had 8 minutes to get out. Quickly, she moved towards Methos and Joe "I'll help Joe you get Duncan" Alex said to Methos "He'll come when he's ready" Methos replied, Alex again checked her watch "Well he's got 7 minutes to get ready".
"What are you talking about?" Methos asked Alex told him about the device on the gas supply "Here you get Joe out.don't wait for us will be right behind you.my car is in the street" Methos said as he handed her the keys, he then took off down the stairs. Joe was a little unsteady on the stairs but with Alex's help he got to the bottom, Alex again checked her watch 5 minutes left.
As Duncan entered the building Methos followed close behind so that Claude would only have the sensation once as they approached. Duncan walked out into the large empty space his eyes searching around until his eyes met Claude's who was leaning against the railings overlooking the main floor. Duncan watched as Claude walked around the upper walkway to the stairs.
Alex watched horrified as the man she trusted was now meeting with Claude, one of Lazarski's men, her mind raced as she watched Claude walk out onto the floor to meet Duncan. Alex tried to think of a good reason for Duncan being here, she wished she could hear what was being said. "So where's the woman?" Claude asked as he walked to stand in front of Duncan, who smiled and started to walk around Claude who turned with Duncan to make sure he always had him in view, Duncan only stopped when Claude's back was to the door he had just come in, this allowed Methos to get closer keeping out of sight in the shadows. "I never said I was I going to bring her now did I? .I was thinking of a slightly different deal" Duncan said as his hand reached inside his coat bring his Katana out into the open "One where you give me Joe and I'll let you keep your head" Duncan said as he pointed his sword towards Claude. "Look I have no quarrel with you I just need the woman or Lazarski will kill me". Duncan smiled at Claude's words "I don't think he'll have the chance.Do you remember Akira Shokoma?" Duncan watched as Claude backed away "What the old monk?"
"Old monk.he was a great man and a friend, if he had to die he deserved an honourable death but you cheated him of that didn't you? When you shot him" Claude's mind raced as he took in what Duncan was saying "I.I didn't kill him.. you've got the wrong man" Duncan smiled as he moved his sword in front of him "No Lazarski did that but you had to shot him so he could" Duncan could see the confused look on Claude's face, they had been alone the day Akira died how could this Immortal have known his part.
Alex stood up as she saw Duncan bring out a sword, she had noticed that Duncan worn that coat every time he had gone out, was the sword the reason and why a sword there where a lot of more easily concealed weapons he could have used. Alex couldn't hear what they were saying and she didn't need to, their body language told her this wasn't a friendly chat.
Claude smiled as his hand went inside his jacket but it wasn't a sword he pulled out but a gun, as soon as it was free of the material he aimed it a Duncan. Alex jump at the gun shot and saw Duncan crumple to the ground, her hand went instinctively to where her gun should have been and she cursed at her decision not to bring it with her. Claude took a step forward taking his sword from his jacket "Now I have another idea.I take your head, kill the old man and take a little trip to your barge for the woman" Claude said as he watched the life drain from Duncan.
Suddenly Claude felt the cold steel of a sword at his throat "Yo..You can't interfere" Claude managed to say as the sharp blade gently caressed his neck "Sorry I didn't quite catch that" Methos said.
"Y..Your breaking the rules." Claude stammered, Methos laughed at the fear in the young Immortal's voice "You're the one who breaks the rules.I'm just bending them a little.. Now drop the gun" Methos pull the sword tighter into Claude's neck the blade biting into Claude's skin. Claude dropped both the gun and his sword, Methos sighed, "I just said the gun.you really should listen" Methos could feel Claude starting to shake "You know the rule about only one Immortal can challenge another.don't you?" Methos asked, Claude nodded "you see I believe there was a challenge made by MacLeod here" Methos said watching as Duncan gasped as life began to flow through his body again. Methos waited until Duncan was on his feet and had nodded his thanks to Methos before dropping his sword away and pushing Claude forward, he then crouched down and picked up the gun making sure he kept his eyes on Claude at all times, he then melted back into the shadows.
Duncan had picked up his sword as he had got to his feet and now it was pointing again at Claude "pick it up" Duncan said pointing at where Claude's sword laid in the dust. Claude backed away from Duncan checking over his shoulder for the other Immortal as he did so until his sword was in front of him, he then bent down keeping his eyes focused on Duncan "Now we do this the old fashioned way.by the rules" Duncan said lunging forward.
Alex couldn't believe what she was seeing Duncan had blood on his shirt where the bullet had hit him and now here he was on his feet as though nothing had happened. She watched as Duncan attacked Claude who just managed to block the blow, Alex seemed mesmerised by the sword fighting then she remembered Joe and she managed to get to the door her eyes still transfixed on the battle below. Alex made her way around the walkway to the office Claude had just come from. From the shadows Methos saw Alex "Oh shit!" he exclaimed to himself, Alex being here was not part of the plan, Methos made his way to the stairs.
Alex managed to turn away from what was happening below her to enter the office, unlike the other offices this one had been cleaned recently, there was a desk and an old leather chair, Alex crossed to the desk and started to search the room for the control box that was needed to enter the room where Joe was. Duncan grinned again as Claude made another clumsy attack "I think you should have practiced more with your sword than your gun". Duncan played with him for a while longer but then the memory of Akira and how he had died flooded Duncan's mind and he decided to end this. Duncan spun round as Claude lunged towards him and as the young Immortal stumbled past him Duncan's sword ran him through, after Duncan pulled his sword free of Claude's body and watched as Claude dropped to his knees, Duncan walked around the kneeling Immortal until he was stood by his side, Claude turned his head and looked up at Duncan "I guess your right I should've spent more time with my sword".
"I guess you should have" Duncan said as he raised his sword above his head "but it's too late now" then with one clean stroke Duncan severed Claude's head. The quickening started as Duncan saw Methos on the upper floor but before he could speak the lightening struck sending his body into spasm. Methos got to the office he had seen Alex go into to when the door opened the sound of the quickening had made Alex stop her search. Methos pushed her back into the room "do you know where Joe is?" he asked Alex went to go round him but he pushed her back again "let me out of here.what's happening out there?" Methos raised his hands in front of her "I'll explain it later but I need to find Joe". Alex wasn't pleased with being pushed around "he's in the office at the end" Alex replied "Wait here" Methos demanded as he went out onto the walkway, it was as he left that Alex saw the control box she had been looking for on a small shelf by the door, Alex moved quickly grabbing the box as she left the office she shouted to Methos "ADAM WAIT".
Methos stopped and turned to face her his hand on the door handle "I think you'll need this unless you want Joe in very small pieces" Alex said throwing the control box to Methos "Thanks" Methos said as he caught the box. Alex watched as Methos used the control box and entered the room she then turned her attention to the where Duncan was now kneeling on the floor the last of the quickening hitting his body, next to him was Claude's body and his head was about 2 feet away "Oh my God!" Alex exclaimed as she stared at the scene below. Alex's attention was brought back to the walkway as Methos came out supporting Joe, Alex looked at her watch in all that had happened she had almost forgotten the other bomb, by her calculations they had 8 minutes to get out. Quickly, she moved towards Methos and Joe "I'll help Joe you get Duncan" Alex said to Methos "He'll come when he's ready" Methos replied, Alex again checked her watch "Well he's got 7 minutes to get ready".
"What are you talking about?" Methos asked Alex told him about the device on the gas supply "Here you get Joe out.don't wait for us will be right behind you.my car is in the street" Methos said as he handed her the keys, he then took off down the stairs. Joe was a little unsteady on the stairs but with Alex's help he got to the bottom, Alex again checked her watch 5 minutes left.