Chapter 7 of 12

(elle-nora')

Methos entered Le Blues Bar gingerly. As expected, he saw Kendall and MacLeod hunched over a table in the rear. Joe was behind the bar. He gave Methos a friendly nod of acknowledgment as he continued to wipe glasses down in preparation of the evening rush.

Methos slid into a vacant seat and helped himself to the offered beer... opening it. Obviously MacLeod wanted the three of them to talk... but had not explained Joe or the Watchers to Kendall.

"So," Methos drawled as if bored stiff (which he wasn't) and out of sorts (which he was). "What's so damned important that it takes both of you to tell me."

Kendall took a deep breath. "Johann Meinhoff," he said simply.

Methos nodded. "What about him?"

"He's the one following me."

"So," Methos lounged back in his chair and stretched his feet out. Carefully he rested his beer bottle casually on his chest... as if this news were of no importance whatsoever.

"I think he's after you... still."

"Of course he is." Methos took a swig of beer and glared at both immortals through narrowed eyes. He made certain his face betrayed none of the turmoil he felt.

"So what did you do to this guy, exactly?" Duncan asked.

Methos closed his eyes. He could see the moment in time clearly. He could see the choices he'd made. He had known there would be consequences... but he'd been willing to face them one day. Now, that "one day" was here... Now he wondered if he would still have made the same choice.

Glancing at the two of them... both obviously worried and concerned... Methos considered coming clean... telling them what had really happened. But there are moments in one's life that one never wants anyone to know. His time with the horsemen had been such a moment... and this was another. He'd convinced MacLeod that over three thousand years he had changed... that the behavior he'd exhibited while riding with Kronos was a symptom of the times and a bad choice, on his part, of companions. But what he'd done to Meinhoff was only a few hundred years ago. He'd done it. He'd made the choice. There had been no Kronos... no horsemen... no bad companions he could blame it on. It had just been him. "Sometimes... even the distant past is too much a part of who we are... and all we are." he thought guiltily.

"An art deal gone bad," he finally quipped... hoping they'd bought it. "We both wanted something... I got to it first... he lost... I won... He has never quite moved beyond that."

"I didn't realize I was leading him here!" Kendall broke in apologetically. "Benjamin... I am sorry."

"Don't be... he's known where I am for some time," Methos lied and sipped his beer. "He just wanted to bring you into this for some reason. I can handle him... I will handle him. Now stay out of it." Methos polished off his beer and pushed back from the table. "See you guys later."

"Adam," began MacLeod.

"Later!" Methos stared at the Scot evenly and let a dark edge of menace creep into his voice.

He would not... he could not discuss this with the two of them... Not here... not now... not ever.

Pivoting sharply he threw Joe a wave as he exited the bar.

Behind him Duncan MacLeod watched his friend leave with an almost palpable sense of fear. "He's hiding something!" the Scot thought.

At his side, the older immortal took a last sip of his own beer. "Should I follow him? I know he's making light of this. He always does... but I think there's something more going on here than he pretends."

MacLeod nodded. "You have my cell number... Keep in touch."

After Kendall left, Duncan gave Joe a meaningful glance. "Now explain to me just who the hell this Johann Meinhoff is and why he's after Methos!"