AN- Thanks for the reviews, and also the e-mail feedback, I like not being predicable (grins) this may not answer all your burning questions from the last chapter, but Richie really didn't want Walker to talk to Mac! To Shady Lady, hope you like the way Richie brings Mac to his senses!
***
"Do you even know where we are going?" Tessa asked, as they watched the Taxi make its way towards them over the bridge.
"He runs the fencing club at the Municipal Hall, over by the College," Richie told her. "They should be packing up about now."
"Richie," Tessa frowned. "Why do you not call this man by his name?"
"Because I don't know it."
"But he was your foster father," Tessa protested. "You must know."
"When I knew him, he was David Harrington. But I'm guessing that guy is dead now. Marc's name is Renard and he thinks his father is called Georges. He could have been any number of people before that." Richie said flatly.
"Is it possible that the car crash was the first time he died?" Tessa wondered. "That he was not an Immortal before?"
"He had swords Tess." Richie looked away.
"This is not so unusual, surely, if he has fencing as a hobby." Tessa suggested.
"He had a lot," Richie made a face. "Cleaning them was one of my punishments."
"That hardly seems like a punishment," Tessa teased, as the Taxi pulled up. "You are so fond of swords."
"You always use gloves when you do the cleaning, right?" Richie opened the door for her.
"You cannot be too careful," Tessa nodded. "Some of those cleaning agents can make your skin very red and sore." Her eyes widened, "Non, it cannot be! That is no way to punish a child."
"Trust me," Richie winced. "Its pretty effective."
***
Tessa relayed the directions to the driver in rapid French and gave him a huge tip, in advance.
"What did you do that for?" Richie demanded. "We should get there easy, before Mac's Immortal radar scopes him out."
"Do you think Duncan will just drive around aimlessly unless he senses this man?" Tessa scoffed. "He will simply ask Darius where to find him."
"Oh," Richie realised. "Can this guy go any faster?"
"Not in such traffic," Tessa peered at the gridlock. "Don't worry, the driver knows a short cut."
"This isn't like one of those short cuts where we disappear off down an alley, never to be seen or heard of again, is it?" Richie scowled.
"You forget," Tessa smiled. "This is my city. I know all the short cuts."
"Spend a lot of time in alleyways as a student, did you?" Richie smirked. "Anything Mac should know? Or should I say anyone?"
"Not at all," Tessa said primly. "Duncan was my first proper boyfriend."
"Really?" Richie blinked.
"You may as well ask," Tessa sighed. "You know you are dying to."
"Don't get me wrong Tesss, I think that's real romantic and all, but didn't you ever wonder what it would be like to, you know, be with someone else?"
"Why would I wish to?" Tessa smiled. "When Duncan has the experience of several lifetimes?"
"Um. Good point." Richie blushed.
***
"Oh, shit," Richie swore, as the Taxi pulled up at the back of the Municipal Hall to the sight of the familiar black Citroen., "How the hell did he get here before us?"
He was out of the Taxi and halfway across the parking lot, before Tessa had even opened her purse to pay the driver.
"Richie, wait!" Tessa called without much hope.
The teen might well be out of his depth in the woods, or even a garden centre, but here in a city, even a foreign one, he was on home ground.
"Not the hall, too public," he scanned the area, "Not the ally, too narrow."
His eyes alighted on a dilapidated glasshouse, from the days when the Municipal College did classes in Flower Arranging and Horticulture.
"Bingo."
"Walker, Stuart Walker." The well built blonde intoned. "Can't we talk about this Macleod?"
"Stuart?" Richie frowned, from his hiding place. "You don't look like a Stuart."
"You can talk," Duncan said tightly. "I'm gonna fight."
"I don't want to fight you." The other Immortal protested, nonetheless, he held a very serviceable looking blade at the ready.
"Sorry, to disappoint." Duncan held the Katana with a casual confidence that was truly un-nerving.
"Would you at least do me the courtesy of telling me what this is all about?" the two combatants began to circle.
"Not what," Duncan's tone was clipped. "Who."
"I beg your pardon?" Walker blinked.
"Oh indeed, you will," Duncan promised darkly. "And then you will rot in hell." His sword flashed out, Walker struggled to parry the stroke.
"I'm no Head Hunter. I have a family," he protested. "A teenage son. He will grieve if I am gone. Is that what you want?"
"I think I'll be doing him a service," Duncan smiled thinly. "If the way you treated Richie is any measure." A sharp cut, slid through Walker's defences to open a wound in his shoulder.
"Richie?" Walker pressed a hand to the cut. "This is about Richie Ryan? What tall tales has he been telling you?"
***
"Oh, this is not good. Not good at all." Richie considered his options. "I have to stop this."
"I'm telling you Macleod, the boy is a habitual liar." Walker purred, with an attacking stroke, that Duncan easily blocked.
"Do you deny that you caused the bruises on his arm?" Duncan demanded.
"There were bruises?" For a moment Walker's composure faltered, but then he shrugged smoothly. "The boy was in danger of being knocked over by some older students roughhousing in the corridor. I merely pulled him out of the way." Their faces met over crossed blades. "If there was any injury, it was merely accidental."
"I think you are the liar," Duncan vowed, pushing away with enough force to cause Walker to stagger backwards across the beaten earth. "I think you threatened him, so that he would keep quiet about who, and what, you are."
"About what I am?" Walker shook his head, keeping his distance for the moment. "Let me ask you something, how well do you think you know Richie?"
"He told me what kind of a father you are." Duncan responded.
"Indeed?" Walker smiled thinly. "So, you would take the word of a child whose hobbies include stealing, forging signatures, hot wiring cars, picking locks and cracking safes?"
"In a hot second." Duncan gave a tight grin.
A flicker of something that might have been disappointment flashed across Walker's face. Only to be replaced with something harder and more resolute.
"Are you sure that he has never lied to you?"
"He would not."
"Not even by omission?" Walker suggested.
"I tell you what," Duncan advanced a few steps. "Why don't we try this argument as they did in the olden days? Trial by combat? That way, when I take your head, you'll know Richie was telling the truth."
"Very well," Walker agreed. "Just answer me one question first?"
***
In years to come, Richie would acknowledge that this wasn't the smartest thing that he had ever done.
Although, in his defence, he would point out that he didn't know at the time that the Immortals would sense him.
The rapier, that he had "appropriated" from the fencing club felt sure and solid in his hand, as he moved soundlessly across the beaten earth. He knew all had to do was plunge the blade into Walker's unprotected back.
Which was a bit hard to do, when the Immortal turned to face him.
"Richie,"
Walker's gaze flicked to the blade in the teen's hand and he gave a thin, malicious, smile.
"Do you still parry too broadly, boy?" he taunted.
His blade flashed down, at an angle intended to slice Richie across his unprotected shoulder.
Only to be halted in a shower of sparks, as Duncan's Katana was suddenly there to block the blow.
Richie seized his chance, and thrust the rapier deep into Walker's heart. The Immortal's eyes widened with shocked surprise, before he fell like a tree, to the ground.
"What the ..?" Duncan spluttered. "You canna do that."
"I think I just did." Richie quipped, unwisely.
Duncan's hand flashed out, seizing him by the lapel and pulling him up until they were nose to nose.
"What on earth were you thinking? Are you trying to get yourself killed? Because you are going the right way about it, my lad."
"I'm trying to get you to listen to me." Richie defended himself.
"You ever do anything that damn foolhardy ever again and you'll have my undivided attention," Duncan warned, giving him a shake. "And you won't like it one bit."
"Fine," Richie snapped. "Next time, I'll just run you through."
The Immortal's eyes went flint hard and, instinctively, Richie flinched and closed his eyes against the expected blow.
Which never came.
Warily, Richie opened one eye to see the Immortal staring at him in abject horror.
Even so, the sudden, fierce hug, finding his face pressed up against the damp wool of the Immortal's coat, came as something of a surprise.
"I'm sorry," Duncan apologised, as they broke apart, his voice husky. He couldn't look at the teen. "I didna mean .."
"S'OK," Richie was made awkward by the Immortal's evident chagrin.
"No, its not," Duncan said hoarsely, with a dark look at Walker's corpse. "Indeed, it is not."
For a moment they stood there in uncomfortable silence.
"Hey, I thought I was supposed to be the reckless one in this family?" Richie teased.
Duncan's head swivelled around, his eyes wide and incredulous.
"You dinna think that this was reckless?" he managed.
"Hey, I wasn't the one determined to duel to the death over a few bruises. Kinda melodramatic, don't you think, Mac?" Richie grinned.
"This from the lad who considers anything less than six meals a day akin to starvation rations." Duncan raised a brow.
"Richie?" Tessa came around the corner, her eyes widening as she took in Walker's still form, with the thin silver rapier sticking up like a flag pole.
"What is happening here?"
***
"Richie, what on earth were you thinking?" Tessa scolded.
"Man, the acoustics are good in here." Richie muttered.
"What?" Tessa looked confused.
"Stereo," Richie explained. "I already got the same lecture from Mac."
"Which is no less than you deserve." Tessa wasn't mollified. "How could you be so foolish?"
"Aw, c'mon Tess. What was I supposed to do?"
"You were supposed to stay at home." Duncan reminded him fondly. "How did you get here so fast anyway?"
"We took a Taxi," Tessa waved her hand as if that was of no importance. She looked at Richie. "Have you told him yet?"
"Told me what?" Duncan frowned.
"That would be a no." Richie rolled his eyes.
"Richie has something he needs to talk to you about," Tessa explained.
"Um. Yeah. Its kinda a long story." Richie hedged.
"I'm listening." Duncan encouraged.
"Um," Richie gestured at his night attire. "You think you could listen somewhere warmer?"
"Now, he worries." Duncan rolled his eyes.
"Mac, its cold out here." Richie pointed out.
"You know, it's a good job I'm Immortal, otherwise you'd be the death of me." Duncan shook his head.
"Talking of which." Richie swallowed, glancing at Walker.
"Take Tessa to the car." Duncan ordered. "I'll be along in a minute."
"What will you do?" Tessa asked anxiously.
"I'll take care of it," Duncan assured her. "Its probably a good idea if we are not here when he wakes up."
They were almost back at the barge before something else occurred to Duncan.
"Richie, where did you get the sword?"