Chapter 41
Using a bit of subterfuge... Duncan and Phillip... after gathering a number of things from the barge that might be helpful had made their quiet and unobtrusive exit from the watchful gaze of Duncan's current Watcher. They'd slipped quietly into a small boat and glided silently up the Seine until they could safely dock a short distance away. After tying up the small boat... they'd headed up onto the quai and slipped out of sight from the Watcher's possible gaze.
Once away from the area, they had stuck to side streets and small alleys as they made their way across Paris. Finally certain they had no tail, they'd headed for the Hotel de Montcalm. "We can use that as a base until we find out something." Phillip had suggested.
"We could use Methos' help hacking into the database."
"We may not need to call him. Besides, he may not be in any position to help with anything for a while."
"On the road." Duncan murmured.
"Likely... as I said... I don't know where they were actually headed... just that when you needed him... when this was over... he would be where you could find him."
"Before we left Seacouver, he told me you were seeing Ellie and Derrick to someplace safe... what happened to change that?"
"Oh... we always planned to exchange duties after a while... even if for only a few days. He and Eleanor still had something to work out." Phillip shrugged, not wanting to mention that whatever it was had pretty much traumatized young Derrick last night. "Anyway... they needed more time than he thought... and then after the explosion... he figured you might need some help... so here I am... your help." Phillip chuckled.
Not far from the hotel both men paused... sensing someone in the shadows. Phillip stepped back and carefully gazed up and down the street while Duncan, after checking to be certain no mortal was about, pulled his sword. "I am Duncan MacLeod!" he called out, issuing his challenge. At first there was nothing.
Then from the shadows, Kenny appeared. "I'm not after you MacLeod."
Duncan smiled, "No... but maybe I should be after you."
"Have you seen him... the immortal who killed the old Roman? The one who killed all those mortals?"
Duncan smiled. "I've seen the man you described to me, but somehow I don't think he's the one who did the killing."
Phillip stepped out of the shadows. He stood easily... no sign of his sword about him. "Hello lad... still wanting that fight with me?"
"Don't trust him MacLeod! He's a killer!" Kenny backed away eyeing them both with distrust.
"Oh I am that lad... but I've let you live twice now... Are you so certain you want to attempt to take my head a third time."
"He lies MacLeod... He's been after me for years!"
"Kenny, Kenny, Kenny," smiled Duncan sarcastically, "I have a feeling if he wanted you dead... you'd be dead!"
"Run along lad before I change my mind!" Phillip roared.
Kenny turned to leave, "Calling over his shoulder. Don't say I didn't warn you MacLeod!" Then he vanished into the gathering gloom of early evening.
Duncan replaced his katana in the lining of his coat. "Do I have to worry about you?" he asked the Greek with an arch of his eyebrow betraying his amusement.
"Not unless you attack me," Phillip grinned genially and clapped one arm about the Highlander's shoulders. "I make it a habit not to take heads unless I'm attacked. Now let's see if we can manage to vanish again before young Kenny's Watcher has a clue about who we are and where we are headed."
"I may have blown that with the challenge I uttered!"
"Well I have tried to tell you it is not always a good idea to be dropping your name to every immortal you meet. You'll note the lad does not know my name."
"Nor do I," Duncan agreed, shaking off Phillip's arm, "not really."
"Then that is how it should be. We all live in the shadows MacLeod. Or at least those of us with long life-lines do. That is how we survive. You should learn this."
"That's not who I am."
"No... then maybe it's who you should be if you wish to survive." Phillip said nothing further as they continued to make their way through back alleys and over roofs until they reached the hotel. Avoiding the security cameras with ease... the two immortals entered the fourth floor suite.
Duncan gave an appreciative look around at the room. "Nice digs."
"Yeah... Methos likes to do it up right when he gets the chance. I think he hoped to have several days here before we moved on. Two bedrooms this time..." Phillip winked. "I told him no more couches for me."
The Greek pulled a small bag from beneath the sofa, opened it, pulling out a laptop. "This one was Eleanor's... Methos left it here for us to use. He updated the game on it that Derrick and he were playing. Also... Eleanor has links on it to the Watcher database. We might find what we need without his help."
Duncan settled at the table with the items they had brought from the barge spread out around him. "Nice of him to leave it. I noted he'd evidently taken mine with him while I was gone."
"Likely being thorough. It may be here. If not... it's with him. I don't think he even wanted to leave this one... but it's password encrypted and I do know the passwords." Phillip typed some commands into the laptop and booted it up... then entered the codes. "See... now we can start our search." He turned the laptop toward MacLeod who began searching through the Watcher records seeking any clue that might help them find the unknown immortal.
***
Below on the street... just out of sensing range... Kenny eyed the hotel... trying to determine just which room MacLeod and the "Swordmaster" might be in. It had been a tough break that his subterfuge hadn't worked. He'd hoped MacLeod might attack the "Swordmaster" on sight and that one of them would have died. It would mean one less of Kenny's enemies alive and kicking. Of course... the survivor might have been more powerful than ever... but every immortal made a mistake one time or another. All Kenny had to do was to wait. Either one of their quickenings could help make Kenny more powerful than his wildest dreams... powerful enough to really be the final one. The problem was in managing to work the odds into his favor. If he couldn't get them to fight each other... he needed to get them to fight someone. And then when they were down... when they were recovering from the effects of the quickening... he could take his pleasure. But he had to separate them... If they weren't going to fight one another he needed to be certain they were alone when they did fight someone.
Thoughtfully Kenny settled in to watch the hotel. It might be a very long night.
