Chapter 54

Amy pulled her ringing cell phone from her pocket. One glance told her it was Joe.

"I just saw it on the news... what happened?" Joe's voice sounded tense.

"There's a police barricade up... I really can't get close enough to see much but it appears our mysterious immortal has struck again."

There was a strangled gasp on the other end.

"Joe? Are you all right?"

"Yeah... How bad... Can you tell?"

"The story I'm over-hearing from people who were in the metro station when the train pulled in agree it was bad. Their numbers and details vary. I think most saw the blood-splattered windows and just ran."

"No luck on MacLeod?" Amy could hear the desperation and worry in her father's voice.

"No... As I said last time... evidently he and Amanda are together... and some friend of the current club owner's."

"That friend could be Nick Wolfe. Have you tried Darius' old church?"

Amy narrowed her gaze as she shifted the phone from one ear to the other. "Why there?" she asked as she pulled the Paris map from her pocket and checked the address and location of St. Julian le Pauvre.

"Both Amanda and Nick are close friends with Liam Riley... He's one of the priests there."

"What does his Watcher say?"

"Nothing... he hasn't filed any reports for three days. In fact... several Watchers in Paris have apparently gone missing. The Council is in an uproar. Amy... you need to find MacLeod... and then get the hell outta there."

"They're bringing bodies out now Joe..." Amy whispered. "Looks like they'll be making a statement soon."

"I'll watch the news... you find MacLeod. Now get out of there." Joe's call ended suddenly.

Amy stood for a moment longer... considering what to do. MacLeod hadn't really known Liam Riley... so she and Joe had not really considered that avenue of thought. Besides... the immortal priest generally split his time between two parishes. Joe was right... If MacLeod were still with Amanda and Nick Wolfe... they might conceivably have gone to the church. The disappearance of several Watchers worried Amy. Joe hadn't said how many... and evidently no bodies had yet been found. But if Watchers were vanishing... then this unknown immortal knew of them... and was clearing the way to get to the other immortals unseen.

Amy watched as the body bags were loaded into the ambulances. Was this a feint? Was the immortal killing mortals on a grand scale to keep the authorities focused on another area while he performed his real activities in secret? But if so... what about Maillot? What about Cassius? Or was he merely building on the terror? Had there been someone on the metro and the immortal had just taken the entire train out? Amy shivered in the darkness, rubbing her hands up and down her arms. Swallowing her terror... she raised her arm to flag a passing taxi.

***

Seacouver

Joe fumed silently as he'd hung up on Amy! He turned up the volume on the news channel with the remote to catch the report. "Seventeen passengers and crew..." He turned the volume back down and leaned against the pillows propped up against the headboard. The body count was rising. Joe had no doubt that the immortal had perpetrated this act as well. And there was something about this that teased at his mind... something very old...

Joe returned to the database and began searching with a fury. There was an old chronicle... of an immortal long thought dead... something about his reign of death and destruction on a grand scale... He stopped at the file. While there was nothing but a thumbnail description of the dead immortal's activities here... and while no photo or painting existed... there was a rough sketch showing a twisted face above an arm slashing away at helpless victims... Joe could remember discussing this one when he was in training decades ago. He and James Horton and Ian Bancroft had sat around a bar one night discussing the careers of some of the old ones and how glad they were that some of them were long dead.

This one's name had come up in the conversation. Whole towns had fallen to him once upon a time. Whole nations had trembled at his approach. Demon some had called him. Eighteen hundred years ago, he'd vanished... The Chronicle spoke of an alliance of immortals who had destroyed him... but no Watcher had seen the final battle... nor did the Chronicle mention who the alliance had been composed of... although one member of it was thought to have been the barbarian general known as Darius.

"Nestor," whispered the Watcher. "Somehow... it has to be Nestor..." Joe glanced up at the opening door and growled, "I thought I told you to leave me alone!"

But it was Anne Lindsey... not Mariah Hutchinson. Instantly Joe regretted his outburst. He closed the window on his computer screen and looked at Anne sheepishly, "Busted I guess."

"Oh you are right about that one, Joe." Anne crossed the room and pulled the laptop from his hands... then passed it to Mrs. Hutchinson. "I said within reason... Seems you are not being reasonable."

"Anne... you don't understand!" Joe stared meaningfully at Anne.

Anne regarded him quietly. "Mrs. Hutchinson... I don't think the sedative will be necessary... but perhaps he'd like some dinner. Right Joe... maybe some soup."

Defeated for the moment, Joe nodded, "Soup sounds fine."

"Well if you say so," Hutchinson spat out, then left the room... taking the laptop with her.

"Anne... I need that," Joe pleaded.

"Not unless you explain to me just what you are doing..."

"You're not a Watcher Anne... I can't just..."

"Interfere? But you are interfering. This has to do with Duncan and I want to know what is going on! Either you tell me... or I will order that sedative."

There was an iron resolve in Anne's voice... one that Joe knew he could never bend. He sighed and glanced at the open door, but Anne made no move to close it. Finally Joe sat up straighter and whispered, "There's an old one..." he paused... then continued when Anne nodded, "he's responsible for what's happening. I have to get the word to... our friend."

Anne's shoulders sagged in her sudden comprehension. Her face reflected her concern. "How can I help?"

"By letting me get all the facts together so that he'll know who and what he is facing."

Anne nodded, "Are you in touch with him?"

Joe shook his head. "He's vanished... His Watcher has vanished... Amy's in Paris searching for him. I've tried the cell phone number I had... but it's no longer functioning. He may have changed phones... or..."

"So he could already be..." Anne's voice trailed off as she sat heavily into the chair at Joe's bedside.

"I don't think so." Joe found himself wanting to console her. She was being pulled back into this... and Joe knew MacLeod would not be happy about it. "I just think he may have switched phones for a while." It didn't make sense... but it was possible.

Mrs. Hutchinson returned at that moment with a tray. Hot soup steamed on it... she expertly put it on the tray table and arranged it for Joe. Then she stood over him with an air of power. "Eat!"

Joe grinned. "Yes, ma'am!" He lifted the spoon and began sipping the soup... painfully aware that he was hungrier than he had realized.

"That will be all, Mrs. Hutchinson... and close the door on your way out, please." Anne finally said quietly.

After she'd gone... Anne watched Joe eat. Finally she cleared her throat. "I will let you have the laptop back... but Joe... you have to behave. In all conscience as your doctor... I cannot allow you to become so wrought over this."

Joe looked at her and nodded his agreement.

"Gather the information. Give it to Amy and then stay out of this." She lifted her hand in warning at his objection. "Joe... you've been shot... You nearly died. You're still recovering. Your wounds are healing... but you are still weak and your system is depleted. You need rest."

"I need to be certain those I care about are safe, damnit!" Joe interjected.

"Then be sensible. Get what you need... pass the information on... Let me help! I know convalescence can be frustrating, but if you fight me on this... you may wind up back in the hospital... or worse... you could die. Now then... have I made myself clear!" Anne's voice rose only slightly... but the iron resolve was evident once more.

Joe nodded. "My laptop?"

"After you finish eating!" Anne crossed her legs and folded her arms across her chest. She leaned back in the wooden chair and watched him eat. Good thing she had a baby-sitter willing to stay with Mary tonight... Anne had a feeling she wouldn't be leaving Joe's anytime soon.