Chapter 56

Paris

Phillip tried Methos' cell once more. Still no answer! He left another voice message! "Call me!" and then shut it off abruptly. Kenny's description of the attacker had been the final piece. Phillip was certain now who it was... and why. It had to be... it was the only reasonable explanation. Nestor was free... and out for blood!

"So exactly who is this guy... this Nestor?" asked Nick. He was still indignant that the Swordmaster had brought Kenny into their group. He worried that the boy immortal would lash out at any of them at any time. Already Kenny and Val were eyeing one another with suspicion. He wanted answers... not just a name!

Phillip tapped his cell phone against his forehead three times and then looked up at all of them... waiting for his explanation. But how could he explain? Certainly not the truth! But what else was there? "You know how they say that your sins come back to haunt you?"

"What did you do, Phillip?" MacLeod's voice was raw... as if he had been down this road before. Of course he had... when he'd learned exactly who Methos was and what he'd done... the man he'd once been.

Phillip cleared his throat. "Nestor was the first immortal I met after my first death. The one who explained to me that we were put on this earth to rule all life. We were the masters and mortals were merely our chattel. I did not believe him. When I had the chance... I left his army and traveled back to my home to find the Oracle... she who had trained me in life. But Danae was long gone... and there were no answers for me there. The Nestor I knew had been one of the great heroes of Troy... or one of its most depraved villains... depends on your side.

"Troy?" remarked Duncan suddenly. "Graham Ashe was at Troy!"

Phillip nodded, "Aye... not by that name, of course, but he was with Nestor as well for a time. I think Nestor had actually killed him the first time. He had a penchant for torturing immortals to death again and again. He liked the power. As I said, the old legends of my youth say he was the oldest and wisest of the captains who sailed against Troy... or the most wicked and most feared of its plunderers. Take your pick." Phillip plopped into the armchair dejectedly. "It was better to be his enemy! He merely took the heads of his enemies... Those he liked..." Phillip shook his head, "were not so lucky. Nestor knew a thousand ways to get what he wanted... No one defied him for long."

"What does he want with Alisaunne?"

"I'm not certain... I never met the girl. I never heard her spoken of nor knew Darius was watching out for a girl. But I do recall that Nestor once spoke of hoping to find a certain kind of immortal... a rare one... one who even before first death... was immortal."

"That's impossible," Duncan laughed. Then he sobered. "How would he know?"

Phillip shrugged, "He never shared that with me."

"So how did you defeat him? Why isn't he dead?" Amanda insisted.

Phillip stared at all of them. "We couldn't kill him... not without destroying all of us as well."

"We?"

"You know that one-on-one rule MacLeod? It wasn't always that way. Even now... some immortals play with that one."

"Who helped?" Duncan straightened as he said it... but Phillip could see in his eyes that he already thought he knew the answer.

Phillip nodded. "It was the event that cemented our friendship. That made it last over the centuries."

"I still don't get it," Amanda interrupted. "So a group of you went after this Nestor. So why is he not dead?"

Phillip closed his eyes and shuddered at the real reason. But now was not the time for that truth... if ever. Finally he looked at them all... peering into each set of questioning eyes and saying softly, "Because of the rule of holy ground, Amanda. We couldn't kill him... but we could... restrain him... we could bury him so that he'd never again see the light of day."

"Well... I guess we know now how well that worked." Duncan's voice betrayed his bitterness. "How many people are dead because you and ... your friends couldn't finish the job!"

Nick exploded in anger. "You buried an immortal alive and then left him to dig his way out! People are dead! Immortals are dead! Just who were these friends of yours?"

"And how many more would be dead if we hadn't tried?" Phillip responded evenly. "As to who they were... most are dead now... of those that remember it all... only the doctor and I remain."

"Edmund?" asked Val suddenly piping in. "Is he so old?"

Phillip said nothing. Methos' identity was one he was sworn to keep. MacLeod obviously knew... and Amanda knew of him without knowing everything... but to the others... he was different men... he was the doctor. He hit re-dial on his cell phone, exasperated that his ancient friend was not picking up. Surely nothing could be as important as the knowledge that Nestor was loose upon the world once more.

The sound of the outer doors brought Duncan to the door of the cell. He watched a young woman walk through the nave and up to the office entrance.

"Duncan MacLeod?" she said. "I'm Amy Brennan-Thomas... Joe Dawson sent me."

Duncan nodded, "How is he?" He stood aside as he motioned her to enter glancing about the deserted church as he did so.

She smiled, "Stubborn as ever and anxious to talk to you." Glancing around to note who was present, her shoulders sagged momentarily as if saddened that the one face she had hoped to see was not here. She pulled out a cell phone and made a connection. A few moments later she handed the phone to Duncan.

"Mac... you and Methos... you gotta find this guy..."

"Yeah... we're working on it."

"Tell Methos it's Nestor... It's got to be."

"We figured that out already."

"Damn... he musta been one of the group... thought as much... He and Darius and a few others... they banded together to kill this guy... but he retreated to holy ground with his army and followers and they couldn't get him off. Meanwhile he was slaughtering men, women, children, anyone he could find. He killed anyone he could get his hands on and was known to torture immortals to death over and over and over again."

"Joe... when did he surface again?"

"I've been collating some references that didn't make sense... Understand Mac... we didn't have anything concrete... but taken as a whole... I'd say twenty years ago."

"Why twenty?"

"An immortal who died recently was used by another immortal rather shabbily earlier in her life. He tortured her to death several times... until she managed to get away. It's what got me thinking. Nestor was said to do something similar to other immortals in the old Chronicles. I don't have all the records here... but I studied them years ago. The guy must have been a really sick son-of-a-bitch! For centuries we all thought he was dead... that they'd killed him... but we had no confirmation."

"Why did it take him so long to start making his move so publicly."

"There's nothing current... just some odds and ends that might be him... but Mac... be careful... This guy is bad news!"

"Rest easy Joe. We'll get him."

"Yeah... well get some help! Don't try this one alone. Don't let your Scots sense of fair-play and honor lead the way. This guy doesn't believe in honor."

Duncan smiled, "I am what I was taught to be Joe... I'm the 'champion'."

"I know Mac... I know," Joe said sadly. Then he continued, "Put Amy back on."

Duncan handed the young woman her phone. He turned back to the others. "Joe thinks it's Nestor as well. So now... how do we handle this? I'm for getting to Ste. Genevieve and getting Alisaunne out of there. If this guy uses holy ground as his personal killing field... then she's not safe there and neither is anyone else." Duncan was not certain that even Ursa would be a match for so vicious an immortal as this Nestor apparently was.

"We have to be certain he doesn't follow any of us there." Phillip agreed... "We need to split up and try to draw him out...."

"Excuse me..." The immortals glanced at the young Watcher. "He may have left Paris already. He killed seventeen people on a metro a few hours ago. Joe told me that was usually a sign that he was moving on. He'd do one last random mass killing before vanishing into the wilderness until he'd return years later and start the cycle over again."

"Seventeen," said Marie-France sadly. She fingered her rosary as she continued to stare out the small window.

"Then we can't wait any longer," whispered Duncan hoarsely. "We go now!"

Nick laughed, "I don't think six of us will fit into your Citroen. Besides... I'm not too keen on Val and Marie-France being involved... nor in leaving them behind... unguarded.

"Seven!" sneered Kenny. "There's seven of us counting me." He sniffed a bit haughtily. "Val and I may be small... but we are not helpless."

"There's my car... " offered Amanda. "but it only seats two."

"And my SUV," said Nick. "If you'll drop me off back over at Sanctuary... I can pick it up and come back for the others. I can carry four easily."

Phillip nodded at Duncan, "And we can head on... you... Amanda and me. We're the best fighters... the most experienced." He leveled his gaze at Valeraine who nodded her agreement. She'd keep an eye on Kenny... if he wanted to come.

Duncan turned to Amy, "What about you?"

Amy shrugged, "I'm under orders not to follow. I would appreciate getting a report... Perhaps my friend the doctor will fill me in?"

Duncan eyed her quizzically. "Just who are you, exactly?"

Amy smiled, "Joe's my father. I owe... the doctor... his life... as I do mine."

Duncan nodded recalling that Methos had mentioned that Joe had a daughter when the Watcher had been shot. "You sent the book... the one from my apartment?"

Amy nodded. "All he told me was to get it and send it. As you well know... he doesn't really answer questions... but I gather there was something about that book that made him think it was needed for something you two were working on."

Duncan nodded. "Have you a ride?"

"Taxi... waiting outside. Go... you have your jobs to do... Mine is done... for the moment. I hope to see all of you again sometime." She stood aside then and watched the four immortals leave. She smiled at the three who would wait... wondering how such beings ever survived. Two children and a meek young woman... none of them seemed especially capable. She had only caught bits and pieces of the conversation... wherever this Ste. Genevieve was... she hoped for all their sakes, that they were successful in their endeavors.

Amy nodded her farewells and slowly exited the church. As she stood for a moment in the darkness and stared at the night sky... she felt a sense of purpose in her life that she had not felt for years. She wasn't just a researcher working on locating the threads that would lead to better understanding of the oldest of immortals... nor was she just a Watcher... hiding in the shadows. Amy was a player. Yes... she had interfered... and would do so again... if it meant that the immortals who were friends of mankind would be able to overcome their enemies. She was no longer conflicted about that... nor was she conflicted about Joe... He was her father... He was her friend. She was determined that in whatever time was left for them... they would truly get to know one another.

With a surer step... Amy Brennan-Thomas headed for the cab.