Chapter 74

Eastern France

Phillip dialed Methos' cell phone number once again from the pay phone while Duncan gassed up their "new" car. They'd managed to work a trade at a used car lot and while the car wasn't much to look at, both he and Duncan had approved of the engineering beneath the battered hood. It would work... and there would be no police looking for it... at least not for a while.

Phillip was about to leave another message when Methos answered. Trading information in that clipped shorthand they used, Phillip gave his friend all the details of what had happened and what decision they'd made in his absence. Methos agreed. Now they needed a place to draw Nestor out and finish this once and for all... and Methos had the perfect place in mind. Phillip grinned at his friend's ingenuity. It would work... it would work very well.

Information traded and plans made Phillip hung up the pay-phone. He still need a cell phone... At least Methos now had Nick Wolfe's number and could contact Amanda to start things moving on her end. Phillip watched patrons mill about the station and made his selection. Casually he bumped into the man and patted him down as he apologized. After returning to the car, he cleared the numbers from the phone and entered on its menu Methos' and Nick's. He re-called Methos and gave him the new number, laughing when the elder immortal made some insincere comment about letting his sticky fingers do the walking. It felt good to laugh again.

MacLeod looked at him oddly as he slid into the driver's seat. Phillip pushed his stolen sunglasses up on the bridge of his nose and handed MacLeod a second pair. The Highlander took them and shook his head before donning them. "If I hang out with you much longer... I'll be public enemy number one."

"Ahh... MacLeod... remind me to make restitution to all these mortals in my next life... that is if I am so lucky enough to be granted one.'

MacLeod snorted and turned on the ignition. "So... where do we go." When Phillip told him, Duncan MacLeod grinned with a feral expression. "Perfect!"

***

Northeastern France

Derrick sat on the side of the bed and watched as Methos talked and planned. He said nothing. He knew who he was now... or rather who he had been... and he knew Methos and Eleanor... even if he never told them. Derrick smiled secretly to himself. He was an immortal like they were... or he would be some day. But this small body had a lot of growing to do before he might ever be ready. He could wait. The crystal had opened his mind to both the past and the future. But while the past was a nice thing to know... it was the future that interested him more. Besides... Derrick had understood even before Eleanor had made her choice what it would be. He was not who he had been... he was someone new... someone who had surprised all of the ancients and whose choices had confounded them at each step of the way. But Methos was the other half of Eleanor's soul and always had been.

All that had been within the crystal was within Derrick now. He would push it all aside for a time and let this small body grow and learn as it needed to. The young mind still had to develop and comprehend a great deal before all the knowledge hidden within it would make sense. Derrick could wait. The answers to the puzzles hidden on the computer disc would come in time. Already he understood some of it and where it was leading. Methos had yet to put together the other clues... but he would. Derrick might have to nudge him a bit... just to be certain he found them. But he didn't think he would have to do much nudging.

Right now Methos had to concentrate on Nestor. Derrick shuddered... fearing that Nestor could still ruin everything. There was no way to clearly destroy him... not yet. All they could do was to bind him as he'd been bound once before. And then there was Cassandra. Derrick knew he'd have to get the sword back from her. She'd likely give it to no one else. But he had time on his side once more. At least if Methos could contain Nestor, then they would all have the time they needed.

Methos shut off his phone and gazed quizzically at the boy. He reached out an arm and like any normal ten-year-old... Derrick joined him. Methos placed both hands on Derrick's shoulders and peered into the boy's eyes.

"What did you see in the crystal, Derrick, I need to know."

Derrick shrugged with a smile, "Ellie... showing me the way." In truth that is exactly what he had seen... but only on the surface.

"The way to what?"

The boy shrugged once more, managing not smile. "The future."

Methos eyed him oddly. Oh Derrick knew that look. He knew his ancient friend was suspicious. Derrick gave him broad open grin. "When this is done... Adam... can we play that computer game some more?" He would have to be very careful to always say Adam unless the old one told him his name. He would soon, Derrick felt, he would soon.

"Sure," Methos murmured thoughtfully as he tousled Derrick's sandy hair and led the boy back down the stairs.

Once downstairs Derrick ran into Eleanor's embrace, and held to her tightly. He missed her so much, but he'd say nothing. He didn't dare. He blinked away the tears and smiled up at her. Soon he'd be taller than she was. Soon he'd be grown... if he were lucky... and soon he'd leave her as she had said he would... but until then he would hold on to her.

"Are you all right?" she said softly, the soft tinkling of bells seemed to sound in her voice and he replied with an eager grin and an enthusiastic nod.

"Well then," he heard the boy with Alisaunne say. "What do we do now?"

***

Ste. Genevieve

Amanda felt the others return. She'd found some drop cloths and used one to cover Marie-France's headless body. Although she understood that the children who were coming were not truly children... there was no sense in them seeing everything.

She wrapped the second one around Nick... now sitting shakily against a wall. He no longer tried to speak. He just sat... dejectedly waiting for what would happen.

Amanda had washed his face so that although there were no eyes in the healed sockets... he looked somewhat presentable. Already he had mostly healed... at least physically. "I need to find you some clothes," she said gently. I wonder if anyone here at the convent would have anything you could borrow?"

Nick's shoulders shook in an almost manic laughter. She wondered if he were imagining himself in a nun's habit or children's clothes.

Valeraine entered leading an elderly nun. The girl dropped the nun's hand and raced to Nick's side, kneeling as she did so. "I'm back Nick."

Nick raised his mutilated hand in her direction, finally making contact with the child's face. He leaned his head against the wall and Amanda knew he was sobbing... though no tears would fall.

Amanda smiled at the child, and then rose, leaving them to their reunion... such as it was. She stood beside the nun who was gazing down at the covered form.

"I'm Amanda. I am so very sorry for this."

The elderly nun looked at her gently and shrugged. "This was not your fault." The old woman lifted a gnarled hand and then said softly, "I'm Sister Luke. I suppose I am in charge here now. The other nuns are mortal. And the lambs... well they are our charges until they wish to enter the game."

Amanda nodded, "The Lost Ones...MacLeod told me that's what you called yourselves... the ones who knew their fate... and had accepted it. Still... I didn't really know her... but I wish I had. And I wish I could have saved her."

Sister Luke glanced over at Nick and the tiny Valeraine. "I think Marie-France saved herself. I sense her presence here still... in him. May it be enough."

"I need to find him some clothes... We have to leave soon."

Sister Luke nodded as she called to one of the boys. Swiftly she told him what to get and sent him on his way. "Ursa!" Sister Luke then called.

Behind her Amanda saw the giant. "So that's Ursa," she thought. MacLeod had once told her about the giant and had wondered what had become of him. As soon as Amanda saw his face she understood why he was here. He could protect the others against most comers... but against Nestor... he would have been lost... he would either have died or been taken over. And if that had happened... Amanda shook her head finally understanding completely why Nestor was so dangerous. She'd not seen Duncan when he was that way. He had told her about it... so had Joe for that matter when she'd asked... but she had not seen.

Gently the giant lifted Marie-France's body and head into his arms and carried them out of the classroom. He would take her body to the chapel where the nuns would help prepare their sister for burial. Amanda was glad she had been able to cover the body. Sister Luke gave Amanda a brief nod as she followed Ursa from the classroom.

The boy returned then with some work clothes, clean but plain and well-worn, and handed them to Amanda with an almost apologetic look. Amanda thanked him and walked over to Nick. She held them out to Valeraine. Together they dressed Nick.

Later, Ursa carried the crippled immortal to the SUV and while Valeraine made Nick comfortable in the back beside her, Amanda called Methos. "We're leaving now." Amanda turned on the ignition and drove off while Ursa, Sister Luke and four immortal children gazed after her. Their lives and their continued existence in this world lay in her hands, and in the hands of her friends. If they failed... Nestor would be back... and the world would devolve into chaos.