Chapter 12

Ste. Genevieve, two days later

Amanda paced furiously about Sister Luke's office. "Why hasn't Duncan called?"

"Patience, Amanda… perhaps he's on his way." Luke's calm voice did nothing to ease Amanda's fury.

"On his way?" Amanda stopped to point in the general direction of west. "He should have called by now!" Her voice rose petulantly. "For years… he calls at the drop of a hat just to say 'Hi!' and to check on Nick's progress but the one time I call him to get his immortal butt here…" She slapped both hands on Luke's desk, "… he vanishes!"

Luke sat quietly. She was worried… but she saw no reason to be angry. "Perhaps something happened to him."

Amanda froze suddenly. Her lower lip trembled. "Do you think so?"

"Perhaps you should go to Paris and check things out. See if anyone knows anything. Ian was still there the last letter I got from him… and Alisaunne."

Amanda nodded. "Maybe I should… but can you handle things here?"

Luke chuckled, "My dear Amanda… you are much older than I am… but I do have a lifetime of experiences. Go!… Go, go, go!" Luke whisked her hands back and forth with a laugh.

Amanda reached over and kissed her brow. "Thanks. I shouldn't be long." With that Amanda stopped by her room to pack an overnight bag… just in case… and then stopped by Nick's room.

They'd had him under restraints since Nestor had started cackling and making his presence known. Ursa'd had his hands full just getting Nick to his bed. He'd kept fighting the giant… something Nick never did. It had taken Ursa, Amanda and Valeraine to get the restraints on. Then they'd had to watch him cackle and writhe within them almost as if he were in the throes of some pleasure only he was aware of. It had been grotesque. Eventually Amanda had gotten the drugs and put him out for the night.

Drugs… even drugs as strong as the ones she'd managed to procure would not keep him out of it long… and they could not continue to administer them… The drugs would lose their effectiveness. They were a short-term measure only.

In the darkened room Amanda could see Nick lying calmly on the bed. His face looked so peaceful… almost as it had before… except he was so thin now. Valeraine had crawled up on the bed next to him and curled up. She raised her head, rubbing her eyes as Amanda entered. "He's so much better, Amanda. He's almost himself again."

"It's the drugs Valeraine… It's only the drugs."

The girl swung her legs off and sat dejectedly on the side of the bed. "I don't know… I'm so tired… but he really does seem better. I was reading the Aristotle and he started making jokes. I can almost understand him sometimes."

Amanda sighed. "I need to go to Paris Valeraine. I'll be back by tomorrow. Do not let Nick out of restraints… no matter what… Promise me. Once I get back… We'll see. Understand?"

The girl nodded sadly.

Nick grunted and turned his head to face Amanda.

"He wants to tell you something, get the pencil pad." Valeraine was ecstatic. Amanda handed the girl the pencil attached to a strap and watched as Valeraine attached it to Nick's palm… Then she placed the pad of paper beneath his hand. Nick began to make crude letters.

"H…L…P," Valeraine read. She looked at Amanda. "He wants us to help him."

Nick shook his head and tried to say something. He wrote once more. "A… L… S… N," Valeraine read aloud. "You want us to help Alisaunne?" Nick nodded. "I don't understand Nick?" Nick pounded his hand onto the pad and then finally wrote one final letter over and over, "N!"

Amanda touched his other arm. "I'll tell Duncan. He'll know what to do… Don't fret Nick. You're doing fine. We'll take care of everything." She squeezed his arm affectionately and then turned to leave.

Behind her she could hear Valeraine as she curled up beside the crippled immortal once more, "Shall I read some more… " Then, evidently getting an assent from Nick, the girl began to read Aristotle aloud again.

Amanda paused by Ursa on her way to the SUV to warn him to watch Nick… to not kill him… no matter what. Ursa nodded. Amanda hoped he understood. She truly did.

Atlanta

The crowd at the sports bar was boisterous. Carl Robinson and Derek Worth had settled back along one wall to watch the cheering for the basketball game and drink their beers. Within the neon lighted and smoky bar… they were safely anonymous. Just two more men out for a night on the town… a drink… and a ballgame.

"I still feel a little strange coming in places like this," Derek told his teacher. He'd been on his own for several years, but something strange had happened recently, and he'd wanted to discuss it with Carl.

"Aw man, these are the safest places for us to sit and discuss things," Carl chuckled as he reacted to a foul.

"I thought holy ground was safest," responded the young immortal.

"Yeah… if we need to discuss business and setting a challenge… but in places like this… there are so many people around… we might as well be on holy ground. Did you see that?" Carl gestured at the big screen. "I swear these refs are on the take. There's no way he fouled."

Derek smiled, shaking his head. He'd always had very little in common with Carl, but the man had known how to handle a sword… and being a new immortal, Derek had needed to learn when he'd come to him. But now… "Carl… we really need to talk."

The game broke for a commercial. Carl gestured with disgust at the screen. "So what's up?"

Derek sighed. "An immortal was after me recently," he finally said.

"Who was it?" Carl took a sip of his beer and motioned to the waitress for another round.

"I'm not certain. I do know he issued a formal challenge and agreed to meet on holy ground to settle the time and the place. I arrived… he didn't."

"So he changed his mind or met someone else." Carl polished off his drink, obviously not concerned.

"That's what I thought at first… but then I saw the blood." Derek traced circles in the wet spot on the table where his own beer mug had sat. "There was blood… signs of a struggle… and something else."

"Like what?" The waitress arrived with the beers. Carl tossed his money onto her tray and grinned at her, winking as he flirted.

Once the girl had left, Derek leaned close to his teacher and whispered, "His sword. I still have it."

Suddenly he had Carl's focused attention.

Derek nodded. "He left his sword on holy ground… I'd say someone got to him there. Someone killed him on holy ground before I got there."

Carl took a long draught from the fresh beer, set it down and wiped his mouth. "Now that presents a problem. Too bad that reverend friend of yours died a few years ago… Maybe he and those Watchers MacLeod once told us of could help. Do you have any idea who's your Watcher these days?"

Worth shook his head.

"Me neither. I know there's somebody there… there has to be… but I have no clue who they are… or where they are." He glanced slowly about the bar… seeking some clue as to who might be watching either Derek or himself. "Let's go!" he suddenly said, and rose, hastily donning his black leather coat and heading for the door.

Derek took one last sip of beer and followed Carl out onto the rain-slick Atlanta street. "What now?"

"Now? Now we walk a few blocks and try to see who's following. Once we discover them… we check for tattoos… and ask some questions." He inclined his head for Derek to follow. The two immortals headed south on Mason Street… aware that someone was Watching.