Chapter 37

Niebos, Greece

It was nearly noon before Phillip finally stirred. They'd all arrived during the night on that boat he'd hired… being unwilling to wait for the morning ferry… and hoping to remain out of sight.

Phillip's villa was never meant to play host to a large number of people. As an immortal… he had few friends… and even fewer who knew where he lived. Arriving at the estate, he'd suddenly realized he had ten guests… and only three bedrooms.

He'd installed Nick… with the ever-present Valeraine in one room and given a second to Luke and Amanda. He'd offered the third to Madrigal and Denara… but they'd declined… choosing instead to bed down on the huge terrace with the three boys.

"We lambs stick together!" Madrigal had said simply. It was a rule they'd all learned at the convent long ago. Whenever two or more left the convent together… they were responsible for one another. So Phillip and Ursa had bedded down in Phillip's room.

Awakening… Phillip observed that Ursa had already risen. Phillip splashed cold water on his face and stared at his mirrored reflection wondering just how the hell he was going to explain all this to his small staff or to the village elders. Long ago, the people of Niebos had simply accepted Phillip's presence… and that of his occasional friends… as some blessing of the old gods who'd once ruled the land. They said nothing… and kept his secret. In return… Phillip protected them… watched over them… kept them safe. Now… there were ten immortals here… and there were people out in the world that wanted them all… what? Dead? Phillip was still uncertain about what had happened at Ste. Genevieve beyond that someone had been watching them there… and had come to collect at least some of them.

"Time to face the world you old Greek!" he finally grimaced to his reflection and headed down the corridor to the other rooms. A glance onto the terrace showed him four sleeping children. Madrigal was curled up on the chaise, while Micah and the two younger boys were wrapped in blankets on the flagstone surface. Phillip closed his eyes and felt one additional presence close-by.

Opening the glassed doors to his darkened office, he could just make out the small form of Denara curled on the sofa… still clutching that over-sized stuffed rabbit she always held. Even knowing that her blade was secured within the toy… did nothing to dispel the air of innocence about the four year old… however old she was.

Sitting up suddenly Denara sighed with relief, smiled at him and then re-settled on the couch. Phillip backed away and headed for the kitchen. He needed to see what was available to feed all these people. Whistling he sauntered into the sunlit kitchen and began searching through his larder for what he'd need to fill the stomachs of eleven hungry immortals.

Outside the back door he felt Ursa. Pausing, Phillip opened the door to stare at the gentle giant. Ursa was seated on a bench… his great axe in his hands… staring at the mountain.

"No one will bother us here Ursa," Phillip said softly.

"Not holy ground… Ursa must watch. Protect small ones."

Phillip stuffed his hands into his pants pockets and casually strolled to Ursa's side. "I know that. But I also know this… there is holy ground nearby if we need it." He crouched beside the large immortal. "But I don't think we will. Besides… if it's mortals who come for us… we need to be able to fight them."

Ursa nodded numbly and then pointed towards the mountain. "We go to holy place?"

Phillip stared at the mountain… knowing full well that holy ground was the secluded beach on the far side. "Perhaps later… I'd like to show the small ones."

"Nick," Ursa said flatly. "We take Nick there."

Phillip narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

"Old Ones want Nick there."

Phillip nodded slowly… there was some truth in that… but… "Ursa… without the oracle… the old ones will not speak to us." The Greek wondered how it was Ursa knew of the beach… and of its history. Surely if he had ever come to Niebos before… Phillip would have known of it.

"Ursa carry Nick to holy ground," the giant said… and then settled once more into whatever reverie filled his addled mind. Phillip remained beside the giant for some minutes before quietly rising and returning to his kitchen… and the preparation of breakfast.

He was nearly finished with the cooking when he heard something shatter and voices raised in an argument. Swiftly turning the flame out under the food… Phillip grabbed a butcher knife as he raced through the house.

He nearly collapsed laughing when he got to the scene, however. His housekeeper, Madame Kouris had disturbed Denara and the two of them were railing at one another in Greek… and Denara definitely had the upper hand over the old widow. Not only that but she was nearly ready to pull her weapon from her rabbit.

Phillip eased Madame Kouris out the door assuring her he would explain later… and giving her the day off. Once accomplished he turned and scooped Denara and her stuffed rabbit into his arms. "Little one… my servants do not precisely know about us… as I've seldom had few of us here. Needless to say… one such as you she has never seen."

"She woke me and when I yelled at her to get out and let me sleep… she called me a wicked child," she lisped insistently. "I am neither!" Denara lay her head on Philip's shoulder, her lower lip protruding sadly.

"I know… but we must all play the game… just a little." He carried her out to the terrace where the other children were stirring. "Anyone hungry?" Met by four eager faces… Phillip led the way back to the kitchen and finished dishing the food up. Over conversation centered around the island and its inhabitants… and its history… Phillip felt oddly at peace for the first time since leaving the convent.

Madrigal fixed a tray of food for Valeraine and Nick and left with it. On the way she passed Luke… now in modern attire and Amanda, who stepped aside to let the girl complete her errand.

"Where's Ursa?" Amanda asked, filling a plate for herself.

"Outside." Phillip likewise filled another plate to take out to the giant. Handing it to him… Phillip breathed deeply of the familiar air of home and sat beside him while Ursa ate. In the vineyards… the Greek could hear the familiar songs of the workers… and from below in the village… the peal of the church bells. There was much to do… he'd been away too long. True he'd kept in touch via computer… allocated funds… made decisions… handed down judgments… whatever he as a benevolent patron was expected to do… but still… Phillip preferred to be hands on… and not an absentee landlord. But before he could deal with things here… he had to figure out how to settle the convent's inhabitants quietly into life on the island. While some would and should remain at the villa… Phillip worried about all of them staying here and becoming too much a topic of conversation. He worried that they were too visible here… but he'd known nowhere else to go… nowhere else that might be safe.

It was at times like this that he missed discussing things with Methos… or Eleanor. His two closest friends often had a perspective on life that he didn't… and he trusted their judgment. But they were far away… and he would not seek their help. Not for all the answers in the world would he disturb them. Phillip wanted his friends to have their time together. Having been in love… and having lost lovers… Phillip knew only too well the importance of lovers having time apart from the cares of the world. No… Methos and Eleanor he would not disturb. He would find his own way through this morass of confusion.

Once everyone was settled… he'd get on-line and check a few of his contacts about the current immortal/watcher situation and see if anyone else had noticed anything. Perhaps he'd get in touch with the Highlander again. Just then, Chou and Denis came rushing out… boyish spirits high and pleading for a tour about their new island home. Phillip sighed and put his thoughts on hold… while he dealt with handling the small ones and their questions.

-----

Mid-afternoon found Phillip with Amanda and the children at the top of Mt. Niebos where the small ones climbed on the stone walls as their voices rang out joyfully… obviously enjoying the freedom of the island's relative safety.

Amanda stretched out her legs and threw back her head in the sunshine as she sighed deeply. Glancing at Phillip she indicated the children with a nod of her head, "It's all too easy to forget that in some ways they really are children… children who never really had a chance to be young at heart… who all too often are merely immortals trapped in small bodies."

Phillip passed her a water bottle. "In all the years I've come here… the people I've watched climb the mountain to go to the beach… I've seen this excitement among many of them. There is a magic here Amanda… a magic that heals the heart."

"I suppose…" Amanda chuckled. "Either that or those immortals are just way too happy to be away from that convent. Maybe they think this is a field trip?"

Phillip roared with laughter… tears filling his eyes. After some moments he calmed down. "I'll have to remember that one for the tourist flyers for this place. 'The Perfect Class Field Trip… Guaranteed to Excite Even the Most Bored of Students'."

"So," Amanda continued, "You were really a boy here?"

Phillip nodded. "My second life was here." When Amanda looked at him, the question looming, Phillip continued. "Oh… no… I didn't die my first death here. I was a slave and accompanied my master here. He left… I didn't… and all I am or ever became I owe to Danae… the Oracle… Immortal and friend."

Amanda slipped one arm into Phillip's as they rose and motioned the children to head down the path to the beach. "Why do I think there is an amazing story in there somewhere."

Phillip chuckled. "Maybe I'll tell you one day."

"I hope so."

Once they reached the beach… they found Valeraine, Luke, Nick and Ursa waiting for them. Phillip hadn't wanted Ursa to have to carry Nick up the mountain… not certain that the crippled immortal would manage to remain quiet for the entire journey. Luke of course was far too old… and where Nick went… there too went Valeraine.

They waved as the others came down the mountain path to the cove. Luke was setting out a picnic lunch while Nick sat in the sun… facing the ocean. Beside him Valeraine whispered all she saw. Even as his feet hit the white sand beach… Phillip seemed to hear the call of the ocean's roar. He dropped his pack and waded into the water… staring at the waves crashing on the rocks off-shore. In his heart he wished for the Oracle… or for Eleanor… Phillip had many questions… but he knew there would be no answers this trip. Reluctantly he turned away and flung himself on one of the blankets Luke had spread. Well… it was a glorious afternoon… and he'd had many glorious afternoons here over the centuries. Phillip stretched out on the blanket and remembered them all.

-----

Moscow

Reagan Cole paused in the alleyway. She narrowed her eyes and watched the pedestrians hurrying past. She'd had the most distinct feeling that someone was following her recently. Hidden in the shadows she carefully observed all that wandered past. Finally satisfied that no one was too obviously waiting around… waiting on her… Reagan moved on… casually… very casually.

Three blocks later she stopped to stare in a store window and caught sight of someone stopping suddenly… too suddenly… and staring in another window. Reagan smiled grimly to herself. She turned and continued her walk down the crowded Moscow streets… her eyes carefully finding her follower each time she turned onto another street. By this time… it was not so much where she was going… as making certain her tail was actually following her. He was.

Reagan hurried up suddenly and then slipped into an alleyway. At the alley's entrance the man paused and looked about. Reagan reached out and pulled him into the alleyway… slamming him roughly against the brick wall.

"Who are you?" she asked plainly.

"I'm your Watcher, Reagan Cole… and I'm your friend."

"I choose my own friends. And what's a Watcher?"

"Mortals who know what you are… mortals who chronicle the story of your life… your immortal life. My name is Warren Green. I've been watching you for four years."

Reagan stepped back. "You have an interesting delusion… Mr. Warren Green. You think I'm what? Immortal?"

Warren pulled an old leather-bound book from inside his coat. "This is your chronicle… Believe me Ms. Cole. You and others like you are in grave peril."

Reagan took the offered book, her eyes falling on the odd fleur de lis symbol burned into the cover. She'd seen this before… many years ago… on the arm of a trusted servant. Reagan flipped the pages of the book… her eyes landing on 1833… and a meeting with a certain Highlander. After reading a few paragraphs, Reagan nodded. "So you do know of me… and what I am… Again… why should I trust you or treat you as a friend?"

"Because, Reagan Cole, members of my organization are attempting to pervert what we have been for millennia… those who watch and record… but never interfere in the immortal lives of those we watch. There are those… who would interfere… I'm putting my own life in danger to talk with you… But… I believe in immortals… I believe in you."

Reagan chuckled. "I can take care of myself. There have been many men… both mortal and immortal… over the centuries who have threatened me. They are all dead. And I am still here. If you know my life… then you know this."

Green nodded. "I know… but I also know the people now in charge of the Watchers… and I know they will stop at nothing to possess what you have."

"What I have?"

"Your immortality."

Reagan looked out into the oncoming dusk of the Moscow evening. Grasping Green's arm she pulled him along. "We need to go someplace and talk… I want to know everything… everything."

Green nodded as he let Reagan drag him along behind her. He only hoped that his superiors did not have a tail on him… that they did not suspect his duplicity. As it was… he'd have to tell Reagan about the transponder imbedded in his thigh. They'd have to decide what to do about that if they needed to vanish completely.