Chapter 47

Outside Geneva

As Ellie directed, Derrick pulled to a stop on a deserted stretch of road outside of Geneva, and parked the car beneath some trees near a picnic area.

"Wait here," she said and climbed out. He watched her head toward a picnic table and climb up on it to have a seat. She was going to read her mail.

"What's that about?" Keith Boyer asked. "What's so important that she has to read them now?"

Derrick shrugged. "Don't know. Don't care." And he didn't… not really. She wanted to read the letter from Darius before they went much further… and she wanted to be by herself when she did so. His arm was starting to throb again and his head ached. He didn't know too much about this new immortal… other than he had no great fears about him… and he had evidently seen Methos… but what he'd seen didn't sound good.

Derrick reached into a bag on the floor of the front passenger side and pulled out a bottle of water. "Want one?" he asked Keith.

The young man shook his head. "Think I'll stretch my legs a bit." He climbed out and did exactly that… stretching beside the car… and limbering up. Derrick stared at him… but still did not feel any danger from him. Nevertheless, he got out of the car… thinking to distract the immortal… so he'd leave Ellie be.

"So…" Keith asked as Derrick climbed onto the hood of the car, "How long you known her?"

Derrick took a long sip of water as he swallowed some pills. "I was six. She saved my life."

Keith nodded and leaned against the car. "And when did you find out about her… about her being immortal?"

Derrick laughed. "I was ten. I saw her take another's head… most effectively."

"That's young! So what do you think about all this?"

Derrick shrugged. "The world is what the world is," he replied with a smile. For the first time since leaving England… Derrick had that sense of the old memories. He shook them off as he watched Ellie read the letter. "Why do you ask?"

"I mean," Keith said with a shrug. "I knew nothing about any of this and woke up one day to find out I was immortal. Sometimes I wonder what it might have been like to have known about immortals when I was young."

"Do you really think your life would have been different? I mean… what would have been different… how would that make you different."

Keith laughed. "I don't know… I don't suppose it matters. I learned. I fought. I killed. I make do. Most don't think I'm much of challenge because I look so young." He arched his eyebrows. "But appearances can be deceiving!"

Derrick straightened and glanced at Ellie reading that letter. Then back at Keith, his brow knotted with worry.

Keith laughed and gestured toward Ellie, "What I mean is her… she's so little… and yet I'll bet she's quite a fighter. There's a feel about her I've never felt before. Something really, really strong… almost seductive. As soon as I saw her… felt her quickening… I knew I wanted to meet her…"

Just then a strangled scream sounded from Ellie. Derrick leaped to the ground and started toward her then stopped.

"I'd kill him… I'd absolutely kill him!" she was screaming out as she stormed about the picnic site, pushing the trash barrels over. "If he weren't dead… I'd kill him!"

"Whew!" Keith said from beside him. "What's that about?"

Derrick shook his head. Suddenly he didn't want to be anywhere near Ellie. He began to back up. He'd never seen her so angry. There was a feel from her like what he had sometimes felt from immortals who were a threat to him. And right now… he thought Ellie was a threat.

Then she looked straight at him.

Snarling she started toward him. Keith got in the way. "Hey… Ellie… what's wrong?" Ellie tossed him to one side as if he were nothing. She stopped less than three feet from Derrick and glared at him… her fists clenching and unclenching. Then she began to shake and cry. Turning away she wailed, and collapsed on the ground where she stood. He crouched down beside her and gathered her into his arms.

"He's sorry… I know he's sorry. I've always felt that… He's so sorry." Derrick had no clear idea what Darius' memories were sorry for… only that they were. She turned and clutched his arms and sobbed.

Nearby Keith Boyer stared and began to wonder if he wouldn't be better off someplace else. But he didn't want to go… not yet.

Later… as the darkness deepened into a starry night… Derrick lifted the exhausted and sleeping Ellie into the passenger seat and stared at Keith. "Are you coming or staying?"

Keith considered it very carefully. "I don't think she wants me here."

"She likely doesn't. If you make her angry… she could kill you. You might be better off on your own."

Keith nodded and backed away. He stood for some time after watching them drive off… then he looked into the night sky and wondered at what he'd felt. Ellie's fury had been like that of an impending thunderstorm… as strong as the released power of quickening could be after a beheading… and he was surprised to see that the stars still shown brightly in the clear sky. Shaking his head… he sauntered down the highway… on the way back into Geneva.

-----

They'd driven less than an hour when Ellie stirred. "Where are we?"

Derrick told her.

"Where's Keith… I didn't kill him, did I?"

"No… but I think he decided he might live longer if he stayed away."

Ellie straightened up in the seat and looked around. "He was smart to leave. I've killed men for less than standing in my way. I'm surprised you're still here."

Derrick laughed, aware that his arm was throbbing again… likely the constant driving was irritating it. He made a fist… released it and dropped his right hand into his lap… trying not to use it for a while. "Well… you're my sister and Adam told me to look after you."

"Yeah, I just bet he did!" Ellie laughed. The storm seemed to have passed. She ran a hand through her hair and sighed. "Damn them both."

"What did the letter say?"

Ellie sighed and was quiet a long time. "You really don't know… do you?"

"No."

"What did you tell Adam to make him decide to come get them?"

Derrick watched the lights of the oncoming traffic zoom by and tried to find the words as he'd done that night. "When you were burned… and then you healed, the old memory was desperate to help you. It… he… wanted so badly to relieve your pain… help you… make it better. I couldn't tell if it was from some other time… but it felt real. And then that flash we all felt and you started to heal… I had a sense of a moment in a church… and the three of you… and then a name… Alisaunne." Derrick shrugged. "That was that girl I met after we looked in the crystal, wasn't it? He knew her when she was small… she was special… Ellie? Who is she?"

But Ellie said nothing… and the miles to Paris melted away.

-----

Paris

Duncan had reached Paris by late afternoon and quietly checked the three of them into a hotel. After making some calls about the storage facility, he warned the others to remain in the room, and headed out on his several errands.

His first stop was the storage facility where Alisaunne's belongings were kept. He let himself in and spent two hours sorting through things before he found the Candide. It was a first edition… very old… bug spotted pages, worn leather cover… it had seen better days. Inside the front cover were the same two symbols that were inside Les Miserables… the ones Ellie said she'd written long ago. Sitting on a trunk he thumbed through the book until he found the envelope and the picture. He pulled it out and stared at it.

The picture was of Ellie. He had no idea who the children were supposed to have been… evidently two she'd raised in some desert country years ago. He turned the snapshot over and read the date… "May 23, 1949" Duncan shrugged. The date meant nothing to him… but Darius' words to Alisaunne made him wonder. "My friend and her children… The book was your mother's." Carefully Duncan placed the photo back in the envelope and laid it aside. He ran his fingers over the book and flipped pages looking for a clue… as diligently as he'd ever looked through Les Miserables… but he found nothing.

"Sometimes a book is just a book!"

Duncan smiled recalling Methos' words to him when they'd found nothing in the Hugo novel. Maybe there was nothing here and he was just clutching at straws. Still… he'd take it and the photo to Alisaunne… he'd promised.

Stuffing the novel into his coat pocket… he locked up and headed to Le Blues Bar. He wanted to see Joe.

-----

The band had really brought the crowd in tonight! Joe shuffled between the bar and the tables… playing genial host, welcoming his patrons… and showing his appreciation for their business. The band was well-received. He wasn't playing with this group tonight… though they'd invited him to sit in on a few numbers. Joe had declined. Amy was supposed to be by later… and he wanted to be able to talk with her.

Joe noticed Melanie Pryor standing by the bar, and crossed to see how she was.

"Much better. I didn't realize how tired I was. I shouldn't have slept so long. Watch me I've likely lost him or did you get someone on him?" Evidently rest had not stilled her nervous monologues.

"He's fine," Joe laughed. He'd had Pierre Gautier check on Delano and as of ten minutes ago… the immortal was still huddled on that rooftop.

"Well… thanks for everything… the bed, the food, the help… the cash." Melanie took a deep breath. "And normally… I'm not quite so at loose ends."

Joe smiled and then noticed Mac at the door. He sobered. "Listen… you go on now Melanie. And if you need anything else… you got my number… right?"

Melanie nodded, kissed his cheek and headed out the door… not even giving Mac a second look. Joe gestured for Mac to join him at a back table. The Highlander slid into a seat.

"Full house tonight, Joe."

"Don't you full house me, Duncan MacLeod. How was Cannes?"

Duncan gave Joe an odd look, then chuckled… "I guess that's where I was headed the last time I came in. Sorry, Joe… something came up."

"Something Hell! You coulda dropped me a postcard or something." Joe leaned back in his chair shaking his head. "Amanda came by to find you… then she vanished. Methos came by a few weeks ago… now he's vanished. What's a guy to think?"

"Methos was here?"

"Yeah, he stopped by to find you. When you weren't here… he left."

"Was… Ellie with him?"

Joe shook his head. "Naw… she came by a week later. But she's gone too. Listen Mac… there's somethin' I got to tell ya…"

Duncan's fingers tapped nervously on the table as he awaited Joe's words.

"I think the Watchers are kidnapping immortals."

"Kidnapping… not killing?"

"I don't think they're killing you guys… but I think they may be refilling the sanctuaries… it's the only think that makes sense. Mac I've spent the last few days talking with old friends. We've pooled the few clues we have… and that's what we came up with. Amy… you remember Amy?" When Duncan nodded, Joe continued, "Amy's still a Watcher and she's trying to find out what's going on. She's due here any moment. Mac… you may have been seen when you got here. For Amy's sake… you gotta get out of here before she gets here."

Duncan nodded. "I'll be in touch… if I can be." He rose and left.

Joe sat for a long time nervously stroking his beard. "Stay safe Mac… stay safe. Shortly afterwards, Amy entered. Joe smiled warmly and gestured her over to the table.