Chapter 59

Niebos, Greece, just before dawn

Denara was not certain what had awakened her. She was still trying to get the normal sounds of this island home memorized so that she'd be more aware of when something was not right. Laying in the darkness next to Madrigal she could hear only the pounding surf and a few dogs barking in the distant village.

Nevertheless she rose, and hugging her stuffed rabbit to her… padded softly through the villa. They'd spent most of the day over at the farmhouse… seeing what needed to be done to make it livable… and Denara had liked what she'd seen there. There were things about this island that hearkened back to the past she barely recalled anymore.

On the veranda she sensed Ursa… sitting on the steps and staring out into the distance. The giant was also still as uneasy in this place as she was. She padded up behind him and placed an arm about his neck.

"Ursa watch over small ones," he said.

"I know Ursa." Denara lisped in his ear and stared out at the nightscape with him. "I just couldn't sleep," she lisped. "This place is still too new to me to feel at ease."

"Old ones watch this place."

Denara giggled and lay her small head on his shoulder. "What old ones?"

"The ones who were long ago."

Denara shook her head. Ursa was a strange one. Then she heard it… and he did as well… the sound of a helicopter approaching.

"Inside!" Ursa roared and stood, hefting his great blade. Denara stepped back, her eyes on the distance. "Warn the Greek!" Ursa said and stepped from the veranda down onto the garden path.

Denara turned to race into the house. She ran smack into an armed and ready Phillip. "Warn the others," Phillip said quietly and pushed past her. She paused to regard him for a moment and then raced to wake the others.

Valeraine was already trying to get Nick somewhere, "Micah," she called out. "Help me move him." Together the two immortals hurried Nick deep within the house. Denara passed them by and ran to Luke's side.

"Stay with me little one," the elderly immortal said. She'd pulled on some clothes and had her cane in one hand. "Perhaps we can trick them just a little." Denara nodded, laughing at the juxtaposition of their real and relevant ages. She was the elder of the two… but her lack of size and development meant she had to depend on the adults around her to survive… but it didn't mean she didn't know a few things.

Madrigal and the younger boys had moved down toward the veranda but had been told to stay inside. They crowded around Denara and Luke.

"We do this by the numbers," Micah said as he appeared from deep within the house, his arms laden with weapons. He handed out the firearms to all of them. "Just like Amanda and Phillip showed us. Stealth and we watch one another's back."

They nodded their heads and moved quickly into defensive positions. "What about Valeraine?" Chou asked. He was doing deep-knee bends as if getting ready.

"She's watching Nick. We're the second line of defense. In case Phillip and Ursa fall, or in case there is a second wave from a different direction."

"All this to protect one immortal?" Madrigal shook her head. She'd made the mistake of getting too close to Nick once and Nestor had put in an appearance. She shuddered at the memory.

Micah drew his sword and gave it a few swings. "If he dies… if the mortals take his head because they see no reason to capture him… one of us becomes him… and no one wants that."

"Hush now children… let's focus on what we have to do," Luke's soothing voice said. "Let's concentrate on surviving… and on stopping them."

Denara couldn't have agreed more.

-----

Phillip stood beside Ursa and stretched. He was ready for this… although he'd hoped to have had more time. Ever since leaving Ste. Genevieve, he'd known the Watchers would likely find them here eventually. But he'd hoped to have more time. Now… even if they survived this night… more would come… and the peace of this island he'd called home for two and a half thousand years would be shattered.

Slapping Ursa on the back the Greek said, "We fight once more old one. And this time… we fight to protect Nestor from the others."

"We on wrong side?" Ursa looked at him thoughtfully.

"No… we are on the right side… it's just that things are not as they once were. I'd guess they picked up on Amanda and followed her trail back to us. I worried that might happen… but that's the way of it. She needs to meet with MacLeod. If something happens to either of them before that happens… I fear we are all lost. Let's just hope the doctor and his family are still safe." Phillip grinned at Ursa… but he was worried. He'd finally fired off emails after Amanda had left… emails to all of Methos' accounts and aliases warning him of danger… but there had been no response.

Now Phillip worried that his friends were also caught in this trap. And if they were… the hope of all immortals might be lost. He shook his head. Phillip had to concentrate on the here and the now.

"I am your champion, my lady… for all time," he whispered to the darkness. As always… there was no answer.

The chopper landed not far from the villa. Phillip pulled out the detonator… and smiled. There was only one place they could land on this hillside… and he'd prepared it long ago. He flipped open the screen and entered a code… an explosion rocked the night as fire leapt up into the sky… followed by the fuel explosions of the helicopter and the screams of the dying.

"You kill others?"

"Can't be helped. If they get past us… things could become dark indeed… especially if Nick dies."

"They would kill Nick… ahh." For once Phillip thought Ursa understood completely. "Nestor in us… very bad."

"Yes Ursa… very bad indeed." Phillip watched as a second helicopter hovered in the air. He could just make out men descending on ropes. "Time for surprise number two," he chuckled and grabbed the shoulder mounted SAM… the surface to air missile launcher. He focused it on his target and fired. Another explosion ripped open the night, and men screamed as their support vanished and they fell to earth.

In the distance… Phillip could here the sounds of his people awakening and the sounds of alarms going off. Further off… there was one more helicopter hovering. Swiftly he grabbed another missile launcher, but noted that the chopper was likely too far for it to reach from this location. Anyway… they'd likely be calling for reinforcements. Even if he destroyed that last helicopter of men… more would likely be on their way. Phillip understood that the only thing he and the others could do was fight a holding action… and hope that they bought the others enough time to stop this at the source… stop it… before all of Phillip's people died in the defense of this island.

"Let's go," he said to Ursa, and the two immortals headed out into the night to dispatch any survivors they found.

-----

Nick sat slumped in the darkness of wherever he was… aware that Valeraine was pacing nearby with her sword drawn… he'd heard the sound of it.

Within him he could sense the other slinking through his thoughts and cackling in glee. Nestor was excited and not just by what was happening here.

"The world is mine once more!" he seemed to hiss as his thoughts slithered among Nick's. Nick listened carefully for Valeraine… to know precisely where she was.

He'd not gotten much sense of where he was when they'd brought him here… nor why, other than that they were protecting him. But Nick didn't need protection.

He curled his one good leg under him and focused on his small guardian… with the right leap… he could force her to end this… and free him… and more than anything… Nick wanted his freedom… on that one note Nestor and he most definitely agreed. His crippled foot wouldn't maintain his stance for long… but it might be long enough to engineer that fatal stroke.

Once free… he would have sight again… and movement… he could find his bride and from within her… he would have free reign once more. Already she was bending to his desires and his thoughts. She was his… and he would have her for all time. But first… Nick listened for Valeraine's step and calculated his next move… he waited. Then he leapt.

-----

Luke heard footsteps racing toward the house from the hillside above. "Be ready," she called and faced whoever was coming. Three commandos with automatic firearms burst into the room. From her left… Luke heard the swift report from Micah's weapon as the men fell! Denis leapt forward and barred the door while Chou checked the bodies… swiftly dispatching the lone survivor.

"Move to second positions," called out Luke quietly, aware that all the children had moved and were even now awaiting the next onslaught.

From outside they could hear another massive explosion from a missile, and automatic fire punctuate the night, accompanied by Ursa's cries as he wielded his weapon. "Phillip still holds most of them at bay," Luke murmured when Micah caught her glance.

A canister of gas flew through a window shattering the glass. "Gas," she called, hoping the others were prepared. This one was hers. She launched herself onto the canister… letting her size help to smother the gas and then lifted it to throw it back through the window. She took a hail of bullets in the process and fell lifeless.

-----

From the field beneath the villa, Phillip dispatched the last of the commandos at this location and nodded with satisfaction as Ursa roared and sliced swiftly through another one. Pietros, the village elder had arrived and Phillip directed him and the others to take care of this location. Behind Pietros, Phillip could see others of his people with weapons of all sorts. During World War II their fathers had fought off the Germans… this batch of hooligans would be nothing… at least Phillip hoped that was the case. Although he realized more would come.

"Ursa… back to the villa!" Phillip called and raced up the hillside. Before him… a quickening rose… and he faltered. Who had died? What had he not forseen? With a greater fear in his heart than he'd ever known… Phillip raced toward the villa… worried at what he might find… and who might be dead.

In the east… the sun had fully risen… and in the distance… the sky was as yet clear from further attack.