Chapter 80

Paris

Duncan's conversation with Joe the previous evening had been short. Eleanor had been at Joe's… but had just left. Joe had tried to get her to take a cell phone… but she'd refused. He'd tell her to contact Mac if and when he saw her again.

"Mac… it's best if I don't know where you are or how to contact you… they're watching me very closely right now."

"Stay safe, Joe," Duncan had said before shutting his cell phone off. "We can't wait for Eleanor to contact Joe again… we need to move tonight to find Ian."

After dressing in dark clothes… and they'd driven to the area where they'd begun their painstaking search. Duncan had hoped… if Ian were there… they'd feel him. But if he was in the area… they had no sign of him… nor did any of the estates look overly suspicious. By dawn… they'd found perches to survey the comings and goings of individuals in the area… trying to determine if anything was suspicious. No guards… other than uniformed ones at the tourist sites could be observed. Despondent… they'd regrouped at their car.

"There were three pin-holes in the Paris area," Duncan said. "So now we'll hit the second one."

Amanda reached out a hand to caress his arm in sympathy. Duncan smiled at the gesture… lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. Then he pulled her into an embrace… wishing once more that they were back at the inn and on their own.

Alisaunne suddenly snapped her fingers. "I have an idea!"

"What?" Duncan replied.

"That Watcher at St. Julien's… perhaps he'll be back. I can go there. He might be willing to tell us where they're holding Ian."

"We are not taking a chance in going there right now!" Duncan said, shaking his head. "Maybe later. Maybe at night."

"Besides," Amanda added, "How do you plan on getting him to talk to you? Will you torture him?"

Alisaunne straightened and threw her shoulders back. "If I have to."

"No!" ordered Duncan.

"But…" the young woman's lower lip trembled. "But you tortured that one in Tunis… if that was all right… why not now?"

Duncan sighed, shaking his head. "First of all I merely frightened him… I didn't hurt him… not really." The Highlander was increasingly aware that there was a dark and bloodthirsty edge developing in Alisaunne. It was to be expected, he supposed, which was why students were usually sent off to be on their own after their first kill. That had been his original plan… a plan that was now in shambles. "Secondly… I don't want to expose our movements or intentions to the Watchers. It's better that they don't realize how much we know."

Amanda's voice suddenly interjected quietly, "I know him!" She leaned closer to Duncan and peered over his shoulder at the man walking briskly up the street. "Don't turn to stare!" She clapped a hand on Duncan's chin as he started to turn and kissed him… but her eyes were on the Watcher. Pulling away slightly she explained. "He was one of the men at the airport that Cory and I evaded. He's the one I slammed my suitcase into." She arched her eyebrows with a grin.

The Watcher… seeing only a couple embracing and a young woman he did not recognize… passed them by and continued up the street.

When Alisaunne started after him… Duncan grabbed her arm. "Just follow at a discreet distance. He may lead us to their site. The young woman nodded and pulled away, strolling after the Watcher.

Duncan, his arm still around Amanda's shoulders… followed some distance behind. To anyone watching… he hoped they appeared to be a romantic couple seeing Paris for the first time. He also kept an eye on Alisaunne… strolling some distance ahead of him and Amanda. He worried she'd do something rash… move too soon… lash out instead of pull in. Duncan had noticed the anger flashing in her eyes earlier… and while he, too, was angry… there was a time for anger… and a time for restraint. This was a time for restraint.

To discover what they needed to know… they needed to use a light hand… the velvet glove over the iron fist… not the fist itself. Duncan felt that too much pressure on a Watcher might make him clam up entirely… besides… Duncan had always felt that honey drew more flies than vinegar. It was an old wives' tale… but a truth nevertheless.

"I'll be the good cop," Amanda chuckled with a knowing grin. "Alisaunne is determined to be the bad one."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Duncan murmured.

Ahead of them Alisaunne's thoughts were much the same. First and foremost… she wanted Ian back. To that end… she was willing to be patient… but only just so. If this Watcher could help… she would have what he knew… if he didn't… then he was unimportant and his death might send a message to his superiors that she meant business.

As their quarry turned onto a side street… Alisaunne sped up… fingering her knife hidden within her coat. Her eyes narrowed… and visions of what she could do with it flashed through her mind as they had for days. Alisaunne followed the man into the sidestreet.

He'd stopped at a newsstand. Alisaunne stepped behind him and pressed her knife against his back. The man stiffened.

"Come with me," she snarled, "quietly or you will die where you stand."

"You wouldn't dare," the man whispered. "Your actions would be seen."

"But you'd still be dead," the girl replied. "You people have someone I care about… I want him back. To that end… you live. If you cannot help or refuse to… I have no qualms about killing you and finding another."

The Watcher replaced the newspaper he was holding onto the stack, flashed a brief smile at the attendant… and said quietly. "Left or right?"

"Left!" Duncan said sharply as he came up beside Alisaunne, and slipped an arm into the Watcher's to propel him along. "Not a word."

Moments later they'd reached an alley. Duncan shoved him against the wall.

Amanda draped an arm over Duncan's shoulder and grinned at their captive. "Hello love… remember me?"

The Watcher nodded, swallowing nervously as he did so. Perspiration beaded on his upper lip.

"Now then…" Amanda pushed Duncan gently to one side. "We can do this my way… or I can let my young friend have her way." Amanda ran a hand lightly through the Watcher's hair. "Such a nice-looking young man. I'd bet if she slices your nose off… you'd find yourself at a distinct disadvantage where the ladies are concerned."

Duncan chuckled as the Watcher's eyes darted toward him. "I think I'll leave you in the ladies' capable hands. He turned to keep watch, noticing that Alisaunne was fingering her knife menacingly. He hoped she understood the difference between threatening to hurt someone… and actually following through on it.

"Please…" the man pleaded, as his eyes followed Alisaunne's every movement. "I know where he is. I can take you there."

Amanda grinned and held his chin in one hand. "That's more like it. Lead the way… and remember… my friend here will make you pay for any betrayal."

Alisaunne flashed the knife before the Watcher's eyes. She did not grin… nor smile.

He got the message and nodded. "It's on Rue St. Denis. I'll take you there."

Amanda curled one arm into one of his. "That's all we ask dear boy."

"Bruce Daniels," he added. "That's my name."

Amanda laughed lightly and clutched his arm tightly as Alisaunne took his other one. "Of course it is," the immortal thief chuckled.

Duncan let them pass… and then followed closely. So far… so good. He just hoped that Bruce Daniels truly did know where Ian was.

-----

Avril Mischkov secured Dawson's arms to the arms of a wooden chair with a roll of duct tape. He'd always found it served well… and hurt like hell to be removed. Normally… he'd also have taped the ankles… but Dawson's prostheses had negated that. Instead… Mischkov held up the old man's cane and snapped it in two.

"I doubt you'll be needing that," he sneered as he set the small wooden box containing the syringe and vial of drugs on the table, opening it.

"I'll tell you nothing," Joe snapped at him.

"Oh… this isn't truth serum," Mischkov leered. "This so much more effective." As he filled the syringe and tapped its small plunger so that a few drops spilled from the needle, he continued. "One cc of this and you will feel heat emanate through your body as the drug is carried along through your blood system. At first it is rather pleasant. But as it moves from veins into your heart… you will feel as though your heart is boiling. Then as it travels through your arteries… the fire will make you scream. I know… I endured it to know exactly what it felt like. As it empties into your lungs… every breath you take will be like breathing fire. When it hits your brain… you will feel as though your brain is exploding. At that point… I will threaten you with an additional one cc. Believe me… you will tell me whatever you know to prevent that." Mischkov smiled thinly. "You will sell your soul for relief." He lifted a second vial and waved it before Dawson's eyes. "I can be merciful."

"You sorry son-of-a-bitch! You don't deserve to wear the Watcher symbol." Joe struggled against the tape.

"It is a new order, Dawson," Mischkov said smoothly. "One to which you are not welcome." He poised the syringe over Joe's arm… aiming at the vein along the inner elbow. "I've reduced the dose slightly as you are missing your legs. I only hope I've guessed correctly. Too much at one time will drive you quite mad." Chuckling… Mischkov plunged the needle into Joe's arm and pushed the plunger. "Don't struggle Dawson… it only makes it worse."