Chapter 83

Paris

Peering through the binoculars at the building on the Rue St. Denis, Duncan had some serious misgivings about their next step. Behind him, Amanda continued to placate and tease Daniels while Alisaunne glared at him menacingly.

Duncan lowered the field glasses and returned them to their case. Rubbing one hand over his face and then through his dark hair… he tried to plan something. It was important to get Ian back… if only to keep Alisaunne under control… but it was also important to do so with as little life lost as possible. Having once been the target of an all-out Watcher War… Duncan had no interest in facing another death sentence. So far… it seemed that immortals were being collected… not killed. But for what purpose? Any violence on his part might cause the Watchers to go ahead and kill the ones they were holding.

"Think MacLeod!" he whispered to himself. "Think, dammit! You have to figure this out!"

Alisaunne inched up to him and laid a hand on Duncan's arm. "They won't know me. Let me lead the way with our friend here," she pleaded.

Duncan glanced over at Daniels, who was grimacing sheepishly as Amanda continued her cooing and teasing her fingers through the man's hair.

The Highlander nodded. "Just don't kill him… no matter what. Promise me you'll use restraint. If you don't… Ian may die."

Alisaunne sobered thoughtfully as she nodded her agreement. Getting Ian back was paramount. She reached over to Daniels and curled one arm through his. "You and I are going to take a walk." She shoved her knife against his ribs insistently. "Not a word… unless it's necessary. One wrong word… one wrong inflection… or facial expression… and it will be your last."

Daniels nodded. Perspiring heavily… he allowed Alisaunne to pull him away from Amanda… but he glanced longingly back at the charming immortal thief.

Amanda grinned and waved. "Just do as your told, dear boy, and everything will be fine."

Daniels pulled out his handkerchief and wiped his face. "Ready. There are usually two guards at the door. I have to show my symbol and give the password. I have no idea how to explain your being with me."

"Say she saw a quickening and you want to debrief her," Duncan said as they passed him.

Daniels nodded. "That might work."

"Make it believable," Alisaunne warned and pushed again with her knife.

Duncan watched as the two of them crossed the street and entered the gated courtyard. He could just barely see the guards. Evidently Daniels' explanation worked… as he and Alisaunne vanished into the red brick building.

"Now what?" asked Amanda.

Duncan grinned. "How good are you at second story work?"

Amanda gave him a pained expression. "What do you have in mind?"

"Alisaunne will provide a distraction and we may be able to get to the building and climb in. We can then work our way down to her and help rescue Ian."

Amanda stared at the hanging balconies and the brickwork. "Without equipment? Hmm… possible. Difficult… but possible." She stretched and limbered up. As soon as she felt ready… she and Duncan crossed the street just up the block… and worked their way back to the ivy-covered wall. Duncan gave her a foot up and helped toss her upward where she grasped the ledge and pulled up… so that she lay flat on the wall… carefully eyeing the grounds. Then she reached down to grasp a climbing Duncan's hand and helped him to the top. "Stay low," she whispered; then slid cautiously down the other side. Duncan followed her, landing on the ground between the wall and the immense shrubs lining it.

Amanda motioned for him to follow her and led the way carefully through a stand of trees and across the grounds to the side of the house. Once there… she inched along the wall… ducking under a window as she passed it… until she reached the drainpipe. Pointing upward… she grinned.

Duncan laced his fingers together and gave her a quick boost up as he'd done at the wall. As he watched her scamper nimbly up the drainpipe… Duncan grinned in appreciation. Amanda did know her stuff!

At the second story… the thief encircled the drain with her feet and expertly leaned outward toward the balcony. She was just able to grasp the edge of the grillwork. Getting a firmer hold on it… Amanda released from the pipe and swung over and then up onto the narrow railing; then leaped down quietly onto the grilled floor. After glancing in the window… she motioned for Duncan to begin climbing.

He'd gotten about eight feet off the ground when the drainpipe began pulling loose from the wall with a loud wrench. He stared upward at it and then at Amanda.

Glancing around the grounds… Amanda motioned him on. Duncan began climbing again… aware that his greater weight was not making this easy. The wrenching and tearing of the pipe continued. Two feet from his being able to reach and grasp the bottom of the balcony grill… the pipe gave way and began to lean outward precariously.

Duncan made a valiant leap at the grillwork… his fingers actually touching the iron… before he fell to the ground. Amanda knelt down. "Jump," she mouthed and reached her hand through the grill.

Voices sounded nearby.

Duncan shook his head. He'd have to find another way in. He motioned Amanda to go on… and hid once more among shrubbery… waiting for the guards to pass. Glancing at the precariously bent drainpipe… the Highlander wondered how long it would be before someone noticed and raised the alarm.

Nervously… he crouched and peeked through the grillwork over the window on the first floor. Inside he could see a number of people working. Through the entrance to the room… he could see Alisaunne and Daniels speaking with someone. He had to get in there! But this window was not an option. Swallowing his nervousness… Duncan slowly inched toward the next window. Surely he'd find one he could enter… or a door.

-----

Alisaunne clung to Daniels… hoping her expression of fear and bewilderment… would cover her refusal to let go of him. She pushed the knife against him once more as a tall and very grim-looking man stopped them in the hallway. Rail-thin, the man's deceptively deep voice seemed like it should belong to another.

"Ah," Daniels began. "Monsieur LeCaron… This young mademoiselle has witnessed an… event. I've brought her in to explain what she saw. Perhaps, we might have a new recruit."

The tall man nodded and stepped aside… but he watched Daniels and the young woman move through the corridor and into a back office. Something wasn't right about that… but this was standard procedure when civilians witnessed quickenings. Sometimes the cover stories worked and the civilians went home assured they had not seen what they had seen… and other times… they joined their ranks. But it had been Daniels' apparent nervousness when he'd explained, that had raised a red flag. Perhaps he should keep an eye on them. Slowly LeCaron strolled down the hallway after them.

Inside the small windowless back office Alisaunne glanced around taking stock of the furnishings. She pushed Daniels into a chair and quickly ripped out the phone cord. "You will remain quiet," she warned as she tied him securely to the chair… her fingers knotting the cord expertly. She pulled Daniels handkerchief from his pocket and smiled. "Is there anything else I need to know before I leave you?"

Fearfully Daniels shook his head.

Alisaunne stuffed the handkerchief into his mouth and pulled off the tie belt of her trenchcoat, tying it tightly about his mouth. She patted his cheek. "You've done well. Now stay quietly in here… if I see you again before I leave… you will die." For a moment she ran the edge of her knife along the side of his face and across his throat where she thoughtfully paused… seeing in that moment how easy it would be to kill him.

"One less of them to bother you, my dear," whispered Nestor's voice. "Do it!"

Alisaunne shook her head and shivered. Getting Ian out of this place was far more important than giving in to the insistent visions and pleas that were ever more strongly whispering to her. She recalled all too clearly how bad Nestor had looked when he'd attacked her, and she realized that it would be the same for her if she began to follow the same path. Alisaunne knew that if she started… she might never be able to stop. A vision of being drenched in blood and screaming barbarically to lightning-filled skies was… for a moment… more real than Daniels.

Pulling the knife back… Alisaunne inched toward the door and cracked it open ever so slightly. As soon as she'd entered the building she'd felt the faraway and barely tangible feel of another immortal. She concentrated on that… and on finding him. As she saw no one in the hallway… she slipped out to begin her search.

From an alcove… LeCaron watched grimly. After the girl had vanished into a stairwell… he opened the office door and stared at Daniels. Raising his communicator he barked instructions into it. Smiling darkly he closed the door on the young Watcher and began to follow the intruder. With any luck… he'd have one more for Rawlins. Getting in here was easy… the immortal would find it much more difficult to get out. After all… they wanted her kind here.

-----

Burt pulled into the driveway of the safe house honking his horn. Joe looked really bad. His flushed face and raspy breathing concerned Burt greatly.

Amy opened the back door and stood for a moment in it until Burt braked to a stop and climbed out. "Amy… it's Joe!" he cried out.

Amy came running, flinging open the passenger side door and kneeling at Joe's side. "Dad? Joe? Can you hear me?"

Joe's eyes slowly focused. "… coming. Save… immortals." He shuddered and whimpered.

"What happened?" screamed Amy to Burt as she felt Joe's perspiring brow. Behind she was aware of the others.

"Mischkov got to him. Gave him some drugs. I wanted to take him to the hospital but he said Mischkov called this location in. We have to go. And go now." Burt eyed the immortal couple. "Get in!"

Kage opened the rear door to climb in. "Wait…" Grace said and knelt beside Amy. "I'm a doctor… let me take a look."

"People!" Burt barked. "We have to go."

Amy pulled back… climbing into the rear seat and leaning forward through the opening to hold Joe's hand. Tears sprinkled in her eyes. Kage climbed in beside her… slamming the door.

"This isn't right… mortals should not be dying to protect us."

Amy sobbed. "He's not going to die!"

Grace positioned herself in the front to examine Joe while Burt floored the accelerator and pulled out. She took note of Joe's thready pulse and swiftly throbbing heart. His raspy and labored breathing and temperature all seemed to contradict anything normal. "What did this Mischkov give him? Do you know?"

Burt pulled the vials from his pocket and tossed them to her.

Grace shook her head. "This one is poison… as for the other… I'm not certain what it is."

Joe wrapped his fingers around her hand. "Poison … antidote. Mischkov took other… survived."

Grace shook her head. "You must have misunderstood Mr. Dawson. This poison will kill you… even a little. And in your condition… it wouldn't take very long."

Joe closed his eyes. "Said it'd stop it. Everything burns. Fire in my blood!" He began moaning as his head lolled back.

"I'm certain it would end your torment. It would kill you. If he was telling the truth… and he did take this other drug… the one he gave you… then it must not be fatal. But you'll need to bear with it a bit longer." She turned to Burt. "We need to get him to an emergency room. I can only do so much without equipment and blood tests."

"No!" yelled Joe vehemently. "Bar… take me there."

"Joe… they may be looking for you there. It's too dangerous," Amy said softly.

… 'bout … safe house. All I told him. He… never mentioned my name. He's dead… until the others get here… he won't be raising any alarms."

"What about your regular Watcher?" Burt retorted. "Don't you think he'll call it in when all of us pile out of this car?"

"I believe I can help with that," Kage said calmly from the back. "No one else will die, if I can help it."

Burt nodded. "I'll help Grace and Amy get Joe into the bar. I'll let you out before we get there. You can circle down to surprise him."

Kage agreed. Two blocks from Le Blues Bar, Burt braked as Kage climbed swiftly out.

"Be careful John," called Grace.

"Always," he replied with a smile.

Pulling up at the bar's front entrance, Burt shifted into park. "Are you certain about this Joe?"

Joe nodded. "Need… to get…this 'fore we leave. Dangerous." Grace and Amy climbed out and helped Joe to his feet.

"Where's his cane?" Amy asked as Burt came around the car and slipped an arm around Joe.

"Mischkov broke it." Burt muttered.

"Spare… in office," Joe rasped as he handed Amy the keys as the others helped him into the darkened bar. He pointed toward the office. "Safe!"

"Keep watch," Burt barked to Grace.

She glanced at Joe's increasingly labored breathing. "He needs to sit down. Exertion is not good for him."

"Neither is stress," Amy said, calmly replacing Grace at Joe's side. She knew him well enough, that she understood whatever was driving him right now… it was more important to him than anything else. "We'll get whatever it is Dad… just tell me the combination."

Grace watched them take Joe into the office. Then she peered worriedly through the window. A man across the street was tossing a cigarette into the gutter and staring at the bar. He shook his head and then pulled out a cell phone. From behind him, John appeared, grabbed his arm and pulled the phone from the man's hands. Then he began pushing the man toward the bar.

Once they were in, Grace locked the door.

"Hey… you're both immortals." The man said in English with an American accent.

"I assure you…" John insisted. "You are in no danger as long as you cooperate. Now have a seat."

The man nodded nervously and sat. "I just watch Dawson. The higher-ups wanted to know if any immortals came to see him. I was just assigned."

"Then you have no idea why your organization is after us?" Grace asked.

The Watcher shook his head. "Sorry. You must have misunderstood something. We don't interfere with you people… we just Watch and record."

Grace threw up her hands and turned back to the windows.

Kage settled into a chair next to the man. "You can call me John," he said softly. "Let me tell you a story…