Chapter 98

Athens

Despite his insistent sense that he needed to be free… that he needed to reach Nick… that he was needed now, Ursa sat calmly in the holding cell. These men around the cage did not seem inherently evil… they simply could not understand him. Thus the small one had said to wait. If Ursa waited… then the moment would come. And… when the moment came… he'd break free… find the small one… and together they would find Nick.

To pass the time that seemed to crawl by, he sang… unaware of its effect on others as he'd always been. He'd sung because it was beautiful. Music had always been a sound that had reached to the heavens and filled him with a fire and made him wish to fly. When he'd joined the brothers in their singing long ago… learning the chants… he'd been one of them. We had been welcomed to be with them… serve with them… live with them.

Then they'd gone and in terror he'd fled to the caves below the streets. Eventually, once more he'd heard music. But this music was unlike anything he'd heard before. Sung by a woman, it had reached even higher heights. For her, he'd killed. For her he'd almost destroyed several of the others. But the MacLeod had come. And he'd helped Ursa see that the woman was not a good person. Free of her spell, he'd watched her die and felt sadness that one who could fill the world with such beauty… had not been touched by it herself.

The MacLeod had placed him with other brothers who had also sung. Ursa had been at home at once. But the old ones had come and said he must move on. He must go to the school and protect the small ones. Sadly he had gone… for he missed the music. But he'd discovered to his joy that the music was wherever he was. He carried it inside him… and he could sing to the walls… and feel the music echo again and again.

Now the small ones had fled from the school. The end of days was here as had been foretold long ago. Even Nestor had returned. Ursa shivered… trying to recall Nestor, as he'd been long ago… when Ursa had stood at the side of the old ones and wielded his great blade for them. He shuddered. Nestor had held him for a time. Nestor was bad. Nestor had hurt him. Ursa's mind turned from that. It was difficult to explain. It was difficult to understand. Perhaps the old ones would explain some day.

Now he knew that he needed to go to Nick. But first he had to be free. And then he had to find the small one. With a start, Ursa realized his thoughts had returned to the beginning. He glanced dully around at the men and women gathered around his cell staring at him. He closed his eyes and slowly fell to one side. He would be still and silent. They would open the door. And the chance would come.

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Denara clutched the stuffed rabbit and allowed the medical personnel to check her over. They seemed very caring… she could hear their clucking about "the poor child". Denara bit her tongue and waited. She raised her arms when they asked it of her. She stuck out her tongue. It did not matter. She knew they'd find nothing wrong with her… although she worried about blood tests. Perhaps she could feign hysterics if they brought a needle.

So far they seemed more interested in how she moved… and whether the man had mistreated her. Denara had said nothing other than to say no, Ursa was her friend. Finally the door had opened and a severe couple entered. Immediately Denara understood that these were her supposed parents. Since she did not know them… she sat very still and waited.

The woman approached and tentatively put an arm about her shoulders. Denara could smell her fear.

"Denara, yes… this is our Denara whom we lost. This is our child."

Denara said nothing but shrugged the woman's hand free and glared at her.

"I fear she has no memory of either of you. It is a sad case," the doctor said sympathetically.

"I don't recall them because I have never met them." Denara immediately regretted her outburst. But she was tired of this, and she was weary of pretending to be something she wasn't.

Then she felt it… another immortal. She clutched the rabbit and shrank back on the exam table. Her pretend parents stared at one another and then at the door. Denara smiled. They knew and they'd just betrayed that fact to her.

Both seemed to realize it in the same moment and regarded one another and then her. The father opened the door to speak to someone in the hall… and then all hell broke loose.

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Ursa had continued to feign unconsciousness as his jailers had fussed over him in the holding cell. He'd maintained his lax form and did not respond… no matter what.

He felt himself at last lifted on a stretcher and carried out. His hearing told him that at least four men were struggling to get his body into a vehicle of some sort. Around him he heard others… likely armed. He kept his eyes closed, and did not move.

Once he was shoved into the vehicle, and he heard the doors close just before it began to drive, he breathed more easily. He still needed to wait… just a little longer… until he sensed Denara. Once he did… nothing would stop him.

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Ursa opened his eyes as the doctors hovered over him and smiled. Slowly he sat up. Two armed men aimed weapons at him. He stood and looked dully around. He could feel her… at least he hoped it was the small one. She'd said not to harm the others if he could help it.

Resolutely he headed out of the curtained area.

"Stop!"

"We'll shoot!"

Their words meant nothing to him. They were just words. Before the men could fire, Ursa pulled their weapons out of their hands as he passed them … and broke the weapons. The men drew back in fear… but Ursa was through with them… it was the small one he had to reach.

He stalked through the Emergency Room, pushing away anyone who got in his way… anyone who attempted to hold him… and focused on the buzzing feel of the other immortal. No matter who attempted to stop him, he pushed them away. Anyone who aimed a weapon at him had it ripped from his hands. Ursa would not be stopped!

Arriving at the closed and guarded door of an examining room, Ursa reached out to grasp the neck of the guard and cast him away. The door opened… and another man stared at him startled… his eyes widened in fear.

Ursa tossed the man in his hands and grasped the other man who'd been attempting to slam the door. Pulling him out of the room, the giant likewise tossed him to one side and entered the small room. The small one was here! He reached his arms for her as she reached for him.

"Ursa!" he heard Denara say as his arms closed about her in triumph. Holding her, the giant immortal turned to race from this place. He heard shouts behind him and angry calls. In his loping gait… he carried her swiftly through the streets. "We need to hide Ursa!" the child in his arms said insistently.

Ursa nodded. His eyes swept over the surface of the streets until he found what he sought… a storm drain. With one massive hand he pulled it free with a great wrench, tossed it aside… and leaped into the water below… Denara still in his arms. He turned from the light above him… and waded through the rushing water into the darkness… and the familiar feel of the world below the surface.

He could still hear the voices of they who followed. But although Ursa did not know this system, he knew what rushing water meant… and he knew if he followed it, it would lead him to the sea. Clutching the small one in his arms… he followed the torrent of water.

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"I see light ahead!" Denara called out after some time. She was cold and wet despite Ursa's attempts to hold her high above the surface of the water. Her stuffed rabbit was sodden. He'd likely have to be discarded soon. She'd have to find another animal to hold her blade. Right now… the blade within him was their only weapon. "Set me down over there!"

Ursa nodded and stood the small one on a stone outcropping and watched as she tore the rabbit opened and brandished the small blade… little more than a knife to one of his size. Denara dropped the rabbit. She reached out her arms for him to pick her up once more. Ursa did so and crouched as the tunnel became smaller and smaller as it began a downward slope.

He slipped and slid on the slimy surface, but held Denara tightly as they both were swept away by the force of the water. Faster and faster they moved through the tunnel until they were cast out into the light. They seemed to hold for a moment in the air… before falling to the blue waters below. Plunging into the sea… he still kept his hold on her. Finally the downward plunge ended, and he kicked to force them upward again. He still breathed… but he'd felt the small one die from lack of air.

His head broke above the surface of the waves. He shifted Denara so that her face, too, was above the surface. In one lax hand was her knife. He grasped that in his hand as he kicked out for the shore. When his feet touched sand beneath him… Ursa lifted Denara in his arms and carried her to the beach, where he lay her gently on the sand.

He pushed her dark hair from her face and glanced around at the others who were on this beach. They gathered around… curiosity on their faces. Denara coughed… spitting up water. Ursa leaned back on his heels.

They'd be coming soon. He needed to get to a boat! He gathered her into his arms and loped toward a small boat pulled up on the sand. He dropped Denara into the boat as he pushed it into the water and leaped in after her. Grabbing two oars… Ursa began to row away from the shore… and out to sea. Behind him the others on the shore shouted. He did not look back.

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Denara shaded her eyes as Ursa rowed. She was nervous. They were all too easy a target out here on the water's surface.

"Head for a cove!" she said pointing in the direction of an isolated area.

Ursa stopped rowing and shook his head. "Have to get to Nick!"

"You can't row that far Ursa… we'll find another way."

Sadly Ursa turned the boat. Overhead a helicopter approached and hovered… its blades whipping around and blowing the seawater about them in choppy waves. A man leaned from the chopper, aimed a rifle, and fired.

Ursa's arm flinched at the impact. He shook his head, roaring his defiance, and continued to row. Denara gazed up at the chopper and then at the shore. There was no escape… except the water again. And this time… she knew the Watchers would be watching… and waiting.

Another shot rang out and blood spurted from Ursa's head as he stiffened and then slumped over the oars.

Another man began rappelling down a rope. Denara crouched in the boat… her sword gripped tightly in her small hand. They'd pay! She'd make certain they paid.

As the man swung above the boat and then dropped into it… she slashed and pushed him over. Blood spread about him… in the distance she saw a shark's fin. She had no time to consider it. She heard another shot… and crumpled into the boat.

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When Denara came to herself, she was being lifted into the hovering helicopter. As the harness restraining her swayed in the breeze of the circling blades, she struggled to be free and watched in horror as a man lifted a katana and severed Ursa's head.

The quickening blasted out in a massive surge and the helicopter swiveled around and around, fighting the force of the explosion. Lightning crackled over it, killing the electronics. The helicopter began its headlong dash into the blue Aegean.

For the second time in recent memory, Denara felt the quickening of a friend blast into her. But whereas Luke's had been gentle and weak… this quickening was strong enough to make her scream and shudder uncontrollably. Wave after wave of power sparked into her… and the excess power brought storm clouds and darkness.

As she sank into the water… inexorably pulled by the sinking helicopter… she understood Ursa's compulsion to return to Niebos. Something was horribly wrong… and there was no one who could stop it. Then the darkness of death took her… and she knew nothing more.

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Niebos

He'd almost been free!

He'd had control of his bride! He could see through her eyes… speak with her mouth… and kill with her hand.

She was his as he'd always intended… and then the quickening of the other had pushed him out. Nestor was blinded and crippled once more… trapped in the young immortal's body. He huddled in the hole he'd climbed into and silently cursed those who were interfering with his plans.

If he could not have her… then he'd take another. The only one here, though, was the little girl. And even the girl was damaged goods at the moment. He'd sliced her throat and almost taken her head. He'd been shot, though… before he could finish the job. This immortal's body was too young to recover quickly… and he'd wailed as it had died.

Awakening on the cold slab… he'd listened to be certain he was alone, and then he'd simply rolled off… and crawled to a wall. Although he couldn't see… he could hear. When someone came in… he'd launched himself at the man… beating at him until he fell unconscious. He'd continued beating the man to a pulp with his single arm and crippled palm, exulting in the satisfying crunch of bone. Once he'd finished, he'd slowly and cautiously crawled away, eventually finding himself outside. Now, it was only a matter of finding a place to hide… and a weapon.

He heard heavy footsteps and leaped out of the shadows at the passing man. He fumbled about him and beat him until he found a knife. Using his mouth, he positioned the blade and rammed it through his palm once more… Nestor used it to silence the man and then crawled away. The writing pad the others had created for him to use years ago came to mind. He'd used it often… learning dexterity and control with the palm. Those skills he needed now. Hearing the ocean… he scrambled down onto the sand and huddled under something… in the cool shadows.

He heard children's voices… and the barking of a dog. Licking the still bloody knife with his mouth… excited by the long denied taste of blood… Nestor positioned himself.