Chapter 100

Mexico

Matt had left the others behind. Luckily… he'd managed to hitch a ride with a passing motorist. His Spanish was passable… but not great. But he'd made himself understood… at least… he hoped so. "Mexico City, the U.S. embassy."

The man behind the wheel had nodded, bouncing slightly to the sound of Latin music, and grinned. "Si…" he said and motioned Matt into the car. "We go la capital!"

Matt settled back in the car, reveling in the cranked up air conditioning after hours in the hot sun… and closed his eyes. He was more tired than he'd thought possible. After convincing the others that this was the only way… he'd taken Katya aside and made her promise not to do anything rash. She seemed to understand… but Matt was still concerned.

Within Katya was a deep-seated hatred of men who took advantage of women. She did not like having been violated… she'd told him the first memory she'd had upon awakening, was a man's hands fondling her… "I will not allow that behavior to continue!" she'd snapped, and raised her sniper rifle.

"I don't want it to continue either," Matt had assured her. "But we need to do this my way. Wait for my call… promise me."

And so she had promised.

"Tourista?" the driver asked.

Matt smiled. "No, senõr. Business."

The driver nodded and sped along the dusty highway, beating the tempo of the music on the steering wheel.

-----

Katya gazed out over the vista below and sipped from the canteen.

"I need to find more water… we're getting low," Amber said quietly.

Katya nodded and handed her the nearly empty canteen. "Give everyone a drink before you go."

Amber was scrambling down the slope when Katya whistled. Amber paused and looked back at her. Katya tossed her knife down to land in the dirt at Amber's feet. "The cactus… " she said. "If you can't find water… cut off some cactus. We can drink that."

Amber pulled the knife out of the dirt and nodded soberly. Slowly she continued down the slope. Katya observed her handing the canteen to Jade and to Jeremy who were huddled under the shade of an overhanging rock. The pair had been holding on to one another for some time. Katya shook her head. They made a strange pair, those two… the thief and the charming con man. Katya hadn't known either of them before.

Gazing into the deep blue, cloudless sky, Katya ruefully considered that she honestly hadn't known too many immortals over the years. Her focus had always been on simply surviving… on being the best warrior she could be in a game weighted heavily in favor of men. Men were bigger… stronger… they had more stamina in a fight. It was, Katya chuckled, as always… a man's world.

She'd been betrayed and killed by men and men's law. She'd survived. So she'd learned to kill from a distance. And as the years had passed… she'd learned to kill closer. She'd used brains and every trick she could think of to survive. She'd seldom let herself care for any one… until Elena. Even then… in the end… Elena had died… and her killer had gone free. He'd been the wronged husband… and the courts had freed him.

Katya sniffed. That was how she'd met Duncan MacLeod. She'd been trying to avenge Elena's death when MacLeod had interfered.

"This isn't justice," he'd told her, "it's revenge. And revenge doesn't bring peace." The face of Katya's "granddaughter"… Elena's daughter… had been what had finally stayed her hand. She would not… could not… take from Mia her only remaining parent. Katya had walked away.

She could count on one hand the number of immortals she'd spent more than a few moments with over the years before meeting this group. MacLeod was one… Reagan Cole was another.

She'd been initially uneasy to be in close contact with Amber… but had taken on motherly feelings about the younger immortal. Matt was someone from her own time… an honorable man it seemed… but still a man. She'd kept him at arm's distance for most of their trek. And the couple? Katya shook her head in wonder that they could so trust one another… so want to be with one another, that the game paled for them. Perhaps the game had never meant much to either of them.

The sound of engines revving up… broke into her reverie and she shrunk down to watch the events play out on the vista below. It looked like a convoy was heading out. But a convoy of what?

Katya couldn't tell. The vehicles had been loaded while within the huge maintenance buildings. But she could see a number of armed men holding onto the vehicles. Whatever they were transporting… they were ready for an attack. The huge gates opened and the three trucks sped up the dusty road. Clouds of dust and smoke hung in the hot air.

The guards at the gates leaped onto the final truck.

Katya re-focused her binoculars about the courtyard… seeking any movement whatsoever. She saw none. Lowering the glasses she bit her lip and then raised them again as she peered after the convoy. She could do nothing about them. Was it a trap to lure them in? Was it a re-deployment of some sort? Were they moving immortals to another location? What? And how could she find out?

Four figures left the hacienda and crossed to the chopper. It revved up… its rotors whipping in the air. After all were aboard, it lifted off and followed the convoy.

The compound looked completely deserted. Katya shifted into a more comfortable position and watched and waited.

Jeremy crept up beside her. "Are they gone?"

"It looks that way."

"Should we check it out?"

Katya held her breath. Finally she lowered the binoculars. "Let's give it a few hours to be certain. Do you want to take over here?"

Jeremy glanced back down the slope. Then he looked at Katya with a nod. "I need to do something. I've never been one to sit and wait."

"Fine. Call me if you see any movement." She handed him the binoculars and scuttled down the slope to rest in the shade of the overhanging rock.

Jade pushed her dark hair out of her reddened eyes and sniffed. "There has to be another way, Katya. I don't want to lose him… not yet at least."

"Then you still believe you might have to kill him some day?"

"Of course…" Jade shrugged. "But not today, nor any day soon. Hell… I don't know. At first it was just fun. He made me laugh… he was a competent thief and I found myself wanting to spend time with him. I longed for someone to spend time with… someone I wouldn't have to watch grow old and die. Jeremy… seemed… relatively safe." She laughed at Katya's smile. "All right then… Somewhere along the line… I think I fell in love. It wasn't planned and it certainly isn't safe…" she shrugged. "But what can you do?"

"What about you and Matt?" Katya stretched beside the other woman and closed her eyes.

"Oh? We're just friends. He saved me from hanging a few times. But he was always such a straight arrow." Katya could feel Jade stretch beside her. "I always knew it would never work for us. But you and he…?"

Katya snorted and rolled on one side. Despite everything though, she'd found herself thinking of him… and wondering how he was doing.

-----

Jeremy shook Katya's shoulder. "It's been two hours. Nothing has moved."

Katya sat up and rubbed her eyes. Amber had finished gathering fluid from cactus and filling the canteens. She handed a filled one to Katya.

The immortal drank thirstily… and grimaced at the taste. Cactus juice had never been one of her favorites. But it was fluid… and it killed her thirst.

Refreshed… Katya followed Jeremy up the slope where she found Jade staring through the binoculars. "There's nothing. I think all of them left."

"If they did… they likely took our people with them." Jeremy added. "We ought to investigate. I volunteer."

Katya nodded. "Circle around like we discussed earlier and come in from the south. We'll keep an eye on everything. We'll call you if we sight anything."

Jeremy nodded, grabbed one of the cell phones and one automatic rifle with scope and one sword. "I want some protection… I'm not a fool Jade… I'll be careful." He pulled her into his arms for a long kiss… then he pulled away. "See you in my next life, sweetheart!" He saluted her with a smirk.

"Not if I see you first," Jade replied. She held onto his hand as he backed away. They each nodded and then Jeremy slipped out of the area.

From her spot under the rock shelf… Amber sadly watched him go. He was likely going to his death… but he'd insisted. "Besides," he'd said earlier with a sheepish grin, "I'm known for my ability to talk myself out of most situations I find myself in."

This entire withdrawal from the compound smacked too much of a trap. At least… if it was… Jeremy would spring it and they'd know for certain.

She watched the buzzard floating in the air… and wondered if it would feed on their flesh before too much longer. She could clearly visualize their headless corpses left in the sun for the likes of such scavengers. Compared to the other existence… doped up and the Watchers' prisoners… it might be preferable. She shivered even in the heat of the spring day. Never had the possibilities of immortality seemed so slim.

-----

Sometime later, Jeremy, slipped quietly into the hacienda's compound. He'd had no difficulty in his roundabout journey to the south and then north again to the Watcher base. The gates were open… almost in invitation.

He drew his sword, and, with the automatic in the other hand, cautiously entered the grounds. He listened carefully for the sounds of movement… but heard nothing. Taking a deep breath… he rushed across the courtyard and onto the wide covered veranda of the main building. He slammed against the wall and peered cautiously through the glassed door. Still nothing.

His heart was pounding in his ears! "Easy there, Jeremy, lad," he whispered to himself. "Just one step at a time." He took a deep breath and kicked out… shattering the glass door. He entered the hacienda… his weapons ready.

Still nothing. He breathed raggedly and finally nodded to himself. Just as he lowered his weapons… something moved to one side. He brought his weapons to bear on… a cat.

He lowered them. "You almost lost a life, there, kitty." He let out a ragged breath and began to explore the rooms… one by one.

-----

Katya's cell phone rang. "Yes… Jeremy?"

Jade sat up expectantly.

Amber held her breath.

Katya nodded, a small smile crossed her lips. "We'll wait." Shutting the phone off she slowly took the top off the canteen to take a long draught of cactus juice. She wiped her lips.

"Well?" Jade snapped.

"Jeremy's found someone."

"Alive?"

Katya nodded. "Drugged like we were. He's unhooked the IV. It shouldn't be long."

"I'm going down there." Jade rose to scramble down the mountain slope, only to be restrained by both Amber and Katya.

"It could still be a trap. We need to wait." Amber's soft lilt gently urged caution.

Jade looked from one woman to the other and finally nodded, resuming her seat on the sandy soil. She lowered her head into her hands and shivered.

Katya fingered the cell phone. She'd need to call Matt. But she needed to wait until they knew something definite. Besides… the battery was low… and they had no way to recharge it.

-----

While waiting for Walter Graham to awaken from the drugs… Jeremy hacked into the computer he'd found. He moved between one file and another… and he didn't like what he was finding.

Walter gasped behind him.

Jeremy turned and raised his sword in warning. "Friend or foe?"

The genial man sat up, raised one hand and intoned poetically, "No man's enemy am I… No, the friend of all I be."

Jeremy snorted. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"It was a line from my one-man off-off-off Broadway show. I was on tour in Phoenix… to partially sold out audiences. I got… reasonable reviews. The damned critics just didn't understand. By the way… who are you and where are we?"

Jeremy bowed with a smirk and introduced himself. "As to where we are? Some mortals known as Watchers kidnapped you and had you drugged." He indicated the IV.

Walter looked around and cringed. "They hated my play that much?"

Jeremy shook his head. "Somehow I don't think it was about you. The question is… why did they leave here… and leave you behind?"

"I'm certain I have no idea!"

"No?" Sarcasm was one of the con man's strong suits. "I didn't think you would. Find something to wear and help me when you feel better. They could be back any moment… and I don't want to be here."

Walter grimaced as he looked at about the room and then down at his naked form. "Hmm… wonder where my clothes are… they were new and quite expensive… the gift of a beautiful lady who was bankrolling my tour. Why…"

Jeremy interrupted with exasperation. "Just get dressed." He returned to the computer… He needed to burn copies of some of these files and get them to someone who could understand just what he was looking at. Some of them read like autopsy reports. They made the con man uneasy. While the faces were unidentified… he knew a few of them. Jeremy began the download process and, while waiting, crossed to an inner room and stood for a moment staring into the room. It was cold in here. Air conditioning was cranked up high. A dirty operating table was in the center of the room beneath a flickering fluorescent light. Lab equipment was strewn about carelessly.

Jeremy crossed to a wall covered with a bank of small doors. Opening one, he stood to one side as the shelf emerged from the receptacle. A body lay on the slab… a headless body. It was the same with the other four bodies he found.

"Oh my?" Walter said at the door. "Anyone we know?"

"They're all missing their heads… but I think that one is Basil Morgan. I recognize his hands."

"Basil? He's an information broker and fence. He's harmless." Walter stepped closer… the sheet wrapped about him trailing on the cold cement floor.

Jeremy met Walter's gaze and both immortals nodded seriously.

"Why am I still alive?" Walter said quietly.

Jeremy shook his head. "I have no idea." He raced back into the other room and grabbed the disc he'd made of the copied files. "We need to go."

Walter had found some ill-fitting surgical scrubs and donned them swiftly. "Green is so not my color!"

The two immortals raced from the hacienda and back toward the south. Jeremy still had the feeling that this whole thing had been a trap… but how?

-----

"Subject is on the move, sir."

The burly squad leader sitting in the shade of the chopper grinned. He continued to sharpen his machete. "Good… Bess is thirsty again. Let me know when they stop moving."