Duncan and Ritchie caught up with Fitz and the ladies. Amanda was looking particularly uncomfortable. Anne appeared worried. Duncan looked at her questioningly, and Anne shrugged her shoulders.

"Dammit," Duncan muttered, looking around. "Where are you, Joe?"

The group could still hear sporadic gunfire, and shouts of men in combat. Duncan moved the group into a storefront doorway, to hide and to take cover. He told everyone to stay, insisting when Ritchie tried to follow him.

"But Mac." Ritchie protested.

Glare.

Duncan ran up the street and looked around the corner. And there came Joe's car. Bullet holes in several places. It pulled up to the corner. Duncan called to the group and opened the passenger door.

Joe looked ashen and weak in his seat.

"Looks like I caught another for my troubles," Joe said weakly.

"No, Dawson, you're not going out on us like this," Duncan said harshly.

He moved Joe to the back, and arranged the ladies around him. Amanda squeaked in protest at the squeeze, until she saw Joe. Her dark eyes went wide. Anne saw it, but immediately went to work, her knowing hands doing what they could. Fitz and Ritchie got in front with Duncan, who took the wheel and hit the gas.

"Joe, where did you move my barge? Joe?" Duncan asked worriedly.

"I think he's hanging on by a thread, Duncan," Fitz murmured.

Duncan's jaw clenched. Ritchie's eyes widened and he stared at Joe worriedly.

"I can save him, Duncan," Anne said, but we need to get someplace safe and stable.

"Problem is, I don't know where that place is," Duncan grumbled.

All of a sudden, a dark car pulled alongside them. Duncan immediately prepared to take measures, but the passenger looked at him, and flashed a Watcher tattoo. He mouthed, "Follow."

Duncan swung in behind the black car and tailed closely. They sped through town, running stop signs and lights as they went. Duncan worried that they might be followed. He kept a close watch on their rear view mirror. They reached the docks without incident. Joe groaned from the back seat. Ann told him to hurry. Duncan could hear the worry in her voice.

As they pulled up to the dock, Duncan and Ritchie hopped out and gently lifted Joe out of the back seat. They had started up the gangplank of the barge when a black motorcycle came racing towards them. Fitz pushed Anne behind himself and whipped a pistol from a holster under his arm. He aimed at the rider and yelled," That's fringing close enough, pipe up and let us see your eyes, or I'll be making a bloody hole in your head"

Methos turned the bike off and cautiously lifter the visor.

Fitz cursed..." Ballz, Man! Get off that contraption and help us get the bloody hell out of here."

Methos removed the rifle from the side of the bike and pushed it over the side of the pier and watched as it plummeted toward the water. Before it had hit the water he'd turned to take Amanda's hand, gently helping her up the gangplank.

Fitz assisted and protected Anne as she boarded the barge.

Once both women were on board, Methos and Fitz came back to the car and emptied everything out of it that they might need. They took Anne's bag to her. They removed the weapons that Joe had stashed in the trunk. The two Watchers in the black car ran back and forth from their car to the gangplank and unloaded several loads of medical supplies and provisions.

Methos looked at the lead Watcher, they quickly shook hands and Methos said, "Jeff, you guys had better take Joes car, dump it somewhere that they can find it. But make sure that it points in a different direction than we're going. We don't want them to know where to start looking for us ... it'll cost them time. And guys... thanks... We'll watch out for Joe. I know how to reach you if we need anything."

"Hold it," the Watcher who had led them there barked. "I want to talk to Joe." His face indicated he wasn't ready to take "No" for an answer.

Duncan stiffened, looked at him and said, "Joe's in no condition for a conversation right now, and we're in a hurry."

Methos looked like he was about to say something, then thought better of it.

"This can't wait. Watcher business," The man insisted.

"I'm afraid it will have to," Duncan said, "We have to go." His dark gaze held steady on the Watcher.

The Watcher returned it unflinchingly, "I won't let you leave until this is done."

Duncan turned to his friends, "Fitz, cast off."

The Watcher stepped forward, his hand going into his jacket, and Duncan moved toward him...

"Wait!" a weakened, but determined gravelly voice said. "Wait..." Joe repeated, more quietly. He stood up weakly, and hobbled down the ramp. "This won't take long, Duncan."

He moved Duncan behind him, and stepped up to the Watcher.

"It's gotta be done, Jeff," Joe intoned gravely to the younger man. "I have no choice."

"But...the vows..." Jeff protested.

"This event is unprecedented, Jeff. Never anything like it in Immortal history. Ever! Probably will never happen again."

"But we can't interfere!" Jeff exclaimed. "It's the central tenant of our existence! If we interfere, we change the Game! We can't do that!"

"We're having to make up a new set of rules as we go along, thanks to Horton's people. Look, Watchers killing Immortals is not part of the deal. We have to stop our own if they leave the reservation. And we can't let them interfere with...whatever is happening
here. When they leave this dock, it's out of our hands,"

He stepped forward and clasped the other Watcher's shoulder, "Thanks for your help, man."

Joe began to crumple to the ground. Duncan and Methos quickly moved forward to catch him.

While carrying Joe up the ramp, Duncan looked back at Jeff, and said, "Thank you."

Jeff's hard, worried face seemed to soften for just a second, then his face became a mask.

Duncan nodded and helped Joe onto the barge.

They made ready and cast off, headed into the waters of the Mediterranean.

The lone figure on the dock grew smaller as the barge made it's way out to sea...