Here's the next part... hope you still like it. There is also some violence in this part, so be warned (but it will get better after this chapter (although we are reaching the end, soon)– if you think that I should rate the story R, please let me know)
Next day evening, Joe's bar
"So you are moving in with Mac?" Joe asked Adam who was sitting at the bar, his glass with anti-alcoholic beer almost untouched standing in front of him.
Adam nodded to him while he began to play subconsciously with his glass. "Mac thinks it's best if I stay with him. He says that..."
Suddenly they were interrupted by loud noise coming from behind. When Adam turned, he discerned two men standing at the other end of the room. One was a big man of 40, with unwashed black hair and an aquiline nose – he was exactly that kind of man every mother warned her children about not to mess with. As far as Adam could see, was the other a skinny Blonde of about 20 who was holding his hands in a non-threatening gesture to the other man, apparently trying to reason with him. To their feet Adam could see several fragments of glass and some spilled liquid.
"Please," Adam then heard the Blonde say, "I said I'm sorry... I really didn't want to bump into you. It was an accident... why not let me buy you another beer, and we forget the whole thing?"
"I don't want your beer," the other spat into his face, apparently very eager to provoke a fight. "You stupid..." The rest of the sentence Adam wasn't able to understand because he heard Joe take something from under the bar behind him.
Then the Black-haired suddenly grabbed one of the beer-glasses of the neighbour-table and shuddered it with brutal force onto the Blonde's head. A loud scream echoed through the room; nobody spoke a single word as several shocked eye-pairs watched the Blonde sack to the floor, red blood running down his face. Somewhere a woman screamed in panic.
"Stop!" a not very loud but even more serious voice shouted then - Joe's, as Adam recognized a second later. The expression on Joe's face was cold, his eyes glittered in a very dangerous fire as he stepped a few moments later in front of the dark-haired man, no sign of fear shown on his face. "I don't tolerate fights in my bar. You will immediately leave now or I call the police."
Although Adam found Joe very impressive, the black-haired man obviously did not – maybe influenced by the alcohol he had drunken before. "I don't think so," he snarled as he stepped threateningly towards Joe, his eyes shooting murderous looks at the old watcher.
The moment Adam made himself ready to step between Joe and the Drunken, Joe suddenly produced a gun out of his shirt and aimed it at the guy. "I. Said. That. You. Should. Leave. Now!" With a very cold expression, Joe then pointed at the door, indicating for the other to open it.
Although the other glared with hate at Joe, he finally grabbed his coat and then walked backwards to the door. Joe and Adam followed him outside, closing the door behind them.
"I will never ever again see you in my bar," Joe then continued with a cold and very serious voice, "understood?"
The dark haired man snarled again, glaring at the two men in hate. Then – to Adam's total surprise – he suddenly jumped at Joe, tearing him down with his weight while he apparently tried to rip the gun out of Joe's hand. This total crazy and unexpected manoeuvre stunned Adam for a second - but then he reacted.
With a quick step, he brought himself next to the dark-haired man and Joe. Grabbing him at his shirt, he then pulled the man with all force he could manage away from Joe. Although the shirt tore in his hands, he succeeded to push the other man to the floor... But the Drunken didn't remain there for long: like an angry animal he let out a loud roar and then rushed upon Adam.
The man was totally out of control now, attacking Adam in wild fury with his fists. Although Adam was able to dodge the first blow, he couldn't prevent the second to connect with his head, making him dazed for a moment. While he tried to clear his head again, the dark-haired suddenly pulled a dagger and then sliced Adams palm open.
Adam cried in pain and anger. With a very quick move, he then grabbed the other's hand and snapped it. While the dagger felt to the ground, he then threw the other face first against the wall, his broken arm pressed behind the back.
When the other man cried in pain, he felt something dark in him respond to it. A part of him loved the power this act brought to him. He smiled as he pressed the other's injured arm, bringing the other man once again to cry in pain.
"Please," he then heard the other's begging, "please stop."
Adam only grinned and pressed the arm a bit stronger...
... Suddenly he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder – Joe. "It's ok, Adam. I think he understands... Let him go now, he has enough," he then heard the reassuring voice of his friend.
The dark fire in him vanished from one moment to the other; he blinked in confusion and starred at the miserable figure he still was holding against the wall. The other man was subbing in fear, his whole body trembling in panic and pain. This was not a dangerous enemy who was able to harm him in any way - no, Adam suddenly realized, this man was only a poor stupid guy who had drunken a beer too much - nothing else.
Being painfully aware that he had completely lost the control over himself, that he had totally overreacted, he then immediately let go of the man, making several steps back while he tried to calm down.
"Are you alright?" he then heard Joe ask with a very concerned voice as the watcher examined him. "I mean really alright?"
For a short moment, Adam considered telling Joe about the deep burning anger in him, but then he decided not to; he didn't want to concern the watcher even more, and he also was sure that he could deal with it by his own. "I'm ok, Joe," he then finally said. "Really," he repeated as he saw the not really persuaded-looking expression on Joe's face. "I only need some days to assimilate the quickening, then I will be fine again... I think that all was too much for me."
"Ok," Joe then finally agreed, still very far away from being reassured. "But I want you to know that you can call me night and day to talk, ok?"
"Thanks, Joe."
"Alright," Joe sighed deeply, guiding Adam at his arm back to the bar. Behind him he could hear the whimper of the Black-haired as the man got up and then began to stagger along the street, obviously having had enough trouble for one day.
About one hour later, Duncan finally arrived at the bar. All three of them stayed for another two hours, listening to the music and drinking some beer. Then Adam and Duncan left together, walking back to Duncan's barge while they talked about Duncan's old friend Fitz.
Adam was laughing about something Duncan had said, when they suddenly felt an Immortal presence. Both froze. With a quick step, Duncan immediately brought himself closer to Adam. "You stay behind me, regardless of what is going to happen; do you understand?" he then whispered into Adam's ear.
"But..."
"No... Do what I say."
"I..." Adam never finished the sentence because he was interrupted by the appearance of the Immortal. Because the street was only slightly illuminated, Adam only could see his contours first: they were enormous. But then the man stepped into the light, and Adam realized that they were actually facing two Immortals and not only one. One was a grey-haired man of 45 who made a very cared-for impression to him. The other, a black haired man of about 25, had a very big nose and was not very striking, although he looked a bit stupid to Adam's eyes.
The grey haired grinned as he looked at Duncan... then he discerned Adam. The grin immediately froze and was replaced by a very hateful expression instead. "You," he hissed, drawing his sword." You may have gotten away the last time, but this time I will have your head... Karl," he then snarled at the other man, "take care of his friend." Then he stepped closer to Adam - or would have – if not MacLeod had placed himself in the same moment between him and Adam.
"I'm Duncan MacLeod from the Clan MacLeod. We don't want to fight you, ok? So, what is this about?"
The man glared at Duncan, apparently angry because of his intervention. "I'm Armand de Court. Your friend here killed my two students... He will pay for it. You can stay or leave; I have no quarrel with you - but better do it quickly."
Adam could feel his heart speed up at these words. Could it be that these two Immortals were the remaining two of the ones that had attacked him? Could it really be that these two men were responsible for his amnesia, his month-long hell? Joe had told him that two of his attackers had survived... and had he not mentioned the name Armand? Anger began to rise in him as he starred at the two, anger for having lost his memory, his life... his identity.
Duncan apparently came to the same conclusion because the expression on his face changed within seconds from not threatening to fury. "You are the Immortals that attacked Adam!" he then shouted, anger making his voice tremble. "You think you need not go by the rules, don't you?"
"Oh," de Court spat back, "WE went by the rules, it was your little friend who broke them. He shot us... He killed my students... but now it's pay-time."
"I don't think so," Duncan answered with a cold and very serious voice, pulling his sword while he stepped towards the French. "You will have to face me first before you get to Adam."
"Oh no," the other laughed mockingly, "that's not the way it goes. I challenged your friend; you will fight my student here... Karl!" he then ordered.
Anger walled in Duncan as he watched the student approach him, on the other's face he saw an evil grin. "You heard my teacher, MacLeod," the other then growled. "So, let's begin."
Without giving Duncan a chance to say a single word, Karl then immediately attacked, forcing Duncan to jump to the side. While Duncan concentrated on his opponent, he could hear de Court approach Methos. Damn, he thought in rising panic, this is definitely not a good thing. The last thing Methos needs now is another quickening. Damn! Then his attention was drawn back to his adversary who was trying to land a blow against his sword arm.
While the fought between Duncan and Karl was in full mode, Adam found himself suddenly alone with the grey-haired Immortal.
"You little Shit will not get away this time," the other spat with hate burning eyes at him. Then he attacked with incredible speed, almost slicing Adam's right feet open as he tried to jump out of reach. During the next few minutes, both man exchanged some blows, neither of them able to get the upper hand.
At the moment Adam was feigning an attack, suddenly a loud cry disturbed his attention. Glancing for a second at Duncan to his left, he saw Duncan's enemy knelling on the ground, his wide-open eyes fixed at Duncan's raised sword.
Although Adam had only been diverted for a second, his enemy had taken his chance. When Adam turned his attention back to his opponent, he found himself starring in the barrel of a gun aimed at him. As in slow motion, he then watched in shock the other man press the trigger.
Adam tried to jump out of the way, but he was too slow. A second later, he felt burning pain spread in his chest as he was thrown backwards to the ground. "No," he screamed in panic and pain as he hit the ground, remaining to lie there while he felt darkness claim him. From a very short distance, he heard Duncan scream as he was hit by the quickening. Then everything went dark.
When he came back to life, the first thing he noticed was the burning pain in his chest. A bit confused, he opened his eyes, for a second totally disoriented. Then he saw Duncan: he was still knelling on the ground, apparently weakened by the quickening. In front of him stood de Court with his back to Adam, his weapon raised over Duncan's kneeling form.
"...die. First you, and then your little friend," he heard de Court whispered in hate. "He will pay. When I'm ready with him he will be screaming for Death..." He laughed evilly. "Say goodbye MacLeod"Time seemed to freeze as Adam watched with wide eyes the sword being brought down to Mac's neck...
... "Noooooooooo!!!" Adam heard himself scream in horror while he simultaneously grabbed his sword, which was still lying next to him, and then threw himself at the French. He knew that he was too far away, that he would be too late... but then steel banged against steel, bringing the other's blade away from Mac's vulnerable neck.
Very surprised but happy that he had saved Mac, Adam didn't hesitate but immediately attacked the other Immortal, not giving him any chance to recover from his surprise. Obviously not having expected him to come back from Death again so early, the other was totally stunned now, and because of that a very easy match for Adam.
Hate burned in Adam's veins as he attacked the other Immortal. It was de Court's fault that he had lost his identity, de Court's fault that his life was hell; and now he also had wanted to kill his friend. Anger increased in him. With brute force, he knocked the other's parry away, stabbing de Court through his chest. Crying in hate, he pulled the weapon out again and then served the other's head from his neck.
A few moments later, white smoke rose from the dead body and then hit Adam with full force. The hate the other had felt for him mixed with his own, overwhelmed him, consumed him. He screamed in hate and pain as he sank to the floor. Then Kronos appeared in front of him. The other smiled and offered him his hand. "Join me, Brother. ... Kill MacLeod, and we will be united again. Together we will rule the world. Nothing on earth will stop us then."
Then the quickening ended, and Adam found himself face to face with MacLeod. Duncan looked at him with a guilty expression while he offered him a hand to help him up. "Thank you, you saved my life.... de Court obviously didn't fight by the rules." Duncan shook his head in anger before he turned to get his sword from the ground, not seeing the cold expression on the face behind him.
Golden eyes watched Duncan coldly, following every of his movements. Kronos voice echoed in his mind as he pulled the dagger out of his jeans... ancient hate burned in his veins while his hand clenched around the weapon. Then he stabbed MacLeod quickly in the back, watching him without mercy sink to the floor.
After that, he grabbed his sword and stepped over MacLeod's lifeless body, hearing Kronos's voice once again whisper in his mind. "You are Death." He grinned while he raised his weapon. "I am Death," he repeated. His grin deepened as he stared down and...
... blinked. Nooo! Something in him screamed in horror. He hesitated, blinked again... stared at the lifeless bloody body to his feet – the body of his teacher, his friend, his family! This was Mac, not his enemy! He blinked again... and then backed away, his fingers no longer having the power to hold the sword. What have I done? He thought in panic as his sword shattered to the ground.
"No," he whispered with a trembling voice. "I didn't want that... I don't want to kill my friends." In total shock, he continued to back away until he suddenly stumbled over one of the dead Immortals behind him and fell painfully on the ground.
Joe - the name suddenly appeared in his mind. Joe will help me...I have to find Joe. Clinching with all his hope to this thought, he then forced himself to get up again. Without caring to look for his sword, he then began to flee to Joe.