Trapped Souls
By: alikara
Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah. You all know the drill. I don't own a damn thing, blah blah. There. Happy? Good. Oh, and special thanks to my best friend, who previews every chapter before I post, and helps me keep everyone in character. Oh, and helping me with 'the fic is one big paragraph' problem.
SouthernChickie, domo arigato gozaimasu!!! ^_^
Chapter 1
The gray eyed man paid no attention to the masses of people rushing by him, as he stood in front of the Museum. He barely noticed when a light drizzle began, dampening his short brown hair, but at a gust of wind, he pulled his tan trench coat closer around him.
He blinked, and his eyes cleared when a strange, yet all too familiar pulsing buzz filled his mind. His ears seemed to focus on a single pair of footsteps coming up behind him. The man smirked lightly.
"You're late." He said, suddenly, in a throaty voice, and turned, smiling. Before him stood another man, looking to be about thirty-five. He wore a black trench coat, like the first man, black slacks, and a red button up shirt. Long dark hair was neatly pulled back at the base of his neck ,and deep brown eyes glared.
"I am not." He whined. The two glared at each other for a moment, then both grinned.
"It's good to see you, Duncan." The first said, as they clasped hands, pulling each other closer to throw their free arms around the other's shoulder.
"How are you, Connor?" Duncan said, as they stepped back. "You look good."
"I'm great. You?"
"Uhg. Don't ask. Between Richie, Joe and Methos, I might take my own head if someone doesn't do it for me."
"Can I have your sword?"
"Oh, thanks for the support."
"Your car, then?"
"You'll have to fight Methos for it."
"That's what poker is for."
"Yeah. But he cheats." Both chuckled under their breath, as they entered the museum. They kept their coats on, despite annoyed glances from the curator, and started wandering through the museum.
"So, why the museum?" Duncan asked after a moment.
"Because."
"Because why?"
"Just because."
"Oh." Duncan grumbled, eyeing a security guard who was eyeing some high school girl's rear end. They wandered a while, making comments about all the forgeries and duplicates in the museum, but gradually quieted.
"So, why are we meeting?"
"Because."
"Because why?"
"Just because"
"Oh." Duncan grumbled, this time eyeing some little kid screaming on the top of his lungs, pulling his mother's skirt.
"I was bored." Connor said, finally. "I got lonely. That happens, Duncan."
"Yeah, but this is the first time you've admitted it."
"Oh, shut up." Connor snapped.
"How long are you staying?"
"Don't know."
"Where are you staying?"
"Not far from the Dojo."
"Where?"
"That little cheap motel."
"You're joking."
"No."
"I've got a sofa."
"Heh. No thanks." Connor chuckled, as they proceeded into the next room. Both men froze, as soon as they crossed the threshold. Their eyes darted around as their minds pulsed.
"You feel that?" Connor asked.
"How can I not?" Duncan said. "Those vibes are unmistakable."
"Vibes?"
"That's what Richie calls them." Duncan explained, and Connor snorted. Duncan walked into the middle of the room. "I am Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod." He called. There was silence. Connor frowned, reaching into his jacket, feeling the carved hilt of his Katana.
"There's no one here, Duncan." He said, after a moment.
"Don't be absurd." Duncan muttered, looking around, reaching into his own coat. "We both felt it."
"I know. But there's no one here."
***************
"What do you mean there was no one there?" Joe Dawson asked the two men sitting across from him.
"Just that." Duncan said. "We felt the presence of another immortal, but there was no one there."
"Or maybe they just didn't answer." A fourth said.
"Why wouldn't they answer?" Connor said, glancing at the fourth man, who took a pull at his beer bottle.
"Maybe they were scared." He said, putting the bottle down.
"Why would they be scared?" Duncan said.
"Because there were two of you." The fourth said. Joe sighed, and shrugged.
"It makes sense." The old man said, rubbing his forehead. Duncan, Connor, and the fourth man looked up, their faces alert. "Speaking of sense." Joe said, noting their looks. "I take it you three are sensing a presence?" Before they could answer, the door to the bar swung open, and in walked a fifth man, looking just barely out of his teens.
"Hey, Mac!" The newcomer called. "Oh, woah, hey, Big Mac!" Duncan grinned, nudging Connor.
"That's you." He muttered, laughing. Connor gave a disgusted look.
"What's up Joe?" The loud kid said, pulling up a chair.
"Hey, Richie." Joe said.
"And I get ignored." The fourth mused to his beer bottle.
"Ah, well, beauty before age, Methos." Richie said, and Methos gave Richie a cool look, then smirked.
"And, what if you fall under both categories?" Richie blinked.
"You're not that lucky." He said. "So? What's going on?" Methos rolled his eyes.
"I am going." He said, standing. "To check out this unconfirmed sighting."
"Sighting? What kind of sighting."
"UFO, Richie. Your people have returned for you." Methos said, pulling on his coat.
"Ha ha. Oh yeah. And ha." Richie grumbled. "Don't forget to pick up fries with that." Methos stopped, and turned to look at Richie, brow furrowed in confusion. He looked at Duncan, who shrugged, equally confused. Richie looked at Methos, raised his eyebrows, and smirked, knowingly. Methos just shrugged, and left.
"So, what sighting?" Richie asked.
"We felt an immortal at the museum, but there was no one there." Connor said.
"The museum?" Richie asked.
"Yeah. You know, the place with all the old stuff on display." Duncan clarified. Riche gave him a look. "Near the library. You know the place with all the books." "Shut up, Mac." Richie snapped. Joe chuckled.
"So, you got the vibes, but there was no one there." Richie said, turning back to Connor, who nodded, and downed his shot, that he hadn't touched previously.
"Any other immortals in town that we should know about?" Duncan asked Joe, who sighed.
"Not that I know of." He said. Duncan sighed, and sipped his beer.
"Hey, Joe. Can I grab something?" Richie said standing.
"Yeah. Hey, bring me my laptop while you're up." Richie nodded, and went into Joe's office behind the bar, snatching the laptop from the desk. He placed it down in front of Joe, then started digging around for a drink. Joe flipped on the computer, and started typing.
"Nope. No one has reported it to me." He said. Richie sat down again.
"What's that?" Connor asked, looking at Richie's drink.
"Rootbeer float." Richie said, poking the ice-cream with a spoon. Duncan snorted into his beer. For the next half hour, Joe typed on his computer, and Connor and Duncan watched Richie play with his float. Duncan, Connor and Richie looked up suddenly, and a minute later, Methos walked. Joe looked up, expectantly. Methos sat down, frowning thoughtfully.
"Well?" Richie asked, finally.
"They're right." Methos said, shrugging, stealing Duncan's beer. "I felt the presence of another immortal in the same room that they did. But, I searched, and there was no one there."
"Well, at least we know you're not crazy." Riche said, to the two Highlanders, earning himself two annoyed looks.
"Yeah, but we all know that Methos is crazy." Joe snickered.
"You're the one talking to four guys who can't die." Duncan shot at his Watcher.
"I'm not sensing Immortals that aren't there."
"You're not sensing immortals period." Richie said.
"So, who's the sane one?" Joe said, grinning at Richie, before turning to Methos. "You felt someone, but no one was there?"
"Right." Methos said. "Not a soul."
"Really?" Richie said. "I wanna see. Or, not see, whatever." And he leapt up, and ran out the door. Duncan rolled his eyes, and looked at Methos.
"Less than a minute." He said, placing a twenty on the table.
"More than ten." Methos said, slapping down another. Connor frowned, confused.
"All in between." Joe said, and added a third. The door opened, and Richie came back in.
"Uh, where's the museum?" He asked. Joe and Methos blinked, and then scowled when Duncan grinned.
"Hah!" Duncan shouted, and confiscated the sixty dollars. Joe scowled.
"C'mon, Richie. I'll go with you." Joe said, standing, and picking up his cane. "We'll take my car. You drive.
"Hey, all right!" Richie said, and got the door for Joe. The three older immortals watched them go.
"You really think it's wise to send Richie to the museum with Joe. Alone? What if the immortal senses how young he is, and attacks him?" Methos said. Duncan looked up, as did Connor.
"Aw, dammit." Duncan said. "You had to get me worried." The three men got up, and went out into the rain.
***************
When they got there, they found Richie poking around the room, or, to be more precise, poking the things in the room, with the curator fussing at him. The curator didn't look happy to see the three new arrivals.
"You're right, Mac." Riche shouted, his voice magnified in the cavernous room. "It's really weird!" the curator began telling him to keep his voice down. "Look, lady, I'm on an official investigation here, and you're not making it easier. So, go bitch at that kid carrying the vase over there." The curator shrieked, and went scurrying off, frantically. "Heh. I thought that would work." Joe looked back at Duncan, Connor, and Methos.
"Well?"
"We still feel it." Methos said, shrugging. "There is an immortal in this room." They looked around.
"There are four immortals in this room. Five, if you count the invisible one." Richie said.
"Shut up, Richie." Duncan said.
"Hey. Maybe the statue's immortal." Richie said, laughing, pointing to a large sculpture of a man in the middle of the room. Duncan rolled his eyes, but looked up when Connor gasped.
"Connor?"
"Duncan, the statue. What if."
"You think." Duncan murmured, staring at it. The curator came running back in with a security guard, who grabbed Richie by the jacket.
"Woah! Hey! Chill! I'm a team player! We can work this out! I'm just looking for someone!" Richie's voice drifted down the hall. "Oh, c'mon. I'm just, Mac! A little help here! Joe! Adam! Hey, c'mon---" They ignored Richie's fading voice
"Ma'am, what can you tell me of that statue?" Duncan asked the curator. She eyed him, then sighed.
"It's of one of the magistrates that presided over the trials in Salem, during the witch trials."
"Really?" Duncan said, an frowned, thinking. "How long is it here?"
"It is leaving tomorrow. They're taking it to the storage rooms after we close up tonight."
"Ah. That's a shame. I'd like to see it again." Duncan said.
"Duncan." Connor said. "Richie?"
"What about him?" Duncan said, looking at Connor. Connor pointed over his shoulder. Duncan looked. Richie was in a tree, right outside the window, waving to get his attention. Duncan rolled his eyes, and gave Richie a wave, and a peeved look, before leading the way out of the museum.
**************
"You're kidding, right?" Richie said, watching Duncan come out of the bathroom. Connor glanced up at Richie from the sofa, where he was tying his shoes.
"No."
"Why do you want me to come?!?"
"Because you know how to break into places." Connor said. Richie groaned.
"Not into museums!" Duncan smirked, glancing at Richie.
"Get dressed, Richie. Then meet us at the car."
"Aww, man!"
*************
"I can't believe I'm doing this." Richie moaned, for the fourth time.
"Can you keep it down?" Connor hissed, as he and Duncan circled the statue.
"Well, it's too heavy and too big. We can't steal it." Duncan said.
"Wait, woah. Steal it?!?"
"Quiet!" Connor snapped.
"Well, we know there's and immortal in there. But, is it in the statue itself, or the base? The base is more than big enough." Duncan thought out loud.
"Well," Richie said. "We won't know until we break it open." Duncan looked up when Richie raised a sledgehammer, and slammed it against the side of the base. A huge crack ran up the side.
"Oh, wonderful." Duncan groaned, as Richie swung the hammer again. This time, a huge chunk fell out. Connor pushed Richie aside, and shone his flashlight in. There was a sudden shout, and shuffling noise, that made all three jump.
"Holy shit." Connor gasped. "We were right."
AN: Is it okay? I don't know if I'm gonna continue it. Lemme know what you think, huh?
By: alikara
Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah. You all know the drill. I don't own a damn thing, blah blah. There. Happy? Good. Oh, and special thanks to my best friend, who previews every chapter before I post, and helps me keep everyone in character. Oh, and helping me with 'the fic is one big paragraph' problem.
SouthernChickie, domo arigato gozaimasu!!! ^_^
Chapter 1
The gray eyed man paid no attention to the masses of people rushing by him, as he stood in front of the Museum. He barely noticed when a light drizzle began, dampening his short brown hair, but at a gust of wind, he pulled his tan trench coat closer around him.
He blinked, and his eyes cleared when a strange, yet all too familiar pulsing buzz filled his mind. His ears seemed to focus on a single pair of footsteps coming up behind him. The man smirked lightly.
"You're late." He said, suddenly, in a throaty voice, and turned, smiling. Before him stood another man, looking to be about thirty-five. He wore a black trench coat, like the first man, black slacks, and a red button up shirt. Long dark hair was neatly pulled back at the base of his neck ,and deep brown eyes glared.
"I am not." He whined. The two glared at each other for a moment, then both grinned.
"It's good to see you, Duncan." The first said, as they clasped hands, pulling each other closer to throw their free arms around the other's shoulder.
"How are you, Connor?" Duncan said, as they stepped back. "You look good."
"I'm great. You?"
"Uhg. Don't ask. Between Richie, Joe and Methos, I might take my own head if someone doesn't do it for me."
"Can I have your sword?"
"Oh, thanks for the support."
"Your car, then?"
"You'll have to fight Methos for it."
"That's what poker is for."
"Yeah. But he cheats." Both chuckled under their breath, as they entered the museum. They kept their coats on, despite annoyed glances from the curator, and started wandering through the museum.
"So, why the museum?" Duncan asked after a moment.
"Because."
"Because why?"
"Just because."
"Oh." Duncan grumbled, eyeing a security guard who was eyeing some high school girl's rear end. They wandered a while, making comments about all the forgeries and duplicates in the museum, but gradually quieted.
"So, why are we meeting?"
"Because."
"Because why?"
"Just because"
"Oh." Duncan grumbled, this time eyeing some little kid screaming on the top of his lungs, pulling his mother's skirt.
"I was bored." Connor said, finally. "I got lonely. That happens, Duncan."
"Yeah, but this is the first time you've admitted it."
"Oh, shut up." Connor snapped.
"How long are you staying?"
"Don't know."
"Where are you staying?"
"Not far from the Dojo."
"Where?"
"That little cheap motel."
"You're joking."
"No."
"I've got a sofa."
"Heh. No thanks." Connor chuckled, as they proceeded into the next room. Both men froze, as soon as they crossed the threshold. Their eyes darted around as their minds pulsed.
"You feel that?" Connor asked.
"How can I not?" Duncan said. "Those vibes are unmistakable."
"Vibes?"
"That's what Richie calls them." Duncan explained, and Connor snorted. Duncan walked into the middle of the room. "I am Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod." He called. There was silence. Connor frowned, reaching into his jacket, feeling the carved hilt of his Katana.
"There's no one here, Duncan." He said, after a moment.
"Don't be absurd." Duncan muttered, looking around, reaching into his own coat. "We both felt it."
"I know. But there's no one here."
***************
"What do you mean there was no one there?" Joe Dawson asked the two men sitting across from him.
"Just that." Duncan said. "We felt the presence of another immortal, but there was no one there."
"Or maybe they just didn't answer." A fourth said.
"Why wouldn't they answer?" Connor said, glancing at the fourth man, who took a pull at his beer bottle.
"Maybe they were scared." He said, putting the bottle down.
"Why would they be scared?" Duncan said.
"Because there were two of you." The fourth said. Joe sighed, and shrugged.
"It makes sense." The old man said, rubbing his forehead. Duncan, Connor, and the fourth man looked up, their faces alert. "Speaking of sense." Joe said, noting their looks. "I take it you three are sensing a presence?" Before they could answer, the door to the bar swung open, and in walked a fifth man, looking just barely out of his teens.
"Hey, Mac!" The newcomer called. "Oh, woah, hey, Big Mac!" Duncan grinned, nudging Connor.
"That's you." He muttered, laughing. Connor gave a disgusted look.
"What's up Joe?" The loud kid said, pulling up a chair.
"Hey, Richie." Joe said.
"And I get ignored." The fourth mused to his beer bottle.
"Ah, well, beauty before age, Methos." Richie said, and Methos gave Richie a cool look, then smirked.
"And, what if you fall under both categories?" Richie blinked.
"You're not that lucky." He said. "So? What's going on?" Methos rolled his eyes.
"I am going." He said, standing. "To check out this unconfirmed sighting."
"Sighting? What kind of sighting."
"UFO, Richie. Your people have returned for you." Methos said, pulling on his coat.
"Ha ha. Oh yeah. And ha." Richie grumbled. "Don't forget to pick up fries with that." Methos stopped, and turned to look at Richie, brow furrowed in confusion. He looked at Duncan, who shrugged, equally confused. Richie looked at Methos, raised his eyebrows, and smirked, knowingly. Methos just shrugged, and left.
"So, what sighting?" Richie asked.
"We felt an immortal at the museum, but there was no one there." Connor said.
"The museum?" Richie asked.
"Yeah. You know, the place with all the old stuff on display." Duncan clarified. Riche gave him a look. "Near the library. You know the place with all the books." "Shut up, Mac." Richie snapped. Joe chuckled.
"So, you got the vibes, but there was no one there." Richie said, turning back to Connor, who nodded, and downed his shot, that he hadn't touched previously.
"Any other immortals in town that we should know about?" Duncan asked Joe, who sighed.
"Not that I know of." He said. Duncan sighed, and sipped his beer.
"Hey, Joe. Can I grab something?" Richie said standing.
"Yeah. Hey, bring me my laptop while you're up." Richie nodded, and went into Joe's office behind the bar, snatching the laptop from the desk. He placed it down in front of Joe, then started digging around for a drink. Joe flipped on the computer, and started typing.
"Nope. No one has reported it to me." He said. Richie sat down again.
"What's that?" Connor asked, looking at Richie's drink.
"Rootbeer float." Richie said, poking the ice-cream with a spoon. Duncan snorted into his beer. For the next half hour, Joe typed on his computer, and Connor and Duncan watched Richie play with his float. Duncan, Connor and Richie looked up suddenly, and a minute later, Methos walked. Joe looked up, expectantly. Methos sat down, frowning thoughtfully.
"Well?" Richie asked, finally.
"They're right." Methos said, shrugging, stealing Duncan's beer. "I felt the presence of another immortal in the same room that they did. But, I searched, and there was no one there."
"Well, at least we know you're not crazy." Riche said, to the two Highlanders, earning himself two annoyed looks.
"Yeah, but we all know that Methos is crazy." Joe snickered.
"You're the one talking to four guys who can't die." Duncan shot at his Watcher.
"I'm not sensing Immortals that aren't there."
"You're not sensing immortals period." Richie said.
"So, who's the sane one?" Joe said, grinning at Richie, before turning to Methos. "You felt someone, but no one was there?"
"Right." Methos said. "Not a soul."
"Really?" Richie said. "I wanna see. Or, not see, whatever." And he leapt up, and ran out the door. Duncan rolled his eyes, and looked at Methos.
"Less than a minute." He said, placing a twenty on the table.
"More than ten." Methos said, slapping down another. Connor frowned, confused.
"All in between." Joe said, and added a third. The door opened, and Richie came back in.
"Uh, where's the museum?" He asked. Joe and Methos blinked, and then scowled when Duncan grinned.
"Hah!" Duncan shouted, and confiscated the sixty dollars. Joe scowled.
"C'mon, Richie. I'll go with you." Joe said, standing, and picking up his cane. "We'll take my car. You drive.
"Hey, all right!" Richie said, and got the door for Joe. The three older immortals watched them go.
"You really think it's wise to send Richie to the museum with Joe. Alone? What if the immortal senses how young he is, and attacks him?" Methos said. Duncan looked up, as did Connor.
"Aw, dammit." Duncan said. "You had to get me worried." The three men got up, and went out into the rain.
***************
When they got there, they found Richie poking around the room, or, to be more precise, poking the things in the room, with the curator fussing at him. The curator didn't look happy to see the three new arrivals.
"You're right, Mac." Riche shouted, his voice magnified in the cavernous room. "It's really weird!" the curator began telling him to keep his voice down. "Look, lady, I'm on an official investigation here, and you're not making it easier. So, go bitch at that kid carrying the vase over there." The curator shrieked, and went scurrying off, frantically. "Heh. I thought that would work." Joe looked back at Duncan, Connor, and Methos.
"Well?"
"We still feel it." Methos said, shrugging. "There is an immortal in this room." They looked around.
"There are four immortals in this room. Five, if you count the invisible one." Richie said.
"Shut up, Richie." Duncan said.
"Hey. Maybe the statue's immortal." Richie said, laughing, pointing to a large sculpture of a man in the middle of the room. Duncan rolled his eyes, but looked up when Connor gasped.
"Connor?"
"Duncan, the statue. What if."
"You think." Duncan murmured, staring at it. The curator came running back in with a security guard, who grabbed Richie by the jacket.
"Woah! Hey! Chill! I'm a team player! We can work this out! I'm just looking for someone!" Richie's voice drifted down the hall. "Oh, c'mon. I'm just, Mac! A little help here! Joe! Adam! Hey, c'mon---" They ignored Richie's fading voice
"Ma'am, what can you tell me of that statue?" Duncan asked the curator. She eyed him, then sighed.
"It's of one of the magistrates that presided over the trials in Salem, during the witch trials."
"Really?" Duncan said, an frowned, thinking. "How long is it here?"
"It is leaving tomorrow. They're taking it to the storage rooms after we close up tonight."
"Ah. That's a shame. I'd like to see it again." Duncan said.
"Duncan." Connor said. "Richie?"
"What about him?" Duncan said, looking at Connor. Connor pointed over his shoulder. Duncan looked. Richie was in a tree, right outside the window, waving to get his attention. Duncan rolled his eyes, and gave Richie a wave, and a peeved look, before leading the way out of the museum.
**************
"You're kidding, right?" Richie said, watching Duncan come out of the bathroom. Connor glanced up at Richie from the sofa, where he was tying his shoes.
"No."
"Why do you want me to come?!?"
"Because you know how to break into places." Connor said. Richie groaned.
"Not into museums!" Duncan smirked, glancing at Richie.
"Get dressed, Richie. Then meet us at the car."
"Aww, man!"
*************
"I can't believe I'm doing this." Richie moaned, for the fourth time.
"Can you keep it down?" Connor hissed, as he and Duncan circled the statue.
"Well, it's too heavy and too big. We can't steal it." Duncan said.
"Wait, woah. Steal it?!?"
"Quiet!" Connor snapped.
"Well, we know there's and immortal in there. But, is it in the statue itself, or the base? The base is more than big enough." Duncan thought out loud.
"Well," Richie said. "We won't know until we break it open." Duncan looked up when Richie raised a sledgehammer, and slammed it against the side of the base. A huge crack ran up the side.
"Oh, wonderful." Duncan groaned, as Richie swung the hammer again. This time, a huge chunk fell out. Connor pushed Richie aside, and shone his flashlight in. There was a sudden shout, and shuffling noise, that made all three jump.
"Holy shit." Connor gasped. "We were right."
AN: Is it okay? I don't know if I'm gonna continue it. Lemme know what you think, huh?