"Joe! Where have you been?" Richie called as they entered the club, which being closed, was empty except for Joe and Adam.
"Adam!" Melissa smiled, leaning down to give him a kiss on the cheek.
"Hey guys! Even Watchers get to go on vacations. So is this lovely lady the one I've been hearing about?" Joe smiled and offered his hand to Melissa.
"Yeah," Richie beamed. "Lissa, this is our good friend Joe Dawson. Joe… Melissa Martin."
"Joe here, is my Watcher." Duncan explained. "It's his job to watch who I fight and the reason why. The Watchers keep a journal for every known Immortal."
"Oh? You're not an Immortal?" Melissa looked at Joe, almost pitifully. Joe chuckled. "No! I'm afraid I wouldn't have last this long,.., lost my legs years ago." He pecked his prosthetic leg, "But I don't mind, Duncan keeps me busy."
"Richie told me about Watchers. I think I'd rather watch then actually do." She said truthfully, sending all the men surrounding her into a roar of laughter. After they had settled down, Adam took Richie and Melissa over to a table telling them something that he had done recently. Duncan took advantage of their absence and quietly asked Joe.
"Can you find out if there is an Immortal that goes by the name Kruger, some sort of nick-name. I hear he's a really vicious guy, kind of rules the area around here."
"I know some about Kruger, one mean son-of -a-gun. Disappeared a couple hundred years ago, after killing his watcher. Slit his throat and guts out. Haven't been able to locate him since."
"That's him. Melissa had a run-in with him. Wants to kill him, and I assume the feeling is mutual, since he's already tried."
"Um, that's not good, a guy like Kruger won't stop until she's dead. He has a reputation to live up to you know. I'd get the kids to leave town for a while, couple hundred years might do it." Joe advised.
"Tell me about him." Duncan nodded, looking over at the couple, they laughing at something Adam said. "Maybe I'll try finding him before he finds them."
"Well, he's a weird one, about a thousand years old. Same m.o. Stays away from other Immortals for the most part. He finds young pregnant girls, seduces them, takes care of them until the baby is born. Then usually kills the girl, raises the kid as his own. He's sort of creating his own army. Kills the girl same as he did the watcher."
"God, that's what he what he has." Duncan groaned, as the truth hit him. "Melissa had a sister, adopted of course. Sister got hooked up with Kruger, Kruger killed the sister. Melissa keeps talking about getting something back from Kruger. He has her sisters kid!"
"So what are you going to do?" Joe looked over at Melissa. "She seems to be a sweet kid. Richie seems fond of her."
"She's one of us, well, she will be. And Richie is far beyond fond. Head over heels is more like it." Duncan rubbed his face. This was getting difficult, the guy was bound to be as strong as he was evil. Richie was improving but he wasn't good enough to take on someone as powerful as Kruger. If it came down to it, Richie and Melissa would both get killed and then he would have to take on Kruger. "I guess I find him and take his head."
"I thought everyone had to fight their own battles? Won't Richie have something to say about you fighting his battles?"
"No, I just can't interfere in their battles. But if I kill him before Richie challenges him, then it'll be my fight, not his." Duncan sighed. "I just don't know how to draw him out without involving Melissa."
"Well, good luck." Joe focused his attention to Richie as he approached. "So Richie, how's couple-hood treating you?"
"Fantastic!" Richie grinned, glancing over his shoulder at Melissa. "Lissa makes my world complete. It's like, I've spent my entire life looking to belong. I thought hanging with Mac was the closest I'd ever get to family, but now…I have you guys and Melissa. I've never been happier."
"I'm glad." Joe nodded. "And honored you consider me part of your family."
"Hey Rich, you need to have a talk with Melissa. The other day she told me that she wants to go after Kruger-"
"Yeah, she told me too. Says he has something of hers. I tried to talk her out of it, but she won't." Richie interrupted
"Kruger is Immortal." Joe cut in. "One bad mother-"
"Has she told you what it is that he has?" Duncan glanced over at Adam, who was keeping her busy.
"No, I haven't thought to ask."
"The guys' m.o is to kill a woman after she has a baby, and raise the kid as his own. The sister probably had a kid." Joe explained.
"I agree that the monster shouldn't raise the kid, but should any Immortal?" Duncan questioned. "I tried, it just brought heartache, kids are smart, it doesn't take them long to realize that you don't grow old."
"I'll worry about that after Kruger is dead."
"Let me go after him." Duncan offered. "You have Melissa now, just take her and leave the country for a couple of decades. "I'll deal with him and the kid."
"No, I appreciate the offer Mac, but it's my responsibility to handle him." Richie sighed, "And I guess this is as good a time as any. Lissa!" He called, reluctantly. "Where does this Kruger live?"
"Why?" Melissa got up and came over.
"He's an Immortal, he's been doing this for centuries and I'm going to put a stop to it." Richie declared, forcing himself to sound braver then he really was.
"He's mine Richie!" Melissa yelled. "I'm going to kill him!"
"Melissa,..," Duncan shook his head. "You aren't ready. This guy is older than me, may even be stronger, let Richie challenge him. You aren't even an Immortal yet."
"But, I have to get-"
"Your sister's baby?" Richie snapped. "Why didn't you tell me Lissa? I would have went after him sooner than this. Weeks ago."
"I didn't know…if you'd care...since she's not really my niece." Melissa avoided looking at him, ashamed that she had actually thought so little of him. Knowing that she was hurting him by admitting it now.
"Whatever." Richie stalked towards the door, "Let's go get the kid."
"Richie?" Melissa called, running after him.
"We will be here when you get back!" Duncan called after them. "Watch your head."