Chapter Seven
Denver, CO:

The sky over the mile-high city was heavily clouded, and the threat of rain was imminent. Derrick pulled out of traffic and glanced upward. Already Amber could see lightning in the dark and ominous clouds. Parking the jet cycle in a parking space Derrick jumped off and handed his helmet to Amber. "Wait here… I shouldn't be long." With that he raced across the street… dodging the cars… and into a bank.

Burke pulled into another parking space. Wingate leaned out of the passenger window and motioned to Amber with his arm. She climbed off and walked toward the car.

"What's up with the General?" For no reason she could fathom… Wingate had taken to calling Derrick that… as if they were a military operation of some sort. His own car had quit on them yesterday… major problems in the transmission… so they'd sold it for parts and gas. Wingate had grumbled about losing his newer vehicle… but had piled his few belongings into Burke's car and had sat back… riding along. He wasn't about to leave his sword… and so far… no one had offered to return it.

Amber shook her head. "I don't know… money maybe?"

"What's he gonna do… rob the bank? Or take out a loan?"

Shaking her head and shrugging, Amber replied, "I really have no idea." She paced nervously back and forth between the car and the jet cycle. She was uneasy about Derrick being out of her sight. There were times he seemed so innocent and naive that she wondered how he'd ever survive in their world… or how he'd managed to survive as long as he had. True… he seemed to have an ability to defuse situations… and make friends. She laughed at how quickly she'd picked up and followed him… as had Burke. And Wingate? She shook her head. She still didn't quite trust the man… and he made her uneasy when he'd sit and just stare at her. Only when he was joking around with Burke… did he seem… well not harmless… but at least not a threat.

Lightning flashed nearby suddenly, and thunder cracked and rolled loudly almost immediately. Amber gazed upwards, knowing that they needed to get out of the weather. A cold wind was picking up. Pieces of trash blew toward her carried by the rising wind. She shivered… rubbing her arms as she watched the passing pedestrians hurry to get under cover. One woman's umbrella turned inside out in the face of the wind. Amber could hear her cursing as the woman tossed it into a trash receptacle and hurried off. A few massive raindrops splattered heavily about Amber as she paced.

Finally… after what seemed far too long a time… she sighted Derrick exiting the bank and returning.

Grabbing his helmet he shouted, "Get on… Let's get under cover!" As soon as she was aboard… he pulled once more into traffic. Amber held on tightly… curious as to what he'd done… and why they had finally entered a downtown area of a major city. Until this… Derrick had mainly seemed interested in the rural and lightly populated areas of the country. They'd traveled secondary roads… and stayed out of major areas of habitation.

He pulled into the overhanging awning of a hotel and turned off the bike. "I'll get us a room. Have Burke park in the lot," he shouted over the thunder and the roar of the wind and rain. The storm's intensity was increasing. The rain became a solid sheet that pounded the surrounding asphalt.

Amber did as he asked and climbed off the bike… grabbing their bags. She stood waiting… uncertain whether he wanted her to follow him in. After all… he couldn't leave the bike here. Moments later a thoroughly drenched Burke and Wingate joined her.

"We stayin' here?" Wingate shouted to her.

Amber nodded.

Lightning flashed! The streetlights flared out, then slowly flickered back on in the aftermath of the flash and the returning darkness of the afternoon.

Derrick returned and handed Amber two keycards with a wink. "They're adjoining rooms. Go on up. I'll park the bike."

Ten minutes later… Burke and Wingate were in 1017 and Amber was tossing the bags on one of the beds of 1019. Through the window… she could still see the storm gaining in intensity. The lights flickered in the hotel… and she could hear a security alarm thrumming in the distance in reaction to the interruption of power. Alarms sounded in the elevators. Evidently they were stopped… and people were nervous… Then the power went out completely.

Amber pulled back the draperies in the darkened hotel room and stared out the window. Shortly later, she heard the keycard in the door and a soaked Derrick came in. He tossed his helmet on the bed and began to peel off his wet clothes.

Amber grinned. "Bet that was fun," she teased.

Derrick chuckled. "I've had better days."

"Did you come up the stairs?"

Derrick nodded, "Think I'll take a shower. Are Burke and Wingate all right?"

"Next door. I heard the TV before the power went out and now the shower's running… so I guess. Nice that I'm the only one that managed to remain dry in the face of this."

"I endeavor to please," Derrick quipped as he leaned over for a brief kiss before entering the small bathroom for a shower.

Amber smiled as she watched him go and then returned to peering out the window. Unable to see much of the view for the rain pounding on the window so heavily that everything was a blur, she shook her head. She could hear what sounded like car alarms in the street as parked cars were hit by blowing trash or by the force of the rain itself. At least they were safe and… she turned to glance at the open door of the dark bathroom… reasonably dry. Idly she considered a shower anyway. After all… with no power… they had to find some way to fill the rest of the day.

-----

Fairfax County, VA:

A somber Methos gazed through the French doors. Already Eleanor tickled at the edge of his mind a slight… "… ? …"

He smiled… feeling her next to him as he watched her on the grounds. Even from here he could tell she knew where he was and that she was gazing in his direction thoughtfully.

Soon, he thought and felt her withdraw with a tinkling laugh. She knew he was concerned about something… and was curious… but he had no intention of hiding this… he just wanted to be with her when he told her.

Behind him he heard the fax beep and whir as the hard copy was received. His secretary Jayne Wyndham-Wyatt pulled it from the tray and handed it to him. He noted the quizzical expression across her face.

"Nothing that concerns you," he said as he turned again to the scene outside… his hands held behind him… and in them was the film. He didn't have to look at it. He trusted Dawson and his daughter to be correct in what they assumed. He feared that if he looked at it… really looked at it… not all the mental blocks in the universe would prevent Eleanor from seeing it as well. And he wanted to see her face when she read it.

"I'll be outside," he murmured to Jayne as he opened one of the French doors and wandered slowly out onto the spacious grounds. In the distance he could see the horses prancing on the rolling fields and hear their whinnies. Closer in… he could see J. D. practice tossing a baseball high into the air… and then circle to catch it. The eleven-year-old boy waited as the ball reached its peak and then moved to get beneath it… reaching out for the ball with a practiced hand. Sometimes he caught it behind him and then raced about his arms held high… as if he'd made the last out of the last World Series Game.

Methos chuckled. Watching J. D. he was struck, as always, by his son's resemblance to the boy he himself might once have been. Slim, dark-haired, with hazel eyes… mercurial and inquisitive… striving ever for the answers to questions… and the skill to do all things better, Joseph Darius… J. D. … was one of the joys of his life these days. The boy's existence was a miracle. Or at least the visible sign that immortals could have children… if they were willing to sacrifice a part of who they were… a part of their power and quickening. They were the antithesis of the Game.

Methos chuckled to himself as he recalled his argument with Eleanor about naming him before he was born.

"Fergus? No son of mine will be named Fergus!"

"Twas my grandfather's name. A good Scots name!"

"I'm not Scottish! Can't you just see him being teased by the other boys growing up?"

Eleanor had smiled. "Oh and Methos, Jr. won't get any smirks?"

"I'm not advocating that either. It's just… Fergus?"

But she'd been teasing. Besides… once the boy was born and they'd held him in their arms… there had been no question as to his name… They'd looked at him and then at each other… "Joseph… Darius… J. D." they'd said almost in unison.

J. D. gave him a wave and continued his game of catch. Methos took a deep breath. Time for them moves so swiftly… I need to play with him more. The world's oldest immortal continued across the grounds toward the arbored sandbox. There sat Eleanor… her bare toes buried in the sand as she regarded four-year-old Marianna. If J. D. had been eagerly anticipated, Marianna had not been.

"We need to wait," he'd insisted to Eleanor. "It takes too much out of you. Besides… we still don't know how J. D. will be different. We need to let him grow up and then see what happens before trying this again."

"It will be different. There will be three of us the next time. We need to see how it's properly done." She'd grinned impishly. In the end he'd agreed… taking on an even greater responsibility with Marianna than he had with J. D. As he watched his daughter draw patterns in the sand with a stick, Methos could not help but recall her mother at that age. For a moment the scene in that ancient Scots courtyard came visibly to mind and he paused. Eleanor met his gaze with a smile. She could see it as well. Memories of the events of her childhood… forgotten for so many years… were hers once more… through his memories of her.

Marianna stood, dropped the stick, and wiped her hands together and then on her pink gingham sundress. Seeing her father… she raised her hands as she grinned widely, "Daddy!"

Methos swooped her into his arms, and blew against her neck, making a loud raspberry. Marianna giggled and hugged his neck.

"Listen Angel… I need to talk to Mommy… Can you go play with your brother?" He kissed her cheek.

Marianna nodded and toddled off to bother J. D.

"Watch your sister!" Methos called.

In answer J. D. stomped a foot. Even from here Methos knew he was saying, "Awwwwww!" But when Marianna was close enough… he easily rolled the ball in her direction for her to catch, pick up, and race off with. J. D. raced after her and circled around corralling her until he could snatch the ball. Then they'd go through the routine again… their laughter a backdrop for their parents' conversation.

"So? What is it?" Eleanor's quiet voice was filled with questions.

Methos turned with a sigh and offered her the faxfilm.

She chuckled and grasped it. Then her expression sobered as she saw first the picture… and then read the article. Looking up she met his gaze evenly. He felt only sincerity from her. "We have to find him."

Methos nodded and sat down on the side of the sandbox next to her. "I know. I thought I'd head out there in the morning and see what I can find out."

"Not tonight?"

Methos shook his head. "There are other things I want to do tonight. Besides… I want you to take the children and go to Niebos while I'm gone."

"A lovely idea but why would I want to do that?"

"Because one of us has to remain with them… and I'd feel better if you three were someplace safe. Someplace where there was another of us… a support system in case you needed it. Besides… weren't you thinking of going anyway in a few months… to be there for Grace when her time comes?"

Eleanor nodded. His words made sense. The children they were raising were the most important people on the earth to them right now. J. D. and Marianna had to come first… had to be safe. If Methos wasn't here… they needed not to be either. As for Grace and the impending birth of her daughter, Eleanor did want to be there for that. She leaned into Methos' encircling embrace and sighed. Tears formed in her eyes. "Find him for me."

Methos kissed her hair and hugged her tighter. "I'll try."

The afternoon shadows lengthened into evening… and the first stars were visible in the deep purple sky before they went in. About them… fireflies… danced attendance… and the children's voices were filled with the urgency of the moment… and the joy of youth.

-----

The next morning, Methos saw his family off in a taxi to the airport and packed his own gear into the Centaur. He was slamming the trunk shut when he noticed Jayne standing next to the passenger side of the car… a travel-bag slung over her shoulder.

"What do you think you're doing?" he groused as he crossed to the driver's side.

"I'm coming with you. It is my job."

"Your job is here." He opened the door to climb in.

Jayne opened the other door and tossed her bag into the backseat. "I beg to differ. You are my assignment and you damn well know it."

Methos sighed as he fingered his keys. "You are here to watch both of us Jayne. You are not to be following me around. That's part of the arrangement."

"Well… things changed when you sent Eleanor and the kids to Niebos. You know only one Watcher is allowed there. You were effectively forcing me out of a job."

"You can stay here. You can pick up when I get back."

Jayne buckled the seatbelt. "Nope. I'm going."

"Fine… you stay in the car and I'll take another."

"And I'll follow." Jayne turned to meet his gaze as she laid one hand on Methos' arm. "I am not my father. Do you think I don't know why you requested me to be your Watcher? How you still feel guilty after all these years for the way you treated him? For what happened to him? Hey! My father is fine. And when you requested me… he told me to stick to you like glue and not be put off by your attitude." She sat back in the seat. "So you might as well drive, or deal with being followed."

"You don't even know what this is about."

"No… but perhaps you'll enlighten me. Let me see… Is it an immortal who poses a danger and only you can protect the others? No! Or… let's see… Is it an immortal against whom you have an old grudge and you want to deal with him now that he's surfaced? … I did see the picture on that fax."

"You know nothing." Methos turned on the ignition.

"Then it's an immortal who means something to Eleanor and you have to find him."

Methos was silent.

"That's it… isn't it!" Jayne sounded triumphant.

"Just stay out of my way. And don't think this little trip is going anywhere. My wife will know if you have any ulterior motives."

Jayne laughed. "Who do you think suggested I go with you?"

Methos sent a growling image in Eleanor's direction as he pulled out of the circular driveway. He'd engage the jet engine once he reached the freeway… but until then… they'd travel in the old manner. Within his mind… he could hear her teasing laughter and feel her lips brush against his brow.

-----