"I found a call from Tessa Noel. When I mentioned it to Eric, he knew you were in trouble."
Careless of the words spoken by the brunette known to be Vincent Muldoon's secretary, and deep in thought, Connor took a sip of tea. He was in someone's house, surrounded by Eric Garfield and two other people. The three of them were waiting for Connor to say something, but he was simply absent. His mind was working at full steam.
Lillian was Nicole O'Ballahan. The Watchers had put a woman to cheat him, and unbalance him for the right moment. She pretended to be dead the night of the attack. They thought he would surrender and die. Had not the power of illusion triggered just then, that might have happened.
Then it was the matter of the bullet. How had he stopped the shot in the air using his hand, without even touching it? It was something that he needed to find out. What more abilities did he own?
"Mr. MacLeod, what happened?" An unmistakably Spanish accent leaked through the voice of a fat man with a funny moustache.
Connor glared at him. Images began to pervade his mind. That stared him down. He stood up and began to flutter and fidget. More pieces to the puzzle. Now the mind reading was returning. He pushed the images away before something concrete came from the man's mind. Brenda used to compare Connor's ability to being raped. Some things had to remain private. Only now could he understand, now that he wanted to keep his own thoughts to himself. Unfortunately, he couldn't. Not if he wanted to bring down the bastard that was behind him.
"I don't know. I do things I never thought I could. People I thought was dead are still alive... I don't know. " He mumbled in a big state of confusion.
"Connor..." Garfield called. The Highlander was drawn by that change in the way of addressing him. "Calm down. What dead people?"
"Lillian Weaver, the woman I lived with when the Watchers broke into my antique shop and had allegedly been killed... She's Nicole O'Ballahan."
"What about the things you mention?" The girl uttered.
Connor looked at Garfield, who returned his glance. "It's your call."
"Let's start from square one. Who are you people?" the Highlander asked.
"Demetrio Lopez García." The fat man said.
"I'm Amy Thomas." The secretary replied.
"I'm Connor MacLeod of the clan MacLeod." He nodded at them. "As you know, I was born in 1518 and in 1985 won the Gathering. I should have enough power to rule the world, but I'm just ageing. However, there are some peculiarities..."
"Explain yourself." Amy required what the other dared not ask.
Connor took a deep breath, and put his hands together. His body began to glow. Then it changed. It took the form of each of the people there, one by one, before taking the shape of Vincent Muldoon, after which it became Connor MacLeod again.
García was thoroughly surprised. Garfield had already seen it, but he could not get used to it. Amy was not less surprised yet her face revealed a certain certainty.
"The sorcerer Nakano's power." She mumbled.
"Exactly. My body can't stand it for a long time anyway. And that's not all. Today I could stop a bullet with my hand... somehow."
"Stopping things, eh? That use of the Quickening was known in very few immortals." García commented as if he were lecturing.
"True. Juan Sanchez Villalobos Ramirez, Jacob Kell, and Kilvara." Amy added.
"She was the best in the History class. She can tell you almost everything about all the immortals." Garfield said with some sort of pride.
"She's an immortal nerd." Garcia added, causing the laughter of the other Watchers.
"How interesting... now explain me, who was the guy there?" Connor muttered, spoiling the fun.
"Vincent Muldoon." Garfield said acidly. "Amy is inside working as his secretary."
"He's the boss?"
"He's... probably the most influential person inside the Watchers. Why?"
"Where I can take him down?"
"You mean you want to sneak in the headquarters and make him mashed potatoes?"
"Exactly." Connor grinned.
"It is impossible." Garcia grunted.
"Actually not... if you are a Watcher. Can you fake our tattoo?" Amy asked Connor.
Connor beamed at her and showed him the back of his hand. Below the wrist, a neat Watcher tattoo could be seen.
"Why now?" Garfield asked
"Because I know who to go after."
"That leaves only one thing to worry." Garcia blurted out.
"I'll handle her." Connor said standing up.
"Are you sure?" Garfield asked.
"No."
-----
The night of the following day, the Watchers and Connor went in the van to the HQ. Connor changed his appearance to that of a shorthaired tall slim man and added the tattoo to the disguise. They were allowed in. They moved through a large reception room, and took the stairs that lead to the first floor... Muldoon's office.
Suddenly a gunshot was heard. Then another. Amy fell wounded and rode down the stairs. Someone screamed they put up their hands. They did so.
"Well well well, what do we have here?" Muldoon appeared. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, the place was plenty of armed guards. Beside him, Nicole O'Ballahan, wearing a short black leather skirt and a red top.
The captives were put in line in the reception room. Nicole examined them. She stared at Amy with wicked pleasure and stroked her face, something that disgusted her greatly. Then she turned to Connor. She inspected him.
"Do you recognise him, Vincent?" she asked.
"He reminds me of a Watcher we had a long time ago. Pierson was his name. But he should be 60 by now and this guy doesn't seem to be so."
"He is older." She blurted out as she kicked Connor in the crotch. His body twisted in pain as it glared. His true appearance returned. "So you were right, Demetrio."
Indeed, Muldoon was shaking hands with the Spaniard. Amy looked deceived. Connor could see in the traitor's mind. A huge amount of money had been paid to him. He recognised those flashes as the same he had perceived before. Connor blamed himself for the failure. He should have focused on the images, rather than push them away.
"Nice trick, Connor." she commented acidly. "I imagine that you create the small sword with it. But I wonder..." she put a finger on her chin, mockingly thinking "... is it because a larger sword would demand more physical energy... or is it to show the size of your ego?"
"You never complained of my ego." Connor replied in the same twisted funny mood he was in whenever he was in a dangerous situation.
"Please, people." Muldoon interrupted in a conciliatory tone. " I would like a conversation with him. Is it a problem to you, Nicole?"
She smirked and gazed at Amy. "Not in the least. I will have fun with his little treacherous friend."
Connor was led to Muldoon's office, as Amy's cries for help flooded the rooms of the Watchers headquarters. Garfield was taken elsewhere.