"Are you OK, Amy?"
Connor had released the girl, and after giving her her clothes, made a tourniquet on the wound. She stood up slowly and headed out of the room, helped by Connor. They encountered Muldoon, who was pushing an old revolver against Garfield's swollen face.
"This is the end of the road, MacLeod. Surrender or he's history."
"Don't! He'll shoot me anyway." Garfield said determinedly.
Connor put up his hands and stepped forward.
"I'm here, Vincent. All you have to do is shoot."
"Not quite." Muldoon shook his head. "You will stop it. Come here. I'll shoot you in the head."
Amy tried to hold Connor back, unsuccessfully. He went up to the Watcher and kneeled. Muldoon grinned and pushed his gun hardly against Connor's brow. Garfield was pushed away to the floor. The Highlander closed his eyes. Muldoon pulled back the hammer, ready to fire. A voice broke the tense silence.
"Don't."
A female voice called, echoing as if it were the Virgin herself speaking from above. It was soft yet deafening. Muldoon shivered, looking everywhere before returning his eyes to Connor. But Connor was not there anymore. A small, red-haired woman with green eyes gazed lovingly at him. He moved away the gun, and wiped his eyes. His dead wife Julia was there.
"It cannot be." He whispered.
"I'm here, Vincent." She said with the tenderest of voices, throwing her arms around him. He folded his arms around her.
"No ... You died!" he said, moving his gun to fire in the back of the woman in his arms. But it was too late. He knew it when he felt the pain in his chest. It was not his heart, quickened by the return of his wife. It was the small knife that had pierced into it. He slipped down, still embracing Julia... who was becoming Connor MacLeod.
"Sad affair." Connor mocked.
"Not quite." Muldoon blurted out before shooting. The bullet entered through Connor's scapula and left his body breaking through his shoulder. Muldoon fell definitely to the floor.
Connor was next, his body twisting spasmodically. Amy was going towards him. From the floor, Garfield realised what was going on. He had used the power of illusion to release himself from Muldoon's thugs. Then he had defeated García, Nicole and the other. Finally, he had used the illusion again to cheat Muldoon. The energy used had been excessive for the body of a mortal man and the shot, albeit not lethal, had been the final straw.
"Eric, what's going on?" Amy cried, holding the shaky and wounded Highlander, whose face and eyes had gone blank.
"He... he is dying."
Seconds later, the shaking stopped. The last immortal was dead.
-----
The Watchers had acted promptly. Less than an hour after Garfield had called, a group arrived at the Paris headquarters to clean everything. He and Amy were having a cup of coffee, while they reported what had happened to the superior in front of him.
Muldoon had gone against the orders. Whatever some Watchers felt about the Highlander, there were strict orders against trying to eliminate Connor. But Muldoon, taking advantage of his influences and his position as the head of the European branch, had carried out his plan, and killed a fellow Watcher in the way. A very respected fellow Watcher.
Garfield and Amy, according to the latter, had helped MacLeod. They knew it was a breach of their oath, and were willing to pay the price. The superior shrugged. It was a minor offence compared to what they had prevented. Probably some time packing the old chronicles would do as punishment. After all, it was the last thing they would do. The Watchers had no purpose now, so their existence was unnecessary.
"Sir." A subordinate called in. "There's a body missing."
Amy looked at Garfield.
"Which one?" the superior asked.
"MacLeod."
"It cannot be." The superior left the room, followed by Amy and Garfield. Where Connor's body had been, there was nothing. There were some steps made over a pool of blood that led to the stairs. From there, they disappeared. The superior sent all his men to check where the body was.
"He's a smart ass." Amy whispered.
"Tell me about it." Garfield uttered in response, as his mouth formed the tiniest of grins.
-- END --