Hmm, only one review on that one...guess that's what I get for a slow and short chapter. Thanks for my new reviewer! This one is about the same, but it's building up. Make you guys a deal. I'll post the next chapter when I get...4 reviews:)

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"You are going to tell me what's going on, right?" Nick questioned as soon as everyone else was out of the room.

"And what you and Mac were arguing about?" Greg added, not wanting to be left out.

"Mac's coming. He'll explain." Warrick sighed. "Shit man, I'm so sorry about this." Warrick approached Nick for the first time. He made as if to touch him, but pulled away. Tensing, he turned to stare at the door. Greg wasn't surprised to see Mac enter. He was getting used to Warrick's ability to predict when Mac entered the room. Later, he would ask Warrick to describe the feeling that he got.

"Mac." Nick greeted him, sounding like he was actually glad to see the man. Greg frowned, last time he'd seen the two of them together, Nick was acting like he never wanted to see the man again. "I don't know how to thank you enough. You saved my bacon. Catherine's too."

"What?" Greg frowned, looking around at the other men. There was something that he had missed and he didn't like that. He didn't like being left out of the loop. That was why he had wanted to get out of the lab. He liked being in the thick of things.

"I'm just sorry I was late." Mac patted Nick on the hand, acting as if Greg hadn't spoken. "I didn't stop him from hurting you or the woman. I wasn't in time to save the cop that was with you."

"Matt's dead?" Nick looked crestfallen, he glanced at Warrick for affirmation.

"I'm completely confused here, guys. Mind clueing me in?" Greg insisted, growing irritated.

"The man who attacked Nick was an Immortal." Warrick explained. "Mac got there in time to save Nick but Matt Vitato wasn't so lucky. Vitato was the responding officer. He and Catherine interrupted the man. Catherine got hurt. Vitato died at the scene."

"But…..How did Mac know?"

"I called him." Warrick sighed. "After Gris separated us. I couldn't shake the feeling….of impending doom. So, I called Mac and asked him to keep an eye on Nick."

"I'm pissed that you feel I need a babysitter, but at the same time, I'm grateful for it." Nick announced with a sleepy yawn. "Turns out I needed it."

"But why? Why did this guy come after Nick? We're not Immortal yet. You said we weren't in the game yet." Confusion swirled around Greg. He was supposed to be safe from all this sword stuff until after he died. He was okay with that. Death seemed like a long time away. This new information made it seem like it wasn't so far away. He made it real. Reality was scary when it wielded long sharp blades.

"You're not technically in the Game. We can sense that you will be, so can others." Mac turned his attention to Greg. "Some will use that to their advantage."

"Why? How?" Greg shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He didn't like the idea of being hunted.

"I've known Immortals who kill off others before they can enter the Game." Mac continued to explain. "I've known them to befriend one. To teach them, to let them get some power and knowledge under their belt, only to turn around and betray them in the back. Some will use anything they can to get the best of you."

"Some are weaker, so they must use tricks to stay alive." Warrick nodded. "The object is to stay alive. Anyway you can. There aren't many rules, so anything goes."

"There are rules? You didn't tell me any rules." Greg accused irritably.

"We'll get to those later." Warrick gave him a small smile.

"I ran across a child Immortal. He was ten…..physically…. But he was much older. He had survived on his wits. He conned others into protecting him, only to turn around and kill his protectors."

"A kid?"

"Yes, Immortals can be every shape and size. Women, men….old and young. Now, usually, the children don't survive long unless their smart or protected. Kenny may have looked ten, but looks can be deceiving." Mac had a chagrinned look on his face that told the others that he had fallen for the kid's act. "The Game isn't discriminating. Only the players are."

"Was the kid evil?"

"Some would say he was." Mac shrugged. "I tend to think he was just trying to stay alive the best he could."

"Was this man…..attacking Nick for the sake of attacking Nick, or was he using him to get to Warrick?" Greg finally questioned, seeming to understand the concept. Nick paled even more than he already was. He looked at Warrick nervously. As much as he hated to be babysat, he hated to be used even more. Being used against a friend was beyond his scope of acceptance.

"We won't know until we know who this guy is. I can't say for sure, but my guess is that he's after Warrick." Mac answered after waiting to see if Warrick would. "He could just be afraid of having new contenders and trying to stop them from becoming Immortals."

"How do we find out for sure?" Greg demanded. He seemed to be the only one capable of asking. Nick and Warrick seemed to be having a stare down.

"I have a friend that might be able to find out. He's the Watcher I told you about. Most Immortals have a Watcher, so if there are any Immortals in the Vegas area, Joe should be able to find out. If it's a known Immortal, there will be some background information. See if he has a history of this type of thing. Perhaps we can find out what the motive behind this attack is." Mac explained to them all. Warrick frowned. Greg knew it was because he didn't like the idea of being watched. Warrick was a private guy. He didn't like people being all up in his business.

"So what do we do? Nick and I can't hide forever. We have lives. We have jobs!"

"Until we get this guy, we stay together." Warrick winced at the look of irritation from his friends' faces. "Mac and I can stay near, just as a precaution. Nick's got it made, being injured, he'll be forced to remain in the lab. I just have to figure out a way to get Grissom to keep Greg in the lab too. This guy can't attack you guys there. It's too crowded. Too many eyes."

"I'm not spending the rest of my life with my tail between my legs." Greg grumbled. It had taken him years to get out of the lab and he wasn't about to voluntarily go back.

"No, but you will until we get you trained." Warrick ordered in an commanding voice that would make Grissom jealous.

"You think that you can get Grissom to allow you to bodyguard us both at all times?" Nick scoffed at the idea. "Not gonna happen, Warrick."

"Just until we can get you two trained and we put a stop to this guy." Warrick didn't sound too convincing, even to himself.

"I called a couple of friends The more of us around, the less likely he'll attack. This type of guy doesn't want a major confrontation. My guess is that he's a coward, which is why he sprung on a man, not an Immortal. He doesn't think he can take on one of us." Mac announced, drawing the CSI's attention.

"Who did you call? Do I know them?" Warrick frowned, not liking surprises being sprung on him.

"I don't think you know them. I met them both since I saw you last. How long has it been, Warrick?"

"Twenty years, I think." Warrick decided. "I was in New York, you were headed for Paris once again. Who are these guys?"

"Richie is a new Immortal. I found and trained him……six years ago. I guess you could say he's your little brother." Mac grinned. "He's stubborn and hot-headed, just like you. Must be a family trait."

Warrick didn't look amused as he glared at his old friend. He continued to look at Mac, waiting for him to continue. Mac watched him with a slight look of amusement. It wasn't until the green gaze narrowed into a look of warning that he went on. "Richie is a good guy to have at your back. I promise."

"How do we know for sure?" Greg interrupted, feeling uneasy at trusting anyone. "From what you've just told me, we can't trust anyone."

"You trust Warrick?" Mac looked from Nick to Greg, waiting until the answered with a nod. "Warrick trusts me. I trust Richie. Warrick and I are….family. Richie is part of my family. As a family, we stick together. Being what we are, we have to find family where we can. I would trust Richie with my life just as quickly as I have trusted Warrick."

"So, who is this other friend?" Warrick queried.

"Well, he's a good ally. He's old and smart. Brilliant, I would say." Mac grinned at the green eyes narrowing more. "He's….a myth that's real. The oldest living Immortal."

"Methos?" Warrick scoffed with a disparaging roll of the eyes. "Yeah, right!"

"I didn't believe it at first, but it's him. He's a damn smart one. He was hiding right in the middle of the Watchers, and they never had a clue. He's helped me out of a couple of jams and he's willing to lend a hand now too."

"Methos! I thought you told me he wasn't real. He was just a story someone made up…..a fairy tale." Warrick shook his head, unable to believe it was true.

"I know. I really believed that. I thought he was just a myth. But, once you know him, you can see the truth. Hell, you look into his eyes, and you can see the years and knowledge." Mac confessed. "He's real. But, to keep it secret, we all call him Adam."

"So….you've called in the troops." Greg cut in, unsure what all that was about. He looked at the two, expectantly. "Now, what's the plan?"