Title: Who wants to live forever (part 10)
Author: BELOVEDbyWAR
Rating: PG
TV verse: Blood Ties
Disclaimer: Not mine, not making any money..
Wc: 1122
Sequel to: Expectations
AN.: A big THANK YOU to luvinmike for being such a great beta!
Part 10:
Feeling rather helpless, Mike watched as the long-haired stranger assumed command.
After wiping the three guns to erase their fingerprints, they just barely got out of there before the police arrived.
Without looking back, MacLeod led him to a nice rental car. He silently laid Adam in the back seat and then they drove off at a leisurely pace as if nothing had happened.
Mike couldn't help himself and alternated between looking at Adam's motionless body and at the calm stranger by his side.
He was so tightly wound that he nearly jumped when the man finally spoke.
"He'll be alright, you know. Just give it a few hours. He is in pretty bad shape."
"Oh, OK."
"So, your name is Mike, I thought you didn't remember anything."
A bit irritated, Mike nodded.
How did the man know about him? And why did he look at him so suspiciously?
Then he suddenly vaguely remembered overhearing Adam talking to someone on the phone.
"Oh! You were the one he called!"
"Aye," the man nodded. "And I was quite surprised, too. Adam normally doesn't, well, let's call it interfere, and certainly not for a stranger."
"Guess I'm special, then," Mike muttered peevishly.
Seeing his reaction, MacLeod quickly changed his tone:
"No offense, it's simply unusual for him. And the situation I found you two in wasn't exactly the best. I'm concerned for a friend, that's all."
Yeah? Mike thought. Looked like more than a friend to me.
But instead he commented:
"That's alright. I understand. After all, it kinda was my fault he, ahem, died. We were looking for a woman I thought I knew and stumbled into that mess by accident."
"Mess is right. You two left quite a carnage."
"Actually that was almost single-handedly Adam's doing. You should have seen him! Cold as Death himself! Is he Black Ops or something?"
Mike noticed that the other man suddenly appeared agitated when he mentioned the word death, but then quickly caught himself and managed to regain his calm façade.
"No, just a lot of experience, that's all."
An uncomfortable silence fell over the two of them.
"So, are you from Scotland? You don't really sound like it."
"Aye, I am and I guess after having lived away for so many years, the accent sort of faded."
Mike pondered the words, then asked:
"How many is many years exactly?"
"Och, a few." The other grinned at Mike's not-so-subtle question, but finally gave in and answered while he parked the car.
"I was born in 1592."
Speechless, Mike simply stared at him.
1592?! But that made him – 416! Good LORD!
Chuckling at the blond's reaction, the Scot patted him on the shoulder.
"Come on. We need to carry him upstairs and make sure there's lots of beer on hand. He is always grumpy when he reawakens after having died."
This said, MacLeod once again lifted his friend over his shoulder and, after wrapping the bloody body in a spare coat, carried him upstairs, whispering "Wild party!" to the doorman when he looked suspiciously at the pair.
***
It was almost 4 pm before Vicki and Coreen finally walked out of the hospital.
Luckily none of their wounds were serious and being grilled by the police about what happened between various examinations actually made the whole thing seem twice as long as it actually was. What remained a mystery was who those guys were and why they had tried to kidnap Vicki.
They were just about to call a cab when an almost too inconspicuous looking car pulled in front of them. The window was lowered and, to their utter surprise, Crowley's scowling face appeared.
"Get in," she said.
Realizing there was no way around it, Vicki and Coreen complied.
The moment the car entered normal traffic, the woman turned and looked the two younger women over.
"You look like hell, Nelson."
"Gee, thanks. Well, at least now there are two of us who will never make it on the cover of People magazine."
Used to this attitude, Crowley didn't even bat an eye at the comment but instead continued:
"First your ex-partner dies, then his body is stolen from under our noses-"
"Yea, bet that rubbed you the wrong way!" Vicki mumbled, but Crowley simply continued ignoring her.
"-And now you are assaulted and your office is found filled with the bodies of Toronto's criminal lowlife. Anything you might want to share? And just so we are clear, this is not a friendly request."
"Don't worry. That thought never even crossed my mind," Vicki answered testily.
After all the previous questioning and with her body hurting like a bitch, she was already well beyond the capability of being civil.
"Look, I already told your lackeys all there is to know. There really isn't any more to it. I don't know who those guys were and, yes, I got a few licks in, but I sure as hell have no idea who killed them. It wasn't Coreen or me. We were both out cold."
"And you expect me to believe that?"
"You know what, I don't care what you believe. It's been one hell of a day and it isn't even over yet. All I want to do is get into bed and sleep. But guess what! I can't because the police have cordoned off my building! I'm so sorry that I'm not my chattiest at the moment."
"Nelson, this isn't over."
"That's where you're wrong, Crowley. You have both our statements and we answered all your questions. Our obligation is met. Now stop the damn car and let us out!"
Dissatisfied but unable to do anything else, Vicki's ex-superior gestured to the driver to do as told and a few minutes later they scrambled out of the car.
"You know the drill. Stay in the city for further questioning and don't get in the way of our investigations."
"Who me?" was all Vicki said before she stormed across the street, Coreen following faithfully.
After they were well inside and surrounded by a whirlwind of shoppers and tourists, Coreen asked:
"OK, so where to now?"
"To Henry's. He'll be up in a few hours and I need to kick back for bit." Looking her young assistant over, she continued. "And I think you could use a bit of down time yourself."
Coreen nodded, but Vicki sensed that there was something more on the Goth's mind. She had been unnaturally quiet ever since Vicki woke up.
A cab ride and a few words with the concierge later, the duo entered Henry's condo, ready to collapse on the couches.
Vicki managed to find some blankets before both of them succumbed to their fatigue and fell into exhausted slumber.
***
tbc