Sitting at a table in a local bar Rob lightly rubbed the Watcher tattoo on the inside of his right wrist. He never regretted joining the Watchers, however he was questioning the current group he was with. Ever since he discovered the man who recruited him turn out to be an Immortal himself. And he stood by and did nothing as their "friends" executed him. His silent thoughts were broken by the realization that somebody joined him at the table. The first thing he saw was some Egyptian style eyeliner and subconsciously tried to hide his tattoo. He was looking at the man he was assigned to watch. "Pardon me friend," he said pleasantly, "but I noticed you were sitting here deep in troubling thought. Seeing how I lost a friend today I hope you don't mind if I joined you. Misery loves company as they say. Although why anybody would want to be around anybody who is miserable never made sense to me. But my manners are atrocious, please forgive me. My name is Scott Harris."

Unsure of what else to say he stammered, "Rob… Rob Wong."

"Well Rob Rob Wong," he repeated with a humorous tone, "I hope you don't mind the intrusion. What is troubling you, if I may be so bold?"

Rob was a little wary. He'd read the file on Harris before actually getting started on the job. He knew the types of games he liked to play. He didn't want to give this Immortal any ammunition to be used against him in the future. But he had to tell somebody, what he was feeling was twisting his insides into knots. Maybe if he choose his words carefully, "I have these… associates that I thought had a good idea. Now I'm wondering if they were right after all and I can't see a way out of it."

"Ah," he said in understanding, "That is a tricky one. Am I correct in assuming these associates of yours are extremely good at hunting people down?"

Trying not to wince at his choice of words Rob replied with a, "You could say that."

"You do indeed have a problem," Harris said. Grabbing a passing waiter's attention he quickly ordered two beers. "It's on me and you do look like you could use more than one drink," he gestured toward the barely half empty glass in front of him. "It's a pity you can't be like me and follow where the wind takes you."

Again he tried to suppress a reaction. He never knew what they meant when they told him that they hoped his passport was up to date until after he started following him. Rob didn't think it was possible to see that much of the world that fast. "Well some of us are a little more tied down than others."

"I was once too," Harris said, "until I was born again. Oh not in the Christian holier than thou sort of way. That would be tedious, and quite honestly rather boring. But my rebirth did start with a bit of a bang."

~1918~

Scott thought it was over right then and there. In a severe case of wrong place wrong time a German bomb landed right close to him and exploded as he turned to run. He felt the force of the blast before hearing the deafening bang. He didn't even have time to pray for anything and was positive the next thing he was going to feel was the hellfire and brimstone the Sister was always warning him about in the orphanage. The he woke up. Outside of his clothes being in tatters he was perfectly fine. What was going on? Stumbling to his feet he quickly got away from there before somebody noticed him. He wasn't aware he walked into a cemetery when he felt this strange sensation that made him grab his head. "Why do the newborns always do that?", a voice with a slight Scottish accent said with some disdain. Scott looked around and saw an older man in his fifties look on in disgust. "I guess we better get this out of the way. My name is Malcolm McAllister."

After a few moments he was able to answer, "Scott Harris."

"Where are you going? Answer me boy I don't have all day."

"Here there and everywhere," Scott answered.

"Ah you're a vagrant," Malcolm said while walking away.

"I am not," Scott said following. "I'm a wonderer. A free spirit not tied down to anything."

"Like I said a vagrant," he said. Turning around to look at him one more time Malcolm seemed to study him. There were very few people whose gaze made Scott want to squirm. This was very, very close. "You better come on before somebody else finds you. I swear all these years alive is starting to make me go soft."

"What do you mean?"

Malcolm started to answer then something caught his eyes and made him duck behind some bushes. Scott was about to ask what he saw when he when Malcolm grabbed him by the arm and pulled him under cover. "Silence boy," he whispered. "That is what I am talking about."

Scott looked through the bushes to where he was pointing. A man with long black hair and wearing dark clothes walked the body lined street. Both of them watched, Scott with fascination and Malcolm with some dread as he examined each body. Then he smiled and reached into his coat. Scott heart started beating faster as he pulled out a sword with a red blade. He could do nothing as he reached down and picked up one poor bastard who was laying face down by the hair. With one swing he took his head clean off. Scott felt his legs go rubber at the sight. Then he saw the lightning come from the body being absorbed by the person in black. At best he mustered a weak, "Big Evil."

"What?", Malcolm asked confused.

"Big Evil," he started to say louder until Malcolm shushed him and clamped a hand over his mouth.

"He hasn't sensed us yet. Let's keep it that way boy. No what is this big evil nonsense."

"This nun at the orphanage I grew up in warned me about him when she caught me misbehaving and nothing else would work. She used to tell me about a man dressed in black that would come after you when you were naughty. A man with a sword made of blood who will cut off your head and take your soul. An evil so big you wouldn't see him coming until it was too late."

Malcolm chuckled at the story, "Obviously this nun knew what you were. That man is called Dijkhuizen, and there is a reason why I only deal with him on holy ground. But I definitely try to avoid any unnecessary contact with him. He's been after my head for a long time."

"What did you do?"

Malcolm smacked him in the head, "Don't let a made up fairytale rule your life boy. Wait here and keep your mouth shut, unless he comes in this direction he won't notice us." Scott was never so quiet in his life.

~now~

Rob just sat there listening. It took him a while to realize Harris just told him how he became an immortal, but found a way to say it that didn't even imply his history or what he was. It could have happened last month the way he told it. He was stunned but he managed to play along and say, "I don't remember hearing about any explosion recently."

"It was outside the country," he answered. "No offence my friend but you Americans rarely seem interested in the things that happen outside your borders."

"Actually I'm Canadian," Rob informed him.

"My apologies for assuming," he said. He quickly bought another round. "A small penance for such a mistake. It's real hard not to assume things," he said looking deep in thought. "Like that Sister who helped raise me in the orphanage. I would have thought I knew exactly who she was. Don't get me wrong my friend, I adore the woman to death. Most of the nuns gave up on me as a lost cause. They didn't say it out loud but I could see it in their eye, but not her. I thought she was a saint. Then I realized me and here had more in common than I originally thought. And she knew it the entire time."

~1940~

Scott sat on a boulder in the cold night. He didn't mind the cold, after he left the orphanage he spent many a night without a proper roof over his head. It was a lifestyle he never grew out of. Besides why tie yourself down in one place when there was a whole world to see? He felt the presence of another Immortal and quickly took out his sword. An old pirate cutlass he recently acquired, he wouldn't have bothered taking it from that decent old man he met in the last town he was in but the jewels covering hilt just grabbed his attention and wouldn't let him go. He found a blond haired woman looking around as well, one he recognized all too well. "Sister, how very good to see you again."

"Scott?", Susan said coming closer to get a good look at him. He noticed she was keeping an eye on his sword, and that her right hand wasn't visible. More than likely gripping her own sword. "So is this how it's going to happen?"

He thought it over for a moment before saying, "It wouldn't be much of a reunion if one of us ended up dead now would it?" returning to the boulder he went back to watching the area he was studying before she showed up. "Besides I wouldn't want to miss out on finding out who the winner was."

"What winner?", she asked. Then they both saw and felt it, a Quickening. Scott leaned in as he waited intently. Soon somebody walked into view and looked around before heading off.

"I'm surprised it was him," he said while scratching his chin. "I was positive the other one would have won."

"Scott what are you talking about?"

"Those two had a small issue with each other," he said nonchalantly. "I happened to over hear it. So I just pushed a few things and made this happen. I'm really quite amazed at the results."

"You caused them to fight?" Susan took him by the arm and made him face her. Scott resisted an urge to squirm he hadn't felt in over thirty years. "Scott this is a very dangerous game you're playing. I want you to promise me that you'll never do anything like that again."

"I wish I could Sister," he said getting free from her grasp." But if I did I would be lying to you and I cannot do that." Walking away with his hands behind his head he continued, "It's not the first time I did such a thing. I find it makes life so much more…," he searched for the right word, "interesting."

~now~

"You make people fight each other?", Rob said still playing along. Although he didn't remember reading about that particular meeting in Harris's file. Then again Watcher files from back then were often lost in boxes in attics or destroyed forever somehow. With no good way of keeping each other up to date it was no wonder there were so many false reports of the Gathering happening, it was easy to lose track of thing. Not like they are now.

"Of course not," Scott said. "I just discover or happen overhear about a problem some people are having. And I do my best to get them together. If they just happen to result to violence, well that was how it was meant to be. Or maybe not, it's hard to say really." His expression was hard to crack. What was going through that head of his? "It is extremely hard to find others who share my love of life," he stated changing subjects. "There are times I think I am alone in how I see the world. Then I met a person like my recently departed friend. Oh he wasn't exactly like me of course."

"I get the feeling you could only hang around somebody who was just like you," Rob commented.

"Well that would just be boring," he stated simply. "I don't think I could get along with me at all. Which is strange because I think I'm absolutely fascinating."

"So what was so special about your friend?

A sad smile gracing his lips he said, "We had a similar sense of humor."

~1982~

With the wind carrying the salty sea air Scott and Naoto faced each other, kendo sticks in hand. Without warning Naoto struck first coming in fast. Scott blocked and waited, he knew it was going to come eventually. He saw the older immortal lips tighten a bit as he continued to parry his strikes. Then he saw him set up for it. Scott blocked his special speed strike on his first attempt. Then he came at him hard, his wooden blade going faster and faster until Naoto had to back up from the assault. Then Naoto did something new that broke through his attack and cracked the stick on top of his head. It caused him to see stars and fall straight on his ass. Resting the kendo stick on his shoulders he smirked, "Very good Scott. I didn't think it was possible it was possible to do that more than once. Not to mention I didn't think it was possible for anybody to move that fast."

"My reflexes have always been faster than anybody else," Scott told after his vision cleared, "especially after the bomb. People say I could steal the badge off of an officer with him looking right at me. I did actually, one lazy Brazilian afternoon"

"That's not something to be proud of Scott."

Popping back on his feet his response was, "Maybe it is maybe it isn't, who can say. I delivered it back to the station that same night all tied up in a neat little bow. No harm no foul. Of course I'm not really sure what the penalties of that sort of thing are. I never stayed around in one place long enough to find out or care."

"I imagine you'll be leaving soon," Naoto commented while taking the kendo stick back.

"Either tonight or in the morning. Depends on when the wind decides to take me really." Looking over the man he considered a friend, he asked, "You can do it too you know. Get out of this temple and dust yourself off. Before Inoki decided to get even for the whoopee cushion incident."

Naoto laughed at the memory of the recent incident, "I have never seen one man get so embarrassed in my life or hear the dining hall get so quiet. Outside of the two of us snickering before busting out laughing. I would like to see the world again," he said after a moment. "But I'm still trying to find something I lost inside me. Besides traveling like that is for the young, not for those who are old and are feigning being responsible. Do try and come this way again in the future Scott. I do enjoy our conversations."

"If the wind sends me this way you'll see me again", Scott assured him. "Now if you will excuse me I suddenly have a taste for some seafood."

~now~

Again another meeting he didn't have any knowledge of. But Harris did spend a couple of weeks in Japan, and he did seem genuinely upset when that Naoto person let the younger McAllister kill him. So it was possible that was true. But he was still amazed Harris was able to tell that story and not give a time frame for it. Rob was about to inquire further when he noticed Harris had this strange look in his eyes and immediately turned toward the door. Two young people stopped in the entrance way and peered around. He recognized the woman almost immediately, Serenity Sheldon. Harris had an encounter with her a short time back. Smiling a bit Harris turned back toward him, "If you will excuse me friend I must part ways. All night I was looking for a little soft comfort to help lighten the loss of my friend. Imagine my surprise when she walked right in the door."

Fearing this would go south in a hurry Rob continued to play along, hoping this wouldn't count as interferance, "So how much of what you told me was true?"

Spreading his hands out wide Harris simply said, "My friend it was all true."

"Even the lies?"

With a mysterious glint in his eyes and a mischievous smile he answered, "Especially the lies. It makes life so much more interesting." Before he could say another word he left the table and headed for other Immortals. Rob quickly called for the bill before getting set to follow him. He suddenly realized the other man was McAllister's current student. This could go bad in a real hurry.

"What are you doing here?", Keith asked. Serenity didn't looked pleased to see him either but she wasn't backing away from him either.

"I just come to say hello to the lovely lady." He took her hand and started to kiss it. Keith slapped his hand away. Serenity started to chastise him for doing that while Harris rubbed his hand. "My friend I don't think that was your call to make."

"I'm not your friend," Keith told him. "And she told me what you did to her."

"Keith just drop it," Serenity told him. "He's not worth it."

Looking pleased Harris said, "It must have not been that terrible of an experience otherwise she would have tried to take my head by now. And apparently bragging about it as well."

"That's it you and me outside," Keith said and walked out the door.

"Keith don't be stupid," Serenity said. Stuffing his hands in his pockets Harris followed him out. "Wait Scott he doesn't…," she started to say. "Don't do this."

A small crowd followed them out as Rob tried to get into a good position. Keith didn't wait for him when he threw a punch. Hands still in his pockets Harris dodged everything that was thrown at him. Rob had a little experience fighting but even he could tell Keith was overmatched here. Serenity said nothing but looked on in slight disgust at the display. Keith put everything he had in one punch and again Harris moved. Keith fought to keep his balance. Finally taking a hand out of his pocked Harris tapped him sharply in the back of the head. It was enough to send Keith to the sidewalk. He went to get back up as Harris opened his coat. Both Rob and Serenity saw the jewel encrusted hilt inside. Keith got the message and stayed down. Harris looked in his and Serenity's direction and simply waved before walking off. Serenity quickly followed him with Rob close behind. "What was all that about?" she demanded.

"Nothing major as you would put it," Harris. "He wanted a fight and I gave him one simple as that."

"He challenged you."

"And he wasn't armed," Harris told her, "unlike yourself. Don't look so surprised, I'm sure the Sister told if you live long enough you can tell who's armed and who isn't. And quite honestly where is the sport in that. Besides his death looks like would upset you and I can not allow that to happen." This time he took her hand and with no interference kissed it. "Until we meet again and under less hostile circumstances." Serenity just stood there and watched him leave with his hands behind his head. Rob watched her look at him for a long time before finally turning around and checking on Keith. Rob was certain of one thing, tailing Scott Harris was never boring. Now if he could just figure out who he pissed off to get this assignment.