Chapter Eleven
Watcher Compound
"You're looking festive," said Joe as he greeted Amy. The guard stood behind the wheelchair pushing him in the room.
Joe requested, "I'll take it from here."
Egan nodded for the guard to remain at the door. He said, "This is a festive occasion Joe. I have asked Amy to be my wife."
Amy leaned down to kiss Joe on the cheek. She held out her hand showing him the one-carat diamond ring saying, "I said yes and look at my ring."
Joe hugged her back and said with difficulty, "That's just great sweetheart, just great. Your mother would be so proud."
He reluctantly shook Egan's hand and gripped it firmly, "Despite our differences, I expect you to take care of my little girl."
Egan gripped his hand back while both men stared each other down. He replied, "You can count on it, Joe."
They dropped the handshake and Joe abruptly said, "Then let's eat."
He wheeled his chair closer to the table and commented, "Something smells great."
"Yes, it sure does," agreed Amy sitting down in turn. Egan held her chair briefly before sitting down last.
The tray was brought in and the meal served by Egan's personal guards.
Joe questioned, "Amy you're not having lobster?"
"No," she answered, "I'm not really in the mood."
Egan spoke up, "Your spinach ravioli looks enticing."
Amy just sipped her water and Joe noticed she had grape juice in her other glass.
Egan picked up the decanter and Joe held out his glass saying, "I bet this wine is good."
Egan poured the amber liquid in both glasses. He said, "Yes it is and you must have a discerning palette."
Joe took a sip and replied, "It depends on the drink. I usually drink whiskey."
Amy chimed in with, "Yes I remember now. That day we had our big talk when I finished my assignment with Morgan Walker. I needed a strong drink."
Bubbling with excitement she said, "I know maybe I can come over again and hear the band play. That is when all this is over."
Egan looked sharply at her and suggested, "Amy, the band can play here at the château."
Joe put his hand over hers and answered, "Amy, the bar is gone. It burned down."
Her eyes began to tear up and her lip quivered. She pushed her plate aside and covered her face. Egan reached over to take her hand. "There now honey don't cry, Joe can build a new tavern."
Joe agreed, "That's right and Egan will pay for it, won't you... son."
Pulling her hand away, Amy turned from Egan with tears falling down her face and she dropped to her knees. In a dramatic move, she turned Joe's chair towards her and threw her arms around him sobbing, "I'm so sorry dad. I forgot you could have died and then and then," she sobbed harder, "the watchers saved you."
Joe held her tightly saying, "I'm alright now. Amy, please don't cry."
In the midst of comforting her, Joe could feel Amy shoving papers behind his back. "Amy, you little actress, what are you smuggling to me?"
Joe said, "There, there, Amy. Dry your tears and let's finish our dinner."
Amy slowly sat back in her chair. Picking up her napkin, she wiped her eyes and loudly blew her nose.
Joe held up his glass and said, "A toast to the happy couple. May you…be happy."
Amy composed herself and held up her glass, "Thank you father and may your health be strong."
Egan also held up his glass and touched Joes and Amy's, "Thank you Joe. Amy you give me a future worth having."
Amy leaned forward to accept a kiss from Egan. Her eyes still sparkled with tears, but she was smiling now.
Joe felt like gagging but he really wanted to see the papers Amy gave him. He smiled and finished eating his meal with very little small talk.
Clearing his throat he said, "Thank you for a tasteful dinner Egan."
Egan replied, "You're welcome Joe and as my future father-in-law, I hope I can trust you to keep to your floor."
Joe gave a small chuckle and said, "That's awfully generous of you, son."
Amy gave Joe a hug and said, "I love you dad."
Egan walked Joe to the door and told the guard, "Joe Dawson has free movement from his room to just the third floor with the wheelchair."
Joe freely wheeled his chair down the hall quietly singing a tune. "No one ever loved that river, rain from the highlands a mirror for the Cajun moon."
Scotland
The sun had set and the early evening air was pleasant as Connor drove Beth around Jamestown in the rental car. It was quiet but she seemed to have a purpose.
Telling him to stop in front of an herbal and homeopathic store she said, "Here, this is where I need to go."
Beth went inside and up to the counter and asked to see their list of herbs.
Reading it aloud, she requested, "Red Raspberry Leaf, Alfalfa, Dandelion, Oatstraw Grass and Horsetail Grass, Ginger, Peppermint and the Withania somnifera root."
While the woman was pulling out the herbs and packing them, Beth told her, "I need all of those packaged into 1/2 pound bags except the raspberry leaf, I want 2 pounds. Also I need a brewing pot."
Connor asked her, "Do you want me to pay for this?"
She answered, "No I just want you to carry it."
"So I'm a pack mule?" he asked.
She frowned slightly and told him, "I wouldn't say that exactly."
Paying for her purchases, she looked at Connor expectantly.
He gave a chuckle as he took the large bag from the sales clerk. Holding open the door, he asked, "Where to next?"
She smiled at him and replied, "Oh, I've just begun."
After helping Connor stash the purchases in the trunk of the rental, Beth scanned all the store signs and display windows walking briskly. Just passing an antique store, she stopped short. Connor almost collided with her and he looked to see what caught her attention.
There in the window was a small metal box about 10"x8"x8" with hinges.
"You want a jewelry box?" he asked her.
She told him, "Don't be silly, that's too ugly for a jewelry box."
She went into the store and inquired about it.
"Yes it's for sale." The shopkeeper told her.
"What is it made of?" Beth asked.
The shopkeeper took it out of the window and turned it over examining it then said, "It's made of different heavy metals there is layers of nickel and copper."
Connor asked, "What was it used for?" he winked at Beth.
The shopkeeper consulted his notebook on the history of items in his shop. He told them, "It was used in the 18th century by the prominent woman of the house to hide her jewels in."
"Ha!" Connor said, "Told you."
Beth just rolled her eyes at him saying, "I don't want it for jewels. Remember what McFadden said about encasing the meteorite?"
"I see now where you're going with this." He asked the shopkeeper, "What else can you tell us about the box?"
The portly shopkeeper replied, "It is made with lead too so you can't handle it for very long and you must wash your hands thoroughly."
Beth said, "We'll take it and please wrap it up with paper."
Aside, Connor quietly asked Beth, "How do you know ifthe box will be big enough?"
She considered this a moment and speculated, "I don't know how big can a meteorite be?"
Connor hefted the wrapped box under one arm and followed Beth out of the quaint antique shop.
Walking beside him for a moment, she was thinking hard. She hesitantly asked him, "Connor, I need your help with my next purchase."
He asked her, "What else do you need?"
She looked around, waited until they were alone on the street corner and told him, "I need a gun."
Connor looked at her surprised but quickly guessed her reason. He told her, "So you don't want Duncan to have any more challenges."
She nodded and waited for him to give any suggestions or advice.
He told her, "I do have several guns and rifles but they are all in storage with everything from my once thriving Antique Store."
He looked up the street and said, "There is a Fishing and Tackle store. I can help you pick a gun."
Back at the Inn, Duncan studied the map and road atlas to plan his route. He traced the best way he knew onto the map and made notations of rest stops.
Frank waited until he was done and then told him, "Duncan I want to tell you how important this child is."
Without looking up Duncan replied, "You've made it clear already, what more is there to say?"
Frank said insistently, "This child could be the next leader for Immortals. After the gathering when we win…"
"If we win," Duncan answered finally looking up at Frank.
"When we win," he continued, "there will be many long years of peace. Your child will grow to be a man of distinction."
Duncan sighed thinking about Beth and what she would go through just to give birth. He said, "Frank there is so much that could go wrong between now and the gathering. I'm not prepared to think that far ahead."
"Alright, I'll give you that." He said, "It has always been my job to think far enough ahead."
Sitting down across from MacLeod, he then suggested, "Would it be easier if Deahna and I raise the child after the gathering?"
"Not another word Frank!" Duncan stood up and faced the Grand Immortal with fire in his eyes. "I will not discuss this subject anymore with you. You're acting like he is some kind of Golden Child and I will not make that decision until it is time because right now I don't have that much time."
He gathered up the map and notebook leaving Frank alone in Connor's room. Going back to his room, he put the map aside and thought about what Frank suggested. If all these events played out and he was alone with a child, what would he do?
Beth showed up a few minutes later with Connor holding all the bags and one long package.
Duncan asked, "What have you two been up to?"
She replied, "Oh the usual, herbs, a box and a gun."
Beth sat on the bed and opened up the package of herbs. Picking up the phone, she called the proprietors.
"Yes this is room 24. Can I have a hot plate for my room?" Listening to the reply, she requested, "Then I need a tea pot with very hot water sent up? Thank you."
Duncan asked her, "What do you need hot water for?"
She held up the bags and replied, "These are some of the herbs my mother used to fix for expectant mothers to keep up their strength."
Connor pulled the paper off the metal box and opened it up. The inside lined with old leather had a simple locking mechanism. He commented, "I still don't think it will be big enough."
Looking at everything Duncan said, "That's right, I knew we were missing something."
He pulled the paper off the long package, held up the custom grade Winchester rifle and asked, "Who is this for?"
"It's mine," Beth replied. "And this gun is yours." She handed him a Smith and Wesson .45.
"Nice choice," said Duncan. "How did you get it without a waiting period?" he asked.
Connor told him, "I had to pay extra. By the way, you own me $50 bucks."
Beth told him, "I'll keep a look out for distance and if they get too close then you can shoot them."
Connor noticed the map then asked, "Do you have your route already planned out?"
Duncan answered, "Yes, it's going to be two weeks just to get there, find the thing. Then I have to join you and McFadden where ever he has in mind for the gathering."
Connor said, "As I recall he doesn't know beyond the general area." He then asked, "Duncan don't you still have your cell phone?"
"I did," he replied, "But the service here isn't very good."
"What about temporary phones?" Beth suggested, "You know ones programmed with numbers here and you have to buy the minutes."
Connor took her by the shoulders and kissed her quickly, "Great idea." Letting her go he went to the door as a knock sounded. Smiling he commented, "Duncan you're getting soft. I can't believe you let me kiss her."
Turning back, he opened the door and took the padded teapot from the aide, "Thank you," he said next handing the pot to Duncan. Conner went down the hall with Duncan calling after him, "I am not getting soft!"
.
