Chapter Seventeen

The map lines converged at Lochside but the rest of the search would have to be on foot. Duncan drove as close as possible to the hills where he felt the "pull" the strongest.

Beth yelled, "Here! Stop the car."

Duncan stopped and put the car in park. He turned to her and asked, "How do you know? I can barely feel it."

She answered, "It was the baby, he gave such a kick."

He told her, "Keep the doors locked and I'll get out and dig."

"Do you feel something else?" she asked.

Duncan sat back and looked around at the desolate beauty of the hills of Scotland. He commented, "This is a strange area. It feels like immortals are nearby but I could be wrong."

Getting out of the car, he walked around feeling for the presence of the meteorite.

Taking a shovel and a pick from the back, he instructed her, "Keep watch for me, will you?"

Her response was to pat the rifle lying across her swollen stomach. "Oh, Annie and I will be here watching for you."

He gave her a quick smile saying, "You do that."

Duncan started walking in wide circles making a grid pattern trying to locate the best place to begin digging. He walked farther from the car and then crossed back and forth for an hour.

The vibrations felt like it was moving or else it very deep. Abruptly, Duncan sat down and felt a strange tingling throughout his body. It felt like the end of a quickening.

"Eureka!" he said and flipped over onto his knees. Touching the area with his hand, he spoke softly, "Here you are and I'm going to get you."

Duncan used the pickaxe first breaking up the soil. It gave way very quickly and soon he was using the shovel digging a hole wider and deeper. His concentration was so intense and the vibrations from the meteorite masked the approach of an immortal. He did not feel the warning until Beth screamed.

"Mac, Look out!" she said rolling down her window and pointed the rifle at a large man standing beside the grove of dwarf trees. She fired an instant later as Duncan spun around to see a big hulking man stagger towards him with a bullet hole in his chest.

"Ursa?" Duncan said as he dropped the shovel and ran to him. "Sit down," he commanded while holding his arm as Ursa slipped to the ground. "You'll be alright soon."

The only sound from Ursa was a gasp of pain and surprise. He looked to Duncan for help.

Beth came up to stand beside Duncan. She asked, "You know this man?"

The man's eyes closed and his breathing stopped. Duncan said, "Yes, many years ago." His eyes mirrored the memory.

1634 France

Riding his horse near village outskirts, Duncan Macleod caught sight of peasant men from the village tracking a beast. All of a sudden, they see it and begin attacking him as he fought them off.

Feeling the man is an immortal, Duncan jumped off his horse and he said loudly, "Leave him alone, he's done you no harm."

The villagers ignore him continue attacking this huge man and when he is stabbed, he pulled out the stick and went after the man who stabbed him.

Duncan called out, "Stop!" but the giant kept going so he steps between them and kills the giant with a quick thrust of his sword.

"He'll just come back to life," they exclaim, "Watch him!"

Duncan assured them, "I will bury him so deep and make sure he doesn't come back. But if you stay and watch then you'll grow roots and be stuck here, forever."

The villagers all run off while Duncan digs a false grave. He then waits for the big immortal to awaken.

He told Beth, "I took him to an Abby in Sango Ban but many years later it was torn down and the bricks were used to build houses so Ursa ended up living in the sewers and catacombs under the Paris Oprah House by 1990. By then he was very confused and committed murder enthralled by an Oprah Diva but I got him away in time."

Duncan finished with, "The last time I saw Ursa was when I took him to another Abby in France."

The big man began to move and he opened his eyes. The first face he saw was MacLeod. In his simpleton way he said, "Ma Cleod."

Duncan replied, "Hi Ursa."

Ursa looked over at Beth still holding the rifle with concern on his face. He gestured at her rifle and grunted, "Don't hurt?"

"No," Duncan said, "Beth could you put that away?"

He turned his attention to Ursa when Beth walked back to the car. He inquired, "Ursa, how did you get here and why?"

Ursa got up slowly to his feet with a grunt and walked over to the hole. Pointing to the sun, he moved his arms in circles saying, "I go on a boat," He made a gesture with his hands. "I walk a long time." He started marching towards the hole.

Duncan asked, "You came here because…of what's in there?"

Ursa looked at Duncan while his child-like mind searched for answers. He nodded and said, "Yes."

Duncan smiled at this and said, "I almost found it but it's a little deeper than I thought."

Big Ursa took the shovel pretending to dig saying, "Find it?"

Duncan pointed to the hole and said, "If you can dig deep enough and find it, I'll give you a present."

Ursa's eyes lit up and he stepped into the shallow hole and began digging with more strength than Duncan had left.

Beth came back and stood next to Duncan looking at Ursa happily digging. Watching the scene for a few moments, she asked him, "How will you know if he gets the meteorite with all the dirt flying about?"

Judging by Ursa's efforts he said, "It won't be too much longer."

"Then," she asked him, "What will you give him as a present?"

Duncan's left eyebrow went up conclusively. "I'm thinking about it."

"Good," she said, "Because here he comes."

When Ursa climbed out of the shallow pit and pointed at something, he said, "Ma Cleod." He grunted and rubbed his hands saying, "Hurt."

Duncan MacLeod walked over to the hole and looked in as the dust settled. He saw and felt the meteorite very clearly now.

Clapping his hand on Ursa's shoulder he said, "Good work Ursa. You are a big help."

Calling to Beth he requested, "Get the box and two bottles of water please." He stepped into the hole and picked it up.

She had sensed what was to come and was halfway to the car when he called out. She rushed back to the hole and sat the open box on the ground. Tossing the water to Duncan, she backed away.

He saw her stepping back and asked, "Are you alright?"

She nodded and said, "Something about that meteorite makes the baby kick."

"It's best if you stay over there." He said

He handed a bottle of water to Ursa then he began to examine the small three-pound meteorite.

The meteorite had layers of dirt, but it still made his hands tingle. Opening the other bottle of water, he poured it all over rubbing it between his palms until it was clean.

Sipping his water, Ursa watched intently like a child at school, he asked, "Ma Cleod?"

Putting it in simple terms, Duncan replied, "It's a stone that fell to the earth from high up in the sky, so high that the air is gone and it's too cold to live there."

The meteorite was about the size of a large apple and looked amber in color with a metal core. Duncan could see where it had passed through the atmosphere becoming soft and shaped by friction. The ground must have been very soft when it hit because there was no impact damage. It was perfect.

Ursa said with awe in his voice, "You touch it."

When he put the meteorite in the box, the vibrations stopped.

Duncan instructed him, "Ursa, this stone is very dangerous. I was sent here to get it and we must protect it from others like us."

Ursa nodded emphatically and said, "Yes."

Picking up the box, Duncan walked to the car and put it away in the back. Reaching inside his duffle bag, he took out a hunting knife. Presenting it to Ursa he said, "This is for you."

Ursa took the knife from Duncan, looked at it then handed it back. He shook his head and said "No, Ma Cleod."

Duncan asked him, "What do you want for helping me?"

Ursa looked at Beth and gestured at her small belly showing a life inside. Holding his hand to his ear, he asked softly, "Touch?"

She looked with concern at Duncan asking him, "Is it safe? Because I don't know if he's still mad at me for shooting him."

Duncan laughed as he put his arm on her shoulders. He indicated to Ursa to step closer telling him, "First you have to kneel down so you don't scare Beth and gently touch the baby."

She did not look too happy about the arrangement but stood still while Ursa did as instructed. His big hands covered half her torso. He put his ear to her belly whispering softly. Then he started singing a song the monks taught him.

The melody filled her with emotions. Prompting Beth to ask, "He sings so beautiful so why can't he talk?"

Duncan shook his head and answered, "I don't know. The monks taught him to sing but I've never heard him say more than a few words and my name."

The big man stood up towering over Beth and said with finality, "Go with Ma Cleod."

Duncan sighed with relief, "I'm glad to hear that Ursa. Beth and I were hoping you would come with us."

Looking at the small car they were traveling in, Beth suggested, "If we tie some of the luggage onto the roof he might be able to fit inside."

Duncan agreed saying, "I'm calling Frank first to tell him we have the meteorite and a body guard."

Ursa helped Beth unpack the car putting the entire luggage set on the roof. Tying everything down with ropes, he seemed satisfied. Then he asked her, "Going where?"

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