Paris
Amanda was bored. The Sanctuary ran smoothly, she didn´t have to solve any problem for days. When Nick used to be around, she at least helped with his cases. Nick…oh, Nick. Sixteen years should be as a drop in the sea for her but somehow, she felt those years without him were the emptiest she ever lived. He changed her. Amanda knew that she was usually surrounded by men who only wanted something from her and she wanted something from them. Nobody really cared about her and when she got married, it was for pure business reasons and he was insane.
She knew where Nick was but it was up to him to contact her and he never did it. Amanda still felt a disappointment, and was angry with Nick and with herself. She thought she did a good thing but when she came to visit Liam few days after Nick left, he explained it to her. All Amanda wanted to do was apologize, even though it wouldn´t probably change much. But she at least knew Nick was OK. And he did pretty well on his own. Sanctuary was basically a meeting place for all immortals, a neutral zone, and she heard stuff. Nick became one of the most respected immortals thanks to his work for Derek Smith and also thanks to his previous reputation. And there were people who wanted his head. She sighed and looked into her bills again. This honest living was boring but even stealing wasn´t such a fun anymore. She tried some job here and there but it wasn´t the same. I hate you, Nick, for making me this person, she thought. Well, then we are even, replied another thought in Nick´s voice. Yes, Amanda knew that Nick would probably think the same.
A silent cough came from the door along with an immortal buzz and when she turned, ready to start yelling that she didn´t want to be disturbed, Liam´s wide smile stopped her.
"Liam! It is so nice to see you!" she ran to him and hugged him which was very unusual.
"What did I do?" Amanda blushed a little. She was in a terrible mood and to see Liam just made her day. Except Bert, there was nobody who she could talk to and even Bert was gone because his work was in the States and he didn´t want to get involved in an immortal business. He sold his share of the club to her few years ago and went back home so he was visiting her only occasionally. She thought that her being immortal scared him of a little but she couldn´t be sure.
"Nothing, I just…I am glad you are here."
"Well, in that case, so am I. I have some news Amanda." His face was serious again and she suddenly thought "Nick"
"Yes, it´s about Nick but don´t worry, he is OK." He knew her too well.
"What is it?" she asked, offering him a chair at the bar.
"He is back in Europe. He came back after Derek Smith was killed." Amanda sat on the bar chair as well and looked worried.
"It is a terrible thing. I don´t understand how could anyone be so idiotic and kill Smith. He was one of the best and one of the good guys. He was helping everybody. I can´t imagine how hard it must be for Nick to lose a teacher and a friend like that…awful."
"Amanda, there is more. There is a rumour going round that it was actually a mortal who killed him and Nick is now trying to find who did it. He practically turned London upside down but so far, no luck. But I heard one thing and you could help with it. I know, I know," he quickly interrupted Amanda´s protest, "but listen, I think this is it. You could really help Nick now and it would be a perfect time for you to finally meet and forgive each other. The last person leaving Smith´s office was Cory."
"How do you know?" Amanda was more surprised that Liam knew about Cory than that her former companion was involved.
"I have my own sources." Smiled Liam and looked up.
"Yeah, sure. Keep your secrets." Amanda knew that Liam, priest or not, still had his secrets and many immortals were coming to his church every day.
"If Cory got into trouble, I doubt he stayed in England. In fact, I think I know where he could be." Amanda went to the bar and pulled out a small note book, full of numbers. She had contacts at everybody, in case of emergency, including Cory.
"I shouldn´t interfere. If Nick is on this, we would meet sooner or later."
"And you don´t want to meet him because…?"
"Oh, come on, Liam. We talked about it like hundred times. He hates me."
"Amanda, he doesn´t hate you. I think he understands it now. I spoke to him…well, it´s been a while but I think he really accepted who he is. You both are just stubborn and refuse to talk first. And as you said, Derek Smith was a good man and Nick´s teacher. If you don´t get involved now, when do you want to get in touch with Nick? In the next century? You know how immortality changes relationships. Yours with Nick is already changed but it isn´t completely destroyed. Go, call Cory and tell him to contact Nick. You have nothing to lose." His voice was calm, as usual.
"I hate you, Liam, you know that?" She said with a smile.
"Yes, I know you do. And that´s another thing you and Nick have in common." Before she got a chance to ask him what he meant, he was already gone.
After she dialed the mobile number, nobody seemed to be ready to answer and just as Amanda wanted to give up, a reluctant voice in the phone answered: "Cory Raines."
London
Nick was disappointed. He hated when someone was smarter in disappearing than him. He knew that Raines wouldn´t stick around but he hoped that someone could at least tell him where he was.
Frustrated, he went back to his hotel, not willing to stay in Derek´s place. He didn´t want to stay there yet. It was too full of memories, very old memories, not just for him. Office and apartment of his dead teacher were full of ancient things, papers, books, as if Derek himself was frozen in time somewhere between two centuries. Nick used to love that, now it all reminded him how much he missed Derek. He didn´t have much time to think about it before, but now, wandering through the city, he could tell he was almost desperate. When he left Derek five years ago, he quit everything. His job, his friends, he even stopped replying to Liam´s letters for a while. What did he think? He couldn´t spend the eternity alone. He knew what the immortality did to people and he didn´t want to become one of those lunatic psycho immortal men. Thinking of lunatics….Nick stood at the bridge, it was almost midnight and there was nobody around. Except some immortal Nick felt coming. He hated the buzz surrounding the immortal presence because it was as bad as a migraine. With time, he learnt to control it, feel it, even pinpoint the direction. But it was dark and he didn´t see anyone.
Not willing to show his surprise or reveal his position, he stopped and turned back. Not the smartest tactic but he wasn´t in a mood for fight. He was also very tired and losing his head was the last thing he needed right now. Oh, shit…"Hey, pal." Said that man, looking younger than Nick, but it didn´t mean anything. He also looked very drunk which was weird since immortal had big problems to get drunk. Maybe he was high, it would be a better explanation.
"Look…pal…I am not in the mood. I don´t want to fight you so just….go away, please."
"Not a chance. I am exactly in the mood for a fight." His hand with a sword was shaking but Nick knew that it could be just a tactic. He really, really didn´t want to do this right now. He didn´t sleep for a day and he was also very hungry. Not a good combination.
"I have more important things to do." Nick tried to skip around his soon-to-be opponent but that guy stood in his way.
"Fight or die, it is the way it is. I am Zachary Black."
"Nick Wolfe. Pleasure to meet you…er, actually…" Nick didn´t even bother to finish the sentence when he pulled the sword out of his coat. The bridge wasn´t too well chosen place, anybody could see them. But as the sound of sword fight was carried over the Thames and its echo was heard everywhere, nobody seemed to bother. There wasn´t anyone around. Maybe because it was cold and this wasn´t exactly the most favourite part of London, it was like someone told even homeless and drug addicts to stay in their holes. Nick´s exhaustion was gone with a first hit of the sword. His opponent, whoever he was, was very skilful but he obviously didn´t have Nick´s physical power. He also fought with a rapier, which was a sword Nick refused so many years ago. His heavy sword was a big advantage, as was his physical domination.
Black realized that and tried to get sneaky. He kicked Nick into leg and stabbed him into the shoulder. Nick yelled out with pain but managed to cover himself. If this guy wanted to play dirty, so be it. In one moment, when Black hesitated for a second, Nick took the advantage and stabbed him. Black dropped the sword and fell to his knees. And Nick, as the challenged one, stroke directly onto Black´s neck. The following quickening was a little painful since Black probably really was on drugs and his energy was variable. As adrenaline and the energy from quickening – that also broke the glass in lamps all around the bridge – went away from Nick´s body, the exhaustion was back, along with a pain in his shoulder.
Nick thought he could try to scare Watchers who will come to pick up the body, or at least scare his Watcher who probably was close but he wasn´t in the mood for fun. Let them think he is a nice, unaware immortal who doesn´t know about them for a change.
He was grateful that his hotel wasn´t too far away. Nick picked a cheap hotel, to avoid attention, but it obviously didn´t work. He locked the door of his room, because he wouldn´t survive another fight and fell asleep before he managed to take of his clothes and shoes.
Paris
Amanda waited for Cory in her club. Only an assurance that it is a holy ground made him to come there and meet her face to face. Amanda hasn´t seen him for almost twenty years and she was happy about it. She liked her honest life. It was a little boring but she was beginning to think that for the first time in her twelve hundred years, her life had some meaning. The Sanctuary was a holy ground where many immortals could meet in peace. They were coming there for information or just to enjoy themselves without the fear that someone´s going to kill them behind the nearest corner. Her customers were almost exclusively immortals and it was also a reason why Bert sold his share to her and went back to States. He didn´t want to have anything to do with it and she could hardly blame him. Meyers didn´t know Nick was immortal but Nick´s life changed because of her and she knew that Bert´s would be different, too. He wasn´t pre-immortal, that she knew for sure. But he could get killed very easily and Amanda wouldn´t bare to lose him as well. They became good friends during those years but everything was just too much for him. So here she was, without any close friends, lonely and desperately looking for a purpose. Even after living that long, she still didn´t find a sense of her life. She thought for a moment to call Duncan but she heard he was in a stable relationship and Amanda didn´t want to destroy it. She used to be an annoying life changer for him. Or she could call Richie. He was probably somewhere with his bike, riding through Asia or Southern America. But it wasn´t too good idea either. Richie and Duncan weren´t on best terms after Duncan tried to kill Richie almost twenty years ago. So, it will take some time for both of them to heal and she would probably just destroy it again.
The buzz of an immortal presence brought her back from the memory lane. Cory looked still the same, except his eyes were a little wilder and he seemed to be scared to death.
"Cory!" Amanda didn´t know if she should hug him or be angry but he looked like a lost puppy so she chose the first option. He started to shake after she hugged him.
"Cory, what is it? I have never seen you like this."
"It was hell to get here from London. He has spies everywhere, Amanda. I am….you are looking at the biggest immortal idiot ever."
"He? Who is he? What are you talking about? Tell me that Nick isn´t in danger." Cory seemed offended for two seconds by the mention of a former detective´s name but it passed as quickly as it came.
"He is. I didn´t know he was coming back because I would have probably warned him." After Amanda gave him "yeah, sure" look, he shook his head.
"OK, so probably not but just because London is a hot ground right now. Smith knew that and he contacted me because that bastard has to be stopped. I didn´t know who he was when he hired me!" Cory was on the verge of panic. Amanda knew him for a century and she never saw him behave like this. Everything was a game for him so if something could freak Cory out like that, it was serious.
"Cory, calm down and tell me everything from the beginning." She took him to the bar and gave him some whiskey that disappeared in Raines´ mouth faster than she could tell him to drink.
"OK, OK, I am fine now. Are you sure this place is safe?" he looked around cautiously, with eyes fixed on the door.
"Yes, this is a holy ground. And there is a security at the door that won´t let in anyone who wasn´t invited." Or isn´t Nick, she thought.
"Well…there is this guy, his name is Edward James Richards. He used to be a nasty businessman. And when I say businessman, I mean in all kinds of business. He was in drugs, arms dealing, prostitution, name it and he did it all. But he was also a big friend of world biggest governments because he was selling to both sides, he was giving them information so they could get rid of his opponents. So they were leaving him alone until someone, don´t ask me who, ordered a hit on him. He was killed last year. Some assassin shot him. But suddenly, he is back in business and nobody knows why. Well, we know why and maybe some few people, too."
"He became immortal? How old is he?"
"I don´t know. The problem with him is that he was super rich and super sick psycho before, imagine him now. He doesn´t care about rules. He doesn´t even fight honourably. He has a bunch of murderers working for him, who he sends to get rid of his competition. And it means immortals. He gets his quickening in the way that his gorillas beat some poor immortal to death or on the verge of death, bring him or her to Richards and he cuts their heads. Just like that. No fight, no rules. He has an access to everything so he probably met some older immortals who told him about rules. So he avoids a holy ground, goes with his gorillas everywhere and uses his power. And when he needs to get rid of some powerful immortal, he sends his men to kill that poor soul. That´s how Smith was killed. He was too close but also too skilful fighter to be just caught by Derek´s men. You know, he is smart because he chooses those who are not too strong or who are not willing to fight. If he should fight, only man to man fight, he would lose. I mean, imagine that this psycho would really be the only one who should stay. It would be…the end."
"And how did you get involved with him?" Amanda´s thoughts flew across the La Manche to Nick, where he was, probably unprotected, digging into this. Problems aside, she had to call him as soon as possible.
"I…well, I stole something from his collection. It was a tiny statue in one of his houses. I almost lost my head over this but I managed to save myself by…lying. I told him that I know someone who has a database of all the immortals and knows also about him. I gave him Smith´s name because it was the first name that came to my mind. I was sent to persuade Smith to meet Richards. Smith basically kicked me out of his office. And the next thing I knew, he was dead, with his student behind my back. Wolfe is one persistent son of a bitch, you know that?"
"Yes, I know and you should be grateful for him following you because you would be probably already dead by now. Does Richards know about watchers?"
"Who?" Amanda realized that not every immortal knew about watchers and bit her tongue.
"Never mind. Look, you can stay here. I think this is the safest place for you right now. I am going to call Joe to London so he can warn Nick. I have no idea where Nick is but I bet Joe knows."
"Joe who?"
"Ah, never mind." Amanda went to one security guy, told him to take care about Cory and then decided to call Joe from her office. She was just hoping it wasn´t too late for Nick or anybody else.
