Compendium

Chapter summary:

Joe reads the Compendium, and learns a little bit more about what Kronos, and incidentally "The Messenger" has been up to during the last decades.

Warnings about explicit content: Specifically: Rape, Torture, Slave training, and Mutilation

~ o ~ x ~ o ~ x ~ o ~ x ~ o ~ x ~ o ~ x ~ o ~ x ~ o ~ x ~ o ~ x ~ o ~ x ~ o ~ x ~ o ~ x ~ o ~

When the others have left, I open the folder; the entire thing is only about ten pages:

~ o ~ x ~ o ~ x ~ o ~ x ~ o ~

1983 CE the (still unidentified) Immortal calling himself Methos first appeared on the east coast USA. Research has confirmed he is not Methos, and we lack any other identity on him. In his Chronicles, and throughout this compendium, he will be referred to as The Messenger.

The Messenger's first known disciple was Angela Grosse. Angela Grosse is born 1927 CE in Chicago. Had her First Death there 1952 CE. Her first teacher was Wilma Anderson. They stayed on the US east coast living together until 1959 CE. Angela had taken only three Challenges before meeting The Messenger.

Early spring 1983 CE Angela Grosse's Watcher reported that she had met an unusual Immortal. The Watchers soon learned that he called himself Methos and was preaching an end to The Game.

Angela Grosse was excited by the idea and contacted her teacher. Wilma Anderson was less excited but quickly showed up to talk with The Messenger.

Wilma Anderson did not get along with The Messenger. It ended with Angela Grosse yelling at Wilma Anderson that she is not a child, and has the right to decide her own life. They parted in anger.

Two months later The Messenger left, walking to the next large town, leaving Angela Grosse behind. Field Watcher George Easthouse was assigned to The Messenger when he left and lost The Messenger within a fortnight.

Next summer, 1984 CE, Angela Grosse had convinced one Immortal to leave her alone (Jack Quarry) and hidden on Holy Ground twice. But had resolutely refused to pick up a weapon.

June 5th 1984 CE Angela Grosse was on the way home from her work when giving signs of sensing another Immortal.

A dark-haired male with a distinctive scar over the right eye stepped out in front of her. They talked for a while, well within the hearing range of Daniel Hilton, her assigned Watcher.

The man asked who she was and if she would not Challenge him. Angela Grosse introduced herself, replied that she did not believe in The Game and would not lift weapons at another human.

He laughed, telling her that attitude would get her killed, but he did not introduce himself or pull a weapon. Angela Grosse said she had faith in the goodness of man.

The dark-haired man disappeared into the shadows, still laughing.

Daniel called in with the information to his local Head of Watchers. The last years' increase in Challenges meant no unassigned Watchers were available at that time. Daniel said he would Watch Angela Grosse's home that night, something that was usually not done since she was stable at that time.

Two days later no one had heard from either.

Due to the local Head's lack of manpower Spec-ops was called. A team of three arrived the next day but found no trace of either Angela Grosse or Daniel. After a month they were reassigned to other tasks.

The description of the unknown male was added to the, at the time, quite a long list of "report immediately if you see".

~ o ~ x ~ o ~ x ~ o ~ x ~ o ~

I sip some coffee, thinking about that summer. It was the first after Duncan and Tessa had moved to Seacouver together. Later Duncan has told me he told Tessa about his Immortality before they moved.

We were short on field Watchers in the entire USA. A large number of European Immortals had decided to move overseas, and the American Immortals simultaneously started playing The Game with far more zeal.

This had been a trend from after World War 2, that made a jump in late 1983 when The Kurgan arrived in America. There is also some speculation that the rumors of "Methos being in America" fueled the in-pour of Immortals from all over the world.

I still find it strange that Duncan managed to stay out of that almost entirely. During this time in America, he had less than five Challenges, and only two Quickenings, before Slan Quince.

At the time I was glad for the general increase, otherwise, I probably wouldn't have been allowed to stay as Duncan's Watcher when he moved to Seacouver.

But I also remember that list, there were more than a hundred descriptions in it, and it was before we used computers at all... I remember memorizing the "dangerous get out of there" and the "dangerous be careful" lists of the time.

The Kurgan was at the top of the second. In the first, there were only unknown Immortals, all males, and not believed to be on the American continent at the time, none of them with a scar.

I pick up the next pages.

~ o ~ x ~ o ~ x ~ o ~ x ~ o ~

January 3rd 1986 CE Daniel's head, and right hand, was delivered to Watcher Headquarters in Paris, together with Daniels Reports and notes. His body has not been found.

The morning of January 2nd 1986 CE a woman, later identified as Angela Grosse, was found sitting outside of the Ursuline Convent in New Orleans. The Convent harbors Sister Marie, an Immortal that arrived with them from France in 1727 CE. She immediately took in the younger Woman, that has stayed there since.

New Orleans Watchers at the time used the Group system. A solution to the lack of sufficient numbers of Field Watchers in the USA at the time.

All local Watchers, Historians and Field together, formed a team to Watch the stationary Immortals in an area. Lessening the number of Field Watchers needed and giving Historians a well-needed experience in the field, diversifying their respective skill sets.

Historians were renamed Researchers, due to this system change, 1988 CE in the USA, and 1992 CE in Europe. This new solution was spreading throughout the American continent at the time, and has since been adopted around the world.

New Orleans was one of the first to do things this way, the system was well established there when Angela Grosse arrived. Within a couple of weeks, they had established Angela Grosse's identity and provided Headquarters with a summary.

It has been updated since: Angela Grosse is basically insane, or traumatized.

She will not eat or drink unless Sister Marie hands it to her, then she will give thanks for the kindness and eat, just as she does anything else Sister Marie asks her to. Any sudden sounds or lights have her cowering and begging for mercy and darkness will leave her completely apathetic for days.

Angela Grosse seems almost entirely disconnected from her surroundings, except that she does react to Sister Marie's Presence, and later has on other Immortals as well. Her reaction is never violent, just staying absolutely still and obey any orders given by the Immortal.

She will interact with others only on direct orders.

- O -

Daniels Reports and Journals showed that he had been tranquilized and woke up gaged in an 8'×10' (~2,5×3m) steel cage, with a view of a tied up naked and blindfolded Angela Grosse. His gag was locked with a hang-lock behind his head and impossible to move.

In the cage was a round table and a chair, on the table he found two empty notebooks, one block of paper, and two pencils, placed so he could see Angela Grosse while sitting on the chair. Next to the table a foam camping mattress and a blanket, in the opposite corner a bucket half-filled with cat sand.

Angela Grosse was not gagged and was trying to get contact with the Immortal she was feeling nearby. She was tied spread eagle in the middle of the room, between two support beams holding up the loft above half of the barn.

The barn was about 20'×30' (6×9m). Another cage at the other end, about the same size as Daniel's, otherwise it was empty.

Almost as soon as both were awake; the unknown man with the scar came down from the loft. Without saying a word, he took a nine-tail whip from a locked cabin and started to whip Angela Grosse. He continued until she passed out, ignoring her pleas and attempts to talk to him.

While she was out, he turned to Daniel. "You'll write down your shorthand so I can read it. Then you'll Chronicle everything. If you behave I've use for you. Otherwise, I'll just have to put you down, pet."

Then he turned back to the waking Angela Grosse, once more he whipped her unconscious, then waited for her to wake up again in silence. This was repeated until the fifth time, when she died.

Then the man untied her, leaving the rag used as blindfold on her, and placed a slim long-sword not far from her. The sword was similar to the one Angela Grosse had used before.

"It'll take the child at least an hour to revive. If I don't have your shorthand on that paper before then, pet, your only hope is she takes the Challenge… and wins it." The smile had made very clear how unlikely he believed that to be.

Daniel had written down the shorthand before she woke, the paper was included in the package delivered to Headquarters together with his continued description of the events the next year and a half.

Angela Grosse revived and removed the blindfold. Seeing Daniel, still gagged, in the cage and the sword on the ground. She asked Daniel, without moving for the weapon, if he was Immortal. Daniel answered by shaking his head.

The man came down from the loft telling Angela Grosse. "Take the sword, you will have a fair Challenge. Leave the sword, I will break you."

Angela Grosse hardly glanced at the sword before telling the man she would not lift weapons on another human, then she attempted to escape.

Laughing he caught the still naked and bloody Angela, wrestling her down easily he raped her before tying her up again and cleaning up the blood on her with a lot of groping and ungentle touching, making sure she got clean "everywhere" telling her that the attempt to escape would be punished separately.

This was the beginning: For a year and a half, he was first torturing and interrogating, later torturing and training Angela Grosse, in every way conceivable. He knew how to use her Immortality against her, and how much he could do without causing permanent physical damage.

Within five months Angela Grosse had learned to please the man in any way he wanted, after a year she was completely broken and did nothing of her own volition. She would not eat or drink, even if the food was in front of her, unless 'He' gave permission.

Three times he blinded her when she had displeased him more than usual. The first time he simply used a knife, one quick stab in each eye.

It took about 40 days for the eyes to heal, during this time he would enjoy hurting her from surprising angles and force her to walk into or onto things. But Daniel also noted she had much more and better food during this time.

The second time he tied her and slowly pushed a poker in the first eye then waiting until she stopped screaming and begging him not to do it, then he did the same with the other eye.

This time it took only 20 days for the eyes to heal, Daniel speculated that the poker was not pushed as deep as the knife had been. Angela Grosse's rations did not change this time, but she was allowed to eat one extra time a day until she was healed.

After that the man would use the blindfold as a mild punishment, Angela Grosse would not remove it for fear of having the eyes put out for real again.

Sometime around Christmas 1984 CE, he suddenly brought two other men with him. They called the man with the scar Core.

Core called one of them Derek. Derek admired but also feared Core. He was eager to please and to show himself worthy of Core's attention. The other one was mostly called "you" when present, and "the stupid one" when not.

Angela Grosse was expected to obey them as she did him. The men took great pleasure in seeing if they could push her into failure or even disobedience.

After about a week of servicing the three men, she had fallen asleep and did not wake immediately when Derek wanted her to come.

This had Core tying Angela Grosse and taking out the poker again, showing it to her with a grin. She was screaming in absolute panic, begging for him to not do that, asking forgiveness promising to never be inattentive again.

The three men laughed and groped her, the one called "stupid" asked Core if he could fuck her while she had her eyes taken. Core said "of course" and they rearranged her to better accommodate him. By then Angela Grosse was just sobbing silently.

Core then introduced the two men to the game of surprising Angela Grosse. The next week they all enjoyed baiting her, Derek preened every time Core praised his ingenuity.

Then the men left as suddenly as they came.

Daniel wrote very little about his own treatment, except when Angela Grosse was used to handle him. But early on he wore the gag most of the time, he mentions that it is uncomfortable to sleep with and makes him thirsty.

Also, that Angela Grosse was severely punished for trying to talk to him when it was removed to allow him to eat and drink. He was consequently referred to as "pet", and once Core had said that he would consider selling him back to his owner if he came and asked.

Most times he left the cage it was for washing. In the beginning, he describes being tied in an old milking room and hosed down with cold water, but provided with a towel, and clean clothes after. He mentions the socks being warmer than his own had been, but also the shoes to be removed entirely.

Later Angela Grosse would wash him according to Core's instructions. This frequently included fingers in his ass, sandpaper everywhere, and similar painful, degrading, but not permanently harmful, things.

Angela Grosse only balked twice, before she knew better than to disobey Core.

When the men visited, they both took out Daniel and happily raped him alongside Angela Grosse, or had her mount him while they watched. They also enjoyed the washing and had many suggestions.

The Journals imply that Core did not involve himself with what the men did to Daniel, other than preventing crippling damage and make sure he had time to write.

After Angela Grosse was blinded the third time the men used Daniel to surprise her since she could not feel him.

Daniel admitted in his journal to thinking about escaping, when the visiting men left him unattended outside the cage a couple of times, this was after they had left. He apologizes to Core in the Journal for even thinking about it, assuming that Core would read it.

Daniel had seen what happened to Angela Grosse the few times she had made attempts at escaping. Besides Angela Grosse was his assignment and the only thing Daniel hoped for in the end was a clean death when Core was finished playing with them.

He wrote at another time that Core had a very good idea of what a mortal could and couldn't withstand.

His last entries were about Core telling Angela Grosse that in a couple of days she would be given to a new owner. Core told Angela Grosse that if the new owner was pleased she might be allowed to stay there. Then he sent her to prepare for Daniel's washing.

When she had left the room Core entered Daniel's cage. "You have been an exemplary pet." Smirking and patting Daniel on the head. "I see why he prizes you so highly. Do you have children, pet?"

Daniel answered honestly. "My wife was newly pregnant, I don't know."

Core chuckled. "I hope so, it would be a pity to let such a good-mannered stock get entirely lost." Core had roughly but not painfully closed his hand behind Daniel's neck. "I can't let you go with Angela, of course. But if it makes you feel better, she'll be free, and Sister Marie has a Watcher. So, your colleagues will pick her up again quickly."

Daniel wrote that it had made him feel slightly better, but also that Core had not taken any chances with him after that. He had worn the gag, and his hands and feet had been securely cuffed whenever he was taken to be washed.

For the first time Daniel had been allowed to wash himself, the cuffs on his hands unbuckled for this, but the gag remained on for the rest of the time.

He confesses that he would have been tempted to talk to Angela Grosse if he had not had it. He would die anyway, and Core was clearly working with a set schedule now, so it would not change much.

The next morning Angela Grosse had been set to cleaning up the loft and Core came to the cage with Daniel's breakfast. "This will be your last meal, pet. You are the father of a healthy girl. The Watchers moved the mother and child after your disappearance, they should be safe."

The last entry was written on January 1st 1986 CE:

My last meal is the usual breakfast. Toasts with fried eggs and smoked meat, a glass of juice, today pomegranate, and a large cup of coffee, no milk or sugar.

I can hear Angela Grosse cleaning the loft. It is the first time she has been let up there, this is a different day. My last day.

Core has said he will send the notebooks to Watcher Headquarters. If so, please give the next page to my wife and daughter.

- O -

The last pages were personal letters to Daniel Hilton's wife and daughter. They have been copied into our historical archives before the originals were delivered to Andrea and Dana Hilton.

As far as research has been able to assert, the notebooks have been untampered with. Except for a couple of entire pages removed in the beginning. Daniel has written that those are due to him Watching the wrong Immortal. That Core set rules for what was allowed and let Daniel rewrite the entries where he failed his duties.

The rules listed are that he was not to write any of Core's activities unless they involved Angela Grosse or Daniel himself. Nor were any further descriptions of Core allowed.

A later amendment was that no physical description of "the guests" was allowed:

Descriptions of their activities with Angela Grosse and Daniel hints that both are taller than Angela Grosse (166cm ~5'5") and that "stupid" is taller than Daniel (5'9" ~175cm).

Daniel also leaves the overall impression that Core is slightly taller than him, the height of ~5'10" (~178cm) is suggested in Cores first official description.

It has also been confirmed by a medical examiner that Daniel Hilton's head and hand were removed postmortem. Giving his family the small comfort of closure, despite the lack of a body.

~ o ~ x ~ o ~ x ~ o ~ x ~ o ~

I shudder and put down the folder for a moment.

Core, Melvin Koren... He knows about Watchers, knew before this, but not entirely hostile. Pet... At least this finally explains why we're not Watching him now.

I fill up with some more warm coffee and resist the urge to add alcohol, going back to my reading.

~ o ~ x ~ o ~ x ~ o ~ x ~ o ~

Sometime during the day January 3rd 1986 CE, Immortal Timothy Barber and Watcher Carlos Medina (the Memphis Group) disappeared without a trace from Timothy Barber's gas Station, where Carlos was an employee.

Their disappearance was reported to the police by a regular customer who found the gas station unmanned and unlocked. The police found both their cars, but no traces of the two men, or any struggle.

It took three weeks before the connection between Timothy Barber and Angela Grosse was made. In large due to the fact that the American Watchers were still undermanned. Another factor was that Daniel Hilton's Reports had been delivered to Europe and were not yet available since the Historians had not finished analyzing them.

Timothy Barber was also a Disciple of The Messenger. The Messenger had continued his mission after leaving Angela Grosse. He traveled by foot between the cities and appeared to be in no hurry. But neither did he stay for more than a couple of months anywhere.

The Messenger had left Timothy Barber, and the general area, less than three months earlier.

The habit of walking made The Messenger quite difficult to Watch without getting caught. Because The Messenger was nonviolent, and still sought out other Immortals, it soon became usual to set inexperienced field Watchers on him. With the overall Chronicle in care of the Washington DC Historian (later Research) department. It was at the time the largest in the USA and home of the North American Headquarters.

The Messenger would attempt to convince everyone he met to follow his Path of Non-Violence. Proving several times that he was unarmed, but also skilled at disarming his opponents and ready to run, if necessary.

Still, relatively few chose to attack him, despite his refusal to accept Challenges, and many appeared to like the idea even if they did not put down their swords. In most every larger city The Messenger found a Disciple, a young Immortal ready to commit to The Messenger's Path.

Often igniting yelling matches between Teachers and Students. None of The Messenger's Disciples were over a century old, the majority had been Immortal less than three decades. Several of the Teachers were accusing The Messenger of stealing Students. The Students all considered themselves ready to be on their own.

Like the time before: Neither Timothy Barber nor Carlos Medina was heard from again before the body and notebooks of Carlos was delivered to Watcher Headquarters in Washington DC, USA, and Paris, France, respectively.

- O -

They had been kept at a different location, some kind of old warehouse. But the general setup was the same. So was Core's treatment of Timothy Barber, including the first whipping and chance to defend himself, the rape, and later training.

One difference was that Carlos writes nothing about interrogation in the beginning. According to the Chronicle, Timothy Barber broke within a couple of months.

Carlos's personal notes show that he had far more difficulties adapting to his situation. Carlos was also initially treated the same way as Daniel had been, but his fighting and refusal to accept the situation made Core angry.

The gag stayed on at all times when Core was not present. The washing, which in Daniel's case had ceased being degrading and painful after Angela Grosse stopped balking at her orders, rather escalated to pure torture after Timothy Barber had broken and would do whatever Core told him to.

Also, Daniel had mostly been left alone in his cage, but Carlos would be forced to do, or be tied into, degrading and /or painful situations. When Carlos went on hunger strike; Core produced a recent picture of his sister, telling him that if Carlos died, he would take her as replacement.

Core did not rape Carlos himself, but sometime around the beginning of June 1986 CE two Immortals visited. Derek and one more, neither has a physical description.

Carlos learned Core's name the same way Daniel had, and also managed to get a name on the third, Lorry. Carlos also learned that Lorry is Derek's Student and had been Immortal for less than a decade.

They tried to push Timothy Barber into disobedience or failure, like they had Angela Grosse, but Timothy Barber would just do whatever they asked of him.

When this failed, the two visitors took great delight in raping Carlos and make Timothy Barber hurt him in different ways. But they were careless and Carlos found an opportunity to escape.

- O -

There is a three-day gap in the Chronicle and notes at this point.

When he resumes his writing, he describes his balls as cut of and his right foot crushed with a sledgehammer. Core had caught him before he could get out of the old building.

Then wrote that he now has a new gag, one with a hole in it so he can be throat-fucked without removing it, and something similar up his ass most of the time.

He has also been told that if he disappoints Core, or his guests, again: he would be replaced by his sister, and then he and his brother would be gifted to Derek and Lorry as disposable entertainment.

After the two visitors left Core sat down to interrogate Timothy Barber, it was easy since Timothy Barber had no fight left in him. After several days of questions Core knew everything The Messenger has said or done.

Sometime later, similarly to Angela Grosse's case, Core told Timothy Barber that he would be gifted to another Immortal. Then smirked at Carlos, telling him to enjoy his last night with a blanket.

September 12th 1986 CE Timothy Barber was found inside the Navajo Indian Reservation (Later renamed Navajo Nation) He was identified by FBI within a week, but remains there and reportedly refuses to speak with anyone but Dr. Drorit Kanaf.

The Watchers have never been able to get a Watcher in there. We suspect at least two Native American Immortals lives within the area. Dr. Kanaf matching the description of one of them.

September 23rd 1986 CE the body of Carlos Medina was found stuffed in the trash can outside the Washington DC Watcher Headquarters. The same day the Reports and Journals were delivered to Paris Headquarters.

The coroner reports that Carlos Medina had been tortured to the brink of death but still alive when put in the trash can, he had however been dead for hours when found.

The cause of death was slow asphyxiation due to the long hose pushed down his throat and a large amount of poster putty in his nose making it impossible to get enough air.

Toxin reports show that Carlos Medina had been administered pain relief approximately 4 hours before his death, the coroner notes that could have staved off the shock and kept Carlos Medina alive longer than someone with that level of damage might have otherwise.

The castration and crushed foot were confirmed as done prior to the final torture. Carlos Medina also had several layers of scars from being whipped and beaten as well as restrained, older and newer.

~ o ~ x ~ o ~ x ~ o ~ x ~ o ~

The coffee tastes very bad, and a shot of alcohol is very tempting. My rule is no drinking alone, ever, for any reason, but sometimes it's harder than others.

Both Cassandra and Core, Melvin Koren… Thank God, Methos is out of here!

Now, I need to get out of town too, before Duncan decides to introduce Cassandra.

I skim the next couple of pages, not quite up to reading more details.

~ o ~ x ~ o ~ x ~ o ~ x ~ o ~

A third Immortal was taken October 30th 1986, from Harrisburg Pennsylvania.

Walter Jordan Steel disappeared without a trace, just a couple of days after The Messenger left him.

He was Watched by a trainee, Andrea Stall, that was not picked up. Instead, the local Coordinator Arvind Jain disappeared from his home that same night.

They were housed in a cabin, otherwise, their experience seems pretty much the same as the others. The interrogation was done after breaking Walter Jordan Steel, like with Timothy Barber.

Arvind appears to have been somewhere between Daniel and Carlos in his acceptance of the situation, and his treatment according.

Again, the two Immortal Guests appeared sometime after Walter Jordan Steel stopped fighting. Arvind reports it as July 14th 1987.

He also reports hearing his captor's name as Korr, using a phonetic shorthand rather than English, the visiting men are named Derek and Jan (Ian) Lorry.

November 5th Walter Jordan Steel was left with the New Wilmington Amish community.

The local Watcher, eight-generation assigned to Immortal resident Minister Ivan Erzieher, reports similar issues as Angela Grosse has.

November 7th both hands of Arvind Jain and his Reports and Journals were delivered to Paris Headquarters. It is confirmed the hands were removed postmortem. The body is not found.

Core disappeared again after that, no fourth disciple of The Messenger was picked up and there was no success in finding Core elsewhere either.

~ o ~ x ~ o ~ x ~ o ~ x ~ o ~

I probably should read the details. But I just can't make myself. Not even the abbreviated version in the compendium… I pity the one who had to make it.

I skim the summary and conclusions as well. They consist of four pages of analysis, presenting three conclusions:

1. Making little difference between gender in his Immortal prisoners: Rare, probably from a society with significant female influences, possibly a matriarchal one.

2. A clear difference in treatment between Immortal and Mortal prisoners and consequently referring to mortals as pets: Considering himself as above and not a human.

3. Rational behavior within his concept, disappeared after the third interrogation: He has probably come to the same conclusion as Research: The Messenger is not the real Methos.

I snort.

Four pages of blab, and not a word mentioned about why Core would choose to leave his three victims with older Immortals. All of them in professions and situations where they are likely to be able to help them recover, in stable communities that know about them and has ready access to Holy Ground.

I don't agree that the treatment between Angela and the males is the same. It takes more than raping both sexes to make the treatment equal.

Yes, it could be an experience thing, or that he wanted the information quickly. But he did the interrogation from the beginning with Angela, and also kept her much longer than the other two. I'd say there's not enough information to make that statement, since he took no other female after that.

Also, there's no speculation why he chose not to take Andrea Stall. Because she was a trainee? Or because she's a woman? Something else, that I'm missing?

Obviously, our brightest were not put on this. Why? It should've been a priority. I wonder what Methos could've gotten from the detailed reports…

Of course, he's already made that analysis! He must've had access to this, or made sure to gain it, after we read The Messenger Chronicles. He has connections and pull within the Research departments, I'm sure he could've gotten it. I'm glad he's out of here, but would've really have liked to talk with him about this first.

I'm getting a suspicion, that part of Toy's distress about not getting in contact with Pierson, was about losing a great resource. I can't but agree.

The next two pages consists of descriptions of "an unknown male, watching Cassandra" with dates and times.

Of the twelve reports: 1 leaves a description that is almost certainly him. 6 that I would also think was Koren. The rest are too vague, but none of them would exclude him.

2 times Watchers successfully followed him. Both times they turned up dead, their Reports and Journals, with all mentions of Koren ripped out, delivered to the nearest field office.

A copy of the report on Melvin Koren from Duncan's Chronicle. I don't need to re-read that.

Lastly: a hand written paper with a short time line for The Messenger, Cassandra and Core. Including all suspected sightings, 1985 CE to present.

Basically, dates and places, and how they correlate to each other.

That's it. Everything we have on Melvin Koren, Core.

…No. The fact that they're denied access says "we" have more. Just not providing the Team actually trying to survive his proximity with it. Hell, they should've put up his description with a big warning! At least for everyone in the wake of The Messenger, like they have for Cassandra.

Fucking bastards! I thought we had solved this shit after Shapiro.

I missed a lot of it since I butted out during the sort out. A good thing too, or I would've been either executed more effectively, or made to take a tribunal position. I'm not sure which would've been worse.

But I begin to suspect I should've kept a better eye on the politics, no matter how much I hate them. Can't we just observe and record without personal agendas?

I snort again. At my own hypocrisy this time. I'm the last one who should say anything like that.

~ ~ ~ Flashback ~ ~ ~

I'm surprised when Methos is the one to pick me up when I come back to Seacouver after the Shapiro-Galati mess.

Less so, when he informs me that, before anything else we're going to a private clinic to check my stiches. Only to be surprised again, when he waits outside while I've an appointment with Dr. Kaia.

Dr. Kaia is a Watcher recently moved to Seacouver after finishing the Academy. It's my first meeting with her.

I've read the introduction of course. She was a Doctor, in both senses of the word, before becoming a Watcher. Currently working for the Seacouver CSI, as well as helping out with hurt Watchers that can't go to a normal Doctor, for whatever reasons.

The Clinic is Watcher owned, but most of the personnel are not Watchers themselves.

Dr. Kaia has a lot of questions about the treatment of my wounds, and my early rehabilitation. Then on the "Doctor" that treated me.

If she's going to work in Seacouver I need to know her attitude towards Immortals, and about me being friendly with some of them. I answer her fairly honestly. "It was a friend of Duncan's that patched me up, after Duncan got me out."

"An Immortal?" She seems intrigued, but not negative.

"Yes." I chuckle, thinking of the bickering we had while I recovered.

Belatedly recognizing the skill which Methos kept my spirit up, despite the pressure we were all under, him probably most of all.

Dr. Kaia's questions, and pleased grunts about the early rehab, also highlights how much effort and time Methos put into me. Despite having both Duncan and the Watchers breathing down his neck, more or less literally.

"How do you know it was an Immortal?" She asks. Carefully probing the still tender wounds with a focused frown. Obviously fully capable of double tasking.

"Both reacted to each other's Presences whenever they meet. Oh, and when I asked about medical credentials," I grin at her, not a lot of people can appreciate the irony in the possibility of that being more than a joke. "my doctor claimed Heidelberg fourteen hundred fifty-three. Majoring both medicine and dueling."

She looks up startled. Multitasking is obviously not an issue, but her experience with Immortals is limited to a single reviving corpse, that ran out on her. Then theoretical information at the Academy.

I watch as the implications filter into her mind, quick, analytical and not rushing into things. I think I can like her.

She takes another look at the wounds. "Did you say you had a IV when you woke up?"

Fallback to a professional stance, good to know. "Yes."

"I don't suppose he told you his latest credentials as well?" Now she has a little smile.

"Sorry, no. You think there are later credentials? And what makes you think it was a "he"?" I smile back at her. With Duncan, a woman would be far more likely.

She's dead serious when she answers the first question. "Definitely. Whoever patched you up did an incredible work, that few could've made as well. Especially if he was working alone. He must also have used some type of anesthesia, and given you a fair amount of blood.

Certainly not something they learned fourteen hundred, whatever. I honestly have no idea how you survived without a full emergency team, considering the extensive damage.

I would very much like an introduction. He must be an incredible physician, imagine the experience if he's been at it for five hundred years. This stitching is… well, beautiful, if you can use such a word for something like this.

If you take care of yourself, and don't overextended, there will be minimal scarring and very little long-term loss in mobility and strength."

She smiles again, a bit tartly. "As for how I know it's a man… No woman went to Heidelberg fourteen, or fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, or eighteen hundred for that matter, anything…"

Huh…should've thought of that, she's sharp.

I've to make a thorough background check first, of course, but I think she'll make a good contribution to our group.

~ ~ ~ End Flashback ~ ~ ~

I really shouldn't say anything about agendas. From when I came back then, and even more after I returned to the Watchers, I've been screening and picking Watchers working in Northeast American Region, after my own agenda.

No hostility towards Immortals being the first criteria. Open-minded and getting along with me, despite knowing I'm friendly with several Immortals, a natural second.

Methos, despite staying away from Duncan until The Messenger's arrival in Seacouver, has been supporting me every step of the way. Including both getting out of, and back into, the Watchers. Without facing another execution.

I haven't thanked him properly for that. I did for the doctoring and care, when he drove me home after the checkup. But not for the support with the Watchers.

I wonder if Duncan has realized what his ultimatum actually led to? Adam Pierson is considered for the American Head of Research position, and from there he could be voted into the tribunal. Methos made his choice and stayed away from Duncan.

I know he was disappointed when I made another. I wouldn't have just for Duncan, no matter how much I admire the man. But with Richie's friendship also in the picture... I just couldn't let both those friendships go.

Methos has never said a word about it. That's probably the most telling of how disappointed he was. He just helped me get out without deadly consequences. That wasn't a small thing.

Not that I think Duncan realized how dangerous it was trying to leave the Watchers at that time. Or how absolutely impossible it should've been to get me back in again. I even ended up in a position as Local Head of Northeast American Field Operations, and have tried to ignore Methos smugness about that since.

I thought he would make demands after that. But earlier tonight is the first time Methos has ever asked me for anything, and he was asking, not demanding.

Well, except for basically forcing me to rest occasionally, before Dr. Kaia finally declared me fully recovered. Those two double-tagged me throughout my rehabilitation, without meeting each other once. I know for a fact that was consciously from Methos side.

Tonight, was also about my wellbeing...

With a sigh I lock up the papers. I glance at the time, and decide there isn't much idea to go home. We have a good bed and bathroom here. I even keep a couple of changes for myself in a drawer.