Disclaimer: Alfred Pennyworth belongs to DC Comics. Highlander belongs to Davis/Panzer as well as Rysher Entertainment. For all other disclaimer, see Chapter One!
The Walls Closing In
GOTHAM
"Can I help you, Mister Gordon?" Alfred asked, noticing his prescence.
"Do you think Batman will be needing the Defenders anytime soon?" Flash asked.
"I don't think so," Alfred answered, "Why?"
"We have an emergency to attend to in Paris," Flash informed him.
"Should I have someone to help you?" Alfred offered, "Huntress, Red Robin, Orphan, Batwing and the Signal are available."
"No thanks," Flash declined, "Batman will probably be needing all the help he can get if things go sideways here in Gotham."
"As you wish," Alfred nodded, "and good luck with whatever the emergency is."
"Thanks," Flash nodded and left the mansion.
PARIS
"The millennium? The dead walking?" Tori paced the barge, "The latter makes sense given what we've experienced."
"I agree there," Richie added as he stood near a table nearby, "but ancient rituals? A battle between good and evil? Mac, he must have been talking about immortals."
"Maybe, but Horton wasn't immortal," Duncan replied before he eyed Tori, "and neither was your father."
"It was Horton on the quay," Duncan then stressed.
"It's got to mean something," Richie stated.
"Something important," Tori added.
"Yeah, but what?" Duncan replied as he stood up and paced the barge as Tori walked over to Richie, "I mean, some guy falls dead in my arms, I – I'm fighting men I've already killed, Tori encountered people who died, and I'm up all night trying to figure out that I'm some kind of champion who's supposed to to defend the world against who knows what."
"Maybe this is all for real," Richie suggested.
"That makes sense," Tori quipped.
"Don't start, you two," Duncan replied as he sat back down on his chair.
"We're serious," Richie stressed, "Look, four hundred years ago, Cassandra said there was a prophecy about you defeating a great evil, right?"
"She knew who you were," Tori added, "She knew what would happen. Maybe this is all meant to be. Maybe….."
"You are the chosen one," Richie chimed in, finishing his wife's sentence.
Duncan heard Cassandra's voice in his mind, remembering the prophecy she said, "An evil will come to vanquish all before him. Only a Highland child, born on the winter solstice, who has seen darkness and light can stop him."
"What if I don't want to be chosen?" Duncan asked.
"It's not that simple, Mac," Tori answered.
"Yeah, you might not have a choice," Richie added.
"But I don't believe in fate or prophecies, at least I never did," Duncan interjected.
"Really now?" Tori quipped.
"Yeah," Duncan explained a story to the couple, "Long ago, back in 1623, I'd been immortal for only three years at the time, but I still didn't know what I was or why I was alive. I survived two hard winters with no clan, no family. Suddenly, I felt it – a feeling. More than a feeling. It happened once before when I faced Kanwulf the Viking, but no one had taught me about the Game. No one had taught me who we were, what we were."
"Interesting," Tori chimed in.
"I encountered a Hermit and he took his own head with my sword," Duncan continued, "I had no idea what was happening. It was my first Quickening. The old hermit told the truth. Soon after, I met my teacher Connor MacLeod, but I ignored the rest of the prophecy."
"Very interesting," Richie stated.
"I have no idea what I'm up against," Duncan said.
"Do you mean what we're up against?" Tori asked.
"No," Duncan answered, "According to Landry, it's coming for me."
"Yeah, well, we're not going anywhere," Richie objected.
"Richie, this is something we're going to argue about," Duncan stated.
"Would you leave us hanging?" Richie asked, "Leave me hanging? It's my choice, not yours."
"That goes for me too," Tori chimed in.
"We don't even know what it is," Duncan told the couple.
"Yeah, well, you want to find out?" Richie declared, "I'll be right here with you."
"Me too. All things considered," Tori added, "We're both on your side. What can we say: Till death do us part."
"Thanks, you two," Duncan replied.
-Defenders-Chronicles-Highlander-
Allison was sitting on the couch, looking at a photo album. She turned the page and sighed. She raised a tissue to her nose as she sniffled, then she heard noises and got up to investigate.
Allison walked through the apartment. She entered her grandfather's study.
Cautiously, she walked past a table of artifacts from the window, then past two more windows to the far end of the study. The sound of the door slamming shut made her jump, startled. Allison backed up cautiously, accidentally knowing over a knick knack on a shelf, then the door behind her creaked closed and the TV started playing the videotape.
"It's him. Are you afraid, Foster?" Landry's voice chimed, "We should all be afraid. The thousand years are up. The demon is coming."
Allison turned off the TV.
"Ouch!" Landry exclaimed as his voice came from the TV. He laughed as the TV turned back on, "That wasn't very nice."
Blood started running down the front of the TV screen.
"Allison?"
Allison turned in horror to see her grandfather standing next to a green skinned man.
"I always liked that chair," Landry stated.
The green skinned man chuckled, "So you must be Landry's granddaughter, Allison Landry."
"Who are you?!" Allison demanded with a slight whimper.
"I'm Ming the Merciless," Ming declared before eyeing Landry, "Your grandfather was nice enough to invite me in. Why don't we become good acquaintances?"
Allison shook her head, crying, "No."
She backed away from the two men as they were laughing and she continued crying, "No."
The door closed behind Allison.
Ming chuckled, "There's no escape, girl."
Allison rattled the door knob, to find that the door had been locked, "Let me out!"
She turned in horror as Landry and Ming laughed and the room burst into flames.
"Let me out!" Allison screamed as she continued to rattle the doorknob.
As the flames nearly reached her, Allison became consumed by the flames and she heard an unfamiliar man's voice declare, "This will be our day of glory!"