Preface: Fellow Highlander fan Roland Cain has given me this spectacular idea to make a side story for the episodes that hadn't been covered previously in the main Defenders Chronicles: Highlander story such as "Nowhere to Run", and I agreed with this concept. Hence, this story was born. Aside from the handful of Season 1 episodes that were previously uncovered, there will be a couple of missions featuring Richie Ryan and Tori Gordon. I also regretted not including Xavier St. Cloud in the main story because he is an awesome villain, but this story will make up for that, among other things. There will also be extended versions of a handful of chapters that already are in the main story. Thanks again Roland for giving me the idea for this story.
Disclaimer: Highlander and all characters and properties belong to Rysher Entertainment. Defenders of the Earth, Flash Gordon, the Phantom, Mandrake the Magician, Lothar, Ming the Merciless and all other characters and properties belong to Marvel, King Features Entertainment, Hearst Entertainment, and Mill Creek Entertainment. As far as what I own, Tori Gordon is my character, and if you wish to use her ask me first.
Defenders Chronicles: Highlander – The Side Tales
Revenge is Sweet
Three Years Ago
Duncan was fighting his opponent Reinhardt as they had stepped out of the New Years party they were attending. They had their coats removed as they had dueled.
"Come on, Reinhardt!" Duncan exclaimed, "It's all yours!"
They continued to exchange blows during the duel until Reinhardt managed to trap Duncan's blade.
"Got you, Highlander," he declared before he stabbed Duncan in the shoulder. As he pulled back for the final swing, Duncan plunged his own sword into Reinhardt's side and pushed him over the railing into the water.
Duncan picked up Reinhardt's sword, recovered his coat and went down to the restaurant where Tessa was waiting for him.
"You're just in time, Duncan," Tessa said, "the countdown is about to begin."
"I know," Duncan nodded.
After the countdown ended, Duncan kissed Tessa and drunk some champagne. Tessa raised her glass to someone else in the restaurant and threw a piece of ribbon in the air.
"Happy New Year!" Duncan exclaimed.
"Happy New Year," Tessa said to her lover.
Present Day
Duncan walked over to Tessa.
"Hi," she greeted him before she kissed him before he walked into the store.
Moments later, he heard Tessa call out, "Mac! Mac!"
Duncan hurried next to his lover's side to figure out what was going on, "What? What's the matter?"
They looked to see a beautiful young woman dealing with a bunch of street punks harassing her.
"Why don't we find somewhere nice?" one of the street punks offered.
The young woman took down the punk easily with a few well placed blows. She walked away as the punk's friends laughed at him.
"Looks like she can take care of herself," Duncan replied before he and Tessa followed her into the antique shop.
"Nice going out there," Tessa told the woman before asking, "Can I help you?"
The woman looked around without answering.
"Obviously not," Tessa replied.
"Are you Duncan MacLeod?" the woman asked before Duncan turned to face her, "I called about the French Calvary lance."
"Uh, right, I put one out," Duncan answered before he picked up the lance from top of the display counter, then noticed the woman's attention was on a sword in a case across the room.
She walked to the case, "May I?"
"Yes, but be careful," Duncan answered, "The blade was specially made and the edges are razor sharp."
"Don't worry," the woman assured him, "I know how to handle myself around dangerous objects."
Duncan was amused by this, "I'm sure you do."
He briefly noticed Tessa rolling her eyes before telling the woman, "It's a 17th Century German saber."
He took the sword from the case.
"Yes, I know," the woman replied, "it was made by the Ausland family, swords-makers to the Baron of Heidelberg."
"You know swords," Duncan inquired.
"I know many things," the woman replied.
Duncan carried the sword back to the display, "About the lance….."
"Well, that's more intriguing," the woman said, eyeing the sword before she asked, "Do you have the provenance?"
"No, but I did authenticate the maker's mark," Duncan answered.
"Well, I'm very interested," the woman replied, "but I'd like to try it out first."
"You want to fence with it?" Duncan asked.
"That's what one usually does with a sword," the woman answered.
"Not with swords of this price."
"Well, we can negotiate the price later," the woman insisted, "If the steel is genuine, it'll stand up to a friendly match?"
"A little," Duncan answered.
"Good. Then meet me at four o clock. My name's Rebecca, by the way," the woman offered before she handed Duncan a business card, "and don't stand me up, Duncan MacLeod, and don't forget the sword."
With that, Rebecca left the store.
"Don't stand me up Duncan MacLeod, and don't forget the sword," Tessa replied in a mimicky tone.
Duncan raised his hands, "Ha! I didn't…."
"I don't find it humorous at all," Tessa told her lover.
-DCH-Side-Stories-
"What do you think?" Richie asked, showing his tuxedo.
"Why, Richie, you look great," Tori answered with a smile on her face, "I think you're up for the job!"
"What do we have here?" Tessa asked from the safe distance.
"Mom sent a message to inform me about a suspicious immortal activity," Tori answered, "and with him out on the loose, she suggested Richie spread out and work somewhere else for the time being."
"And where would Richie be working at during this investigation?" Tessa asked.
"I'm talking to my future boss," Richie answered, "and I'll be a used car salesman."
"And mom and I told him to act as normal as possible," Tori added.
"Used cars?" Tessa inquired.
"Tess, I know what you're thinking," Richie replied, "That I'll be pawning lemons off on some poor jerk, but it's not that kind of place. I am talking about strictly quality merchandise here…..top of the line."
"Don't you know you can't interfere with a guy about to make his fortune?" Duncan asked, "Investigation of an immortal or not."
"Thank you very much, Mac," Richie replied, "I knew you'd understand. See you guys later."
"See you guys later," Tori echoly added.
The pair left Duncan and Tessa by themselves.
-DCH-Side-Stories-
Duncan pulled up the T – Bird and walked over to Rebecca's house. He then rung the doorbell with the sword in hand. Rebecca greeted him and he walked into the house.
"Welcome," Rebecca greeted the Highlander as she took the sword.
"This is quite a place," Duncan looked around the fencing studio.
"It suits my needs," Rebecca replied before she asked, "How about a drink before we match?"
"No, I don't drink before handling objects," Duncan declined her offer.
"Pity," Rebecca replied before she asked, "Well then, let's begin, shall we?"
She carried the sword to the open area.
"Have you been fencing long?" Duncan asked before he reached for the face masks.
"Long enough," Rebecca answered.
"Here," Duncan tossed her a mask.
"We're not going to need these," Rebecca insisted before she tossed the mask back to him, and then she asked, "You're not going to hurt me, are you?"
"We don't wear these, we don't fence," Duncan then tossed the mask back to her and then picked up another.
"How disappointing," Rebecca stated, "I always thought you'd be the adventurous type."
Before he could put on his mask, Rebecca lifted the sword he brought and she exclaimed, "En garde!"
"You're very good," Duncan noted.
"Only when I want to be," Rebecca replied. As she twirled the saber, the metal glinted and it caused Duncan to recall to 1728, England where he encountered Walter Reinhardt.
Suddenly, Rebecca pulled Duncan from his thoughts when she used the same combination of moves Reinhardt used on him three years ago. Duncan blocked her at the last moment and asked, "Where did you learn that?"
"I've had many teachers," Rebecca answered, "I've even managed to learn a few things from you."
Duncan took the saber from her, "Do you want the sword?"
"I will come for you when I'm ready," Rebecca answered, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I believe you know the way out."
-DCH-Side-Stories-
Tori helped Duncan, Tessa and Richie carry one of Tessa's creation from the van, which was going to be displayed at the park.
"Nice artwork, Tess," Tori complemented her friend.
"Thank you, Tori," Tessa replied.
"No problem," Tori stated, "No problem at all. The park is going to be much prettier with your artwork on display."
"So, Mac," Tessa asked, "is she mortal?"
"Rebecca?" Duncan inquired before answering, "Very…..and she's up to something."
"Don't tell me," Tessa retorted, "in four hundred years, you've never seen a femme fatale before."
"It's not as easy as all that, Tessa," Duncan replied, "The sword that she wants belongs to Walter Reinhardt."
He then turned to Richie and Tori, "How's the job assignment going?"
"It's going good, Mac," Tori replied.
"Yeah, it's going good," Richie added, "I got a few leads. So, Mac, who's this Walter Reinhardt?"
"Someone who is our immortal to be on the look out for according to mom," Tori spoke up.
"Um, wait, he was a Wall Street pirate," Tessa chimed in.
"Only his last persona," Duncan told her.
"So, he's immortal?" Richie inquired.
"Well, we've been adversaries for centuries," Duncan said before they stepped off the sidewalk, "Careful – She fights just like him: same style, same moves….."
"Is he still around?" Richie asked.
"We wouldn't be on the lookout for him if the IU didn't suspect he was still around," Tori answered.
"I'm not sure though," Duncan added, "I ran into him a few years ago."
The quartet reached the concrete pedestal.
"How do you want this?" Duncan asked Tessa.
"Uh, no, the other way," Tessa answered. They placed the creation upwards, "Yeah, like this."
"And then he disappeared," Duncan continued as the group placed the sculpture into place, "I thought someone else had gotten to him."
"Apparently not since the IU's asking us to track him down," Tori quipped.
"I thought you said you were out of the game for a hundred years," Richie declared.
"Well, there were times I really had no other choice," Duncan replied.
"That makes sense," Tori nodded.
"The newspaper said he was dead," Tessa implored.
"Maybe this Rebecca has the hots for you guys," Richie chimed in, "You know, like, uh, an immortal groupie…."
"Ah, maybe," Duncan replied.
"Stay away from her, Mac," Tessa warned her lover, "I have a bad feeling about this."
-DCH-Side-Stories-
Richie and Tori hurried over to Duncan and Tessa as they pulled up.
"You guys are not going to believe this," Richie told the couple.
"What?" Duncan asked.
"Somebody got iced and dropped here last night," Richie answered.
"Hence, that's why the police are here," Tori added.
"Anyone we know?" Duncan asked.
"Not to my knowledge, Mac," Tori shook her head.
"No one I know," Richie added.
The four eyed the black detective who was starting to walk towards to the group before Tori spoke up, "This is Sargent Bennett."
"Who are you?" Bennett asked the group.
"Duncan MacLeod," Duncan introduced himself and his partner, "This is Tessa Noel."
"My name is Tori Gordon, sir," Tori introduced herself.
"And I'm….uh, Richard Ryan," Richie introduced himself as well.
"MacLeod…..the antique dealer," Bennett stated before he asked, "Your name comes up a lot downtown. You have a number of swords in your shop, don't you?"
"We have some," Duncan answered.
"Bet you're the type who knows how to use them," Bennett stated.
"What's this about?" Duncan asked.
"Take a look," Bennett answered before the group walked over to the dead body of the street punk Duncan and Tessa saw the day before.
"Oh my God," Tessa gasped in shock.
"You know him?" Bennett asked.
"Yes, I just saw him yesterday," Tessa answered.
"What was he doing?" Bennett asked.
"Nothing, he was hanging around outside the store," Duncan answered.
"I was talking to the lady," Bennett stated.
"He….he wasn't doing anything," Tessa answered this time.
"Right. Well, he was killed by a very sharp object," Bennett explained, "Very clean, very professional. One thrust between the ribs, straight to the heart."
He looked at Duncan, "It could have been done by a sword….especially by someone who knows how to use one."
"What are you getting at?" Richie asked, "The guy's an antique dealer."
"And his name keeps turning up in the police reports," Bennett interjected, "I've been on the force fifteen years; I know when somebody's trying to hide something."
"Come on, Richie," Duncan gave Richie a pat on the back before telling the detective as they walked past him, "Well, let me know when you find out what it is."
"Count on it," Bennett replied.
Duncan walked with Tessa, Richie and Tori at the store, "Richie, Tori, when are you supposed to be at work today?"
"Not until this afternoon," Tori answered, "That's when Richie is asked to work."
"Good," Duncan instructed, "I want you two to go to the library."
"The library?" Richie inquired.
"Yeah, it's the place where they keep all the books," Duncan continued, "It'll be a new experience for you, Richie. I want you guys to find out all you can about Reinhardt's death, and who this Rebecca Lord is."
"All right," Richie replied.
"No problem," Tori added.
"And what their connection is, all right?" Duncan added.
"Gotcha," Richie replied.
"Why didn't you tell Sergeant Bennett about Rebecca?" Tessa asked.
"Because I don't think this is just about her," Duncan answered.
"Duncan, the punk insulted her," Tessa stressed, "He was killed with a sword. You said yourself she was an expert."
"It may be as simple as that…..or not," Duncan replied.
"Have you sensed the prescence of another immortal?" Tessa asked.
"No," Duncan answered before he told her, "I've got to go."
"Where are you going?" Tessa inquired.
Duncan went back into the T – Bird, "To see Rebecca."
"And if there's no immortal in the bushes like the IU Agency is suspecting, you'll tell the police about her?" Tessa asked.
"Yeah," Duncan answered.
-DCH-Side-Stories-
"Duncan MacLeod," Rebecca noticed the Highlander approaching her, "I was planning on visiting you, but this is so much better."
"Someone was killed outside my store last night," Duncan implored to her.
"What's that got to do with me?" Rebecca asked.
"It was the punk who insulted you," Duncan answered.
"Well, then, I won't grieve much, will I?" Rebecca retorted.
"He was killed by a swordsman or woman," Duncan informed her.
"Are you trying to imply that I murdered a man just because he made a pass at me?" Rebecca eyed Duncan, "Oh, come now."
"Did you?"
"Now you've taken up police work as a hobby, have we?"
"What do you want?"
"The eternal question: What does every woman want?" Rebecca asked before he laughed and then asked, holding a sword, "How about a cup of tea? No? All work and no play makes Jack very, very boring. Let's play. You and me. No masks, no padding, and no witnesses, hmm? That is your way, isn't it?"
"I'm not in the mood for games," Duncan told her.
"It's not a game, Mr. MacLeod," Rebecca replied.
"It never is! Gimme that!" Duncan took the sword from her and threw it aside, "Goodbye, Rebecca."
He left her at her house.
-DCH-Side-Stories-
"How's the mission going?" Janet asked while talking to her daughter via tablet.
"So far, so smoothly," Tori answered, "We haven't spotted any immortal. Mom, is it really this Walter Reinhardt that we should be a look after?"
"We had suspicion since two nights prior," Janet answered, "Which is why I tasked you to find him if you happen to find him."
"We already have a bit of suspicion," Tori stated, "One of the street punks were killed by someone who used a sword, and Richie and I gathered information regarding Reinhardt and Rebecca. The information is being sent right now."
Tori sent the information via computer stick, which Janet received moments later, "Thanks, Tori, and keep me updated on if Reinhardt strikes."
"Of course," Tori nodded. She turned off her tablet before walking over to Richie.
"How's business going?" Tori asked.
"I just sold my good friend, Angie a car," Richie answered, "So I should say things are going real good."
"Aww, that's good to hear," Tori replied.
"Yeah. I'll let you meet Angie sometime," Richie told her, "She's a good friend of mine."
"Sounds good to me," Tori nodded.
-DCH-Side-Stories-
"How's the mission?" Duncan asked as Richie and Tori went behind him.
"So far, so good," Tori answered.
"Sold my first car," Richie added, "made four hundred bucks and did Angie a solid deal at the same time."
"We also got the information you asked about," Tori handed Duncan stacks of papers and magazines.
"They're fluff pieces," Richie added, "there's not much to them, but we're going to get in the microfiche room tomorrow and keep checking on it."
"Okay," Duncan replied.
"Apparently this Reinhardt guy was into was very into models and movie stars," Richie stated, "They say he enjoyed being one of the world's most eligible bachelors."
"He viewed women as interchangeable," Duncan stated.
"I got the information sent to my mom as well," Tori added.
"Well, it looks like he had a bunch of them," Richie stated, "There's a gossip column in, uh…..in this one somewhere that talks about him being engaged to some mystery woman."
"See if you can attach a name to the woman," Duncan instructed, "and find all you can about Reinhardt's death."
"You got it," Richie replied before he and Tori prepare to leave.
"And watch your backs," Duncan called out.
After the pair left the office, Duncan set the stacks on top of the computer monitor as Tessa entered the office, "Oh, you're back. How did it go?"
"Well, I go back and forth between loving and hating it," Tessa stated, "but uh, I think it's my best work."
"Oh?"
"I can't believe I was chosen."
"You deserve it," Duncan then kissed her.
"Did you tell the police about Rebecca?" Tessa asked.
"I don't think she's the murderer," Duncan answered.
"And what part of your four hundred year old anatomy formed this conclusion?" Tessa asked.
"Tessa," Duncan answered, "I think the IUA might be right, and it's the same feeling I got. I have a feeling Walter Reinhardt has returned."
"Duncan, it's wonderful the way you love women, but this isn't about women," Tessa stressed, "It's about evil, and that's something men have no monopoly on."
Duncan heard the phone ring and answered it.
-DCH-Side-Stories-
Tessa and Duncan hurried to the park.
"Oh my God!" Tessa cried, running through the grass. She and Duncan saw graffiti written on the sculptures, "Look at this! Look at it. What are those numbers?"
They looked to see the numbers 1, 2, and 3 on the majority of the sculptures.
"A double un duex trois," Duncan answered, "One, two, three."
"Your girlfriend left her calling card," Tessa said, "She obviously wants you to go after her."
"Or maybe Reinhardt does," Duncan interjected, "Maybe she's working with him."
"You haven't seen him!" Tessa exclaimed, "You haven't seen him! What makes you think it's him?!"
"I don't know," Duncan stressed, "but he's out there and he's coming!"
Shortly afterwards, Sargent Bennett arrived at the scene with his team of investigators.
"Miss Noel, Sargent Bennett," Bennett proceeded to introduce himself as he walked over to her, "we met earlier. Do you have any idea who did this?"
"No," Tessa answered.
"Has this ever happened before?" Bennett asked.
"No," Tessa answered.
"Well, have you received any threats lately?" Bennett asked.
"Um….no, I haven't," Tessa answered.
"Can you tell me anything," Bennett asked, "anything at all?"
"No, I'm sorry," Tessa answered before she walked off, "I have work to do."
Duncan eyed Bennett as the detective turned towards him, "And of course, you don't know anything about this. Just like you didn't know anything about the body that was dumped on your doorstep."
"I wish I could help you," Duncan replied.
"Yeah, I'm sure you do," Bennett sarcastically replied before he pulled a piece of paper from his pocket, "Ever seen her before?"
Duncan recognized the paper as a sketch of Rebecca, "It's hard to say."
"Uh huh," Bennett implored, "Well, a friend of the punk who was killed outside your store said that the deceased was almost gelded by her a couple of days before he was killed, and after that, she walked into your shop."
"Well, a lot people walk into my store," Duncan replied, "It's hard to remember them all."
"Yeah, I bet you get a lot of women who look like this," Bennett retorted, "You know, somehow this is all tied together: the murder, the sculpture being trashed and you're right in the middle of all this, aren't you? Dirty as hell. Something tells me we're going to see a lot of each other."
-DCH-Side-Stories-
"I love you," Tessa told Duncan while lying on the couch.
"I'm sorry this happened," Duncan replied.
"I know."
Duncan walked over to the couch and sat by her, "Maybe you're right. Maybe Rebecca's behind it all."
"You don't believe that," Tessa replied.
"I don't know," Duncan stated, "Richie and Tori told me that before Reinhardt disappeared, he was supposed to be engaged to someone."
"Rebecca?" Tessa asked.
"Maybe," Duncan answered.
"But why come for you?" Tessa asked.
"Maybe she thinks I killed him," Duncan answered.
"But you didn't," Tessa replied, "If she was engaged to Walter Reinhardt, wouldn't he tell her about her immortality?"
"No, not necessarily," Duncan told her, "Just because I trusted you with my life…...Reinhardt trusted no one."
"Then I can imagine how she must feel," Tessa stated, "Her man dead, no body to mourn, no closure, just wounds that never heal. What would living like that do to someone?"
She sat up, "Hold me."
Duncan held Tessa and they sat together silently.
-DCH-Side-Stories-
Rebecca was practicing moves with her sword, preparing for her revenge, to avenge her fiance's death.
MacLeod will pay for killing my fiance, Rebecca thought to herself, He has his sword, so he killed him. He killed Walter, and now Duncan MacLeod will pay for what he did with his life.
-DCH-Side-Stories-
"I'll be right there," Tessa called as she heard the door open.
She walked down the stairs and saw that Rebecca was taking the saber from display.
"What are you doing?" Tessa asked.
"I'm taking what's mine," Rebecca answered.
"By stealing?" Tessa implied.
"It used to belong to my fiance," Rebecca told the French woman, "It was supposed to come to me."
Tessa realized something as she backed away from her, "Duncan was right. You're engaged to Walter Reinhardt."
"Was," Rebecca corrected her, "He's dead."
"My God, you really don't know, do you?" Tessa asked.
"What?"
"What you're dealing with."
"No," Rebecca insisted, "you don't know what you're dealing with. MacLeod is a killer."
"You're wrong," Tessa stressed, "If you'll just let me explain….."
Rebecca cut her off, "Let you nothing. He has his sword. The only way he could have gotten it was by killing Walter."
"If you really think so," Tessa asked, "why didn't you go to the police?"
"I did, but there was no body," Rebecca answered, "and there was no proof, but I've got the sword now, and I'm going to do with MacLeod what MacLeod did to Walter. I'm going to kill him."
"Wait!" Tessa called out as Rebecca left, "It's not what you think!"
-DCH-Side-Stories-
Duncan drove the T – bird, thinking about Reinhardt and Rebecca, believing there was indeed a connection between the two.
Then, he pulled over to the Used car lot seeing a customer turn Richie away. Tori was standing not too far from him.
"Yo, Mac, what's up?" Richie greeted his friend, "I couldn't probably interest you in upgrading your present means of transportation? I happen to have a hot rod…."
"No thanks," Duncan declined before inquiring, "Did you get the rest of the information on Reinhardt?"
"Yeah. We did. One second," Richie replied before he went into the office and grabbed some papers, "This dude Reinhardt was a real sweetheart, wasn't he?"
"From what we got," Tori informed the Highlander, "He bought up companies left and right, then fired the people that spent their lives working for them."
"One of these business magazines called him a bottom line guy," Richie added, "made him out to be some sort of hero."
Duncan flipped through the papers, "He made a lot of money."
"After it all went bust, the SEC and the Feds were ready to file an indictment," Tori continued.
"The dude swindled millions out of people," Richie added, "Dying is the only thing that kept him out of prison."
"It appeared he picked a good time to get out of it," Tori stated as she entered the T – bird.
"Exactly," Duncan replied before asking, "What are you doing?"
"Mom wants Richie and I to split up for the endgame section of tracking down Reinhardt," Tori informed him, "I go with you while Richie stays put here at the car lot."
Duncan sighs roughly, "I don't know what your mother is getting from but whatever."
"Good luck, Rich," Tori told her friend.
"Good luck, Slick Vic," Richie replied before Duncan took off from the car lot with Tori.
-DCH-Side-Stories-
Tori looked on as she and Duncan entered the loft apartment.
"Mac? Mac!" they heard Tessa call out.
They looked to see Tessa dressed in a black, sequined dressed.
"You look nice, Tess," Tori quipped.
"Yeah, are we celebrating something?" Duncan asked.
"You tell me," Tessa answered, "it's gorgeous!"
"Well, I didn't buy it," Duncan replied.
Tessa then spoke faintly, "I feel…..I feel….."
"What?" Tori asked.
"Get it off me," Tessa felt her skin burning wearing the dress, "Get it off me….my skin…..my skin is burning! Get it off me! My skin's on fire!"
"Stay here," Duncan told Tori, who had clasped her mouth in shock of all this, before he hurried to tend to Tessa and yanked on the zipper, "I can't! The zipper's stuck!"
"Get it off me! Mac!" Tessa shouted as Duncan ripped the dress off of her.
"All right, come on," Duncan told his lover, "get in the shower, in the shower. Come on!"
"Don't touch me!" Tessa shouted, "Don't touch me!"
They ran into the bathroom and Duncan turned on the cold water in the shower as they got in the shower, with Tessa screaming in pain.
"Get in there," Duncan soothed his girlfriend, "It's okay. You'll be all right. Turn around. Turn around. Easy, easy."
Tessa continued to scream in pain, "My God, what's happening? What's happening?"
"Shhhh, shhhhh," Duncan soothed her, "It looks like a chemical burn. I've got you."
He continued to soothe her.
-DCH-Side-Stories-
"Five more minutes, man," Richie told Dawes, "I would've nailed that deal shut."
He noticed that Angie arrived as her newly bought car was sputtering, knocking and puffing out smoke.
"Angie, what happened?" Richie asked.
"I don't know," Angie answered as she got out of the car, "I was driving it down to the beach and it just blew up. I thought you said this was a good car, Richie."
"Angie, it is, it is," Richie told his friend, "Just relax, you've got nothing to worry about. I'm going to take care of this situation right now."
"Ah – ah – ah," Dawes replied, "I don't think so."
"Mr. Dawes, my friend just bought this car," Richie insisted, "We're gonna stand by our product."
"I'd like to help your friend out," Dawes replied, "but but the car she bought was as is, and as is means as is."
"That's not right," Richie argued.
"That's life," Dawes interjected.
"What'd you do?" Richie demanded, "Did you turn back the odometer? Did you put in ninety weight motor oil so you wouldn't hear the valves knocking?"
Moments later, Dawes went to answer a phone call.
"Angie, I promise you, no matter how long it takes" Richie assured his friend, "I'm gonna take care of this situation."
"I spent ten thousand dollars on this car," Angie stated, "I told you it was more than what I could afford."
"I know, I know, Angie, I'm sorry," Richie replied, "I promise you, I'm going to take care of this. I promise you, and when it's all over, we're gonna sue this son of a bitch together. I promise you. Watch me."
"That's what you said before," Angie said.
Moments later, Dawes walked back over to the pair and told Richie, "There's a Mercedes on the lot I've been trying to dump forever. The guy on the phone wants you to deliver it. He says you waited on him or something."
"Forget about it, I quit," Richie said before telling Angie, "Let's go."
"It's a forty thousand dollar sale," Dawes stated.
"So sell it to someone who gives a damn," Richie replied.
"I'll fix your friend's car," Dawes finally relented before he sighed and continued, "It's the least I can do. I mean, you've just got to pick up the car, pick up the check."
"Plus I want the commission on the Mercedes," Richie added, "and I would like it all in writing."
"Okay….okay," Dawes replied.
"Thank you," Richie smiled at Angie.
Not too long after that, Richie pulled up to the curb in the Mercedes, "Hey there."
He then said as someone opened the door to the car, "Um, I'm supposed to get the check. You can do the paperwork tomorrow, all right?"
"Great," a man's voice replied as he got in the car.
Richie looked up to see the man pointing the gun at him. He recognized the man from the IUA information and from what they seen in information, "It….It's you."
Richie got out his phone to try to call the IUA, "Leader, this is Ryan. Leader, this is Ryan. I found Reinhardt!"
Reinhardt then hit the phone with the butt of his gun and destroyed it in the process and putting his foot on the damaged phone for good measure, "You won't be needing a call where you're going. Now, I am going to need you to do what I tell you to do if you want to live."
-DCH-Side-Stories-
"Is Tessa going to be all right?" Tori asked as she stood up and Duncan and the doctor arrived at the area.
"Well, thanks to his quick thinking she is," the doctor answered, "If she wasn't taken into that cold shower….."
"Why didn't the chemical burn through the material?" Duncan asked.
"Well, it was in powdered form," the doctor answered, "The chemical was activated by her body heat. Now she needs to rest. I'll check back in the morning."
"Thank you," Duncan replied.
As the doctor left the loft, Tessa arrived, wearing a robe.
"Hey, back to bed, you," Duncan told his lover.
"I don't feel like sleeping," Tessa replied, "Light a fire for me."
"Okay, come on," Duncan relented as he reached for her hand. Tessa hissed, "Oooh, careful."
She walked towards the couch, "Rebecca came by. She took the saber."
"Then he must want it back," Duncan concluded.
"I don't think she's working with him," Tessa argued, "She really thinks you killed him. She's consumed by it."
"Then he's using her," Tori interjected, "There's no other logical explanation."
"Exactly," Duncan added, "He sees the world as his playing field and the mortals in it are only for amusement. He's vicious and without remorse."
Suddenly, the computer screen alarms beeped in the next room. Duncan went to answer it with Tori following him and they saw Richie on the screen.
"Richie?" Tori quipped.
"Is Mr. MacLeod there?" Richie asked, almost as if he was in a panic.
"I'm here," Duncan stepped forward, "What's wrong?"
"Where have you been?" Richie asked, "I've been calling you for hours."
"Richie?" Duncan asked.
"Richie," Tori gasped in worry.
"Yes, it is, Mr. MacLeod," Richie answered.
"Uh, Tessa had an accident," Duncan told him. Tori nodded, confirming the statement, "I didn't want to disturb her. Are you okay?"
"Rebecca's got me," Richie told the duo, causing Tori to let out a barely escaped gasp, "She wants you to meet her at nine am sharp. I'm dead if you don't come."
"I understand," Duncan replied. With that, the call ended. Then, they hurried back to Tessa.
"Who was it?" Tessa asked.
"Richie's being held," Duncan answered.
"Rebecca?" Tessa asked.
"Reinhardt," Duncan answered.
-DCH-Side-Stories-
Tori turned on her tablet, "Mom, we found Reinhardt."
Janet appeared on screen, "I know. Richard tried to inform us but he must have been cut off."
"Send a team at nine am sharp," Tori told her mother, "Location is at Rebecca Lord's house. I am typing the address as we speak, and Mac and I believe Reinhardt is setting her up."
"That's what it sounds like from what you've told us," Janet replied, "Agents will arrive for back up at nine am sharp."
"Thanks, Mom," Tori nodded before the call ended.
-DCH-Side-Stories-
Duncan barged into Rebecca's home, unaware of Tori's back up, "Richie's not here, is he?"
"Who is Richie?" Rebecca asked, confused.
"And you didn't send the dress, did you?" Duncan continued.
"What are you talking about?" Rebecca demanded.
"Reinhardt's not dead," Duncan told her.
"You had his sword, so you killed him," Rebecca insisted.
"No," Duncan stressed, "He's out there, somewhere."
He turned to look out the window.
"You know, underneath all that charm, you're just one very sick man!" Rebecca exclaimed before she raised her saber to strike at him.
"Go ahead," Duncan urged her. Rebecca paused, and he continued to urge her, "You've been training for this for three years. Do it. Get your revenge."
He noticed she was continuing to hesitate and then he raised his voice, "Come on!"
Rebecca screamed in frustration and lowered the sword.
"How did you find me, Rebecca?" Duncan asked.
"When Walter died, I went to his desk and I sorted out a few things," Rebecca explained, "There was a list of names, and your name was on it."
"And you sought out the people on the list," Duncan inquired, "and you found….."
"They were all killed…..." Rebecca started to say.
"With a sword," Duncan finished.
"You were the only one left," Rebecca insisted, "You had his sword, so you killed him."
-DCH-Side-Stories-
Richie found himself gagged and tied up at the passengers seat as Reinhardt pulled up in front of Rebecca's house.
Reinhardt pointed his finger to his mouth as if to tell him to shush before he he got out and walked towards the house. Richie struggled as he worked to untie the rope that he was tied up to for what seemed like an eternity.
Suddenly, he heard a tap on the window. Then, he turned to see Tori was outside the Mercedes. She made a nod before two other agents broke the window of the car and Tori got Richie out of the ropes, and ungagged him.
"Man, am I glad to see you," Richie spoke up.
"Are you okay?" Tori asked.
"Yeah," Richie answered as he got out of the car, "but I have a feeling I'm going to be fired."
"I wouldn't worry about it," Tori replied.
-DCH-Side-Stories-
"If you just at least duel with me," Duncan insisted, "and pretend to be injured, I can show you that Reinhardt is not dead, and you will see him for what he truly is."
Rebecca seemed to be hesitant at first, "You really think he will show?"
"It wouldn't hurt to try," Duncan replied.
Rebecca sighed before she said, "En garde."
They began their duel. Duncan lunged forward and Rebecca screamed, falling to the floor, pretending to be unconscious.
Suddenly, Reinhardt entered the house, looking at Duncan and the "unconscious" Rebecca.
"Well, MacLeod, I think I orchestrated this rather nicely," Reinhardt stated, "Tell me, how does it feel to kill an innocent young woman?"
Rebecca suddenly jumped up, saber in hand, "I hate you! I loved you."
"You will again," Reinhardt assured her.
"Never," Rebecca replied.
"How fickle women are," Reinhardt stated.
"Everything between us was just a lie," Rebecca stated in disbelief.
"Not a lie. A convenience," Reinhardt replied before she knocked her out to the floor for real. Duncan hurried to him, only for Reinhardt to point at him, turning his attention towards him.
"Where's Richie?" Duncan demanded.
"In my car," Reinhardt answered, "If you win, he'll live."
"Okay, but why all this?" Duncan asked, "Why not just challenge me?"
"It's all part of the game," Reinhardt answered, "Your scruples and boring sentimentality were always your weakest trait. Fortunately, I'm not burdened by such things. Yes, I think I'll take you this time."
"You'd sacrifice a woman who loved you that much?" Duncan asked.
"You really do care about these mortals," Reinhardt stated, "Women are interchangeable. I told you that a century ago."
"This is the last time, Reinhardt," Duncan declared.
"Finally, we agree on something," Reinhardt replied.
They begin their sword fight, which continued in the gardens of Rebecca's house. Then Reinhardt used his trademark move, "Got you again, Highlander."
Duncan answered to the attack this time, and brought Reinhardt to his knees and then beheaded him.
Duncan walked to the stairwell of the gardens as the quickening was about to begin and screamed upon getting hit with the lighting before he fell on the bushes.
-DCH-Side-Stories-
Duncan arrived at the scene where Rebecca was talking with Tori, Richie, Janet and some other IUA agents.
"Thank you, Mr. MacLeod," Richie eyed Duncan.
"I'm glad you remembered your manners," Duncan replied.
"I agree with your sentiments there, Mr. MacLeod," Janet chimed in, "I'll be getting a statement from Richard, as well as Miss Lords, and then, this case with Walter Reinhardt is officially closed."
"I'm going to talk to MacLeod for a minute, then I'll give my statement," Rebecca told Janet.
"Of course," Janet nodded before eyeing Richie, "You ready, Richard?"
"Of course, Leader," Richie nodded before he looked at Duncan and said, "We'll catch you later."
He left with Tori, Janet and the IUA agents, leaving Duncan with Rebecca.
"So where's….." Rebecca asked.
"Over there," Duncan answered eyeing the other direction before she tried going that direction, prompting him to inform her, "He won't be back this time."
"He used me to get to you, you know," Rebecca stated. She held his hand as he sat down, "All these years I wasted trying to avenge a man I didn't even know."
"It's over now," Duncan assured her.
"He was the strongest man I ever met," Rebecca lamented, "and when I thought he was dead….God, I was a fool."
"You were in love," Duncan replied.
"I was a fool," Rebecca continued, "and I believed that I'd never meet another man like him again….until I met you. I almost wish I'd met you first."
Duncan kissed her hand, "Go get your life back together again, Rebecca."
"Sure. Starting with the statement for the IUA," Rebecca replied before she kissed his cheek and then left to give the IUA her statement.
Duncan went to leave Rebecca's home. Should he have let her know about immortality? Was she better off not knowing? He figured this was something he would never know.
Author's Note: The start of this story, the first chapter, is dedicated to the loving memory of Rebecca's actress Vanity, who passed away on 15th February 2016, and Richie Ryan's actor Stan Kirsch, who passed away on 11th January 2020. While Vanity was well known as a singer prior to this and they both will be remembered by one and all.