Disclaimer: Highlander belongs to Davis/Panzer Productions, I don't own anything, just my original characters.
I was born before 1600 in the Highlands of Scotland, and I am still alive. I am Immortal and I am not alone. For four hundred years, I have fought, loved, wondered, explored and avenged. Now, I have found the woman of my dreams, but we are always in danger. For centuries, I have battled the Dark Immortals, with Holy Ground my only refuge. Soon will be the time of the Gathering, when the stroke of a sword and the fall of a head, will release the power of the Quickening. I am Owen MacLeod, the Highlander. In the end, there can be only one.
(Cue Princes of the Universe)
Starring
Jack Turpin
Kehli O'Byrne
Adrian Paul
Alexandra Vandernoot
Stan Kirsch
(Princes of the Universe ends)
Nowhere to Run
Guest Starring
Peter Guinness
Anthony Head as Allan Rothwood
On a misty French road, a yellow sports car was driving down the road as J.C. Phillips' 'The Hunter' was playing. Mark, the young driver, was giving a little joy ride for his passenger, Lori. The car then pulled over to the side of the road. Mark leaned over and started kissing Lori in passenger seat. But then, he began to unbutton her sweater, resulting in her pulling away from the kiss.
"Don't unbutton, please," she said.
"Sure. No pressure," he replied.
They resumed kissing again, but then he started to unbutton her sweater again, and she pulled away once more.
"No," she objected.
"I thought you liked me," he complained.
"I do like you."
"Good."
They resumed kissing, but Mark started unbuttoning the sweater AGAIN. Lori stopped him AGAIN as a result.
"Now what?" complained Mark.
Lori sighed, "Look, I'm sorry. I'm not ready."
"Maybe we should... Maybe we should practice."
He went back to kissing her, but now started to get frisky with her breasts through the unbuttoned top of the sweater. Now, she pushed him away.
"I want to go home."
"This, uh, this isn't a taxi service. You want to go home? Okay. Okay."
He leaned across and opened her door, "That's up to you."
Lori hesitated for a few seconds, but then got out. That was not what Mark expected would happen, so he got out and followed her.
"Hey. Come on. Hey," he whined as he caught up. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to come on so strong. I acted like an idiot. Come on... Look, okay, I'll take you home."
"What is it?" she asked.
"What?" he paused before answering. "Sometimes, when you're - you're with somebody... that you really like... What I mean is... when I kissed you just now, I kinda... I couldn't…"
He stroked her face with his hand, "If you weren't so damn beautiful…"
"You think I'm beautiful?" Lori asked, looking at him.
Mark nodded, "Very."
He gently kissed her.
Nearby, Owen and Lynn were lying on the hood of Owen's car, enjoying the peace and quiet of the woods.
"Lynn, something's wrong," said Owen suddenly.
"What is it?" Lynn asked.
"The pull to the Gathering. It's gotten faint."
"What do you mean 'faint'?"
"I mean it's gotten weaker during our stay here."
"Aaaaaahhhhhhh!" a scream echoed through the woods.
Owen and Lynn shot up when they heard it. Owen focused his hearing and was able to find the source a few yards away.
"What was that?!" panicked Lynn.
"Get in the car, get in the car!" Owen said quickly as they rushed into the car and sped down the ride.
Soon, they reached the location of the scream and saw a yellow sports car driving away. Owen and Lynn both got out, the former brandishing his firearm. Looking around, Lynn spotted a girl on the ground and ran over to her. The poor girl had leaves and bits of dried grass in her hair. She had dirt on her face and her dress had been torn. She was trying to cover the exposure with her sweater.
"Madame, madame!" Lynn called to her as she ran up and knelt down next to her. "What happened?!"
"I told him no. He wouldn't stop..." the girl started crying.
"It's ok, it's ok," soothed Lynn, hugging her. "You're safe. My boyfriend and I heard you screaming. We can take you home if you want."
"Yes, please."
Lynn brought the girl to the car and got in the backseat with her. Owen got back into the driver seat and slowly drove down the road.
"I'm Lynn, this is Owen," Lynn spoke up as she was trying to clean off the girl's face with a wet wipe.
"I'm Lori."
Some time later, as Owen was continuing down the road, Owen saw another car coming the opposite direction, then suddenly sensed a buzz. He pulled his car over to the side of the road.
"What're you doing?" asked Lynn, knowing Owen had sensed a buzz but trying to keep quiet about it.
"It could be trouble," Owen replied. "Stay here and wait."
Owen got out of the car and faced his new pursuer. The Immortal stepped out of his own car and faced him. He appeared to be in his early fifties, dressed in a dark grey suit.
"Who the hell are you?" he demanded.
"Owen MacLeod, and you?"
"Everett Bellian."
"You here for me?"
"I'm here for the girl."
"Which one?"
Lori then exited the car, with Lynn helping her out.
"Lori," said Bellian, beginning to walk over to her. "Where have you been?"
"Daddy," Lori said, feeling relieved.
"Oh," sighed Owen, knowing he had no worries.
Bellian came up to Lori and hugged her.
"Lori... What happened?" he asked.
"My boyfriend and I found her on the ground in the woods," answered Lynn. "We were taking her home because she was afraid."
Lori nodded, "Yes."
"What happened?" Bellian repeated.
"I was. I told him no. He wouldn't stop."
"Who? Who did this to you?"
"He hit me, and he kept-"
Bellian suddenly grimaced, reached out and grabbed Lori arms.
"Tell me!" he demanded.
"Let go," she sobbed.
"Who is he?"
"You're hurting me."
Owen suddenly pulled out his firearm and held it at Bellian's head, Lynn stepping back.
"Bellian stop, you're scaring her!" he ordered.
Bellian spoke quieter this time, "His name, Lori. I want his name."
"Mark Rothwood," was Lori's response.
Owen's car raced down the road, searching for the secluded areas of the countryside.
"I hope we can stop anything from getting to worse," he said to Lynn.
But I am sorry to say, he was wrong.
At the Rothwood Chateau, Duncan's car stopped outside the front gates.
"Open the gate, would you, Richie?" asked Duncan.
"Gotcha," Richie replied, getting out of back seat of the car.
"Allan was the first man I ever loved," Tessa explained.
"Should I be jealous?" asked Duncan.
"Very. I was seven. He was nineteen."
"Oooh," said Duncan, teasingly.
"When he joined the diplomatic service after college and left the country, I was heartbroken. Even then I had a thing for older men. Maybe I should thank him."
Duncan laughed, "Maybe you should."
He then drove through and waited for Richie to close gates.
"So how many people did you say were going to live here?"
"Just two," replied Tessa. "We would visit almost every Sunday. Allan's mother and my mother were very old friends. It was magical. There were parties to dress up for and horses to ride."
Richie had just got back into the car, "Sounds just like my childhood, except for the parties, the magic, and the horses."
Tessa laughed as Duncan drove the car through the fog toward the chateau.
At the front entrance of the chateau, Allan hurried to the door and opened it. Immediately, Tessa ran up the steps to hug Allan.
"Tessa!" said Allan laughing with joy.
"Allan!" Tessa cried as Allan spun her around.
"Wow, would you look at you!"
Duncan then entered with Richie right behind him.
"You must be Duncan," said Allan, shaking his hand.
"Right," Duncan confirmed.
"Please, go right in."
"Thank you," said Richie.
The three entered and looked around.
"Allan Rothwood," Allan greeted the youngest man.
"Hi. I'm Richard Ryan, but feel free to call me Richie," Richie greeted back.
"My son will be happy to have someone his own age to talk to."
"Great."
"Mark, where are you? Come down here."
Mark then exited a nearby room and joined the others.
"My son, Mark," Allan introduced his son.
"Hi," greeted Tessa.
Richie shook Mark's hand, "Hi, Mark. I'm Richie. It's nice to meet you."
"Excuse me," Mark said quickly, crossing to Tessa and shaking her hand. "Hi."
"Hi. Tessa," she greeted.
"Mark. My father said you were very beautiful. He's right."
"Your father's prejudiced."
"Hardly," he then motioned toward her hand. "And, uh, you're not married."
Tessa then looped her arms around Duncan's left one, "But well spoken for."
"And still as beautiful as ever," finished Allan in flattery.
No one, except Richie, seemed to notice the annoyed scowl on Mark's face. However, Allan spoke again, distracting the youngest man.
"Come, let me show you around," he told the couple.
He led them away from the boys as Mark began stroking a nearby harp.
"I'm afraid time hasn't been too kind to the old place," Allan explained. "It will be months before we can move in. Actually, I was hoping you might be able to help me put it back together."
"A little paint, a little polish - the place will be as good as new," advised Tessa.
Richie could see Mark was still in a sour mood, so he went over to try to talk to him.
"Nice harp," he said.
Mark just nodded, then walked away. Richie cleared his throat and followed, still trying to talk.
"This place is incredible," he complimented.
"If you like drafty ruins in the middle of nowhere," scoffed Mark.
"It's not that bad."
"Right. And for our afternoon's activity, we'll watch the grass grow. And you can forget about the women around here - the cows have more style. And better legs."
Richie was not sure how to respond to that, so he decided to change the subject as picked up a carved African statue.
"Tessa tells me that you've lived just about everywhere in the world," he said.
"Diplomat brat. That's me," said Mark smugly and rudely. "Look, I know you're trying to be friendly, but what's the point? I mean, I know we're both guys, but really... that's all we have in common."
He then took the statue from Richie and put it on a mantle across the room. Richie was starting to not like the 'diplomat brat.'
In another room, Allan was still showing Duncan and Tessa around.
"No one's lived here in years," he explained. "After Mother died, there seemed no point in staying on. I think I've stayed away too long."
"I remember my first Christmas in this room," said Tessa as she reminisced of the past. "I couldn't believe anything could be so beautiful."
Suddenly, she noticed Duncan looking uneasy.
"Mac?" she asked.
"I've just got to get something out of the car," he said dismissively and he exited the room.
Allan hugged Tessa again, "God, it's good to see you."
Outside the front of the chateau, Duncan exited and saw Owen and Lynn running along the pond bridge up to him.
"Owen, Lynn, what're you two doing here?" Duncan demanded.
"Dad, we got trouble," said Owen quickly.
Then, the duo felt the buzz, and they, along with Lynn, saw Everett Bellian approaching the bridge. He had noticeably changed from his business suit to more athletic black attire along with black gloves and a yellow overcoat.
"Who the hell are you?" Bellian addressed Duncan.
"Duncan MacLeod, and you?" retorted Duncan.
"Everett Bellian."
"You're here for one of us?"
"It's not my primary objective."
"Then what can I do for you, General?"
"That's Colonel."
The two walked toward each other, closing the distance, with Lynn and Owen behind Duncan.
"I'm here for Mark Rothwood."
"Why?"
"Just bring him to me, MacLeod."
"Maybe if you told me what this was about."
"Everett's step-daughter, Lori, was raped and she identified Mark as the culprit," Lynn replied. "Owen and I were there when she did."
"Where is he?" Bellian demanded, but Duncan did not respond. "Didn't you hear what she said?"
"I'm sorry," replied Duncan calmly. "If there's proof, the police will-"
"Lori's word is my proof. I don't need the damn police."
"Mac!" called Richie from inside.
"That's not him, that's my brother," Owen said quickly.
"But you'll bring him to me," warned Bellian. "Now I can go around you both or through you. Your choice. Don't keep me waiting too long."
He then turned walked away, joining another man as he did.
"Everything okay, Colonel?" asked the man.
"Let's go," replied Bellian as they departed.
Riche came out of the chateau in a bad mood.
"Anytime you want to leave…" he said quickly.
"What's up?" asked Duncan.
"I'm with this jerk fifteen minutes, I'm ready to take him apart."
Owen and Lynn became uneasy as they knew he was referring to Mark. Duncan, Owen and Lynn looked back at Bellian and his companion walking off into the fog.
"You'll have to wait in line," said Owen.
He and Lynn followed Duncan back into the chateau as Richie waited for a few moments before following himself.
"Rape her?" asked Mark. "I don't even know her."
"Well, her father thinks you do," Duncan replied.
"And she identified you," added Owen.
"Well, he's a liar... or she is," Mark retorted. "Take your pick."
"Why'd they lie?" asked Duncan.
Mark laughed nervously, "You've got to be kidding. These things happen all the time."
"Do they?" Owen asked, noticing that Mark was uneasy.
"Yeah. This girl goes at it hot and heavy with her boyfriend. I don't know. Maybe... maybe she gets pregnant. Maybe her father just gets pissed she's too easy. So she's got to tell him something."
"Well, go on."
"She's got to blame somebody... so she tells him she was raped or something. So then it's not her fault."
"But why does she blame you?"
"Ha! You don't know?"
"Enlighten me."
"Okay. These things happen all the time to people with money."
"Oh."
"We always pay to avoid the scandal."
Lynn was not buying what Mark was saying, but she knew she could not just jump to conclusions.
"Here, look, uh…" Mark then wrote something on a piece of paper. "Just give him this. It's the number of my father's lawyers. They'll, uh... they'll work out something financially acceptable."
He handed the paper to Duncan, but Owen snatched it and ripped it to shreds.
"Your father's money isn't going to get you out of this one, little boy," he warned as he backed the young man to the wall by his neck. "Did you rape her?"
"Come on."
Owen shoved him into the wall and began to yell, with Duncan and Lynn not stopping him.
"That girl was covered in dirt and leaves and her dress was torn!" he shouted. "Did you fucking rape her?! Did you?!"
"I swear there's been some kind of mistake," replied Mark, clearly frightened by Owen's anger. "I didn't do it. He's got the wrong guy."
Owen squinted his green eyes at Mark's black ones. He, nor Lynn, were buying his story. Duncan on the other hand, walked over to the window. He was thinking back to an event in 1815 where a friend of his, Charles Dartmore, was executed for desertion.
Outside the front of the chateau, the MacLeods confronted Bellian again, Lynn standing at a distance. But she was able to hear the exchange.
"Where is he?" demanded Bellian.
"I understand how you feel. But don't let your hatred make you do something that you will regret," Duncan advised. "We have time."
"I want him... now."
"Even if he is guilty, which I totally think he is, we can't just give him to you," said Owen.
"He has nothing."
He paused and began to talk in a passionate tone, "Lori's mother... she was the gentlest, most beautiful woman. She was more than beautiful. She brought light back into my life. When she died, I promised to watch over her daughter."
Owen felt himself relating to Bellian at that moment. Lynn brought light back into his own life following an unfortunate event in 1985. The fog began to thicken as the Immortals stood.
"Everett... there are courts, laws," insisted Duncan.
"MacLeod, look at this place!" Bellian snapped. "You and your stepson have been around long enough to know that the rich aren't bound by the law. They own it!"
"But Allan's a good man," Owen replied. "He might do the right thing."
Bellian shook his head, "Your reasons are pure, but your hopes are naïve."
Just then, several vehicles pulled up and a number of men get out of them. Lynn began to back away toward the chateau for safety.
"Let's move it out," said one of them.
"Mercenaries?" said Duncan, sounding like Bellian was insane.
"My staff. My brothers," the colonel replied. "We fought together on three continents. Then they retired with me. Lori is like a daughter to them. They won't leave without justice."
"This isn't justice. This is vengeance."
"If it were your woman he raped, what would you do? Is this animal worth endangering everyone in the chateau?
"Then let them go."
"I've no desire to harm the innocent, MacLeod."
"But you will!"
"Their safety doesn't depend on me. It depends on you."
"If anyone besides Mark is harmed, I WILL have your head!" Owen warned.
"We'll see," replied Bellian as he walked into the fog.
Owen and Duncan walked back to Lynn.
A short time later, one of Bellian's men climbed up to the junction box on the outer wall of the chateau and cut the wire running into it. Now the phone line was dead.
"Mac, check it out," whispered Richie, pointing out the back window.
"Is that your jeep outside?" Duncan asked Allan.
"Sure, it is. Why?" asked Allan.
"We're leaving."
"You just arrived."
"Yes. You're coming with us."
"I am?"
"You and Mark are BOTH coming," replied Owen.
"What's going on?" Tessa asked.
"Apparently, there's some lunatic outside who claims I raped his daughter," said Mark.
"Did you?" a suspicious Richie asked.
"Of course he didn't," cut in Allan. "The police will take care of this."
"There is no time," Duncan insisted.
Allan picked up a phone and tried to dial, but nothing came out.
"It's dead," he said.
"He cut the phone line," deduced Owen. "Let's go."
"Maybe if Mark and I talk to him…"
"If you go outside with Mark, he dies," objected Duncan.
"Ha! You're not serious," Mark said nervously. "You don't actually think this old guy's-"
"Allan, listen to Duncan," urged Tessa. "If he says we're in danger, we are."
"Okay? Let's go. Let's go!" Duncan encouraged as he guided the others toward one of the rooms.
"All over some crazy old man," said Mark sarcastically.
"Move your ass!" Lynn said loudly, persuading Allan to move Mark along.
Outside the back of the chateau, the group ran for the jeep, but the heard a loud firing sound and an explosion erupted in front of the jeep.
"Artillery shell!" Owen yelled, drawing his firearm.
"Fall back!" shouted Duncan.
"Come on, come on! Get back!" urged Richie.
"Get back!"
"Come on! Everybody, come on, get out of here!"
As the mortals retreated back to the safety of the chateau, Owen fired several bullets at the mercenaries in the distance. Their scattering let him know the bullets came near them. Owen noticed some others were approaching, and he and Duncan hurried inside.
"This is unbelievable," said Allan. "Those crazy bastards could have killed us all."
Richie looked out a window, "I can't see them. Why aren't they coming?"
"They'll come," said Duncan, entering with Owen. "We don't have much time."
"To do what? Pray?" Mark asked.
"I don't have enough bullets in this coat to load my gun," Owen told Allan. "There any guns in here?"
"Uh, no, none," was the diplomat's reply.
"Fuck."
"Then we have to make do with what we have," Duncan declared.
"But with what?" asked Mark harshly.
"You guys seen Home Alone?" Owen asked.
"Yeah?" answered Richie. "Wait, are you saying…"
"Yeah, we need to seal off most of the house. Build some barricades and a few booby traps."
"The back door," realized Tessa.
"That was a movie, we can't defend this place," insisted Mark.
"Mark, be quiet," Allan commanded, feeling stressed and deciding to trust Owen's judgment.
"All right. Barricade the windows," advised Duncan.
"We'll do whatever you ask."
"The windows. Start with those."
"Mark, help me with this."
The Rothwoods moved a crate with a few items away. Richie and Tessa moved a fridge out of another room for usage. Owen and Lynn began to look for items that could cause damage to the intruders.
Outside the chateau, Bellian addressed one of his goons.
"We saw Owen MacLeod with a gun of his own," he reminded. "If they're all armed, there's a hell of a field of fire in front of the chateau. We'll let the fog settle."
Tessa was collecting bottles of oil and other liquids on a rolling cart.
"Boil as much oil as you can," Duncan encouraged as he was holding an extension cord.
He then inspected some boards nailed across one of the windows.
"Allan, this one needs strengthening."
"Yes, of course," he acknowlaged. "This, too?"
"Yeah."
Duncan turned to Mark, "Are you finished yet?"
"Yeah," replied the younger man.
"Okay, I need your help in the back room to barricade it."
Duncan walked over to the front door, laid out the extension cord, stripped the wires at the free end and wraps them around the handle of the front door.
Outside, Bellian and his men advanced toward the house through the fog. Bellian's overcoat billowed in the wind as he walked forward, his military saber safely inside it incase he had to take a head.
Duncan plugged the other end of the extension cord into an outlet next to Richie, who was finishing his own barricade.
"Start over there," Duncan advised Mark. "Richie…?"
"Yeah, I'm here," replied the youngest man.
"We need a hand."
Richie helped lift a metal headboard, "Where do you want it?"
"Uh…" Duncan paused as he helped Richie carry the headboard through the rooms. "That back window."
So Richie carried the headboard over while Duncan grabbed a trunk.
"Pile as many boxes up against it as you can."
Owen looked out a window as he saw some shapes in the mist. He knew it was Bellian's men getting closer to them.
Lynn brought in a bear trap. Owen hurried over to her and they placed it in the middle of one of the room. Owen held the steel jaws open as Lynn set the trap in place.
"All right. Perfect. Let's go," he commended and the two hurried to another room.
The mercenaries got closer toward the chateau, still being covered by the fog.
In the kitchen, Tessa was pouring the containers of oil into a pot on the stove. She glanced at the nearby window, worried that someone would show up near it.
Richie stood at another window, while Mark was seething in the back of the room.
Outside, Bellian and his goons were preparing to storm the house.
"I want him alive," he insisted, before walking over to one of his men. "And you... you fire when I tell you to fire."
The men cocked their rifles and they started walking again.
Duncan picked up a circular saw blade from a tool table.
"Sharp," he said, before setting the blade down and grabbing a roll of wire.
He then motioned for Allan to follow him into next room.
"Okay, pull that end," he advised, giving Allan the free end of the wire. "Tie it off to that leg there."
Allan wrapped the end of the wire around the table leg, "Do you know this guy?"
"Not personally, but I've known others like him."
"Is he crazy?"
"No."
"If he gets Mark, would he-"
"He's not going to get Mark."
"My son didn't rape his daughter. You think he did, don't you?"
"What matters is that they think he did."
"You don't have to stay. This isn't your fight."
"Pull that a little tighter."
Allan tightened the wire, "I keep thinking I should ask you to leave. The truth is, I'm not really that brave. We don't have a chance without you."
"And I thought it was because you like my company."
"Thank you."
Suddenly, Duncan sensed a buzz.
Outside, Bellian felt a buzz while looking through his binoculars, and signaled for his goons to attack.
"They're coming!" Owen called, having felt it too.
One of the goons lowered himself from the roof with a rope to one of the upstairs windows. He then broke the window and entered the house, making his way carefully down the staircase.
Back in the downstairs room, Richie and Mark were standing, waiting for something to happen. Mark however, looked annoyed.
"I can't believe all this is over that mousy blonde bitch," he mumbled to himself.
"What did you say?" asked Richie, who heard him.
"Nothing."
"You DID rape her."
"Now, you prove that."
"Well, first you said you didn't know her, and now you said she was blonde. How'd you know she was blonde?"
"Well, I don't know, I guessed." Yeah?"
Mark pushed Richie away, but Richie went right back at him and they started to wrestle. They were so busy fighting that they did not notice the goon making his way in.
"Richie, down!" yelled Duncan.
Richie and Mark both dropped to floor as the goon unleashed around of rapid fire at them.
"Hey, soldier!" called the older Highlander, before he threw the saw blade at the goon, hitting him in the chest.
The fatal blow caused the goon to shoot randomly before falling to the ground. Duncan went over and checked for a pulse, only to find none.
"That bastard could have killed me," Mark complained.
"Good," retorted Richie.
"Well, what the hell does that mean?"
"Do you two think you can keep from killing each other?!" Duncan yelled. "Well, do you?!"
"Yes," answered Richie.
Duncan took the machine gun, "I'll check the rest of the chateau."
He turned and walked away. Now they had some firepower besides Owen's.
"Congratulations, MacLeod," Bellian commended on the phone. "You and your stepfather are hell of opponents."
"What do you want?" replied Owen.
"What I've always wanted. Last chance."
"Any of my friends get injured, your dead, Bellian."
Owen then hung up the phone.
"Go. Over there. Let's go," one of the men said quietly as they approached the house again.
"Fan out," ordered Bellian. "Go around the back."
He then pulled out a Desert Eagle as he approached the house. However, he did not know that Allan had gotten a glimpse of them from the window.
In the kitchen, Tessa balanced a pot of hot oil on top of the slightly open kitchen door. She looped a twine around the door handle and unwinded the roll back toward the other side of the room.
"Need anything?" asked Duncan, entering through a different door.
"Yes," Tessa answered. "How about a week on the Riviera?"
"It's a date. Remember, after you pull the cord, don't wait around. And step carefully through the doorways. It will be alright."
"Is this what war is like? I don't like it."
"Neither do I. All right?"
"Owen, I'm scared," said Lynn, holding a small pistol that Owen recovered from the dead mercenary.
"Don't worry," the youngest Highlander reassured. "We'll be ok."
"Is this what it's like on the front lines?"
"Sometimes it's worse."
"Well, I don't like it."
"We're not supposed to."
"And I thought those self-defense classes I took since Draper made me feel safe."
"This world is never a safe place. We can only adapt to it the best we can."
Duncan walked through some more rooms as Allan picked up a bug sprayer and swung the canister over his shoulder. Mark looked out the window and saw Bellian approaching. He slipped back into the shadows.
Tessa held ball of twine attached to the kitchen doorknob, while Allan's bug sprayer now had a small flame burning at the tip of the wand. As Tessa watched the door to the kitchen, one of Bellian's men crashed through the window behind her, frightening her.
"Don't move!" commanded the goon.
Another goon entered another room, but was jumped by Duncan, knocking his firearm out of his hand. Duncan slammed him against the wall and beat him against it.
The first goon started to circle around Tessa slowly, heading for the door. Suddenly, she grabbed a nearby spray bottle and squirted him in the face. He stumbled backward and hit the door, knocking the pot of oil down onto his head. He screamed in pain and writhed on the floor as Tessa ran out the side door.
The second goon got free and tried to fight back, but Duncan blocked his strike and flipped him onto his back.
Richie waited in ambush with a length of a pipe and hit a third goon in the stomach as he entered the room. Richie then swung part of the pipe at the attacker's face, knocking him down. The goon fell onto the floor and slid into the bear trap set up in the middle of the room. Upon entering the trap, it closed around his head, stabbing his neck.
Duncan blocked a punch and with two kicks, knocked his opponent into a large, square, basket. Suddenly, he heard automatic gunfire at the front door. He hurried over and waited as a fourth goon stopped firing and reached for the doorknob. At that moment, he was electrocuted by the extension cord wired to the knob on other side.
At a set of French doors, another goon opened fire on them, shattering the glass in the doors. Unbeknownst to him, Allan was taking cover nearby, waiting patiently for his chance to strike back.
The man Duncan had been fighting suddenly jumped him from behind and tried to strangle him with a length of wire. But the Highlander forced him backwards into a wall, head butted him, elbowed him in the stomach and head butted him again. He then threw his defeated opponent out the front door and kicked the door shut.
The set of French doors were kicked open and Allan encountered his attacker. As Owen ran up with his firearm at the ready, Allan blasted his homemade flame-thrower at the goon, setting him on fire. Both men watched as the goon flailed around, screaming in agony. Covered in flames, the man ran back out the door.
"Nice one," complemented Owen. "Resourseful use of a bug sprayer."
"Just because I'm a diplomat, doesn't mean I don't know how to improvise weapons," Allan explained.
In another room where Mark was waiting with his own pipe, one more intruder entered the room, where he tripped on a wire strung across the doorway earlier by Duncan and Allan. Mark raised his pipe to hit him but hesitated. Richie jumped out at the man, but he got kicked away. The assailant got up, grabbed the pipe from him and hit him with it. Then a gun shot sounded out and blood splattered against the wall. The assailant fell to the ground, a wound through his head. Lynn stood with her small pistol in her hand, turning to look at Mark, still frozen beside the door. Then a whistle sounded from outside the chateau. It was Bellian, sounding a retreat. Luckily, Richie was able to get back up.
A short while later, Duncan, Owen, Tessa and Allan showed up in the room,
"Is anyone hurt?" asked Duncan.
"Uh! Only my pride," Richie joked, receiving a pat on the head.
"I'm okay, I think," said Allan.
"I'm fine," Tessa added.
"Could be worse," said Lynn, a little shaken.
"At least no casualties on our side," Owen pointed out.
"Did we kick their asses or what?" asked Mark smugly. "Did you see them running?"
"We got lucky," replied Duncan.
"What do you mean - lucky?"
"We surprised them. We won't get a second chance."
"At least we're safe... for now," Tessa hoped.
"On a brighter side," continued Owen, "We got some more guns now."
Outside the chateau, a white car pulled into the area and stopped. The goons turned, only to see Lori exit it. The lowered their weapons as Bellian walked over.
"You don't belong here!" he called.
"So take me home!" retorted Lori.
"Lori... damn! Brenner!"
"Not Brenner. You, Daddy. You take me home."
"Lori...
"Let's go."
"You know I can't do that."
"Why? Are you too busy defending my honor?"
"Look, I don't want to discuss it!"
"You raped that girl," Richie snapped at Mark before turning to the others. "He admitted it."
"Heh! You're a liar," retorted Mark.
"I'm not so sure," Allan said quietly, pacing back and forth.
"What? Are you going to take his word over mine?!"
"You admitted it, so it's your word against yours!" snapped Owen.
"Stay out of this!"
"As a witness who found the victim in a heap, I AM a part of this!"
"Enough," Allan spoke firmly before turning to his son in point blank interrogation mode. "Did you rape her?"
Mark was silent, but Owen could see in his eyes he was repeating the memory in his head.
"Mark!" said Allan loudly, trying to get an answer.
"Silence?" Lynn asked. "So you did."
Owen stood in place, waiting for an answer, as did Tessa, Richie and Lynn. Duncan stood at the doorway, having heard everything. Mark paced back and forth, chuckling nervously and showing no remorse.
"She was asking for it," he lied. "What did she expect? She knew where we were going. You should have- you should have seen her jump in the car to impress her friends."
Allan's mouth slightly opened in shock as he was in disbelief over what his son had done. Tessa and Lynn were disgusted by Mark's indifferent behavior.
"She changed her mind," interjected Lynn.
"Oh, come on! Please!" Mark scoffed.
"Did she ask you to stop?" asked Tessa.
"What world do you live in?!" Mark whined in disbelief as he turned away from the others, "That's- that's just part of the game!"
"Like hell it is!"
"This is no game, Mark," said an angry Allan as he walked in front of his son. "People are dead because of you!"
"Look, what's the big deal?! She's- she's nobody! I wasn't even the first!"
"You want a big deal?!" Owen barked, "Look around you!"
Allan looked heartbroken at the sight of the man he was looking at.
"How could I miss seeing what you've become?" he said, tears in his eyes.
Owen, Lynn, Tessa and Richie left the room.
"I'm your son," pleaded Mark. "You can take care of this. You can take care of everything. You're a diplomat. You have immunity. And you always... I'm sorry. Help me."
Allan hugged his son. The events of the day were now effecting his own state of mind badly.
"If you're going to commit murder, let's at least be honest about why," Lori suggested.
"Lori…" Bellian began.
"This isn't about me. And don't tell me it's about keeping some stupid promise to my mother."
"I loved your mother."
"This isn't about love. It's about you and your damn vanity. The great warrior's ego couldn't stand it that his daughter was raped. He has to have his revenge. That's what this is about. Not love or justice. And it's not my revenge, it's yours."
"You don't understand."
"What don't I understand? That I was raped? He's not worth it. If you kill him, they'll send you to prison. I'll lose you, too. Come home with me."
"I'm sorry."
"Then I'll get the police. They'll stop you."
Bellian was not about to let THAT happen. He turned to Brenner.
"Brenner," he called to his right hand, who came over. "Lock her inside."
Brenner led Lori into the fog and to a nearby shed. He briefly gave her a sympathetic look, before quickly shutting the door and locking it. He could not bear looking at her disapproval.
Owen led the others to Duncan, who was holding one of the obtained machine guns near the broken kitchen window.
"That guy's got everything - brains, money, looks," Richie complained to Duncan. "I don't get it."
"Well, somewhere along the line, he figured he could get away with anything," explained Duncan.
"Still, Mac, that's no excuse. I keep thinking if I had a kid…"
"Come on," Allan said to Mark, encouragingly. "We'll do fine. Are you ready?"
Mark nodded. Just then, Tessa walked up.
"Duncan wants us to take our places," she said.
"We have to leave now," said Allan.
"You can't!"
"Everett just wants us. He has no reason to harm you if we're not here."
The Rothwoods made their way toward the backdoor.
"What if he catches you?" Tessa asked.
"Listen, if we make it through, we'll send help," promised Allan.
"There are men with guns out there!"
"Tessa! It's time we took responsibility for ourselves."
He turned to Mark, "Ready?"
"Allan! Don't!" Tessa pleaded.
Allan simply smiled, blew her a kiss and led Mark out the door toward the fog.
Duncan, Owen and Richie were fortifying the broken window when Tessa ran in.
"Mark and Alan are making a run for it!" she said.
"WHAT?!" panicked Lynn.
"They won't get past Bellian's men!" Owen yelled.
"Take this," said Duncan, handing Tessa one of the obtained guns. "Barricade yourselves inside this room and shoot anybody that comes through those doors."
The MacLeods hurried out of the kitchen while Richie placed a headboard in front of the barricaded as well as placing some crates in front of the nearby door. He then took out his acquired firearm and faced the window, while the girls faced the doors.
Outside the chateau, Duncan and Owen looked around and saw Allan and Mark running across the lawn, through the fog.
"Come on," urged Allan. "All right. Go, son."
The MacLeods ran after them, with Owen pulling out his firearm. Duncan then spotted one of Bellian's men and attacked him before he was able to shoot the Rothwoods. He punched the goon unconscious and took his submachine gun. He and Owen ran on and caught up with Allan and Mark just as they came upon a shape in the fog.
"Go back!" Duncan yelled.
Allan spotted the shape, revealing another armed man, aiming at Mark.
"MARK!" he yelled as jumped at Mark, pushing him down.
The goon opened fire and Allan was hit in the chest several times.
"NO!" yelled Duncan, as he and Owen opened fire on the goon.
Lead hit the goon rapidly until he collapsed to the ground, dead. The MacLeods hurried to the injured Allan.
"Allan! Allan!" Duncan said loudly, succeeding in getting him to respond. "He's still alive. Let's get him back to the house."
"He's okay," said a relieved Mark.
"Come on. Get him up."
"You'll be okay."
"Come on."
Duncan lifted Allan over his shoulder.
"Okay."
"Give me the gun."
Mark handed Duncan the submachine gun.
"Come on. Go!"
"What?" asked Mark.
"MOVE YOUR ASS!" Owen barked as the trio ran back toward the house, carrying Allan.
Bellian stood in the fog, watching them flee. He then turned and walked away, disappearing into the mist.
Inside the chateau, Duncan and Tessa tried to nurse Allan's wounds as he laid on the couch. Lynn was also trying to help as Owen was reloading his firearm.
"He's not breathing well," said the worried Tessa. "I can hardly feel his pulse."
"He's gone into shock. We've got to get him to a hospital," Duncan realized. "Richie…"
"No bullets in the gun," the boy reported, inspecting a machine gun. "It's empty.
"I should go get some help," suggested Mark.
"There's the door."
"Now's not the time to go playing hero," Duncan replied.
"Look, my father's dying. I got to do something."
"You want to do something for him? You stay alive. That is what all this is about. I'm not going to let you throw away a life that he's paid for. Do you understand?"
Duncan then left the room with Owen. Allan looked over at Mark from his bed on the couch and Mark looked back at him being nursed by Tessa and Lynn.
Owen walked ahead of Duncan into the next room. He then stormed over to the telephone and picked it up.
"Bellian," he said, hitting the cradle lever repeatedly. "Come on, Bellian. I know you can hear me."
"You killed a good man, MacLeod," responded Bellian.
"Five, Bellian. Your men in the house are gone, too. You've gone too far and the boy's father will die without medical attention."
"Then give me the son."
"Haven't you had enough of death? Can't you stop this insanity? You don't have to send anymore men to their deaths."
"It's too late."
"Then you leave me no choice."
Owen hung up the phone as Lynn entered the room with Tessa.
"Owen?" she asked.
"If we stay here, Allan dies," said Owen. "I have to go through Bellian. Tess, tell Richie to keep an eye on Mark. And if they get by me…"
"This is all absurd - Allan shot, Mark…" Tessa began.
"We'll have a good story to tell," soothed Duncan.
"If we live to tell it."
"Don't worry," Owen reassured. "I'll make this fight hard for him."
"I'm scared, Owen," said Lynn. "I've got this feeling more people are going to die."
"It's all right."
Owen gave her a hug and they shared a kiss.
"Love you."
He put on his coat, turned around and exited the room.
Outside chateau, one of the remaining goons was stalking around in the fog, when Owen snuck up behind him and put him in a head lock. The youngest Highlander then violently snapped his neck. Owen then quickly walked away from the body.
Elsewhere, another goon was walking through the fog, when Owen swung down from a tree and used his legs to snap HIS neck. Owen was no longer taking chances. Then a third goon materialized from the fog behind him, with a submachine gun. However, Owen kicked the gun away and then him in the face. Owen easily traded fists with his opponent before pulling him to the ground and snapping his neck with the weight of his foot.
"I want that gun," Mark demanded Richie. "Give me the gun."
"This gun?" challenged Richie. "What are you going to do with it, big shot - take 'em all on? I nearly had my brains splattered all over the place because you're such a…"
"What?"
"Forget about it."
"You think I'm afraid."
"I think you were right before. We have nothing in common. There's no point in talking."
"I'm not a coward."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever you say," Richie scoffed as he got up.
"I'm not a coward."
"Look, I heard you the first time, and I don't give a damn what you are."
Mark did not like being spoken to like that. So he devised a plan.
"Do you hear that?" he asked.
"What?"
"It came from in there."
Mark pointed to a nearby room.
"Wait here," said Richie.
He moved to the next room, holding the firearm protectively. As Richie looked cautiously around, Mark snuck up behind him and grabbed a piece of a pipe. Then, he struck Richie on the back of his head, knocking him out. Mark quickly grabbed the gun and snuck out the door. Surprisingly, Richie woke up and found Mark had fled.
Richie hurried to the backdoor, just as Lynn showed up.
"Richie, what was that sound," she asked.
"It was Mark," answered Richie. "Little bastard knocked me out and went after Everett."
"We gotta stop him!"
The two hurried out of the chateau and into the foggy backyard.
Richie and Lynn strolled through the fog, looking for Mark and saw the mess outside.
"Help! Help! Let me out!" came a voice.
Then they heard the sound of banging on a door.
"We're coming! We're coming!" Richie called.
"Let me out! Hurry, please!"
Richie got to the door and opened it, letting out… Lori.
"Lori!" exclaimed Lynn.
"Lynn?" Lori asked.
"You know each other?" asked Richie.
"She's Everett's daughter," Lynn explained.
"Where's my father?" demanded Lori.
Lynn remembered, "My boyfriend went after him. He thinks your father went too far."
"I need to stop him!"
Lori ran off into the fog, with Lynn following close behind.
"Hey, wait!" called Richie as he chased them.
Owen creeped through the fog, using his hearing to locate his adversary. He drew his firearm, staying on alert. Then, he heard the cocking of a gun and turned with his own up. Bellian stood, his Desert Eagle poised to shoot the Highlander, with Owen ready to open fire with his firearm.
"I could shoot you, then take your head," contemplated the colonel.
"I can do the same to you," Owen retorted.
Not wanting there to be a slim fifty-fifty chance of winning, Bellian uncocked his gun, lowered it and Owen did the same.
"I suppose it had to come to this eventually," said Bellian, placing his gun on a fallen tree and removing his coat.
"No, it didn't," Owen replied, removing his coat and drawing his katana.
Bellian pulled his saber from his coat and took his position, with Owen doing the same.
"I told you and your stepfather not to interfere, MacLeod," Bellian reminded. "Now I have to go through you."
"So be it," said Owen.
The fog around them began to thicken. Bellian lunged forward, with Owen parrying with one hand. The two traded quick blows and each dodged a committed strike. Owen pressed his offensive and backed Bellian up. The two then grappled each other's sword arm with Bellian pushing Owen to the ground. Bellian swung for the head, but Owen rolled out of the way and responded with the bottom of his shoe into Bellian's face. Recovering from the kick, Bellian tried to stab Owen, but missed again. Owen climbed onto the tree, taking the higher ground as he slashed blades with Bellian. But he had to jump off the tree when Bellian swung for his legs.
When Bellian readied himself for another attack, he saw Owen had disappeared. He looked around, but only saw the fog whisking through the dead trees. Then, he heard a sound and turned, blocking a blade going for his leg. Owen had used the fog as a shield. They reengaged in battle, running along the fallen trees. Bellian then got an opening and stabbed Owen in the shoulder.
"Ah!" Owen shouted in pain, before dodging a downward strike and disappearing into the fog again.
Bellian looked around again, but then turned to block a blade as Owen appeared again. Bellian tried to use the higher ground to his advantage, But Owen swung for his legs, forcing him to jump off and vanish into the mist. To Owen, the fog seemed thicker than ever. Listening carefully, Owen charged forward and swung at Bellian, missing by several inches. Bellian struck at Owen, who blocked the strike and lunged with an attack that slit the colonel's left arm below the shoulder. The Highlander swung for Bellian's head, only for him to dodge and run into the fog.
"I don't need my eyes," Owen reminded himself, as he closed his eyes and listened.
Waiting for a bit, nothing happened. Then, he heard faint footsteps, followed by a tiny snap. Moving quickly Owen connected with Bellian's blade and they started to duel again. Bellian thrusted a few times, resulting in Owen backing over a fallen tree and going over it. Bellian attacked again, but Owen quickly blocked the strikes and pushed Bellian back. Regaining his footing, Owen deflected a few more attacks before getting his opening and slicing Bellian's sword wrist. Bellian's sword dropped from his grip and he collapsed against one of the fallen trees, defeated. Owen stood above him, with his sword at Bellian's neck.
"Will you let this madness be over?" he asked.
"No," whispered Bellian.
"Then you leave me no choice."
Owen raised his blade for the beheading stroke, but just then, Lynn ran up.
"Owen don't!" she cried. "Everett's actions were driven by love not evil! Don't have Lori pay the price for her father's actions!"
Owen hesitated, knowing she was right. But just then, Mark walked up, appearing at same time as Lori, who showed up next to Lynn.
"Do it," he demanded.
Owen lowered his blade. In response, Mark raised his gun at the colonel.
"Kill him," he demanded again.
"Put the gun down," ordered Duncan, arriving at the scene.
Owen responded by covering Bellian, "Don't try it, rapist."
Seeing her father in danger, Lori raised a Desert Eagle of her own at her attacker.
"Lori!" cried Bellian, struggling to get to her. "Don't! Don't!"
But Lori fired, hitting Mark and disrupting his aim. Mark fell to his knees, then collapsed against a fallen tree, dead. Owen glared at the fallen rapist in disgust as Bellian went to Lori and comforted her with a hug. Owen went over to Lynn, who hugged him as well. Duncan joined them and held his son's shoulder. He could not believe it. Allan had taken a few bullets to save Mark's life, and he got killed anyway.
Outside the front of the chateau, Allan was in the backseat of a car, still alive, but unconscious.
"I'll have to take him to the hospital right away," the doctor said.
"Okay. Thank you," replied Tessa, before going over to Duncan's car.
Owen drove his car away with Lynn next to him. They were on their way back to the barge.
"Is Allan gonna be okay?" Lynn asked, worriedly.
"I hope," replied Owen. "Tessa plans to be with him when he finds out about Mark."
"What about Everett and Lori?"
"They'll run, hide, try to forget."
"Will they?"
"We never do."
The car drove down the road as quickly as it could. Despite both hating Mark for what he did, they felt sorry for Allan, thinking he did not deserve to go through what he did.
Inside St. Joseph's Chapel, Darius was strolling around his rectory, getting ready to retire for the evening, when suddenly, he felt a buzz. He turned to the entrance, and saw Owen and Lynn standing there. Feeling their state of mind, he walked over to them and hugged them both.
Lynn felt a lot of comfort in Darius' arms, the arms of the man her lover saw as his grandfather. But while their time with Darius was helping them feel better, a tragedy was awaiting them right around the corner.
(Cue Princes of the Universe)
Co-Starring
Jason Riddington as Mark Rothwood
Marion Cotillard as Lori Bellian
Werner Stocker as Darius
(Princes of the Universe ends)
That is right, this is the second role Marion Cotillard, Nolan's Talia al Ghul, played in this series. From what I know, I think this was her first English language role.
I am also not crediting John Novak. He dubbed over Peter Guinness' lines for some reason, even though the actor is English and not French. I can tell because Peter sounds different in interviews and the way he says "daughter" and "fire" don't match his lip movements in the episode. That is disgraceful for the man who went on to play DeSaad in the DCEU.
Charles Dartmore, a young soldier in Duncan's flashback and the unnamed captain in charge of the firing squad in the flashback are not identified so they will not be credited. Brenner, Bellian's righthand man and the doctor in the tag, also is not credited.
I am using two ll's in the name "Allan" in order to deviate him from the many other Alans in this series. Fun fact: Anthony Head actually played Buffy's Watcher in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Speaking of which, Sarah Michelle Gellar will make a guest appearance in this story at some point.
Do you guys think Anthony Head was dubbed? I listened to his voice here and in an interview and he sounded different.
I wanted to include a scene where Owen warns Mark away from Lynn, but it would not work because the moment the couple arrived, they explained the situation.
I also wanted to include Owen noticing the pull to the Gathering becoming weaker, which teases the finale. The concept of the Gathering just "fades away" in the original show without an explanation, so I gave one myself.
Anyway, thanks for reading, please review, your support helps my writing.
R&R, Roland Cain out!
