Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for Tori Gordon and Jack Banks! Highlander belongs to Davis/Panzer as well as Rysher Entertainment. Defenders of the Earth belongs to Marvel, King Features Entertainment and Hearst Entertainment.
"They are Immortal. From the dawn of time, they came; moving silently through the centuries, living many secret lives, struggling to reach the time of the Gathering, when the few who remain will battle to the last. No one has ever known they exist, except for a group of people known as the Watchers, a secret organization of men and women who observe and record Immortals but never interfere. I'm one of those Watchers. Holy Ground is their only refuge, In the end, there can be only one."
(cue "Princes of the Universe")
Starring
Jack Turpin
Kehli O' Byrne
Adrian Paul
Alexandra Vandernoot
Ellie Cornell
Stan Kirsch
and
Jim Byrnes as Joe Dawson
("Princes of the Universe" ends)
Studies in Light
Guest Starring
Markie Post
Joel Wyman
Sheila Moore
With Special Guest Appearance By
Sam J. Jones as Flash Gordon
Billy Zane as The Phantom
and
Max Von Sydow as Ming the Merciless
Crosshairs intersected in the middle of an expanse of graying industrial decay. A beautiful young woman was dressed seductively in leather, sprawled on a high-powered dirt bike. A shutter snapped.
Gregor Powers lowered his Leica SLR and stared out at the grim view and the woman.
"Go home. You're done," Gregor ordered, dismissing the woman.
The model moved off. Greg placed the camera back into a case strapped to the lean, dark machine that was his motorcycle. Beside him, also on a bike was Jonathan, his assistant. He reached for the camera case to transfer it to his bike, but Greg stopped him, and he studied Jonathan.
"That's all right, Jonathan. I'll hang onto it," Gregor reassured him.
"You don't want it processed?" asked Jonathan.
"Later. I'll take care of it."
Greg coaxed his engine into an angry roar and smiled a slow, challenging smile as he gripped the handles, keeping the accelerator under control.
"So, what do you think, you think you can take it?" Greg asked.
"Sure," answered Jonathan.
"Oh yeah? Let's go."
Greg slipped on his motorcycle helmet, kickstarted the dirt bike and turned into the nearby warehouse. Seconds later, he zoomed across the dock, jumped the opening over the water, and landed gracefully on the floating platform. Making a U-turn, he stopped, took off his helmet, and waited. He watched as Jonathan made the same move in an attempt to follow him. But as he went up the ramp to jump, Jonathan accidently dumped his bike and landed in the water. Greg smiled rather disturbingly and walked to the edge of the platform, watching Jonathan struggle.
"Help! Greg...damn you, help me!" Jonathan shouted.
"Are you afraid?" asked Greg.
"I'm going to drown!"
"Are you? What's it feel like?"
"Greg…" Jonathan called out before he went under the water.
When Jonathan surfaced again, Gregor asked, "Tell me, do you feel it in your gut?"
Then he laughed, "Tell me, what's it like to die?"
Eventually, he got tired of watching Jonathan struggle. He grabbed a nearby boat hook, used it to pull him to the platform, then dragged him up out of the water.
"You son-of-a…" Jonathan started to curse before he coughed.
"Hey, doc! Johnny! Yeah!" exclaimed Greg, patting his partner on the back.
"You crazy motherfucker."
"Come on," Greg complained as he reached to pull Jonathan to his feet.
"Get away from me!" shouted Jonathan.
"What's your problem?"
"Get away from me! I almost died, you son of a bitch."
"Would I let that happen to you?"
Greg then laughed again in his disturbing manner and ruffled Johnathan's hair.
Owen was sitting near a park bench, smoking a cigarette and preparing himself for his latest hunt. It had been four months since Darius was murdered and Owen avenged him by killing James Horton, the Hunter Leader. Unfortunately, Horton was Lynn's father and despite learning what her father did, she needed some time apart from Owen to heal.
Since then, Owen was determined to eliminate all of the Hunters once and for all and with the help of some allies, had been eliminating each Hunter that he had located, or ones that dared to cross his path. The hunt had been going good so far.
Little did he know this was going to be one of his more challenging fights against a Hunter yet. Just then, a man an inch taller than Duncan arrived at the park and walked up to him. Owen found it strange that he looked like Allan Rothwood. But this man was one of his and had a file regarding the next Hunter.
"So Payne, who do we have this time?" Owen asked.
"She's one of the most challenging Hunters you might cross paths with yet," answered Payne.
So, the Hunter was a she. Just like before. Owen opened the file, which shown him the information on the latest Hunter; Tiffanie Stone.
"So, her name's Stone. Tiffanie Stone," Owen muttered. "Killed Carrie Caudill, Chad Lewis and Christina Baker. Three waisted Quickenings. Big mistake, baby."
"Be careful," Payne advised. "She's one of the more ruthless of those rogues and will usually snipe her targets before sawing off their heads with a dagger."
"We'll see if she's quiet enough to sneak past my detection. I can hear the tiniest sound across town you know."
"I cannot believe that we are turning down front-row standing-room-only tickets to this country's most souped-up road monsters in the ultimate battle of motocross supremacy that I personally - me, Richie Ryan - scalped at fifty bucks a pop, to look at some...pictures." Richie stated as he, Tori, Duncan and Tessa were walking outside a photo gallery.
"I'm meeting an old friend," Duncan told his young ward.
"Ah. Wait, old as in, uh…" Richie started asking before he made some sword-swishy noises.
"Yeah," Duncan answered before he imitated the swishy noises.
"Oh. Well."
"That's typically what that means," replied Tori.
"Hey, don't worry. We'll be back before the first race," Duncan reassured.
"Well, that I think I can live with," decided Richie before he opened the door.
Tori replied as she entered the building, "Thanks, Rich."
Tessa then entered, "Thanks, guys."
Richie was now waiting for Duncan to enter, "After you, people."
Duncan, Tessa, Tori and Richie walked through the gallery, looking around the photo exhibition.
The exhibition 'STUDIES IN LIGHT AND DARKNESS by Linda Plager and Greg Powers' was still being put together. Photos waiting to be hung, bits of packing material strewn about, among other things.
Richie was looking at the black and white photos on display, "This stuff is extreme."
"Extremely violent," Tori noted in turn.
"They haven't labeled any yet. Which ones are his?" inquired Tessa.
"Who knows? I've never seen any of Gregor's work. Didn't even know he was a photographer until he called," Duncan explained.
"This one I could hang in my living room."
Tessa was revering to a photo of an old man next to a boat keel.
"Hm, something familiar about it…" Duncan started to say before both he and Tori sensed a buzz.
"Looks like he's here," Tori deduced.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the Highlander himself," said a voice as Gregor Powers approached the group.
Duncan turned, smiling, "Gregor."
The two friends shook hands and embraced as Duncan said, noting the outfit Gregor was wearing, "You haven't changed a bit...except maybe for the fashion statement."
"Well, looks can be deceiving," Gregor replied before he looked at Tessa, and then back at Duncan.
"Oh, I'm sorry. This is Tessa," Duncan proceeded to introduce his lover to his friend.
"Hi," Gregor greeted her.
Tessa shook his hand, "Hi."
"Nice to meet you. Call me Greg, though. Gregor has such an old-fashioned ring to it."
Duncan continued with the introductions, "This is a good friend of mine, Tori."
"Hello there," Greg said in a charming tone as he shook Tori's hand.
"Nice to meet you," Tori returned the gesture.
"And this is also a good friend of mine, Richie."
"Hey," Gregor shook Richie's hand.
"Nice to meet you," Richie returned the gesture.
"Nice to meet you."
"Uh, we're going to look around," decided Tessa.
"Have fun," Gregor replied.
"Excuse us," Richie chimed in.
"Yeah, excuse us," agreed Tori.
"Nice," Greg noted as Tori, Richie and Tessa walked away, before he asked, "Do they know?"
"What do you think?" interjected Duncan. "Of course they know. Plus, Tori IS Immortal."
"I see," Gregor replied before he laughed and said, "You were always one to lay it on the line."
"Yeah. Where the hell have you been?" Duncan asked as the two friends walked around the display.
"Here...there...everywhere."
"So, uh, when did you start being a photographer?"
"You know, I've been playing at it for quite some time, now."
Duncan laughed before he said, "I'd say you've been doing a little more than playing. This is a high-profile show."
"Yeah, somebody must've made a mistake, huh? What do you think?" asked Gregor.
Duncan looked at a photo of a woman standing in a doorway, "It's beautiful."
"It's not one of mine. This is," Gregor stated before he led Duncan to the other side of the display.
Duncan looked at a photo of two punks fighting while several others watch, "Oh, this is yours?"
"You don't like it."
"Oh, no, I...it's just a little dark for my taste."
"Yeah, well, I'm just showing it like it is, you know?"
"Yo, Mac! Mac, come here. Check this out," Richie called out as he and Tori led Duncan and Gregor to another photo. "Look at this. Hey, Greg, I bet this one's one of yours, huh?"
"No," Gregor answered as he noticed the photo.
"No?" quipped Richie.
"You're kidding," replied Tori.
Duncan looked at the photo, which was actually a photo of himself carrying a child out of a burning building. The flames began to look real as he remembered that day in 1938.
"Mommy! Help! Mommy!" the voice of a little boy cried out.
Coughing, Duncan made his way through the flames and smoke, up the stairs toward the child's voice.
"All right, let's get the ladder over the top there!" a fireman instructed.
A distraught father and an older son stood nearby while Owen whipped his forehead anxiously.
"My little boy is in there!" the mother cried out.
"Come on, Dad!" whispered Owen to himself.
(horizontal line)
Duncan dodged some falling burning beams and tried to fan some smoke away with his hat, He reached a door, checked the knob to find it hot, then kicked open the door and dodged an incoming fireball. He entered the room and found the small boy inside, filthy from dust, but otherwise ok.
"It's all right. It's all right. Come here. I'll take that," Duncan took the toy truck from the boy, and set it aside before asking, "Okay...what's your name?"
"Tommy," the little boy answered.
"Ever play hide-and-seek?"
"No."
"No? I'll tell you what...We're going to play a little game," Duncan told the little boy before he wrapped his jacket around the boy's head, "You hide like that…"
He picked the boy up, "And I'll try and get us out of here."
Duncan carried Tommy out of the room and tripped over a beam on his way through the hallway, but he was able to recover. He dodged more falling debris as he went down the stairs and ended up burning his hand on the stair railing, but despite the hinderance, he reached the exit.
"Tommy! Oh, my goodness!" the distraught mother saw Duncan carry her son safely by the burning building, "Oh, baby! Oh! Oh, God, are you okay?"
The mother hugged Tommy, "Oh, sweetheart."
"He'll be all right," Duncan reassured the mother.
"Oh, thank you! Thank you!" the mother replied with relief gratitude in her voice.
Owen sighed with equal relief. He knew Duncan would make it out. He was mostly concerned about the boy. Duncan walked over to the firetruck and placed his burned hand into a bucket of water.
A photographer who had been taking photos of the rescue told Duncan, "You should have someone take a look at that hand."
"I will," Duncan replied, inspecting his temporary wound.
"You can tell a lot about a man by his hands."
"Is that so?" Duncan asked before he splashed some water on his face.
Owen came over to check, handing Duncan a rag to cover his injury.
"I'm Linda Plager," the photographer introduced herself before asking, "Why'd you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Run into the burning building."
"Because that's where the fire was."
"Very funny."
"What are you, a reporter?" asked Owen sarcastically.
Linda held up her camera, "Freelance photographer. You know, crime scenes, fatal accidents, star divorces, who's doing what to whom and how often."
"The more gruesome the better?" Duncan deduced.
"Hey, everybody's got to be somewhere. C'mon, don't you want to be a hero?"
"Oh, no thanks," Duncan answered before he walked away.
"Our family prefers privacy," explained Owen as he followed his father.
"What's with you?" Linda asked before she started to follow the MacLeods, "It's what people want to see."
"Because that's all you show them," answered Duncan.
"Oh, maybe I should try and sell the editor pictures of flower vases, kittens playing, freshly baked pies."
"Your camera sees what you want it to see. You could shoot hope or despair, garbage or flowers. It all depends on where you want to spend your life," Duncan stated before he noticed Linda's look, "Right."
With that, Duncan walked away again, leaving Owen to have his turn.
"Photographers can get popular by including what they want, not just what people themselves want," he advised. "Have you ever considered the possibility that maybe people don't know what's actually best for them? And by continually giving them the same crap they'll never know what's different, so they'll just keep asking for the same crap?"
With no answer, he turned and followed Duncan.
"Hey, wait up. How come you know so much?" asked Linda.
"How come you don't?" Duncan asked in turn.
"Oh, wait, wait," Linda called out before she took a photo of a firefighter by the burning building.
Linda Plager, now much older, walked past the photo of the firefighter and she spotted Duncan.
"Duncan?" Linda called out.
Duncan turned and looked at her.
"It's you. How did you find me? Where have you been all these years?" Linda asked before she told her nurse, "This is Duncan MacLeod. The one I told you about."
"Now, Miss Plager, this is a young man," the nurse told Linda before she told Duncan, "I'm terribly sorry. It's her medication."
"I'll medicate you in a minute! This is Duncan. Without him, I'd still be shooting garbage." Linda spoke with spunk before talking to Duncan again, "You never mind her. She'll call an ambulance if I sneeze. We have so much to talk about—"
"You know what Doctor Reichman said about wearing yourself out…" the nurse advised before she led Linda away.
"I'm telling you, that's Duncan!" Linda insisted.
"You know Linda Plager?" Gregor asked Duncan, rather confused.
"That is THE Linda Plager?" asked Tessa.
"Oh, yeah."
"You know her?" Tori asked.
"I've only seen her work in books," answered Tessa.
"She's the real thing, man. This show is for her," Gregor stated.
"I never thought I'd see her again," Duncan stated in a daze.
"Wait a second...this means that you're her long-lost benefactor?" Gregor inquired before he indicated the photo of Duncan at fire, "And all this time I thought you were at the right place at the right time."
"I just had no idea…"
"Oh, she's a big deal, man. All of her work's gonna be worth a fortune in a few weeks."
"Why?"
"Well, the old lady's dying."
Duncan looked devastated.
Stone sharpened her blade in preparation for her latest hunt. She was determined to follow her leader's example in eliminating all Immortals from the face of the Earth.
This was set to be her most interesting hunt yet because this Immortal was the one responsible for the death of Horton and she would be the one who avenged her mentor.
She opened the file on her computer and saw the information of the Immortal; Owen MacLeod.
"MacLeod, huh?" Stone stated to herself. "I'm gonna have fun with this one. I'll be boasting to my people for months that I was able to eliminate one of the three Highlanders in existence. Maybe it'll trigger the father once I take out his son."
She looked at the photo of Owen on the computer again, then lowered her hand to her crotch.
"I don't know whether to kill him first, or do him first," she purred to herself.
"This stuff excite you, MacLeod?" Gregor asked as he was walking across the motorcross derby with Duncan and the girls in tow.
"What was that?" Duncan asked as he was distracted.
"Never mind."
"I'm sorry, I was just thinking."
"About Linda?" asked Tessa.
"Yeah."
"Are you going to tell her?" asked Tori.
"Tell her what?"
"That she was right about you."
"Why would he want to do that?" Gregor asked.
"Because the woman is dying," answered Tessa.
"That's right. What's the point? She's gone on this long without knowing," Gregor replied, receiving a look from Duncan, Tessa and Tori. "Of course, I'm just playing devil's advocate."
"I don't know what I'm gonna tell her," Duncan shrugged. "But I have to tell her something."
He told Tessa, "I'll see you at home."
The Highlander then kissed her, and then turned to Gregor, "See ya."
With that, Duncan left.
"He really cares about you," Gregor stated.
"Uh-huh," Tessa replied.
"You're both lucky."
"Yeah."
"Must be hard, knowing that you'll keep getting older and MacLeod, well...I mean, tell me, how do you handle knowing that one day he's gonna watch you grow old, wrinkle, and then die...and eventually move on to somebody else?"
"Were you born sensitive, or did you have to study?" asked Tori, not impressed.
"Hey, come on, I didn't mean anything by it. I'm just curious, that's all," Gregor replied.
Richie walked up to Gregor and the girls with hot dogs, "Hot dogs for everybody! Have a dog, Tori, Tess. Enjoy a dog. It's on me."
"Thanks," Tori agreed, taking a hot dog.
"I think I'm going home. Uh, I'll see you later, okay?" replied Tessa before she left abruptly.
"Hm. That was weird," Richie stated.
"Ah, well, she's a woman. You know what I mean, Richie?" said Gregor.
"Ahem!" Tori cleared her throat.
"Um, uh, no offense, Tori," replied Gregor.
"None taken," Tori smirked. "Anyway, you seem like a better Immortal than the other guy we encountered back in Africa."
"In Africa?!" Gregor asked in surprise.
"That's the Phantom's home," Richie spoke up. "The Defenders visit there sometimes. Oh, Tori's the niece of the famous Flash Gordon. I've met him too."
"Yep," quipped Tori.
"Ah!" Gregor exclaimed in surprise. "And I thought your last name was just coincidence. What happened in Africa exactly?"
"An Immortal named Terrence Butler helped Ming the Merciless summon some Nightgiants to cause destruction to the world," Tori explained. "Then one of them captured my cousin Rick and took him back to the Nightworld and he was almost boiled to death when the Nightgiant planned to cook him in some giant pot, but the Defenders stopped that plan and saved him just in time."
"What happened to the Terrence guy?" asked Gregor.
"Richie and I were with Jedda in Africa, and we were trying to send the Nightgiants back to their homeworld for good," Tori explained.
Both Tori and Richie reflected on that time three months ago as Tori was explaining the tale.
"That's their power source?" Richie asked in a whisper as he was with Jedda and Tori in the forbidden tower.
Jedda shushed him in response.
"What? I…" Richie started to say, but Tori shushed him, "She's right. We can't get caught."
But it was too late. Ming already knew they were here, even before Richie spoke. Ming saw him, Jedda and Tori trying to get to the power source as Jedda placed the inversion converter on the source.
"Seize them! Seize them all!" Ming ordered.
"Jedda! Tori! Watch out!" shouted Richie as two ice robots came towards them.
He gave both ice robots a swift kick as the girls made a run for it, but two more ice robots arrived and grabbed ahold of him.
"Ah! Hey!" Richie shouted, trying to struggle against the grasp of the ice robots.
"Richie!" gasped Tori.
She tried to get him out of there, but Jedda grabbed her arm to get her to stop.
"Allow me," Jedda said, noticing her pet panther Kisa nearby. "It's the least I can do since Richie helped us."
Jedda sent Kisa a telepathic message. Kisa snarled before she leapt into the area and pulled the lever, which ended up sending the Nightgiants back to their world where they belonged.
"What should we do about the boy, sire?" Garax asked as Richie was still in the grasp of the ice robots.
Ming appeared on screen, "Hmmmm. This is the brat that was with Duncan MacLeod and his son who cost me my finger in Paris!"
"That was kind of offensive," retorted Richie.
"Maybe you can use him as bait after I finish off Tori Gordon," Butler suggested as he walked into the area. "He can be bait for this Owen MacLeod and his father."
"I don't think so!"
Flash walked into the area, holding his own space sword with fury.
"What're ya gonna do?" taunted Butler, "Kill me? I'm Immortal. Maybe if you surrender, we'll let you live!"
"Not a chance!"
Butler groaned before grabbing his bastard sword and attacking. Suddenly, the other Defenders appeared, firing their guns while aiming at the ice soldiers without hurting Richie.
The Phantom leapt into the area, and he pushed down one of the ice robots, and then Devil, knocked down the other ice robot, freeing Richie from their grasps.
"Richie, are you okay?" Tori asked as she and Jedda arrived at the area.
"I'm fine now," answered Richie as he went to hug Tori.
"This guy better be lucky Owen isn't here. He'd have Butler's head without hesitation for this stunt."
"Very true."
Suddenly, the trio heard a guttural noise as Butler fell backwards, bleeding from his torso. Ming had vanished, leaving the Dark Immortal alone.
"You've crossed the line!" Flash exclaimed in anger, approaching the defeated Butler. "You nearly got my son killed when those Nightgiants captured him and took him to their homeworld! Yeah, Phantom told me. Now you threaten Richie and my niece! I may not be able to take Ming's head, but you…it looks like it's game over for you."
"Flash, don't!" the Phantom exclaimed.
But it was too late once again. Flash swung his sword and beheaded Butler. It was at that moment worry hit him.
"Um, what happens when a mortal takes a head of an Immortal?" asked Flash.
"You're about to find out!" Tori exclaimed as she was feeling the coming energy of Butler's Quickening.
Mist and lightning left Butler's body as Tori received his Quickening. Lighting bounced around, sparks burst from the surfaces nearby and even caused the power source, along with the crystal to explode. Tori swung her arms up and down, screaming. One more surge of lightning went through Tori, and she fell to her knees. Flash and the Phantom, Jedda and the rest of the Defenders walked over to her.
"That was a hell of a thing," April stated.
"So, you still would have had the Quickening since Dad's mortal and you're *Immortal*?" asked Rick.
"Yeah," Tori nodded. "But if I wasn't there, his Quickening would've been lost. Like what happened to Darius."
"Darius?" asked Jedda.
"Owen's grandfather. Those bastard Hunters killed him and took his head. His Quickening was lost too."
"And that's why Owen's on a quest to wipe out all of the Hunters," Richie added.
"They're bad, like Ming?" asked LJ.
"Yes. They're bad like Ming," Tori answered. "Maybe even worse."
"That's what happened," Tori finished the story.
"Whoa! That was a hell of a story," stated Gregor. "I wouldn't have believed it myself if it was told by someone else. Where's this Owen guy?"
"He's still hunting for Hunters," Richie answered. "They're still out there."
"What are Hunters again?"
"People you don't want to be around," explained Tori. "They're corrupt Watchers who are determined to eliminate all Immortals."
"So, am I a Hunter?"
"What do you mean?" Richie asked in turn.
"I wish for Immortality to end," Gregor admitted. "All the burden we have to go through…"
"I understand your feeling, but no, it's not the same thing," Tori answered. "You're not a Hunter. You're just an Immortal who wished that Immortality ended."
Owen walked down the streets from his bike, searching for Stone. From what Payne showed and informed him about; this Hunter would be one of his best hunts yet.
From what he understood, the three victims at her hand where rather easy. However, Owen would not go down like Stone's other victims. HE was going to be the one who took her out.
Stone glanced around as she was determined to take down the Immortal who killed her mentor. From what she understood, Owen MacLeod was a hard one to kill. She was set to be the one who took out one of the toughest Immortals in existence.
She prepared her ancient dagger and sniper rifle for this latest hunt. Stone had taken out three other Immortals with ease, and this would be no exception.
Little did she know, this hunt would be her downfall.
Back at the photo gallery, Linda was standing, looking at the photo of Duncan at the fire.
"Miss Plager?" the nurse gently grasped Linda's arms.
"Hm. I'm sorry - I was on another planet," Linda dismissed before she moved closer to the photo and the nurse followed, "Would you stop hovering...I'm fine."
Suddenly, Linda began to inhale sharply in pain.
"Miss Plager, what is it?" asked the nurse.
"Nothing," Linda answered, now with labored breathing. "Maybe I shouldn't have spoken so soon."
She inhaled again, "I think I'd like to go home, maybe...and rest...a while…"
Suddenly, Linda collapsed to her knees.
"Call an ambulance!" the nurse called out.
"So, how long have you known Mac?" Richie asked as he, Tori and Gregor walked by the warehouse dock.
"Long time," answered Gregor.
"Interesting," Tori quipped.
"Listen, there's, uh, there's something I always wanted to ask another Immortal about him," stated Richie.
"Oh, yeah? What's that?" Gregor asked.
"Well, in all the time that you've known him - two hundred years, right? Has he changed a lot?"
"We all change."
"Yeah, I mean but how."
"How do YOU change?"
"Well, that's not the same. I mean, you know, I just get older. Change is inevitable."
"He's right, you know," Tori chimed in.
"What if you didn't get any older? Then how would you feel?" asked Gregor.
"Well, Greg, I probably wouldn't feel anything - I'd be dead," Richie answered.
"What if you were one of us?"
"An Immortal? Are you kidding? That'd be fantastic. I mean, the places I'd go...The things I'd do...The women I'd…"
"Bury?"
"What'd you say?"
"Nothing important. You know, Immortality's not all it's cracked up to be."
"Yeah, well, that's easy for you to say - you're going to live forever."
"Am I? I don't know."
"At least you've got a shot at it."
"That's a comforting thought. You afraid of death, Richie? Tori?"
"Isn't death inevitable?" muttered Tori.
"Absolutely. Aren't you?" Richie asked Gregor.
"I don't know. I just don't know," Gregor answered.
Tori pursed her lips as she was mostly quiet during this conversation. Did Gregor know that Richie was pre-Immortal like she knew? Like the MacLeods knew? That had to be it because Immortals could tell if a mortal was pre-Immortal or not. Why was he even asking such questions?
Linda opened her eyes in her hospital room, breathing through a tube. Then, she saw Duncan standing by her bed.
"Hi," Duncan greeted her.
"Hello...I feel like such an idiot. I realize now, of course you…you couldn't be…" Linda stated.
She paused before she continued, "I'm sorry...I seem to have trouble catching my…"
Duncan took her hand, "It's okay."
"Your hand is strong. It reminds me of his. That's what I first noticed about him. He burned one of them in a fire. You're related to him, aren't you?" asked Linda.
Duncan nodded, holding back his tears, "Yeah."
"Did he ever mention me?"
"Yes, he did."
"It's because of him, of what he taught - to look for the light instead of the shadows. I never realized how much he meant to me...How much I loved him."
"He knows."
Duncan reflected in 1939 where he was talking to a young Linda at her apartment.
"It's over," Linda said.
"Why?" asked Duncan.
"Because I love you."
"Oh, that's a good reason."
"Don't you understand? You've made me see that I can be something more than a sleazy photographer. That my work can move people...inspire them."
"This is bad?"
"No, it's not bad. It's wonderful. But I can't handle you and my work at the same time."
"I'm not asking you to."
"You don't have to. Just having you around kills my concentration. Whenever I see something beautiful, instead of thinking, 'Where's my camera?', I think, 'Where's Duncan?'"
"You don't have to choose."
"Yes, I do. If you don't leave right now, I may never be able to ask you again."
"Whatever you say," Duncan replied before he picked up his jacket and walked to the door.
"Why do I think I just made the worst mistake of my life?" Linda asked herself before she ran after him. "Duncan-!"
She reached up to kiss him.
Duncan gently pushed her away, "I can't."
With that, Duncan left.
"I'm going to make you proud of me," Linda vowed to herself.
"You look just like him. It's uncanny. My parents died so long ago...I have no children. Does it seem funny for an old woman to want someone to be proud of her?" Linda stated before she asked.
"No," answered Duncan softly.
"If only-" Linda started to say.
"He's very proud of you," Duncan told her before he became emotional. "I'm very proud."
Back inside the antique store, Duncan told Tessa about his visit at the hospital.
"So, you didn't tell her?" Tessa asked.
"Tell her what? That eternal life does exist, but not for her?" Duncan asked in turn.
"Duncan, how close were you?"
"Does that matter?"
"No, but you never told her about-"
"Being Immortal? No. I only told you," Duncan replied before he kissed her.
Just then, Richie and Tori entered.
"Hey, guys," Richie greeted the couple before he saw them kissing and break apart. "Ooh. I'm sorry."
"That's all right. Where's Gregor?" asked Duncan.
"He, uh, went to run a couple of errands. Listen, um, I'm going to go to the studio and check it out later. Is that cool?"
"Yeah. What about you, Tori?"
"No. I'm going to relax a bit." Tori answered before she headed towards the stairs. "Something doesn't seem right about Gregor, but I can't put my feeling on it. Maybe I'm being paranoid."
"Maybe," Duncan nodded, not knowing what she was implying about Gregor.
With that, Tori headed up the stairs.
"I mean, who knows? Maybe photography's in my future. I'll see you later," Richie spoke up before he went to kiss Tessa on cheek.
"Richie...be careful," she advised.
"Yeah. Sure." Richie replied before telling Duncan, "Later."
With that, Richie left.
"Is something wrong?" Duncan asked as Tessa was staring at the door.
"Tell me more about Gregor. I mean, what kind of person is he? He just said some things…" answered Tessa.
"He made you feel uncomfortable?"
"He's not the way you described him. And all those pictures…Maybe Tori's on to something."
"Well, maybe he's grown a thicker skin since I knew him."
Richie entered the warehouse by the dock. He looked around, and suddenly, a motorcyclist entered and chased him around the warehouse. Richie dove over a couch, threw various objects in the motorcycle's path, and eventually he became tripped when he fell. The motorcycle stopped and the engine turned off.
The person took off his helmet, revealing to be Gregor as he leaned on the handlebars.
"You can breathe now."
"You've got a weird sense of humor," Richie stated as he was catching his breath.
"Maybe it wasn't a joke," responded Gregor as Richie stood up. "It was a test."
"A test? What for?"
"To see if you were real, or just MacLeod's shadow."
Richie stepped forward to Gregor, clearly not happy with what was going on, "Go to hell."
Gregor laughed in response, taunting Richie, "Oh, Richie, it's too easy to push your buttons."
"Look, it's been fun. I'll see you around," Richie told the Immortal before he turned to leave.
"Hey, Richie…" Gregor held up a helmet. "Think you can ride?"
He tossed the helmet to Richie and asked, "Do you know how to ride a bike?"
"I don't know...maybe," Richie answered before he put on the helmet, got on the second bike nearby, kickstarted it and rode around the warehouse, then stopped by Greg's bike and took off the helmet. "But I think I can fake it."
The location of Stone was at some seedy hotel at the rough end of the city. Owen knew she would try to use her sniper rifle. So, he snuck through the bushes and crawled through them before reaching the main entrance to the hotel, and he knew where she was.
"Here I come, baby," he whispered to himself.
Gregor and Richie stood by the dock of the warehouse, talking.
"Jonathan couldn't hack it. He just didn't have the stuff," Gregor stated.
"What is this? Some sort of initiation?" asked Richie.
"You could say that."
"Lead the way, my friend."
Both men put on their helmets and started their bikes. They turned at the same time and rode away from the dock. Then they rode back, up the ramps and across the water to the floating platform. Both landed, but Richie did not stop in time and crashed into a stack of containers at another end of the platform.
"Richie!" Gregor exclaimed before he ran forward, not expecting that. "Richie, can you hear me, man?"
Richie pulled off his helmet.
"Was that a rush or what? You made it, man. Bet you thought it was over for sure." asked Gregor.
"Lay off me."
"Come on, what are you pissed at me for?"
"I could've killed myself, that's why!"
"Richie, would I have let you do it if it was dangerous?"
Richie rolled back his left sleeve, to see a gash on his forearm, "Oh, man! Ah, look at this!"
"You just need a couple of stitches, that's all. Let's go," Gregor grasped Richie's hand as Richie shook his head. "I don't want MacLeod thinking I'm abusing his best buddy."
Gregor pulled Richie to his feet.
Owen stood at the roof of the hotel, gazing out into the distance. Stone was a tricky one to find, but it would not be long now until he took her out. He knew that if she found him, he would find her.
Then he heard footsteps behind him, followed by a voice, "Well, what do we have here? Avoiding the sniper, have you?"
Owen turned and saw Tiffanie Stone, a young woman with blonde hair and cold eyes.
"So, you must be Tiffanie Stone," stated Owen. "Just the Hunter I was looking for."
"Clever that you know me," Stone replied with a smug look on her face. "Too bad I'm gonna take you out because you're Immortal. A shame really, you're such a pretty face. Probably the cutest Immortal I had to kill."
"Flattery gets you nowhere," Owen scoffed.
"Neither does being Immortal," retorted Stone before she got out her revolver.
Seconds later, she shot Owen three times, but this hunt was not going to go the way she planned.
"Wrong!" sang Owen before he dived backward into the nearby ocean, escaping permanent death by falling to a temporary one.
Stone ran to the edge and looked over, but the body had sunk.
"Damn!" she cursed.
Owen revived as he emerged from the ocean. He recovered from his latest death as he was determined to take out Stone for good.
Luckily for him, Owen knew exactly where Stone was hiding out and she would not get far. Not from him.
He chuckled to himself, strangely in the most sadistic way possible, knowing Stone was only prolonging the inevitable. Owen then held his breath and began to swim to shore.
Stone roamed down the streets, searching for Owen. She knew he had revived, and it would only be a matter of time before she found him and her leader would be avenged.
A wet trail was on the ground, but eventually lost it as it was drying, meaning HE was drying.
Panicking, Stone turned the opposite direction and ran.
Inside the antique store, Duncan was on the phone.
"Thanks," he said, before hanging up.
"Was that Richie?" Tessa asked as Duncan ended the call.
"No, it wasn't. I was just checking in with the hospital."
"How is she?" Tori asked as she descended down the stairs.
"The same," answered Duncan.
Suddenly, Richie and Gregor entered the shop, with the three noticing Richie's bandaged arm.
"What's going on?" Tori asked.
"Well, we had a little bit of an accident, but nothing to worry about," answered Gregor.
"What happened to your arm?" Duncan asked Richie.
"Oh, it's no big deal. I, uh, I dumped a bike," answered Richie.
"Dumped a bike? Whose bike?"
"Mine. No damage, though," Gregor replied.
"'No damage'?" retorted Duncan.
"He's right," Tori added. "That's no damage? That looks like damage to me!"
"I'm okay, guys," Richie reassured Duncan and Tori.
"I didn't realize you were the boy's father," Gregor glanced at Duncan before glancing at Tori. "And I didn't know you were his sister."
"Wait till you meet his brother, you son of a bitch," muttered Tori. "He'd have your head for sure."
Duncan gave Gregor a look, while grabbing Tori's arm to try to calm her down as he heard what she said.
Gregor had a feeling she meant what she said before telling Richie, "Later."
Then he left the shop.
"Watch after Richie," Duncan told Tori before he grabbed his jacket and followed Gregor.
"Richie's arm is fine. Don't sweat it," Gregor reassured as he and Duncan walked near the warehouse dock.
"Yeah, but what's going on, Greg?" asked Duncan. "What's with all these games?"
"Take it easy. I think you're letting these mortals get a little too much under your skin. I mean, look at this Linda Plager thing. You're beating yourself up over what's obviously a pretty much cut-and-dried situation."
"You, of all people."
"People, MacLeod? Is that what we are? Are we really still people? Are we supposed to care about them? Care about anything?"
"Well, tell me what else there is if we don't."
"Take a look at me and see for yourself."
"So, you don't care about anything?"
"I'm right here, man. Search me."
"What happened to you? Huh?"
"Life happened to me, my friend. Eternal life, to be exact. Sort of ironic, isn't it?"
"I'd call it tragic."
"You think so? I don't know, I feel sort of privileged. I mean, it's a lot easier to get through time without all the crap that humans carry around with them that drag you down."
"Oh, you mean things like feelings - compassion, love - you've done away with all those things?" Duncan retorted.
"I don't know. It's been such a long time since I checked," admitted Gregor.
"You feel nothing?"
"Not even for myself."
"That's funny, because…" Duncan stated before he took Greg's sunglasses off. "I don't believe you. Your pictures are not the work of a man that feels nothing."
He hung the glasses on Gregor's shirt collar, "Don't tell me you don't care about them."
Duncan then gave him a look, turned, and walked away, reflecting on his encounter with Powers at the Washington Territory in 1883, during the cholera outbreak.
Later, Duncan walked with Tessa down the park lawn.
"So, how's your friend?" Tessa asked.
"He's not happy with his life," answered Duncan.
"What did he say?"
"He's lost."
"What do you mean, lost?"
"He doesn't know who he is anymore."
"Sounds like he needs therapy, and Tori did say that he mentioned he wanted Immortality to end."
"That's easier said than done. Therapy AND the end of Immortality," Duncan told his lover. "Imagine going in to somebody and saying, 'Hello, I'm Duncan MacLeod, and I've grown a little neurotic over the past four hundred years. I'd like to talk to you about it.' They'd lock you away."
"Richie could have been badly hurt," stated Tessa. "And Tori was not a happy camper about it either."
"Yeah, I know."
"He scares me, Mac. I've got this feeling he didn't care. And Tori has a bad feeling about him too. Maybe she's right."
"He's not evil, Tess."
"How do you know?"
"Because he's my friend. Anyway, what do you want me to do...chop off his head?"
"No. I just wish he'd go away."
"Are you sure there's no file on Gregor Powers?" Tori asked Janet, while talking to her on the tablet.
"I'm sure of it, Tori." Janet answered. "If he was one of the Immortals the IUA was after, I would have informed you about it already. Still, he does sound unhinged."
"No kidding." Tori replied. "He put Richie in danger and tried acting like it wasn't a big deal."
"Sheesh." Janet replied before she sighed.
"What should I do about him?" Tori asked.
"Do what you have to do." Janet answered. "If it comes down to it. I know how much Richard means to you. If it comes down to it, take his head, but do what you need to do to keep Richie safe. Be there for him the best you can."
(Cue Keith Scott's "Gallery of Dreams")
That evening, Gregor was flipping through the slides on a projector at the warehouse studio - his photos from the exhibition.
"Nooooo!" screamed Gregor before slashing the projector screen with a knife.
Gregor continued to viciously cut the projector screen.
Greg drove up on his motorcycle to the photo gallery. He grabbed the lid from a trash can and broke the door glass.
Gregor entered the gallery. Then he started pushing over the photo displays, ripping photos from the walls, breaking frames and glass. Nothing could escape his destruction.
(Gallery of Dreams ends)
Inside the antique store, Richie was on the phone when he heard pounding on the door.
"Um, let me call you back, okay? I'll talk to you soon. Okay," Richie spoke into the phone before he hung up the phone and went to the door. "Hello?"
He unlocked and opened the door.
Suddenly, Gregor pushed his way inside, "Where's MacLeod?"
"Greg, uh...hey, um...He's, uh... He went to the hospital for a few minutes. He'll be right back. Uh, you're welcome to hang out," Richie told the unhinged Immortal.
Gregor swung his arm at a vase on a display case, breaking it, "I've hung out a little too damn long as it is. I destroyed them all, and I didn't feel a thing. I guess it's true what they say about a life's work. But then again, maybe I'd feel differently if my life was going to be over at some point."
"You destroyed...what? Uh, the photographs?" asked Richie.
"Everything," Gregor stated quietly. "The photographs, the negatives. And why not?"
He laughed, "Answer me that and you win the playoffs."
He moved closer to Richie, "You don't want to win the playoffs."
Gregor started circling Richie, "At the edge of the bridge, just before liftoff...fear, right? Then what? For me, nothingness."
"Well, I...I guess I don't know what I feel," Richie stammered, trying to stay calm.
"That's because you can feel, boy!" shouted Gregor.
"Tori!" Richie called out as he ran for the door.
Greg caught him and held him by the throat against the door.
"Want to know what it feels like to die?" demanded Gregor.
"No. Greg, please," Richie pleaded.
"I could send you to the grave in a heartbeat, and I wouldn't feel a thing...because I don't know how."
Richie managed to hit him in the stomach, but Gregor slammed Richie against the door, knocking him unconscious, then tried to make a run for it.
But before he could leave, he himself was grabbed by the throat and pinned against the wall.
Gregor looked up and saw Tori was the one who launched the attack.
"I knew you were unhinged, but you REALLY crossed the line," Tori stated with anger in her voice.
"Want a challenge, Big Sister?" asked Gregor.
"I could." Tori drawn out her tachi.
"Tori, no!" Richie grabbed her arm to keep her from attacking. "Please, don't. Don't. Please."
"Boy knows how to bounce back." Gregor chided.
Tori put away her sword before she grabbed Gregor by the collar of his shirt. "Get out!"
Gregor then left without saying another word.
"Are you okay?" Tori asked.
"I will be." Richie answered. "I'll live."
"He's lucky WE were here, and Owen wasn't," Tori stated. "If Owen was here and saw what he did to you, he'd taken his head regardless."
"Do you think how he's acting is…why he wants Immortality to end?" Richie asked.
"I don't know," Tori shook her head. "I really don't."
Gregor entered the hospital room, heard the door close, and he spun to face Duncan, who was hiding behind the door.
"You were wrong. I destroyed them all and I didn't feel a thing," Gregor told his friend.
"Gregor, this has to end," replied Duncan.
Gregor simply laughed, "But I'm having such a good time."
He bent down next to a sleeping Linda, "Are you having a good time?"
"Leave her out of this," Duncan warned.
Gregor straightened, looked at Duncan, then erupted into motion, reaching for Linda. Duncan grabbed him and dragged him from the room, down the hall, and into the stairwell. He then shoved him into the wall.
Gregor pulled out his Tizona, "I guess it's just you and me."
"I'm unarmed," said Duncan.
"Variety is the spice of life," Gregor stated before he swung at Duncan, who ducked and took off his coat.
Duncan used the coat to deflect the blows and kicked Greg in the face before moving up the stairs to the next landing. He dodged two strikes before punching Greg twice.
"Will I feel what you feel, MacLeod?" asked Gregor ha backed Duncan into another room. "Will I love? Will I hate?"
"Gregor, I know what you're going through," Duncan told his friend.
Gregor attacked, with Duncan dodging and retaliating. However, Greg managed to get inside and cut Duncan across the torso. He then swung downward for the beheading, but Duncan managed to roll away and grab a long piece of pipe as a weapon.
"Don't!" the Highlander warned his friend, but Gregor attacked again.
Duncan easily deflected the swipes and managed to hit Greg, as we led him to the roof.
"You can learn to live with what you are!" insisted Duncan.
Duncan dodged another strike and hit Greg with the pipe before tripping him. He pointed the pipe at Greg, only to be kicked down in response. Duncan quickly recovered and twirled the pipe around before using it to deflect more strikes, before throwing Greg off balance, disarming him and knocking him down once more. He then picked up Greg's sword and held it at his throat.
"You have a choice," said Duncan. "You can either die, or you can change, but you can't go on living the way you are."
"Go ahead. Do it!" Gregor panted.
Duncan raised the sword, "Hyah!"
He swung the sword down but stopped it at Gregor's neck. His friend was now painting and shaking with fear.
Gregor then looked up, "Help me. Help me."
"How did it feel, Gregor? How did it feel?!" asked Duncan, throwing the words back at his friend.
"The pain. The pain. The pain. Help mem" Gregor answered, barely audible.
"It's gonna be all right, my friend," Duncan said before he withdrew the sword and pulled Gregor to his feet. "It's gonna be all right. You'll be all right."
After Gregor stood up, the two men carefully walked back into the hospital.
Sunrise was coming as Owen walked down the streets with his firearm at the ready. He had a good hunch where Stone would be waiting for him at. She was nearly predictable, but not quite. He knew that this Hunter would be one of the most challenging hunts yet, and they were right.
Soon, he spotted a warehouse in the distance. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cellphone.
"Alright," he said. "Position, I'm going in."
After getting another shirt, Duncan returned to the hospital room and not too long after that, he saw that Linda was awake.
"How do you feel?" he asked.
"Like an old photograph...faded around the edges, but the essence of the person is still in it," answered Linda.
Duncan smiled and looked down, "It's funny you should say that."
He stood up and handed her a flat package.
"It's wrapped beautifully. Do you want to turn your head while I tear it to shreds? I was always too anxious when it comes to presents."
"Yeah. I remember."
Linda looked at him, puzzled.
"Go ahead," Duncan urged her before he helped her unwrap the framed newspaper article: 'The Star Dispatch - DARING RESCUE BY UNKNOWN HERO' with Linda's photo of Duncan carrying the child out of the burning building.
"Did your grandfather give this to you?" Linda asked.
"No," said Duncan before he took the article, set it aside and sat on the edge of the bed. "You did."
"Duncan?" Linda asked, recognizing the face.
Duncan was now holding back tears, "Don't ask me to explain, Linda. It's not something you need to understand now. But what you need to understand...is that you've always been very important to me."
"It's not the first time I've imagined this."
"No, Linda, it's not your imagination. I wanted to tell you the first time I saw you in the gallery. I'm so proud of you. Always have been. Hey, tell me...tell me you believe me. You have to believe me."
"Even though I never took pictures of kittens and flower vases?" Linda asked.
Duncan answered tearfully, "Or freshly baked pies."
"I should never have left you. I was so young."
"And beautiful and…and talented. You still are."
"Thank you, Duncan," Linda kissed his hand. "Oh, thank you so much for everything."
Then, Linda closed her eyes and passed away peacefully. Duncan kissed her forehead.
"The pleasure was mine," he said quietly.
Linda Plager had died, knowing the truth about him.
Inside the warehouse, Stone was reloading her sniper rifle, preparing to go back out again. Then, she heard the sound of steel behind her. Turing quickly, she saw Owen MacLeod standing with his katana drawn.
"You're so clever," Stone stated. "I'm amazed that you were able to track me down so quickly and escape me. How so?"
"Because I'm the man you can't kill," answered Owen.
"Wanna bet? Everyone dies, one way or another. I made a mistake once, but I won't do it again."
Stone then raised the revolver, only for Owen to slice it out of her grasp, along with her right hand. Stone screamed in pain as she dropped to her knees, clutching the stump that once had her right hand.
At that moment, several people entered the warehouse, along with Payne and the tall companion. The companion was holding the ancient dagger in his hand. Owen then reached down and picked up the gun, a poetic kill was about to happen.
"Just like the rest of them, including your leader, it's over for you," Owen declared before he shot Stone with her own gun.
After three shots, two to the chest and one to the head, she was dead.
"Another one off the list," stated Owen before he looked at his companion. "Dispose of the body and let's get outta here."
He turned and walked to the exit, slipping his sword into his jacket.
At the Dawson house, Lynn was looking out the window, watching the sunrise. It had been four months since she had last saw Owen and she wondered if he was okay. Deep down, she was hoping that he was able to take out the Hunters.
"Lynn?"
Lynn turned and saw Joe.
"Uncle Joe."
"Lynn, there's something I need to tell you," said Joe.
(Cue "Princes of the Universe")
Co–Starring
Will Smith as Terrence Butler
Christina Ricci as Jedda Walker
Ryan Gosling as Rick Gordon
Patricia Arquette as April Gordon
Kari Keegan as Tiffanie Stone
Anthony Head as Bill Payne
Gillian Carfra as Young Linda
Shane Kelly as Jonathan
Patti Allan as Nurse
Cayde Richie as Tommy
Mikal Dughi as Mother
Dwight McFee as Ray Holstrom
(Princes of the Universe ends)
Author's Note: One of the few times I regret in my original version was not including this episode, even though it was mentioned during the chapter before "The Darkness", which you'll see after the next chapter. Glad I was able to fix that mistake.
Speaking of the next chapter, this is not the last time you will see Gregor Powers. He will appear in the next chapter along with another immortal as they will meet Owen for the first time. I'll get more details for plans on him in the next chapter.
Anthony Head as Bill Payne? Nice choice. I got to change one of the chronicles though as I planned to have Anthony Head to be Jack's watcher in this version after much thinking.
Glad I was able to bring in a flashback set between June and October which was "Doorways into Darkness". The prologue was also set between June and October. In case you were wondering, the timeline of between June and October was the time jump set after "The Watchers".
Well, catch you on the flip side! Cheers!