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Survivor Part 3 (4/8)
Kay Kelly (wilusa@EARTHLINK.NET)Wed, 4 Apr 2001 04:35:36 -0400
*** No slow, cautious movements this time. I sped back to where I'd left Duncan, hoping I remembered the hazards and wouldn't step through a door into nothingness. I reached him safely. But he was out cold, and I couldn't revive him. On top of that, I didn't know Jacob's hiding places; I'd have to get Duncan out of the building. A taller man than me--probably heavier, though he didn't have an ounce of fat on him. The sirens were getting closer. A lot closer. I heaved Duncan over my shoulder, held him steady with one hand, and grabbed his sword with my other. The same katana I remembered from the loft, though I had no idea how he'd gotten it back. Time to make tracks. *** My previous route had involved some climbing, ducking around and under obstacles. Carrying another man, I couldn't risk it. Had to go a different way, more slowly. My nerves were at the snapping point. I heard the first emergency vehicles pull up; firefighters started yelling back and forth. There actually were fires blazing, but I was skirting them with no trouble. I began to think we'd make it to the alley. But then I stumbled over a major complication. A dead body. *** More precisely, a body with a sword stuck in it. I couldn't tell whether the guy was dead or "dead," if you get my drift. Jacob had swords to spare, so it was possible he'd used one to off a nosy mortal reporter. If I'd been sure of that, I could have stepped over the corpse with no time wasted. But if this was an Immortal, I had a problem on my hands. *Either* Jacob or Duncan could have put him out of the way temporarily, if he showed up and challenged one of them at an inopportune moment. Even if he'd come to pick a fight with Jacob, he might be just as ready to kill Duncan or me. But if I left him there, and he came back to life when a firefighter or cop pulled the sword out, we Immortals could kiss our "secret" goodbye. I couldn't take time to agonize over the decision. I yanked the sword out of him, tossed it a little distance away, and had Duncan's katana at his throat when he came gasping back to life. There wasn't much light; I could barely see his face. But his sudden head movement told me a lot. However implausibly, his first concern was not the man menacing him with a sword, but the one slung over my shoulder. And the small sound he made held a world of relief. I poked him with the sword. "Who are you?" He took a deep breath. "Adam Pierson," he said, in a voice that was weak but confident. "A friend of MacLeod's. He'll confirm that when he comes around." "Okay." I lowered the weapon. "We have to get out of here. Police, Fire, sounds like half the city trooping in." "Ye gods." Pierson struggled to a sitting position. He was still looking at Duncan. "Uh, what's wrong with him?" "Major league Quickening." "Good. That's what I thought." He began groping on the floor. "Where's my sword?" "Oh, sorry." I gestured in the direction I'd tossed it, and he scuttled after it. "What the hell happened?" "I got here before MacLeod," he explained. He still sounded out of breath. "Thought I might have a better chance, solely because I'm willing to fight dirty against a dirty opponent. But Kell shot me before I could shoot him. Those are the breaks--always a risk when you're on the enemy's turf.² He found the sword, and used it to lever himself to his feet. But when he took a step he almost fell. "Oh, shit," I muttered. "Can you--" "Don't worry, I'll make it," he promised. "Maybe a little slower. You go. Here!" It took me a second to realize he was dangling a set of car keys in front of me. "Black Mercedes. In the alley." "Meet you there," I told him. He saw I had my hands full, and stuffed the keys in my pocket. Then I tightened my grip on my unconscious burden--and his sword--and made a dash for the exit. *** True to his word, Pierson staggered out of the building two or three minutes after me. I got my first good look at him when he reached the rental car; if I hadn't known Jin Ke, I would have been surprised by his youthful appearance. Wobbly as he was, he claimed the driver's seat. I climbed in back with the still unconscious Duncan. "Where are we going?" I asked as we shot out of the alley. "MacLeod's hotel, the Phoenix. That's where his clothes and belongings are. He probably has the room key on him." Pierson glanced over his shoulder. "It's funny how we snap back faster from being 'dead' than just passed out. Has he been conscious at all? Did he, uh, seem all right?" I knew he was remembering the Dark Quickening. "He came to for a minute back there," I said. "It was a rough Quickening, but he seemed to be handling it." "Good." "I haven't told you who I am," I began tentatively. "I already know. Manny, right? I've never seen your picture, but I've heard a description. Sorry I don't know what last name you're using at the moment--" I said good-naturedly, "*I* don't know what last name I'm using at the moment." Then it hit me. "You knew I was one of Jacob's gang?" "Doesn't bother me. You obviously weren't trying to avenge him. And I've never had the impression his followers were evil." Before I could ease into the subject, he asked, "Can you tell me what's happened to Carlos? Is he all right?" I gave him the bad news, and he swore softly. At last he said, "So you knew Carlos had been working for me, and that's why you trusted me? I was surprised you were so quick to believe I was a friend." "Yeah, that was it. I knew Adam Pierson had a British accent. And I was impressed that your first concern was for MacLeod's being alive. Why did you trust *me* right away? I could have been taking him somewhere to behead him." "I trusted you because he *was* alive," he explained. "If you planned to behead him he would have been 'dead,' with a dagger in his heart. Or at least tied up." That made sense. But there was something about Pierson that I found perplexing. I had to ask. "You risked your life, just because MacLeod is your friend?" "Oh, I wasn't risking much," he said lightly. "I was fairly sure that if Kell got the drop on me, he wouldn't take my head. Wouldn't risk a Quickening to call more attention to his place, and force a postponement of the fight he really wanted. And he wouldn't try to use me as a hostage, because he had no idea who I was." I found myself wondering if he'd been Joe Dawson's mystery companion. If so--and if Jacob had looked at those men through binoculars--Jacob had known he was an ally of Duncan's. Pierson was lucky he'd wanted to fight Duncan, not toy with him. "I've been around a while." He was sober now. "If he *had* taken my Quickening, and fought MacLeod even months later, I could have worked actively *against* him." I heard the ring of steel in his voice, and knew this was a very old, very strong Immortal. Duncan MacLeod was fortunate in his friends. Just then the Highlander stirred beside me and began coming to. Pierson heard him, and said cheerfully, "MacLeod! Have you met our new friend Manny? He just saved both our lives."