ADULT: Meeting Of Minds - Parts 5 & 6 of 22+
Dana Short (DanaShort@aol.com)
Mon, 12 Apr 2004 05:08:03 EDT
This story may be concidered PG-13 due to both the situation, and=20
the occasional use of profanity (Chapter 11) when a char was upset.
Please direct flames/comments to DanaShort@aol.com=20
Please note the story title in the subject line, or your message will=20
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Legal Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the concept behind Immortals, nor any=20
of the pre-existing characters which appear in this story. These are=20
owned by Panzer/Davis, or whoever may of purchased/licensed them from=20
their creators. Other characters from other universes owned by other=20
companies may of wandered through as well, and again their appearance=20
does not in any way imply ownership of them on my part. There is no=20
copyright infringement intended. As far as the people I created,=20
others are free to use them, I lay no claim of ownership to them=20
either, I do however ask that you return them in the condition they=20
were found, no added romantic/emotional entanglements or missing body=20
parts (especially heads), please. =20
I will allow anyone to archive this story for free, as long as it is=20
made available for free, the origional Disclaimer is included, that=20
other than removing Prefaces and Author=E2=80=99s Notes & re-attaching the=20
parts the story is unmodified, and I am notified in advance of it=E2=80=99s=20
addition to the archive, and the archive=E2=80=99s location. I hope you=20
enjoy the story.
Fully formatted text available at: www.DanaShort.com\HL-MOM.rtf
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Chapter Five
The Morning After
Afternoon sunlight streaming through the drawn curtains hit her face=20
and woke her. =20
Sue blinked against the light, and looked around the room.
She knew where she was, and how she had gotten there. The memories=20
of the past day were all perfectly clear in her mind, but the=20
reasoning behind some of her actions were not so readily apparent.
What was apparent was she was again herself. She could remember=20
Eadgils, but trying to recall specifics of his life now only drew=20
blanks. Specifics of her own life however, were not so hard to=20
recall. She thought of her Father, the stories about her Mother, and=20
her life growing up. She could not believe her Dad was not her real=20
Father. It just wasn=E2=80=99t possible. Thinking that was like losing him=
=20
all over again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
September 12, 2000, Gardena, California...
Sue was watching a movie in the living room while waiting for her Dad=20
to get home. He was covering for Myra Chandler=E2=80=99s watcher, as she=20
once again passed through Los Angels on one of her several, frequent=20
trips. =20
Sue thought back to her first, and last, meeting with Myra, on the=20
beach two and a half years before. That woman really creeped her out.
Dad was supposed to be relieved by Mike at 5:00, and it was almost=20
8:00pm now. What was unusual was not that her father had been=20
delayed, things happened, but that he hadn=E2=80=99t called. That wasn=E2=
=80=99t=20
like him at all. Still, she wasn=E2=80=99t really worried, after all, he wa=
s=20
probably stuck in traffic or something and his cell phone was=20
probably dead.
She jerked up as the doorbell rang. She rose, and headed to the=20
door. She looked out the peephole, and her heart skipped a beat.
Standing outside was Mike, and two other local watchers. Their=20
expressions were glum at best.
With her heart pounding in her chest, and a knot of ice forming in=20
her stomach, she opened the door.
=E2=80=9CHi Mike.=E2=80=9D She said simply.
=E2=80=9CUm, Sue. Hello. Can we come in, please?=E2=80=9D he asked, a pain=
ful=20
expression on his face.
=E2=80=9CSure=E2=80=9D, she said, stepping back and gesturing towards the li=
ving room.
They stepped in, and Mike pointed at the couch. =E2=80=9CSue, please sit=20
down. I need to tell you something.=E2=80=9D
The knot of ice in her stomach exploded, and her throat suddenly was=20
blocked by a rock while her head started to spin and throb. She sat=20
down mechanically, already fearing she knew what Mike was about to=20
say.
=E2=80=9CWha-what is it?=E2=80=9D she finally managed to get out, her voice=20=
trembling.
=E2=80=9CSue, I=E2=80=99m sorry. We all are. It=E2=80=99s your father. He=
=E2=80=99s been killed.=E2=80=9D
The world spun, and darkness started to close in. Her legs wanted to=20
tremble, but at the same time, they were going numb. So were her=20
hands. She could no longer feel her fingers. She did manage to get=20
out one gasping word though. =E2=80=9CHaaow?=E2=80=9D
Taking a deep breath, and looking at one of the other watchers, he=20
said =E2=80=9CHe was stabbed. By a sword.=E2=80=9D
Suddenly, a cold, stark realization settled over her. The numbness=20
faded as her heart began to thunder. Anger washed her being, as an=20
alternative to the loss she couldn=E2=80=99t really face. She stood up in a=
=20
sudden violent move, catching everyone present by surprise. =E2=80=9CThat=20
BITCH!=E2=80=9D she yelled, visions of Myra=E2=80=99s head rolling along the=
ground=20
sans body filling her head, replacing the ones of her father,=20
skewered like a piece of meat on a shiskabob. =20
=E2=80=9CNow, calm down Sue,=E2=80=9D Mike said, =E2=80=9CWe don=E2=80=99t r=
eally know who did it. =20
When I went to replace him, I found his body. I placed some calls,=20
and it is being taken care of. We will try to find out what=20
happened, but for now, we really don=E2=80=99t know. All we know is that=20
Myra was meeting someone, and he was watching it. But whatever=20
happened, remember the Watcher Oath, I WILL DO SO WITHOUT INTERFERING=20
IN THEIR LIVES, NOR ALLOWING THEM TO KNOW OF MY PRESENCE. TO THIS I=20
SWEAR AND PLEDGE MY LIFE,=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CI=E2=80=99m not a real watcher,=E2=80=9D Sue retorted, =E2=80=9CLoo=
k, no Tattoo.=E2=80=9D She said,=20
displaying her wrist.
=E2=80=9CNot yet, but if you ever hope to be, and if you want to honor your=20
father=E2=80=99s memory, you will still follow that rule. The rule he GAVE=20
his life for.=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9COh, Mike!=E2=80=9D she cried, the anger fading as fast as it had co=
me, its=20
place taken by a previously inconceivable emptiness. The tears=20
finally broke, and she clung to Mike, sobbing.
=E2=80=9CHush, it=E2=80=99s alright honey. It=E2=80=99s alright we=E2=80=
=99ll take care of it. =20
Don=E2=80=99t worry.=E2=80=9D He said, hugging her to him.
Mike and one other watcher stayed with her that evening, sleeping on=20
the couch and in the guest room.
The next day, they arranged for everything. They had arranged for a=20
private service and burial. As far as the rest of the world would be=20
concerned, her father would just disappear. They told her they had=20
set up a trust to make the house and utility payments, as well as=20
provide a fund for clothing, food, etc. They also promised her that=20
when she turned 18, there would be a spot open for her at the Watcher=20
Academy in Paris. They would help her honor her father=E2=80=99s memories b=
y=20
following in his footsteps.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The tears of loss were flowing once again, as she once more mourned=20
the loss of her father. She also realized she had a problem. =20
Actually, a set of problems. She was a Watcher, and her subject was=20
dead, by Hunters, and she was missing. But she was also now an=20
Immortal. Everyone would be looking for her.
Picking up the phone, she placed a long distance call to a number she=20
had not used in several years, but was still ingrained in her mind=20
from the several calls she had made after Mike had been recalled to=20
Seacouver.
=E2=80=9CJoe=E2=80=99s Bar=E2=80=9D came the voice on the other end of the l=
ine. =20
=E2=80=9CYes, uh, is Mike there, please?=E2=80=9D she asked.
=E2=80=9COne moment, may I ask who=E2=80=99s calling?=E2=80=9D the woman on=20=
the other end=20
asked.
=E2=80=9CYes. Tell him it=E2=80=99s Sue.=E2=80=9D
A few murmured voices, a faint shout, some sort of thump, like a door=20
slamming, and a rattle as another phone was picked up on the other=20
end of the line was all she could detect.
=E2=80=9CSue?!=E2=80=9D Mikes voice came through the line, and as it did, sh=
e could=20
hear the first phone being hung back up.
=E2=80=9CMike!=E2=80=9D she replied.
=E2=80=9CSue, where are you? Are you alright? We heard about Eadgils, what=
=20
happened? I was so worried when we didn=E2=80=99t hear anything from you.=
=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CHunters.=E2=80=9D was all she said to Mike. Then she took a breath=
, and=20
started again.
=E2=80=9CIn the order you asked, though, I=E2=80=99m in a Motel 6 somewhere=20=
between=20
Atlanta and Savannah. I am fine, just a little shaken up, with maybe=20
a bruise or two, certainly some sore muscles. I haven=E2=80=99t had time to=
=20
really look. And as I said, Hunters happened. My pager was fried,=20
there were three dead bodies, and I was more concerned with getting=20
away myself than anything else. They almost killed me as well. I, I=20
shot one of them. But, I was too late, he still went ahead and, he=20
killed Eadgils, Mike. Just like that.=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CWhat about the quickening? I saw pictures of the scene, and we had=
=20
people on-site, but there doesn=E2=80=99t look like there was much of=20
anything at all.=E2=80=9D Mike asked.
=E2=80=9CI don=E2=80=99t know. I wasn=E2=80=99t really watching, I passed o=
ut after I shot=20
the Hunter. When I woke up, Eadgils and the two Hunters were dead. =20
Mike, there has to be someone on the inside. They didn=E2=80=99t just find=20
Eadgils on their own. Someone has to be working with them. That was=20
why I called you. Of all the Watchers I know, you are the one I know=20
I can trust. What should I do?=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CWell, you are right that there has to be someone on the inside. =20
Some people were thinking it was YOU. I told them that was bullshit,=20
but they brought up how your father was killed by an Immortal, and=20
that was enough to make you a suspect. Then, with you missing, your=20
supervisor said he couldn=E2=80=99t get a hold of you, and that you hadn=E2=
=80=99t=20
checked in for several hours.=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CMike, he=E2=80=99s lying. I checked in just about an hour before t=
he=20
attack. He paged me asking for a Location/Status update. I think he=20
leaked to the Hunters. He also paged me just BEFORE they attacked,=20
telling me to report to Savannah HQ. Check the pager logs. You=E2=80=99ll=20
see he=E2=80=99s lying.=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9COk honey, Joe and I=E2=80=99ll check. You just stay put, and keep=20=
your head=20
down. Call me in a while, and I=E2=80=99ll have more for you. Can you do=20
that?=E2=80=9D Mike asked.
=E2=80=9CUh, yeah. I am kinda out of it anyhow, so that is not a problem. =20
And Mike, when this is over, I want to take some time off and go=20
home. Ok?=E2=80=9D=20
=E2=80=9CSure thing. I=E2=80=99ll make sure Joe knows not to reassign you f=
or a=20
while, so you can take a little time off. Now, stay put, and keep=20
your head down. If nothing else, the Hunters may be looking for you=20
for a little clean-up and pay-back. Ok?=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9COk,=E2=80=9D she said. =E2=80=9CI=E2=80=99ll call you this evening=
.=E2=80=9D
With that she hung up the phone, and climbed out of bed, stepping=20
right on the blade of the Katana. As the cold chill shocked through=20
her foot, she looked down to see the blood start to flow over the=20
blade and onto the floor.
=E2=80=9CDamn!=E2=80=9D she muttered, sitting back down and lifting her foot=
, taking=20
it in her hands, and turning it over so she could see the sole and=20
examine the damage. What she saw instead caused her breath to=20
catch. =20
She watched in amazement as the cut was crisscrossed with little=20
sparks, and started to close, the blood having already stopped=20
flowing. All she felt was a slight itching as the skin healed back,=20
leaving only a red line, which it=E2=80=99s self faded away.
When even the line was gone, she wiped the remaining blood off her=20
foot, and examined the area minutely for any trace of injury. =20
Nothing.
Releasing her foot, she again stood up, this time carefully not=20
stepping on the Katana, and in fact bending over to pick it up and=20
place it more safely on top of the television, out of the way.
She then continued on into the bathroom, and looked at the mess her=20
appearance presented in the mirror. With a shrug of resignation, she=20
pulled off her nightshirt and panties, and tugged her hair free from=20
its braid before stepping on the dirty towel left casually on the=20
floor and into the shower.
First off, she thoroughly washed her body, before attacking her hair=20
with both the Shampoo and Conditioner from her Emergency kit. =20
Finally clean, she climbed out, and used the last towel to dry off.
She grabbed the spare bra, along with the Maroon shirt, black jeans,=20
and the last clean panties from the Emergency kit and got dressed.
Next she brushed out her hair, until it was reasonably dry and tangle=20
free, once again flowing back over her shoulders in a shining brown=20
mane.
A touch of makeup, and she collected the keycard for the room and=20
headed for the door. Her shoulder brushed the handle of the Katana=20
as she walked by, bringing her to a stop.
She stood there contemplating the handle of the Katana for a few=20
moments, before picking it up. A few experimental swings succeeded=20
only in almost decapitating the already headless bed. Realizing she=20
had absolutely no idea how to handle such a weapon, she was suddenly=20
stuck by a thrill of fear. It was totally unlike the rapiers she had=20
learned to use in France.
She was now an Immortal. She was therefore expected to be able to=20
defend herself with a sword. If she came upon a headhunter=20
somewhere, it was quite unlikely they would accept a =E2=80=9CSorry, I just=20
started, could you come back and fight me next year?=E2=80=9D from her and g=
o=20
away. No, more likely they would see her as an easy target and=20
collect her head as quickly and with as little fuss as possible. An=20
echo of the guarded wariness Eadgils had felt for so long it was=20
automatic to him thrummed in her mind. What had happened to him,=20
anyhow? Last night, she was more him than her. But today, it was=20
almost like yesterday had never even happened.
In any case, she would need some sort of protection, and she couldn=E2=80=
=99t=20
very well run around Macon dangling a Katana in her hand, especially=20
one she had no idea how to use. Thinking back, she remembered=20
the .45 in the car, taken from the Hunter, and now a weapon used in=20
an unsolved triple homicide. It would not be a very good idea to=20
wander around Macon toting that around in her hand either.
With a sigh of resignation, she looked at the other two weapons in=20
her so called =E2=80=9CArsenal=E2=80=9D. Last night, she had also carried u=
p a Bowie=20
knife, and a stiletto style throwing knife. While she had no idea=20
how to throw such a knife in a manner likely to impale a target, she=20
could hack and slash with some competency using either the Bowie, or=20
the stiletto, thanks to the classes she took in Paris the year=20
before. The Bowie had a scabbard which looked to be designed to be=20
worn on the back under clothing. She decided to give it a try on for=20
size. =20
Returning to the small bathroom, she pulled off her shirt, and=20
examined the straps on the Bowie=E2=80=99s scabbard. Sort of like a reverse=
=20
bra, there was a loop for going over each shoulder, and a belt for=20
around the torso. The scabbard was apparently reversible, so it=20
could be drawn from either the left or the right, from the top or the=20
bottom, depending on which slots the straps were fed through.
After some experimentation, she finally decided she felt best with=20
the Bowie high on her back, handle facing her lower right side, where=20
she could easily reach up and back with her right hand to release and=20
draw it.
The Bowie was thus somewhat hidden under her shirt, assuming she=20
layered the light jacket from Ed=E2=80=99s =E2=80=9CBack House=E2=80=9D over=
it. Next, she=20
turned to the stiletto boot knife. Since she was wearing track=20
shoes, which really needed washing, she noted, taking in their dungy=20
appearance, she couldn=E2=80=99t really put it in a boot, but it also had=20
straps for its scabbard, meant to wrap around the calf, and hold it=20
in position. Once in place, she pulled the cuffs of her pants down,=20
and viola! Armed Civilian. Of course, she would never pass even the=20
most casual pat-down, but at least she could walk around in relative=20
anonymity, and might have a remote fighting chance if she came across=20
an aggressive Headhunter. Snickering at the unintentional pun, she=20
again collected the keycard, but also grabbed the plastic bag with=20
her bloody blouse as well as the katana, and headed down to the car.
Katana stuffed nicely under the seat, and bloody blouse stuffed in=20
the duffel bag in the trunk along with the bloody coat she had been=20
wearing the night before and the hard drives from Ed=E2=80=99s computer, she=
=20
was ready to find food.
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
=20
Chapter Six
Out And About, And Then Back In
Sue drove back into Macon, looking for food. She had a simple plan:=20
Get Food, Clothes, a Cell Phone, and head back to the hotel.
Her first stop was at a Burger King. A Chicken Whopper and cup of=20
Ice Water solved the initial item on her agenda.
>From there she headed to a local mall. Parking outside of the Macys,=20
she headed inside for some quick shopping.
Choosing expediency over fashion, she swiftly selected three pairs of=20
jeans in her size one tan, and two blue.
She added six tops in various colors, and then selected two long=20
trench type coats, chosen based on their fall and length so they=20
might help hide the Katana. =20
Two extra pairs of running shoes, and a pair of flats, plus eight=20
sets of underwear and socks rounded out her little clothing search,=20
although she added a rolling suitcase large enough to fit it all in=20
as well.
She then swung by the cosmetics counter to obtain larger bottles of=20
shampoo, and conditioner, along with a new supply of makeup in her=20
proper colors. =20
A quick trip to the car to drop off her purchases, and she dove back=20
into the mall in search of a phone.
It only took a glance at the Mall Directory to determine there was=20
both a Nextel and an AT&T store in the mall. She chose the AT&T=20
store, as it was closest.
For $145 plus tax she picked up a Nokia =E2=80=9Cgo=E2=80=9D phone with 550=20=
anytime=20
flat rate minutes, and internet access. =20
On an impulse, she stopped in a sewing supplies store on her way out=20
of the mall, and bought some dark cloth, lots of thread, a pair of=20
scissors, and some needles. She realized that while sewing was not=20
her forte, she would have to find some way to carry the Katana in the=20
two coats she had purchased earlier and preferably in a way that=20
didn=E2=80=99t show.
Her needs thus met, she headed back to the hotel.
Once there, she shuttled the backpack containing Ed=E2=80=99s cash and=20
various documents up to her room, along with her new clothes, phone,=20
luggage, and of course, the Katana. The hard drives and blood soaked=20
clothing was all she left behind in the car.
Once everything was in her room, she set about packing her bags. =20
First off, she chose a top and a pair of pants to replenish the=20
Emergency Kit. Likewise, she refilled the small travel sized shampoo=20
and conditioner bottles, and returned them to their places, along=20
with two pairs of underwear and socks. =20
Next, she examined the pants she had worn the previous day. Deciding=20
they were not a total loss, she set them aside, and proceeded to pack=20
the suitcase with all but one pair of blue jeans, a matching top, and=20
a complete set of both underwear and socks. She set another set of=20
underwear aside, next to her sleep shirt, which like the small supply=20
of scrunchies, she had not replaced in the Emergency Kit.
She then trekked down to the car, bringing up the duffel bag=20
containing the hard drives.
She opened the backpack, and separated out its contents. Taking the=20
cash, she separated it into three piles of roughly $40,000 each. The=20
smallest pile, made up of the largest bills, she added into the=20
Emergency Kit.
The largest pile, made up of the smallest bills, she placed into the=20
Duffel Bag, along with Ed=E2=80=99s spare identification documents and the=20
deed to the back house. =20
Changing to one of the two new pairs of shoes, she placed both the=20
shoes and the socks she had been wearing the previous day into the=20
backpack and carried both the bags from Ed=E2=80=99s house back down to the=20
car.
At the car, she added the ruined clothes to the backpack, and locked=20
both bags into the trunk.
Returning to her room, she turned to the third stack of money, and=20
separated out the fifties and the hundreds. She now had two stacks,=20
one with $12,450 in it, and the other worth $23,900.
She stuffed the $100=E2=80=99s, along with 22 of the fifties into the=20
suitcase, completely filling the internal zipper compartment with =20
$25,000 worth of cash.
The remaining $11,350 she again divided, creating eight stacks of 25=20
fifties each, which she fit into the Laptop case=E2=80=99s side pocket, afte=
r=20
removing the phone cable, power supply, and manuals.
This left her with 27 $50 bills, from which she made a final stack of=20
25, bound them with the ruined scrunchie, and placed in her purse=20
next to her wallet. The final two bills she added to her almost=20
empty wallet.
Finally, she carried the lighter of her two coats back down to the=20
car, and placed it in the trunk on top of the two bags already there.=20
As she turned to head back up the steps, the oddity of her actions=20
caused her to pause, one foot on the first tread of the stairs, the=20
other still on the ground. She was not one to meticulously plan and=20
plot things out. Her normal course of action when faced with a big=20
bag of cash would be to keep it that way =E2=80=93 as a big bag of cash,=20
digging into it if she needed it, not sorting it logically into=20
separate categories, then packing them away in a manner to let her=20
choose what to grab should an emergency arise.=20
Shaking her head, she dismissed the action as an example of the=20
Watcher Academy training FINALLY clicking in, and headed back up to=20
her room.
Back in her room, she turned her attention to trying to disguise her=20
Katana in the remaining heavy coat.
She swiftly determined she could not hang it on either side of the=20
coat, as its weight was more than enough to cause the coat to slump=20
to the side where the katana rested.
This prompted her to finally attach the scabbard to the middle of the=20
back, where the sword would ride just above her Butt if she sat down=20
in the coat. Testing this with the rooms chair, she winced as the=20
back of the chair caused the katana to shove against the Bowie knife=20
she was still wearing, and both to painfully poke her in the back.
Standing back up and removing both coat, and after a glance to insure=20
the curtains were still tightly drawn, her top, so she could remove=20
the Bowie knife, she thought to herself =E2=80=9CThere has to be a better=20
way.=E2=80=9D What did the other Immortals do?
She had seen several Immortals over the course of her life, both male=20
and female, but most of them seemed adept at hiding their swords so=20
well that even she, who often looked for them, could not find them. =20
As a young girl she had hypothesized a secret Immortal ability to=20
make swords vanish to alternate dimensions when looking at an=20
Immortal who she utterly failed to spot a place for a blade. As she=20
grew older, however, she noticed they did tend to wear looser=20
clothing, and when they did not, they tended to carry something with=20
them. But there were still times when she would have sworn the=20
immortal she was watching was utterly unarmed. At least once she=20
knew she had been wrong.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
June 1996, Torrance, California...
Twelve year old Sue and her father wandered through the Del Amo=20
shopping center, both of them surreptitiously keeping an eye on the=20
lovely brunette woman who was apparently doing some very early=20
Christmas shopping.
Amanda Darieux. Her Dad had said she was over a thousand years old. =20
She looked to be in her twenties.
Dressed in a tight, formfitting top, and a daringly short skirt, with=20
open toed high heel shoes, Sue wondered how she could be carrying a=20
sword. She really didn=E2=80=99t think the woman was. =20
Amanda did have a small purse dangling from her shoulder, but it was=20
barely large enough to hold a wallet. Certainly too small to conceal=20
any sort of weapon.
Yet there is no way an Immortal could survive for over a thousand=20
years if she constantly wandered around unarmed. Sue was mesmerized=20
by more than the woman=E2=80=99s grace and beauty; she was fascinated by the=
=20
mystery of her survival.
Dad said she was a thief. Not the kind who runs around stealing=20
purses and wallets though, but the dress in black and slide down a=20
rope to steal the crown jewels type. To Sue, that just made her even=20
more romantic. It was like seeing the character from some spy movie=20
in real life. Of course, all she had been doing today was crawling=20
through the mall, looking at clothes and trinkets.
Amanda had an odd way of shopping, that was for sure. For over three=20
hours, she had not bought a single thing, simply wandering from store=20
to store. Now, having hit the far end of the mall, she was making=20
her way back, but had stopped in three stores so far to pick things=20
up she had expressed interests in earlier.
It was as they were passing the food court, with Amanda in the middle=20
of the bridge which connected to Stor that Amanda stopped suddenly=20
and looked around frowning.
A small, twitchy man at the other end of the bridge, having just left=20
Stor and heading towards the food court was also stopped. His eyes=20
met Amanda=E2=80=99s and he nodded.
Amanda and the man met towards the middle of the bridge. Sue and her=20
father waited on the food court side, him leaning against the wall=20
watching out of the side of his eyes, while Sue just stood next to=20
him and watched the two speaking. While they were too far away to=20
catch even a speck of sound, they were close enough to see the=20
aggravation on Amanda=E2=80=99s face, and the seemingly smug satisfaction of=
=20
the twitchy man.
Finally, both Amanda and the other apparent Immortal turned and made=20
their way back through Stor. Amanda looked annoyed.
With a bit of a rush, as soon as the two targets had entered Stor,=20
Sue and her father dashed across the bridge, then more slowly resumed=20
their careful trailing of Amanda and her companion.
As they exited Stor, her father nodded to another man, apparently the=20
other gentleman=E2=80=99s watcher.
The gentleman joined them, and together the three followed Amanda and=20
her associate out of the mall and into the parking lot.
It then became a matter of strolling amongst the cars while=20
maintaining a discrete distance as the two Immortals sought out a=20
somewhat more private area for a meeting.
Eventually Amanda pointed back towards the mall, and the man with her=20
flung up his hands in exasperation, and they reversed their course. =20
It seemed the two Immortals had realized there was no shelter to be=20
found in and amongst the sparse trees and the various cars they=20
purported to shelter from the summer sun.
Back beside the mall was a wall, behind which dumpsters were=20
secluded. It was to this area that the two Immortals finally made=20
their way.
Sue and her father followed, along with the other watcher, who still=20
had not said a word to either of them.
Finding a vantage point along the wall of the mall, where they could=20
see the two immortals amongst the dumpsters, but were far enough away=20
to be less noticeable, they watched as the twitchy man finally pulled=20
a sword, literally out of his pants. No wonder he had been so=20
twitchy, Sue thought with a giggle.
Amanda on the other hand just set down her packages, leaving her=20
purse on top of then, and backed away a bit. She said something to=20
the man, but his only response was to slice the air with his blade=20
back and forth and advance on Amanda another step. She backed up one=20
more step, until she was in between the dumpsters, and out of view of=20
the three watchers. =20
The twitchy man raised his sword and took another step forward,=20
apparently intending to simply move in and hack off Amanda=E2=80=99s head,=20
when suddenly his grin changed to a look of surprise, and his body=20
jerked as a small knife buried itself, apparently out of nowhere=20
right in his heart.
The sword fell from his hand, and he followed it a moment later to=20
land on the ground in a heap.
Amanda stepped back into view, a look of distaste on her face as she=20
rolled the body over, and dragged it back behind the dumpsters. She=20
returned a moment later and retrieved the sword, and vanished from=20
sight again. The booming flash of a Quickening however provided=20
ample testimony to what happened next though.
Several moments later, Amanda came back into view, without the=20
sword. Her clothes looking mussed, and her hair no longer looking as=20
perfect as it had up until that time.
She bent over and retrieved her purse and her bags, then with a final=20
look of disgust at what must have been the corpse of the twitchy man,=20
she headed back towards the parking lot and her car.
Her father nodded to the still silent watcher, and the two of them=20
followed Amanda to their own car, parked a few rows further away from=20
the Immortal=E2=80=99s.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That had been the first time Sue had actually seen an Immortal take a=20
head. Not that she had really seen it, just heard it and saw the=20
flash. It had not been a particularly large quickening, but that was=20
not what had stuck with Sue all these years. What stuck with Sue was=20
Amanda. She had apparently not wanted anything to do with the=20
twitchy man, but when pressed, she had produced a knife from=20
somewhere, and dispatched him with a cold efficiency. It helped to=20
explain how she had managed to survive for so long. But what still=20
tickled Sue=E2=80=99s thoughts was where Amanda had hidden the knife. =20
Especially now, it would be really nice to know.
Shaking off her thoughts, she picked up the cell phone, and again=20
dialed the Seacouver number.
=E2=80=9CJoe=E2=80=99s Bar, Joe speaking.=E2=80=9D A mellow voice answered,=20=
almost lazily.
=E2=80=9CUh, hi Joe. This is Sue. Is Mike there?=E2=80=9D she asked, hopin=
g this=20
was not going to be the start of something bad.
=E2=80=9CSue? Sue Danning?=E2=80=9D the voice asked, with a hint of suspici=
on.
=E2=80=9CUh, yeah. Mike asked me to call him back when I talked to him this=
=20
morning. Didn=E2=80=99t he tell you?=E2=80=9D she responded, visions of leg=
ions of=20
Watchers combing the countryside at Joe=E2=80=99s direction looking for HER=20
suddenly flashing through her mind. As North American Regional Head=20
he could literally order any watcher to face the tribunal. With=20
suspicion of being a hunter, he would have more than ample reason.
=E2=80=9CYeah, he did. Your story checked out as well. We pulled David in=20
about an hour ago. So far other than his lying about hearing from=20
you, and the message he sent telling you to report to HQ, we don=E2=80=99t=20
have any evidence he is involved in the Hunters, but even by itself=20
it is pretty damming. I am glad you called us instead of getting=20
back in touch with him. He was obviously planning to set you up to=20
take the fall for everything. He had been spreading stories about=20
your snide remarks about Immortals to other watchers for the past few=20
weeks, you know.=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CWhat remarks? I don=E2=80=99t have a problem with Immortals! Othe=
r than=20
once declaring an intent to kill the bitch who murdered my Dad, there=20
isn=E2=80=99t a single Immortal I have ever said anything bad about. And I=20
have specifically asked to be kept as far away from that particular=20
Immortal as possible, as you well know.=E2=80=9D she responded, thinking to=20
herself she certainly shouldn=E2=80=99t, being one herself now.
=E2=80=9COh, nothing specific, he just told people you seemed to have a less=
=20
than healthy attitude towards Immortals, and that he was getting=20
worried about you. That general impression with the folks in=20
Savannah, coupled with your apparently going off the radar, then=20
going AWOL and your Immortal ending up dead, well, let=E2=80=99s say that th=
e=20
Tribunal would have been more interested in getting a hold of you=20
alive, or even dead. I=E2=80=99ve called off the dogs though, so you can=20
relax now. I just wanted to tell you, you showed good instincts in=20
dropping out of sight AND in calling Mike the way you did. Your=20
father would have been proud. I know I am. I personally could not=20
believe the reports I was getting. I couldn=E2=80=99t picture my little=20
Susie-q going on an Immortal killing spree, especially with as=20
inoffensive a guy as Eadgils. I was relieved when Mike told me you=20
had called.=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CThanks Joe.=E2=80=9D She said, swallowing a lump at the thought of=20=
her=20
Father, who was apparently not really her father.
=E2=80=9CSo, what happened anyhow? I saw the pictures taken by the cops, an=
d=20
I couldn=E2=80=99t see any sign of a Quickening. What did you see?=E2=80=
=9D Joe=20
asked.
=E2=80=9CI didn=E2=80=99t see much, I=E2=80=99m afraid. I saw the Hunters,=20=
I don=E2=80=99t know if I=20
did the right thing or not, according to the Oath, but I yelled at Ed=20
to run. Then I tried to jump the one next to me, we fought, Ed=20
stabbed him, I got his gun, shot the other hunter, and that=E2=80=99s about=20
all I remember. When I woke up, I had a huge headache, and was lying=20
in the water, Ed was dead, the two hunters were dead, and the sword=20
was gone. I took the gun I had fired, grabbed my purse, and made=20
myself scarce.=E2=80=9D She explained, not really lying, other than about th=
e=20
sword.
=E2=80=9CDo you think there was a third hunter? One that hit you from behin=
d=20
and finished the job?=E2=80=9D Joe asked.
=E2=80=9CWell, someone took the sword.=E2=80=9D She responded, grimacing at=20=
the act=20
of deliberately misleading a man who had always been there for her,=20
especially after her Father=E2=80=99s death.
=E2=80=9CDamn. I was afraid of that. We can never seem to find them all. =20
Ok, we=E2=80=99ll keep looking for the missing hunter. So far the police=20
have no clues. I can tell you they are not happy. They have a=20
Gunshot victim who had fired a gun, and two people killed by a=20
missing sword. They raided Eadgils=E2=80=99s house but apparently didn=E2=
=80=99t=20
find anything. The Police are labeling it some sort of gang or drug=20
killing for now, but they really don=E2=80=99t have any leads. =20
Unfortunately, other than David, neither do we.=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CUh, yeah. I wish there was more I could add. I wish I had done=20
something different somehow, I feel like I failed both the Watchers=20
and Ed.=E2=80=9D Sue said honestly.
=E2=80=9CSweetheart, you were just lucky you weren=E2=80=99t killed. You we=
re=20
dealing with Hunters. The deck was stacked against you, literally. =20
My first fear was for you when I heard you were missing. Then when I=20
heard about them finding Eadgils body, I honestly didn=E2=80=99t know what t=
o=20
think. I am just glad you are safe. Mike said you wanted to take=20
some time off, by the way, is that true?=E2=80=9D Joe responded.
=E2=80=9CUh, yeah, if I can. I would like to go home, and try to get my hea=
d=20
on straight.=E2=80=9D She answered.
=E2=80=9CYou want to come out here? You=E2=80=99ve never been out to Seacou=
ver=20
before. I=E2=80=99d love to show you the bar. I have a spare room in my=20
house you could crash at, if you want. You could meet Duncan=20
MacLeod. Oh, and Adam is here as well. I think you met him in=20
France. At least he seemed to know who you were, and was concerned=20
about you when you were missing.=E2=80=9D Joe said.
=E2=80=9CI don=E2=80=99t think so, Joe. Thanks for asking though,=E2=80=9D=20=
she said. =E2=80=9CI=20
really just want to go home. Sit in my back yard, where everything=20
is familiar, and unwind. Right now I=E2=80=99m not even sure I want to stay=
=20
in the Watchers.=E2=80=9D She added, with yet another subtle bit of=20
honesty. =E2=80=9CI need to take some time and evaluate my life. Nothing=20
like almost getting killed to make you want to think, you know what I=20
mean?=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CI do. You want to talk to Mike now, he is here both glaring at me,=
=20
and making a worried expression at the same time. I=E2=80=99d take a pictur=
e=20
of it for you if I had a camera.=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CYes please,=E2=80=9D she replied, =E2=80=9CI need to give him a new=
phone number for=20
me.=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9COk, I=E2=80=99ll let you go. You give me a call when you get home=20=
and let=20
me know you are all right, ok Susie-q?=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9COk Joe. I=E2=80=99ll do that.=E2=80=9D She answered.
She could hear a shuffling in the background, then Mike=E2=80=99s familiar=20
voice filled her ear. =E2=80=9CSue? You doing ok?=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CYeah Mike. I bought a new phone. Wanted to give you the number so=
=20
you could get a hold of me when things were sorted out. I didn=E2=80=99t=20
expect things to move so fast on your end. Oh well, I=E2=80=99ll give you=20
the number anyhow. You ready?=E2=80=9D she asked.
=E2=80=9CGo ahead.=E2=80=9D He answered.
=E2=80=9COk, it=E2=80=99s area code 478, and the number is 411, 1975. Got t=
hat?=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9C478 411 1975. Got it.=E2=80=9D He answered.
=E2=80=9COk, do me a favor, and give it to Joe as well. I=E2=80=99m going t=
o leave=20
here in the morning and head back to L.A. I think I want to drive,=20
so I=E2=80=99ll be a while getting there.=E2=80=9D=20
=E2=80=9CWill do. Why do you want to drive?=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9C=E2=80=99Cause it=E2=80=99ll give me some time to think. I just to=
ld Joe, I=E2=80=99m=20
thinking about leaving the Watchers.=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9CWhat!=E2=80=9D Mike exclaimed.
=E2=80=9CHeh, I=E2=80=99m not quite handing in my resignation sheet yet, jus=
t=20
considering it. Like I told Joe, there=E2=80=99s nothing like almost gettin=
g=20
killed to make you want to re-examine your life.=E2=80=9D She explained.
=E2=80=9COk, I understand. But promise you will talk to me some more before=
=20
you make any decisions. Like Joe said, your father would be proud of=20
you and the way you handled yourself. I know I am. You are a top=20
notch watcher, even though you are less than six months out of the=20
academy. I can honestly say I have never seen anyone with your raw=20
talent. It would be a shame to throw all that away. But if that is=20
what you want, I will promise to support you in your decision. Just=20
promise me to give me a chance to change your mind before you do=20
anything final, ok?=E2=80=9D Mike responded.
In the background, Sue could hear Joe saying softly =E2=80=9CMike, give it a=
=20
rest, the girl has just been through hell. She needs time to think. =20
Push her now, and you could just push her away.=E2=80=9D
Sue herself responded =E2=80=9CI=E2=80=99ll do so Mike. I promise. Look, I=
gotta go=20
now. I just wanted to check in and give you this number before I=20
went back to bed to get some more rest. I promise I=E2=80=99ll call again=20
tomorrow. Ok?=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=9COk. Take care, and I=E2=80=99ll talk to you again tomorrow.=E2=80=
=9D Mike replied.
Hanging up the phone, Sue turned at last to Ed=E2=80=99s Laptop. She pulled=
=20
it out of the case, opened it up, and turned it on.
As the screen glowed to life, she noticed it was asking for a BIOS=20
password.
Confidently she reached out to the keyboard, placed her hands on the=20
keys, and just sat there. Much like when she had tried out the sword=20
earlier, what she had expected didn=E2=80=99t work. Unlike the day before,=20
when she seemed to be more Ed than Sue, now there was no Ed left at=20
all. Not even a slight echo. She was all alone. It frightened her.
Turning the laptop back off, she stripped off her pants and socks,=20
pulled on the sleep shirt, locked and bolted the door, and climbed=20
back on the bed to get some more rest. Closing her eyes against the=20
afternoon sun slanting in through the drawn curtains, she tried to=20
relax and go back to sleep. Perhaps tomorrow would be a better day. =20
At least no one had tried to kill her today.
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
=20
To be continued in Chapter Seven - "Where Are We Really If We Are Nowhere=20
At All" - Coming Friday, 4-16