========================================================================= Date: Wed, 17 Apr 1996 21:45:00 PDT Reply-To: Mike Goldman Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Mike Goldman Subject: "A Dangerous Game" (16/22) "There's too much at stake..." After several moments, she straightened up slowly and staggered over to the side of the cage nearest Joe and Anne, grabbing the links between her fingers. "Listen to me!" she said urgently. "I don't want help. If I can't do this on my own, then I don't need to be alive anymore--I'll kill myself somehow before he takes over entirely." "That's insane!" Joe blurted, "You can't do this on your own--Kijewski's already becoming stronger than you!" "Then it's been a nice life, hasn't it?" was the reply. Richie appeared halfway down the stairs. "You have to let them help you." he said. "Help me *what*?" Rory snarled. "Live as a doped-up, half-awake, half-aware shell? Some Immortal I'm going to be if I'm so drugged I can't even defend myself!" Richie came down the rest of the stairs and joined Joe and Anne. "You have to keep trying." he urged. "Who are *you* to tell me that, little boy?" she yelled back at him, "You haven't even figured out that Immortality isn't an endless series of frat boy parties!" The words stung and Richie tried not to show it, but he was sure everyone could read his emotions on his face. "So what about Joe?" he asked, searching for some ammunition of his own. "Where does he rate in this little scenario?" Rory stared at him for a moment and then kicked the cage violently in utter frustration. She could yell and scream all she wanted, but she still couldn't deny that part of her did want to live because of Joe. "I know you know what happened in Paris with Stefan. What I can't understand is why you won't tell us--tell *me*--about it so we can help you." said Joe, the expression on his face matching the frustration in his voice. Coming close to the cage, his strong, calloused fingers grabbed hers. "I don't want to lose you because of your stupid stubbornness. If you won't help yourself, we'll do it for you." He looked over at Richie. "Open the gate and keep your sword ready. If she tries to move, use it." Rory tried to yank her fingers away from his, but he held on grimly. "Do it, Richie!" he barked. Fingers fumbling, Richie got the lock open and advanced slowly into the enclosure, keeping his sword approximately chest level. Anne slipped in underneath him with a filled syringe. Rory kept her eyes closed as Anne gave the injection, then she and Richie backed out and Richie relocked the gate. Joe and Rory looked at each other for a long moment, then Rory pulled her fingers away and returned to her seated position on the floor, refusing to look at anyone. Anne took one more look back as they startd back upstairs and herheart nearly broke at the longing look she caught Rory giving Joe before they left the basement. Joe made no comment when they came back upstairs, merely picked up the journal he'd been reading earlier and settled back down with it. Richie and Anne looked at each other, thought better of it, then picked up journals and sat down on the couch. After about half an hour, Anne put hers down. "I'm sorry, Joe," she apologized, "but I really need to get going--I have a prenatal appointment today." "That's OK." he responded. "Appreciate your help." She got up and grabbed her purse. "I'll try to get back here to check if my patient needs any more medication." She bent awkwardly, hugged Joe, and then left. Richie looked up at Joe who looked back at him. "Read." was all the older man said. Richie bent industriously back over his journal. An hour later, Joe tossed his on the coffee table. "Well, beyond learning that Rory and Amanda are most definitely *not* good influences on each other, nothing here." He reached over and grabbed another one, flipping it open. A short time later, Richie coughed. "Joe?" he said. "I've got something here, but I don't think you're going to like it." Joe put his own journal down. "Tell me." Lori mgoldman@cts.com Bass Player/Musical Director for the SJD Kick-Ass House Band CFW/WAR Chief for Smokin' Joe Dawson in the first HL WAR