Date: Fri, 9 Feb 1996 12:50:42 EST Reply-To: Vi Moreau Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Vi Moreau Subject: ELENA IN PARIS, PART VII ELENA IN PARIS Part VII The very next day Elena was in the stacks of one of the small book collections at the Sorbonne, a musty smell in the air. As much as she loved books, she was beginning to get tired of them, she knew how Richie felt...Then she felt the Immortal. She couldn't tell one Immortal buzz from another-- but this particular presence was different, overwhelming her. For a brief moment, until she adjusted, she found it difficult to even think. It was like playing the same Immortal melody but fortissimo and in a different key, and had a kind of...depth that she hadn't felt before; it seemed to resonate in her head, filling it, like an echo; and it reminded her of... ********************************************** "Darius!" says Don Alvaro with a flourish. The man before her is very tall and thin. He is dressed like a monk, his brown hood pushed back, his dark hair cropped. Elena has been taught from the cradle to revere all things of the Holy Mother Church, so she automatically respects this priest. But she fails to see any trace of the great warrior he was supposed to be. His smile is so friendly he looks harmless, and so genuine it makes her warm up to him immediately. But his most unusual aspect is his Immortal presence. It seems substantially stronger that that of any other Immortal she's come across (all two of them) and reverberates in her head like a Church hymn. It's so real she feels she can almost reach out and touch it. "Don Alvaro Duran y Agramonte! How nice to see you again, old friend. And this child--she's charming! I am very pleased to meet you. Please sit down, both of you. Some tea?" He proceeds to serve them a concoction so vile it makes Elena choke, but she dutifully swallows it, listening with half an ear to the the men speaking in Latin (a language she has been struggling with for twenty years now). He suddenly turns to her, and in flawless Spanish says, "You are so fortunate, Elena, to have met up with Don Alvaro. He is a 'caballero' of the old school, and although a bit too bloodthirsty for my taste, a splendid man all around!" "Yes, I know how lucky I am!" Don Alvaro laughed, obviously pleased. "We can't all be holy like you, Darius, or stay on Holy Ground. We each have our job to do, right? And she's turning out to be my best student! But you should talk about being bloodthirsty, with the battles you've fought! I'd like you particularly to tell Elena about your siege of Paris." "There's not much to tell," he says modestly, but proceeds to spin a fascinating tale about war and peace. Elena is mesmerized. Over the next few weeks he manages to teach her chess, a game Don Alvaro loves but feels she is too impatient to learn. They have great conversations about every possible subject, and she leaves knowing more Latin and with a new appreciation of what can be achieved with a long life. When Don Alvaro is taken five years later, the first person Elena thinks to run to for comfort and protection is Darius, and he helps to soothe the unbearable pain and solitude she feels. In his presence, her mind and heart are full. ************************************************* "Methos!" She was looking at the most unobtrusive of men--short, thin, with possibly a vague Middle Eastern cast (Sumerian? she wondered, Babylonian? Egyptian?), he looked nothing like what she expected, then realized Methos had survived for five thousand years on brains, not brawn, and probably by being overlooked, not by drawing attention to himself. Yet, she wondered... He bowed with a rather mocking smile. "You're wondering what my Quickening would be like, and even thinking I don't look so tough, how can you go about taking my head." It was a statement, not a question, and Elena couldn't help smiling. He was perceptive and blunt, two qualities she admired. "And you're thinking that you're much too clever and quick to be taken, especially by a mere woman." "I gave up the idea that women were the weaker sex centuries ago! As a matter of fact, I believe the female is the deadlier of the species, and if I'm any judge, you are a particularly dangerous specimen." He put down his book and stood--she didn't fail to notice there was a table between them--but if he was in the least bit nervous he gave absolutely no sign of it. 'Five thousand years would tend to make you the ultimate Mr. Cool,' she thought. She said, "I'm Elena Conchita Duran y Agramonte, and I'll take that as a compliment!" "It was meant to be, and that sounds like the beginning of a challenge. Is it?" "No! Actually, Duncan MacLeod and I have been looking for you for days..." "Ah, you're a friend of Duncan's! He always had exquisite taste in women!" Elena smiled. "Another compliment! You are either the most gracious man alive, or very scared and not showing it in the least." "Which do you think?" "We can talk about it over lunch. I'm supposed to meet Duncan at Chez Armand at noon. Won't you join us?" He nodded, studying her. "You suit him. Duncan needs a strong person beside him. I hope that means Amanda is free." Elena thought back to Amanda and Richie. "You can ask her yourself--she's been looking for you too." She looked at her watch. "The Metro station, or do you have a car?" Methos hadn't moved. "Tell me why I should trust you, Senorita." She sighed. "I can't think of a reason. But at least before you go, let me warn you..." Methos came around the table suddenly. "I'll come with you." He looked her up and down carefully. "You fought him, didn't you?" he asked. Elena was surprised. "Yes!" "I thought so," he smiled, and walked past her, brushing against her shoulder. It suddenly occurred to Elena that while discussing how he didn't trust her, she hadn't thought about not trusting him, and he had managed to get within striking distance, and she'd let him! She shook her head--very clever! 'I'll have to be very alert with this one,' she thought, as she followed him out. Duncan was sitting at an outdoor table, sipping wine, when he felt another Immortal. This time, however, it felt stronger than usual, and he assumed it was more than one. He easily spotted Elena and Methos, walking toward him, arm in arm. She looked breathtakingly beautiful, with her long hair, long legs, and that incredibly strong spark of life. And she was laughing out loud! Duncan had never seen Elena actually laugh--well, only giggle and make that amused sound deep in her throat when he...They walked up to him. Elena was laughing so hard she was unable to speak! Duncan signalled to the waiter, then said, "Hello, Methos," smiling broadly. He wrapped Elena up in one arm. "What's the joke?" Elena wiped the tears from her eyes. That was one she hadn't heard, and she suspected Methos had a thousand such funny stories. What a delightful, charming man he was! Although she still didn't completely trust him, she figured dying laughing wouldn't be such a bad way to go. But now, looking at Duncan, she felt her heart turn over as she always did. He was so beautiful, and so kind, and he was hers! She pressed against him. Methos looked from one to the other. "Duncan, I approve. Elena is wonderful! I haven't been in such charming company in a century! And you two are perfect together, like Katharina and Petruchio!" "But they were always fighting! And believe me, there's no taming this one! I wouldn't want to anyway." "Well, I didn't want to say Romeo and Juliet, because they both died in the end," said Methos. "And don't say Antony and Cleopatra. I've already heard all about them from someone who was there," said Elena. "And who said I wasn't there?" smiled Methos. "Besides, they both died in the end too," she added, turning serious. "My dear girl, everyone dies in the end. Even us," he replied, also serious. Duncan looked around. The last time he had been at this restaurant he and his companion had been shot at by Horton's Hunters. Now Rios's Hunters were after them. He sighed. Did nothing ever change? But Methos was proposing a toast, and Duncan quickly snatched up his glass. "To young love, and the time to enjoy it!" Duncan and Elena both looked at Methos closely, thinking he was making fun of them, but he seemed perfectly sincere, so they drank. Then Methos added, "Now tell me what great danger you wish to warn me about." Duncan and Elena caught him up, but Methos' reply was typical. "These Hunters have been around since Immortals have been around. They still haven't managed to destroy us! And, really, what is the worst they can do? Take our heads?" "You really don't care?" asked Elena. "It's not that I don't care, it's just that...to coin a current phrase, 'been there, done that, got the t-shirt.' Do you understand?" "Not completely, but I can see...what you mean. You think life has no more surprises for you." "I rather think death would be a surprise." Duncan had heard all this before, but he was too much of a survivor to agree. Or maybe too young. "Well, if you don't mind, some of us enjoy your company and your funny stories," said Duncan, glancing at Elena, "and would like to have you around for a while longer. Also, if they kill you, everything you have learned will be lost, like it was with Darius." "Yes, I heard about Darius. Never met him. Pity. I guess I haven't done everything. But you're right--if these Hunters take my head, I hope you're around to take the Quickening, Duncan. Although it may be more than you can handle," he added, winking at Elena. "We can protect you. Elena is a good fighter, and you know me, I'm willing to..." "Yes, I know, Duncan, but anonymity has always been my best protection. Actually, if you're being watched now, they've seen me with you, and I might be in real trouble." He said this with a sardonic smile. Duncan looked around again, this time alarmed. "Don't worry, I intend to stick around with you for a bit, if only to see Amanda again. Also, if you're in Paris, I'm sure Dawson is too. I haven't seen him in a while." Duncan felt uncomfortable on the subject of Amanda, but decided to let him find out for himself. "We can meet Amanda back at the barge, if you think it's safe. As for Dawson, he is here, and he's worried about you." "Dawson was always a worrier. Shall we go?" They paid and left the restaurant. Duncan's car was around the corner, but before they reached it he took Elena's hand and crossed the street, Methos following. "There's someone behind us," he said to them. "I thought I was just being paranoid because when I looked I didn't see anyone," she said. "You're not paranoid if they're really out to get you," replied Duncan. "An old man in a grey overcoat," contributed Methos. Duncan nodded. They slowed down, and at a prearranged moment Duncan and Elena suddenly turned around and grabbed the man, each under one arm, and hustled him into an alleyway. Duncan kicked a door open. It was a deserted passageway, and they slammed the man hard against the wall, knocking the wind out of him. He had a tatoo. 'Que sorpresa!' thought Elena. Duncan held him up by his right arm; Elena by his left. As soon as she had his complete attention she pulled a short dagger out of thin air and pressed the tip against his lower eyelid. Psychological warfare. He froze, looking at her in terror. "Let's make this very simple. You know who I am. Now. No denials, no second chances. Just talk or die." She spoke in English, and there was a chance he wouldn't understand it, but he said, "Look, I..." "Who sent you?" She could feel him tremble under her hand, but he remained silent. 'Why did they have to be so stubborn?' she raged inwardly. "Alright. One, two..." she lowered the dagger to his middle and pulled it back, ready to plunge in. She felt Duncan stiffen beside her, but ignored it. 'Just stay with me, Duncan, please!' she thought. Duncan wasn't about to let her kill this man. If he was a Watcher, he was basically innocent. If he was a Hunter, Duncan wanted a better chance to ask him questions, or to let him go and then follow him. But Elena had taken over, and all he could do was react to her. He hoped she was bluffing. "I'm a Watcher. You already know that. Just a Watcher, that's all." He had a New York Jewish accent. "Who sent you?" she asked again. "My superiors. Look, Senorita, if you're going to kill me, why don't you just get it over with before I embarass myself. But keep in mind that someone else will take my place. You may have eternal life, but we have eternal... determination. We won't give up." "You've made a fatal mistake here." "Yes, my mistake was letting you see me. You see, my previous assignment was...well...not too bright. He didn't last too long. Anyway, he never spotted me. I got careless. And you and your friend here, MacLeod, are very good." In spite of herself, Elena was intrigued. "What's your name?" "Bernie Liebowitz. From the Bronx. As if you couldn't tell the moment I opened my mouth." He looked from one Immortal to the other. "Believe me, I'm the most inoffensive person in the world. I haven't the slightest intention of harming you. I just observe. And even if I meant you any harm, which I don't, by the way, what could I do? I mean, I saw you a few nights ago with that humongous Russian, oy vey! I thought he'd have you for a late night snack! I don't know how you had the guts to face him! Actually, I feel nothing but admiration for you. And also quite a bit of fear." He paused, then said quiety, "Don't kill me." It was a sincere, simple request, and Duncan couldn't imagine her refusing it. He also believed that Bernie was either the genuine article or was in the same league as Laurence Olivier. But just in case, he didn't let him go. He saw Elena's knife hand relax slightly, but she could still kill him with one easy thrust. He just didn't think she wanted to anymore. She didn't, and she wouldn't anyway, because she'd given her word, to Dawson of all people. In the last two years Elena had heard a lot of men and women ask her not to kill them. She had always ignored the request--until now. "Bernie," she began, "I like you." "Well that's a relief!" "That's why I'm going to let you go this time. But when I see you again, I'll kill you. Do you understand?" "Oh, don't say that! I thought we'd established, well, some sort of rapport here." "You think I'm joking!" "No, believe me, I take you very seriously! I know that you've killed other Watchers, and not just with a single clean knife thrust, either. But I figured, what the hell, it's my last assignment, I might as well go out with a bang. When you think about it, watching a beautiful young woman is not too bad for a man my age. Even if she is a killer." In spite of her instinctive dislike for Watchers, Elena couldn't help smiling. She released him and so did Duncan; apparently he agreed with her decision. "You're taking all the fun out of this, Bernie." "I'm sorry." "Go home and stay away from me. You're just in harm's way, and even if I don't kill you on sight, I'll do nothing to keep you from being killed." They walked out into the alley where Methos was waiting. "Not one of the Hunters, I take it," said Methos. "I hope not," answered Duncan. When they got back to the barge, Methos said, "You moved the barge, but I think they'll find you anyway." Duncan gave him a disgusted look. There was a buzz from inside, and he hoped it was Richie and/or Amanda. The last thing he needed now was a challenge like Elena had had. When they came inside Amanda handed Elena the phone and called out, "Methos! How wonderful to see you again! Let me introduce you to Richard Ryan...." Duncan watched as Elena said, "Duran." There was a long silence, then, "What are you saying?" She listened and closed her eyes. Duncan came closer. "If this is a trap, Bernie, you'd better pray that they take all our heads." Her voice was chilling. Then Duncan distinctly heard Dawson's voice, and Elena said, "Thank Bernie for me, Dawson. And thank YOU." She felt a thrill. "!'Al fin encontramos a esos asesinos'!" she murmured "!'Ahora si! !Gracias a Dios'!" She turned to the others and announced, "We have them!" End of ELENA IN PARIS Part VII Translations: 'caballero' - gentleman/knight 'que sorpresa' - what a surprise !'al fin encontramos a esos asesinos'! - we finally found those killers! !'ahora si'! - yessss!!! !'gracias a Dios'! - thank God! copyright by Vivian Moreau, 1995 =========================================================================