========================================================================= Date: Wed, 6 Mar 1996 12:33:24 -0500 Reply-To: JJSWBT@AOL.COM Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Wendy Tillis Subject: Hidden Potential 11/22 Hidden Potential By: Wendy Tillis March 1996 All standard disclaimers apply. Chapter 11 Methos looked down at the note in his hand. He had stopped by Joe's Place earlier that day to see Joe. Joe had been out but Dave had given Methos this note. Dave hadn't known who had left it - he had found it by the cash register when he came in that morning. On the envelope was printed "Adam Pierson". Inside a white sheet of paper folded in quarters. On it was written: Convent of St. Gabrielle, 3:00pm. Cemetery. Left fork. Bench. It was signed "M". He hadn't even thought twice about the meeting. After all, a cemetery was holy ground. He was safe enough. And the curiosity was killing him. He had driven out a bit early since he had never been near the convent. It was west of town near Redmond. Once there, he found the cemetery easily enough. Just inside the gates, the road forked. He drove left for about a quarter mile. There, he saw a place to pull the car off the road. A stone bench was located back off the road perhaps 30 feet. He went over to it and sat down. It was 2:45. At 3:05 he felt the presence of an Immortal. Turning away from the road, toward a grove of trees, he saw Maggie Grant approaching. He stood up and waited for her. " Hello Mykos." "So it is you, Magda." He stepped towards her and she came into his arms. They kissed. When a few moments had passed , she gently disengaged herself from him and went back to sit on the bench. Methos followed. " I couldn't believe it was you last night at Joe's. I thought you dead. Lost in the mists of time." " Not me, you know how hard I am to kill." She laughed." "You're not still holding that against me? It was a very long time ago and it *was* an accident." " I know, Mykos. It was a joke. But - did you really think me dead? I thought I taught you better than that." "Oh yes, I remember. What *was* that saying you used to repeat constantly? 'I was the alpha and I have every intention of being the omega?' That was it." " Oh my. Did I really say that? How pompous." Methos was laughing now. "Yes. You were insufferably smug. I don't know how I stood you all those years." He took her hand in his. "Hmmm. Perhaps I had other charms?" They stopped talking for a moment, lost in ancient memories. Finally Methos spoke. " So, you found it. The secret. I never thought it was real. I thought it was just an excuse you used to leave me." " Mykos! It was time for me to leave. You needed to get back on your own again. You were beginning to rely on my sword to save you when you should have been saving yourself. When I got word that the holy man had been sighted in India- I knew it was time. And look at you - still here 3000 years later. Adam Pierson - mild mannered Watcher. I see you took my advise about that." " Yes. You were right there too. Damn you. You were always right. I've been a Watcher many times since then. They couldn't find any real trace of me - the real me - if they tried for a century." " Good. Remember. Individual Watchers may be your friends - but as a group they are dangerous to us. They always have been , always will be. Don't trust them - not with your life." "Yes - Master" He grinned at her as he bowed in mock subservience. " OK. I'll stop. I'll stop." Again conversation died as they looked at each other. " Can you tell me about it? What happened after you left me? Where did you go." "I can tell you some of it - for it would be a very long tale if told in full. I left you in Crete and went up into India. I followed lead after lead - mostly down dead ends. After about 100 years I met an Immortal, Chen Li-Wah. He was searching for the holy man too. We went on together. About 30 years later, we were in a small village in the foothills of the Himalayas. We had stopped for water and a rest. When we asked for the holy man, as we had asked in hundreds of other villager before, all the villagers got very quiet - they were obviously hiding something. So we searched the village and found him. Sound asleep - drunk actually- in his hut. After he sobered up and we convinced him that we meant him no harm, he agreed to teach us his secret - for a price." " What kind of price? Did he have other students? Had he taught this 'trick' to other Immortals?" " No. He said there were no others. Others *had* tried but none had been able to master the trick. As to the price - we were both to stay on for 100 years - as his slaves. If we served him faithfully for 100 years, he would teach us. We assumed he didn't wish to pass this ability onto any who were unworthy. Ha!" " That wasn't the reason?" " No. In truth he was a nasty, lazy old man. He had become Immortal late in his life and he was very bitter over his lost youth. For 100 years we waited on him hand and foot. Hunted for him, grew food for him, cooked for him, washed his clothes, cleaned his hut, amused him. Slept with him when he wished. Carried things from here to there for no apparent reason. Many times we both felt like leaving but together Li-Wah and I managed to last it out. At the end of the hundred years, he did begin to teach us how to disguise what we were. And it was as hard, no -harder, than I had expected. Much harder. It sounded so simple - to focus one's inner thoughts on that which we wanted to silence. To concentrate, isolate the "noise" and slowly but surely dampen it. But of course, not only did one have to turn inward to find and dampen the part of us that recognizes another of our kind - one also had to be able to go on about one's everyday life. Eat, drink, walk, talk, fight , make love - all without letting down one's internal guard. It took 300 years to master it. But I did it. Li-Wah couldn't do it. He tried - how he tried! - but he could never eliminate the "noise" completely. I think he tried *too* hard - he couldn't find the inner quiet it took to create the outer silence. Finally, I was ready to leave. The holy man was very upset. He wanted me to stay and serve him for another 100 years - further payment he said. But he ordered Li-Wah to leave -called him a failure. Li-Wah snapped. I should have seen it coming. He had been chafing under the old man's control for too long. Li-Wah pulled his sword and took our teacher's head before I could intervene. And then I - I took Li-Wah's head. I shouldn't have - I think we had all been under too much pressure for too long." Methos was fascinated. " So what happened then?" "Then? Nothing really. I hiked down out of the foothills - 400 years after I hiked in. That was . . let me see. . . about 600 BC, I suppose. I went on up into Europe eventually. Back to England for a while - stopped by Stonehenge. I went on with my life. You know how it is - a few decades here, a few decades there. Mostly I stayed out of the light - doing nothing that would draw attention to myself. There were some good times. And some bad." "And you never thought to look for me? " " Oh, I thought about it, Mykos. But - I knew you were alive. I met other Immortals along the way. Some had seen you. I also checked the Watcher chronicles now and then through the ages. I'd find vague passages about the tall, thin dark haired Immortal with the big nose < Methos punched her lightly in the arm with a laugh> and I'd know you were alive. I knew it wasn't a good thing to find you again - not until enough time had passed that we could meet as friends - but nothing more." They ran out of words again. She reached over and ruffled the short hair on his head. " You cut it. I always loved those long dark curls. Though, this suits you too." " And you - still with the hair down to your bum. I can't remember how many times I woke up with that red hair wrapped around my throat thinking I was being strangled. Once, I almost cut it off while you slept." "Ha- you loved it and you know it. Forever running your hands through it. I learned ages ago that most men can't resist a woman with long hair as long as they are allowed to play with it." More silence. Then Methos asked a question that had been bothering him since he had realized what she could do. " It gives you quite an advantage , doesn't it? Part of the Game has always been that we fight fair. Face-to-face. But you - you can take a head from behind, without warning. You must have racked up quite a score." " Do you think I would do that? Do you think so little of me?" Methos looked away - remembering all the years they had spent together. He had seen her kill a lot a of men - and women. But it had always been in duels or in battles. He couldn't imagine her striking from behind. On the other hand, he hadn't seen her in over 3000 years. Even Immortals can change if they live long enough. He *wanted* to believe that she wouldn't use her secret ability to collect heads. She sighed: "I see." " In fact, it doesn't work that way. During the times that I am - undercover? - I am unable to sense other Immortals. It's a two way street. I might pass a hundred Immortals but if they can't 'feel' me, I can't 'feel' them. Now, I suppose I could figure out who they are by trailing around after them -waiting for them to live too long or take a head. But that's a lot of work. And, of course, there are those that I *know* are Immortals - such as you. I could sneak up on you and take your head, couldn't I? I should - no one has ever learned my secret and lived to tell of it." She sounded irritated and Methos supposed he couldn't blame her. "You could. But I don't think you will. If you wanted me dead, you could have arranged to meet me somewhere off holy ground and killed me there. And I think you know that your secret is safe with me. I would never betray you. I love you. Always have, always will." " I know Mykos. And I love you, too. In my own twisted way, but our time has passed. Or perhaps it just hasn't come round again. We'll see - maybe in another 1000 years." "It's a date. Now - tell me. What *are* you doing here? And with Richie, for God's sake. He's just a boy. And why did you stick around after you died so publicly at the hospital? And . . what about the Highlander? You've got a problem there, you know. And what about. . ." "Enough!!" They both laughed now. "Too many questions and I have a date with that *boy* in a few hours. Tell you what - come by the house tomorrow. Come early and I'll make breakfast. And I'll explain how someone with as much experience as I have ends up in such a mess." " I'll be there. Do you need a ride?" Methos motioned vaguely at his car. " No, my car is behind those trees. I'll see you tomorrow." He reached out and took her hands, pulling her closer. He tried to kiss her again, but she remained rigid and he let her go. She reached up and brushed her hand down his cheek. " Dearest Methos. Do us both a favor. Don't stick around too long. I may be able to handle Richie and MacLeod at the same time. I don't think I can handle all three of you." Methos turned and walked away without speaking, not trusting what he might say. He thought he might ask Joe for a new assignment. Time for something different, maybe in Russia. He hadn't been there in a long time. Yes, Russia might be just the spot. Lots of vodka and very friendly girls. Maggie watched him drive away. Dearest Methos. They had had some great times together. But now she had other things to think about. What *was* she going to do with Richie?