Date: Thu, 6 Jul 1995 15:28:26 -0500 Reply-To: Julia Kosatka Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Julia Kosatka Subject: In the Dark, part 8/17 Scully shifted her attention to the woman. Mulder was carefully peeling the duct tape from her mouth, and her dusky skin seemed to have taken on an oddly ashen tone that Scully didn't like at all. "Where are you hurt?" she asked, examining her, looking for the telltale leakage of blood. "That shot hit you, didn't it?" The woman nodded, her lower lip caught in her teeth. After a moment she sucked in a breath. "It grazed my arm, that's all. I'll be okay. Get my hands and feet free, please! I've got to find Duncan and help him!" "He's in no danger now, we killed the man who was holding you hostage here." "You killed *one* of them, but not the really dangerous one. Come *on*, get me loose!" "*One* of them?" Scully looked blankly at Mulder. That was something they hadn't even thought of. "There are two of them?" The woman nodded frantically. "Yes! Damn it, let me go to him..." "Where did they go?" Mulder asked calmly. "There..." she nodded toward the west wall, the one that let out onto the dock area. "They're out there." her gaze shifted to Mulder, and her eyes seemed to hold his. "I know they are, I can feel them. I have to help! You've got to let me help." Scully was only half listening as she began to rip open the woman's blood-soaked sleeve to bare the wound on her arm, but Joe's intense response to that plea made her look up. "Guinan, no! You don't know what you're doing. Duncan doesn't need any help!" "Yes he does! You don't know what this guy is like!" "Yes, I do, and believe me, Duncan would not want help, especially not you and a horde of cops!. He can handle Dane." "No, he can't. Dane's *evil*, Joe, like nothing I've ever met before. He's as dark as Duncan is light, maybe even more so. He might..." she broke off and looked at Mulder. "Go to him. If you won't let me help, you go. Don't let him face the darkness alone." Something about her voice was incredibly compelling. Mulder looked at her, then at Scully. He held out his hand. She hesitated for a moment, then she put her gun in his hand. "Be careful this time." He nodded, and headed for the door. Scully watched him, wondering why on *earth* she had just handed him her gun, and why she was letting him do this. She started to call out, to tell the SWAT team to go after him, but the woman put a hand on her arm. "Please, let him go alone. It will be all right." Again Dana felt compelled to do as she'd been asked. She settled back down to examine the wound on the woman's arm. It was just a graze, but there was something odd about her blood, and look of the wound. She wished there were better light in the room, and that she had proper equipment, but she didn't. Where were the paramedics, for god's sake? For lack of anything better, she folded a piece of the woman's ripped sleeve into a pad which she held to the wound to stanch the bleeding. "How do you feel?" "Like I've been shot," Guinan said drily. "But it's not that bad now that I've gotten more accustomed to it. I'll be fine." Dana studied her, noting that her color had improved somewhat. She nodded non-commitally. "We'll let the paramedics make that determination when they get here." Guinan stiffened suddenly. "Paramedics? No... I can't. I'm fine. I don't need to be treated." Joe looked at her, annoyed. "Don't be a damned martyr, Guinan. Have it looked at. I'm going to have my head examined... something people are forever telling me I need to do." he said with a chuckle. "I want to make sure you're okay. You shouldn't have been mixed up in this to begin with." Guinan snorted. "You can say that again. But there's no need to worry, everything is fine, I assure you. Now would one of you *please* get this damned tape off me?" Joe nodded and dug a folding knife from his pocket, which he opened and used carefully to slice through the tough silvery tape. Guinan stretched her legs, then flexed her arms, hissing slightly in pain from the wound. Suddenly she turned toward the far wall, as if she could somehow see through it. "Quiet... let me hear..." Hear *what*, Dana wondered, unable to hear anything but the SWAT guys. She vaguely thought she ought to be concerned about Mulder being out there with a killer, but it was just a stray thought. She returned to what she was doing. **** Subject: In the Dark 7/14 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mulder moved quietly and quickly around behind the building to a dock-like area. He stopped, staring at the two figures he saw. One was the guy in photograph that Bennett had shown him, Duncan MacLeod. The other was slighter, better dressed, and completely unfamiliar. It certainly wasn't Nash. It must be the man that Guinan had called "Dane." The one she had said was the `dangerous one.'They were fencing. No, he corrected himself, they were *fighting*. This was no genteel match with button-tipped foils, this was a lethal fight. He watched for a moment, trying to figure out if he could get a shot off without accidentally hitting the wrong duelist. How many times had this scene been played out throughout MacLeod's lifetime, and how long had that lifetime had been? Decades, centuries, millennia? The smaller man circled MacLeod, who turned with him, waiting, watching. He struck suddenly, and MacLeod brought his blade up and blocked the cut. Dane turned and struck out again with astonishing speed, and they engaged again. It was clear that MacLeod was stronger and better-trained than Dane, however Dane seemed to have the advantage of speed. As Mulder watched, MacLeod managed to bring his sword in under Dane's and parried it with a circular motion that neatly disarmed his opponent. Dane stood there for a moment, looking utterly stunned, then as MacLeod drew back the katana for the final blow, Dane slowly began to smile. His smile was both knowing, and unnerving, and MacLeod stopped, eyes narrowed. Mulder raised his gun and started to step forward, but stopped as MacLeod spoke. He wanted to hear what they had to say, and he could wait a moment to declare his presence. "What?" MacLeod growled. "It won't do any good for you to kill me, you know." "What are you talking about?" "Your friends are dead anyway, you know that. Conroy took care of them, you heard those shots." MacLeod's stance shifted slightly, angling toward the warehouse, though still keeping Dane in his field of vision. Dane's words obviously disturbed him. MacLeod was clearly weighing his options, and Dane took advantage of the momentary pause to dart to the side and pick up his sword. MacLeod reacted to the threat by bringing up the tip of his blade, but he didn't attack. "Conroy? What's your *Watcher* got to do with this?" Dane chuckled. "Everything. It's him you know, not me. He's been killing them." "Tell me another one!" MacLeod scoffed. "But it's true, he's trying to become one of us!" MacLeod scowled. "Don't be ridiculous. That's impossible. You have to be born an immortal!" "*He* doesn't know that. It was remarkably easy to convince him otherwise." "You told him he could become an Immortal by *killing* us?" MacLeod asked incredulously. "Oh, not just *us*, anyone. I told him that it's how we all got to be what we are. I told him that there was a critical threshold of deaths that it would take, and he's been trying faithfully to reach that goal. It's a shame he won't get the reward he's been seeking. He's been such a good disciple. Who shall we go after next, hmmm? How about... what's his name... Richie?" "Damn it, Dane! What do you want?" MacLeod's voice was harsh with anger. "Right this moment? Oh, watching the expression on your face when you walk into that warehouse would be nice. Perhaps they're not quite dead yet... lying there bleeding, dying, as we fight." He chuckled. "What a delightful thought. *Eventually*, I want your head, of course. Give me your blade and perhaps I'll let Richie live... for now." MacLeod's expression fairly reeked of disgust. "You're sick, Dane, you always were, however I think you'll leave him alone if I take your head. I can handle Conroy." Dane grinned. "A child could handle Conroy, *I*, on the other hand, won't be so easy." He lunged toward MacLeod, who swore and barely managed to block a sweeping upward slash from below that made Mulder flinch in masculine sympathy. That had been awfully close to the family jewels. Dane seemed maniacal in his intensity, coming after him with grim determination. MacLeod blocked, and blocked, time after time, and began to maneuver himself toward the edge of the dock. Mulder wondered if he was planning a dive into the river in order to escape. Dane suddenly seemed to realize what he was doing, for he moved between MacLeod and the water. "Oh no you don't! I've waited far too long for this!" He cut low, and MacLeod blocked. Their swords rang with the clash of steel on steel, and before MacLeod could recover, Dane stepped back, disengaging, and lashed out with his blade laying open MacLeod's chest and abdomen in a diagonal slash. Mulder saw the bigger man stagger back, moving sluggishly, as if badly hurt. Dane grinned and drew back his own sword to strike. It was now or never. He stepped out of the shadows and drew a bead on Dane, Scully's Sig-Sauer held in both hands for stability. "FBI! Drop your weapons!" Dane turned and saw him, cursed roughly and moved to complete his stroke. "I said drop your weapons!" Mulder shouted again, louder. MacLeod did as he'd been ordered, simultaneously hitting the ground and rolling to avoid Dane's weapon as it came down. Mulder's finger tightened on the trigger, and a single shot shattered the stillness. Dane jerked backward, a grimace of pain on his face as his sword fell from nerveless fingers. A bright stain appeared on his right shoulder, just below the collarbone. He stared at MacLeod for a moment, his face feral with hatred, then he turned and let himself fall. A splash came a few seconds later. MacLeod cursed soundly, and looked over the edge. Mulder moved warily to join him, and saw no sign of Dane. "Damn, we'll have to drag the river." MacLeod looked at him, and he saw recognition in his face. He must have recognized him from Joe's earlier in the day. He looked back at the dark surface of the water, and shook his head. "You won't find a body," he said flatly. Mulder let out his breath, suddenly aware he'd been holding it. "Somehow I knew you were going to say that." "Then you should have let me take him." "From where I stood, it looked more like he was about to take you." "That was deliberate." Mulder studied him a moment, seeing the truth of that in his eyes, then sighed. "This seems to be my day for getting in the way. I'm Fox Mulder, FBI." There was a surreal quality to the moment, introducing himself as if they'd met at a party, but MacLeod took the hand that was extended to him. "Duncan MacLeod." "I know." MacLeod smiled dryly. "Somehow I knew you were going to say that," he said, echoing Mulder's earlier words. Mulder acknowledged him with an amused glance. "Scully talked to you, then?" "She did. She knew a few things that surprised me. You people don't strike me as the type who'd be interested in us." Mulder laughed silently. "You'd probably be surprised at what interests us. But in this case, it was logical. We were tracking an interstate killer." "Ah, yes. That explains some of it." MacLeod stared, unseeing, at the water, and Mulder wondered what he was thinking. "I don't suppose you'd care to give me some details on him; his name, where he lives, that sort of thing?" he prompted quietly. "It wouldn't do you any good. He can change them more easily than you can imagine." "Still, it would be nice to be able to make a complete report." "Frankly, I'd prefer it stay incomplete." Mulder's eyebrows lifted. MacLeod grinned ingratiatingly. "Does your report *have* to mention me?" Mulder chuckled. "D'you think I could convince Scully you're a figment of her imagination?" He paused a moment, reading MacLeod's expression, and shook his head with a slight smile. "I didn't think so either. Honestly, I don't think anyone ever reads my reports anyway, but in any case, it's clear from what I saw, and what I was told by your friends, that you're a victim here, not a perpetrator. However, we seem to have a plethora of victims, and I can probably get one of them to tell me about this guy if you won't." MacLeod's head snapped up, his eyes searching. "Joe? Guinan? They're alive?" Mulder remembered what Dane had told MacLeod and realized he must have thought them dead. He nodded. "I'm sorry, I should have told you earlier. They're fine. My partner brought the cavalry. She's good at that." "Where are they?" "Inside with Scully. She's showing off her doctoring skills at the moment. Your friend Guinan insisted I come out here and give you a hand." MacLeod eyed him narrowly. "Doctoring skills? I thought you said they were fine!" "They are, mostly. They're a bit banged up," Mulder gingerly rubbed the back of his head. "But then, so am I." His gaze fell to the bloody slash in MacLeod's shirt and he nodded toward it. "And so are you. You might want to get that taken care of." MacLeod glanced down, smiling slightly. "There's no need." Mulder's eyes narrowed as he realized there was no wound beneath the slash. He stared for a long moment, then lifted his gaze to MacLeod's. "That must be handy." "On occasion. It can also be very problematic." "Yes, I'd imagine it would. I'm sure there are a lot of people who'd like to know what makes you tick." He paused, thinking of his own experiences. "A lot of not-very-nice people." "Exactly. So you can see why I'd rather avoid any mention of it in your report." Mulder nodded. "There are... aspects of the case I don't have to report in as much detail as others." A noise from behind them brought Mulder's attention around, and when he turned back, he gestured at MacLeod's sword. "I think you'd better put that away before someone besides me sees it. I think the reinforcements are about to descend." MacLeod nodded and slipped his sword into concealment beneath his coat, buttoning it to hide the slash in his shirt. "You're not at all what I expected out of an FBI agent." Mulder gazed for a moment at the dark water below the dock, and then turned, his expression wry. "I don't think I'm quite what the *FBI* expected out of an FBI agent either." **** "Guinan, Joe! Thank God! I was afraid you were dead!" Guinan looked up to find Duncan standing over her. She'd been so distracted by Scully's fussing over her arm that she hadn't realized he'd come into the warehouse with the other FBI agent. She'd known he was safe, she'd felt his presence strongly, while Dane's presence had faded and disappeared; but still she felt a rush of relief at the sight of him. She saw the same emotion echoed on Duncan's expressive face. She pulled away from Scully and wrapped one arm around Joe and the other around Duncan, ignoring the fiery protest from her wound, and just held on. She realized a moment later that she wasn't the only one who was shaking. They stood like that for several moments, then finally she let them go. "Don't you guys *ever* scare me like that again!" she admonished them. "Me?" Duncan said, with mock offense. "What about *you*? How did this happen?" She felt a blush burning her cheeks and was glad her dark skin hid that from them. "He must have followed me from the bar. He and his friend snatched me right off the sidewalk. I've been one of those `never thought it could happen to me' types. I guess it's time to take some self- defense classes." "I'd say so!" He looked at Joe with concern. "Joe, do you feel as bad as you look?" Joe chuckled. "Nah, I'm okay, but they want me to go get an x-ray to be sure." "Do it. Concussion's nothing to fool around with." Duncan's gaze returned to Guinan. "What happened to your arm?" He hadn't missed her wince as she lowered her arm, or her torn sleeve. "Don't worry about me, it's just a scratch," she chuckled, relief making her feel a bit giddy. "You know, I've always wanted to say that." "I can't say that I'm glad you got the opportunity. You should have that looked at, too." "It's nothing." "It is just a graze, but it could easily get infected. Definitely have it treated," Scully put in from the sidelines where she'd been watching them with an amused expression. Her gaze shifted to Duncan. "So, you *were* coming here after all." MacLeod looked at her innocently. "Me? I was just in the neighborhood. You never know when you'll find a good real estate bargain. I see you managed to find the place without following me after all." "After all?" Mulder echoed, looking interested. Scully shot him a look that should have singed his eyebrows. Guinan looked from the petite redhead to Duncan and felt the flare of interest between them. At this point it was weighted a bit toward Dana Scully's side of the scale, but that could change easily. Duncan was still wary of the agent because of the situation, but as soon as the adrenaline wore off he'd be able to see her as a woman instead of a law officer. She stifled a sigh of regret. Even if she were allowed to indulge herself, he was better off with a human woman anyway. Her longevity would be a serious obstacle to overcome. She took a step back, removing herself from their line of sight, and looked at her arm. The bleeding had stopped, and she felt the telltale itch of healing flesh beginning in the deepest layers below the surface. With any luck, she wouldn't even have a scar. She was damned lucky it hadn't been any worse. If she'd been taken to a hospital, they'd have known within minutes that she wasn't human. In fact, if the light in the warehouse had been any better, her own blood would have betrayed her. Humans didn't bleed deep maroon. She was glad her black clothing hid the color of the blood it had absorbed. "Guinan? You okay?" She turned to find Joe regarding her closely. She nodded. "Just a little shaken up, that's all. You?" "The same. I can't believe Evan would *do* something like this! It's insane!" "What was he trying to do, anyway? What did he think he'd gain by killing us?" Joe's gaze slid away from hers and he shook his head gingerly. "Hell if I know, Guinan. It doesn't make any sense." She stared at him, her eyes narrowed. His words held a peculiar mixture of truth and falsehood that startled her. She'd never sensed him in a lie before, at least not one that wasn't just a social lie. This time, though, he *knew* something that he wasn't telling her. "Excuse me, Mr. Dawson, would you be able to answer a few questions for me?" Joe looked up at Mulder, obviously relieved by the interruption. Guinan shot him an `I'll get you later' look, and stood by quietly as Mulder began to speak. "We've found identification on this man indicating that his name is Evan Conroy. Did you know him?" Joe nodded. "We were acquainted, though not well. I knew him in connection with a bookstore I once owned." Guinan sensed another partial lie. Mulder looked as if he did too. "A bookstore?" he queried, clearly waiting for more. Joe nodded, and then hesitated a moment, as if he suspected the other man knew more than he let on. "We're also... fraternity brothers." Mulder nodded sagely, and seemed oddly amused. "A fraternity? I see. That would account for the tattoos then?" Guinan felt Joe's anxiety levels skyrocketing. He shot a glance at Duncan where he stood speaking to Scully. "I've already spoken to Mr. MacLeod." Mulder said quietly, as if to reassure him. "I know about your... fraternity. It's an interesting one. Its been around a *long* time hasn't it?" "A very long time." "And you have some very *old* members, don't you?" Joe's eyes were narrowed with suspicion. "I suppose that depends on your definition of old, doesn't it?" Mulder nodded. "It does." His shrewd gaze swept over Joe, moved to Duncan, then to Guinan. "And some people are a lot older than they seem, aren't they?" Guinan felt a flare of apprehension. Could he know? Had her cover been penetrated? Even if it hadn't, would her falsified background stand up to an FBI investigation? "They are." Joe said flatly. "Can I talk to you privately for a moment?" Mulder's eyes lit up. "Of course." He looked at Guinan. "Will you excuse us?" She nodded, she would be able to hear them no matter what, so it didn't matter if they thought they were private or not. She pretended interest in watching the people from the coroner's office loading Conroy's body onto a stretcher. "You're a Watcher, aren't you? And so was Conroy." Mulder asked Joe. "How the hell do you know about us?" Joe demanded. "I have good sources. Yes, I know about the Watchers, but you can relax. If you want to spend your life keeping tabs on marginally human beings with unnaturally long life-spans, that's your business. It's a little strange, but it's not illegal. I *do* however, need to know what the *hell* was going on here!" Guinan stopped listening, stunned by the implications of what she'd overheard. Somehow, some way, they knew at least *part* of her secret! How had they figured it out? If the government knew about her, they might find out that not only was she long-lived, but she wasn't even human, and *that* would spell trouble. The "black" agencies who kept tabs on extraterrestrial activity were not known for their benevolence. She knew the usual fate of those who were caught. Of course, the ones they caught were usually the ones who most deserved catching, the ones whose experiments on humankind made them targets for the same sort of experimentation in return. She, however, had no intention of becoming a laboratory rat. She looked around the warehouse, determining that no one was watching her. All the various security personnel were busy collecting evidence and searching for clues. Joe was occupied with Mulder, and Duncan with Scully. It might be her only chance. She stepped away from the pool of light she'd occupied and edged her way through the shadows toward the door. She felt badly about sneaking off, but she didn't have much choice. No matter what Joe, and possibly Duncan, thought they knew about her, it was nothing compared to what they *could* learn. Then there was the complication of the FBI's involvement. She just couldn't risk it. Now, if only she could get out of there without being noticed. Apparently everyone was busy inside the building, as no one challenged her as she stepped out into the evening. It had gotten dark, and she stopped for a moment, listening, hearing three men conversing as they searched the cars parked around the corner from where she stood. She hesitated, wanting to avoid being seen. It would be better for her to `disappear mysteriously'. There was no one in sight or hearing behind the building, so she slipped around there and blended into the night. *** Scully rose and stood at her desk, stretching stiff muscles. Behind her, the printer began spitting out her report. As she watched the paper accumulate in the tray, Mulder walked into their office. She looked up and seeing the stress in his face, gave him a sympathetic smile. "How'd it go?" "Worse than rush-hour on the beltway, but not as bad as a trip to the dentist. He didn't much care for the fact that one of our two serial killers disappeared. I know I hit him, but there's always a chance that he survived that. Skinner'll probably like your report better than he liked mine." She grinned. "He always does." He made a face. "Go ahead and rub it in, Scully." "No thanks, just did." She picked up her report and leafed through it, pursing her lips thoughtfully. "Here, I wanted your opinion on something. Read this part." He took the report and started to read, then looked up at her, one eyebrow lifted. "You had your *laundry* analyzed? What, the `Spray and Wash' didn't work?" She chuckled and rolled her eyes. "I couldn't figure out how I got maroon stuff all over the front of my blouse when I left the warehouse. It wasn't there when I went in so it had to be something I picked up at the crime scene. Considering the fact that we went over the place with a fine-toothed comb and didn't find anything even remotely similar, yes, I had it analyzed. Keep reading." He did, and his eyebrows lifted. "`The substance appears to be hemoglobin, however the lab has been unable to identify the species from which it came,'" he quoted. "Interesting. From our so-called `Immortal', perhaps?" He thought for a moment, and shot her a sly look. "Just how close *were* you standing to MacLeod, Scully?" "Not *that* close, Mulder. Besides, he wasn't injured. I only treated Joe Dawson and our mysterious disappearing lady, Guinan El- Aurian. I guess I have to wonder if she was one too?" "I don't think so. You said her arm was cut and bleeding, right?" Scully nodded. "Yes, it wasn't terribly serious, but it was messy." "Then she wasn't an immortal too. I saw MacLeod take a sword cut that should have put him in the hospital. He was laid open, shirt *and* skin, nearly from his `naves to his chops', as the Bard put it. It was healed within minutes. If she were like MacLeod, I don't think you would've had anything to bandage... unless there are *two* types of immortals out there." =========================================================================