========================================================================= Date: Thu, 25 Apr 1996 22:44:31 -0400 Reply-To: MJordan104@AOL.COM Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: "Monica T. Jordan" Subject: Out of Love and Vengeance - Part 6/11 X-cc: moreau@odixie.enet.dec.com, mjordan@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu, nevets@newwave.net, naortiz@dttus.com "Out Of Love And Vengeance - Part 6/11." by Monica T. Jordan. Copyright, 1996. For Disclaimers, Warnings, etc. see Part 1. Thanks. Seacover. December 8, 1995. "What do you mean he's dead!" She sprang up from her chair. Drake had given her the news about Keogh's late demise and she wasn't pleased. Her plans were too close to fruition and she needed an immortal for it to be a complete success. She sat back down and stared out the window. Drake stood before her desk silent. "Where in the hell am I going to find another immortal quickly at this juncture?" "Why not just nab one?" "I can't just _nab_ one you imbecile. I need one that will do as I say!" "Well, Keogh didn't 'do as you said'!" She swung around in the chair and glared at him. Standing, her fists clenched, she continued staring at Drake with contempt. "Any other smart advice Drake?" She hissed. Drake shook his head. "How _did_ she find him?" "I don't know, but I have a feeling he led her to him." "Great. Just great!!" She began to pace by the window. Her plans would have to be altered again because Keogh lost his head. It was no great loss she reasoned, but she'd planned her vengeance too long. "Where is she now?" "The last we checked, she was just driving around downtown." The smile that formed on her face could be called predatory. She sat back down and reached for the phone. "Bring me the girl." ### Aria was beating herself up for taking Keogh's head. He was the closets she'd gotten to finding Emily and now he was dead. Even taking the essence of what used to be David Keogh, through his Quickening, didn't give her any clues of where Emily could be. The man she'd knocked out in the office had disappeared and the shop probably wouldn't be used again. Aria was in a foul mood and driving around Seacover's busy afternoon streets did nothing to lift her spirits either. The cell phone rang and Aria picked it up without thought. The Corvette came to a dead stop on the street almost creating an accident. Cars swerved around her with obscene comments or gestures in her direction. "I thought we had an agreement." A woman's voice. Aria would never forget that voice. "What are you talking about?" Aria asked ignoring the horns of the annoyed drivers as she maneuvered to the curb. "I thought we had an understanding that Emily's safety depended entirely on you." Cooed the voice on the opposite side of the phone. "There was no misunderstanding! I kept to the agreement and met MacLeod last night!" "I wasn't talking about MacLeod," She paused, "I'm talking about Keogh." Aria thought and pulled the phone away from her ear, scanning the area. She was being followed! It could be anyone and there were too many people on the street to figure who it could be. She brought the phone back to her ear. "Are you still there?" "Yes." Aria's eyes kept searching the faces of the people on the streets and in passing vehicles. "You didn't stick to our agreement Aria. And do you know what the repercussion for breaking our agreement is?" Aria remained quiet on the line. Her mind envisioned many things and nothing all at once. She didn't want to know. A commotion at the other end of the line brought her out of her thoughts. The voice that greeted her wasn't the woman's. "Mommy? Mommy?" Emily cried into the phone before being yanked away. "Emily!!!!" Aria felt like the earth had erupted when she heard her daughter's cries for help. "Break our agreement again, Aria, and it will be more than crying she does next time," she said softly. Menacingly. "When are you seeing MacLeod next?" she asked as if nothing in the last few seconds had ever transpired. "If you hurt her," Aria said, more in desperation than a threat. "As I said before my dear Aria. That is entirely up to you." Aria paused in thought, "I'll see him tonight." "Now, that's more like it! And don't disappoint me again." The line went dead. Shaken, Aria still held the phone to her ear. Her daughter's voice echoing through the dead air. ### "You're gonna be sorry you messed with my Mom!" Emily screeched, struggling against Drake who held her by the arms. The woman leveled a gaze on Emily that would melt ice. "Be quiet!" "I'm not afraid of you!" The woman's gaze narrowed. "Do you know she's not _really_ your mother?" "And you think I don't know that! There are no secrets between me and my Mom!" "Oh really?" "I'll take her back to the room," Drake interjected. But the woman motioned him not to leave. She was amused by the little girl's words of bravery. She walked over to Emily and stared down at her. Emily's defiant stand faltered a bit, but she kept eye contact with the woman. "Your _Mommy_ is a little freak of nature. Do you know _that_ truth!" Emily said nothing but looked down at her feet nervously. "Well? I thought you had something to say, Emily. You'd better say it now," she taunted. "You might _not_ get another chance." She smiled. Emily's heart thumped loudly in her chest. She looked up and stared into the woman's eyes. "Why are you doing this to us? Why do you hate my Mommy?" "Because she's a freak!" "She's not a freak! She's a great woman and a great mother," Emily cried, tears falling. The woman laughed at Emily's pain which made Emily want to hurt her back. "Is it because _your_ Mommy didn't love you?" she shouted. The woman's posture changed from amusement to fury and she slapped Emily. And although it hurt, Emily didn't cry out from the sting of the slap. "My Mommy _does_ love me and she _will_ come for me!" The woman felt the rage within her growing to a deeper level and she turned her back on the child. She didn't really want to hurt her but she knew she would. "Take her back!" Drake took Emily back to the small room they had her locked in, but it wasn't easy. Emily screamed, kicked, punched, and scratched at him. He had to pick her up and swung her over his shoulder all the way to the room as she continued fighting against him. The woman stared out the window and thought of her mother. A vibrant and intelligent woman who had been reduced to a fragile, insipid woman. All because of the existence of immortals. She was determined she would have her vengeance. ### The bar was buzzing with activity from the gathered crowd. It was packed, as news had spread about Joe's opportunity to release a demo from tonight's session. Joe was in high spirits, as he walked, with the aid of a cane, behind the bar. Richie was seated at the bar drinking a soda. Joe listened intently to his Immortal friend as he explained what had happened at the Dojo that morning. "Her name is Aria Moore and I want you to check her out Joe. I don't trust her and Mac isn't thinking straight." Joe shaked his head at Richie's request. He was a watcher. His duty was to observe, record but never to interfere in the lives of Immortals. Although listening to the young immortal opposite him, sullen and sucking on his soda, Joe thought it was hardly a secret. "You want to see if I'd recognize her or maybe you'd rather I put her name through the Watcher database to see what I could come up with?" Joe said, his voice tinged with a deep melodious rasp. Richie looked pleadingly at Joe. "I just have a bad feeling about her, Dawson. Would you mind terribly checking her out?" Joe leaned against the bar top for added support. "Richie you know we aren't suppose to interfere!" Richie grinned. "Yeah I know. But that's never stopped you before." Joe smiled lazily, and shaked his head once again at the impetuous young Immortal. He had an infectious attitude that would make you want to do as he asked. Joe was about to agree to it when Richie got a far away look in his eyes. Joe assumed, correctly, that another Immortal was close. Sometimes Joe wondered what it felt like when the possibility of a battle to the death was imminent. Richie relaxed somewhat as Duncan MacLeod walked through the bar's entrance. Joe watched as Duncan strode to the bar with a confidence reserved only for Immortals. Something Joe doubted Duncan was even aware of. Duncan was dressed in black. From head to toe. Even the jacket he wore was black. Oddly, his countenance matched the colors Joe said to himself. He smiled as eyes turned in Duncan's wake following him all the way to the bar. Duncan nodded at Richie and stared at Joe. They hadn't talked much since Joe helped Duncan escape from a makeshift prison cell another Immortal had stashed Duncan in. If it hadn't been for Amanda interceding between both men, and Joe breaking the Watcher rules, again. They probably still wouldn't be talking. Joe smirked when a thought passed through his mind. 'To observe, record but never interfere.' "Yeah, right!" he whispered to himself. "Joseph," said Duncan in a serious tone. "I heard you were going to assault our ear drums tonight." Both men smiled. "Thanks for coming MacLeod. It means a lot." MacLeod was a friend Joe had grown to respect and cherish. He appreciated the unique opportunity he had to be friends with the Immortal he'd been assigned to watch. And in the process he'd become friends with other Immortals, like Richie and Amanda. They were human just like him. They just lived a lot longer. Duncan's smile widened. "What are friends for, right Joe?" Richie just sat quiet. Watching. He'd been curious what caused the rift between them in the first place. But whatever it was it appeared to be resolved now. "So is she coming?" "Who?" Joe asked. "I don't know, Richie." Duncan was sure Richie had already asked Joe to check her out. "Aria Moore, an Immortal I met last night. I asked her to come here tonight and I hope she does." He then turned toward the entrance of the bar wishing her to walk through the entrance. "Aria Moore, huh?" rasped Joe, furrowing his brow as he concentrated on the name, trying to recall the many Immortals' names stored in his memory. Duncan turned abruptly back to Dawson. "Come on Joe. I don't expect you to know every Immortal that lives in town." He lied. "She lives here?" "She mentioned last night she lived in the area. I assumed she meant Seacover." Duncan was curious about Aria. He hadn't been able to find out much from her and they'd parted on a sour note that morning. He wanted to ask Joe about her, but he didn't dare. "Well... it is my job to know these things, MacLeod," Joe said slyly. But the conversation stopped when two men in suits came over and began talking with Joe. It was the record executives interested in his music. In the mean time, Richie and Duncan sat next to each other in uneasy silence. Both wanted to talk about how they had left things earlier, but stubbornness won out. Richie remained quiet nursing his soda and Duncan sipped at a cold ale Joe had already set down. Both tried not to eavesdrop on the conversation the execs were having with Joe but they hoped things worked out for their friend. Joe deserved it. They held their breaths as Joe ambled back to the both grinning. "Sounds like they're serious so I better go get ready." "I'm really happy for you Joseph," Duncan said sincerely and reached over the bar and patted Joe on the shoulder. "Yeah, me too Dawson," chimed in Richie. They stared at each other for a moment, then laughed. "Boy. You Immortals sure can get real sentimental on a guy," Joe said, but lost their attention as both Duncan and Richie got the same far away look Richie had just before Duncan entered the Bar. Expectantly, Joe did what he does best and watched the entrance. When Aria walked through the bar's entrance, Joe sucked in a quick breath as he recognized her. Both Immortals didn't miss Joe's reaction and Richie gave Joe a questioning look. "You _do_ know her don't you?" Duncan said nothing. He wasn't sure he wanted to hear what Joe had to say now. "Know her?" Joe replied, "Yeah. Or rather, know _of_ her. Her name is Aria Al-Haban and she does live here. She's a very interesting Immortal. Can be very dangerous when she wants to be." Joe became quiet as Aria gazed in their direction, then continued quickly before she got within hearing distance. "Ever heard of a female immortal called 'La Mora'?" Joe kept his eyes on her approach as Duncan nodded and Richie shook his head. He wasn't surprised by their responses. "Well...?" Joe let that dangle, shrugging his shoulders and arched his eyebrows. Duncan couldn't believe what Joe had just insinuated. He'd heard stories about 'la mora' while he traveled through Spain and North Africa. But there was no way the woman he met last night, the woman he held in his arms as she cried herself to sleep, the woman he felt come alive as he kissed her. No! There was no way Aria could be who Joe claimed she was. Aria was apprehensive as she closed the distance. She wasn't sure if she should've come. Not after this morning and especially not after the events of the day. She'd already gotten an ill feeling when she couldn't find a parking space at first. And as she had feared, the place was jammed with people. She didn't feel like being around people. Not right now, but she didn't have much of a choice. She got the same feeling she had when she saw Richie and Duncan arguing this morning. They'd been talking about her again. But what puzzled her more was the expression of the man behind the counter. She didn't recognize him, but he seemed to recognize her. Or so it looked. "Made it after all." She smiled weakly as she reached Duncan and Richie. Aria quickly turned her attention on Dawson. "Have we met?" "No!" Joe answered a little too quickly which Aria noticed. "I'm Joe Dawson," he said extending his hand for a handshake hoping to cover his blunder. "The Joe in Joe's?" Aria said returning the handshake attempting humor. "The one and only. And call me Joe," he said smiling, now recovered from the shock of seeing her in person. "Nice to meet you, Joe." Aria relaxed somewhat at his easy going manner. Maybe she was imagining things. Ever since the phone call, and finding out she was being followed, she'd been extremely alert to people's reaction to her. She turned to Duncan, "Well... I'm sorry about this morning." "Are you?" Piped in Richie, getting off the bar stool, and stood between Duncan and Aria. "Richie!" Duncan said. Aria sighed heavily, she did not wish for another confrontation with Richie. "It's okay Duncan." She faced Richie who was at arm's length. "Yes. I am sorry." Joe sensed the tension and discomfort between the three Immortals, and interceded quickly. "I reserved a table up front for you." Aria appreciated the change of subject and decided she liked Dawson. "That's real sweet of you, Joe. Are you three good friends?" "You could say that." Duncan motioned her to walk ahead of him. And away from Richie. The three immortals sat at the table in silence. It was a great table, right in the middle of the bar facing the stage. Duncan sat in between Richie and Aria. A waitress came over and introduced herself and asked if they wanted refills and took an order from Aria. Joe was already on stage about to begin. Duncan noticed Aria appeared distracted and wondered where she'd gone since the argument this morning. The noise level in the bar was high, so he would have to lean in close to her in order to hear anything said. Aria was fidgeting with a paper napkin on the table and jumped when Duncan laid his hand on hers. "What's wrong?" Feeling the warmth from his palm, Aria's control began to wane. She didn't trust her voice, so she shook her head instead. Richie's unwavering gaze unsettled her even more. Well after her behavior this morning she guessed he was entitled. But too much was weighing on her mind for it to really matter. All she could think about was Emily crying for help. She gazed into Duncan's eyes and felt the threat of tears coming. Duncan could see something was wrong, but decided not to press and removed his hand. "Did you find the place okay?" She nodded and was glad when the waitress returned bringing her order, a margarita, and she drank it in two swallows and ordered another one. Richie knew a good opportunity when he saw one. "I want to apologize for my behavior." He smiled, deciding a different tactic was in order. Duncan wondered what he was up to but said nothing. "And after what happened this morning, I think it would be great if we got to know each other a little better." "That's a good idea," Duncan said, smiling. Richie flashed his trademark smile. "I really am sorry. I didn't mean to intrude." Bewildered she nodded, "That's okay. You had no way of knowing." But Aria quickly regretted that when Richie started asking all sorts of questions. Some she answered as best she could then the band began to play for which Aria was grateful. No more questions. As Joe sang, Aria became very impressed at his range, but cursed the fact he was singing the blues. But nonetheless, she tried to enjoy the music. She studied Joe. She could swear by the way he'd reacted when he first saw her that he'd recognized her from somewhere. But no matter how much she looked at him she couldn't place him anywhere. She'd been living on the west coast for the past twenty plus years and his face just wasn't familiar. She's sure she'd remember him but since she couldn't, she dismissed it and concentrated on the music instead. she thought. Something she needed desperately right now. After a few sets, the band stopped and took a break. Richie took it as a cue to continue with the questions. Aria looked at Duncan pleadingly but he said nothing to stop Richie. It was obvious Duncan wanted them to get along. Richie particularly wanted to know how long she'd been around. She didn't think that was any of his business, unless Duncan wanted to know. Then she tried something else which she regretted also. She asked Richie a few questions of her own, all of which he answered gladly. He was only three years into his immortality and he'd known Mac for the last five years. He quickly mentioned some places he'd traveled and that currently he was taking courses at the community college. Aria was dying inside. She gazed at the stage hoping the band would start up again. It had to have been twenty minutes or more by the amount of time Richie spent talking. He then proceeded to ask her more questions expecting her to answer as fully and jovially as he had. But Aria felt like the walls were closing in on her. Like her lungs were collapsing and she couldn't breath. She had to get out and now. "I've got to go," she said standing abruptly. Duncan and Richie stood also. "Where?" asked Duncan. "I just have to go," she said, exasperation in her voice. "Please excuse me to your friend. He sings well." She smiled and stared forlornly at Joe talking on stage. She'd found some peace for the few minutes she listened to him sing. "I don't mean to be rude, but..." She began softly trailing off into thought. She didn't dare meet Duncan's eyes. "Will you come by the Dojo tomorrow?" "I don't know. Maybe." She picked up her coat and pushed through the crowd who eyed her curiously. Richie stepped closer to Duncan who was watching Aria as she scampered out the door. "I've seen people move slower than her trying to get away from the devil," Richie said. Duncan glared at him for the crack. "What?!" Duncan wondered if he shouldn't go after her. Demand an explanation. he thought. Her mind definitely was elsewhere tonight and he could tell she'd been crying. It didn't't add up. Both images didn't reconcile. He needed some answers and he decided he would ask Joe after all. ### Aria drove around Seacover. She didn't want to go home to an empty house. The pain in her heart was too great. She thought about the threat the woman made against Emily and she continually heard Emily's cries for help. "I swear when I find that woman, her death will be slow and painful," she howled at the air, blinking away the tears. She ended up on a deserted pier. It was late at night and someone would argue it was a dangerous place for a woman to be, but Aria wasn't worried. Too much had happened in the last few days. Losing Emily had caused her to rethink her life. No matter how much she atoned for her earlier actions as an Immortal she felt she was going to pay for them forever. And meeting someone like Duncan hadn't helped. For an immortal he was too nice. Putting his life on the line for someone he doesn't even know. Then there were his eyes. She didn't just see kindness in them, but strength, knowledge, forgiveness. And sadness. How could she betray that! She didn't know what he was like as a fighter, but he had a warriors body. She'd seen it enough to recognize the type. But who was he really? Could he be merciful? Could he be cruel? How good was his word? Could she trust him? Behind those kind eyes, she'd also seen a deadly opponent. But Emily meant more to her. She gazed down at the CDs in the car and caressed them lovingly. Emily had brought music back into her life. A new thirst to experience life. To seek out things as new she'd thought old. With Emily her capacity for love was unending. Smiling, she turned the CD on and it began playing their favorite song. They'd been so happy when they sang it last. Emily would tease her she sounded like a dog howling at the moon. Aria would tickle her until she apologized. At that moment with Emily, Aria felt she didn't have a care in the world. She closed her eyes, tears falling, and surrendered to the rest of the song. ...Whenever life just gets too much for you I'll be on your side, to dry the tears you cry... ...And you will always be the flame within my heart I'll love you forever I promise you... ...There's nothin' that I would rather do With all of my heart, I promise you... ...There's nothin' in this world I wouldn't do I promise you... ** End Part 6. Comments can be sent to (mjordan104@aol.com) ** "I Promise You." by Michael Bolton -- Greatest Hits 1985-1995 CD.