Date: Sat, 17 Sep 1994 17:24:38 +0000 Reply-To: Highlander TV show stories Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Pat Organization: University College Dublin Subject: The Challenge: Hope and Life. Well, here it is. My first attempt at HL fiction. If anyone has any comments they can be emailed to me at pfanning@ollamh.ucd.ie Any criticisms or opinions welcome. Hope you enjoy it... The Challenge: Hope and Life. by Amanda Hill. I picked up my coat from the ledge and drew the soft fabric around me. It was time. I had received his challenge and could hide no longer. The sanctuary of this once awe-inspiring place was cracking and falling away. It was time to face the mask who had come to the end of his chase. Someone had once told me not to give up until I felt the cold blade against my neck. But how could I be hopeful? Pure luck let me survive my last encounter with Calem. Would the dice fall in my favour again? I'm sorry Duncan, but I don't think I can hopelessly hope much longer... [flashback] It was a cooler Summer day in Paris than usual. Thunderclouds brewed in the distance and promised a fantastic light show. The sun was beginning to set as I made my way among the headstones. It was the birthday of my youngest brother's granddaughter -a beautiful person who was needlessly killed for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Another generation was slipping by me as I wished for the nth time that I could give to the family I could never meet, some of the blessed curse within me. I was not alone. I blinked and caught my breath. I looked around. And there at the very grave that I made my way towards stood a tall man with long dark hair held neatly back, and dark age old eyes that stared right at me. The feel of consecrated ground below my feet gave me a confidence I would not normally have felt. I approached the stranger and laid the single purple rose on the young Tessa's grave. I looked at the one like me. "Were you waiting here for me?" His eyebrows raised. "I was about to ask you the same question. I am Duncan MacLeod of the clan MacLeod." Immediate relief surged through my body. I had heard of the Highlander. He was no head hunter. Instantly I felt the goodness of his soul and wondered why I didn't feel it immediately. "Aleanna Noel. My friends call me Allan.". I waved my hand at the surrounding headstones of those I called my family. "Tessa was my grand niece. A beautiful child and a fine artist. Caught one of her exhibitions not long ago." MacLeod smiled. "Tessa was my life. And not just thirteen years of it. Must have missed you at that one." His eyes glazed over as his mind flashed back to somewhere in that infinite memory, both blessed and cursed. I allowed him the moment. When he looked up he nodded. "Tessa mentioned that her father would never adopt after what happened when his aunt found out about her adoption. Never set foot on a train, either." It was my turn to remember. In a fit of anger on my 22nd my older sister had screamed that It wasn't really my birhtday, just the day on which I was "found" and pitied. When my mother would not deny it, I had run. Not knowing that I would be leaving everything behind. "I took the first train out of Paris when I heard the truth. I had to get away. When we met with the rockslide it left no survivors. But two of us recovered. That day Phillippe told me just who I am." I never spoke to my family again. To them, I died with everyone else on the train. But I watched. I watched the generations grow. and die. And never had the chance to tell Jeanette that all was forgiven. Two days later I was sitting with Duncan in the church where Darius once prayed, and died. Phillippe had introduced me once to Darius as someone I could trust if I should ever need the peace of Holy Ground. As I listened to his stories I could tell that this old priest was more than that to Duncan. He shared the same love for him that I had seen in Phillippe's eyes when he first brought me to these grounds. I rarely trusted any Immortals other than Phillippe but Duncan had a sense of calmness about him. I couldn't help but trust him. When Duncan said that the young blonde guy I had sensed approaching was a friend, I relaxed. Richie was still at the stage where Immortality is a great adventure and novelty to be enjoyed. He hadn't yet been forced to suddenly drop one life completely to take up another, or leave friends behind without a word. Tessa was the only fried to pass him by. In a way, he was quite refreshing. Duncan had taught him well. For the thousandth time I decided to find Phillippe who was swallowing swords somewhere in Norway. Phillippe was there when I could no longer return to my family. He was there when the last one died. and he was there to help me up when I was forced to fight for my life and first felt the power of somebody else's Quickening. I could see the same thing between Duncan and Richie. Except they were already family before this game began. In my travels I had seen many families. People who treasured one another whether they shared blood or not. It made me angry to see the few who would destroy family and everything it stands for. When Richie told me about the day when he and Tessa were shot, I snapped. The anger surged as it never had before. Tessa was taken from this world long before her time. She still had so much to do. so much talent to make people happy. It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair! And Duncan, Duncan loved her more than anything but did nothing. Oh he mourned her and missed her. I could see that. For a long time something would always be missing for him. And we never forget. Ever. But he never tried to find the person who took her from him. Well I couldn't leave it at that. Damn it! Not this time. It was time for me to make a stand. For the next five days I looked up every contact I had ever made on the street. To many I was my own daughter. All had heard of the passing on of such a prominent artist but none could help. Then on the sixth day Gerauld, an old and dear friend, scribbled an address on the back of a movie promotion flyer and handed it to me. "Go to this guy Max. Tell him you're a friend of mine. He'll help you. If he can. At least he'll keep you dry." With that he smiled. "Then you can come back and tell me your secret. Don't know many people whose voices haven't aged in the twenty five years I've known them." As he reached for his cane to walk me out I laughed. "Can't hide anything from you, Ger, can I? I guess this story might be worth coming back to tell. see you Ger... and Thank you. For everything." I kissed him and walked across the park. When he shouted at me, "Keep your head on your shoulders, kid." I turned to look at him. "I'll do my best." And not for the first time I wondered just how much my blind friend sees. When I got back to my apartment, Duncan was waiting outside. We walked inside in silence. Once the door closed behind him, he looked at me. 'You've been asking questions about Tessa. What are you planning?" I turned my back and started to pack. "What's the weather like in Washington this time of year?" "Wet. What do you hope to accomplish by this?" "Tell you when I get back." "You're not doing Tessa any favours. Or yourself." I picked up my sword and looked along the blade. "Good. Favours can be dangerous things." I had been about two hours in the airport trying to convince the security officer that my sword was an antique I had brought to be valued. When I finally got out, I took a Taxi to the address Gerauld had given me. Now I stood before the door almost afraid to disturb the harsh brass knocker. As my fingers reached for it, the door opened. A short middle-aged man of slight build waved me in. "Ah, you must be Allan. My good friend Gerauld told me you would be coming. Come in. I've been waiting." Inside the house was warm and welcoming. A bright fire burned in the grate and the table was laid. I tried to explain that I could not possibly accept all this hospitality, but Max would hear none of it. Any friend of Gerauld was more than welcome in his home. We talked over dinner about Ger, Paris, and why I was here. He had heard of Tessa, Duncan, and the antique store. Had often wandered in on a cold Friday afternoon. But he knew nothing of how she died. When he asked me why this was so important I just said that I needed to know. I didn't know what I'd do when I found the answers, but I just needed to know. It wasn't totally untrue. I didn't know what I planned to do when I found the killer. Only that I had to find him. It took us many days of hacking through police databases, social services, and anything else that might turn up a lead. I saw many people that fitted Richie's description whilst walking through the streets. After we had come up with the police report explaining the event, Max wondered why I continued the search. I had the information that I had told him I sought. When I told him that I wanted to know who the mugger was, I could almost see the alarm bells going off in his head. He had promised Gerauld that he would help me no matter what, but from that day he never left me alone. And his weren't the only eyes I had felt. I was walking through town with Max a week later when I saw a youth running from a back alley. Instantly I knew. He matched Richie's somewhat disjointed descriptions, matched the police photo fit, and had on the same scarf that another victim had described. I froze and gave myself away to Max. I had a vague impression of him grabbing my arm. But I knew I was stronger. I shook him off and ran. In the last week and A half, I had learnt every back alley, every twist. Soon my prey was in sight. He had realised that someone was in pursuit. Not the police, but someone he had never seen before. I could almost smell his fear and puzzlement. It made him careless. He may have outrun me if it wasn't for that. When he disappeared around a corner I knew I had him. It was a deadend unlike the next turn which he had meant to take. I dropped my pace and walked into the alley. And there in the shadows of a garbage heap was a very brief movement, but enough to give him away. I was almost there when he stepped out with the gun. The sweat was pouring from him but even with the trembling, I knew he was close enough to knock me down long enough to get away. I couldn't let that happen. I had come too far to go back now. The circle was about to close. When he shouted at me to freeze, I obliged. I was less than a metre from him and had only one chance. I had to be fast. I could only hope that what I had learnt in the last century was enough. I made my decision. In an instant, I pulled my sword from my coat and knocked the gun from his hands. The shot he squeezed off went into the wall and the gun was lost in the rubbish heap. Suddenly this big young man unafraid to murder was whimpering like a child. His security blanket was gone and nothing could save him from the crazy sword yielding maniac that came towards him. I shouted at him. "You remember that woman you murdered last year? The artist. She owned the antique store three blocks from here. Well, I'm her great aunt." He looked on in terror. Whether he remembered Tessa or not I'll never know. He could not speak. All he could do was shiver and back away slowly until he came against the wall. I pointed my sword and drew blood from his chin. As he begged for mercy I sensed that I had been found too. "Let him go." I did not turn towards Duncan's voice. Instead I looked on at my prey as his eyes widened further at the sight of another sword. "Stay out of this. This is my fight. You know the rules." "And I'd follow them. If they applied. This is not the Game and its not right. You know that." With that, my anger swelled. I swung back and would have sliced through Duncan if it wasn't for his sword that blocked my swing. I lashed at him again. And again. Each swing was blocked but none were returned. When I saw the kid disappear onto the street as my sword flew from my hands I knew it was over. I looked at Duncan. He held out his hand. I took it. "I was going to kill him. I would have if you hadn't of stopped me." Duncan smiled. "Which is why you wanted me to stop you. Why you told me where you were going. Why you fought me and not him." He picked up my sword and handed it to me. I knew he was right but the anger still swelled in me. "But he killed Tessa. Why should he live?" "Because life is short. And everyone deserves the chance to make the most of theirs. I suspect that after today he may never lift a gun again. Maybe he'll make something of himself before his natural end. Tessa was happy. She did everything with her life that she ever wanted. Don't take that away from her. Especially since this has less to do with Tessa and more to do with you." I looked at him in surprise. "You've watched two generations of your family die. Tessa is the only one whose death could be blamed on somebody. The only one you could seek revenge for. Don't think I don't understand the pain. You know I do. But eventually you have to let go. People die. That's the way it is. You have to make what you can out of your life, or none of this will have any meaning. You have the right to live too. Without feeling guilty about it." He drew me closer as the tears began to fall. "But its so hard. How can I go on when all around me dies?" And gently he whispered in the rainy streets of a Washington city, "don't give up on life, Aleanna Noel. Not until you feel that cold blade against your neck. And even then, fight one more time." [Flashback ends] That was many centuries ago, when Duncan told me that. I thought it was all hopeless then but Duncan MacLeod of the clan MacLeod gave me the hope and life I had been without for so long. I owed him this one. The fight hadn't even begun and I had already given up. Well not this time. If Calem wants my head, he'll have to work for it. I told Ger that I'd do my best to keep it on my shoulders. Just because he's long since in the grave, doesn't mean he won't know if I break my promise. He always knows. I may be older but he will always be wiser. And in some way, he'll be watching. Him, Phillippe, Darius. And Calem will see, that even if I lose my head, I'll never lose my heart. End of Part one. =========================================================================