Date:         Mon, 12 Feb 1996 21:18:13 -0500
Reply-To:     NSumsion@AOL.COM
Sender:       Highlander TV show stories <HLFIC-L@PSUVM.PSU.EDU>
From:         "Nathan R. Sumsion" <NSumsion@AOL.COM>
Subject:      The Value of Friends (5b/10)

SAN JOSE, 1996.

     Monica scowled. "He told me he saved your life."

     Jacob grinned wryly. "That's how he always tells that story. In a way,
he did save me a lot of explaining. If that other medic had pronounced me
dead, I would have had a world of explanations to offer."

     "What about the sergeant? What happened to him?"

     Jacob laughed at this one. He stood up and began clearing off the dishes
from lunch. Monica had consumed everything he put in front of her, while he
had never touched any of his own.

     "We became good friends, oddly enough. We kept in touch mostly through
correspondence."

     "So did you tell him then? About being Immortal?"

     Jacob nodded. "Yes. I did, right before the end. We merely exchanged
letters beginning around 1960. He passed away about six years ago, but I was
able to see him in the hospital. He didn't seem surprised at my not having
aged. He just looked at me, smiled around the tubes they'd hooked him up
with, and said, 'Hah. I knew you'd still be alive, Hamilton. If that land
mine couldn't kill you, nothing could.'"

     They were silent again for some moments before Jacob asked, "So what are
you going to do?"

     She shrugged. "I'll request reassignment sometime soon. Not right away.
I just don't... I just don't want to look over someone new just yet. My
husband and I have decided on six months to a year before I try this again.
But we'll be leaving at the end of the month, nonetheless."

     "Really?"

     "Until then, I'll follow one of the other Watchers around, team up with
him for a while."

     Jacob's expression became guarded. "Not Carthage?"

     An expression of protest washed over her. "Oh, no! Of course not. I
couldn't... I know how you feel about us. I wouldn't... no, it's someone
else. Our supervisor is encouraging us to pair up now, for the time being. I
guess a lot of us are disappearing around here. Three so far this week."

     Jacob relaxed, evidently embarrassed at his attitude. "Well, if that's
the case, I hope you'll be careful. Is your supervisor here in town?"

     Monica shook her head as she got up. She knew she should be going. This
was the last time she would see Jacob, it was something she had to do, but
she could tell he was questioning her merely to be polite. She felt her stay
had reached its end.

     "No, he's up in Seattle."

     "Seattle? May I ask who he watches? I mean, who's important enough to
warrant one of your leaders?"

     Monica didn't see the harm. "MacLeod. He's..."

     "Oh, I know MacLeod," Jacob interrupted, scowling.

     "You do? You don't like him?"

     "Let's just say... we've had our differences."

     "Oh." That surprised her. From what she had heard of this MacLeod, she
had assumed Jacob would have been one to get along with him.

     "Can you..." he hesitated, struggling with himself. Finally he finished.
"Can you tell me who it was? Who fought Lamont?"

     Monica shook her head, sadly. "I didn't recognize him. I'm trying to
figure out who he is. I will let you know when I find out."

     She thanked Jacob, finally, and left his home. She wasn't really looking
forward to teaming up with another Watcher tonight, so soon, but Joe Dawson
had expressed that it was probably the best thing for her right now.

                    *******************************

     August and Conrad sat in their suite. Conrad was cleaning his rifle. The
headline of the newspaper the Immortal was reading proclaimed the vandalism
and murder of three people at the parking garage the previous evening.

     "You did some number on that couple," August stated.

     Conrad shrugged, not taking his attention from the gun. "Like to be
thorough."

     "Well, you might be pleased to know that by tomorrow night, we should be
after the woman, Frampton."

     Conrad looked up. "You think Hamilton will have felt the results
already?"

     August nodded, smiling cruelly. "Trust me. Those phone calls I made will
definitely catch his attention. Now, while I do some careful editing of his
resources with the computer, would you be so kind as to call the mortal
friend of Ms. Frampton?"

     Conrad smiled. "Sure. Scare him or intimidate him?"

     August shrugged, pulling out the laptop from the suitcase on his bed.
"I'll leave it to your discretion."

                    *******************************

     End part 5b.

     Please send any comments to me at NSumsion@aol.com
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