Date: Tue, 13 Feb 1996 20:19:12 -0500 Reply-To: NSumsion@AOL.COM Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: "Nathan R. Sumsion" Subject: The Value of Friends (9/10) The Value of Friends. Part nine of ten. by Nathan R. Sumsion SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA. 1996 Jacob looked one last time at the living room to his home. He had lived here for almost twenty years. He always knew he would be leaving soon, he had just hoped it would have been under different circumstances. His identity here was over, regardless of the outcome of the evening's events. He had called Chris, Jessica's husband, and told him the news. Chris had said nothing, and hung up. Monica was doing well in the hospital, and he only assumed that by either leaving or being killed by August the Magyar would have no further reason for remaining in the Bay Area. She, at least, would emerge from this mess of events. He had mailed Gerald a letter, explaining everything to him, urging him to make the most of whatever time was allotted him in this life. He turned off the light and closed the door. He sighed as he took one last look at the house. At least he knew it would be well-cared for. He had donated the home and all its contents to the priest at the cathedral he had visited so often of late. While the priest had never been a friend, Jacob was pretty sure the man suspected something was odd about the man who kept showing up each decade to meet the same youthful woman. Yet the priest had never asked questions, never judged or prodded, and Jacob respected the man for that. Maybe his parish could make use of the money this home would bring. Jacob was digging his car keys out of his pocket when he felt another Immortal nearby. He looked around warily, until he saw the old Peugeot parked across the street. Gerald was leaning against it. "This looks pretty final,"Gerald commented, nodding towards Jacob's home. Jacob could only shrug. "I... I sent you a letter, explaining everything. I just..." He held up the scrap of paper with the address of his meeting with Lamont. "I've got to go. I'm going to meet the man who killed Lamont and Jessica." It sounded lame, even to him. "Don't go," Gerald said, walking up the driveway to meet him. "I have to, Gerald..." "Don't go. Do you realize what you've done for me? For the first time in forty years, I'm looking forward to the next day. I'm looking forward to the fact that I've got at least one friend who will stick with me. You've saved me from wanting to die. You can't go now." Jacob looked him straight in the eye. "I have to." Whatever argument Gerald intended was drowned out in the approaching roar of a motorcycle and the overwhelming presence of another Immortal. "Oh my God," Jacob swore. "Gerald, get the hell out of here." They both watched as the Magyar pulled up into the driveway and drew his sword out of a bag behind him on the seat. "No, we can take him." "Don't be stupid, man. You say you don't want to die, then get out of here now!" "Listen to Hamilton, little man," the Magyar grinned. He was approaching the pair of Immortals, backing them towards the side of the house. The neighbors' fence created a narrow hallway between it and the green house. "If he is stronger than you, then you have no chance at all." Gerald stood his ground. "No." He pulled a gun out of the pocket of his coat. "Jacob saved my life yesterday. You are not going to take it." "You stupid fool..." Jacob started, but stopped in shock as Gerald turned and shot him, point blank in the chest. Jacob looked stupidly down at the wound before collapsing on the ground. Gerald turned to the Magyar. "You fight me. You leave my friend alone." He dropped the gun to the ground and pulled out his own sword, backing down the side of the house towards the back yard. The Magyar looked curiously at Hamilton lying on the ground, and then at the man tossing his trenchcoat aside. "I have never met a man so willing to die. Very well, I will honor your request to die tonight." The Magyar ran at Gerald, and the younger Immortal had to backpedal furiously to keep from being run over. He knew his only chance was to make it to the back yard, where he could actually attempt to maneuver. As it was, it helped him last an extra ten seconds. Gerald was knocked to his knees, his sword dropping to the ground. The Magyar held his blade motionless beneath Gerald's jaw. Gerald merely glared at the eyes of his opponent. The scene remained unchanged, frozen in time, as the Magyar stared back at the younger man. His face was hard, cruel, unforgiving, but his gaze held something else. Gerald figured he wouldn't be around long enough to figure out what. "Why did you fight me, little man? I would have left you alone. It was Hamilton I was after." Gerald's gaze didn't waver. "He's my friend. He doesn't deserve to die tonight." The raven-haired man's voice was pitiless. "Tell me more." ******************** Jacob regained consciousness. He was experiencing the disorientation he always felt after resurrecting. He looked around, confused, until he realized he was still feeling the presence of another Immortal. He looked up and saw the Magyar, seated atop his bike. "No," Jacob whispered. The Magyar placed sunglasses over his eyes. "You have truly dedicated friends, Hamilton. Those that would rather die than see you dead. In a way, I envy you. But all that aside, you will have to wait to revenge your mentor once again. I will not allow your friend's sacrifice to be in vain." The Magyar started up his motorcycle. Jacob sprang up off the ground, found his sword and prepared to run after the raven-haired giant, but he was already too late. "Until next time..." the Magyar screamed, laughing. Jacob swore under his breath, tears streaming down his face. Gerald had been his last friend here, and he had been helpless to aid... Jacob brought himself up short. He could still feel another Immortal nearby. Cautiously, he walked towards the source of the feeling. He walked down the side of his house towards the back yard. Turning the corner, he saw Gerald standing there, looking up towards the setting sun. "Gerald..?" The younger Immortal turned, and Jacob saw the tears surrounding the smile on his face. "What happened?" Gerald said, "He let me live. I don't really understand everything he said, but he mentioned something about me having to see... what was it?.. 'the sun setting over the Blue Danube' at least once before he took my head. He said I hadn't lived enough yet for him to end my life." "But I still don't understand... why didn't he kill you? I'm sure half the heads he's taken have never seen the damned Danube. I haven't, and that hasn't stopped him from trying before." "I guess he had a friend a couple centuries back. His friend got taken out by some guy named Hyde. Magyar said he would have given anything to have been able to take his place. Maybe I reminded him of his friend. I don't know." Gerald smiled, self-mockingly. "I don't think I'm going to argue much with though, huh?" Jacob started to laugh, but stopped, confused. "But why did he leave me? Why didn't he try taking my head." Gerald's grin grew bigger. "Oh, I made him a deal he couldn't refuse." ******************************* August smiled as he felt the presence of another Immortal approaching him on the dock. It was dark here, only one light illuminating the end of the pier. But that wouldn't bother Conrad any, with the nightvision goggles he was wearing. "You're a little late, Hamilton," August taunted. "I was beginning to worry you wouldn't show." The approaching figure stepped into the radius of light at the end of the pier and Wilmont's grin disappeared. The Magyar smiled at him, and evil and chilling curl of lips that froze ice to Wilmont's spine. "Hamilton couldn't make it tonight." "Oh, fuck." August swore, starting to back up, but stopping. He had picked this pier precisely to give his adversary no escape. Now it was he who was trapped. And he knew who he was facing. "Now, Conrad! No screwing around. Now!" The Magyar's grin widened and he held up a blood-spattered pair of night vision goggles. "You are attempting to speak to the man with the rifle, yes? I have seen more intelligent tricks before you were ever in diapers, little man." August swallowed hard, and raised his sword to defend himself, but the outcome was never really in doubt. ******************** End part nine. Please send any comments to me at NSumsion@aol.com =========================================================================