========================================================================= Date: Sat, 6 Apr 1996 20:32:01 -0500 Reply-To: LC Krakowka Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: LC Krakowka Subject: Twists of Fate 3/5 Twists of Fate LC Krakowka-copyright 1996 hck1@cornell.edu part 3 Roger ducked behind a lamp post and said a silent prayer. Sarah MacGreggor was stooped over not thirty feet away, tightening down the straps on a pair of roller blades. She might have seen him when she glanced over her shoulder just now. That wouldn't bode well for his status as her anonymous Watcher. As far as he knew, she had never seen his face, though she must know she had a Watcher, from all her dealings with Adam Pierson. He doubted that the young man assigned to the elusive Methos Chronicle could keep his mouth shut about that tattoo. He was also a bit of an elitist; a direct result of his promotion to field agent right out of training and being assigned to an immortal as old as MacGreggor. Pierson was just a researcher and a boring one at that...hunting a myth. Nearby, Sarah chuckled softly to herself. That kid was good, but she had spotted him months ago, in Glenstrae. He looked to be about the age she was when she died her mortal death--twenty six or so. But the Watcher took himself far too seriously. She straightened and stretched a moment, then took off at top speed. If the boy was insistent on following her everywhere, she'd give him a run for his money. "Damn," Roger swore, wishing he had a pair of blades of his own. There was no way he would be able to keep up with her on foot. Sarah lost him in a matter of minutes. She sped through the winding paths of the park for another mile or so, then slowed to an easier pace, confident that her Watcher was far enough behind to give her a moment to catch her breath. When he found her again, and she knew he would, they'd have another chase. It beat skating alone anyway. She had asked Richie to come along, but Mac had commandeered the young immortal for the evening to strip the floors of the dojo for re-waxing. Poor kid, he was always being recruited for the nasty jobs. Adam had been her second choice, be he had declined, muttering something about if immortals were meant to skate, they would have been born with wheels on their feet. Then he chastised her for not carrying her sword along. He'd been awfully cranky lately. She supposed it had something to do with this notion that the men insisted upon entertaining about having to keep her and Amanda from killing one another. Sarah shook her head and lifted her left foot to avoid a fallen branch on the path. There was no threat of her trying to fight Amanda. She found the other woman amusing, despite the fact that she felt distinctly *plain* in her presence. When the buzz hit, she missed seeing another fallen branch and crashed to the ground knees and wrists first. Swearing softly at the blood running down her leg, Sarah looked around for the other immortal she knew was nearby. The sound of clanging swords off to her left, behind a stand of bushes, brought the hair up on the back of her neck. Okay, maybe Petey was right, she shouldn't travel without her rapier. But one could hardly roller blade in a trench coat. Sarah was about to skate away at top speed to avoid a swordless confrontation with the victor, but a familiar voice made her stop. "Allie?" She unstrapped her skates and took them off, leaving them on the side of the path and crawling into the bushes for a better look. What Sarah saw made her jaw drop open. In a small clearing Allison Benton and Amanda were circling each other warily. There was a good sized cut over Allison's left eye, but Amanda appeared to be unscathed. "I'm telling you, it was an accident," Amanda said. "Someone screwed with my brakes!" "I don't care. You killed them both and now I'm going to kill you," Allison charged her and disarmed the other immortal with a move that Sarah recognized as one of her own. She brought her sword to Amanda's neck. "Shit," Sarah muttered, scrambling closer. Both Amanda and Allison looked in her direction, having felt her buzz. Sarah sighed, knowing her position was compromised. She got to her feet and waded out of the bushes. "Allie, what are you doing?" The young immortal glared at her old mentor. "You can't interfere, Sarah." "Oh yes you can," Amanda said, edging away from the sword at her throat. Allison dealt her a kick to the knee that brought the taller woman to the ground, groaning in agony. "I won't interfere. But what's your beef with Amanda?" Sarah took a step closer, hoping to talk her former student out of killing the brunette. This was not something she wanted to explain to Mac. "None of your business," Allison snapped. "Rick!" Sarah glanced across the clearing to see a large man step out from behind a tree. "Shoot them both. We'll sort this out later." Sarah's last conscious thought was that this was very unlike her young friend. *** Roger stood at the door for a few moments before he knocked. Going to Pierson was not his first choice. But it was the only one that didn't involve telling a superior that he had lost Sarah MacGreggor in a game of cat and mouse. Besides, she and Pierson were friends, maybe he knew something. Maybe she would be sitting on the couch drinking a beer and he wouldn't have to worry any more. He tucked her roller blades under his left arm and knocked hesitantly. Moments later, Adam opened the door with a spatula in his hand. The scent of stir fry wafted out into the hallway, followed by the sound of Van Morrison singing about Crazy Love. "Miller? What brings you here?" "I uh...can I come in?" Adam nodded and stepped aside to let the young man pass. He noted Sarah's roller blades with some alarm, but decided it was better to let Miller tell his story. "I...I was following MacGreggor in the park, but I lost her. Then I heard swords clanging, so I ran. There were two gunshots. I found these on the path," he blurted out, waving her roller blades. "And?" "And by the time I got through the bushes, there was no one there. Just some blood on the ground and scuff marks." Adam frowned. "Was there a quickening?" Roger shook his head. "And you didn't see anything?" "No...but she didn't have her sword with her." Adam resisted the urge to slam down the spatula. "Okay, what do you want me to do?" "I don't know. I just...I just can't stand the thought of her being killed without a fight. I mean, I know we're not supposed to get involved, but I *like* Sarah. I don't want to be re-assigned." "Well, there isn't anything we can do. We'll just have to wait it out and see what happens," Adam sighed. "Don't worry, Sarah MacGreggor has been around a long time, she can take care of herself." "But, there has to be something we can do," his voice rose in desperation. How could Pierson not see the importance of this? Too much time in the library. "Ask around. There were other immortals in the area, somebody's Watcher must have seen something." The young Watcher nodded, suddenly realizing that he could do just that. "Okay, I will. Thanks," he handed Adam the roller blades and left the apartment, rushing for Joe's bar. Adam threw the skates on the couch and kicked the coffee table viciously. Like hell there was nothing he could do. He had to beat Miller to Dawson. *** But Joe wasn't at the bar. He was at the dojo, leaning against a window sill watching Duncan and Richie spread a new coat of wax on the area of the floor that saw the most use. "I wouldn't worry, Mac," Richie said. "I'm sure Amanda just got caught up shopping or something." "It's not like her to be this late without calling," Duncan answered, methodically pushing his towel in circles on the hardwood. Joe debated inwardly on whether to share his knowledge of Amanda's whereabouts. He didn't know much really, just that she had received a note and left with her sword. Her Watcher hadn't reported back yet on the outcome of the fight, or who the opponent was. There was no point in worrying MacLeod. "I'm sure she's fine," Richie continued. Both immortals looked up suddenly and Joe knew that a third was about to make an appearance. He looked to the door, expecting to see Amanda stroll though. Instead, Adam walked in, sporting a very serious scowl. "What's up?" Richie asked. "Grab a towel and help." "Joe, do you know anything about a sword fight in the park tonight?" Adam ignored Richie and crossed the floor. Joe shook his head. "Why?" "Roger Miller just showed up at my house waving Sarie's roller blades and babbling about gunshots, a sword fight, and how he lost her in the shuffle. He has no idea where she is, or who was fighting." Joe frowned, hoping that Amanda and Sarah hadn't come to blows. He heaved himself to his feet and leaned heavily on his cane. Gunshots. That was neither Amanda's or Sarah's style. "Sarie didn't have her sword." Now *that* might be Amanda's style, if she were pushed hard enough. He sighed. There was no getting out of this one. If he didn't tell them what he suspected, both MacLeod and Methos would be after *his* head when they found out. He looked from Methos to Duncan and back. "Out with it Joe," Duncan stood suddenly. "You think Amanda was involved, don't you?" "What?" Adam's jaw dropped. "All I know is that Amanda left here with her sword at about six o'clock. I haven't heard back from her Watcher on anything since." "I don't think Amanda would do something like that," Richie said, already attuned to the tension forming between Duncan and Adam. "Miller said he heard swords ringing before the gun shots," Adam said. "So if it was Amanda and Sarie, at least she didn't try to kill her without a fight. And there wasn't a quickening... yet." Duncan threw his towel to the floor and headed for the door. "Where are you going?" Adam asked. "To the park. Maybe we can figure out what happened." Adam followed, right on Duncan's heels. Richie threw down his towel as well, but waited for Joe to limp across to the door. "Should we go too?" "I'm going back to the bar to see if any news has come in." Richie paused for a moment, then sighed as the Thunderbird roared away from the curb. "I think I'll come with you. I don't exactly want to be in the middle if those two go at it." [end pt3] Note: "Crazy Love" from the Moondance Album, circa 1970. Good song. Great album...part of my own personal soundtrack. -- LC Krakowka/hck1@cornell.edu