========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Apr 1996 15:05:57 -0400 Reply-To: JJSWBT@AOL.COM Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Wendy Tillis Subject: Isabel 06/13 Isabel By: Wendy Tillis jjswbt@aol.com Copyright April 1996 Part Six =============== Thanksgiving arrived and Duncan spent the day serving dinner to the homeless. St. Thomas' didn't run a soup kitchen of its own. Instead they shared responsibility for the Catholic Mission in St. Anslem's parish. St. Anslem's served some of the poorest citizens of the city. Duncan arrived at the Mission at 9:30am and they started serving 'dinner' at 10:00. They had to start that early to serve the huge crowd expected. Duncan had only signed up for three hours but he ended up staying. The line of people went on and on. He could remember when being homeless probably meant you were a middle-aged white alcoholic. Now, most of the people coming through the line were families with small children. There were still the single men, down on their luck, and the AIDS patients with no place else to go. If he closed his eyes he could see a similar scene from centuries ago. He had been in London in 1660, during the last great plague outbreak. The city had been in turmoil. The number of dead mounting, the number of people living in crowded conditions with no work, no money and no food growing every day. He remembered a group of nuns who had tried to set up a soup line in one of the poorest sections of the City. He had seen lines just like the one before him now, ragged sick forgotten people seeking a warm meal. That horror hadn't ended until the Great Fire. In truth, he knew it hadn't ended at all. Here was the proof - another century, another soup line. Richie showed up unexpectedly at around 2:00 and stayed to help serve. Duncan was happy to see him pitching in. At 5:00 the last meal was served. Sister Gabriel came out of the kitchen where she had been cooking since 4 o'clock that morning. Duncan had already invited her to join Richie and he for dinner but she had begged off. She , Sister Michael and Father Matthew were all joining the priests and nuns of St. Anslem's for dinner. Richie and Duncan said good-bye and went outside. It was cold and it had started to rain. Duncan had to admit he was tired. He might be in great shape - and Immortal - but he wasn't used to standing in one place for almost 10 hours. "Come on, Richie. Let's get cleaned up and find some dinner of our own." They had late reservations to eat at Antonio's . Neither one of them liked turkey so they were going Italian instead. "Great. How many did you feed today? I didn't know there were so many homeless people in town." "I think Sister Michael said they had fed 1500? And there are a lot of other missions and soup kitchens besides this one. It's a big problem, Richie. I'm glad you came to help out." Duncan donated tens of thousands of dollars every year to charity. Thinking of today, he decided he better increase that amount. "I'm glad I came too." They walked toward Duncan's car. "Look, Mac. Tomorrow I'm heading up to Vancouver for a few days." "But you just got here! I was hoping we'd have some time together." "I promised these friends I'd come visit before Christmas. I'll be back soon. You won't even miss me. You seem occupied anyway." And he looked back toward the Mission. "Richie! I haven't been ignoring you *that* badly, have I?" Duncan knew that he had been spending a lot of time with Isabel. Dinner last Friday was an example. They had gotten a booth in the back of Antonio's where no one could hear them and they had talked. And talked. All about the things they had seen and done in their long lives. While her memory stretched back far beyond his, they had 400 years in common. They talked politics and religion and about the changes they had seen in those years. They compared notes on places they had both been, people they had both known. They drank several bottles of wine and took four hours to eat a simple dinner. They left the waiter a huge tip for taking up so much of his time and Duncan had driven her home. Duncan had gone home happier than he had been in months, maybe years. "No, Duncan, you haven't been ignoring me. I did promise to visit these guys. I'll be back by the 4th or 5th. Oh, yeah. I ordered something for you for Christmas. If it arrives while I'm gone - no fair opening it." "I promise. Now come on, I'm starved." Richie left the next morning. Sister Gabriel was tied up with parish business so Duncan was on his own for a few days. He spent some time catching up on the paperwork he had been ignoring for the last month. Business was down even more at the dojo. The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas was always slow. It would pick up again after the First of the year. It was Wednesday, the 3rd, when Duncan woke up and turned on the radio and hear the tail end of a news broadcast. ". . . . . . body found in an alley. Police have identified the victim as Raymond Allan. No motive or suspect has been identified." Duncan snapped on the TV, finding the local news channel. After hearing the complete story , he hurriedly dressed and went looking for Sister Isabel. ======= Duncan walked over to St. Thomas' and found Isabel in the church garden. She was sitting on a white wrought-iron bench, head bent as she read a book . Today she was in full habit - seated amid the now-bare roses bushes , she looked the perfect contemplative nun. She looked up at his approach, though she has undoubtedly felt his presence for several moments. "Good morning. Duncan. This is unexpected." She held the book loosely in her hand as if she intended to start reading again momentarily. " Ray Allan is dead." Duncan announced without preamble. "Ray? When?" She seemed honestly surprised. "Last night. The garbage men found him this morning in an alley." "Where?" "MacArthur Street." He looked at her closely, waiting for a reaction. " MacArthur? That's only two blocks from the Youth Center. He must have been caught right after he left the Center last night. Poor Ray." " What was he doing at the Center so late last night?" " We had a history, you knew that. We knew each other in Antwerp about 350 years ago. He was a sailor then - a real wild man. The Madam used to charge him extra for 'damage'. We had a few good times - then I left town." " You were a whore?" Duncan was shocked. The idea of this perfect nun working as a whore was jarring. Of course he'd known she wasn't always a nun but - a whore? "It was a job. I've had worse." She was very matter-of-fact. " So Ray was at your apartment last night to . . . ?" Duncan left the question hanging. "Duncan! Whatever I was, right now I'm a nun. I may not believe in the religion itself but I took a vow. I keep my promises. Ray was there to talk. He had a woman - a wife, really - she was killed three years ago by one of us. He swore he was never going to get involved with another mortal woman again. He couldn't stand the pain. Then recently - he met a girl he liked. He's been pushing her away - even though he really loves her. Ray just wanted to talk about what he was feeling, what he should do. The last week, when we saw him at the Center, he had just found out she was thinking of moving out of town." Duncan could sympathize. He had made a similar promise to himself after Tessa had died. And he had kept it, really, ever since. He had sabotaged his relationship with Anne from the very beginning. He had kept secrets from her for so long that when she finally *had* learned the truth, she hadn't been able to deal with it. He didn't blamed her. He had pushed Anne away harder than she had pushed to get close. "So, what did you tell Ray?" Duncan was curious. "Oh. I didn't really tell him anything. I let him talk and he eventually worked himself around to the answer he had known all along. We can't quit falling in love. It's impossible. To stay sane we have to have connections - both mortal and Immortal ones. Ray knew that. He just wanted someone to listen to him, to acknowledge the pain and assure him he could stand it again. He was going to go to her house after he left me - wake this woman up and tell her he loved her." She shook her head sadly. "What time did he leave?" " I don't remember, about 3:00am maybe. I could ask Sister Michael. She was there , of course." "Who could have done this?" "I don't know. I haven't seen or 'felt' anyone new. Ray didn't say anything - he wasn't nervous?" " No. But Duncan, Ray wasn't a fighter, at least he hadn't been one for a long time. Anyone might have taken him." "Anyone?" Duncan tried to keep the accusation out of his voice but didn't totally succeed. " You think I killed him?" " I don't want to think you did." "But?" "But, I don't know who did. And it makes me curious." "Look! Ray was Immortal. Immortals get dead. Suddenly, unexpectedly dead. You meets a stranger with a sword and it's over. Whoever did it could be out of town by now. It doesn't have to be someone here in Seattle." " I know. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to accuse you. It's just been quiet lately - I should have known it wouldn't last." " I know the feeling." She paused. "Where's Richie? " " He's hanging out. He rode up to Vancouver to see some friends. He'll be back soon - we have plans for Christmas. I had hoped he might put in some time at the Youth Center. Those kids are a lot like he was at that age." " Hmmm. I think that's why he didn't come back. He's still too close to it, you know. He still sees himself in them. Give him a few more years. He did donate some money - his heart is in the right place." " You're right. Look. I have to go. I . . I just wanted to let you know about Ray. You'll watch yourself? Be careful?" " Of course. I'm safe here and I'll be careful going home. You watch your own head." Duncan left the church yard and headed home. He didn't think Isabel had killed Ray Allan but there was *something*. Just for a moment -something in her eyes when he had told her Ray was dead. Surprise, yes. But something more. What? He couldn't put his finger on it. He reached the dojo safely. Duncan walked up to the loft, hung up his coat, kicked off his shoes and laid the katana on the kitchen island. He turned on the stereo and tried to settle in to read for a while. He found he couldn't relax. Something was going on - something. After Duncan left, Isabel put the book down on the bench next to her and sat for a moment staring into space. The she rubbed the skin under the headband of her wimple. It chafed her forehead - they always chafed. Isabel remembered getting into trouble years ago with an unforgiving Abbess over Isabel's constant worrying with her wimple. Nuns were supposed to ignore the constant irritation. Part of the problem was that she had too much hair. She usually kept it short but since she had started thinking of leaving the Order, more than a year ago now, she had let it grow. The rest was just "'habit" - when she got upset, she rubbed her forehead. Isabel considered what to do next. Ray's death so close to her apartment could be nothing more than what she had told Duncan - a coincidence. Ray *could* have run into a headhunter on his way home. It happened with depressing frequency. But - it could be something more. It had a 'familiar' feel. Isabel picked up the book and tried to concentrate. Livy was one of her favorite authors. But this time her mind wandered. Ray - killed two blocks from her apartment. Killed right after he left her. Not again. She fingered her tiny gold pectoral cross. "Please God, not again." she whispered. Isabel picked up her book and headed back to the church. A prayer couldn't hurt. ============ The monthly Poker Game and Watcher Meeting was getting off to a slow start. Joe, Michael Smith and Horace Macain were playing a hand of 5 card stud as they waited for their last player to arrive. Sarah Lao, who watched David Grey Buffalo, was late. Paul Willis wasn't coming tonight as Richie had decided to take a few days and visit Vancouver. An hour later, as they took a break to get more beer and chips, Sarah came in. She grabbed a beer and plopped down at the poker table " Sorry I'm late. Traffic accident on the freeway." She looked over at Michael. "I was sorry to hear about Allan. I know you'd been Watching him a long time." " Yeah, well. I try not to get too attached. But it was kind of a shock. I don't think he's picked up a sword in 3 years." " I didn't get a chance to read your report. Did you see who did it?" This from Horace. " No, I didn't." He looked at Joe, who looked annoyed. " As I was telling Joe, I followed him to the Youth Center on Montgomery and waited about an hour. When he didn't come out. I figured he and the nun were going to pull another all-nighter - so I went home. Next morning it's in all the papers that he got killed in an alley right near there." "So, you think the nun killed him?" Horace asked. " I don't know. No one is really watching her." Michael looked at Joe significantly. Joe spoke up. " No, I hadn't assigned anyone to her. I was keeping an eye on her part time. She didn't seem to be in the Game. Plus with MacLeod, Allen and Grey Buffalo over there all the time, I figured we had her covered." Horace spoke up. " What were they all doing there? MacLeod, Allan , Grey Buffalo? My Mary hasn't been near the place." Horace had been Watching Mary Sampson for 5 years. "That's a lot of Immortals in one place." Sarah replied. " Well, Grey Buffalo is painting a mural in the Youth Center. He spends about two days a week there. I can't see where he and this nun have ever met before. He's done other big projects like this - I assumed the Church contacted him to do the mural." "Ray Allan wasn't Catholic but he started going to St. Thomas' right after Sister Gabriel showed up. Sometimes they'd meet in the Church, other times in the Youth Center. He spent a couple of nights there - I don't know what they were doing." Michael said. "Doing?" Sarah laughed. " Two guesses. I've seen her - she's very pretty and Allan had been alone a long time. I think we could figure it out" "But she's a nun!" Michael sputtered. " Oh, Michael. Your parochial school education is showing." Sarah teased. " Let's stay on topic here, people." Joe cut in. " The question is - who killed Ray Allan? It wasn't MacLeod or Ryan. Mary hasn't taken a head in what - Horace?" "Seventy five years - according to our records. I don't think she had ever even met Allan. What about Grey Buffalo?" " No, he was in Tuesday night. The police said Allan was killed sometime between 2:00am and 4:00am - Grey Buffalo was home then. I'm sure. " So - that leaves the nun or a new Immortal." Joe said. " Are you sure it wasn't MacLeod?" Michael asked. "He has been spending a lot of time at that Youth Center and at the church. And he and the nun have had breakfast and lunch out a few times - when she wasn't wearing her habit. Maybe MacLeod got jealous - or Allan did? Maybe they ran into each other at her apartment and things got out of hand." " I can't see it." Joe said. " MacLeod would never get involved with a nun - and I can't see him killing anyone out of jealousy. My money would be on Sister Gabriel. Our files show she is very capable with a sword - maybe Allan misunderstood their relationship and they fought. Could be." " If we'd had someone assigned , we'd know." Michael grumbled. "Not necessarily. No one watches 24 hours a day- you know that. You were Allan's Watcher and he still got killed without you seeing." "The important thing now is to stay on your toes. Keep a closer watch where you can. If it was Sister Gabriel - we don't know enough about her to know if she'll kill again or if this was personal with Allan. If it was someone else - we need to know. I want daily updates on your assignment's activities - call them in by 8:00 pm each night." "So, are we going to play poker tonight - or are we supposed to run out and track down our Immortals right away?" Horace asked. Joe laughed. " Oh, I think we can play a few hands. Maybe if we all take a few hours off tonight -we'll be more alert tomorrow. At least that's what I'll tell Headquarters if they ask." The four Watchers settled in to play poker. Joe's mind wasn't really on the game. He wished he had assigned someone to Watch Sister Gabriel but he didn't have the personnel. Paul was the first new Watcher he'd been assigned in years. Joe knew that he himself wasn't doing a good job of Watching either. He didn't follow MacLeod around any more. Joe checked in on him periodically and kept track of his travel plans but not MacLeod's day to day activities. He'd know Mac was spending time with the nun but he didn't really know how much time. Was Duncan involved with Sister Gabriel? Had Allan been? Joe shook his head. 'I better start doing my job' Joe thought. ================== End part 6