Changing of the Guard 3: Be All That You Can Be 5/22 [PG13] xover
Ecolea (ecolea@WT.NET)
Mon, 24 Sep 2001 08:46:58 GMT
Chapter 6
The unexpected sense of Immortal presence alerted Methos just as
he and Daniel were bringing their empty dinner dishes to the
kitchen.
"Something wrong?" Daniel asked as he saw the other man stiffen,
hurriedly lay his plate in the sink, and move quickly across the
kitchen to where he'd left his sword by the back door.
"Company," Methos muttered distractedly as he retrieved the
weapon. "Stay here."
The door bell rang and Methos relaxed just a little. Most
headhunting Immortals didn't announce their presence by politely
waiting to be let in. Still, ever vigilant, he held his blade
ready as he went to peer through the side window that gave him a
clear view of the front entrance.
"It's MacLeod," he called out as he put his sword up and unlocked
the door, throwing it open. "And Joseph!" he grinned at Dawson,
stepping back so his guests could enter.
"Adam," the Watcher nodded, glancing around the fairly open space
of Methos' latest apartment. "Nice place," he smiled. "It's you."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Methos asked as he closed the
door and led them toward the living area.
MacLeod chuckled. "Typical Immortal living space," he explained,
nodding to Daniel who'd joined them. "Wide open, abbreviated
walls, ceilings high enough to swing a blade."
"Don't forget the good sturdy flooring," Methos muttered. "Can I
get you a drink?" Both men nodded. "Danny?"
The archaeologist shook his head. "I'm fine thanks. Hi," he said
holding out a hand as he introduced himself to Dawson. "I'm
Daniel Jackson. I work with Adam. You must be Joe."
"Yeah, hi," Dawson nodded, shaking hands before maneuvering
himself into one of Methos' more comfortable looking chairs.
MacLeod found a seat on the sparely cushioned sofa as the older
Immortal brought a bottle of whiskey and a pair of shot glasses
over to the coffee table.
"Help yourself," he told them, going back to fetch a beer while
MacLeod poured.
"So, you work with Adam." Dawson looked the younger man over as
Daniel took a seat. "Funny, you don't look very military."
"Me? No," Jackson grinned. "I'm a civilian. An archaeologist
actually."
"An archaeologist," Dawson repeated with a little shake of his
head. "Sure, why not. Historians, married couples, disabled,
blues playing bar owners... Guess Uncle Sam is really hard up
these days."
"Come on, Joe," MacLeod grinned as he handed the man a drink.
"It's a little more complicated than that."
"Says you," Dawson muttered as he sipped his whiskey. "This all
strikes me as just a little too weird. And I haven't seen
anything yet to make me think different."
"Relax, Joe," Methos said taking a seat on the arm of his chair.
"And stop fishing for information none of us will give you.
Tonight, all will be revealed."
The buzz of an approaching Immortal, quickly followed by another
startled Methos into standing.
"That would be Robert and Gina," MacLeod announced.
"Would it really?" Methos looked shocked as the door bell rang
yet again. "What did you do? Give out my address to every passing
Immortal in the street."
"I tried," MacLeod smirked. "Couldn't find any takers."
"Hey, you asked for them," Joe called to their Immortal host as
he went to get the door. "Fair's fair, Adam."
"Well, if it isn't the honeymooners," Methos grinned widely as he
let them in. The tall blonde man and the delicate, dark haired
beauty which accompanied him.
"Pierson."
"Adam!"
Robert shook his hand while Gina stood on tip toes to kiss his
cheek.
"How are you?" Gina asked taking Methos' arm as he ushered them
in. "Duncan said you needed us."
The warm tones of her rich French accent flowed over him like a
familiar friend. "I'm fine," Methos told her, installing Gina in
his favorite seat. A tall, high-backed solid green marble chair
which looked too much like a throne for most peoples' comfort.
"But I have some friends who need to speak with Immortals who can
be trusted."
"Pierson!" Robert hissed staring at Joe and Daniel.
"It's all right," MacLeod explained. "I've known Joe for years
and Dr. Jackson's an old friend of Adam's."
"Calm down, Robert," Gina chided. "Duncan and Adam are our
friends. They would never do anything to hurt me."
"Of course we wouldn't," Methos smiled, taking her hand and
gently placing a kiss on the back of it.
The four Immortals suddenly went silent as yet another pair of
Immortals came within sensing range.
They looked to Methos who rose and went to the door with a sigh.
Before he even reached it someone suddenly started pounding and
Methos drew back a little startled.
"Come on, you lazy, indolent, shit eating goat fucker! Hurry it
up!"
Methos laughed and flung the door open wide. "Ptahsennes! You
dung sniffing drinker of camel piss, come in."
The old Egyptian priest hugged him close while O'Neill merely
shook his head in disgust as he moved past them. Behind him came
another old friend and Methos smiled warmly to see him again. "My
humble abode welcomes you."
Ramirez grinned and reached out a hand to gently pat his cheek.
"It is good to see you as well. Are we all here?"
"Almost," Methos explained. "We'll meet the others elsewhere
later."
"Good. Very good," Ramirez said as he entered the room.
"Greetings to you all," he bowed formally. "I am Juan Sanchez
Villa-Lobos Ramirez and soon we will all have wonderful
adventures together!"
"We will?" Robert asked curiously as MacLeod and Dawson both sat
looking stunned.
"But..." MacLeod shook his head as he stood. "You can't be
Ramirez. Ramirez is dead."
"Yeah," Dawson nodded. "The Kurgan took him out almost four
hundred years ago."
"And were you there my young friend?" Ramirez asked MacLeod. "Or
you?" he nodded to Joe. "I admit he came close," Ramirez absently
rubbed his neck. "But I assure you, I am Ramirez."
"If you're Ramirez, where have you been all these years?" Dawson
demanded.
"Joe. MacLeod," Methos interrupted what looked to quickly become
an interrogation. "I know this seems strange, but he is Ramirez.
I can vouch for him."
"So can I," Gina interjected, holding out her hand to Ramirez. "I
remember you, you wicked man!" she laughed as he kissed it. "You
came to Court with the Emissary of the Spanish king. His Chief
Metallurgist weren't you?"
"Indeed I was, my dearest Angelina. And you are still as gracious
and lovely as ever. But who is this stern man beside you? The one
who looks so fiercely at me."
"Oh," she waved a hand in dismissal. "That is my just my husband,
Robert. Baron de Valicourt."
"Just your husband?!" Robert demanded. "Just?!"
She gave Robert a sweet little moue by way of apology, blowing
him a kiss. With a sigh he shook his head. "For you, darling, I
will be just anything," he admitted going to the small bar set
out on a ledge along the wall to pour himself a drink. "Can I get
anyone something?" he inquired with an affable grin.
A few requests were called out and Methos heaved a sigh of relief
as he edged past everyone to stand beside O'Neill who slouched
comfortably against a wall.
"Thanks for the warning," Methos muttered, watching as the others
made their own introductions.
O'Neill looked at him innocently. "Did I forget to mention I told
everybody to meet here?"
"Must have slipped your mind."
"Sorry," Jack grinned unrepentantly.
Methos nodded and let it go. Fair was fair, he supposed. O'Neill
was obviously still smarting over the whole Alexander thing. On
the other hand, seeing Jack come to that moment of revelation was
well worth any minor annoyance it might have earned him. In
truth, Methos silently admitted, he didn't really mind the
pushups or O'Neill's little lessons. If he were completely
honest, he actually encouraged Jack's fits of pique. It certainly
made things interesting.
He shrugged away from the wall to get Jack a beer then went to
retrieve his own, allowing the impromptu little party to play
itself out. Finally, when the small talk began to die down
O'Neill cleared his throat, ambling into the center of the room
to gain everyone's attention.
"Since nobody bothered to formally introduce me, I guess I'll
just have to fend for myself," he began, looking at each of their
faces. "I'm Colonel Jack O'Neill of the United States Air Force
and I'm here to invite all of you to a very important meeting.
Some of you," he glanced at MacLeod and the two Egyptians, "are
nominally aware of the current situation. You've agreed to be
here and for that I and my superiors are extremely grateful. Mr.
and Mrs. de Valicourt," he nodded in their direction, "I'm afraid
we've been forced by circumstances to place you in a somewhat
awkward position."
"It's beginning to seem that way, isn't it?" Robert said tightly
as he moved closer to his wife, glancing with a fair amount of
anger at both MacLeod and Methos.
"I apologize for that," O'Neill went on. "And if you'd both like
to leave I'll be disappointed that we didn't have the opportunity
to talk further, but I will understand."
"Talk about what?" Gina asked warily.
"The security of this planet and all those who live on it. Mortal
and Immortal alike."
The only one not surprised by that response was MacLeod. While
Gina and Robert might be completely ignorant of the facts, Methos
silently acknowledged, Ptahsennes and Ramirez were nearly equally
so. Learning about a malfunctioning alien artifact which had
allowed the members of SG-1 to travel back in time and with which
the Air Force was experimenting was not the same as knowing about
the fight against Goa'uld hegemony. That of course had been the
cover story Methos had provided the two men. One that satisfied
both their curiosity and O'Neill's demand for secrecy.
"What are you saying?" Gina demanded. "That we are all in danger?
>From who? From what?"
"Captain Pierson," Jack nodded to Methos who registered the
surprised looks he received from the de Valicourts with a wry
smile.
"I'm sorry for the deception," he offered quietly. "But most of
you know me as someone who really isn't interested in fighting.
More to the point," he added. "I'm also not one to get involved
in anything that doesn't somehow give me an advantage in life.
Well, I tell you now, this thing I'm involved in -- and yes it is
with this country's military," he nodded assent at the frowns he
received. "Well, it's bigger than the whole mortal versus
Immortal issue we've all worried about from time to time. It's
bigger than us, bigger than them and in my opinion supercedes any
imperatives of secrecy or the Game. Now, I know it's asking a lot
and most of you have no reason to trust me, but the truth is we
need your help. Your skills and your abilities as Immortals might
one day save billions of lives. Theirs and ours."
"MacLeod?" Robert looked to the Highlander, a deeply worried
expression on his face.
"He's telling the truth," MacLeod said quietly. "You know me,
Robert. I would never risk either you or Gina if I didn't believe
without a doubt that what we're doing is the right thing."
"But what is this danger?" Gina repeated. "Where does it come
from?"
There was silence as all eyes turned to Jack, who stood, suddenly
looking very uncomfortable, at the center of everyone's
attention. "Well, it's... It's.... Couldn't I just show you
guys?" he asked hopefully.
There was silence until Joe finally spoke up. "Hell, I don't know
about you folks, but I'm goin' just to see what could get him,"
he pointed to Methos, "off his duff and out of civvies. That
alone has got to be worth the price of admission."
Ramirez laughed while Ptahsennes nodded appreciatively. "It is
true, old lion," the priest grinned up at Methos. "You have never
been one to exert yourself overmuch on behalf of anything that
didn't have something to do with your own comfort. So I shall
join you -- for now," he amended cautiously.
"As will I," Ramirez added simply. "Though you told me, Colonel,"
he frowned at O'Neill, "that this had to do with...exploring
other places."
"Well it does. Sort of. On the side," Jack muttered.
"Gina?" Robert asked. "I'll go, but...it's up to you, darling."
She stared at him thoughtfully then looked to O'Neill. "Where
will you take us?" she asked curiously.
"The base isn't far from here," Jack explained.
"A military base?" her eyes went wide. "You want us to willing
walk onto a military base?"
"It's not that bad, Gina," Methos interjected. "Really. I've been
living there off and on for the last year. Actually, it's pretty
nice -- for a hole in the ground."
"Living," she whispered utterly shocked. "And they know what
you-- What we are?"
"Only a handful of us know," Daniel said intensely, leaning
forward. "And none of us wants anyone else to find out. Adam's my
friend. So is MacLeod. And I swear to you, on my honor, that
nothing bad will happen to you or your husband."
"Not by our hands," O'Neill added. "Word of honor."
She stared at them thoughtfully for another long moment. "All
right," she finally agreed. "Robert and I will come."
"There's my brave girl," Robert smiled.
"Not brave," she admitted. "Fascinated. I have always dreamed of
a day when I would not have to hide what I am from mortals. It
would be nice," she smiled wistfully, "to hope that one day we
could all live peacefully."
"Maybe someday," O'Neill agreed just as wistfully. "Maybe..."