Viv stalked off straight to the nearest bar and Richie followed her. She got her beer and they sat at a dark little table near the back.

“Well Ryan, I hope you appreciate the lengths I go to for your little secret. You realise if you’re right about this Immortality thing I could have just let him shoot you and no harm done.” Viv said eventually.

“In case you haven’t noticed we feel pain just as much as the next guy, and a bullet in the chest is not what I would call no harm. And what do you mean if I’m right? You’ve seen it. We’re Immortal.” Richie replied.

“I’ve seen you heal quick. There’s a world of difference between that and saying you can come back from the dead. Personally, I prefer the paranoid attitude. This is all a set up until I find out for sure otherwise.” Viv told him, getting out a tobacco tin.

“Why would we... never mind, I’m sure you could come up with a reason. And for what it’s worth I’m sorry there was trouble. But it wasn’t all because of me.”

“Yeah, I know, which is why you’re still walking. It was that idiotic paranoid control freak bastard Marcus. You know, up until last night, I thought he was my friend? Shows what I know. Real great judge of people I am. Let’s face it, family’s all I got and most of them don’t want to know me. Hell, all of them.” Viv said, getting out some papers and rolling herself... not a cigarette.

“Viv, what are you doing? Do you really think that is a good idea right now?”

“Right now, I am having a very bad day. Right here is how to make it a better one.” Viv said, waving the joint around for illustration before she lit it and took a long puff.

“Viv, if some guy comes for your head you cannot afford to be stoned!”

“Head-hunters are not my problem right now. Family is my problem. Lack of travelling money is my problem. Do not go adding yourself to the list.”

“Viv..”

“Look, Ryan, my life is my own business, okay? I stopped off in Seacouver for a few weeks, couple of months tops. I figured, get some funds together, keep going north, do Canada, maybe even save for the plane to Japan or China or something. Great plan, huh? Now I got ten kinds of problems I don’t need and all my funds tied up in rent or orders or whatever... And you and MacLeod just make it so much easier to deal with it all with your poking around in my business. I didn’t ask for this, okay? I never asked for help, and I never asked for teaching. Just a place to work out and someone to practice with. That doesn’t make you or that bloody Scotsman kin of mine.”

“Okay.. I understand that. But Viv, you’ve got to talk to Mac. If you need a job he could help you get one. You could teach at the dojo, you’re good enough.”

“Hardly, I’m only a black belt. Haven’t got the qualifications.”

“You think Mac does? He learned a while before there were any boards handing out belts around here.”

“Besides, relying on any one guy for money is up there in the all time stupid plays table.” Viv said bitterly, still smoking. “I can look after myself.”

Richie sighed and looked down, trying to think of something that would get through to her. He remembered something and looked up again. “We all can, but sometimes it helps to look after each other too.”

Viv glanced up at him sharply, then grimaced and shook her head. “Hell. I hate it when that happens. Now I’ve either got to agree with you or look like a prat. Well, let’s pretend my pride can take the dent. What are my options? Leave with what I got in the bank right now, which is bugger all. Or go find something to sell.”

“Steal another car you mean.” Richie said.

“Don’t take that tone with me, Richie. I haven’t nicked a car myself since I left England... actually, I’m not sure, there is this little memory I’ve got from sometime in New Mexico of a shitload of sirens and a sharp corner... anyway, it’s been a while. But I need funds. But then there’s stuff in the post I really need... Shit. You’re right. See, I said it. You are right. I got worse than no options here.” Viv muttered.

She picked up her beer and gulped the rest of it, then thumped the mug back on the table. She glanced over at Richie then shook her head and got up to go get another. When she came back she picked up where they left off. “But think about it Richie, I go up to Mac and say ‘hi, I need a job’. So he says ‘well what have you been doing so far’ and I say ‘oh, the usual, stripping cars for parts.’ And he says ‘come in, welcome to the business, here’s the key to the cash box.’ Shyeah, like that’s going to happen.”

“Viv, the first time I met Mac, I’d just broken into his place. He had an antique store, it looked easy, I got through the alarms in about thirty seconds. So I picked up a sword and I was swinging it about, challenging the nearest statue, when Mac walks in with katana raised thinking I’m a head-hunter.”

“So you were Immortal then, he recognised you?”

“No, there was this psycho on the roof about to drop in, and Connor outside. He felt them, thought it was me. Anyway, not the best of introductions. And after all that, he and Tessa took me in, gave me a job, and after my first death Mac trained me. Trust me, he can forgive a whole lot more than a bad career choice.”

Viv sighed. Her first joint was long finished, sitting in the ashtray. Now she played with the lid of the tin, thinking another might be nice about now. “So if he’s such a saint, how come he expects me to trust him with a sword to my throat but he doesn’t trust me?”

“He still isn’t sure you are who you say you are. I mean, it was pretty obvious you had secrets.”

“Like I’m the only one. Every time I ask you about anything important it’s just another long story.” Viv said, waving at his neck.

Rich ignored that. “We’ve met people who pretended to be new before. She tried to get to him through me. He just worries.”

“That crap again? Why the hell would I bother? And why would I hang around this long if I wanted his head? I could have stabbed him in the back any number of times. You know I don’t even have to get close! I could shoot him and take his head while he was dead. Why would anyone...” exasperated sigh “Well, they call it The Game. So some people play a bit more than others. Not me, Rich. I want a fight, I say so.”

“So talk to Mac. Tell him what you’ve been hiding, or just talk to him like you talk to me. Once he gets to know you Mac will trust you as much as he does me.”

“If he’s so trusting, why did he set you to following me?”

“He just said to keep an eye on you, he didn’t.. Viv, how did you..?”

“Educated guess. So you two weren’t really worried about me.”

“We worried, yeah. I like you Viv, you’re a friend.”

“And that’s all.” Viv warned.

“I know. And as long as that’s all you want I won’t push it. I know how lonely it can get, no one knowing who you really are. I can be your friend if that’s what you want. But Viv, so could Mac.”

She sat in silence for a minute, then sighed. “Maybe. Or maybe he could kick me out too.”

“Not for this, Viv. Believe me.”

Viv finished her beer and stared at the empty mug for a while. Rich waited, watching her think about it. Viv glanced up and noticed him looking.

“Richie, thanks. You mean well, you’re a nice guy, all of that stuff. Now get out of here and let me think. You should get a cab or something, I wouldn’t advise going back for your bike just yet.”

“You’ll be okay?”

“Oh, I’ll be fine. Always am. I’ll... see you sometime. I don’t know yet. Go on, get out of here.”

“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Richie said.

Viv just shook her head and opened up her tin again. Rich looked at her sadly, then turned and walked out.