THE ELIZABETH SERIES
CHAPTER THREE
NEW YORK
By JoLayne
EnyaJo@aol.com

~~~~~

RATING: PG
CHARACTERS: DM M A J Amy (OC)
Elizabeth, Kevin, assorted watchers and
immortals
SUMMARY: During the next week in New York,
Methos is suspicious, Joe is healing, Duncan is in
his protective mode, Amanda has an enemy, as
they all investigate Joe's shooting. 

~~~~~

NEW YORK CITY
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2000
DAYBREAK
JOE'S LIVING ROOM
After spending the night tending Joe, Amy was
whipped as she ambled into the living room.
When Kevin sensed her, the buzz of one fianc‚
sensing the other entering the room, he stirred on
the couch. "You should have gone home last
night, honey," Amy tenderly kissed him. "You
have to be at work bright and early."

Kevin shook his head as he stood, "I called Myron
last night, family emergency. He said not to
worry."

Their voices roused the other three in the room
out of their slumber. "How is Joe," Duncan
groggily asked from his sleeping position on the
floor.

"He's still sleeping," Amy said. "The sweating and
shaking stopped about an hour ago, thank God. I
was ready to call an ambulance but Liz talked me
out of it."

Methos' head snapped up from the back of the
armchair he'd parked himself on and had fallen
asleep. "Hospitals... police... busybodies. Joe's
only reacting like any mortal does when shot."

Amy snipped, "Well, Adam, I don't like to see my
father sweat and shake."

Amanda stirred on the love seat and moved over
so Amy could sit. When Amy looked like a very
tired, worried daughter, Amanda put her arm
around her.

Amanda told her, "Joe has a lot of fight in him.
He's been through a lot and he's always come out
the victor."

Duncan and Methos went to check on Joe to find
out for themselves. When Methos rose from the
chair, an empty beer bottle fell to the floor. There
wasn't a drop left in it, so he only had put it on the
end table, with a 'sorry' smile to Amy, who hadn't
even noticed, she was so tired.

~~~~~

BEDROOM
Elizabeth was sleeping on a kitchen chair she had
pulled up next to Joe's bedside, worried all night
that she had put him in a coma, or killed him with
the sleeping pill in his weakened condition, or
forgot to do... something! The healing process of a
mortal's immune system made her feel helpless.
The new strong buzzes roused her from a light
sleep and she moved out of the way so Duncan
and Adam could check on their friend.

Joe was sleeping on his back when Methos slowly
sat at his side so as not to disturb him, he felt his
forehead for temperature, his pulse. The bandage
had a spot of blood on it. Methos gingerly lifted
the tape and gauze to look at the wound, patted at
the trace of blood on the stitches, making Joe
flinch. "Sorry."

Elizabeth was relieved he was awake. Her
handiwork was a bit red, a bit swollen, but didn't
show any sign of infection. "I changed the
dressing a couple of hours ago, should it be
changed again?"

"Yes. There's a small amount of blood seeping,
but that's normal," Methos remarked.  Elizabeth
went to Joe's bureau, the make-shift hospital
supply table, and brought gauze, tape and a
scissors to Adam.  Duncan smiled at her to signal
for her to relax, her tense movements and voice
reflected her sense of guilt, then he moved aside
for her to rebandage Joe.

Joe's eyes flickered and opened. The first thing he
saw was Methos leaning over him. "This can't be
heaven," he muttered, then smiled. "If I was in
heaven, you wouldn't be there."

"Ah," Methos smiled. "I see you found your
humor. I'll take that remark to mean, because I'm
not going to die, so why would I be in your
heaven? I hate to think of why else you might
have said that. You don't seem delirious. How do
you feel?"

"Like I got shot," Joe simply stated, having to lean
his head back on the pillow.

"I'm so sorry, Joe," Elizabeth muttered, thinking
she would never be able to recompense him for
almost getting him killed.

Joe followed the sound of the voice and said to
her, "Why? Did you shoot me?"

"Well, this wouldn't have happened if--."

Joe looked down at the wound and lifted his
shoulder a fraction of an inch before it hurt. "Who
did the cutting and pasting?"

"We both did," Methos said.

"Looks like you did a good job. Liz must have
done the cutting, though," he gleamed to Methos.
"This one's a smaller scar than the last one."

"Smaller hole," Methos shrugged. "Smaller bullet.
Smaller gun."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

Elizabeth laid fresh gauze over the wound, the last
of it, and asked, "When were you were shot
before?"

"Once when Adam here played doctor, and once
in Nam."

She only saw one bullet wound on his upper body,
along with an appendix scar. Viet Nam must have
been where he lost his legs. "You fought in Viet
Nam?" Elizabeth had been one of the multitude of
protestors.  It was the only war she didn't find her
way to from the beginning of it, she didn't go until
she realized that the soldiers hadn't decided where
to go, when to fight. They followed orders and
needed all the personnel they could get to help
save them. So she faked some credentials and
enlisted her skills. "We might have run into each
other. A lot of men lost their legs over there."

Joe just nodded, could be, but didn't want to get
into it. The memory of that time made him pissed.
"I got a headache."

Elizabeth put her hand to his forehead and said,
"You still have a little temperature, too. Do you
want an aspirin?"

"I'm allergic to aspirin. I think I have Tylenol."

"It's always a good thing to ask," she smiled. "No
wonder I couldn't find any last night. I'll go get
you Tylenol."

After she left, Methos cut the tape with the
scissors and tapped it on the edges of the fresh
dressing. "So, enough excitement for one night."

Joe asked, "Who were those guys?"

"The way I hear it," Methos mumbled. "They were
the welcome wagon for an immortal named
Joshua Logan."

"Logan... that's who Liz asked about when she
came over last night. I was on my way to the gig
so I wasn't really paying attention. Who's Joshua
Logan?"

"A disabled, very unpleasant immortal," Methos
cringed. When the gauze was taped down, Methos
covered his torso with the sheet and blanket.

"Disabled, how?"

"He's missing a leg."

"Well, at least he has one," Joe grumbled. Duncan
shifted his body by the window, reflecting the
light onto Joe. Only then did Joe realize he was
there. He nodded, "Hey Mac."

"I'm glad you're feeling better," Duncan smiled.
He'd never been a doctor and stayed clear to let
others work, but was worried to death with the
reminder of Joe's mortality. "Takes more than a
bullet to stop you, huh?"

"Strong Dawson genes..." Joe smiled.

"Don't get too cocky," Methos warned. "You have
a way to go to recover."

"Call Matthew Blair," Joe said, and grabbed
Methos' hand when it seemed he was going to
stand up, get on with his day. "His number's in my
book. He's a good guy. He'll help you."

"Help us with what," Duncan asked.

"To find Logan."

Methos shook his head, sat heavily on the bed.
"Now, why would I want to do that?"

"Logan is the reason I'm laying here. Methos,
Mac, you find him and kill him."

Duncan immediately said, "Will do, my friend." 

Methos looked from one friend to the other. It
would take the strength of ten men to stop the
gung-ho attitude of Duncan MacLeod, if his facial
expression was any indication. Determination. Joe
was staring at Methos, gauging how he would
react, if he would indeed take care of it. Methos
knew he was under close scrutiny, processed it all.
"He's only after one of us. If she's out of the
equation, you're fine."

Knowing that Methos would take the side of
Switzerland made Joe angry. "I'm not worried
about my safety, Methos, I'--."

Methos reminded Joe, "Adam!"

"That son of a bitch had me shot! I could be dead
right now!" Joe's voice rose louder than he
expected and the strain on his chest was immense.
"Would you have just walked away from it?"

Joe leaned back, spent. "This is about righting a
wrong, not about 'I'm scared he's going to finish
the job'."

Duncan tapped his arm and said, "He's right,
Methos."

"Adam!" Methos looked to see if any uninformed
ears were within listening range. "What is wrong
with you?"

"What's wrong with you?" Duncan sat on the bed,
angry. The jostling caused Joe discomfort, but he
was focused on Duncan's words to Methos. "That
immortal shot our friend, he had no qualms about
hurting innocent people! He's not playing the
game correctly and he's murdering mortals in the
process."

"So put him on the long list of immortals to stay
away from!"

Duncan hated the need he felt to once again
explain ethics to the old man. "So he can go on
killing? We know about him now. We can't let it
go on!" 

Methos, who never did like the sanctimonious
MacLeod  inquired, "Aren't you tired of being
commando cop of the immortal world, MacLeod?
I don't like what Logan does either, but why 
is it our place? We just have to get the hell out of
his way. He's only got one leg, given time,
someone will take care of him."

"That bastard shot me!" Joe's voice boomed,
startling them both, and also Elizabeth, who just
appeared at the doorway. "You find him and kill
him!" Joe laid back on the bed. He knew he had
Duncan on his side, but he always thought he
could trust Methos with his life. Joe looked up at
his old friend and said, "How many favors have I
asked you for, Adam? Once, one time," he put up
a finger for dramatic effect. "To help me save
Amy from Walker. This time it's for me. I want
this guy dead. I've only felt like this one other
time. In Nam. They came out of the bushes, I
didn't even see them coming. All my life I've
regretted that I didn't have a chance to blow them
all away for what they did to me."

Joe was sorry he admitted that foible and the
wound on his shoulder was throbbing from his
exertions. "I'm not proud of it. But that man is
after the best friend my daughter has ever had and
I'll be damned if I'm going to let you saunter out
of here and allow Amy to get killed because she's
not going to let Liz out of her sight! So I'm asking
you this one time, and one time only, please, help
Mac find him and kill him."

Amy charged past Elizabeth and into the
bedroom, "What is all the shouting about? Dad
has to rest!"

When the men saw Elizabeth at the door, they all
had different reactions. Joe was sorry they were
talking about her in ways she might not
understand. Duncan wanted her to know that he'd
help as much as possible, and Methos... well,
Methos only wondered how long she'd been
standing there, if she heard his real name.
Elizabeth handed the Tylenol and a glass of water
to Duncan for him to administer.

Amy tapped Methos on the shoulder and tipped
her head for him to move. "Dad can't have this
kind of excitement. He has to rest. Do I have to
kick you all out of here?"

"I'm so sorry, Joe," Elizabeth said, hating that she
had started crying at the door and now at Joe's
bedside, the tears were freely flowing and her
voice cracked. "I've lived with the threat of that
man all my immortal life. I should have taken care
of it before. I will take care of it, on my own.
I don't want anything more to happen to you. God,
it would have killed me if you had died, if he hurt
Amy, or any of you. Adam's right. I'll get out of
your way. With me gone, there's no threat to you."

"No, no," Joe exclaimed, taking her hand. "From
the moment those guys showed up, you protected
me."

Methos stared at Elizabeth as he processed it all.
Never liking to see Joe so vulnerable and Amy so
helpless with the situation... he walked toward the
door. Elizabeth cringed and stepped out of the
way as Adam sauntered past and out of the room.
Joe swallowed the Tylenol with a glass of water
Duncan provided. Only when he lifted his head
high enough to drink the water did he finally
noticed his stumps under the covers. He moaned,
"Can I at least have my legs?"

Duncan said. "The left one's a little... broken."

"Wonderful," Joe grumbled. "I've  got an old pair
in the closet."

Amy said, "You can't walk yet, Dad."

"I want my legs," Joe yelled, but finally spent, he
gasped, "Okay?"

~~~~~

STUDY

Methos stood, looking at Joe's watcher address
book. Just a short trip to the copy center and he
wouldn't have to pester Joe again, he could go
right to the sources. And, his password was in
there for the Watcher Database. 

Joe was thorough. There was an address for every
single name he had in the watcher system. Kevin
walked in as Methos was debating what to do, so
he just called Blair. Not wanting to talk over the
phone, he was as clipped as possible. "I'm Pierson,
a friend of Dawson's. He wants me to talk to you."

"Dawson? I haven't heard from him for over a
year. Why doesn't he talk to me himself?"

"I'll explain it when I see you."

Kevin left the room to let him talk watcher
business, something so far outside his realm, just
the thought of it all made him jittery.

There was a long pause. Blair didn't know this guy
Pierson from a hole in the ground and it seemed
awfully strange Joe didn't call him for a meeting
himself. Blair picked a public place to meet, but
that was vetoed down by Methos.

"Just come to Joe's apartment," Methos
demanded. "1153 West 84th Street."

"What for?"

 Methos muttered to himself,
shaking his head.  He put the phone back to
his ear and said, "Look up anything you have on
Joshua Logan and bring the information.
Understand? Dawson's life depends on it."

That got the old watcher's attention but he was
still leery. He'd need to figure out who Pierson
was, and since he seem to be as much of a  threat
to Joe, as Logan was, he told him, "I have some
things to do, I can't get there until after 2 this
afternoon."

"As soon as you can," Methos said, then hung up.
He looked again at Joe's address book. Joe was
going to be laid up for a while. Hm, he wouldn't
miss it for a couple of hours. Then he noticed
Elizabeth at the doorway. He felt all the buzzes in
that apartment, but it would be so lovely to be
able to gauge distance along with presence. 

She asked him, "Who was that?"

"A watcher friend of Joe's."

She nodded, but was confused. The chaos last
night was because she talked to a watcher. "I
thought there wasn't supposed to be any contact
between Immortals and Watchers."

Methos shrugged, rules... he had no time for them
when important matters were at hand. He put the
address book at his side, then behind his back.
Elizabeth looked tired, very tired, and
uncomfortable wearing Joe's clothes. Patching Joe
up and sitting up with him all night, Methos
allowed one point in her favor. She had a lot of
making up to do for getting him into trouble in the
first place though. That he couldn't forget. "How
are you doing," he slowly asked, surprised. It
wasn't a base impulse.

"I'm fine." Last night he bit her head off and had
every right to. "How 'bout yourself?"

"Peachy." Methos slipped the address book into
his back pocket, pulled his sweater down over the
bulge.

"What does a watcher friend of Joe's have to do
with anything?"

"He'll give us a lead on how to find Logan."

"No," Elizabeth violently shook her head. "You all
have nothing to do with this."

It was kind of late for that, wasn't it? Methos
would think that was priceless, but it was too
serious to laugh at. "Nothing to do with it? That
man in there was shot by Logan," he said, pointing
at the bedroom.

"Because of me." When he didn't argue, only put
his hands on his hips and let the words linger in
the air, she said, "Take care of Joe. I'll take care of
Logan."

"How? With half-baked information?" Methos
wondered how she managed to stay alive all those
years. She would definitely lose her head. There
was nothing he wanted to do about that, he just
didn't want any of them to be in the vicinity when
it happened. "What are you going to do? Sit on a
street corner and wait until Logan comes and
shoots you? Takes your head? Are you insane?
Don't you think anything through?"

"I have a plan that will draw him away from all of
you. That's my biggest fear, that one of you will
lose your head, like he took Hotohke's."

"Don't remind me." It didn't make Methos feel any
easier being near her. "And you just stood there
and let that happen, too?"

The exhaustion from the stress and being up all
night got to her. That was the only possible reason
she could be  thinking of standing there
explaining, for the second time, what happened to
this condescending man, but she spouted, "I had a
bullet in me. He had two men with him. He had
me kicked in the face and broke my cheekbone,
and also three of my ribs," then she matched his
squinted contempt. "But, yes, I guess you can
classify it as standing there and letting it happen."

Methos relaxed his eyes and was sorry he said
that, "How many times has he come after you?"

"Last night was the ninth time since I turned
immortal 137 years ago."

"Then, maybe he'll be gone for another 15 years."

"You think so?" She was hopeful, but knew it
wasn't to be. Logan didn't get to perform his
power trip. "Did he really try to take my head?"

"He had your head pulled back and held a sword
in the air."

Elizabeth instinctively put her hand to her neck
and thought that through. "He never went that far
before, I don't think."

"Oh, he always just took the nearest immortal's
head instead? How many immortals have played
sacrificial lamb for you?"

She was done talking to him. When Elizabeth
walked to the living room door, with the
determination on her face she'd only shown since
finding out she was immortal, Amy stopped her,
"Where are you going?"

"I have to take care of some things," she said,
opening the door.

"I'll go with you," Amy offered, or rather,
demanded.

"No," Methos said, having followed them to the
door to see how she would pull Amy into her
problem once again. He took Amy's arm in his
hand and held her back. "You have to be here for
Joe."

Amy's focus was on her friend. "Where are you
going, Liz?"

"It's no longer your concern. I'll give you the all
clear when it's over." Elizabeth kissed Amy on the
cheek and disappeared down the hall. 

Amy jerked her arm but couldn't release Methos'
grip. He leaned close to her and said, "She has to
do what she needs to do. You can't be involved in
it."

"She's my friend, like a sister. Let go of me!"

Kevin came in from the hall carrying a paper, wet
from a light misting outside, and glared when he
saw  Methos' hand on his fianc‚, and his fianc‚
not liking it. "What's going on?"

Amy said, "Liz left."

"I know. We passed in the hall."

"Why didn't you stop her?"

"Why?"

"She can't be out there alone!"

Amy fought against Methos's grip on her arm. He
yelled, "She's a grown woman. You can't deal
with it!"

Amy got away from Methos' hand and rushed
down the hall. Methos glared at the ceiling, why
doesn't anyone listen? He was about to call out for
MacLeod to go after her, but she was running and
would get away. Amy had to be looked after. He
took his coat and walked past Kevin to follow her.
Kevin dropped the paper and shut the door behind
him as he followed Adam down the hall.

~~~~~

As Methos barreled out the door of the building,
he sensed Elizabeth's buzz. She was waiting at the
corner with a throng of people for the light to
change.

He saw Amy rush down the sidewalk to Elizabeth,
who turned when she heard Amy call for her.
"Amy? Go back to Joe. That's where you belong!"
Then she felt the buzz, worried it was Logan, then
saw Adam walking down the sidewalk. Elizabeth
didn't know if that was a good thing, or a bad
thing. She moved across the street with the throng
when the light changed.

Amy ran up to her and pulled at her arm. "Where
are you really going?"

"Home to change into my own clothes, then to
NYU. I have an extremely hard test prepared and I
really like torturing my students."

Methos chuckled, recalled how surprised he was
by professor's power trips, and then remembered
some of his own when he taught Ancient Greek at
Oxford over 75 years before. He walked along
with them as a chaperone, or a target, depending
on how you looked at it. Methos tried to get a
handle on the immortal who brought them all into
the fray. Was she, herself, anything to be
concerned about, did she had a history of mental
illness and was Logan a big story she'd cooked up
to get rid of three powerful immortals in one fell
swoop. Bribe the men with guns to 'ambush' her,
get their friend shot, save his life, make them all
relax around her, then, bingo! She kept calling
him Adam, but did she know about Methos?

When Elizabeth scolded Amy for not wearing a
coat, then put hers around her Amy asked, "Well,
what about you?"

Elizabeth whispered to Amy so no one would
hear, "Have I ever had a cold the whole time
you've known me?" When Amy's mortality
registered, Elizabeth maintained, "You really
should go back to Joe. You have no business
getting into this."

"You already brought her into it," Methos said.

Elizabeth turned and shouted, "Shut up! I know
it's all my fault! I've accepted that! Do you get off
on reminding me every five minutes?" People on
the sidewalk heard her and looked at the object of
her rage, then just walked on.

Elizabeth stopped at the next intersection and
turned on Adam. "How many times and how
many ways and in how many languages do I have
to say I'm sorry? I'm sorry! Je suis desole! Lo
siento mucho! Ich bin traurig! Sono spiacente! Or
do you just prefer it when people to kiss your
ass?"

Methos stepped back and settled himself on one
foot, hand planted on his hip and gave her a sly
sneer, "I see you've had a lot of experience
apologizing."

"Calm down," Kevin said when he caught up with
them.

"You shouldn't be near me either, Kevin." The
light turned and Elizabeth walked and Amy
followed. Methos tried to take her arm, but Amy
was too quick and he lost her in the crowd. He and
Kevin looked at every single person in the vicinity
as they followed the women to the apartment.

"You said you had to take care of things," Amy
walked/ran with Elizabeth through the streets and
asked, "What other things do you have to do?"

"I can't tell you," Elizabeth ran up the stairs to the
apartment building and unlocked the door with a
key that hung from a long chain she kept around
her neck and had tucked under Joe's clothes. 

~~~~~

ELIZABETH'S APARTMENT

Since he was there, Methos really wanted to
collect more information about who Elizabeth
was. He didn't like her outburst on the street, but
could understand it. He really hated that Joe and
Amy were vulnerable and as he walked into her
home, he realized MacLeod's sermon may have
made an impact without his knowing. He came to
protect Amy, for Joe. 

Joe's wrath if anything happened to Amy... well,
that was something Methos wouldn't want to look
forward to. Methos had grown to like and admire
Amy too. Could she have picked a friend who
would turn on her? Use her to get at the immortals
in her circle?

Elizabeth and Amy went into the bedroom,
Methos hung around the living room looking at
her belongings. Kevin hovered in the hall by the
bedroom, eavesdropping and wondering what in
the world he'd gotten himself into. He ironically
smiled and looked at the floor as he remembered
seeing a pretty woman at his cousin's wedding,
asked her to dance, kissed her good night after
making sure there was the possibility of a date.
How could he know just two years ago that his
life with Amy would include immortals,
shootings... Elizabeth was never the dangerous
type. All the while he'd known her, she was funny,
carefree, one to lean on, kinda ditzy when it came
to men. As he stared at her in a new light, her past
blew him away.

There were a lot of Civil War mementos and
books on Elizabeth's shelves, some Methos had
read before. There were also historical tomes of
all eras. She had to indeed be a professor of
history to have a volume of  'History of Western
Civilization: Europe in the Making'. What a
boring book! And poorly written. That book was
one of the reasons Methos decided to spend his
time researching and writing a textbook outlining
the world of Ancient Egypt. 

Six months before, he was in the New York
Public Library, researching a recent acquisition 
the Metropolitan Museum of Art, his employer,
had received. It was a quirt that came to the
museum's possession with insufficient history. It
was given to Adam Pierson to get the whole story
of it's past. While he was pouring over volumes of
India and Native American tools, he noticed a
sweet little thing sitting at the massive study table
across from him. After striking up a conversation,
he found out she was studying to be an
anthropologist at NYU, and was having trouble
getting a handle on Ptolemy IV.

Happy to oblige, he sat with her and told her most
of what he could remember of the man, using the
guise of master of Egyptology that was required
for his employment. She showed him the sorry
excuse for a text she was using and he grumbled
at the thought of the cold, matter-of-fact way it
tried to explain what students needed to learn, to
be interested, to stay in class, to be passionate
enough to grasp it as a career. If he couldn't do
any better, who could? So, he took it on himself to
write the definitive text.

Methos fingered a statue on Elizabeth's bookshelf.
It was of Vishnu, the preserver god of the Trinity.
In it's four hands were a conch shell (sankha)
indicating the divine sound "Om"; a discus
(chakra), a reminder of the wheel of time, to lead
a good life; a lotus (Padma) which is an example
of glorious existence and a mace (gada) indicating
the power and the punishing capacity of the Lord,
if discipline in life is ignored. When Amy and
Kevin walked in, he smiled and said, "I haven't
seen one of these in a long time. Is that woman
really someone who can be trusted?"

"I trust her with my life," Amy was emphatic. 

Methos retorted, "You have."

"What happened last night was beyond her control
and not her fault," Amy argued. "I think you've
been too hard on her. Give her a chance. We have
to help her."

Methos saw a red light appear on the cordless
phone cradle on the small table by a bench seat.
"Who's she calling?"

"I don't know."

Methos walked toward her room to hear her end
of the conversation in case she was letting people
know she had Methos in her apartment. The
bedroom door was ajar. Elizabeth was sitting on
the bed hunched over, elbow on her knee, with the
phone held to her ear, wearing one of her own
shirts. It was only when Methos walked in that he
noticed she wasn't wearing pants.

"Okay, thanks," she muttered. She hung up and
noticed Methos.

"Who was that?" He thought that sounded a little
forceful, so he asked, "Was it about Joe?"

Adam had startled her. She felt his buzz, but didn't
know he was right there in her room. "No."

"Who was that?"

"My assistant at school. I decided not to go in
after all. Can't I dress in private?"

"I," he started to speak, but saw her pull the
bedspread across the bed to cover her legs. "...
sure," he said and walked out of the room. He
listened at the shut door for any quick escape she
might make out the window. For the start of a
possible ambush, a thought that he couldn't get out
of his mind. He only heard her open and close
drawers, heard a squeak as she sat back on the
bed. He tried to shake the suspicion from his head,
but a woman who managed a surprise attack on
him, even though it was over a hundred years
before, wasn't one to let down his guard in front
of.

For lack of anything better to do while he waited,
he walked to the kitchen and opened her fridge.
His eyes lit up when he saw she drank the same
brand of European beer that he favored. The
impulse to take one was strong, but he had his
work cut out for him trying to convince Amy to let
the immortal take care of her problem herself, and
get back to Joe's and meet with Blair. 

Amy went back to the bedroom and knocked
before entering. When she opened the door, she
saw Elizabeth packing a suitcase. "What's that
for?"

"I'm catching a shuttle."

"Where to?"

"Anywhere but here."

Amy grabbed her arm, stopping her. "Liz, we're
on the case. You're safe with us."

"But you aren't safe! That's the whole problem! I
don't want to drag you all into it. Look what
happened last night. Do you want a repeat
performance?"

"Of course not."

Methos wandered into the hallway and stood near
Kevin, listening. "I have a plan," Elizabeth said. "I
just have to get away from the city, away from
you, the people I care about."

"What kind of plan?" Elizabeth didn't answer
Amy, so she repeated, "What kind of plan?"

"I'm going to buy a gun," she said, and it made
both Methos and Kevin react. Methos shoved his
hands into his pockets and paced. That wouldn't
be good. 

"A gun?" Amy stopped her.

"I'm going to make sure I shoot first. I'm going
take his head and it will all be over."

"You can't do that. You can't play the game that
way."

"Your suggesting  I just offer him my head on a
platter?" Elizabeth noticed the loiterers in the hall
and shut up.

"No, but with reinforcements, you can have a fair
fight."

"It wouldn't be fair and he wouldn't stand still for
it."

"If there's no one shooting it would be fair."

"It wouldn't be fair for him," Elizabeth was
offended by her assumption that she couldn't
handle herself. Methos smiled. He knew what she
had meant. "Logan only has one leg. I may not
fight often, Amy, but when pushed to it, I take
heads. If I don't have a bullet hole in me, I can
take him. I'm pretty good, if I do say so myself."

"Great," Amy agreed. She found it impossible to
get her head around what made immortals beam
with pride about beheadings. "What's with the
suitcase then?"

"I'm going to make myself very popular in Boston.
Logan will find me, come after me... but I'll shoot
him first."

"Why Boston?"

Elizabeth zipped up the suitcase and muttered, "I
don't know a soul in Boston."

"We'll make sure you have the opportunity right
here in the Big Apple."

"And someone else could get hurt. What if you or
Kevin get caught in the crossfire next time? You
may get it in an artery or in the heart where no one
would be able to save you! Or in the stomach! Do
you know how much it hurts to get shot in the
stomach? It's not something to look forward to."

"That's not going to happen," Amy interrupted.
"We'll make sure we're in public places or all
together. In the meantime, I'm getting married to
the love of my life on Saturday and I insist that
you be standing right next to me. I've put a lot of
time, thought, and expense into this wedding, I'm
not going to let any part of it fall apart!" She
gauged Elizabeth's reaction, she seemed to be
weakening, as if she held out a double dip
chocolate chip cookie dough waffle cone. Amy
knew the woman well enough to know that if she
laid a total guilt trip on her, she would do anything
she wanted. She always did. "Besides, I don't have
any other friends to wear that dress!"

They both smiled. Elizabeth wanted to believe
that they'd all be safe, wanted to see Amy walk
down that aisle, to Kevin, a wonderful man. 

Amy continued, "On Sunday you can take off if
you promise to take care of yourself and keep me
posted. You can do whatever you need to do. I
don't like it, but... that's what you have to do. A
week, Liz. That's all I'm asking."

"What if Logan shows up at your wedding?"

"It's holy ground."

Amy really did know all about immortals... Liz
didn't like the quick answer, "Okay, what if he
shows up at your reception."

"A public place? He'd attack at the St. Regis? Has
he done that before?"

"No," Elizabeth admitted. "But he seems to really
wants my head this time. And he's probably pissed
that it didn't happen. Or it could happen before
then. He could be watching me right now. Bullets
can come flying into the window right now as we
speak!"

"They will not," Amy hugged her to calm them
both. "Please stay. Please."

"If anything happens, Amy," Elizabeth cried.

"I'll blame you forever," Amy smiled. "But
nothing will.  No one's that crazy. There's strength
in numbers. We'll all be with you at all times until
the wedding. We have to head back to Joe's.
Blair's going to show up."

"Amy?"

"What," Amy spouted, prepared to argue.

Elizabeth lightly said, "About the dress..."

Amy pulled back and squinted, "What happened?"

"I... haven't had time to get the final fitting."

"Liz! You need that dress in four days! You said
you took care of it."

"I know... that's why I didn't tell you. She lives
way over on 44th and it hasn't been on my way. I'll
go now. And Joe needs supplies."

"We have to see Blair, he's expecting us."

The thought of being around another watcher and
something happening again was something she
didn't want to be a part of. Just two days ago, she
didn't know watchers existed, hadn't sensed an
immortal in months. Methos took Amy's arm, told
Elizabeth, "We'll get things for Joe and see about
him, you see about the dress."

"She shouldn't go alone," Amy said. "But I want
to talk to Blair, too. I was a watcher, he may be
more open with me."

"I can take Liz over to the seamstress," Kevin
said.

"No," Elizabeth stated. "I don't want to have to
worry about anyone but me out there."

"Fine," Methos said. "We'll be at Joe's."

Amy asked her, "You won't leave town?"

Elizabeth looked at her suitcase and thought she
could still leave town. Amy's trust was evident on
her face. "No, I promise. Not until Sunday."

"Come to Joe's as soon as you're finished," Amy
said. Elizabeth faintly nodded. "Promise me you'll
go to Joe's right after the fitting." 

"Yes, Amy," Elizabeth stated. "I promise."

~~~~~

All the way out of the building, Elizabeth tried to
talk sense into her, but Amy was adamant, and
Adam didn't disagree. She promised she would
not leave the city. They were going to go their
separate ways when Elizabeth tensed. The denim
man, wearing cords, was across the street. She ran
to him and said, "This is not a coincidence! You
should be at work! Or are you?"
The man panicked, didn't know what happened.
He'd gone 12 years without Elizabeth even giving
him the time of day and now she was confronting
him, again, in front of others. Elizabeth said, "Is
Logan paying you to keep tabs on me?"

"Logan who?"

Elizabeth grabbed his tattooed wrist, "What's
that?!"

Amy said, "It's a watcher tattoo."

"I need to see what you've written about me,"
Elizabeth demanded as he yanked his arm out of
her grip.

The watcher stiffened, "I can't do that!"

Methos turned his back on him, in case he was
recognized. "I need to find out where Logan is,"
Elizabeth said. Darrell was stone silent, glaring at
her for being put in a position that watchers
clearly forbid. There was no gray area allowed for
this to happen. "You saw it, didn't you?"

Darrell gave no reaction, which only made
Elizabeth more angry. "You son of a bitch! You
saw him attack me and Joe and you didn't do
anything?"

"Watch and record," he said nobly. "That's all I
do. How's Joe?"

"He's fine, no thanks to you!"

"Hey, I called the ambulance!"

"So you'll help him but you didn't lift a finger to
help me?"

"Joe Dawson is mortal. You are on your own."

"How long have you been watching me?" 

Darrell hesitated then said, "For a long time."

"And you haven't developed any compassion for
me at all? What am I? A lab rat? A Nazi?" No
answer. "Do you know where Logan is?"

"No."

"You're lying," she decided. Then glared at him,
"Thanks a lot."

"There's a lot in your chronicle about him. But I'm
not his watcher, I'm yours. I can't interfere, I can
only record."

"Then what use are you?"

"None to you. You aren't supposed to know I
exist."

"I could say the same thing about mortals!"

"Arguing isn't going to help anyone," Amy said.

"You haven't heard of his pattern?" Elizabeth had
to hold the watcher so he wouldn't walk away.

"Yes, that's why I've had a close eye on you since
the beginning of the summer."

"You followed me to Mackinac Island? You were
just waiting for it to happen? Is it something you
were looking forward to? Get your jollies from it?
Or to make sure you get my date of death right?"

"All of the above," he looked down his nose at
her.

"You son of a bitch!"

Darrell countered, "You don't know anything
about me!"

"I'm couldn't be happier to know there's jackasses
like you in the world!" Elizabeth walked away. As
Amy, Kevin and Methos stood there, Darrell
ignored them and followed her.

Kevin asked, "How can someone just stand by and
let innocent people get killed?"

Methos didn't answer, just pondered Kevin's
question, leading Amy and Kevin safely back to
Joe's in the other direction from Elizabeth on her
way to the seamstress and Foley, who followed
her after she got a block ahead of him.

~~~~~

AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME IN SOHO

Amanda kept an arm on Duncan as they walked
down the sidewalk. Amanda intoned, "They came
out of thin air." She still couldn't believe it, hated
to be reminded there were such unfair members
out there  playing the game.

"Who?" Duncan hadn't been expecting it so that
came out of thin air. They'd had a good time
talking about nothing dangerous or important,
then she brought up Joe. 

"Logan and his men. Men can be so infuriating.
Oo," Amanda cooed, looking in a shop window.
"Those shoes are exactly what I've been looking
for! Ankle boots without too high of a heel."

"I thought we were going to the Guggenheim."

"It will just take a minute," Amanda promised.
She walked to the door. Just as she was opening
it, a man bumped into her. Amanda winced, felt a
pin prick on her shoulder. The man just walked
on. Amanda held her shoulder, she was in pain. 

Duncan pushed the neckline of her blouse over to
inspect it, they didn't see anything. He cat-called
down the sidewalk, "Hey! You can at least kiss
her ass, you ass!" The man had disappeared in the
crowd of people.

"You've really blended in, honey," Amanda
smiled. "Maybe it was static electricity or
something," Amanda said as she rubbed her
shoulder. "Where did he come from?"

"I didn't see him until he was on top of you,"
Duncan said. "How does it feel now?" He was
rubbing it.

"Fine."

"Let's get this over with." He led them inside the
woman's shoe shop, even though he'd rather stick
needles in his eyes. If he knew Amanda, she'd let
him hear about it all day if he didn't give her the
moment.

~~~~~

Methos went right for the phone when he got back
to Joe's. Amy took the bag from the drugstore and
went to check on her father, who had seemingly
slept the whole time they were gone.

When Kevin asked Adam who he was calling,
Methos said, "I want to call a contact at the police
and get a trace on that license number."

Kevin said, "I thought you didn't let the police into
what you're doing. And sorry, I forgot the
number."

"I didn't." When Carrie answered, Methos lighted
his demeanor and asked, "Hey... can you do me a
favor?"

Carrie humphed, knowing the accent as soon as he
spoke, "I don't know, Adam. You only call me
when you need something."

"Carrie," Methos said as he sat in the chair. "This
is important."

"Isn't it always? When are you going to take me
out to dinner for the last favor I did for you? I
almost got caught doing that background check on
the chief of police! What did you need that for?"

The chief of police, of the great city of New York,
was immortal and lived in Methos' building, that's
what he needed it for! Even though Carrie didn't
find anything recent, how could she know the
chief of police was well over three hundred years
old? Methos ended up moving out of the building
anyway. Why borrow trouble? He said, "This time
it's a license plate, very easy. New Jersey. AXD
776. I'm at 555-9832. Can you call me as soon as
you find out?"

"I'm going to demand lobster, Adam," she said.
"And dancing. And you're going to enjoy it."

"I heard you." There was a buzz, from the
intercom. Methos heard Amy answer it and told
Blair to come on up. "Call me when you know?"

"All right. But I have my own work to do. I'll get
to it when I can."

"You're a love," he smiled as he abruptly hung up
on her. 

When he walked into the living room, Methos saw
a short, stocky man with thinning hair being let in
by Kevin. It had to be Matthew Blair. He was for
a moment, leery, that he might recognize him
from his time as a watcher and may have found
out he was immortal. But then he remembered the
watchers were far-flung. 

There were too many fingers in the pot and the left
hand didn't know what the right hand was doing.
And, Adam Pierson worked in the Paris bureau.
Blair sounded American and wouldn't have that
knowledge. Hopefully.

Amy introduced them all and nudged Kevin to the
hallway. "Can you go see about Dad, honey? I
don't think you should be in on this conversation."

"Why not?"

"It's watcher business and I don't even want to
have it. I'd just as soon it doesn't creep into our
lives."

"Okay," he said, not needing much prodding. 

Amy smiled as she sat on the couch with Blair. He
didn't like the two of them looking at him, or the
silence. Blair looked around and asked, "Where's
Joe?"

"He's resting," Amy said. "He had a little accident
last night."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Blair sat uncomfortably
with a briefcase in his lap. "What kind of
accident?" There were unfamiliar faces in the
room and he wasn't used to the building. Blair was
under the impression Joe would join them.

Methos sat on the chair and said, "We need to find
out about a Joshua Logan. Can you tell us who his
watcher is, or if there's anything you know about
him personally? Where he's holed up?"

Matthew laughed. "Joshua Logan? You're
serious? The one-legged immortal? That's a myth.
Immortals need two hands and two legs to defend
themselves."

"So you have heard of him," Amy prodded.

"Heard, yes," Blair nodded to her with a
disbelieving smile. "I've heard the stories."

"He's not a myth," Amy said. "He attacked Joe last
night. Then attacked an immortal who he was
with, but was shot first so she couldn't defend
herself."

"Joe's hanging out with immortals? I heard that's
why he left the watchers."

Amy said, "He left to pursue a singing career. Joe
didn't know she was immortal. None of us did."

Methos put his head down thinking that they may
have to do something to calm the increasingly
jittery man, but said, "Joshua Logan information,
please?"

Blair finally processed what Amy said and asked,
"You said Joe was shot? How is he?"

"He's lying down," she nodded to the bedroom.

"My God... Why was he shot?"

Amy said, "Joshua Logan is after an immortal
named Elizabeth Bennett. She's a friend of mine."

"You're friends with immortals, too?"

"I only just found out she was immortal. I didn't
know. She didn't tell me. She didn't know about
watchers as a matter of fact."

"And you told her so she had Joe shot?"

"No! It was an accident."

"There are no accidents, Ms. Thomas." When
Blair said that, Methos liked his way of thinking. 
"What would you do with the information if I
were to provide it?"

"Make sure Logan doesn't go on killing."

He looked at Adam and decided, "I didn't believe
you could actually want that information so I
didn't check. Let's see if he's in the computer."

"It's networked?"

Blair looked at him. "Yeah. You look surprised.
Were you a watcher?"

"A while ago."

"We've never run across each other. What's your
name again?"

Methos ignored the question to ask one of his
own, "What do you have on Logan?"

Not wanting to give more than he got, Blair was
quiet. He didn't see a tattoo on Pierson's wrist.
Didn't know who he was talking to. Amy pleaded,
"It's for Joe. Please tell us."

Joe had saved Blair's life on three occasions that
he could think of off the top of his head. Got him
into the watchers in the first place, so he owed
him. Blair had a long and prosperous career with
the watchers and didn't like to break the etched in
stone rule of interfering with immortals, but one
of them had almost killed his old friend.
Friendship won out in his mind and he  said,
"Where's a phone jack?"

"Over there," she pointed to the table with the
phone. "Under the table." 

Blair moved the phone aside and lifted his
briefcase onto the table. He gave the modem cord
to the mysterious ex-watcher to plug it in. Inside
the briefcase was a laptop, which Blair turned on,
then logged onto Watcher Database. 

After protecting his password from the two of
them  he flipped through some screens, Methos
looked at what appeared to be a  pretty technical
set up. Much more modern than when he was with
the group and networking was just a faraway
dream. Even though it was networked, it seemed
to Methos that the watcher needed to know what
he was looking for to get anywhere, all the
information wasn't at their fingertips upon logging
in. That gave Methos a bit of relief, but how easy
would it be to look up certain immortals? Any
immortal? And get all their information such as
where they lived, who they knew, what they did?

Blair got to the screen he was looking for and was
surprised, "Logan is assigned a watcher. Diane
Wentworth, we went through the academy
together, but I haven't seen her since. She
probably picked Logan as an assignment because
he doesn't exist. She always was a slacker. Just
like the watchers who chase the phantom known
as Methos."

Methos didn't like his name being thrown about
by just anyone. But he breathed easy, judging by
how Blair was behaving, Methos was still a myth. 

Blair continued, "I've only heard stories about
Logan, I didn't really think he actually existed."
On the general information screen for the
immortal, they read that Logan was born in
Ireland. His first death was during the battle with
Cromwell. Had lost his leg in America, 1863.
That's all it said. There was nothing about the way
it happened. Diane Wentworth was the latest in a
string of 18 watchers who were assigned to him
over the years. Would wonders ever cease? A one
legged Immortal survived the last 140 years...
"Elizabeth... what did you say her name is?"

"Elizabeth Bennett," Amy said.

Blair searched and flipped through some screens
until one appeared with Elizabeth's picture on it.
"Is that her?"

Amy looked. "Yes." Her head swam, the friend
she'd known for years was catalogued in the
database, like every other immortal walking the
earth. Elizabeth Bennett's information was all laid
out. She was born in 1831 and was turned on July
10, 1863. Methos appreciated the fact that she had
been honest with them. Amy shook her head, "I
still can't believe it."

Methos also read that she was a history professor
and that she'd been married six times. She was
christened  Elizabeth Maria Hiccock, used six
other names in her life. Elizabeth Tennison,
Elizabeth Richardson, also Bennett, Quigley,
Myers, Abernathy, and had recently reverted back
to Elizabeth Bennett.  Amy saw the string of
names and thought she knew Elizabeth so well.
Abernathy, Eliot's name brand on her, was the
only one she recognized. She had told Amy that
Bennett was her maiden name. They would have
to have a long talk after this mess was over.

Her watcher's name was Darrell Foley. Blair used
the hyperlink to his page and there was the picture
of a blond man with a slight scar on his forehead
that they met up with earlier. He took up residence
in New York after Elizabeth moved there and had
been her watcher for almost twelve years. Methos
also appreciated the fact that Foley had been
honest with them. Methos shook his head trying to
digest it, who would have thought that both an
immortal and a watcher would be honest? There
was Foley's address and phone number. Methos
memorized it.

Blair flipped back a screen and said, "There's
nothing in here about Logan, but that would be in
her personal chronicle, this is just a database." He
flipped forward to Darrell's page again. "I don't
know of him. Maybe he has information."

Amy wrote down the address and phone number
on a piece of paper even though she thought he'd
be a dead end, wouldn't give them any more than
he had already. 

Methos' hands twitched he wanted so badly to
peruse Blair's database for information on himself.
He told them, "I think I heard Joe. Was that Joe?"

"I didn't hear anything," Amy said. 

"Maybe he's awake," Methos put a hand on Blair's
shoulder and made sure he used his first name.
"Do you want to see him, Matthew?"

"I'd like that," Matthew would feel better if he
actually saw Joe and made sure he wasn't in
trouble letting them find out as much as they did.

"Amy," Methos politely asked, "Why don't you
bring Matthew to see Joe? That would cheer his
old friend up."

After they left, Methos hurriedly typed Methos in
the search box. The screen that popped up after
the search was in fact the Methos page. Date of
Birth: Unknown. Area of Birth: Unknown. Date
of First Death: Unknown. First Watcher:
Unknown. Etc. Methos smiled. Even though they
transferred the information to the database after he
left the watchers, they hadn't added anymore to it.
There wasn't even a picture. Satisfied, he was
going to join the others in Joe's room.

But, there was a sneaking suspicion that rose up
and he couldn't stop himself from trying it. 
He made sure they weren't on their way back in
before returning again to the search screen. He
typed in "Pierson, Adam" and the laptop rumbled
to life, searching the database. The screen that
popped up almost knocked him to the floor. Adam
Pierson's file wasn't under the watchers, he was
under the immortals file. It was too easy! Adam
Pierson a.k.a. 'Methos' was what the screen
declared. With a picture. An old picture, when he
wore his hair longer on the top, when he first
joined the watchers and the 80s hairstyles had
influenced him. In fact, Methos thought it was the
picture from when he had his watcher badge
made. 

The watchers realized that Adam Pierson was
Methos! And they've networked their information!
And put that information under a simple search of
Adam Pierson! Anyone who looked up Adam
Pierson would find out his secret!! If it was that
easy to get a watcher to walk away from his
database, who else could finagle it!!! Methos tried
every way he could think of to erase the
information, making the laptop crash. He turned it
off and slammed down the lid.

"Beautiful!" he muttered to himself and paced.
How did they find out he was Methos, and when
did this happen?! Did someone suddenly develop
a brain and put two and two together about what
he'd been doing during his time with the
Watchers? Why didn't Joe tell him his head was
on the chopping block? If they knew he was
Methos, did they assign a watcher to him?!
Suddenly, Methos spun around to look again at
the laptop, angry at himself for crashing the
computer. He didn't think to look! He had to
remember to be thorough, even when he felt like
taking heads!

He snapped open and restarted the laptop. It went
through scan disk as it wasn't shut down properly.
Damn Windows based software products! It was
even more annoying to him than rice farming.
Then he heard voices. Methos shut it off and shut
the cover again. Moved quickly to the other side
of the room. Picked up a paper. Amy said, "You
didn't hear Joe. He's still sleeping."

"Oh," Methos said with a slight, tight smile. "My
mistake."

Blair closed the briefcase and said, "Well, I should
get going. Lionel is going to head to Beijing
today, I have to make that plane. Tell Joe I'm
thinking about him. And good luck."

"Thank you so much for meeting with us, Mr.
Blair," Amy said as she showed him to the door.
Blair met Duncan and Amanda coming up the hall
when he left. He nodded and went on his way, not
knowing who they were. 

When they came in, the phone rang and Amy
answered it in the den. Methos felt the buzzes, but
knew Amanda's tell tale laugh as they came down
the hall, he only stared out the window lost in his
thoughts. Could there be a Methos watcher out
there? He saw Amanda's, but didn't see MacLeod's
new one. He had to be out there, too. Along with
Methos', there could be a little hen party going on
down there on the street.

Amy walked in, "Adam? The phone's for you."

, Methos thought. He'd
have to change his name. He thought that identity
would be safe, at least for a while. He wondered if
it was time Adam Pierson died a horrible death by
decapitation so it would all be wiped out of
watcher database... He'd have to move from his
apartment, maybe even New York, maybe the
country all together.

"Adam?" Amy repeated. When he looked at her,
she smiled. "Phone call."

"Oh, thanks." 

"In your own little world, Adam," Duncan asked.

"Something like that."

It was Carrie on the phone with the information,
Methos remarked, "That was fast."

"Well, I like lobster. And God help me, I like you
too, Adam. The car is registered to Lawrence
Tildon, Elizabeth, New Jersey. I didn't spend time
looking up the title. What did you need the
information for?"

"Just curious."

"I suppose you want his phone number."

Methos flinched at the karma of the city's name.
Was that in Logan's mind? What kind of lunatic
was he? "I couldn't care less about his phone
number, I want his address."

~~~~~

NEW JERSEY 

Duncan and Amanda used Joe's car to drove out to
Elizabeth, New Jersey, to see Lawrence Tildon.
While they were going down the turnpike, singing
along to tunes, they didn't notice the short dark
haired woman in the car following them. 

The woman's knuckles were white, she wanted to
follow Duncan's car, but not too close. He can't
know she was there. It was almost impossible,
during the last couple of days since knowing he
was in the city, not to get close enough to him to
give herself away with her buzz. When her
denizen pricked Amanda on the street, she had to
duck behind a building to not be seen. The woman
didn't die right away, but that was to be expected.
She'd be gone within days. Then she could show
herself to Duncan and they could continue what
they started oh so long ago. 

They drove into Elizabeth a nice, quiet residential
area. The woman wondered what the hell they
were up to, and parked a couple of blocks back
from where Duncan parked the Volvo. 
As they walked past the for sale sign and on to the
house, they were apprehensive and surveyed the
area for anyone with a glint in their eye and a gun
in their hand. Amanda looked at the suburban
rambler and said, "Why would they want to sell
this palace?"

"They rob banks besides shooting innocent
people?" Duncan offered. After the coast seemed
clear, he pushed the doorbell button. "Mrs.
Tildon," Duncan asked when an old woman
opened the door.

She squinted through her bifocals and smiled at
the young, handsome couple although she had no
idea what they wanted with her, "Yes?"

"Is Mr. Tildon home... or .... your son?"

She glared at him. "My son lives in Savannah.
What do you want?"

"I just want to talk to your husband, Lawrence."

"You're too late," she teared up. "He died three
months ago. He had a heart attack."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"What did you want? You didn't bring the realtor,
did you want to look at the house? I wasn't ready
for showing..."

"Well," Duncan looked at Amanda. 

Amanda said, "Did you recently drive into New
York, or let someone borrow your car?"

"My Taurus? It was stolen last week. Did you find
it?"

"We think it was used in a robbery in New York
City last night."

The woman put her hand to her chest. "Oh, good
heavens."

Duncan and Amanda looked at each other, this
was obviously a dead end. 

CONTINUED in Chapter Four - Cockroaches

    Source: geocities.com/enyajo/elizabeth

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