THE ELIZABETH SERIES
CHAPTER TEN
THE CAPER
by JoLayne
EnyaJo@aol.com

RATING: PG 
CHARACTERS: DM M A OFC Elizabeth, OMC The Immortal
SUMMARY: An Immortal is after Methos as they arrive in Seacouver and
the gang's reunited. Amanda has a business proposition for Elizabeth.
DISCLAIMER: Still applies from Chapter One

~~~~~

MONDAY FEBRUARY 19, 2001 
DOJO

Duncan was hunched over the desk in the office with a pile of book work
when a buzz invaded his senses. Methos and Elizabeth walked past the
people fencing and working out in the gym. Methos introduced her to
Wally, who knew him as Adam. Methos didn't correct him.

"Elizabeth, nice to see you again," a slightly accented, familiar voice called
out. She smiled when Duncan emerged from the office door and kissed her
on the cheek.

"How are you doing, Mac?" Methos asked.

"Great," he said with his trace Scottish accent where the R in the word
sounded like an L. Elizabeth had been nervous to see him and Amanda
again but his slight accent seemed to welcome her to his turf. Duncan was
happy to see Methos again... and to see that Methos was caring about
something other than himself again. The e-mails about Elizabeth's return
to his life left out specifics, so he couldn't wait to find out the whole
scoop.

Methos sprawled on the couch of the office as Duncan closed the door.
"So," Duncan turned to them, "Is everything settled down for the
moment?"

"Pretty much," Elizabeth said, tapped Methos' legs so she had a place to
sit. He grudgingly moved them, the placed his feet on her lap as soon as
she sat.

"I talked to Joe this morning," Duncan poured them some juice. "Did you
hear?"

"No, what?" Methos was worried. Joe could very well have residual pain
from the gun shot, even though Joe won't admit it.

"He was going to bring Caroline to visit, but there's a big shakeup in the
Watchers. It seems that after Foley was kidnaped, tortured and murdered
by your boy Logan," Duncan nodded to Elizabeth. "And Wentworth
resigning, there's a lot of questions to be cleared up. There's also
something about some watchers being killed in Europe."

Methos carefully asked, "Is Joe in any kind of trouble?"

"No, why should he?" Duncan didn't know Joe was Methos' watcher and
was submitting false reports to keep the old guy's present whereabouts a
secret. But, Methos thought, what Duncan didn't know didn't hurt Duncan.

"Well," Methos shrugged. "Sometimes, there doesn't have to be a reason
and the Watchers love their scapegoats."

Elizabeth had sat quiet long enough. "I thought immortals weren't
supposed to know about watchers."

"They don't."

"You're having a little old hen party about them. Is that kosher?"

Duncan said, "We're just talking. Joe also said that he assigned your new
watcher."

There was silence. "Okay," Elizabeth said. "I'll bite. Who?"

"Brett Maxwell."

"Brett Maxwell?!" Methos boomed, startling not only the two in the
office, but some of the people working out.

Elizabeth asked Methos, "Who's he? What does that mean?"

Methos sat up and leaned forward, put his hands together on his lap.
"That's who that was. Man, he's gotten old. Brett Maxwell's been a
Watcher for almost 40 years. He certainly likes the field work. When I was
still with them, I heard he turned down promotions for supervisory jobs,
can you imagine?"

"Then what does he want with me?"

Duncan shrugged to her, then looked at his old friend, "Maxwell... he was
watching Luther Vangreville, right?"

Methos was surprised that he knew that. MacLeod never wanted to know
anything about Watchers and what they were up to, only if it concerned a
friend like Joe or Methos or himself. Duncan continued, "Maxwell
probably asked for the assignment of you, Liz. He needed a break after
Vangreville was taken. Does he know you're with her?"

Methos spouted, "I hope not." Elizabeth looked at Methos, almost insulted.
He explained, "Brett almost found out about Methos a couple of years
back. I told you I like to lay low." 

Duncan laughed, "That's an understatement." 

Duncan seemed to have an in with these Watchers. Elizabeth realized she
didn't know all that much about the man. There wasn't a lot of time with
him and Amanda during their New York week. "Methos was a Watcher...
Were you? Is that where you met?" 

Duncan shook his head, no... "I'm not a hypocrite, or take the easy way out
of the game."

"Hey," Methos didn't like Duncan's holier-than-thou attitude when it came
to Adam Pierson's profession. He seemed to delight in bringing it up and
put himself on a higher plane. "It kept me alive."

Wally tapped on the office glass, and fingered for Methos to join him. He
did. Elizabeth leaned closer to Duncan and asked, "What was that crack
about him being hypocrite?"

"He tried to straddle the fence. It can't be done. You're either a watcher or
an immortal."

"Do you know many watchers?"

"Only Joe personally, and that was by accident."

"I knew two for almost 5 years and I didn't know it." This was the first
time Elizabeth was alone with Duncan and there was a strange
awkwardness. "Where's Amanda?"

"Out of town for a while." He knew she was just trying to break the ice.
So, he smiled at her and said, "I'm glad you and Methos worked it out."

"Thanks." Another pause. Elizabeth's way of breaking the ice was a little
different than Duncan's. "So, how old are you?" He laughed softly. She did
too and said, "Well, you're not a woman, and I figure immortals are pretty
proud when they rack up the years. Methos is, after he finally let me in on
it."

"He told you everything?"

"I would assume that he told me most of it. How old are you? Don't
change the subject."

"I'm just over 400." That was easy. 

Methos came back and overheard, "He's a kid." He smiled as he slipped
back on the couch, pocketing the money Wally just paid him. As if he
needed to explain, he said, "Superbowl."

"Your accent," Elizabeth's attention was still on Duncan. "Are you
English?"

"I still have it?"

"I can hear it creep in there."

"I thought I finally lost it."

"Don't feel bad. It's cute."

"Really?"

"Cute is what he does best," Methos moaned. "And it's not an English
accent. You wouldn't know, Liz, because he hasn't challenged you but
you're looking at Duncan MacLeod of the clan MacLeod. The Highlander.
Scottish through and through. It can really be annoying sometimes."

"Oh," she was impressed, extended her hand. "Please to make your
acquaintance. I'm Elizabeth Bennett from the clan Hiccock. The...
Pennsylvanian, I guess."

They shook hands, smiling. "Do you and Methos want to have supper with
us? Amanda should be home today, I hope," Duncan said.

Methos eared perked up. "You hope? Where is the minx?"

"She went to LA last week and hasn't come back yet."

Methos reminded him, "Well, she does have a history of taking off for
decades at a time."

"But we're together again." Duncan looked at Methos and wondered how
he knew that. He hadn't known Methos for a decade, let alone long enough
for him to know the pattern with his girlfriend. Did he and Amanda share a
history he was oblivious about? And if they did, why hadn't he been let in
on it?

Methos knew that look. Duncan MacLeod had the puppy dog, serious look
of pining for a woman. He really needed to get rid of it. Then, he noticed
Elizabeth almost melting at Duncan's forlorn demeanor. What was that all
about? He asked, "What is Amanda doing in the City of Angels?"

"She didn't tell me."

"This just keeps getting better and better." Methos was still ticked at
Amanda for letting the cat out of the bag, so to speak. Her mouth could get
him into trouble. He still couldn't get over the fact that Amanda pounded
on his door at 3:00 in the morning, yelling his name. His true name. Ever
since then, he knew she would do something to give him away. Thank the
Gods it was in front of Elizabeth, who he was able to convince wasn't that
bad of a lie and she wouldn't take his head just because of how many years
he'd been walking the planet. 

When he called Duncan about seeing him, Amanda wasn't mentioned and
Methos thought she was gone for a long time to stir up trouble elsewhere.
Some things he could only wish for. If there was a pesky immortal to stay
away from, it was Amanda. How had she stayed alive so long? But then,
she was a charming thing that Methos couldn't seem to be mad at for long.

Methos looked at his watch, "Well, I should get over to the bank before he
goes to play golf. Bankers..."

Elizabeth tore her eyes from Duncan to look at Methos for the first time
since he came back from collecting his winnings from Wally. "Where else
are you going?"

"I need some computer paper. I should get an ink cartridge too. I forgot to
check if I had any." He needed to needle her, throw out a line to Duncan
that Elizabeth was unavailable, "I haven't been back here for a while and
you kept me pretty busy last night."

Duncan caught the jab and muttered, "Well, that sounds like fun." He
thought he'd enjoy this little game and asked, "Liz, why don't you stick
around here? I'll show you around. We can meet up with him later."

"That does sound more interesting than Office Depot."

Methos smirked at the two smiling at each other, then walked over to the
both of them and grabbed Elizabeth's face, kissing her as he never had
before. Duncan sat back to get out of the way, laughed. "There's no
competition, Methos."

Methos looked at Duncan and said, "And don't you forget that."

"What a morning," Elizabeth said. "Are you two actually having a
competition over little ol' me?"

"You're not old," Methos walked to the door. "I'm old and that makes me
the winner."

"So far," Duncan laughed. 

As Methos left, Elizabeth muttered, "He's so cute..." Duncan and Elizabeth
both shook their heads and laughed. She gauged his expression, "You
weren't thinking anything, were you?"

"Me? No. You?"

"No."

"Come on," he said, taking her hand and leading her to the door. 

Elizabeth held back, "Where to?" Surprise. That was Methos' line to get
her into the bedroom.

Duncan chuckled and said, "To meet everyone. Come on." He introduced
Elizabeth to more of the regulars. Two woman were fencing and Elizabeth
couldn't help but butt in and tell the losing opponent what she was doing
wrong and helped her. 

After their hour and people cleared off the mats, Duncan whispered to her,
"How do you feel after Logan's no longer in the land of the living?"

"A hell of a lot better." He grabbed two sticks from the wall and tossed
one to her. Elizabeth looked at the stick that was almost as long as she
was, "What's this for?"

"I saw you fight Logan, but let's see what you can do."

Not since her training with Hotohke did she actually spar with another
immortal. She only did it privately or during an actual fight. "Why?"

"Something to do."

"You're obviously in better shape than I am," she started, holding the stick
out to him, declining.

Duncan tapped his stick against hers, "Let's see what you can do."

"Why?" Would he challenge her?

"Okay, I can still catch David and you can go to Office Depot. Don't be
scared. This is just what we do here," Duncan spread his arms to show that
it's a workout gym and they would only being working out. What started as
'a get to see what you can do' spar turned into a full fledged challenge with
the sticks. Trying to keep up with Duncan MacLeod was a feat. The two
guys working out on the machines even stopped to watch the 'fencing'. The
short, stocky one, Andy, had his money on MacLeod all the way.

The tall muscle machine, Wally, gave Elizabeth moral support. She smiled
when he did, "It's not like he's going to... kill me," She couldn't say 'cut my
head off'. Then she looked at Duncan. "Are you?"

"Nah," he shrugged and mouthed, "Maybe later."

Andy pocketed the money as he won from the bettors after Elizabeth was
winded and Duncan's stick was at her neck. She noted that she would
never, ever get into a challenge with Duncan MacLeod of the clan
MacLeod. She would never be able to beat him. Then he straightened and
bowed to her for a workout well done. People started leaving, along with
Andy and Wally, who left together. Duncan rubbed a towel to the back of
his neck and tossed her another one. "You showed me better moves than
you did Logan."

Elizabeth said, "Well, you have two working legs. You are a little tougher
opponent." She sat on the bench press and shook her head. "I'm such an
idiot for letting it go so long. I never felt so free since I took him."

"Want something to drink while we wait for Methos?" He wondered if
Amanda would show up that day or not. He didn't like to admit it, but he
was worried about her. She was supposed to come back the day before. 

"I'd love it." 

When they reached the loft, Elizabeth's eyes bugged out. "This place is
like a museum..." The shelves were crammed with what she guessed were
priceless artifacts any museum would envy. She had her civil war
collection that was personal, Methos had his... conglomeration... of
antiques that she found out was also personal relics, Duncan's was also
amazing. A rack holding four swords got her attention. "Souvenirs?" 

"No, artifacts. I used to own an antiques store. Those are some I just didn't
want to sell." He nodded to another rack on the opposite wall and said,
"And some that I've used over the years."

One sword in particular caught her attention, a saber. "When I was newly
immortal... I didn't have a teacher, I didn't even know what I was. After I
revived from Logan's attack, I wandered. I found this..." she looked at him.
"Or it's exact duplicate, lying in a wheat field. A Union cavalry sword. I
didn't know why, but I was drawn to it. I needed it... As a macabre
souvenir of the horror of the battle, or because the need for a sword is
ingrained in immortals, I don't know. But I cleaned it off, sharpened it,
oiled it, figured out how to use it." He handed her a glass of wine.
"Thanks."

"When did you meet up with a teacher?"

"About four years later."

She went to another rack of swords, "This one is impressive." She rubbed
her hand along the top one that was the sign of the cross, gold, compact,
flat hilt, useful to hide in coats. It was definitely old, but in very good
shape, seemed to have been reforged at least once.

Duncan said, "That was my student's." He regretted saying it as soon as he
did. Why did that information freely escape his lips? 

"Why doesn't he or she have it?"

"He's dead."

"I'm sorry..." She thought back to her teacher, Hotohke's, murder. Methos
and Hazimil. Duncan experienced one of his students dying. That had to
be just as tough to take. "Did you see it happen? You needed to keep a
macabre souvenir?"

Duncan nodded, then shook his head, no. Elizabeth was sorry she kept
talking about it as the man who was so light and happy was suddenly
looking like he just ate spit. Duncan shook off the sadness and his chivalry
kicked in. "It's just... hard... I thought he was someone else."

She was shocked. "You... took your student's head?"

"I was... fighting a demon, one who showed himself as many people from
my life. Richie was his name. Richie... Ryan." He felt a hot flash of
sadness. "It was a mistake. I...," He owned the memory and verbalized it
for her. "I took his head. By mistake."

Elizabeth wondered how you could kill someone by mistake. She was glad
he trusted her with the information, the memory of it, but was sorry it was
so close to the surface. "It's a fact of my life," he said. "I still have more
work to do on putting it behind me."

Would he mistake her for someone else? Would Methos? Would she?
Good Lord, older immortals were so tortured. Methos and his Horseman
talk, Duncan took his student's head. They felt a buzz and looked at each
other. As the elevator went down, the sudden sound of it made Elizabeth
jump. Duncan put his hand on her shoulder and she jumped again. Duncan
said to calm her, "Methos has a key to the elevator." Elizabeth felt stupid
for it getting to her, but the conversation and being in a new place on her
own with weapons on the wall scared her.

Methos appeared and she relaxed. "There you are. What are you doing up
here?"

Duncan's demeanor and face changed with the appearance of Methos. He
was the type to cover his feelings to Methos, but he let his guard down to
Elizabeth, although he did swallow the grief for her benefit. Methos didn't
wait for an answer to his question, there were more important things on the
agenda. He headed straight to the fridge and pulled out a beer.

"Make yourself at home, Methos," Duncan said, lightly. 

Methos popped the cap off a beer and made a perfect free throw with it
into the garbage can in the corner, "Don't mind if I do." He drank, then
thought,  Then he saw the sweat stains on
Elizabeth's pits and that Duncan had been exercising too. "What's going
on?"

"Elizabeth was showing some moves to the students downstairs, and I then
she and I had our own session."

"Doing what?"

"Sparring."

"Why?"

"Exercise," Duncan said. "Don't you practice your skills?"

"Why?"

"To keep sharp."

"MacLeod, I've been fighting, sparingly admittedly, for real for 5000 years.
I don't need practice. But it's good to know you children are keeping up on
things." He glanced at Elizabeth and she didn't really like that last line. 

Just months ago, Elizabeth was feeling good that she was almost 200 years
old, didn't know how old immortals could stay alive. Hotohke was over
500 and she thought that was the goal. She was actually proud of herself
and her years, before she met up with them. And was embarrassed about
not taking care of an immortal who she should have too many years
before. After Methos' comment, she felt even more inadequate.

They felt another buzz, all looked at each other. Methos said, "I didn't
sense anyone outside, only up here."

The elevator went down. Elizabeth wondered if she'd entered Immortal
Grand Central Station, still getting used to all the buzzes around them. The
thought of running was strong, she didn't want to get into an immortal
battle, but she watched how Methos and Duncan reacted to the new buzz.
They only nodded to each other, "Amanda." Then Duncan added, "She's
got a key to the elevator."

Amanda's head appeared before the elevator came to a stop. She looked at
Methos and smiled. "Methos..." She opened the gate, was carrying a
suitcase. "It's been such a long time." She walked to him smiling as she
remarked, "It's been kind of nice, actually. How are you?"

"Call me David," Methos pointed a finger in her face, "I want you in the
habit of calling me David. Do you understand?"

"If I didn't call you Methos, Liz would still be in the dark about you. I only
have your best interests at heart, dear."

Methos slapped her butt when Amanda kissed him hello. Elizabeth noticed
his personality transplant since they arrived in Seacouver. He was lighter,
relaxed, more of a jokester that she hadn't seen before. It was old home
week for him, in his element. He did feel good being back on old stomping
grounds with old friends. 

"Oh, the game wouldn't be half as much fun without you," Amanda cooed.
She walked to Duncan and they kissed, oblivious to the other two in the
room. 

"Amanda..." Methos was going to let her know Elizabeth was there, but
she was still in the lip lock with Duncan. "Amanda!" She turned and
looked at him sweetly. "Liz?" he moved Elizabeth forward.

"Oh, honey, you're here. I didn't see you!" She went to her and hugged her.
"I'm so glad you looked past Methos'--."

"David's," Methos said.

"Shortcomings," she continued.

"Hey!" Methos was put out.

Elizabeth smiled at them, at how Amanda and Methos reacted to each
other. Amanda took Elizabeth's hand, "How long are you in town?"
Elizabeth and Methos both shrugged. "Well, we should get to know each
other better. I'd be happy to show you some of my haunts. Show you
around town. Go shopping?"

"That would be fun," Elizabeth smiled.

Methos pretended to be hurt as he sat down on the leather couch, situating
his butt into the dent he'd made over the years, "You'll shop with her, you
won't shop with me?"

"I think Amanda would go to more interesting stores."

Amanda gave her best friendly grin to Elizabeth, but cringed when she
heard that tone of voice from Duncan that she hated so, like a father who's
daughter stayed out too late the night before. "Amanda," Duncan said. 

Amanda turned to him and sweetly replied, "Yes?"

Duncan could match sugar with sugar as he asked, "What took you so
long?"

"Were you worried about me? How sweet." She looked back at Elizabeth.
"Isn't he sweet?"

"Adorable," Methos mimicked her giddiness. This was going to get good.
Amanda's latest escapades were better than most TV.

"Tell me about Los Angeles." Duncan needed some answers. 

"Oh, it's a long story," Amanda waved him away and looked at the wine on
the counter, wanting a glass but wanted to be waited on. "I can bore you
with it later."

Methos, disappointed, said, "You can't do that. It always loses something
in the translation when he tells me what you're up to. And he always does."

Amanda flashed a frown at him and asserted, "Oh, be quiet."

"I think you better tell me now," Duncan said. "They'll find out about it
anyway."

Elizabeth looked at Methos watching them with a smile on his face.
"Maybe we should go?" She said to him, knowing there were visible pit
stains on her shirt from the workout and desperately wanted a shower.

Methos looked at her, "What? Are you kidding? I live for this stuff."

Duncan said, "Oh, really?"

"Of course," Methos stated. "Amanda's not my problem and it usually
doesn't involve me." 

"I thought you believed in people's lives and secrets being their own."

Methos ignored Duncan's comment and turned to Elizabeth. "Have a seat,
this should be good." He patted the couch cushion next to him. She never
saw him like this, certainly not during the week in New York, or the few
days in Sintra with them all. Was Methos feeling more at ease not having
to cover any secrets?

"David...," Amanda made sure to use his new fake name, "I just got off a
plane. And I'd like a little privacy with my man here." She wrapped her
arms around Duncan.

Duncan moaned, he wasn't swayed by her seductive motions, or how she
rubbed her hips against his, "What did you do?"

Her pucker turned to a scowl as she simmered, "All right." She took a deep
breath and said, "You remember... Cameron James?" She held her breath. 

Duncan dropped his head forward in frustration. He grunted. "Don't tell
me."

Methos laughed at Elizabeth and pointed at Amanda as he said, "I was
right, this is good. Cameron James and Amanda go way back." He looked
at Amanda and said, "When was it, dear? 100 and... 13? years ago he put
you in prison?'' Methos so enjoyed reminding her.

"117, Methos," Amanda groaned. "117."

"David."

"I'm so glad you're here." She looked at Elizabeth and said, "Are you good
with a sword?" Amanda had only seen her fight Logan, and he was... at a
disadvantage. "I may need reinforcement."

Elizabeth didn't know this new shorthand and 'joking' they were doing. She
looked at Methos, "Is that supposed to be funny?" Methos made a so-so
motion with his hand. 

Duncan said, "You said you were through with Cameron James. You said
that you weren't going to go anywhere near him again. I recall... we had
just gotten back together 9 months ago when we were running away from
half of Scotland Yard after you forced me into going to a party at his house
in London, and then tried to steal his ruby--."

Amanda countered, angry. "My ruby."

"Why can't you just let it go?"

Amanda was firm. "It's my ruby, Duncan."

"It's just a rock!"

"My rock!"

There was silence as Elizabeth drank the red wine, trying not to think of
herself as a fifth wheel with them and Amanda's dilemma that she didn't
feel comfortable hearing about. Methos, on the other hand, just sipped his
beer watching Amanda squirm, enjoying it.

Duncan was exasperated but had to get the answers from her. "So,"
Duncan said, "You broke into his house?"

"No, his office. I found out the ruby was in the safe in his office after I
staked his house out all week, the weasel."

Duncan went to refill his wine glass as he said, "You said you were
visiting an old friend, not casing out a job."

"That wasn't ... really lying. You know how friendly I am with jewels."
Duncan didn't think it was a laughing matter. Amanda noticed, and
explained, "I couldn't tell you the truth. Look how you're acting." 

That didn't go over well with Elizabeth. She'd never seen such people with
lies floating around. Methos was lapping it up with an amused smile on his
face. She downed her glass of wine. 

Duncan didn't want to, but had to hear what they might be up against, "All
right. Tell me what happened."

Methos took Elizabeth's empty wine glass and walked to the counter for a
refill for her and get another beer for himself. As he sauntered past
Amanda, he asked with his head tilted toward her, "Have they changed the
bright orange jumpers in LA County lock up?"

She glared at him. "You're enjoying my trauma?" He just laughed and held
Elizabeth's glass out to Duncan who refilled it. He opened the fridge for
another beer. Amanda looked at Elizabeth and said, "How can you give
that man the time of day? Is he as heartless to you as he is to me?"

Methos gave Elizabeth her glass and sprawled back on the couch. They
both looked at Elizabeth for her answer. "What?"

Methos said, "Tell her I'm not heartless."

She told Amanda, "He's not heartless."

Methos patted Elizabeth's leg and said, "Thank you."

She took his hand and said, "You're welcome." Elizabeth caught the very
uncomfortable look on Amanda's face and asked Methos, "Maybe we
should go?"

"Haven't you been listening? She has to tell us how she got out of jail."

Elizabeth said, "She didn't say she was in jail."

"Oh, she was in jail," Methos snickered as he nodded and drank. He saw
the surprised look on Amanda's face. He was right and was once again
pleased with himself that he could read people like no other.

Duncan handed Amanda a glass of wine and rubbed her shoulders. She
thanked him and calmly said, "Cameron decided to drop the charges. I was
only arrested for breaking and entering. I didn't get the ruby." Just the
thought of it got her riled up, her voice rose as she said, "How was I
supposed to know about the temperature alarm in his office? He is the
most frustrating man! You would think that a card code, a laser beam and
a motion sensor would be enough security for any office." As the men
chuckled, she muttered, "I bet the Pentagon isn't as wired." 

Duncan leaned down to her ear and said, "And he just let you go?"

"Yes. The weekend in jail was enough to learn my lesson."

"And what lesson did you learn?"

Amanda looked up at his face and smiled widely. "That I have to case out
the joint more thoroughly next time."

"Oh, so you still haven't learned a lesson?" Duncan said. They smiled at
each other and Duncan kissed her cheek. "Is he after you?"

"No, why should he be?" Amanda faced Duncan's unbelieving stare. "It's
over."

"Good," he nuzzled her neck.

"Methos," Elizabeth said. "They want privacy. I'm hungry. I'm sweaty.
Let's go."

Amanda mouthed thank you to Elizabeth and she smiled in return. Methos
said, "Yeah, I meant to talk to you about that," finished his beer and got
up. "Well, just like old times. See ya later, buddy. Amanda, always a
pleasure."

"I wish I could say the same," Amanda said to Methos, then accentuated,
"David." She looked Elizabeth over and walked her to the elevator.
Amanda was still playing the weekend over in her head and was
disappointed she was so close to the ruby but came up short. The rock was
out of touch for a while, but there were other ways to play with James, but
didn't want a repeat of that weekend. "How about you and I have lunch
tomorrow?"

"Sure."

"I'll give you a call in the morning," Amanda said, debating on whether
Elizabeth could help her out with a new plan of attack. "There's this little
caf‚, Turner's, just down the block from here. Why don't you both come
over here around noonish, and you and I will walk over and have some
private time to get to know each other better." 

"Sounds good," Elizabeth told her and looked over at Methos talking to
Duncan. She asked, "Are you coming?" He finished talking with Duncan
and went into the elevator.

"At your service," he elegantly bowed and grinned. Joined her in the
elevator. 

Elizabeth mouthed goodbye to Amanda and she smiled and flipped her
hand in acknowledgment. 

Methos shut the gate and they went down. When they got downstairs, he
said, "Don't get too chummy with her, please?"

"Amanda? Why not?"

"Did you hear her? She was in jail."

"She seemed to have worked it out."

"Oh, Gods," Methos stared at the grating of the elevator as it went down. 

~~~~~

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 20, 2001 NOON 

In an apartment across and down the street from the dojo with a
convenient window with a view to the door, The Immortal watched
Methos' plaything and Amanda Montrose walk down the other side of the
street in front of him. He knew Montrose was an Immortal and wondered
if she would be able to feel his presence, so he backed away from the
window a bit. All his years walking the planet made him pretty acute to the
feeling himself and didn't feel hers, so he felt safe. 

The women walked and talked, didn't seem to notice his prying eyes.
"Hmm," he mused, debating his options. He knew the other woman was
with Methos at the brownstone, left with him that morning, but didn't
know her name, or even if she was immortal... if she could be of use to
him. 

The Immortal watched Amanda and the woman sit at a table of the caf‚ by
the window, acting pretty chummy. 'No, she's too close to them to be
turned'. He'd just have to figure her into his plan. That fact that Methos
cared about her (and to the Immortal's mind, that was a red letter day), she
could only be an asset to him. 

He tried to think of how long he'd been planning to even the score with the
monster. Centuries. Tens of centuries. Over the years, when he would find
Methos, he'd have to get his psyche into a place where he could actually do
what he needed to do. Evil was bred into him, it was thrust upon him. By
the time he was ready, Methos would disappear. When he'd bolt, The
Immortal would have to rethink his revenge. 

He thought about all the churches, temples, synagogues, monasteries,
cemeteries, Indian burial grounds, communes... everywhere he went to try
to find the strength to stop the grief and vengeance that permeated his
spirit. He tried and tried over and over through the years. He'd get revenge
to fill his heart, find his foe, then humanity would reappear in his empty
soul making him stop. Then, he'd pray for salvation. While he'd go through
his personal roller coaster, Methos would get away. When The Immortal
never found the sanctity he searched for in the multitude of places he
arrived at, he would start again to look for Methos, knowing he was on the
right side. It was the side of justice that no one else took care of for him. In
the end, hatred for Methos would always outweigh the faith he learned to
develop and his fear of the God he chosen to accept. 

This time he was ready. There was no turning back. He had to get rid of
the entity who was not a legend, but a very real, sorry excuse for a man.
He felt glorious that the other three were taken. He hated the others as
much as Methos, but they didn't do the actual deeds. They didn't change
his life so horribly. It was Methos that he really wanted to kill, needed to
kill. Methos was the one who deserved what he had in store for him. 

He watched the lively women in the window of the caf‚. Their food had
arrived. He shuttered. Whenever he got that close to the conclusion of his
plan, the thought that he hated to verbalize came into his head, "I wonder
if I'm finally ready to die..." 

~~~~~

TURNER'S 

The pasta and bread were set on the table as Elizabeth looked Amanda
over and wondered how little she ate to keep that figure. She wondered if
there was an ounce of fat on her and her shape couldn't be at all healthy.
Elizabeth finally asked Amanda, "So, how long have you known David?"

"Not long, I met him through Duncan. It's funny we hadn't ran into each
other before." She chewed and shrugged, "Maybe we did and I don't
remember it."

"He's kind of hard to forget."

"True."

"How old are you?" Elizabeth leaned in and whispered, "You're not 5000,
are you?"

Amanda chuckled, whispered, "No. I'm..." she looked around the
restaurant and whispered to Elizabeth, "1200 years old."

Elizabeth choked on her water, she truly was a babe in the woods
compared to those immortals. "So, you're an important head, too?"

"We're all important. Oh, David. Yes. He's the one. He's the oldest. He's
the booby prize." They laughed as they ate. The caf‚ was buzzing with
people and chatter filled the room from the full tables and the wait staff
running back and forth. Amanda daintily wiped her mouth and set her
napkin along side her still half full plate of food. She said, "I was
thinking... you're quick, smart, loyal, all the qualities that I need for..."
Amanda looked around the room.

"What?"

Leaning in close, Amanda whispered, "I have a job opportunity for you."

"Really? Do you own a business?"

"No. I just can't do this one thing alone. I'll split the profit with you."

Methos' warning last night, and that he wouldn't let up after getting back to
the brownstone, crept into her head. Amanda was always getting into
trouble with the law, had been in jail, made a living dealing with stolen
property, jewels. Elizabeth never in a million years thought she'd ever be
sitting with such a lady, let alone, be brought into her world. A little
excited, Elizabeth asked, "Are you going to break into something?"

"Sh," Amanda said. She looked around and there was absolutely no one
listening to them. They were interested in their own food, children, the TV
over the counter, getting caught up with each others' lives.

Elizabeth still couldn't contain her excitement. "Well, are you?"

"Yes. Don't tell Duncan, he'd kill me. Let's just keep this between us."

"You want me to help? How? This isn't about that guy last night, is it?"

"He owes me. Cameron James and I have been playing cat and mouse for
the last 500 years. When I got out of ... jail." She gauged Elizabeth's
expression, who didn't seem too bothered with it. "I found out he skipped
LA with my ruby, I don't know where but I'm certainly going to find out.
In the meantime," Amanda paused to take a drink of water. "He has a
collection of Spanish coins that he's very fond of. They're probably hot. I
was thinking of relieving Mr. James of them and sell them to the highest
bidder."

Elizabeth leaned against the back of her chair when the waiter came and
let him take their plates. "Well, good luck," she said.

Amanda smiled sweetly at the waiter, who dropped a spoon from the plate.
"Oops," she said as she picked it up and placed it on the plate. The waiter
nervously smiled at her, accidently tipped the plate in his hand, spoon fell
again.

"Here you go," Amanda said as she slipped the spoon into his apron pocket
on his waist. He thanked her, turned beet red, and backed away. She did
know how to wrap people around her little finger. Elizabeth had to be
careful or she could be talked into doing anything. She had never seen the
inside of a jail and it wasn't on her agenda for the future.

She watched Amanda look around the room for eavesdroppers and leaned
back over the table to talk, "Don't you want to help me? I'll give you half
of what I sell them for. It's not the coins or the price of them that's
important to me, it's the sticking it to James that I'm in for. Are you?"
Elizabeth had been worried about money, said she needed a job, but hadn't
tried the Universities and high schools in Seacouver yet since it seemed
that they'd be in the city for a while.

Amanda thought she'd help her out, at the same time, help herself. She
didn't want to get caught again. "It's not really breaking a law... okay it is,
but he deserves it. He's stolen things from me too, starting with my ruby."

"It must be some ruby."

"50 carats."

Elizabeth's eyes bugged out. "Wow. How much is it worth?"

"That doesn't mean anything. It's very important to me. It belonged to my
teacher." Amanda quieted and drank from the water glass when the waiter
returned to leave the bill. Elizabeth's whole outlook on the crime took on a
different meaning with those words. Teachers were important, and that
ass, Cameron James, took it from her? When the waiter left, Amanda
leaned forward again and said, "If you help me, I'll even throw in your
airline ticket."

"Airline ticket? Where would we have to go?"

"LA. That's where the coin collection is."

"I thought I wasn't supposed to tell David about this."

"Oh, God, no."

"Well... how can I just fly off with you when David and I just got back
together? He'll want an explanation. And I'm not sure I want to. We just
got back together."

"Come on, you deserve a weekend with a girl friend. Celebrate! You're
back with David, that whole Logan mess is done. We can go to a salon and
get a make over. I'm trying to grow my hair out, but it needs a new style...
Come on."

"I really can't afford all that, Amanda," she unhappily admitted. All the
immortals around her spent money like it was water and she'd been a little
more than careless with hers over the years. But then again, they were
business owners, thieves, 5000 years old, she was a teacher, hopelessly
underpaid like the rest of the mortal teachers in the country. Elizabeth had
no idea how much coins could be worth except for their face value. Some
breathing easy money would be nice. She hadn't breathed easy over
finances since buying part of the house in Sintra.

"My treat," Amanda added, to convince her. "I mean it. It's all on me."

"That would be fun," Elizabeth had to admit. To have a girlfriend again.
Amy was on the other side of the country. Sofia was on another continent.

Amanda was excited. "Really?"

She said, "Yeah, I can see how LA's had changed in the last fifty years...
Sure, I'll go." 

Amanda put her hand over Elizabeth's and said, "Oh, Liz!" Amanda was
truly happy, grabbed her hand. "Is it okay if I call you Liz?" When
Elizabeth nodded, she continued, "I knew we were going to get along the
minute I laid eyes on you at Amy's apartment." 

"You mean the night I walked out?"

"Well, you know what I mean."

Methos' hesitation over Amanda came back to her. He had spent a lot of
time at the brownstone the night before making sure Elizabeth understood
that Amanda would just use her. He even told her about the time he had to
take a bullet for her when they broke into Watcher Headquarters and she
just took off, didn't come to his rescue. He almost lost his head over it and
Methos swore he'd never put his life on the line for her again. 

Elizabeth wondered if that was true. Amanda could be a good friend... or
did she just need another body to help her out, to take the bullet for her,
someone for the cops to catch while Amanda made a clean getaway? She
then was disappointed with herself for thinking that. Amanda had been
gracious and pleasant and welcoming since they met. "So, what's the
plan?"

"It's foolproof."

"Your last one wasn't?"

Amanda raised an eyebrow, "You've certainly developed David's tongue."
Amanda loved to gloat over successes, and wasn't fond of explaining when
things went wrong. "I had to improvise. I found out he was hiding the ruby
in his safe in the office, not his house."

"Well, this time it's breaking and entering and burglary. What if you get
caught, Amanda? A life sentence could be.... horrendous."

She laughed, liking her. "You don't get a life sentence for burglary,
besides, we're not going to get caught."

"How many times have you been in jail?"

It wasn't a subject near and dear to her heart. "Only when I've been ratted
out on so-called friends like James. MacLeod even turned me in once."

Elizabeth asked, "Duncan?"

Amanda nodded and said, "It took a long time and lots of jewelry to
smooth that one over."

She wondered about this friend of Methos'. Duncan MacLeod turned his
girlfriend over to the police and took the head of his student. What more
was she going to find out about the Highlander?

~~~~~

DOJO 

As soon as Amanda walked in the door, she stated to the men that she and
Elizabeth were going to pack up and go on a week by themselves to get to
know each other. She put her arm over Elizabeth's shoulders and said, "I
believe this could be the start of a beautiful friendship."

Elizabeth smiled, agreed, tried to erase the slight worry from her tight
forehead, but she didn't like Methos' suspicious inspection, and when he
pointedly asked, "You two can't bond here?"

"We're going to Arizona," Amanda said, making Elizabeth look at her,
wondered if she heard her right. "There just happens to be two openings at
my favorite spa just outside of Tucson."

Methos looked at Elizabeth, who has overwhelmed by how quickly
Amanda could come up with a bold faced lie. Duncan was believing
Amanda by the looks of him. The man who threw her in jail, beheaded a
student. Methos wasn't so gullible and started interrogating Amanda to
break her story. Amanda kept up. Elizabeth didn't like being discussed
while she was in the room but didn't bother to join the conversation. 

Methos and Amanda were well into their fight, not noticing anything but
to one-up the other. All Elizabeth could pick out from their verbal sparring
was Methos saying Elizabeth shouldn't go gallivanting with Amanda and
Amanda countered with she shouldn't be stuck on a shelf in his apartment
with his other belongings.

Duncan simply said, "You just came back, Amanda. Why do you have to
leave town to get to know each other?"

"It's a spa, Duncan. The so-called spas here don't have half the class, or the
amenities."

Stone-faced and with a hiked eyebrow, Methos asked, "Where are you
really going?"

"To the spa, Methos. Mud packs, vitamin injections, body wraps."

"What does an immoral need with any of that?"

"It's for the spirit as well as the body. It feels so good. Have you ever been
to a spa? You could use one yourself. You look all... clenched."

"Maybe I do," he nodded. "Maybe I should go to get my spirit cleansed...
and make sure you don't get into trouble."

Amanda shook her head as she said, "Ladies only... no men allowed."

Methos looked at Elizabeth and asked, "The truth. This doesn't have
anything to do with James?"

Elizabeth wasn't a thief and wanted to go, help out Amanda, get money of
her own, she hated to lie to Methos and didn't like that the lie came out of
her mouth so easily. She lied, "No."

Amanda, behind Methos, mouthed, "Thank you!" with a big smile, and
that didn't make Elizabeth feel any better.

~~~~~

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 28, 2001 
BRENTWOOD - SHERWOOD DRIVE

Amanda walked along the sidewalk in front of James' property, there was a
security booth next to the front gate with a man inside. She made sure her
dress was straight and pushed her sunglasses up on her nose and walked
up to him. Elizabeth was sitting in the rental car that they'd changed each
day in case anyone would remember the same car cruising the streets every
day for a week and remember that fact after the robbery was common
knowledge. 

Elizabeth had wanted to call Methos since they'd arrived in LA, but
Amanda had always talked her out of it. He could find out where they are,
using Star 69, tell the area code, and he'd foul everything up or tell
Duncan. Elizabeth said, "He wouldn't do that."

"Yes, he would. He doesn't trust anyone, not even you. Don't fool yourself.
It's just a couple more days," Amanda told her. 

Elizabeth didn't like that. She thought Methos did trust her, and there she
was, lying to him. And missed him. She watched Amanda walk to the
booth and charm the guard. 

During their little chat, Amanda got the man to reveal that he wouldn't be
working that weekend. "Oh? Does Mr. James have someone to take your
place? I can't believe he'd leave his house unprotected."

"No," the young idiot told her, looked at her form under the skin tight
dress she made sure she wore. "There's automated security and guard
dogs."

"Dogs? Goodness. How many?" She knew about the dogs, but just wanted
to make sure James hadn't bought a fleet of them after her break in of his
office.

"Just a couple," he said and reached out to touch the long red wig she
wore. 

"Well, I need to talk to Cameron. Can you tell him I'm here?"

"Mr. James is out of town."

"He is? Darn. When will he be back?"

"Not for a while."

"Oh, I was hoping to see him again," her fake scowl turned to a pleasant
killer smile when she said, "Well, I met you." She traced her fingertip
along his chin, "The trip wasn't all wasted."

He was all hers. "Care to meet me when I get off?"

"When will that be?"

"10."

"That's when another good looking, strong man comes to take your place?"

"Yeah."

"Maybe," she looked at his name tag. "Jerry. I just might..."

She smiled and walked down the street to Elizabeth in the car. After
spending the week staking out James' house, Amanda decided on a plan.
He hadn't changed his security since she staked it out the last time.
Knowing Elizabeth was leery about actually walking into someone's house
uninvited and Amanda knew it, so she would do it herself. Elizabeth
would be her eyes and ears, and the driver of the getaway car.

"But," Elizabeth was sort of embarrassed to mention, to ruin Amanda's
plan, "I don't drive."

"You're kidding," Amanda groaned, not ever thinking of that. Everyone
drove.

"No."

Amanda stared at Elizabeth, wondering how she lived without at least
once getting behind the wheel. That did blow a big whole in her plan.
"Well, you'll have to learn."

"No. I don't want to."

"Liz! You have to drive!" When Amanda saw that she was too forceful,
she apologized and sat and thought. "Why don't you drive?"

"I had a traumatic experience."

"When was this?"

"October 26, 1946."

That she knew the exact date wasn't a good sign. Amanda humpfed, "That
was a long time ago, Liz. We have better cars now. They're automatic.
There's nothing to it. I'll teach you. I'm a good teacher. Trust me."

They drove out of town and Amanda taught her from the beginning. After
her initial trepidation, Elizabeth did finally get behind the wheel and
fastened her seatbelt. "You should probably shut the door, Liz," Amanda
suggested as she belted herself into the passenger seat.

Elizabeth shut the door and put her hands on the wheel. The orange
orchard outside the car shifted to the farmland of New Jersey, back in
1946, in Elizabeth's mind. The car was no longer a Ford Taurus to
Elizabeth, it was a Studebaker and Victor instead of Amanda was sitting in
the seat next to her.

Amanda told her, "Just relax and remember what I told you. Put your foot
on the brake and shift down to D, for drive." But all Elizabeth heard was
Victor telling her, "Just put both feet on the peddles and slowly release the
shift."

Elizabeth froze. Amanda put her hand on hers, making her jump. "Jeez,
you really have it bad. I wouldn't put you in a situation you can't get
yourself out of. Driving is easy if you relax and think about what you're
doing. I promise. Just shift down to D and keep your foot on the brake.
Don't let up on the brake until you're ready to go."

"I feel so stupid. I'm sorry."

"It's no problem. Take your time." Amanda sat back and waited.

Elizabeth couldn't get her hands off the wheel.

"We have all day," Amanda said.

Elizabeth looked out on the gravel road between the two groves of orange
trees. Trees. Why did there have to be trees?

"All the time in the world," Amanda mused as she cleaned out under her
fingernails.

Elizabeth smiled, "Okay." She took a deep breath and announced, "I'm
going to go now."

"Wonderful," Amanda smiled so sweetly and was so calm, but wished
she'd get a move on.

Elizabeth shifted into drive and gripped the wheel. Waited.

"See? That wasn't so hard," Amanda encouraged her. "Now, take your foot
off the brake."

"Okay," Elizabeth tensed. She did. They only moved inches.

"See? Okay, now put your right foot on the accelerator, lightly."

"I know how to drive, I've seen people drive. I just..."

"Okay. Take your time."

Elizabeth finally put her foot on the accelerator and the car sped forward,
making them both scream. Amanda grabbed the wheel and yelled,
"Brake!"

They came to a short stop, the gravel swirling around the car. Amanda
said, "Try it again with a little lighter pressure on the accelerator so you
have control."

Elizabeth did, put little taps on the pedal as the car moved inches. Then
kept a light pressure on the pedal, kept them on the road, then a little
faster. Before long, she was stopping and turning onto other roads, and
actually sped when she was comfortable enough. She said, "This is easier
without having to shift."

"Yeah," Amanda said. "Things have changed over the years, Lizzie. Now,
we can try city streets."

"Do we have to?"

"Yes. James' mansion isn't in the middle of an orchard. It's in town."
"What a prick," Elizabeth stewed. It would be so much easier if he did
have a house out in the middle of no where. They laughed and Amanda
kept training Elizabeth in the intricacies of driving and what all traffic
signs and signals meant for the rest of the day.

~~~~~

JOE'S BAR 

Methos and Duncan went to the place for old time's sake. Duncan hadn't
darkened it's door since Joe sold it to Mike the bartender and went on the
road with his band. What Mike did with it was turn it into a popular place,
was making money, even though it was still used as a cover for his
watcher work, and a hang out for them.

Methos didn't like the extra people, the too-loud music. He gulped down
the half beer he had left and leaned into Duncan, "Sometimes revisiting
your history isn't a good thing."

"I hear ya," Duncan replied, half out of his seat already. 

They stood and were immediately jostled by the dancing maniacs. Through
the loud music, they heard Mike declare, "Joe! Great to see you!"

Methos and Duncan did a double take and looked back at the bar. There
was Dawson shaking Mike's hand. They looked at each other again and
decided that returning to Joe's was actually a good thing.

"The place has changed a bit!" Joe leaned close to Mike to yell.

"Yeah, isn't it great!"

"To each his own," Joe muttered, then was popped on the shoulder. He
turned ready to bawl out some young punk who must have ran into him.
Couldn't they watch where they were going? He turned around to see a
very old man inside a young package. "Hey," he smiled.

"What are you doing here," Methos asked.

"Watching you, buddy. When I saw you walk in, I just had to check out the
old place."

Duncan said, "Watching him?"

Both Joe and Methos smiled. He asked Methos, "Why didn't you tell me?
We were talking about watchers the other day."

"Do you have to know everything, Highlander?"

Duncan got a pang that Joe Dawson wasn't watching him anymore, but
smiled, shook Joe's hand. Joe concentrated on the changes Mike made to
his place. The flooring was different. The tiles discarded for a seemingly
state of the art dance floor. The soft bluesy lighting behind the bar was
changed to jarring red laser lights. The stairway and cat walk were crisp,
new shiny chrome. Joe shouted, "Seems they've done some work on it!"

Methos yelled, "Let's get out of here!"

"The sooner the better!" Joe started out.

~~~~~

OUTSIDE 

The three men walked out the door and had to shake the vibration of the
loud music out of their heads. Duncan said, "It's not like we're old or
anything..."

Joe laughed, "No, we just have better taste."

They walked to Duncan's T-Bird. Joe asked, "Where's Liz? Amy hasn't
heard from her for a while. She thought she was still living in New York."

"She was going to call her when we got here, but one thing led to another,"
Methos said as he helped Joe into the front seat. "Liz had better be sitting
in a mud bath right now."

"Mud?" Joe looked at Duncan as he and Methos got in. "Amanda still
around?"

Duncan said, "She'd better be sitting right next to Liz."

"A mud bath?" Joe looked at both immortals, confused.

"It's a woman thing. Haven't you seen what's been going on?" Methos
asked, head over the back of the front seat.

"I just got here."

"You're not a very diligent watcher, are you?"

"I thought it was time you left Albania."

"How long have I been there?"

"Your chronicle says over a year."

"Gods! It's high time I left."

Joe laughed, "Where to?"

Methos mused as Duncan pulled into traffic, "Singapore is nice this time
of year."

"Djakarta?"

"Where else?"

Duncan interrupted, "Aren't you too just a little bit worried about fooling
with Watcher chronicles?"

Joe brushed him off, "Nah, I'm good."

Methos very seriously answered, "I'd be more worried if someone else was
watching me."

~~~~~

THURSDAY MARCH 1, 2001 10:39 PM 
BRENTWOOD - SHERWOOD DRIVE

Both dressed in black, Amanda and Elizabeth were sitting in a different
black rental car down the street from Cameron James' mansion. Amanda
shut off the car and the headlights. They sat in quiet as Amanda looked at
her watch. 

"In a minute, a patrol car is going to go by. I figure it'll take me about 22
minutes to get into the house, take the coins, and make it back out
outside." She handed Elizabeth a small flashlight and a street map. "The
cops will drive by three times while I'm gone. I don't want the car parked
here, so I want you to drive the car around. I marked out a route for you to
follow. When you-- Wait."

Amanda laid down on the seat and pulled Elizabeth down on top of her.
They waited for the police car to drive by. Elizabeth shivered in
excitement. She wasn't the one doing the dangerous part, but she never in
her life came close to breaking into someone's house for the soul purpose
of robbing it. 

After the cops moved on, Amanda and Elizabeth sat up. Amanda saw the
smile on Elizabeth's face and said, "It hasn't started yet, Liz. There's more
to do." 

"I know..." Elizabeth said and listened to Amanda. She told her to drive
down specific streets in the neighborhood, bypassing the streets the cops
patrolled at certain times. She had their route and planned around it.
Elizabeth had already heard the spiel on the way to LA and all week long,
but she listened carefully then as she was in the midst of what can only be
called a panic attack. She inhaled and exhaled deeply as Amanda spelled
out again all she wanted her to do. 

When she was finished, she looked at her watch and asked Elizabeth,
"What time is it?" 

Elizabeth looked at her watch with a second hand. "10:40 and 55 seconds."

"We're in cinque. Almost perfect. They're a little early tonight. Okay," she
pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and turned it on. "If you see
anything from any side of his property, you call me. I programmed my
number on your cell phone, just press and hold down the one. Try it."
Elizabeth did. Amanda's phone rang. They hung up. Amanda turned her
phone to vibrate and put it on her belt loop phone holster. "You ready?" 

Elizabeth nodded and said, "Good luck."

Amanda quickly hugged her. "Thank you so much. And remember that
driving is a piece of cake. You're fine with it, right?"

"You're a good teacher."

"I am, aren't I?" Amanda got out of the car with her bag and Elizabeth
scooted over to the driver's seat and turned on the ignition. She saw
Amanda wedge herself between two bushes on the boulevard and
gracefully climb the property fence. She paused for a moment, pulling a
mechanical devise Elizabeth didn't understand and point it at the yard,
pushed a button. She heard dogs barking. Amanda took something else out
of her bag and pointed it down. Elizabeth heard two yelps and then silence.
She didn't kill them, did she? Amanda jumped off the wall and onto the
property.

Elizabeth turned the flashlight on and placed it on the map on the seat so
she could see it when needed. Amanda already had her drive the route in a
different rental car three times that morning, but who knew what she
absorbed when it was daylight and not actually doing the deed. She drove
onto the street without her lights on and looked over at the house. She
stopped and saw Amanda working on the window. She drove on and
turned the corner. 

She turned on the headlights and followed the route. She looked at the
houses on the streets she passed. She'd never be able to afford even a
gatehouse on those blocks. She'd never seen such huge houses and
wondered how long it took to clean them. She hated washing windows and
all the houses were chock full of them. Then she mused that if you could
afford the house, you could afford a maid. 

She noticed a street sign and stopped to make the left turn. There wasn't
anyone at the intersection and she could have turned, but she waited a
second, checking her watch. A cop car came from her left and drove past
in front of her. Elizabeth made the turn and was in awe at how prepped
Amanda was. She supposed she had to be to make a living at it for so long. 

She followed the map and arrived back at the south end of James' property
and didn't see anything unusual. She didn't know where in the house
Amanda was opening the safe, but she didn't see flashlights or anything.
Following the map, she drove straight.

Elizabeth couldn't stand the silence anymore and turned the radio on low.
She found herself singing along to Brittany Spears and wondered how she
knew all the words. Hating bubblegum pop, she pushed another station.
"The Long and Winding Road." That was better. A dog ran in the road and
she had punch at the breaks. She came to a short stop and heard a man yell
at a Max. The dog, which Elizabeth assumed was Max, turned back to the
owner's voice and ran in front of her car again. 

Elizabeth wondered what kind of an idiot that dog was and stopped to
catch her breath. She was on the verge of exploding already, almost
running over a dog add to her agitation. Remembrance of that damn fox
that ran out in front of her and Victor, then Victor dead and bloody, filled
her head. She shook it off, Amanda was relying on her. 

That damn dog wasn't scared of the headlights at all. She saw a young man
at the curb that the dog ran to. He waved at her. He walked to the
passenger window. Damn! This was going to slow her up. Should she just
drive on? He was almost to the window. Elizabeth shut the flashlight off
on the seat and pushed the passenger window button. 

The guy leaned down to look in the window at her. "Thanks!" He held up a
wind up leashes. It wasn't attached to the dog's collar. "This thing is for
shit."

"It's okay," Elizabeth said, wanting him to get lost. She didn't want to be
mean to draw any kind of suspicion, so she listened as he explained he was
taking care of the dog for someone else who went to Japan for a couple of
weeks and that they lived right down the block. He was house sitting.
"There's been a rash of burglaries in the area. Did you notice more police
than usual in the neighborhood? I've seen two different cop cars driving by
in the last ten minutes."

"No, nothing out of the ordinary," Elizabeth told him, wished he'd
disappear and didn't want to stick out in his mind at all. 

"Do you live around here?"

"No, in fact, I'm lost and really late. I gotta get going."

He thanked her again and backed away from the window. She rolled it up
immediately for fear he'd think of something else to say or get suspicious
of her.

She waved and drove on. She looked at her watch, wondering if that was
enough of a pause in her itinerary to make her late picking up Amanda
when she would climb over the fence having completed the task inside.

She looked at the map as she drove. She looked at her watch, 10:58 PM.
She decided to skip the rest of the route as she was too wound up and
drove around the block so she could just see James' property, parking a
block away. She turned the headlights off and waited. Amanda would be
coming over the fence in three or four minutes. She remembered the patrol
car. Amanda had all times and positions of their routes posted on the map.

Elizabeth was figuring out where she was and what time it was when a cop
car drove by ahead of her. She looked at the paper. That wasn't right,
according to Amanda's research. The patrol car stopped on the street in
front of James' property. Elizabeth stared as two cops got out of the car.

She fumbled for the cell phone and held down the one. Amanda
whispered, "What?"

"Amanda," she frightfully whispered, "Cops are going to the front gate."

"What happened?"

"I don't know. I just got here. I'm parked down the street. They just
stopped. They're out of their cars, looking at the gate."

"Which gate?"

"The front."

"Can they see you?"

"No. Did you trip an alarm?"

"I suppose. Damn him! Change of plans. Try to get out of there without
them seeing you and go around to the West end. I'll try to make it over
there. I have the coins!"

"Okay, be careful."

"There aren't more of them, are there?"

"Just the two at the front gate is all I can see. I'll keep you posted when I
get to the other side."

"Thanks." She hung up on Elizabeth. 

The police were shining their lights on the property through the gates.
Elizabeth was parked just feet from the intersection ahead of her. She
looked both ways and backed up. She then saw another police car arrive at
James' property. She backed up into the intersection and went north. She
went down a block and went west two blocks. Her heart was pumping and
she had to turn the radio off to concentrate. 

She turned South and slowed when she got close to James' property. The
cops were still congregated at the other side. They hadn't spread out, for
that she was grateful. Then she saw Amanda's bag fly over the fence and
she drove to it. Just as she arrived, Amanda jumped down to the sidewalk
and ran to the car. Elizabeth was going to move over to let her drive, but
Amanda jumped into the back seat. As Amanda was getting in, a
policeman who heard something, came charging around the side on the
sidewalk. "Stop! Police!" 
     
Amanda yelled, "Drive!" Elizabeth burned rubber as the cop ran out to the
middle of the street and tried to shoot out the tires. 

All Elizabeth could think of was, "Serpentine!" like Peter Falk and Alan
Arkin did in the movie, 'The In Laws'. Amanda was thrown around the
back as Elizabeth wove the car down the street, then barreled around a
corner. It was four blocks before Amanda got herself under control in the
back seat and yelled, "Slow down!"

She took another corner, and the curb, and then slowed. Amanda sat up in
the back seat and suggested they should have headlights. 

Elizabeth turned them on as they both collapsed with laughter. "You got
them?" 

Amanda opened her bag and took out a wooden box. She opened it and
eight coins were lying on a bed of velvet. She set it on the front passenger
seat. Elizabeth picked up the flashlight from the seat and shined the beam
on them. The gold sparkled. They were absolutely clean, old but looked
freshly minted.

"He took good care of them. We should get an excellent reward." Amanda
slammed the box closed and put it back in her bag. "He must have had a
silent alarm on the safe I didn't know about. But how could I? I never
touched it before in my life. He had other things in there. A sapphire
necklace that's probably that cow wife's or maybe one of his many
mistresses he has around the planet. There was an account book that might
have come in handy... But this is what I wanted. I'm not a thief."

Elizabeth laughed as she relaxed, giddy that they didn't get caught. She
was shot at by cops! Amanda laughed with her and said, "You really saved
my ass back there."

Elizabeth said, "I wonder if the cops got the license number of the car."

Amanda shrugged, "So what if they do? By the time they find out it's a
rental, we'll be a thousand miles away."

"But, they'd have your name from when you rented the car."

Amanda looked at her, "I didn't use my name."

"Oh, of course." Elizabeth was embarrassed, obviously not as up on
committing crimes as Amanda was. "I used yours." 

Elizabeth glared at her. Amanda laughed. "Don't be silly... Natalie
Desmond. Watch the road."

Elizabeth swerved to avoid a parked car, then parked in a vacant parking
lot, got out. "You drive."

~~~~~

LOFT 

Joe sat on the stool by the counter and shook his head. Some things never
changed. He'd been hearing this conversation over and over all day. "Are
you two married or something?" That got the men's attention, their heads
snapped toward Joe. He continued, "Or is that one of the side affects of
immortality?"

"What?" Duncan innocently asked.

"Do you really have to rehash everything over and over again?"

Methos stated, very simply, "When they don't listen, yes."

"When they don't listen," Duncan repeated, peeved. "What's that suppose
to mean?"

Methos looked at Duncan in the eye and said, "I can talk until I'm blue in
the face," the expression hit Methos like a ton of bricks. After dredging up
Death for Elizabeth, he couldn't believe he used those words so flippantly.
He only sipped his beer, didn't continue the diatribe, wasn't in the mood
any longer.

Duncan ignored it, as he had never seen what Death or any of his 'brothers'
looked like, didn't make the connection. He was actually glad Methos
lapsed into silence, had another more pressing matter on his mind, "Is that
my sweater?"

"Why would I have your sweater?"

Duncan poked his finger on his white stretched out sweater that Methos
wore. "That's my sweater. It's too big for you. I've been looking for it. Give
it to me."

"Are you crazy?"

"Tomorrow, I want it back, and freshly washed."

Joe shook his head and finished the shot of scotch. Poured himself another
one. "How about I finally tell you my news?"

They both looked at him. "What?"

He took cigars out of his pocket and tossed one to each of them. "I'm going
to be a grandpa!"

"Why didn't you say something last night?"

"Who can get a word in with you two?"

~~~~~

LOS ANGELES 

Amanda and Elizabeth returned the rental and took a cab to another
company. They rented a Ferrari that Amanda had to have. Elizabeth was
scared to get behind the wheel, but finally did, drove a stick shift, and
actually enjoyed it. She remembered Methos telling her with such joy,
 Damn,
he was right!

She drove the Ferrari to Sacramento where they dropped it off and got a
cab to the airport. On the plane, Amanda told her she had a contact in
Chicago. She was going to drop her off in Seacouver and go right to sell
the coins. She'd send her the share she earned, mentioning again that she
was lucky and happy to have a partner. 

Amanda fell silent and Elizabeth wondered what was wrong. Amanda told
her, "I'll have to leave Duncan again, for a while."

"Why?"

"It's our pattern. I love Mac, but he was so good, so nice. He'd never
understand why I took the coins, or need that ruby. I don't want to explain
it. I'll just go until it blows over."

Elizabeth said she'd be sad to see her leave. "When will you be back?"

"I don't know. Next week, next month, next millennium? I don't know."

"Just when we became friends? Is that all you wanted me for? To drive the
getaway car?"

"No! How could you think that? I'm really happy you helped me and I
treasure our friendship. I may not be there in person, but there's phones."
Amanda smiled and said, "I'll play it by ear. Duncan and I are really
working out this time... but I gotta go for a while. He'll never understand
this."

Elizabeth's good mood faded, Methos probably wouldn't understand either.

~~~~~

SEACOUVER 

When they dropped the rental car off at the airport, Amanda surprised
Elizabeth by saying goodbye right there. She needed to catch a flight to
Chicago. "You aren't even going to see Duncan?"

Amanda said, "He knows me too well. He'll know what I did and I can't
deal with that right now. Promise you won't tell him?"

"That puts me in a precarious position, Amanda. I can't lie to David
anymore than I have."

"Well, if you have to tell David, you have to tell him. Time will soften
Mac. I hope." She kissed Elizabeth's cheek and said, "I'll be in touch with
you, Liz. Thanks again."

Elizabeth took a cab to the brownstone and Methos wasn't there. She
unpacked and changed clothes, then took a cab to the dojo. The sight of
Methos thrilled her as she'd missed him. While she kissed him, Duncan
asked where Amanda was. Elizabeth could only stare at Methos, but told
Duncan, "Amanda had to go to Chicago. She said she'd call you."

"Uh, hm..." Methos said. "How was the spa?"

"Fabulous. I've never felt better."

Methos knew it was a lie, "Spas don't have phones?"

"No." She looked away. Amanda told her what to say if that was asked. It
didn't take Methos long, so she said, "That's part of the spiritual renewal...
no phones, nothing from the outside world."

Methos let it go. At least Elizabeth was back with her head and without a
record, she wouldn't be able to cover so well if she was in jail. Elizabeth
felt sad. She liked Amanda and didn't want to let her down, but she loved
Methos and didn't like the lie to hang in the air. To change her thoughts,
she wondered how much their excursion would pay her. Then she
wondered if Amanda would pay her. She left town with the coins for who
knows how long.

Duncan started working with a bunch of kids on a field trip for gym class,
Methos grabbed Elizabeth and took her out to the car. Methos needed to
get the truth out of the woman who held honesty close to the vest. He was
ticked that she demanded it of him, but didn't bother her when she lied to
him. He couldn't let it go, seethed as he drove them back to the
brownstone, but didn't want to get into it in the car. 

~~~~

BROWNSTONE 

Elizabeth walked in the kitchen and opened the fridge, looking for
something to eat. Its only contents was a half bottle of wine, some Dijon
mustard and an opened box of baking soda. "I should go get groceries."

Methos had a more important matter at hand, "What did you do?"

"Are you hungry?"

"Yes. For information. What did you and Amanda do?"

"Nothing... we sat, got sun..." It sounded hollow, even to Elizabeth. But
Amanda told Methos she was taking her to a spa, so that's what she went
with.

"You don't look any tanner than when you left."

"I don't tan. I only burn."

"You don't look red, either."

She shrugged, wished he would change the subject. "I'm Immortal." She
looked in the cupboards.

"Oh, that's right. I keep forgetting," Methos sneered. He knew she was
lying and didn't appreciate that she developed Amanda's knack of covering
her butt, so effortlessly. "Drop it. What did you do?" 

Elizabeth wished he would just leave it alone and was getting angry that he
didn't believe her. She was lying, but that was beside the point. 

He started again. "Amanda's never truthful about anything she does and
you look a little bit too proud of yourself."

"I'm rested."

"Okay, don't tell me," he said, then fell silent, sat at the table with the
newspaper. She was glad the subject was dropped for the time being and
looked in more cupboards for something to make. But he didn't drop it. "I
know you did something," he mused, eyes never leaving the paper. "I'll
find out." He told her about his days as a horseman and she couldn't tell
him about time with Amanda. He almost ripped the paper in half in
frustration when he turned the page.

Elizabeth closed the cupboard door. She just did something she never
would have fantasized of doing and was angry at herself. Methos was
surprised when she walked behind him and looped her arms around his
neck and admitted, "We went to LA."

"To what purpose?" He kept his eyes on the newspaper. She was quiet
again. He guessed, "Cameron James, I presume?" He knew it. He
swallowed his anger at her lying to him, but she was there, unharmed, and
finally admitting it. He dropped the paper and hooked his hands on her
arms. "Am I right?"

"Uh huh. She broke into his house."

"What did she need you for? To be the stooge to be left behind for the cops
to nab while she made a clean getaway?"

She walked around the table and faced him, angry. "Stooge? I saved her
from jail as a matter of fact. If I wasn't there, she would have gotten caught
again."

"You say that as if you're proud."

"I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Do you enjoy being a thief?"

"I'm not a thief. I'm a friend. I helped her out."

"You helped her rob somebody."

She looked at him. The words of his confession came back to her. Didn't
he lie, steal, cheat? More than that? "Cameron James isn't some innocent.
He has her property. Tit for tat."

Methos' infamous squint appeared as he asked, "Am I talking to you or to
Amanda? She's got you sufficiently brainwashed."

"I went because I wanted to. She didn't have to 'brainwash' me."

"Just when did this 'lookout' bent appear in your personality?"

No longer interested in the conversation, she concentrated on the four
Faberge eggs that were arranged on the sideboard. "You moved them.
They look good there."

Methos didn't want to talk about furnishings, was pissed she didn't take
any of his Amanda warnings seriously. He didn't need Elizabeth to get into
trouble with another immortal so once again there would be someone after
the both of them. Someone after Methos was a given. "I don't know much
about the man, but Cameron James isn't a comic book character. He's got a
mean streak that goes way back. He's not an immortal to be fooled with."
When she didn't seem to hear anything he was saying, he stood in her eye
line of the damn eggs. "How much are you getting compensated?"

"I don't know. She hasn't sold them yet. You can't tell Duncan. He'd be
mad. She'll be mad at me."

"My anger means nothing?"

"I'm telling you the truth. Why would you be angry about that?"

"I'm angry because Bonnie and Clyde isn't your style. This isn't going to be
a habit, is it? I hope you haven't acquired the taste of adventure, running
from the cops, the greed of stolen money..."

"I could be a detriment to you, is that what you mean?"

Now that she mentioned it... he didn't answer her, only worried about what
that aspect of her personality could mean. Irritatingly for Methos, she
changed the subject again, "Where's the nearest take out?"

He dialed 3 on speed dial, glaring at her. Wondering how she could have
changed so much in so little time. Amanda made him cringe and she'd
gotten her hooks into Elizabeth, and his life and he didn't like it one bit.
"Two number threes. 516 North Cedar Avenue... Just ring the buzzer." He
hung up. "Okay? Your stomach's taken care of."

"Thank you," she spouted, a little angry he didn't pop that big balloon
about her bringing him down. "I'm going to take shower and unpack."

"I found out something while you were gone," he stopped her.

"What?"

"Amy's pregnant."

Her eyes lit up and she hugged Methos, laughing. He smiled, "I didn't have
anything to do with it."

"How far along is she? What is she going to have? Is she having morning
sickness? Is she in New York? Is Kevin walking on air?"

"I don't know."

"How did you find out? Did she call here?"

Methos studied her changed mood and was intrigued. The news of
someone else having a kid could mean so much to her? Why? "Joe told
me."

"Joe's in town?"

"He's my watcher."

"How is he?"

"He's fine."

"I'm going to go call Amy."

~~~~~

LATER 

In the early morning hours, Elizabeth turned in her sleep and wrapped
herself around Methos' body for extra warmth in the cold air of the room.
Methos barely felt her movement as he was in the throws of a deep sleep.
The blood. The smell of blood was caustic, mixed with vomit, sweat, the
exhaust of overworked machinery. Modern machinery. Seared flesh. The
pain. Methos wanted to get out of there, but couldn't move.

The concrete walls jarred him as much as anything had scared him before
in his life. They reminded him of the stark, black and white pictures of
emptied concentration camps after World War II. The dazed, malnourished
victims that staggered away from them, free, but didn't have enough
strength to celebrate. In Methos' dream state, the concrete walls were
stained with red, clearly in color, and smelled of burned and rotted flesh.
This wasn't impersonal at all, he was in the middle of it. A bunker. There
were two wood doors on either side of the room, but neither opened for
him, no matter how hard he tried. Where was his sword? He was alone,
vulnerable... prey.

A buzz permeated his airspace. It wasn't welcoming, wasn't friendly, stung
him like needles poking into the skin along his spine. He tried again at the
door, threw himself against it, then tried again to open the other door on
the other side of the room. He was trapped with no hope of getting free.
The walls, floor, and ceiling closed in on him. The footsteps were coming
closer. Heard clanks behind him. 

Methos turned to see Elizabeth in a fight with an immortal to the death. It
wasn't Logan. He didn't have his Ivanhoe to take over for her, even though
it was forbidden, but it was the most important thought in his mind. He
had the thought that she was fighting for him and he wouldn't let that
happen. It was his fight, he would take care of it. That's what his mind told
him, but his body wouldn't move a fraction of an inch to protect his own
head. While his attention was taken by Elizabeth, Methos didn't notice that
Duncan had entered the cavernous room, having a serious sword fight
with... a black, looming shadow.

Suddenly, Methos was furiously clicking on Blair's laptop in a cold back
room. So many Immortals, so little time... Where the hell is he in this
damn thing! Who was his enemy!? Methos was so enthralled with his task,
he didn't notice that Joe had sauntered up behind him. Only when Joe
popped him on the shoulder, did he have the first clue. "Ah, hi Joe," he felt
himself meekly smiling. "How you doing?"

Joe slammed the top of the laptop down, catching Methos' fingers, but it
didn't hurt. "More to the point, what are you doing?" Joe scowled at him.
"Watcher database isn't there for immortal's pleasure."

"What is it good for then?" Methos turned to try to talk Joe into letting him
continue his research, but suddenly, Joe wasn't there. In fact, Methos was
no longer in a backroom, he was back in the bunker. 

The swish of a sword whipped by him, making Methos dive to the floor.
The immortal took a swing at Elizabeth, who slowed it with Methos'
Ivanhoe, but couldn't stop it. The foreign sword embedded in her leg,
making her stumble straight back and trip over Methos who laid on the
floor. Duncan took a last swipe at the shadow, then it disappeared. Methos
couldn't move, as if he was tied up. It was all beyond his control, he
couldn't even yell a warning that the immortal was towering over them
both, taller than the room. 

Duncan staggered to Elizabeth and pulled the sword out of her leg, hugged
her. Then kissed her deeply, with longing hunger. She wrapped her arms
around his neck, completely enveloped in Duncan's embrace. Then, the
shadow reappeared, expanded. Methos screamed out with all his might,
but it was as if he was sucked into the painting, "The Scream". The agony
was only heard in his head. 

Elizabeth unclenched Duncan and stared into his eyes, producing a single
tear in her eye. "It's over. He's gone. Let's go home now," she told Duncan.
Why was she telling him that? Who was gone? Methos was right there,
didn't they know that? 

Elizabeth and Duncan didn't even know Methos was in the room, they
were rapt up in each other. Only when the shadow came between them, did
they notice it and both stared at it. Elizabeth stood up and opened her arms
to welcome it as Methos couldn't move and Duncan flopped to the ground.
Methos watched him roll back and forth, in massive pain. He pulled
himself up and put his face close to Methos' and screamed, "Look what
you did! It's all your fault!"

Methos bolted straight up in bed, "Not her!" The sweat dripped down his
face, his chest, he was chilled to his very bones. Elizabeth stirred next to
him and it diverted his attention from the dream. Elizabeth was safe and
she was with him, not Duncan MacLeod. They were all safe. There wasn't
anything that would come between them. 

"What is it?" she mumbled.

"Nothing. Not a thing," he told her, but knew something was on the
horizon. Something was about to happen and he was spooked because it
seemed like there wasn't a thing he could do about it.

CONTINUED in Chapter Eleven - Pyrius 

    Source: geocities.com/enyajo/elizabeth

               ( geocities.com/enyajo)