(Steve Stachowicz)
gerrek@hotmail.com
(Matthew Frey)
mafrey@charter.net
Webpage: http://www.geocities.com/tokyo/shores/2307
Swords of Destiny
By
Eric Thorsen and Stacko
LEGAL STUFF:
** The characters and concepts used here are the property of those people
and companies holding the copyrights to the respective storylines, series,
and movies. The only exceptions are those created by the demented minds of
authors of this story. The use of this material should be seen as the sign
of respect that it is. Besides, suing either of us would be a waste of time
since we don't have any money to begin with.
Let's see ... which one is it now ... oh yes ...
**************************************
CHAPTER TEN: Dark Quickening Part II
**************************************
When they arrived at the Seattle-Tacoma airport, Kevin, Ami, and
Makoto yawned with fatigue after the three-hour flight along the North
American coast. After they had unloaded the Hummer, they went to their
hotel so they would be well rested for the trip to Seacouver the next
day.
After breakfast at six the next morning, they headed north west
into the Kitsap Peninsula and drove almost five hours before they arrived
and found Joe's closed. They decided to do a little sight seeing and
drove back to the Submarine base for a tour. After that, they did a little
shopping and drove back to Seacouver after a nice dinner, arriving around
seven. Kevin chuckled when he pulled up and heard blues coming from the
bar. As they walked toward the entrance, Kevin and Makoto froze as a man
came out and walked toward them.
Ami noticed that he was in his late twenties or early thirties, clean-
shaven with black hair tied back in a ponytail. She was a little confused
at her friend's reactions until she noticed that his hand was inside his
overcoat as if he were holding something ready.
"Duncan MacLeod of the clan MacLeod." He said in a cautious tone,
looking from Kevin to Makoto.
"Makoto Kino." Makoto replied in the same cautious tone.
"Kevin O'Connell of the clan O'Connell." Kevin said in a bored tone.
Ami and Makoto looked at him strangely then jumped when MacLeod laughed.
"So I'm boring you am I O'Connell." He said, mock seriously, looking
offended. "I challenge you then."
"If you must." Kevin sighed, continuing his bored tone. "As the
challenged, I choose the weapons, and they are wet spaghetti noodles."
MacLeod roared with laughter at this statement and relaxed noticeably.
"So what brings you to Washington?" MacLeod asked, blinking when
Kevin suddenly stopped laughing.
"Honestly Highlander, I'm wondering that myself." Kevin replied.
"We're looking for a man named Joe Dawson. He says he knows the cure for
a problem another friend of mine has."
"Then he probably does." MacLeod replied. "And who is this lovely
lady?" He reached his hand out to Ami, who blushed a little at the
compliment.
"My name is Ami Mizuno." She replied, and then gasped when he kissed
her hand instead of shaking it.
"Duncan MacLeod." He said with a smile, chuckling when Kevin cleared
his throat impatiently. "I'll let you lovely ladies and the Lord of
Impatience go now, though I do look forward to that duel O'Connell. I
haven't forgotten our last one."
"I look forward to it as well, MacLeod." Kevin laughed in agreement.
Duncan climbed into his black Thunderbird and drove off and Kevin and the
others went into the bar. As they walked in, Ami asked them to sit at a
table while she talked to the bar tender, and after a short argument, they
reluctantly agreed.
After getting the bar tender's attention, Ami sat on a stool and waited
for him to finish with his customer.
"What can I do for you?" He asked, his eyes daring her to order a drink.
"I'm looking for Joe Dawson." She replied with a smile, laying her left
arm on the bar so he could see her tattoo. "It's about someone I'm Watching."
When the man nodded and said he would let Joe know. She smiled and showed him
where she would be sitting, then went and joined her friends. A few minutes
later, a man in his late forties with black hair and a beard, both going gray,
walked up to their table.
"I hear you wanted to talk to me." He said looking at Ami pointedly.
"If your name is Joe Dawson, then yes." Ami replied with a smile.
"The one and only." Joe laughed.
"Thank you for seeing us Mr. Dawson, please have a seat." Ami said,
indicating the chair across from her. Joe nodded in acceptance, then smiled
at Makoto who was staring at his legs.
"Life like aren't they." He chuckled, knocking on them, surprising
Kevin with their hollow sound. "I lost both legs in 'Nam."
"Sorry to hear that." Kevin replied. "My name is Kevin O'Connell ..."
"I know all about you Mr. O'Connell as well as Miss Kino and Miss
Mizuno." Joe interrupted. "If I'm right, you're all here because of a
difficulty a 'Gerrek Bontrager' is in." When Ami nodded, he smiled. "Good,
I was hoping you'd hurry up here. You see there is a time problem associated
with the cure. If your friend isn't cured within the next couple weeks, he
can't be cured."
"So what is this cure?" Ami demanded, losing patience.
"Some secret spring in France." Joe replied understandingly. "I'm not
being difficult purposely though. You see I don't personally know where the
spring is. But I do know someone who does."
"If there is a time problem, why did you bring us here if you don't know
where it is?" Kevin asked in confusion. "Wouldn't it have been better to send
us to this other person?"
"Because he's very hard to get hold of unless he knows you." Joe sighed
with a shrug. "The spring does work though. The only other case of a Dark
Quickening in recent history went there, and when he came out, he was cured."
"May I speak to the person who knows where the spring is?" Ami asked.
"Oh sure, come with me." They all got to their feet and Joe motioned
for Kevin and Makoto to sit back down. "Only Miss Mizuno please. I'm sure
you understand, Mr. O'Connell, I'll have the bartender bring you both
something to drink while you wait." Ami motioned for them to do as Joe
said and Kevin nodded grudgingly and sat back down, shaking his head when
Makoto would have protested.
After Joe had told the Bartender what to give Kevin and Makoto, he
led Ami into the backroom and dialed a number he got from an address book.
The phone rang for several seconds, and then was answered by someone who
sounded very tired.
"Hello Adam, It's Dawson ... Yes I know what time it is there ... I
wouldn't call this late if it wasn't important ... It looks like we have
another Dark Quickening on our hands ... A man by the name of Gerrek
Bontrager ... Of course I'm sure ... You there? ... I don't know that,
but I'll let you talk to someone who does." He handed the phone to Ami
who took it.
"Hello?" She said nervously.
"Hello, who am I speaking to?" A man with a British accent asked,
sounding tired.
"Um, my name is Ami Mizuno." Ami replied not knowing anything else
to say.
"Ah of course, the newest Watcher, and one of the most unusual." The
man said in recognition. "Now, are you sure Scott has a Dark Quickening?
What are his symptoms?"
After Ami listed all of Scott's symptoms, she heard the man on the other
end sighed. "Can you help him?" She asked in worry.
"Oh, absolutely." The man replied. "But I can't talk about it
over the phone."
"Will you send me the information?" She asked in concern.
"You'll get it." He said tiredly. "In the mean time, try to get
him to come to France and try to find something that will remind him of
what and who he is."
"What do you mean, something to remind him of who and what he is?"
Ami asked, confused.
"Oh, I'm sure you can figure it out, Meriel MacDougall." He laughed.
"How do you know that name?" Ami demanded. "Who are you?" The man
on the other end had hung up already though, so Ami hung up as well and
turned back to Joe.
"Everything all right?" He asked. "You sounded a little surprised."
"Something he said caught me off guard is all." Ami replied, shaking
her head.
"Adam is very good at that." Joe chuckled. "Is there anything else I
can help you with?"
"No, thank you Mr. Dawson, you've been a great help." Ami said
gratefully.
"Call me Joe, and the pleasure was all mine." Joe said with a smile.
"I'm always glad to help fellow Watchers in trouble."
"Thank you Joe." Ami said, smiling in return. "I'd better go talk
to my friends. We've got a lot of work to do."
"Good luck." Joe said and led her back out to the front room.
As Ami walked to her friend's table, she noticed the looks some of
the customers were giving the two of them. From the way they nodded to
her when she looked at them, she realized they were other Watchers. From
the way Kevin and Makoto were acting, Ami realized they hadn't noticed yet,
so she just walked over to them and let them know that she was done. They
nodded and came to their feet then made their way to the exit after thanking
Joe for their drinks. On the drive back to Seattle, they talked about the
scenery and some of the rings Ami had liked from Cartier until they were
back in their hotel suite.
"So what did you find out, Ami?" Makoto asked, flopping gracelessly
onto the couch.
"Not much really." Ami sighed from her own chair. "The person I
talked to wouldn't give me the information over the phone."
"But there is a cure?" Kevin asked, smiling when Ami nodded. "What
did he tell you?"
"Only that we needed to find a way to get Scott to France." Ami said,
still confused. "That and find something to remind Scott of who he is."
"Like what?" Makoto asked curiously.
"I wish I knew." Ami sighed. "When I asked him, all he said was that
he was sure I could figure it out. That was the strange part though. Somehow
this guy knew my name from the Silver Millennium."
"He did?" Kevin asked in surprise. When he thought about it, an idea
struck him. "Maybe it was a hint. You said he didn't want to talk about it
over the phone, maybe he was trying to give you a clue."
"Like what?" Makoto asked baffled.
"Like who Scott has to be reminded of being." Ami said, figuring
it out. "Prince Gerrek Bontrager of Minerva. But besides my medallion,
what is left that is from that part of his life?"
"I don't know." Kevin said thinking about something he remembered.
"But I might know where to get it."
# # # # #
PARIS 1911
"Now why are you moving to Wisconsin again?" Kevin asked Scott as
he helped him pack.
"I want to open an Antique shop and relax a little." Scott replied
patiently. "Life here moves too quickly. Besides, Kaiser Wilhelm is
getting a little cocky, and I don't think it'll be very long before he
starts looking for a fight."
"True, and with the way everyone is making treaties with everyone
else, I wouldn't be too surprised if it blew up in our faces." Kevin
sighed and loaded more crates with boxes and unusual things. When he
reached the back of the storeroom, he found a case that was made of black
wood and had silver markings on it and an intricate lock. Curious, he
brought it to the front of the shop. "Hey Scott, what's in here?" He was
surprised by the dark and sad look Scott threw at the box and even more by
his friend's silence.
"It's from the time I was known as 'Gerrek'." He finally said flatly.
"It's part of my past I try to forget."
"What's in it?" Kevin asked curiously, trying to open it, but failing.
"Some weapons and other things." Scott said pointedly ignoring the
case. "My first sword is in there." Kevin realized Scott didn't want to
discuss that part of his life so he just shrugged and packed the box in a
crate.
# # # # #
"So you think his sword from the Silver Millennium might be in there?"
Ami asked in surprise. "Do you know where that case is?"
"At the Nashimoto Shrine." Kevin said with a shrug. "Scott sealed it
in the vault there." As he said this, his cell phone rang, startling all of
them. When he answered it, he discovered it was Al.
"Any news on Scott." Ami asked in worry when Kevin handed her the phone.
"That's why I'm calling." Al said reassuringly. "I've tracked him
down to his cabin in Montello, Wisconsin."
"That's great." Kevin said in relief. "I'll send the girls to you
there tomorrow morning. I have to go back to Japan to get something."
"Whatever for?" Al asked confused.
"It's part of the cure we found." Ami supplied. "The person we talked
to said we needed it, so Kevin is going to get it."
"Okay, it sounds a little too mysterious to me, but I guess that fits."
Al said, still a little confused. "Call me with your flight information and
I'll meet you there. Meanwhile, I'll keep an eye on Scott. He is really
acting strange." Ami was about to ask him what he meant, but he'd already
hung up. Kevin took the phone and had Mariah make reservations for the girls
on the nine am flight to General Mitchell Airport, then called one of his
corporation's subsidiaries and requested fuel for Mariah, which they agreed
to have loaded by nine-thirty the next morning.
"You may want to travel light for this trip." Kevin told them once
he got off the phone and handed it too Ami. "You probably will only need
one change of clothes before you get back." Makoto nodded and transferred
a change of clothes and some toiletries to her overnight bag while Ami made
a call to Usagi. After she finished the call and packed her own bag. They
took their luggage down to the Hummer and went to dinner. They finally
got to bed around midnight.
* * * * *
Scott drove down the highway toward the campground where the little
restaurant called 'Indian Echoes' was, to meet an old friend that he hadn't
seen for a long time. He turned off the highway onto the campground road,
smiling when he saw the mobile homes he remembered were still there. The
trees closed in on the road again, and then opened out into the campground.
There were tents, trailers, and mobile homes everywhere, with the restaurant
standing at the end of the road, next to the swimming pool. As he walked
toward the entrance, he looked to see if there were any good looking women
lying around the pool, but sighed in disappointment when he saw just little
kids and their grandparents.
Once inside the restaurant, he knew immediately that his friend hadn't
arrived yet, so he went over to the bar to wait. He smiled when he recognized
one of the waitresses as a girl who had a heavy crush on him before he'd left.
He was about to go and see if she still had feelings for him when he felt
another Immortal approaching and saw Jeffrey Barber, his old friend, come in.
"Sorry I'm late Scott." Jeffrey said in apology. "I had a little
trouble with a patient."
"Nothing too serious I hope." Scott said, a little boredom leaking
into his tone.
"Not really." Jeffrey replied with a shrug. "Shall we eat?"
"Sure." Scott said and led the way to a table next to the window
overlooking the Fox River, that he'd seen the girl clear a little earlier.
A few minutes later, the waitress came and took their drink orders, then
went away again, not recognizing Scott. When she returned with the drinks
they ordered and set them on the table, Scott grabbed her arm and yanked
her into his lap. She gasped at the sudden shift then looked at Scott in
surprise.
"Devon, you're back!" She said in shock.
"Hello Cara, how have you been?" Scott asked with a smile.
"Fine thanks." Cara said, blushing hotly. "Umm ... I think you
should let me up now."
"Are you sure?" Scott asked as he slid his hand up her leg and
under her skirt.
"Yes!!" She yelped, jumping off his lap and straightened her skirt.
"I have work to do." She rushed off, glancing at him nervously ever so often.
"You're acting differently from the last time I saw you Scott." Jeffrey
said, shaking his head in surprise.
"Really?" Scott replied, feigning surprise. "I hadn't noticed."
"It's hard to say really." Jeffrey said with a shrug. "It's been a long
time since I last saw you. Why did that girl call you 'Devon'?"
"That was the name I was going by until a short time ago." Scott said
with a smile, waving at Cara who blushed and stumbled, almost spilling the
drinks she was carrying.
After she came to take their orders, finding out that they were going
to take the buffet line, she left quickly, blushing when she looked back at
Scott. Jeffrey tried talking to Scott, but all he got were short answers or
answers that meant nothing while they went through the buffet line to get
their meal. While they were eating, Jeffrey started talking again.
"So what are you doing these days?" He asked Scott who shrugged
blandly.
"The usual." Scott sighed. "Buying and selling antiques. I'm in
Japan these days."
"So what brings you back here to Wisconsin?" Jeffrey asked in surprise.
"You usually don't like to be this far away from the shop."
"I'm taking some time off away from some annoyances." Scott chuckled.
"Just some people who have been irritating me lately. I decided I needed
some time away."
"Good idea." Jeffrey said, nodding in acceptance. They continued
eating and talking for another hour, then Jeffrey got to his feet. "I need
to head home now, got to get to the clinic early tomorrow."
Scott glanced at his watch and shrugged. "It's still early yet for me.
How about you come by the cabin for lunch tomorrow? I want to show you
something interesting."
"Sure, is one okay?" Jeffrey asked.
"How about three?" Scott said, thinking about it. "Then you can knock
off an hour early and no one can complain that you didn't put your full time
in."
"Good idea." Jeffrey laughed. "Okay, I'll see you at three then."
He tried to pay for his half on the meal, but Scott wouldn't hear of
it. As Jeffrey left the restaurant, Scott watched him go, smiling evilly.
He sat there for another fifteen minutes, thinking about his plans while
looking out the window and watching the river go by, and then came to his
feet. After he paid the bill, he saw Cara cleaning off his table. With a
devilish gleam in his eye, he snuck up behind her and spun her around. She
squealed in surprise, and then gasped, blushing hotly, as he whispered in
her ear for several minutes. When he finished, he stepped away from her and
chuckled as she collapsed and fell on her butt. She watched him wide-eyed
as he walked to his car and drove off. Only once he was gone did she get
back to her feet.
"Did he really mean that?" Cara murmured quietly to herself as she
finished clearing the table, blushing hotly every time she remembered his
words. Finally she shook her head and got back to work.
* * * * *
Ami and Makoto got to their feet when the fasten seat belts sign went
off, and unloaded their bags from the overhead compartment, following
everyone else in first class off of the plane. As they walked into the
terminal, they looked for Al and saw him waving at the far end of the gate.
They walked up to him and he smiled at their tired expressions.
"Long flight ladies?" Al chuckled and Ami groaned.
"Not really." Makoto said with a sympathetic smile for Ami. "It's
just that we went through a thunderstorm over Montana, and the plane dropped
a thousand feet in a microburst. Ami had to use the air sickness bag."
Ami suddenly turned green and ran to the nearby ladies room, while
Makoto followed more slowly, with Al behind her. Al waited patiently
outside until Ami recovered. She was still pale and a little unsteady,
but after a few sips from the bottle of sprite Al had bought her, she
was ready to continue.
"Do you need to go to the baggage carousels for anything?" Al asked,
and then smiled when Makoto shook her head.
"We're traveling light this trip." She laughed, indicating the
overnight bags she and Ami were carrying.
"All right then, shall we go?" He led the way toward the parking
garage, along the way, the girls noticed a Native American Curio shop,
several cheese stores, bookstores, and even objects on loan from local
museums. They followed Al out to a dark blue Chevy Cavalier, and after
he put their luggage in the trunk, got into the car with Ami riding in
front, just in case.
"So what do we need to know about this area?" Ami asked looking
around curiously. "How long will we be driving?"
"About two hours, maybe a little more." Al replied, chuckling a
little unkindly at Makoto's groan. "To start off with though, Scott goes
by the name Devon Knight around here, has for at least fifty or sixty
years. He's owned the local antique shop until he moved to Japan recently.
The only other important thing to note is that he has a friend who lives
here who is also an Immortal."
"Have you tried to get in contact with him?" Ami asked in concern.
"With the way Scott has been acting, I doubt anyone is safe around him,
especially not his friends."
"The Watcher rules forbid interfering with meeting's between
Immortals." Al sighed in frustration. "Even warning one that someone
who has been a close friend for over a century is now a raving lunatic."
Makoto laughed scornfully at that and Ami glared at him, but when he
looked at her questioningly, she threw up her hands.
"Does that stop someone who's not a Watcher from interfering?"
Makoto asked from the back seat, pulling her cell phone out of her
jacket pocket. "What's his number?" Al sighed and gave her the
number, but when she turned her phone on, it died instantly.
"What's wrong?" Ami asked when she heard Makoto start swearing.
"The batteries are dead." Makoto said in a defeated tone. "Now
our only hope is to get there before anything happens. I don't have
any change for a pay phone on my credit card."
"Hurry Al." Ami said fearfully. "I have a bad feeling Scott's
friend's life may depend o it." Al raised his speed to seventy-five
and turned on his radar detector after clipping it to the dashboard.
* * * * *
Jeffrey smiled at the smell of the steaks grilling on the barbecue
and watched as Scott finished making up the salads and took the steaks
off the grill. "Smells good." He sighed, taking a swig from the bottle
of beer Scott had given him when he'd arrived. "So how did you learn to
cook so well? Last time I saw you, you were dependent on a cook who came
in every other day."
Scott just shrugged and continued to set food on the table. "Who
says I all ready knew how to cook, but played I didn't to keep appearance
of my identity at that point."
"Well, whatever the reason, it works." Jeffrey said after his first
bite. "This is great."
"Glad you like it." Scott chuckled.
He sat down and started eating his own food and their conversation
shifted to other topics. They ate companionably for an hour, then Scott
got up to do the dishes and refused Jeffrey's help, though they continued
their discussion of old times. Scott then showed him some of the changes
he'd made to the cabin, and it's surroundings.
"Nice." Jeffrey said looking out from the deck at the front of the
cabin. "Very nice. You've chosen the perfect place for this little
hideaway."
"I'm glad you like it." Scott said grimly, a white light flashing
from his eyes. "Because I'm afraid it'll be the last thing you see."
Jeffrey glanced back at Scott and dove to the side when he saw Scott's
sword coming at him.
"What the hell are you doing Scott?" Jeffrey demanded as he backed
away from his attacker.
"What does it look like I'm doing?" Scott asked in surprise. "I
thought it was fairly obvious. I'm trying to kill you." He advanced
toward Jeffrey menacingly, snarling when he jumped over the railing to
the ground below.
"This is insane Scott." Jeffrey gasped out drawing his own sword
from where he'd left it in his car. "This isn't like you."
"This is the new me." Scott chuckled, following him over the
railing. "Freer, more exciting. What's the matter? Don't you like it?"
His eyes flashed white again and he lashed out with a vicious slash, which
Jeffrey parried.
"There is something wrong with you Scott, Can't you see that?" Jeffrey
pleaded as he blocked and dodged several other attacks. "You're not like this.
You're good, you need to get a hold of that goodness." Scott started a pattern
that ended with Jeffrey's sword flying out of his hand and Jeffrey falling to
his knees.
"Is that the way you talk to your patients?" Scott asked with an evil
grin. "Must say I'm not impressed Doc, but then it does make me glad of one
thing, There can be only one." He brought his sword back, then cut down,
removing Jeffrey's head easily. As the Quickening took him, he smiled evilly.
He gasped in delicious pain and lost all sense of the outside world.
* * * * *
As Al turned onto a dirt road, Makoto gasped as she felt the
presence of an Immortal nearby. "Careful Al, he's here, and he probably
knows that we are too."
"Okay." Al said, moving forward cautiously, then coming to a stop
and getting a colt .45 automatic out of the glove compartment. "I don't
want to take any chances." He explained when Ami looked at him
questioningly.
She nodded and they got out of the car. As they did, they heard
the sound of swords clashing together and Makoto swore and started running.
Al and Ami came after her, and as they came around the corner, they watched
helplessly as Scott beheaded Jeffrey. They watched as white mists appeared
and surrounded Scott, and bursts of energy struck him repeatedly. As the
Quickening receded, Scott became aware of them.
"What's this?" Scott said with a mocking grin. "Did someone decide
to hold a party here and forget to tell me about it?"
"Scott, there is something wrong with you." Al said moving toward
him. "This isn't you, it's the sickness."
"Strange, I don't feel sick." Scott said, pretending to consider
the idea. "In fact, I feel better than I have in centuries. There's
nothing wrong with me."
"Yes there is." Al said, taking another step closer. "You've
been affected by a Dark Quickening."
"Those are myths." Scott growled as his eyes flashed again.
With a rush, he charged Al, only stumbling a little when he was shot
in the leg. When he reached Al, he clubbed him into unconsciousness
with his sword hilt, then turned to Makoto and Ami."
"Please Scott, let us help you." Ami pleaded as she came closer
to him. "Al was telling you the truth. We spoke to someone who witnessed
a Dark Quickening. They told us about a cure, but we have to hurry or it
won't work."
She saw that she was starting to get through to him and moved closer.
When she was close enough, she reached out and placed her hand on his chest.
Scott looked like he was about to accept her help when his eyes flashed and
he clubbed Ami into unconsciousness with the pommel of his sword.
"Ami!" Makoto yelled as she ran toward them, then slid to a stop when
Scott grabbed Ami and held his sword to her throat. "Let her go Scott, she
was only trying to help you."
"And give up my advantage." Scott laughed in disbelief. "I think
not. Throw your sword away or she'll die right here."
"How do I know I can trust you?" She demanded. "You could kill her
after I throw it away."
"You don't know." Scott replied, pressing his sword into Ami's neck
a little harder. A thin line of blood ran down Ami's neck from where his
sword had cut her. "But you can be sure that if you don't, she's dead.
Now drop the sword."
"All right." Makoto said in frustration. "Just don't hurt her."
She threw her sword away and watched Scott carefully. He slowly took
his sword away from Ami's neck, then suddenly threw Ami at Makoto and ran to
his car. Makoto caught her friend and lowered her gently to the ground as
Scott drove off. She sighed as she cradled Ami in her lap, brushing a few
wisps of hair from her face.
"We didn't stop him this time either Ami." Makoto sighed. "But
don't worry, we'll save him, for both your sakes."
* * * * *
Ami came to slowly, shivering from the cold draft coming in through
the door to the bedroom she was in. As she opened her eyes she realized
that the darkness in the room was from the setting of the sun instead of
the thick curtains. In the dim light of the sunset, she could make out
a staircase from the room she was in to an upper level and some of the
room's furnishings.
"Ah, you're awake." Makoto said, coming into the room with a tray.
"How are you feeling?"
"My head hurts." Ami replied, groaning when her head throbbed.
"And I feel like this bandage is choking me, what happened?" Makoto set
the tray on the dresser and switched on the bedside lamp, then sat down
in the chair next to the bed and placed the tray across Ami's lap.
"What do you remember?" She asked.
"We found Scott just as he ... he killed that other Immortal, then
he attacked Al and knocked him out. I was getting through to him I thought,
then everything went black." Ami explained, turning in worry to Makoto.
"What happened?"
"Scott knocked you out with his sword." Makoto sighed, avoiding
Ami's eyes. "Then he held his sword to your throat until I threw mine
away. That's why you have a bandage there. Once I threw my sword away,
he threw you at me and drove off."
"Where is Al?" Ami asked in concern.
"He regained consciousness an hour ago." Makoto replied. "After
he disposed of the body, he went after Scott to see if he could find out
where he went."
"Is there any news from Kevin?" Ami sighed, laying back in dejection.
"Did he get the sword?"
"He hasn't called me yet." Makoto said with a shake of her head.
"I found a charger for my cell phone, but he hasn't tried to call."
As she finished saying this, the distinctive ring of her cell phone
could be heard from the living room and Makoto ran to get it. A few minutes
later, she came into the room with a triumphant smile on her face.
"What is it Makoto?" Ami asked, getting excited. "Who was that?"
"That was Kevin." Makoto said happily. "He just arrived in Milwaukee
and talked to Al. It seems that Scott left for France three hours ago, and
Kevin has the sword. We're going to make it Ami."
Ami smiled and got out of bed, then walked to the bathroom. "I need
a shower." She told Makoto. "If we're going to France, I need to be clean
when I get there." Makoto laughed in agreement and brought her her overnight
bag.
* * * * *
To be continued ...