"A Finale, Of Sorts" or "A Fanfic of Highlander: The Series" by Shaule Sachs This is a work of fiction. This work is not meant to infringe on the Highlander copyrights and other things. It is written solely for the therapeutic release of the author and enjoyment of others. Any similarities between this and real life is pure coincidence. ----------------------------------------------------------------- --- Part 2 --- Tuesday, evening Duncan's Barge, Paris Duncan had just gotten back from celebrating with Richie. When he got inside the barge, he stripped off his clothes and went towards the shower stall to take a shower before bed. /A nice relaxing shower is what I need,/ thought Duncan. Just as he was to step into the shower after carefully adjusting the temperature the phone rang. Taking a towel to cover himself as he shut off the shower he walked towards the offending phone. /You always starting ringing when ever I get the shower just *right*,/ thought Duncan evilly at the phone. Snatching the phone from its base Duncan said, "Hello." "Kalas is out of jail, Mac," came the voice on the other end of the line. Duncan knew that the voice belonged to Joe Dawson and he was troubled. "What happened," asked Duncan in a strained voice. "I don't have all the details yet but there was a prison riot where Kalas was being kept," replied Joe. Joe told Duncan what happen. Apparently, some of the new inmates tried to escape Monday afternoon. In the confusion, Kalas was shot, presumed 'killed' and was placed in the morgue. It was simple for him to leave from the morgue since the prison doctor had declared him dead, which if he was mortal he would have been. Joe added that a Watcher had spotted Kalas this afternoon but lost him five minutes later. "Where was he spotted, Joe?" asked Duncan. "By the bar that he owned," came the reply. "Thanks Joe," Duncan said in the sincerest voice he had. Duncan could hear the shrug. "What're friends for?" Joe responded jokingly. Joe voice changed slightly as the seriousness crept into it, "You take care now, Mac." "Bye, Joe," Duncan reply, "and I will." When the phoned clicked signaling that the Joe had hang up, Duncan could not help but feel that it was an omen of things to come. Shrugging off the mood, Duncan headed back to the shower stall and started it back up. ***** Wednesday, morning Duncan's Barge, Paris Duncan woke up feeling a little uneasy. Joe words about Kalas resounded in his head, "He's as good as your are. Maybe better." Duncan did not participate in the Game like his clansman Connor did. Duncan tried to staying out of the Game as much as possible. He did not see the Game like Connor did. He did not think the Game was Connor's "War of Good against Evil" not something as grand as that. True there was some truly Evil Immortals in the world that Connor and himself had removed from the Game but Duncan just didn't see that way. Still he knew it would never be over until only one of the Immortals remained and until then he was a part of the Game even if he would rather not be a part of it. Making sure that he had his sword with himself Duncan stepped out to do some grocery shopping. While shopping for some food Duncan thought he saw Kalas out of his eyes but he did not feel the Buzz of another Immortal around so it must have been his imagination getting the better of him. Duncan could not however shake the feeling he was being watched. From a Warrior's instincts he knew that who ever was watching him did not have evil intentions towards him. /Probably just a Watcher,/ Duncan thought. Duncan knew that Joe was safe back in the States with him in Paris. /At least, you think Joe will stay in Paris and have another Watcher watch you in Paris,/ thought Duncan. Once he had all the items he wanted he headed back to the barge. As he got closer to the barge Duncan began feeling the Buzz. Duncan began looking around for Kalas. He had not ever realized that he had set the groceries down and drawn his sword until Richie appeared from the barge saying, "Woah, Mac, it's just me." Feeling slightly foolish Duncan put back his sword as Richie got some of the bags from the ground. "What's the problem, Mac?" Richie asked curiously. "It's nothing I can't handle, Richie," Duncan said a little to fast as he realized Richie was looking at him funny. "Ok, Mac, you'll tell me when you're ready," responded Richie. Before Duncan could ask why he was here Richie told he that he had a race tomorrow and he would like to have him there. "For luck, you understand, Mac," finished Richie. "We'll see, Richie, I have a few things to do tomorrow," Duncan said. Richie looked so much like a puppy that had been told no that Duncan thought about reconsidering but the thought that Kalas was out there somewhere waiting for him made him stick with his original plan. Duncan would become the Hunter now. He would bring the battle to Kalas instead of Kalas having the advantage of finding him. ***** Thursday, afternoon Another Racing Track, Paris Although Richie was not superstitious he would have felt better if Duncan was watching him. Still he did the final check to his bike both because he wanted to check over everything himself, /Mako's Quickening again,/ he thought and to make sure the other racer had not tempered with it not that they would but why take the chance. As he approached the starting line he gave his teammates a smile which Basil Dornin turned a little pale. /I can't imagine why. After all, I'm not going to *do* anything to him even if he knows I have a sword and that I know how to use it,/ thought Richie evilly. As the race was about to start Richie noticed that the racer that almost beat him for first place from the last race was positioned next to him and that the racer, whose name he meant to find out, gave him the thumbs up in a true professional manner which Richie returned with a cheerful smile. Once again Richie found himself racing head-to-head with the mysterious racer. The place between first and second place was only a foot apart with the position changing as the race went on. Richie could not help but feel that the race existed solely between him and the other racer. But as the laps began to pile up the race for Richie was simply the need to cross the finish line as soon as he could. Only part of his mind knew that the mysterious racer was behind him as he headed towards the final stretch. Richie felt so free as he drove his bike that he was half way tempted to continue after crossing the finish line. Instead he stopped at the crew area, got off his bike reluctantly, and tried to slow down his breathing. He had been so lost in the race that he had not remembered if there was anyone head of him as he crossed the line. Only after he got himself back under control did he realized that he had won the race. After most of the team congratulated him on another win, he headed to the changing area to change into some more comfortable clothes. As he was heading that way the mysterious rider, that had for two races now had come close to beating him, was coming up to meet him. As the rider approached Richie could not help think that the rider was a kid younger than himself. When the rider finally took off his helmet Richie was in for a surprise. The boy Richie thought of was in fact a girl with shoulder-length hair. /Wow,/ was the only thought Richie could thinking of. "You were great out there!" the girl said in a voice that told Richie that the girl was really a woman in her early twenties like himself. "Thanks," was only Richie could think of to respond with. "Debrah Nrya," she said while sticking out her hand to shake. Taking her hand in his and bending slightly like a gentleman to kiss her hand Richie said, "Richie Ryan, at your service mademoiselle." Debrah just laughed, with a smile on her face Debrah said, "I'll beat you next time Richie Ryan." With an equal smile on his face Richie said, "We'll see." ***** Thursday, early evening Racing Track, Paris After changing Richie headed to get his bike he where he had left it in the parking lot. Most of the people, those who came to see the race and those who raced, had already left. Just as he could see his bike Richie noticed that there was a tall person waiting for him. From the Buzz Richie knew the person was Immortal. But it was not until he got closer did he realized the Immortal was Kalas not Duncan as he had first thought. Duncan had not told Richie much about Kalas except to run in the other direction if he ever saw him. Which Richie felt was very good advice at the moment. Richie ran like the Devil herself was after him. /Which is possibly close to the truth,/ thought Richie as he ran. /Kalas had just about beaten Mac in all but removing his head,/ came the thought that Richie tried to avoid. He especially wished to avoid the next thought that surfaced but couldn't, /What chance do I have?/ So caught up in his thoughts was Richie that he didn't noticed that he had ran right into a blind alley away from the tracks. He was trapped. "What are you going to do now, cub?" came Kalas's broken voice. /All that left is to fight,/ thought Richie. /Time to see if I learned anything,/ so thinking Richie stepped into the ready position Duncan had shown him. Kalas could only smile as the cub tried to look threatening. "When MacLeod finds out I killed his cub. It will be another stake into his heart," Kalas said confidently. Richie knew his only hope was to do the unexpected so he put the idea into practice by attacking Kalas. Kalas was surprised but he was able to deflect the blow barely. Some part of Richie, either himself, Duncan's training, or Mako's Quickening, knew that Richie had to press his advantage at least until he had room to escape. It angered him that Mac told him to run if he ever encounter Kalas but Richie knew the best block is not to be in the way of the punch. Richie managed to strike Kalas's left side and the blow was deep enough to draw blood. Richie was surprised that he was actually holding his own. The fact surprised both of them. Still he knew the longer he fought the more tired he would became. Richie was using a lot of his energies to press Kalas while Kalas was conserving his energies in order to wear Richie out. Richie knew he was getting tired and that was bad thing in a fight. Needing a diversion Richie maneuvered Kalas so that he was in front of a broken bench that someone was throwing away. With a thrust of his sword and a push from his free hand, Kalas went down. Richie took the time to get away from Kalas so he could rest. As he left the alley he could baring hear Kalas's voice saying, "I'll get you, cub." Richie knew Kalas might just to do that. Richie only thought was to rest up on Holy Ground and hope Kalas would go away. /Not a real grown-up thought there, Richie,/ he admonished himself. It took Richie a moment to realized that he could still feel Kalas. /My G*d,/ thought Richie, /he's following me. He must be really mad at Mac./ Within a few blocks Richie could hear Kalas's footstep catching up to him. As Kalas got within a few feet Kalas made a jump for Richie. Only Richie's street-smarts saved him as he dodged Kalas's tackle. Richie had no choice but move into another side- street to make a final stand. Richie thought he saw someone watch them as they moved into the side-alley but he dismissed the idea in favor of concentrating solely on Kalas. The stranger had in fact been Watching Kalas chasing Richie for a few minutes now after identifying Kalas as an Immortal. The stranger could hear sword striking sword in the alley. He had tried to watch the fight but the lighting was poor, so he tried to move closer to the action, and has he moved closer the sounds of battle lessen instead of increase as he got closer. He could heard the sound of a sword shattering. Whats more he could not differentiate which combatant was which in the dark. After a moment the Watcher heard nothing. So he tried to enter the alley but bolts of lightning struck out from the alley that barely missing him. Once the lightning show was over the Watcher went into the alley to see who lost. The Watcher could barely tell that a Quickening had been released there if he had not seen it himself and to add to his confuse when he went into the allet he could not find the body that the former Quickening belonged to. === End of Part 2 ===