Title: Brave New World II: Into the Lions den

Authors: cooperative work (Brave New World RPG)

Rating: slash (NC17 for Het rape)

Archive: just let me know

Fandom: Highlander

Categorie: Round Robin RPG

Series:Second part of the 'Brave New World'

Summary:An unexpected visitor leads into Kronos' attempt at getting his long lost brother free

Disclaimers: I don't own Highlander and neither do any of the rest of the people on BNW.

Brave New World II: Into The Lions Den

by the Brave New World Role Playing Group

**New York 1993**

Scene, a large penthouse in New York.

Lilin was draped across the bed, a simple straw in her mouth. She was silently watching as her husband went through a shamanic morning ritual. His muscles tensed with every move his body made and his

words were alien even to her extensive knowledge of languages. The morningsun played across his back, framing his body in a golden shine.Suddenly he stopped. His eyes went wide open as in shock. Lilin

froze, wondering what could be going on. A vision? It had to be bad. It scared her. Temlan was never wrong with any of his visions."Something's happening." was all he said.

He went to the television and turned it on. An image of Methos appeared as two men held him down and put a gun against his head. 'What the hell?'

The broadcaster went on about proof and immortality and for a moment it was as if Lilins heart shattered in her chest.

"Temie, what's happening?"

The young looking ancient didn't respond. He just started packing.

"Temlan!"

"You have to leave Lilin. I'll follow if I can."

"But ..."

Not a single word she said seemed to stop him.

She backed up as someone tried to kick the door open.

"Lilin please."

He opened the window, Lilin went through it and looked back one last time.

"But what about you?"

"I love you mi chikir."

The last thing Lilin heard was the sound of gunfire as she stood on the ledge and tried to get to an open window.

"I love you too."

*
Stella awoke to the sound of her neighbors new baby screaming....again. She groaned as she caught sight of the time. It was not worth it to go back to sleep, she would only get another half hour at the most. She fumbled on her night stand for the remote and switched on the TV, staring absent minded at the ceiling as she listened to the early news.

"It's going to be hot folks, so be careful when going outside." warned the annoyingly happy weather girl. She rolled of the bed and flinched as her tired feet touched the cold hard wood floor. Another monday morning. Another long week. Something told her this was not going to be her day.

Her head was screaming from the night before. Kenya, her best friend since high school, decided she wasn't happy enough and threw her a party. And just like Kenya, she left Stella to clean up the mess.

Carefully she made her way through beer cans and broken chips to the bathroom. Cursing to herself because she couldn't find a single aspirin, so she took a Midal instead.

She got to work late. The traffic was terrible. She could just hear her boss nagging.

"Murray's looking for ya." said the security officer behind the front desk. Stella managed a weak smile and slide her ID card into the slot. The heavy door slide open and Stella slipped in and made her way to the locker room. Murray found her along the way and began his usually responsibility speech, but all she heard was blah, blah, blah. Her head was beginning to hurt again, but it was too late to do anything about it now. She had to get to the first case before Murray docked her pay.

*****

The experiment went off without any major problems. Thankfully the doctors didn't say anything about her being late. They chatted among themselves shooting orders to her when they needed something petty done. Her real job came after: cleaning up after the doctor and in this case, recording the after-effects the experiment had on the immortal. It was this part she hated most of all, actually having to talk to them. She was after all raised to despise them, Her parents had been leading advocates of immortal experimentation and her uncle was in charge of rounding up the strays. It was her uncle that had gotten her the job here after her parents died.

"How do you feel?" she asked as she began to put things away.

"How am I supposed to feel?" a scruffy voice responded.

"Just answer the question, Cullen. I'm not in the mood for your games." snapped Stella.

"Bit of a hangover? tsk, tsk tsk. And on a school night." Cullen joked. His teasing was distracting.

The man was covered half in sweat and blood. His stench was hard to bare.

******

To this day she doesn't remember what happened next. Maybe she didn't turn off the oxygen or maybe some other tank was on, that she didn't know about. She does remember plugging in a fan because the room was stuffy and hot. Then the light and the heat and Cullen's screams. Her lungs burned for air and her head became light. Too light to walk and to see. She gave up trying to find the door and lay down on the floor, waiting for help. But it never came, not in time to save her.

*******

Laura stretched as she woke up. Her husband was still deep asleep and snoring. She was careful not to wake him as she got out of the bed. Her nightshirt rustled along her body as she headed for the bathroom. She looked into the mirror and saw herself. Her long blond hair was rustled by a night sleep (and more). Her eyes were a bit red on the edges. She'd been working late last night. Another set of brainchirgurie. It wouldn't be long before they'd mapped out the workings of the human brain.

She splashed some water in her face. Trying to get herself awake. She hummed a tune while taking a shower. The boys had forgotten to clean the shower again. Julio was just as bad as the kids where cleaning up was concerned. One of Mikes shoes was lying next to the toilet. She muttered a bit while placing it out of the way. She held José's toothbrush under the water. The boy always left it as he'd used it.

She'd have to have a word with him about that later.

********

Stella slept little that night. In another hour she would have to make one of the hardest decisions of her life. To go to work as if nothing had happened or to pick up and leave? As far as she knew they didn't suspect her. She answered all their questions right and without hesitation. Besides, they were her friends, weren't they?

But what about the warning thing immortals had, that she had read about? She considdered it for a second. It wouldn't really be all that hard to hide her immortality from the other immortals. If they felt her presence they would just assume it was one of he others.On the other hand, if she didn't go she would bring much more attention to herself than going ever would. Stella had never missed a day of work since she started. It would seem out her nature to be so irresponsible.

Stella made her decision. Just like if it were any other day, she rolled out of bed and did the usual morning routine, almost in a zombie like trance. She would go to work. It would be better to face her future then to run and live in fear.

*******

It took Laura about an hour to get out of her apartment and to the center. The traffic was still light. Laura passed a few signs offering a chance to have your children tested for immortality. Laura knew those things were bogus. If it were so easy to test children, the IRS would have been holding that kind of tests in schools all over the country.

She winced her eyes as the early morningrays hit her eyes. The sun reflected heavily against the white walls of the Center. Laura took her parking-space and walked up to the gate.

"Goodmorning Dr Mendez." One of the guards greeted her.

"Any trouble?" she asked him.

"Two of the Immies had a fight. We had to separate them. They're in solitary right now." Laura nodded. The regular course of the day.

Another sign of their insanity, immortals just couldn't seem to live together in peace. She headed through the white halls of the building and went straight to her office. The days schedule was waiting for her on her computer.

Brainchirgurie
Bloodresearch
Livertransplant
Electrocifilic research
Psychological reviews

She stopped reading.

Another busy day. She looked at the videoscreens displaying some of the immortals. Most of them were still asleep. Only Pierson and Ryan were in the cafeteria. Byron was awake, but he hadn't left his room yet. There were a few of them in the televisionroom. Watching the early news. Laura presumed they still wanted to know what was happening in the outside world.

Why couldn't they just understand this was for the best? Even for them.

She put down her files and started her rounds.

*******

As Laura stepped into the room, Stella was there waiting for her, ready to start their round. Laura noticed that the young woman seemed a bit nervous. Quite expectable, the accident the day before must have really spooked her. She handed her list of subjects over."We'll start with Pierson. He should be recovered from yesterday's testing by now."

Pierson was strapped to one of the tables in the middle of the room. There were no observers present. Not during this kind of work It tended to scare the investors. The immortal seemed to be uncomfortable. He tried not to show it, but his hands and feet were rustling in the shackles holding them to the cold metal.

Laura took out her taperecorder.

"Pierson, mapping of the brain, test one of day 15."

She looked over at her 'patient'.

"Pierson is fully awake. In order for the test results to be correct, he must be completely aware."

The Doctor hesitated for a second. She didn't like working this way.

Unfortunately any sort of tranquilizer, sedative or drug would upset the results. The brainactivity wouldn't registrate as it should and the test would loose most of its worth.

Pierson shrank back as she approached. It was as if he was trying to melt with the table. Anything to get away from her touch. The immortal knew what would happen and he didn't like it.One of her assistants started the last preparations. His hair had been half shaven off two days before. It was easy to draw the lines on his head that would indicate where she would have to do the incisions.

It was all to clear that the immortal was trying to keep from showing his fear, but she could see it in his eyes. In the way the hairs of the back of his neck stood up, in the slight drops of sweat that showed on his skin.

She looked at the monitor. His heartbeat was going down, he was trying to hide in his mind. She couldn't allow it. Normally she wouldn't mind, but for this test he had to be 100% aware. His brainresponses had to be the regular course for any human. She slapped him in the face to get him out of his concentration before his mind slipped away.

It wasn't until all the preparations were ready that she started cutting. At first the immortal tried to hold in, but soon he was screaming. Especially when she started applying the sensors and transductors to his brainlobes. The brain itself might not have any nerves, but the messages sent through the devices was enough to make any man scream. Laura knew she would never forget those screams for as long as she lived. But she couldn't let that stop her

*****

Stella cringed as she felt Pierson's presence, but to her relief he seemed to preoccupied with fear to think about it. She busied herself with preparing for the operation, trying her hardest not to look at him. Scared to death that making eye contact with him would give her away.

She swallowed hard as the doctor began to cut. Her stomach turned as he began to scream. Stella closed her eyes tightly, trying to block out the sound. Normally these operations didn't bother her as much as one would think. But now things were different. It could so easily be her on that table.

"Stella, are you writing this down?" Dr. Mendez said loudly.

"Umm, sorry. Go on." Stela said as she grabbed a clipboard and turned around. But the sight was too much for her to take in her present condition. Nausea swept over her and the room began to grow smaller.

Dropping the clipboard she ran from the room, leaving Dr. Mendez calling after her.

Part Two

Laura looked after Stella.

'Damn what was wrong with the girl?'

She couldn't stop her work. But decided to search for the girl later.

It was another hour before she was finished. She had Pierson sent to his room. The testresults were coming in and from what she could see they'd be a success.

She sat down in her office for a few seconds and breathed out deeply. Allowing herself to try and deal with what she'd had to do. She could understand that a young woman like Stella Reyme might have problems with it. She didn't always like it either but the work they did was
essential.

She took her communicator and held it in front of her mouth.

"Television on" She thought for a few seconds. "Newsreport."

The set immediately clicked on to CNN. The IFF had just committed another attack on one of the centers. Luckily noone had been harmed and two of the terrorists had been arrested. Both were mortal.

She sighed.Why couldn't these people understand the necessity of the work they did here. These so-called freedomfighters were almost as bad as the rogue hunters. One group destroying years of work in a false attempt to free people that couldn't handle freedom, the others killing those same people out of fear. Simply forgetting everything that could be won for the sake of hate and superstition.

The schedule had held one such appointment. The center would buy a captured immortal from one of those huntergroups. At least here the woman would be safe. From the hunters, her own kind, but most of all from herself.

"Television off." She commanded.

Now where did that girl go. She took a look at the videoscreens. Now what was Ryan doing in Piersons room. How close where those two getting? She had to ask the staff psychologist to look up on that.Ah there was miss Reyme. In the staffs dressingroom.

She got up and headed off to the girl.

******

Stella sat alone in the dressing room puffing away at a camel. Her hands shook a little less each time she inhaled the nicotine. Her shoulder still hurt from her collision with a young redheaded
immortal as she ran down the hall. He had looked at her with such fear as she picked herself up. Almost as if he was waiting for her to hurt him for not being careful. She shivered as she remembered the look of confusion on his face as he tried to figure her out. Stella could almost hear him thinking, "An immortal in the clothes of his torturers." But maybe it was just her paranoia shining through.

Stella was beginning to doubt her decision to stay. This was going to be a lot harder than she'd thought. The only thing that was really keeping her from leaving was, ironically, her fear. With only three hundred dollars to her name, she wouldn't get far and how would she protect herself against other immortals. Stella has never even been in the same room with a sword. She had absolutely no idea how to live without the creature comforts. Basically she wouldn't last a month. When she really thought about it. she found it funny in a sick sorta way.

But now she had to think of what she was going to say to the person that came looking for her. She didn't want it to sound rehearsed or improvised. Damn it was hard to think with all the immortals moving in and out of her range. As soon as she got a rational thought in her head, it was lost within the presence of another. She got up off the floor where she collapsed and moved to her locker. She reached in to grab another cigarette out of her pack, but was frozen in her tracks by the sound of Dr. Mendez's voice in the hall. Why did it have to be her? Part of her wanted to hide, but the other part realized it wasn't rational. Quickly she snatched a cigarette out of the pack and lit it. There was no way she was going to have a conversation with her without one.

'Different year, Different city, Different country, Different building, Same interior decorator,' Monique Crusher thought as she stared at the wall of her gilded cage. For the past nine years, she had been carted to so many different centers that she had lost count a year or so ago. She had lost caring about her location too.'Nine years,' Mac thought as she rubbed the bare spot on her right wrist. Nine years since she had seen her brother, Adam......or Lucky..... Liz..... Connor....Chica ...or even... or even Tommy. She automatically touched her left ring finger when the thought of her husband popped into her head. She didn't even know if they were dead
or alive.

There was a quick knock on her door before it opened and a guard walked in. She slowly got off the bed and followed the guard into the rec room were most of the other 'poor misguided souls' were at. She left the guard at the door and walked over to the couch in front of the TV set. The newsreport stated that the IFF had attacked another center and two of the mortal members were arrested. 'Damn', she thought when she heard this,' Don't be getting sloppy, guys. Don't forget that the key was to free the immortals not get captured by the friggin' Nazis.' She ran her hands through her growing hair. At one of the centers she'd been at recently, they had given her a buzz cut, but it had been slowly growing out and was now at shoulders length.

She glanced around the room to get a feel for who she was being held with.

"Stella?"

Laura was more than a bit concerned. The young woman was almost trembling when she saw her. Smoking a cigarette, as if it were a lifeline.

"Are you alright?"

The girl nodded.

"There's no reason to be ashamed Stella. The experiments we do can be harrowing at times. I wouldn't be doing them either if not for the purpose." She took a breath.

"There's no shame in being bothered by it. I'd be surprised if you weren't.

You are still young and all that." The doctor gave the young woman her brightest smile.

Stella stared at the floor as Dr.Mendez talked.

"I just haven't been myself lately." She answered. "Maybe because of the accident.

I don't know. I'll be fine." Stella would say anything just to get the Doctor to leave.

"Maybe," said Dr. Mendez as she patted Stella's hand, "you should just do some paperwork and follow ups until you feel better."

Stella nodded in agreement and took a long draw from her cigarette.

"You know those things will kill you." Dr. Mendez said jokingly.

Stella could only laugh. If she only knew.

*******

Stella had been filing papers for an hour now. Her arms were exhausted from pushing folders back and stuffing things in. She checked her watch. In another hour she would meet Dr. Mendez to help her process a new arrival.

As she was sorting through the endless files she came across a familiar face. It was the red headed guy she had run over in the hall. She looked around her, making sure she was alone and then pulled his file out. Laying it on the open drawer. Richie Ryan was surprisingly young compared to the rest of the immortals. As she read his file, it suddenly dawned on her. She needed to make some connections not only on the outside, but in here as well. If she ever got caught she would need to know who it was safe to run too.

This Richie Ryan looked promising. He seemed like a nice guy and he might not hold that much resentment against her seeing that she never assisted an experiment with him. It was noted on his file that he was getting chummy with another immortal named Adam Pierson.

Where had she heard that name before? She needed a picture. Her finger followed the row of names until she came to the name she wanted, wincing as she saw his picture. The last time she saw that face it was twisted in pain. He might not be that good a choice when it came to protection. The things she helped do to him might not have been made a good impression.

She glanced at her watch again. She could feel her stomach cry out of a need to eat. At least that hadn't changed.

******

Laura left the young woman with her new load of work. She had more than enough work of her own. She went to her office and opened the file of one of the two new arrivals. Monique Crusher. The woman had been brought in the day before. Rather young for an immortal. Not even a hundred yet. Still she had to be treated with caution, her file said she'd been a member of the IFF. A founding member at that.

Well that life was over now. She looked at the young looking woman on the screen in front of her as she waited.

Suddenly the alarm of her phone sounded. A nice four tune sound that always cheered her up a bit. "Mom." It was José. What kind of trouble had the kid ran into now. "I'm sorry mom, but I got into a fight."

The boy hesitated for a second. "Mister Thompson wants to speak with you." Laura sighed.

She'd had various confrontations with the man before. He was one of those so called immortal sympathizers. She couldn't understand what those peoples problem was. Immortals here in
the center were treated better than a lot of people out on the street in the real world. Sure they were imprisoned, but that was for their own protection as much as for that of the rest of the world.

Immortals couldn't handle freedom. Millennia of selfdestructive behavior had proved that all to well.

The phonecall lasted over half an hour and ended with Josés suspension for the rest of the day instead of the week that the principal had demanded at first. Laura got up to pick him up from
school when the doorbell sounded. "Yes." Two orderlies came in bringing an immortal with them. "You asked to see Crusher doctor."

"Oh yes. Damn." She looked at the screen. Great she couldn't leave now. She looked at the guard. "Lighthorse, can you do me a favor."

The man nodded. She sighed. "José has been fighting again, can you go pick him up from school. Just bring him here. I think I can find him something to do." She pointed at the immortal. "I'll be to busy to pick him up myself."

Jon gave the Doc a hard look. "You know Doc. José may be doing all that because he needs his mother. He's a good boy really. Fighting is a whole lot better than some of the things he could get into. But if you want I can go get him. "

Laura nodded at the man. It wasn't really his business, but she had asked him to pick the boy up on more than one occasion and since the boy liked him.Before leaving Jon gave the Doc a look that spoke words he knew better than to say.

"Hey, don't mind me. We can reschedule if you need," Mac said in a sickly sweet voice that turned ice cold with her next remark," I'd hate to take time away from your family duties, cause you never know when something might happen and you will never see them again." Mac gazed at the doctor with barely disguised disgust. She had seen this type before since Salzer had told the world about immortals.

"Tell me, Doctor," she said in the same cold voice," How do you feel about slavery? or Holocaust? And what do you tell little Jose when he ask what you do at your work? Do you tell him about the electrocutions, cutting the "poor misguided immortals" open, disemboweling them all in the name of science and helping them?"

Laura looked at the woman with pity in her eyes. She'd heard the type of talk before. To be honest, being compared with nazis was one of the nicer words some of the more aware immortals had had for her.She didn't mind. It was understandable from their point of view.She opened up the womans file again.

"I'm afraid I'll have to have a bit of information. Once that's done, we can go on with a physical check up. You could of course tell me what I need to know, it will make things so much easier."

She didn't expect anything though. To bad. If the woman wouldn't cooperate, she'd be forced to do a vivisection to get the information she needed.

Part Three

*** Meanwhile in another part of the Center ***

Stella sat in a chair next one of the orderlies, watching the immortals eat. She so graciously volunteered to keep him company, he had the biggest crush on Stella, but she could care less. He really wasn't her type, but she would use his attraction to her advantage. From her vantage point she could see the entire room. She tried desperately to seem interested in everything the orderly had to say while at the same time memorizing faces and groups. She tried not to stare to long at anyone person.

"So do you?" asked the orderly.

"Do I what?" Said Stella, who now felt bad for not paying attention.

"Do you wanna go out sometime?" He said in a way that made Stella think he didn't ask out girls very often. She didn't want to hurt his feelings, but she didn't want to go out with him either.

"Umm..I would love to, but...now's not a good time." It broke her heart to watch his face go from hopeful expectation to the rejected puppy dog. "Why don't you ask me again in couple of weeks" She said in the hope of cheering him up again.

He gave her a big grin and excused himself. His charge was due in exam room one and wasn't coming gracefully. She could hear a slight struggle over the hand held radio.

Stella began to study the room more intensely now. Most of them looked down at their food when she caught their gaze. From her experience the majority of the immortals weren't very confrontational, especially the ones that had been here since the beginning. She jumped slightly as she felt a warm breathe behind her right ear. She turned around playfully expecting her admirer to be there, but drew a sharp breath as her eyes met those of the only other person that knew her secret, Cullen.

Cullen's entire body shook from laughter. The look on her face was priceless.

"You're not a very smart girl are you?" He chuckled.

"Keep your voice down!" Stella said as she as tried to get up.

Cullen grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back down roughly. His eyes burned, almost as if he was half mad. "It's not really fair."

Cullen hissed between clenched teeth. "It's not really fair that you come and go as you please while the rest of us suffer."

Stella tried to push him away only to have her wrist grabbed roughly.

Most of the other immortals had moved to the back of the room, to intrigued by what was unfolding in front of them to leave. Cullen yanked Stella off the chair and with almost inhuman strength threw her backwards, hitting the wall with a sickening thud. Stella tried to get up, but he was on her again. "Maybe it's time for the rest of them to know our little secret." He picked her up by her hair and held her against him. By that time the guards had arrived and had surrounded the two of them. "Maybe it's time for you to join us in hell." he hissed in her ear as a large hand enclosed her slim throat. She tried to call out for help from the guards who were holding defensive positions around them, but her breath was gone.

"Make a move and I'll break her neck." Cullen warned the guards. His grip on her throat tightened. "Ahhh..What the hell..I'll do it anyway." He said as he gave his hand a slight twist, laughing insanely as Stella crumbled to the floor.

Dallas was the first to Cullen. Knocking the man out of his way. he knelt next to Stella. Using her hair to block his movements as he realigned her neck . He picked her up and started to carry her out of the room. One of the orderlies yelled at him to stop but Dallas pretended not to hear either him or Cullens cursing.

Stella's first breath was painful. Her neck ached intensely, but the pain was going away. She felt herself moving. It wasn't smooth like she was on a stretcher. Then it came to her. She was being carried. Her eyes opened slightly, squinting as they adjusted to the light. Through a blurry hazy she tried to see who was carrying her, but his face was hard to make out.

"Where are you taking me?" She managed to squeak out.

Dallas voice was rough from not talking for so long. "Hush little one. You need to get out and as far away from here as you can. I can see you are a newbie but some of the others will try to expose you like Cullen. He's usually ok but like most, very bitter. This will all end all we immortals have to to is wait it out. Once you get out of here, find a woman named Margo Kane. She was my watcher and friend. I think she's with the underground. They can help get you out
of the country if that is what you want. But get out of here and fast. "

Dallas set the girl on her feet and slapped her on the rear to move. "Go! Now, before they figure out your one of us and you end up in here."

Stella started to down the hall, but stopped shortly before the door leading into the lobby. Not sure what possessed her to do what she did next. She called after the guy.

"Come with me." Stella said without thinking. "I can get you out if you come now. Look when are you ever going to get another chance this good again."

Dallas shook his head . "They know what I look like. If I tried to leave they would find me and endanger anyone who tried to help me. I hate this place and what they do to us. I want to leave more than any thing. But I can't risk anyone else getting hurt just because they tried to help me. They don't know about you yet, if you leave and don't come back they might think it was because of what happened. We can only hope. When you get home call the Doctor's office and leave a message on her machine saying you are upset and need to get away for a few days. With luck by the time they find out what you are, you'll be safely hidden with the underground. But you must hurry. And if you see Margo Kane tell her I'm alright and not to worry too much, I always land on my feet."

*** Back in Doc Mendez office ***

Laura nodded. First she started of with a few simple questions. The kinda thing she could just as easy get out of the womans file. Their only need was that they gave a check up to see how much cooperation the immortal would be willing to give.

Then it came to the more important questions.

Childhood illnesses, broken bones and injuries from before first death. Her early family life.
Doctor Mendez had a full list to go through and even when she thought a question wasn't really important, she still asked it just to get it out of the way.

They'd been busy for about an hour when the alarm in the cafeteria sounded. Laura quickly pressed a button in front of her and the image was shown in the midscreen.

An immortal had attacked a member of the staff. Stella Reyme. The poor girl to go through something like this right after the accident the day before. The orderlies acted immediately but the immortal held the woman in a dead-grip. Stella's eyes closed and Laura could see her grasp.

Then all of a sudden one of the other immortals interfered, pulling the young woman out of the first ones grasp and pulling her along. Out of the room. She could only get the camera to focus a few moments later when the girl stumbled out of the room.

Kinkade, that was the second immortals name, didn't resist when the guards grabbed him. Cullens body was lying on the ground, dead.

Temporary that is.

Laura watched as the guards pulled him along to solitary. She sighed.

Yet one more for disciplinary measures.

Jacob would love it. He always enjoyed it when he got some more subjects for his research. Laura couldn't understand why he was allowed to stay on. The man wasn't a scientist. He was a butcher who enjoyed hurting his subjects as much as possible. Even when their was no justified scientific purpose. She doubted the man would be held on if not for his military work.

It didn't take Stella long to get to her apartment. She stopped at the bank next to her building and emptied her account. Three hundred dollars wasn't much but it was better then nothing.

Her apartment was still in shambles from the party the night before. God forbid Kenya pick anything up. She picked her way through the beer cans and bottles, threw open the bedroom door, and headed straight for the closet. She sighed loudly as she studied all her beautiful clothes. She LOVED her clothes, but there was no way she could bring them all. Her fingers ran over the line of dress that hung to the left. Each one had memories. The yellow satin with the Cinderella style skirt she had worn to her prom. There was the red silk ankle length she wore the first time she became "serious" with one of her boyfriends. And then there was the perfect little black dress. The perfect for any occasion dress. Every fiber in this dress held some sort of memory. There was no way she was going to leave this behind. She laid it carefully in the bottom of a suitcase and fished around for the matching shoes.

From then on she wasn't so picky. She packed all her jeans and T-shirts. You can never have too many of those. She even cleaned her bathroom out, taking everything but the sink. Now it was time to look for things of value. She didn't where much jewelry, but the stuff she did have was worth a pretty penny. It was about the only thing she had that was worth taking. She couldn't exactly drag a television and stereo system with her until she needed the money.

Stella left a note for Kenya. The note didn't explain why she left.

It was just the simple "I have to leave. Explain later maybe. Don't worry, I'm safe." She took one last look at her apartment. Smiling as she remembered all the fun she had had there. It hurt to leave, but she had to.

She closed the door on her old life. Stepping out into a new one. A life filled with uncertainty and fear.

*****

Stella cursed as she fumbled with the door key. She was way too tired for this. The motel she found wasn't exactly the Hilton, but she had to be careful with money. An odd smell attacked her sense as she stepped in the room. She could only describe it as a mix of old beer and mold. Her nose wrinkled as she look at the dank little room, lifting her left foot to let some kind of beetle pass through. The spoiled little rich girl in her wanted run screaming across the street to the $50 a night hotel.

"Thank God it's only for a night." She told herself as she checked to see if this place even had a bathroom.

******

After a long bath and a hot pizza, she began to figure out her next step. Dallas had told her to look up a Margo Kane, but how the hell was she supposed to do that. She laid back on the bed and stared at the brown stain on the ceiling. The logical place to start would be the phone book. She rolled on her stomach and opened the drawer on the dresser. No phone book there. She was going to have to do this the hard way. Grabbing her cell phone she began dial. She had suspected certain people in the center had connections to the underground. It was time to see if her suspicions were true. It rang six or seven times before a familiar male voice answered.

"Lighthorse." it said.

"Jon, It's Stella. I need to talk to you and please be completely honest with me."

Jon was shocked to hear Stella's voice on the phone. Lab help didn't have much to do with orderlies as a rule. But the kid sounded scared and stressed. After what he heard happened to her today no wonder. "Ok Stella what do you want to know?"

"I know we have never talked much, but I need your help." Stella hesitated for a minute, afraid to tell him the whole story. "I always thought your were different from the rest of the us. It was like you cared more or something. Which leads me to ask you.....do you have connections to the underground?"

There was a uncomfortable silence on the other end. Stella felt like she need to say more. "I promise I'm not setting you up or anything.

You know that accident I had in one of the labs. Well I sorta died and I would have been caught when Cullen attacked me if it wasn't for Kinkade. He told me to find the underground but I have no idea where to start." She forced herself to stop talking. It did feel good to tell somebody though. She held her breath as she waited for him to respond. Praying he trusted her enough to tell her something.

Anything.

Jon thought for a wile. He knew he had to do something. "All right .

Tomorow go to the West End movie theater. Hit the 7: 15 showing of that new M-I 2 movie. At 7: 45 go to the ladies room, go to the stall at the far end. Some one will be there to meet you. If you see any one from the center or if any one is watching you leave. Don't hang around. And when you talk to the person you are meeting don't say my name. They won't know me. Till then get some rest, and be ready to take off at any time. Oh and you might take some of your things with you when you go to the movies, if you check out with them you won't be able to go back to where you are and get things left behind. Take care and good luck."

Jon hung up the phone going out side to a pay phone down the road he dialed a number. ' Margo, got a newbie for you . Dallas gave her your name and told her to come to you. She'll be a the usual place at 7:45 tomorrow. Margo this kid is scared, she used to work at the center, so she knows what they'll do to her. OK give Jesse my love."

Part Four

** Paris**

The immortal paced the length of the concrete floor like some caged animal stalking it's keeper. In essence truly he was a caged animal.

Some twenty five years before, a bitch by the name of Christine Salzer had revealed the truth about immortals to the public . The world took the bait, and his life had not been the same since. He had gone from being the hunter, feared on two continents for countless centuries. To being the hunted, not safe among the world of mortals and their 'open season' on the immortals.

His jet black hair was cut short, but not by any barber around town, it was done in his dingy little bathroom, with a hand held mirror and a small pair of scissors. It took a lot of patience and time to give himself an inconspicuously short haircut, but he had all the time in the world, or at least he used to.

He was anything but a wallflower. His eyes were an alarming shade of blue, reminiscent of the summer sky in the heat of August. Directly through the center of his right eye ran a ragged scar that he had bore for over four millennium. With the outing of immortals came the outing of his picture, the scar standing out like a beacon in every photo of him, in every decade. He had to be careful.

He slammed his fist down into a small wooden table in anger, causing the vibration to run up his arm to his shoulder blade. He was furious. He was Pestilence, He rode next to Famine, War and Death for a thousand years. He killed, he maimed, he was fear incarnate, yet he was a prisoner in his own home. If you could call it a home.

The last year he had been hiding in a warehouse that he had purchased. He had cleverly strewn junk around the front so upon first glance it appeared abandoned, but if one looked closely they would begin to discern a pattern among the chaos, the path that led to the lion's den. The trail was laden with booby traps, and he had trapped himself more then one street urchin in the past twelve months. Once he caught another immortal who had been looking for a place to hide as well, Pestilence took his head and had the sweetest Quickening he could remember, for it had been so long since immortals wandered freely and Quickenings were taken at will.

Through the path, and past the traps sat a small three room apartment consisting of his kitchen, which was always well stocked thanks to the immortal sympathizer delivery boy from the Sanctuary down the street. His bedroom, which was home to a dresser full of black clothing, and a modest double bed. His living room, which had amenities like a color TV, his laptop computer where most of his safe acquiring of supplies went through, a washer, a dryer along with his torn leather couch and chipped wood coffee table. For being a fugitive from the world he was perfectly comfortable.

There was only one thing he wanted, only one thing he felt he truly needed. His brother. Not brother in birth, but brother in blood all the same. Methos. The ancient immortal who had ridden to his right for century upon century. The man who brought death upon every village and hamlet like Loki the Slayer of Gods. Methos would have a plan, he always did. Once they were together they could ride again without fear of being beheaded by someone who's presence they could not feel. Someone who had no idea what it would be like to live past 50 and still be viable, let alone four thousand years.

"Methos, where are you?" He whispered in the dim light of his living room, before sitting back down at his laptop, following the gossamer threads of a trail he had picked up while searching for his brother in arms.

****

Outside in an alley next to the warehouse a young girl was standing in the shadows. Her bright red hair stood of against the darkness around her. She shivered slightly. Not from the cold, she was wearing a pretty decent black coat over her top and long skirt and on top of that it was rather warm for the time of the year.

She stood frozen to her place in the shadows. One more step would bring her into sensing range of the man inside. She hesitated. Inside was the one man she'd never wanted to meet again. Well except for the day she could take his head that was.

Kronos
Pestilence.

She'd been standing there for over an hour. Careful not to be seen from any of the camera's surrounding the building.

Did she really want to do this?

Kronos was a monster, her childhoods worst nightmare.She remembered all the times she told Cassandra to forget about them. Terrified the younger immortal would get killed in her pursuit of the Horsemen. She hadn't understood. Just like herself, Cassandra was driven by fears that just wouldn't go away. Believing that the death of the men who caused the nightmares, would take those nightmares away.

But they weren't worth it. Noone should waste their life for those bastards. Then she'd found Caspian and he'd been as bad as ever.

** Romania 1976 **

Lilin entered the room. The bodies of two children were lying on the butchers table. She had to fight to keep in her meal.The smell filling the room was rancid with the stench of human flesh.

She'd found her man alright.

Suddenly she felt his approach. His immortal Buzz hitting every part of her instinct. Telling her to run, to get away from here."My oh my, said the spider to the fly."

Lilin looked him in the eyes.

"Hello Caspian." Her voice was overflowing with sweetness. His eyes looked at her filled with lust and a hunger. He probably thought he'd enjoy her Quickening later.

He came closer. Even though he wasn't all that big, he still towered over the tiny form of the apparent teenager. His hand first touched her cheek, then went down. Suddenly he gasped. His hands went to his stomach or more exactly the knife sticking out of his guts.

"Nice to see you Caspian." Famine died with the young girl looking over him. Her face filled with a smile that brought shivers even in what resembled his heart.

She stood there looking at the body at her feet. She kicked the body.

It didn't move, she didn't really have that kind of strength. She spat on his face.

"How strong are you now Horseman?" she asked the corpse. Slightly trembling, her eyes filled with hate and anger she took out her sword. Its shiny metal blade reflecting its intended victim.

The girl stood over him, ready to strike.

** His hands touching her, hitting her. His knife where was it going, No!***

She almost screamed and dropped the sword. She staggered back a bit.

"Can I kill him?" Lilin knew that if she killed him now, her Quickening would be forever tainted by his insanity. Nearly four thousand years of madness.

Could she handle it?

She looked at the man. He still looked like the man who'd first killed her over 3500 years ago. Kronoss' brother Famine. Holding her hands in front of her she stared at the lingering scars that still filled them slightly.

There near her thumb he'd started driving a nail through her hand, there at the back he'd burned her with a hot poker. She wanted to kill him. She had to stop him at least.

Shivering under the bright light she went up to the phone. In Rumanian she told the police officer where the mad murderer could be found. She forced herself to pull of the Horsemens shirt and clean up his chest a bit. Making sure to leave the knife inside so he wouldn't recover to soon.

When she heard the sirens she quickly pulled out the knife and left out the back way. She could still hear the loud gasps of the cops as they saw what awaited them inside. He would get his due.

******

The mortal hunters had found him in an asylum. Tied up to the wall. The thought of him being the one to be tortured in their labs made her grin evilly. Maybe she should just warn the IRS (Immortal Registration Service). Let them find Kronos and deal with him. Three of the Horsemen in mortal hands. The idea had a strange sort of appeal to her.

The pleasure that thought brought her, scared her. Had she really become that cruel? The temptation of it was strong but she knew she wouldn't do it. She needed Kronos. For now at least. He was the only one strong enough to help her free Methos. The only immortal still free with enough connections to get Death out.

And she needed Death with a fervor that scared her even more. If she had Methos, they'd have a plan. And that was the only way to find Temlan and get him out. And the only way to get Methos was through the monster inside.

Kronos.

She moved one step further. Awaiting the Buzz to hit her.

It didn't take long.

She could still run. Get away from him. The teenage immortal forced herself to take yet another step forward.

The door of the warehouse shrieked as it opened. Kronos was still standing in the shadows. Ready for anything. Lilin looked at him, trying to pretend a fearlessness she'd never have where he was concerned.

"Hello Master." the two words where spoken with a complete show of disgust.

If there where any confusion left, her insultive tone cleared it up. She hated him now more than ever.

******

"Now now kitten." Kronos purred from the shadows of his den. "You don't sound happy to see me." His tongue made several clicking noises on the roof of his mouth, and his lips curled in a feral grin she could not see for the horseman was enveloped in a shroud of darkness.

"After all we were friends at one point weren't we?" He questioned of her, feeling her anger rise around her like a heat. "No don't answer that, you might say something you will regret." He sniffed a small laugh and stepped out of the shadows, a shaft of moonlight filtered in through a broken window pane illuminating him in it's light.

He wore black, for it's color suited him. Black jeans, a tight black shirt which showed every well worked contour of his chest and abdomen. He had been hiding, but he had not been idle. His head was slightly lowered, and he looked at the girl through a thick veil of lashes concealing his ice blue eyes.

Danni. His mind identified her not by her given name, but by the name he called her some three thousand years ago. She was a slave to the Horsemen, along with countless other females. The anger that he had felt at Caspian welled up again for killing her so young. The cannibal could have at least waited until she grew bigger breasts.

He sighed deeply, the musty air of the warehouse filled his lungs to capacity before releasing it hard enough to blow wisps of her fiery red hair across her forehead. In his right hand he held his sword, it's tip resting delicately on the ground, it's leather wrapped hilt resting nicely in his hand the way it had since he acquired it seven hundred years ago off the body of a Russian immortal, whose name he couldn't quite recall.

"I knew it was you, I saw you quite some time ago standing outside my little window. That's why I came to meet you." He said circling her slowly, enjoying the fury in her eyes, and how her anger had forced her lips into a tight little line on her face. "I didn't want you to get killed before you can tell me what it is you want." He gestured indicating the few well placed traps along the path to his living quarters that would have made the pretty young immortal as flat as a pancake in less then ten seconds.

His blade hit a nick in the concrete and bounced, emitting a few blue sparks from the tip. He backed up a step and sat down upon an empty wooden crate, his legs opened slightly, his blade resting across his black clad thighs. The ancient immortal tilted his head slightly, looking at her sideways through his aquamarine eyes."So Danni. What is it you want?" He deliberately used her slave name to incense her, even after twenty five years of being the hunted the natural killer in him surfaced.

******

"Methos. I know where he is. But I need your help to free him."

She waited for his answer. Not sure what he'd say. The teenage immortal considered what more she could tell him. There was nothing more he'd need to know if he didn't ask for it.

If it wasn't enough he'd kill her. If it were ... She knew she could get one of her knives out of her sleeves, but with Kronos chances were to high he'd stop her and kill her if she tried. Then again, Temlan was worth it. Without him , life just wasn't worth living.

"You know where Methos is?" He said, not even disguising the surprise in his voice. He still thought of her as a slave, albeit she was immortal, she was still a slave, and she was not supposed to know things he didn't.

The scarred immortal stroked the cold steel of his blade as it rested across his parted thighs, the moonlight catching it making it sparkle as if it had a life of it's own. He was a little more then furious. He had been searching for Methos for the past ten years, following paper trails that lead to nothing, gossamer threads of his brother in arms which vanished as if they had never even been there to begin with.

"Where is he?" He snarled, his voice cold as the icy tundra, knowing that he would align forces with the woman in order to get what he wanted.

Lilin had to fight to keep a smile of her face. He was going for it.

"I'll tell you later," then as if in an afterthought she added. "Master."

She knew that she'd have to use every bit of her wits to stay ahead of Kronos. She couldn't openly manipulate him. He'd know it in a second. But being to honest to soon wouldn't be good either. He might underestimate her but that wouldn't last to long.

Kronos was a monster, he wasn't stupid.

"Let's just say I have my sources."

She thought of Lisa and Donovan. Two of her greatgrandchildren that were members of pro-immortal protest movements. Lilin herself had asked them to stay quit. To listen for news. Their effort had finally paid of.

But Kronos didn't need to know about them. Not yet.

"Maybe we should go inside?" she asked. "Someone might notice an adult man such as yourself talking to a sweet innocent girl like me. Who knows what they might think?"

"The only person who would mistake you for sweet and innocent is a blind deaf mute." He snarled, but nevertheless, she was right. This death trap of a warehouse had been his home for three years now, and he was not about ready to blow it for a slave.

"Follow me, step where I step otherwise you will be a pretty little stain on my floor." He said curtly not bothering to wait for a reply.

The warehouse was large, he paid a pretty penny for it, 90,000 square feet zoned for a construction business and Pestilence used it as a maze leading back to a small three room apartment.

He took rights and lefts through the twisting tunnels of strewn metal, wood, and large pieces of fiberglass from swimming pools seemingly at random, but anyone who knew the ancient immortal knew he was anything but random. He held up a calloused hand and hissed softly.

"Two wires in the shape of an 'X' right in front of me, do you see them?" Lilin squinted slightly her vision blurred and then focused again, and she did indeed see the two wires cleverly placed so if you saw the first one you would most likely step on the second one.

"I see them."

"I would step over them if I were you, one is attached to the pin of a grenade, and the other would send that toppling down on your pretty little head." He gestured upward to a sickeningly large piece of rusted metal. He stepped precariously over the wires without so much as a thought, and waited for the deafening boom, or the grinding crunch of the slave's bones as she was blown to bits, or squished. Neither came and he smiled.

******

He gently kicked open a small oak door that lead into his living room. Two ripped leather couches sat at an angle to each other, he gestured to the left couch as he himself took the right. He wanted to stare into her eyes, he could see a lie with one glance, and if she joked about his Brother, she would be minus one head very quickly."Well? Were is he?"

Lilin looked at Kronos.

Damn, she hadn't planned to tell him that yet. But he was paranoid, cautious. To cautious. She thought about the deadtraps they'd just passed coming in. And even though she'd memorized the route up to an inch, she wasn't sure things would stay the same on the way out.

Especially if she'd be forced to run.

"I'll give you the location later." she smiled at him. "Master." Then before Kronos could respond her hand went to her coat. Kronos almost instantly pulled his sword. Lilin didn't let it stop her. She took the envelope out and handed it over to Kronos. The immortal stood ready to kill her.

"A bit tense. Aren't you. Master."

The way she kept hissing the word 'master' was the only insult she allowed herself.

She looked at him while he went through them. She'd seen them all before. All of them showed Methos. Some as he was sleeping or eating, Most showed him in pain. The mortals probably called it scientific research. Lilin plainly called it torture.

"I've got video's as well." She turned down her eyes. "If you want to see them ..."

Part Five

Kronos shuffled the pictures, glad for the little dates printed in an orangey-red in the lower right hand corner, or he would not have believed that the slave was telling the truth. There he was, Methos, two dimensional flesh and blood. One picture he was sleeping, his face looked peaceful, his brow unlined, though his skin was a bit paler then the soft gold Kronos had grown used to seeing in the millennium they rode together.

The following picture was horrific, it was Methos enduring a torture that the Horsemen practically invented. A disembowelment by a scythe like tool, and when the intestines were pulled out of the body, and lying on the victims chest, a hot branding iron was placed to them.
The soft flesh charred and blackened, trying vainly to pull itself away from the body.

Most victims rarely stayed conscious for more then two or three minutes of this torture, but Methos was lying there, bowels exposed and almost charcoal his face contorted into a scream.
Kronos felt his heart lurch, when he saw this, and vowed to kill each and ever one of the bastards who did this to his friend, and brother in arms. The next picture, was Methos again, back to sleep, though nowhere near as peaceful as before. The fine lines in the corners of his eyes seemed to have gotten a little deeper, his forehead was furrowed, and he could tell just by the still photograph that captured a fraction of a second in life and immortalized it forever that Methos was having a nightmare. A nightmare like the ones they caused entire cities to have as they rode through on their horses, their blades cutting down those in their paths.

He dropped the pictures on the coffee table, watching them fan out, making a small art gallery on his chipped furniture. He raised, his blue eyes and looked at the girl, he pushed down his fury at the center for immortal torture and at her for waltzing into his life dangling the one piece of bait he would take.

"Videos won't be necessary little one." He cooed. Two can play at his game. "Though I would like to know, what's in it for you. You hate Methos, almost as much as you hate me."

What could she say to that? Especially since it had been the truth for a long time. If not for Temlan, she would have killed Methos centuries, no millennia ago. But Temlan liked him and for her love's sake, she'd let the Horsemen be. Allowing to a simple deal.

Darius for Methos.

Temlan wouldn't kill or harm the priest, she wouldn't bother the Horseman. She never understood her husbands dislike of Darius. Sure he'd killed the holy man Sadriss and Temlan had loved that man. But both him and Methos had done things at least double as bad. Was it
the sudden change that made him distrust Darius. The fact that he turned around almost in a second. One moment being evil, the next being nearly as holy as the man he'd killed.

She'd never know. Temlan didn't talk about it.

"Have you ever heard of Loki? "

She didn't wait for him to respond. "The Slayer of Gods."

She was sure Kronos knew him. Methos had definitely told her and Temlan how angry the Horsemen had been all the times Loki had beaten them to a target. All the times they'd been just to late.

How some villages almost seemed happy to see the Horsemen come, because at least they weren't as bad as Loki. Because the Horsemen usually just killed everyone. While Loki ate their souls.

"I married him a thousand years ago. The mortals have him in a specially fortified base. I can't find it." She looked her former master in the eyes. "I want my husband back and I need Methos to get him. For that alone I'd go to hell and back to get the bastard out."

Kronos tilted his head back and laughed heartily. It was a laugh that came from the depths of his belly and shook his entire being with its force. He had lit a candle on the side table to afford him enough light to see the horrific pictures Lilin had shown him, but not enough to cause notice from the outside. It's single flame danced shadows across his face, making him look a bit mad in his laughter.

"It looks like you are well on your way to hell if you came here." He said when his laughter died down. His slave had married Loki, one of the few people who he hated in this lifetime. It was a viscous circle they were in. Lilin needed two men she loathed to get her husband free, and Kronos needed two immortals he despised to get his arms mate free.

He cast his scarred eye down towards the pictures, making their macabre display of Death defying death. "I'm in. Where is he? When do we go?"

Lilin looked up at the man. Truly facing his eyes for the first time since she'd come before him.
"I want an oath first. An oath on your blood, on your brotherhood with Methos, with the horsemen, that you will help me free Loki. You can fight him afterwards, but you will help me free my husband and let him recover. If not, you might as well kill me now. And you won't
find Methos. Ever."

She didn't mention that if she didn't call her greatgranddaughter in exactly 6 minutes from now, the girl would call the IRS. Telling them exactly where to find Kronos.

Nor did she mention that Temlan could beat him anytime. He was known as the Slayer of Gods for a reason. Even the Horseman in front of her wasn't able to kill another immortal with his bare hands. Even Kronos needed a sword to decapitate someone. Temlan didn't. Even looking as a teenager he'd survived for well over 5000 years both by his cunning and his skill.

All he'd need were his hands and maybe a slight bit of telekinesis.

Yes, Kronos was immune to the Voice, but he wouldn't be immune to death.

*****

Lilin looked at the man. "I want an oath first. An oath on your blood, on your brotherhood with Methos, that you will help me free Loki. You can fight him afterwards, but you will help me free my husband and let him recover. If not, you might as well kill me now. And you won't find Methos. Ever."

The man who had once rode across two continents and killed ten thousand people with one fell swoop of his blade momentarily contemplated killing the girl. He had only had two slaves in his lifetime whom he despised, this one and Cassandra.He had come close to finding Methos several times in the last three years had had been searching, he wanted to shout, but then he recalled the paper trails he had followed and how they had vanished into nothingness. Almost as if he had been following his own imagination rather than a man.

He rubbed his lips with a thumb, calloused and strong from four millennium of holding a sword. He sighed and rolled his eyes upward as if physically searching for the will not to draw his blade and part this annoyance with her lifeline.

"An oath you want, and oath you shall have." He said standing quickly, raising his lanky frame to it's not quite six foot height.

He extended his hand, loathing her touch, but the will to find Methos overrode. "I will not fight you nor Loki." He practically spit the last word as if it had been covered in poison. "Until everyone has had a chance to recover, but God help me girl, if you are lying to me you will be dead where you stand."

******

Lilin didn't smile, but it took her fiercest effort not to do so.

"Good." She nodded and shaked his hand. Kronos still believed in oaths. Unlike Methos, unlike Temlan, unlike herself. She knew he wanted to kill her. She wasn't obedient, she wasn't terrified and she knew things he didn't. But he would help her, for now at least and that was all she wanted.

"I have a plane leaving for Denver in two hours. That's where he is. The hospital's location is secret. But my sources told me were to find it."

She sat down on the table. Careful but as gracefully as he'd taught her to be. In the Horsemens camp lessons had been taught in pain and blood. She'd learned them quickly. To be as silent as a cat, as quick as an antelope and as obedient as a dog.

She pulled out her phone, with a slow and obvious movement. There was no need to antagonize him any more than was necessary. "I'll have to call my people so they can make reservations. Do you mind?"

Nodding at him to take a step back.

Denver, the Hilton
Lisa Moore
Saturday
~~~~~~~~~~
Lisa sat down anxiously, waiting right next to the phone. Anytime now Lilin was supposed to call. She was biting her nails. Looking at the clock every few minutes. If she didn't receive the call, she would have to do something she'd never thought possible.

To turn an immortal in to the hunters.

But she had promised.

If Lilin didn't call. Kronos had to be stopped.

She jumped up almost two feet when the phone finally rang. Taking a deep breath she calmed herself enough to pick it up. After exactly five rings as they'd agreed.

"Lisa. It's grandma."

"You'd better not say that on the phone grannie dearest. "

Lisa didn't mention how odd it would sound to have a teenager say something like that. Her greatgrandmother just laughed.

"Look sweetheart, the devil's in."

"He is?" Lisa couldn't believe it. She hadn't imagined her greatgrandmother would succeed. Honestly she'd thought the woman was doomed the moment she'd offered her plan. To actually make a deal with Kronos. The leader of the Four Horsemen. And all that to get Methos out. Lilins next words pulled her mind out of its wanderings.

"Are there any changes in the plans?"

"Not as far as I know. Should I check?"

Lilin seemed to doubt for a second. Could they afford to waste the time. Could they afford not to. "Yes. Who's looking over that area?"

"Margo Kane." The girl thought back to the Watcher. What would the woman say if she found out who she was connected to? Both she and Donovan had made sure to keep their connection to Lilin and Thomas Moore as quiet as possible. Both for the government and their own friends.

"And?"

"She's trustworthy." Unlike your current travel companion she didn't bother to mention.

"Look, call me back in ten minutes. Take care of reservations in the Denver area. Make sure it's somewhere inconspicuous. Kronos tends to stand out in a crowd."

'That's putting it mildly. The man had been a psychopath for the past 4.000 years. Oh well, grannie knew best.'

She held the phone in her hands for a few seconds longer. Even when the connection had already broken of. Slowly she broke her side of the connection as well.

"Now where did I leave that number."

She started looking through her stuff, it took a while before she finally found her notebook.

She'd made the arrangements already. Both immortals would stay here at the Hilton. With Lisa standing in for them as a proxy. It was the easiest way to get around the hotels safeguards. It wasn't that unlikely these days to be put through the needletest.Someone would prick a needle in your finger to check if the wound healed instantly. It was the easiest way to check someone for immortality. Since Lisa has stood in for them, nobody would bother to check the new guests. Nobody would dare look for immortals in a place like this. Not with all the safeguards.

She waited a few seconds for the connection to Margo to be made.

"Margo. Lisa here."

*****

Margo picked up the phone. Holding the horn in one one hand while she brushed through her hair. "Lisa, hello dear. Two immortals on their way here. To free a guy called Adam Pierson! Talking about from out of the frying pan and into the fire."She listened a few seconds to the voice on the other side. "I know he's here but other than that not much."

She nodded muttering agreement. "I have a friend on the inside, I'll ask him."She put down her brush and straightened up her shirt. "Look it might be a good idea to put your friends in a safe house for a while. We just got some heavy stuff coming down here. I might need you to take a package out of town for me soon. I'll meet you at the same place. The coffee shop in the mall. All right take care dear bye."

Margo hung up the phone. This was the break she was waiting for. If these two immortals wanted Pierson out, they had better be ready to bring Dallas out too.

Grabbing her coat Margo headed out to the cinema. If this girl was what Jon said she was and Dallas sent her. then Margo would help her.

After all, she'd helped several immortals hide in the past few years, she knew what to do and how to do it.

Part Six

*** Paris ***

"Oh call away, I'll go pack." He said rolling his eyes which in the dark light of the apartment sparkled with royal blue promise. He was going to be reunited with Methos once again, and he didn't give an all mighty crap who was helping him. He nudged the door to his bedroom open with his toe, he didn't need to turn on the light for he knew this place better then he knew the back of his hand. He reached under the double bed and retrieved a black duffel bag, that would do just nicely.

He quickly shoved a few pairs of black jeans, and black t-shirts, black socks, and black boxers into the black duffel bag. Kronos was in a black mood, so it seemed only fitting that his clothing should match his heart. He wore a pair of steel toed Doc. Martens which had lasted him five years, he was hoping he could get another five out of them because they were worn in all the right places, and were the most comfortable pair of shoes he owned.

Sweeping his hand over the top of his dresser, swiping in his toothbrush, comb, deodorant and other basic toiletries he jerked the bag once, and pulled the zipper closed. This time he kicked open the door with gusto, he was on his way to get Methos, and damn he was excited.

She quickly ended the call.

"You finished yet girl? We've got a plane to catch."

He seemed bouncing with excitement. Almost like a child. A very dangerous child.

She got up quickly. Her long wide skirt played along her legs. "After you master."

There was no way, she was going through that deadtrap without having Kronos to show her the right path.

"Do not use that tone of voice when you address me." His voice boomed, momentarily forgetting that this was two thousand AD, not two thousand BC. "So cut the crap Grannie." He laughed. The mental image that conjured up was priceless, most likely Lilin was speaking to a
woman who looked old enough to be her mother not young enough to be the apparent teenagers granddaughter.

He wove her in and out of the death trap of a warehouse, and she followed with practiced ease, her youthful face never once giving the appearance of concern or worry.

He constantly switched hands with the lightweight black bag not knowing how he would be able to stand being cooped up on an airplane next to the insufferable woman for eighteen hours when he was just days away from a reunion. He thought of the picture with Methos face contorted in agony, his wet insides spread out on the table in front of him and the anger welled up inside him.

He thought of the doctors in white lab coats, and wondered just how many of them would like to see their intestines burned to a crisp in front of their eyes. He figured not a one would like it. A sweat broke out on his brow as he thought of the steel and bone mask he wore when he rode side by side with Death, Famine, and War. Kronos contemplated how long it would take the doctors to beg for death, when Pestilence came riding into their tidy pristine little center.

The night air was cool, and it washed refreshingly over Kronos' face. He felt the beginnings of goosebumps arise on his arms, and neck, but knew it was not from chill, it was from excitement. He casually spit a snot flecked wad to the concrete and looked down his nose at the girl. He would never think of her as Lilin, her given name, nor Danni the name he had chosen for her. She would be 'The Girl', he had his reasons, even though his conscious was not quite sure of those reasons, his subconscious was. He did not want to give her a name because she had found the one thing he wanted before he had and dangled it in front of him the way a champion dangles a carrot in front of his horse.

"All right Girl. How are we getting to the airport? My car?" He said flicking his head towards a sleek black SUV registered to a mortal in good standing with the officials in Paris, James Kent. "Or yours?" He then swung his arm in a wide gesture indicating the wide open space before them. "Are you even old enough to drive?"

Lilin closed her eyes. This man was intolerable.

"Not right now." she said. She released a breath that was building. "I guess I should be grateful you didn't kill me when I was nine." 'Not that I hadn't wished you killed me then. Permanently that is.' She took place in the back. Allowing herself to stretch her legs a bit. The ride to the airport would take some time and she really didn't want to see the Horsemans face all that much.

It didn't take more than a few moments before Lisa called back. Lilin smiled. "Something interesting just happened." She turned to the Horseman.

"A young woman who worked in the center, just found herself immortal. The underground is bringing her to the safe place I've got in Denver. She'll be able to help us get in that place.Do you want to take her head after she's served her use, or should I?"

Once she got there she look a long confusing path to the movie theater. Stella had no idea what she was doing, but she had seen it in a lot of movies.

At 7:00 she pulled into the West End Theater and backed her baby blue Mustang in a far parking space near the exit. Just incase she had to leave quickly. She bought her ticket like Jon had said and grabbed a large coke at the snack bar. The movie theater was not as crowded as
one might expect for his time of day.

She choose a seat in front thankful for the darkness and waited, chewing on her straw, till it was time to go. It was sorta a shame she had to leave, the movie was actually pretty good. But just like Jon had told her she made her way to the bathroom. Taking a deep breath she opened the door and stepped inside.

*****

Margo saw the girl go inside the rest room. Poor kid, she looked so scared. Following Stella and checking the rest room for others Margo took the next stall. " Stella? Don't talk, listen. When I tell you so, go back in to the movie. Stay there 'till the end credits are rolling, then head to the exit in the back. There will be a car waiting. The driver will ask you if you need a lift to LA. Get in do what you are told. If all goes to plan you'll have a new life soon. Now go"
Margo left without another word and went out to the car. She waited. With luck this one would never fall prey to the hunters.

Laura remained distracted throughout the rest of the questioning. Finally she had to break it of. She had the immortal prepared for physical examination and a neuro while she checked up on Stella Reyme, only to find out the girl had already left. She'd have to see about her tomorrow

When Jon brought José in she put the kid to work, sealing up envelopes. She gave him direct instructions not to leave the room and to stay away from her controls. She hoped he'd listen.
Yawning a bit, she almost cursed herself. It wasn't even noon yet. She sat down on her chair, opening her file cabinet. Determined to get as much work done as possible.

*****

José got bored after only a few moments. His mom was angry and the fight hadn't even been his fault. The guys just kept insulting his parents and mister Martins had even sided with them. It just wasn't fair.

When he saw his mother was engrossed in her work, to busy to pay him any mind, he went up to the door. It lead to the lab right behind his mothers office. Some orderlies were busy with a woman. José wondered if she was one of those immortals you kept hearing about.

The woman was strapped to a table and one of the orderlies was taking her temperature. She didn't seem to like it much. The boy could agree, he didn't like to be prodded like that either. At least he could leave at the doctors when he wanted to. The woman didn't even have that option.

He noticed one of the orderlies inject her with something before leaving her alone. He was just about ready to close the door when she looked in his direction and their eyes met.

*****

Mac hated this part with a fiery passion. As much as she wished she could, she couldn't control her reaction to the meds they pumped into her. She couldn't understand why they wanted to take away the one of the few things she still had left, her control over her body. She had always compared this to the Holocaust, but in truth this was much worst. At least, the Jews and other Holocaust victims had death to end their suffering, the Immortals suffered even after a hundred
deaths.

Suddenly, she spotted a little boy at the door leading into the doctor's office. ' He must be the son mentioned before, José,' she thought as their eyes locked. For a moment, she considered letting him stand there and watch as she lost control of everything and start screaming because of the pain. But for everything she was, she didn't frighten little kids like that. They had enough shit to deal with just from growing up, they didn't need extra things that would scar them even worse. She didn't want to get him in trouble for being in an area that was off limits, so she smiled at him and mouthed the words, You better get out of here before you get caught.

Suddenly before the boy had a chance to leave the doorway, the meds took affect and pain coursed thorough her body. She closed her eyes and bit her lip to bite back the screams. And the last thought she had for a while was,' I hope the kid doesn't see this.'

****

José was about to leave when the womans face was contorted in pain.

'What's happening to her?' he thought. He raced up to the table and looked at her. 'Oh my god. Oh my god. What can I do?'

For a few moments he considered running to his mom, telling her what was happening. 'No, she probably ordered this. But why?' He took the womans hand. Not sure why, but hoping his presence could help her somehow.

****
The pain flowed through her body, it felt like mini-bombs were going off in her veins. Suddenly she felt someone take her hand, she slowly opened her eyes and saw the boy. What was his name? 'José, she thought, his name is Jose and he is the doctor's son.' She could tell he was scared and worried but was brave enough to want to help even though he had been taught that Immortals were dangerous. She musterd up the strength to give him a small smile to thank him for trying to help. 'Maybe,' she thought,' one day his generation will stop this Immortal Holocaust that had been begun by one angrymortal with information she shouldn't have had.

Then the pain took a hold of her again and she could not hold back the screams, even though she knew it would scare the boy. She screamed and screamed till she felt her heart burst and then everything went dark.

****

José looked at the woman in shock. He couldn't even being to imagine the pain she had to be in. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Didn't I specifically tell you to stay in my office."

The boy looked at his mothers stern face. Her words held a kindness to him. But all he could hear were the immortals screams. He didn't answer and ran away.

"José."

The boy didn't stop.

He kept on running. Laura thought to put on red alert, but decided not to. It wasn't as if he was supposed to be here in the first place.

She called the orderlies to stay on the lookout for José and bring him back as soon as they found him before she returned to look at the woman. The orderlies had injected her with a new form of nerve gas.

It seemed to be working. The doctor shrugged of her discomfort. Taking up a clean syringe, she injected the immortal with the serum. Soon they would know if the antidote worked. Laura hoped it would. She'd been working on it for the past few years.

It was obvious the moment the serums effect started. For a short while the bruises on the womans body fainted, her heartbeat slowed down and her breathing grew calmer.

Then the heartmonitor suddenly flatlined. "Now what went wrong this time?"

She left the immortal on the table. Ordering one of the orderlies to clean her up, finish the observation and then wheel her back to her room.

******

José was soon lost in the halls of the center. He didn't stop until he hit a black wall. For a moment he sat down, crying. How could his mother do these kind of things? She was supposed to be one of the good guys. Not the kind of monster that would torture other people.

Even if they were immortal.

He didn't notice someone was approaching him until a young man, no more than a boy kneeled down next to him.

"Are you lost?"The boy said in a voice that sounded hard of lack of use. José looked up at him and recognized the outfit. An immortal. He shivered a bit and looked in the immortals wide but friendly eyes.

"I don't know. I don't want to go back to my mom."

"Why not?"

"She's bad. She hurt that woman." José nearly whispered the words. Yet the boy looked up at him a bit startled. He seemed to try and stay right out of reach. As if he was scared of him.

"What's your name?" The immortal finally asked.

"José Mendez." The shock in his eyes at hearing the name was unmistakable.

"I'm Richie."He finally said while offering the boy his hand.

"I wish I could deny it, about your mom."

"But you can't."

"She ..." Hurt spoke in his words.

José looked at the immortal.

"I never thought what she did could be like this. At home, she and dad, they never talk about their work. It's supposed to be classified or something like that. I always thought she was a doctor. That she was helping people. But what she did to that woman. I can't understand why she'd ever want to harm someone, anyone in such a way."

Part Seven

*** Denver ***

They had been driving for about five minutes. As Stella watched the scenery go by she noticed they were going nowhere near the airport.

Which is where she thought they were going.

"We're not going to the airport?" She asked the driver.

"Not yet. We need your help with some things before you go. Don't worry. You'll be okay." The driver waited for Stella to protest, but the girl just sat back and stared out the window, pulling her coat around her tighter. She wasn't really cold, just insecure. She slipped off her Nikes and tucked her feet underneath her, resting her head on the window. It was then that she realized how little she had slept over the past couple of days. Her eyelids felt so heavy. Maybe
she should just close them for a minute. The next time the driver looked back at her she was fast asleep.

Stella was jolted awake but a sudden stop. The driver yelled various curse words out of the window and then apologized to Stella.

"People should learn how to drive. We're almost there. You might want to put your shoes on."

Stella nodded and then stretched out her tired body. As soon as she finished tying her right shoe and looked up, the driver pulled into the Hilton parking lot and parked. Telling her to wait in the car until he gets back. She nodded and followed him into the hotel.

******

Lisa was watching the door as the young immortal arrived. A newbie who used to work at the center. She'd had trouble believing her ears when she'd been told about the girl. The irony of fate she guessed. She was tapping her fingers on the table. There it was the signal. She got up and opened the door as quickly yet inconspicuously as possible. She barely stopped herself from dragging her two visitors out of sight.

The girl seemed somewhat nervous. Unsure of what to do.Lisa hugged her cousin Donovan who'd brought the girl in. "Hi Donnie."

"Lise." The man sighed. "She'll be safe right?"

Lisa wasn't sure what to say. "You know grannie."

"That's why I'm asking."

"She wants Pierson. If Reyme is able to help her do that, then I'm sure she won't bother her."

"Are you sure?"

"How can I be sure? The woman is over 3.500 years old. And I'm not even talking about that bastard Kronos she's bringing with her."

"Lise."

"What?"

"The audience."

Lisa smiled. 'Yes sure. The audience. One very frightened newbie immortal, fresh in her immortality and yet responsible for many crimes against her own kind.'

"Look Don, I'll handle things here. You be a good boy and stay on the look out. Remember what grannie said. If Kronos tries anything ...

The man nodded and left. Leaving Stella with his niece. Not quite sure what to think of that.

******

Stella shifted uneasily on her feet as she watched the two whisper.

It was obviously about her. The man left, giving her an encouraging smile as she slid past her out of the door and Stella found herself alone with a women that didn't look much older then herself.

"My name is Lisa and yours is Stella, right?" Stella nodded. "Do you want something to drink, a place to change maybe?" Lisa continued.

"A place to change would be nice." Stella answered back. Lisa showed her to an a joining room and told her she was welcome to use the shower.

"Company will be coming later, but don't worry. You're safe now."

Lisa left with a smile.

Stella didn't like this girl. Her face was friendly, but her eyes said something else. Maybe now wasn't the best time to let her guard down.

A long hot shower was just what she needed. All the exhaustion of the day was washed away. She wrapped a towel around her slim body and poked her head out to make sure she was alone. Laying her clothes out on the bed, she slipped into a pair of black jeans that fit snuggly
in all the right places. She choose a white tank top to make the outfit complete and pulled her long hair back in a ponytail. The rest of her clothes went back into the pack. Just in case she wasn't staying long. She couldn't bare to leave any more clothes behind.

Walking over to the other side of the bed she found the remote and switched on the TV Before she knew it she was curled up in the middle of the bed. fast asleep.

******

Lisa peeped through the door opening. Looking at the young immortal. She closed the door and headed up to the livingroom. There were a few newspapers lying on the table. Images of demonstrators being beaten down on Washington Square were displayed vividly.

If it weren't for Lilin she would have been there. Joining the march. It had been a peaceful manifestation showing support for immortals right to be free. The texts in the papers were mostly written in a style as negative as possible. They should be glad the press decided to pay it any attention at all. Most demonstrations were either ignored or labelled as riots.

She took out some of the pictures Margo had gotten her. Some of the immortals in the Denver IRC. The former Watcher had wanted her to ask the immortals aid in getting some other immortals out as well. Lisa doubted the ancients would want to risk it. Then again, it could be a good distraction. She opened her laptop and made contact with the web. Checking her e-mail for any hints on her greatgrandfathers location. Nothing showed up.

All they knew was that he was in one of the specially fortified centers. The one holding the most dangerous immortals. The ones with special abilities. She opened Temlans file and stared at the image on the screen.

At first sight he appeared to be a regular teenager. Barely 16. He was dressed in blue jeans and a Metallica shirt. An eternal boy.

Temlan, Gilgamesh, Loki, Thomas Moore, ... His list of names was endless. Lisa had no illusions about her greatgrandparents morals.

Even if they did care about mortals.

They'd both had shades in their past. She'd been shocked to find out that the man her grannie loved so much had once been a headhunter. A man who'd literally killed thousands and thousands of children.

Babies even.

A man who had loved to inflict pain upon others.

It was even harder to believe when you looked at the last file the Watchers had on him as Thomas Moore. Because of them the IRS hadn't looked further than 600 years in locating him. If they had their efforts would have been a lot more severe.

They thought he was a British immortal trained and taught by Hugh Fitzcairne. That maybe he'd had some lessons from people like Cassandra. How could they know Temlan had been a shaman since before the invention of iron. That he'd been fighting entire armies since the days he ruled Uruk.

That the young boy they had in their hands was probably the most dangerous man in the world. No, they didn't know that. What they did know was bad enough in itself. And because of that they couldn't get to him.

She was just about ready to close the file, when she heard a sound behind her.

*******

"Sorry, I didn't mean to sneak up on you." Stella said as she watched the girl jump slightly. "I was just looking for something to drink."

"I can call up room service. What do you want?" Lisa offered.

"A beer would be nice." Stella said as she sat on the couch. She watched Lisa as she made the call. She then looked at her watch. She had only been asleep for about an hour. Rubbing her eyes she picked up one of the papers that laid on the table. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Lisa watching her. Stella studied the front page.

It came to her, why Lisa's eyes said what they did. In her mind, Stella was still one of them. She would always be one of them in the eyes of the immortals that knew her past. Hated by immortals for what she was and despised by mortals for what she is. Stella had to laugh at the sheer irony.

A knock at the door brought her back to the real world. Lisa cautiously opened it and brought in the beers. Taking one for herslf and Stella and putting the rest in the little fridge.

"So," Stella said to break the awkward silence. "When are the others going to get here?"

"They were on the other side of the country when gran ... uhm Lilin called me about two hours ago." Lisa sipped from her glass." They should be here in a few hours, a day at the most."

Part eight

*** Paris ***

Kronos started the car with a flick of his wrist and a turn of the silver key. The engine purred loudly like some jungle cat hungry for the kill. Throwing it in reverse, tires squealing, soft plumes of acrid smoke rising from the black marks he left on the concrete.

Paris traffic sucked for lack of a better word, and it didn't matter that it was after midnight, the streets would still be crowded, and he had places to go, and people to kill.

He wove in and out of the crowded lines of cars without aid of rear view mirrors or turn signals. He figured he had lived four thousand years and some change, and he held no worries of getting into a car accident. The shrill ringing of a cell phone was cut silent by the Girl's voice. She held a short conversation with the person on the other end before hanging up.

"A young woman who worked in the center, just found herself immortal. The underground is bringing her to the safe place I've got in Denver. She'll be able to help us get in that place. Do you want to take her head after she's served her use, or should I?"

A grin that could be called nothing short of feral spread like the dawn across Pestilence's face. He liked new immortals, they were quite fun. They could be molded in almost any form he desired them to take, rather like a piece of clay ripe for an artists careful hands. He had one student who turned out to be better then any of his others.

Caspian. He had found the immortal fresh out of Sudan, and soon had him roasting the nearest villager over an open fire. A female fledgling could be quite fun for him to play with for a while.

He raised his head, and cast a glacial eye in the rear view mirror falling directly on the soft features of the Girl. "Let's see what she looks like first, if she has a decent rack I might want to play with her for a while." He smiled, though the sentiment did not reach his eyes, it seemed a watertight dam had been erected on his face allowing only hatred and anger through. He was not about ready to let the Girl have anything she wanted besides her stinking husband. If she wanted to take this new immortal's head, Kronos might just have found himself a new baby student to take under his black wing.

----------

Lilin nodded to herself. Yep Kronos was still the same.

Ah well, if it gave him something to do. She took a set of headphones out of her bag. No need to ask the man for some music. She took out a notepad.

It didn't take them long to get to the airport. Damn. She noticed the way some of the men were looking around. Had the Hunters been prepared for them?

She didn't think so. Only few people knew where Kronos was. Herself, Lisa, David and Donovan that she knew of.

And neither of those would have told anyone.

"Oh great. Bloodtests." Almost unconsciously a piece of her hair ended up between her lips while her finger played with another pair of locks.

She quickly pulled a package out of her bag.Without any embarrassment she started placing it under her shirt. Pulling a sweater over it to be sure. When she got out of the car, it was a young pregnant girl that people saw.

"Are you coming?"she didn't bother to tell him about the device under her shirt that would fool the x-ray devices into seeing a child in her belly.

The child that as an immortal she would never be able to carry.

No hunter would ever bother a pregnant woman for blood tests. It was after all common knowledge that immortals were sterile.

*** Denver ***

Margo knocked on the door of the hotel room. She had the things the young immortal would need. Hair dye, different colored contacts. And new ID's.

All she needed to do was change the girls looks take a picture and glue it to the IDs. A fast and dirty job, but it would serve till they could get better done. "Hello it's me Margo ."

"You want me to what?" Stella said as Margo dumped the contents of the shopping bag on the bed.

"Dye and cut your hair." Margo responded. She laughed at the girl's shocked look. "You do get to choose the color." She said hoping to erase that look. Stella looked at each one. Comparing her color to the guide on the box. She also read the warning signs, praying it wouldn't make her hair fall out. Finally after much lip biting debate she chose Platinum Blond #58. She had always imagined herself as blond. Stella savored her strawberry hair in the full length mirror one more time and then went to find Margo,who was busy in the bathroom setting up a mini-salon.

"Have you ever cut hair before?" Stella asked Margo as she brought her choice into the bathroom.

"Yeah, plenty of times." Margo said as she pulled a chair into the bathroom. Stella watched her nervously as she positioned the chair in front of the mirror and patted the cushion.

"Ok. But please, please don't cut it too short." Stella said as she braced herself.

Lisa sat on a bench watching the scene.

New hair, new look. Well at least it would keep people of their tail. She sipped her beer. Not sure what to do so she wouldn't get in the way.

"I'll get us some diner." she said to nobody in particular before leaving the room. Sure she could get roomservice, but she really didn't feel like moping around in a hotelroom, even in one of this size.

The bar downstairs was pretty big. She took a place out of sight, somewhere in the corner, almost getting a heartattack when she saw two men in hunter-outfits heading her way.

'Control' she insisted to herself. 'They can't possibly know we're hiding an immortal.'

When they came closer she could smell their breaths. The three men had probably been wasting themselves out at the bar.

A true relief.

A female hunter joined them, she was a bit more sober as it seemed. But she was just joking with the guys and winked at Lisa when she noticed the young woman looking at her.

"You hear." One of the Hunters drawled out. "Those idiots in Paris couldn't even handle a simple case of bag and tag. They've got two immies running the street and they don't even know where to start looking." Lisa couldn't help but listen. She prayed the immortals they were talking about weren't Lilin and Kronos. "Old man Fisher had to go help them out. The immies were to much for them." The man continued.

'Great. Fisher in Paris. Just what we need.'

"I wouldn't laugh to much if I were you. I remember you having more than your share of trouble when we were after that immie over in Cleveland. It took us a week to get him, remember." The female hunter sipped her cola while the other two drank some more beer. "Oh yeah. What was that rabbits name. Robinson or something like that. Man that guy could run. I heard he used to play baseball in the major league. Back in the old days."

Lisa couldn't handle it anymore. She tried to place her attention on the TV, but they were giving some kind of documentary on the centers. Dr Mendez was nominated for the Noble Prize for medicine. Lisa couldn't believe her ears. 'The woman tortures people for a living and she might even get rewarded for it?'

Lisa was almost frozen to her seat. Hoping the Hunters wouldn't pay her any attention. Suddenly she looked up in shock. Donovan. What the hell did he think he was doing here. If the hunters recognized him, his membership of the IFF alone could get him executed on the spot.

She started hinting at him to leave, looking at the door, but he didn't seem to notice. Lisa nearly felt her heart stand still when the female hunter went up to the bar and headed in Donovans way. "shit." she muttered.

Instead of leaving, Donovan started flirting with the woman. Lisa couldn't hear what he was saying, but the woman laughed in response and followed him up to her.

She tried to be smaller, praying to the powers that be that her cousin would be smart enough to stay away from her. But no such luck.

"Charlie." he started with a grin. "this is my cousin Lise. She's the smart one of the family."

Lisa's eyes glared daggers at him, Donovan responded with an innocent look that seemed to say: 'What did I do wrong?'

"Lise, this is Charlie Rivers. She's one of the brave people protecting us from those immortal menaces.

'What the hell was that idiot planning?'

"She'll be in town for the next few days. Her and her friends. They're on a holiday."

His voice was sweet as honey, but lethal as poison at the same time.

The woman didn't notice it. She wasn't quite drunk, but she'd had enough beer to be lacking in the sharpness department. "Why how nice."

The woman missed the sting, but Donnie didn't. "Don't you think grandma would love to meet her." Donnie said with complete innocence.

"You know Cous" Lisa began. "We might want to warn her beforehand. Her travelcompanion might want to know. I think he'd love to meet a Hunter."

Donovan was standing behind the Hunter now and the grin on his face was ferocious to say the least.
----------
Margo gave the girl a smile " Don't worry dear, it will grow out again. You have all the time in the world for it to. I'd like to keep you at a safe house for a few days but, we have to get you some place out of town and soon. I remember one girl we helped hide she was so small, we dressed her as a boy.

We had Hunters running around looking for a girl and she just walked right past them and on to freedom. Sometimes I wish we could allow those Hunters a taste of their own medicine and hunt them like they do us."

The old womans voice held bitterness when she spoke of the Hunters.

"Just don't make me look like a boy." Stella said as a ringing started coming from her pack on the bed. "Should I answer it." Margo nodded but warned her not to tell anyone where she was.

It took her a minute to get to it because it was on the bottom of the bag.

"Hello." She said, but her smile dropped when her uncle's voice came back to her. She glanced over at Margo who looked genuinely concerned.

Stella held a short conversation with the man, assuring him that she was fine and she just needed a break. Stella knew that it wasn't enough just to say she was fine, but she was relieved to hear he was in Paris. She finished her conversation and turned her phone completely off.

Taking a deep breath she turned back to Margo and sat back down in the chair.

"It was my Uncle Owen. He was worried about me." She said after a moment of awkward silence.

Margo bit her lip "Uncle, I guess we go to plan B Then. I have a friend who works at a morgue. I get in touch with him. See if he has a fresh one that we can pass off as you. With some creative work, we can have "Die" in a burning car crash. It will even throw the hunters off your scent. "

Taking Stella by the shoulders the older woman looked her straight in the eye. "Baby I know you love your uncle, but you must think of him. I know for a fact that the Hunters have tortured relatives of new Immortals, just to find out if they know anything. They beat and raped me repeatedly just because they thought I knew where more Immortals where hiding."

Stella could see the pain in the womans eyes as the memory played across her face.

"Dallas, the Immortal I was watching and one of my best friends gave himself up to save me. This is for the best. If you just disappeared your uncle would go mad with worry, and the hunters would never let him have a bit of peace. They would watch him and dog his every move.

In the end they would take him in just because they would think he knew where you where. As long as they think you are alive your uncle is in danger. Trust me this is the best way to protect him."

"You don't understand. My uncle IS a hunter." Stella watched the women take a step back.

"He's a really important hunter. Owen Fisher." As soon as Stella said that she wished she hadn't. She should really learn how to keep her mouth shut from now on.

"Please don't send me away just yet. I wanna help get those other immortals out. I owe it too them, especially the one that got me out...I think his name was Kinkade" the girl pleaded.

Margo didn't say anything.

"Please, I want to help." Stella said again.

Margo needed to think "Stella I won't send you away but you must promise me to tell no one else about your uncle. If he's a Hunter he may turn you in himself or tell you to turn yourself in, he'll say it's your duty. The others might not understand, they might think you're a plant, that someone should take your head. I know you want to help, but we need time to think."

Stella's eyes followed the black woman as she turned to the window, then back to Stella.

"If I were to bring you the floorplans of the compound could you show us where everything is there. Immortals room, offices, and such?"

After Stella nodded Margo hugged the girl . "Stella I must tell you, Dallas the Immortal I was watching. He was using the surname of Kinkade when they got him."

Stella smiled and hugged her back. "I might be a little fuzzy about where certain immortals are located as far as room numbers go. I know the general location. It really wasn't my job to keep up. The orderlies did stuff like that. But I can tell you everything else. Anything you wanna know. I even know things that even the Doctors don't know...thanks to my uncle."

And Margo was right about being careful with what she said. She was in a entirely different world now. She couldn't trust everyone to be as understanding as Margo. From now on she would have to break ties with the Stella that used to be. No more materialistic, spoiled, opportunistic little rich girl. From now on Stella was whoever she made herself to be.

"So," Stella said trying to lighten the mood. "Is it true that blonds have more fun?"

Margo laughed and fingered her own black locks. " Well I really have no idea. But not being blonde never stopped me."

Part nine

Laura sat huddled behind a stack of paperwork. In between the requests for more material, there was the afternotes of the days testing. The reports, some financial issues that always found their way to her desk. If there was one thing she hated it was paperwork.

Discovering new cures, working to develop serums for illnesses, helping people extend their life... all that was interesting. But the paperwork?

She didn't so much mind the reports. They were a part of the research.

But the rest of it she could well do without.She leaned her chair back a bit. Every dot and stripe on the thing seemed to be in order. She placed the paper in the done file.

Her eyes fell on the envelope in front of her. It was still hard to believe.

A nomination for the Nobel-prize. For her.

The mere idea was overwhelming to say the least. Her hard work for the past few years would finally be honored.

The idea brought a smile to her face as she pulled out the days surveillance tapes. She still had to write her report for that. The Cullen-incident would have to be fully written down.

She watched as Stella came into the cafeteria, her head a bit down. She sat down with one of the orderlies. Nothing special so far. Laura almost missed the moment Cullen got up. Stella's companion had just up and left her alone. By the time Cullen was behind her he had complete
surprise on his side.

He seemed to say something before he grabbed her in a deadlock. The guards surrounded him but he didn't seem worried by them.She almost missed it. Moving over to Kinkade to see where the other immortal had come from.She quickly rewinded. There it was. She looked at the
still.

Reyme's neck was in an angle no mortal could possibly survive.

*****

After a useless talk to Kinkade she checked through the tape for the third time. Hoping she'd missed something. But when she looked close it was unmistakable. Stella Reyme should have been lying in the morgue, not getting out virtually unharmed.

An immortal.

"Oh my god Owen, what will this do to you." the words came out in a whisper. Stella was his niece and the Hunter would be devastated. The mere idea that Stella was one of 'them'.

She knew she had to tell him. She could not not let him know.

As she grabbed for the phone she reconsidered for a second. What if she were wrong. This was to important to the man. She couldn't bother him before she had more proof.

She assigned two of her assistants and one of the technicians to analyze the original tape, telling them to keep silent about it.

She waited a few more seconds before pushing her paperwork out of the way.

It took less than a minute to call up Kinkade's file. Nothing in it showed any kind of explanation to what had happened. Then again, the immortal was known to be unpredictable. Calm and completely passive one moment, extremely violent the next. His mind almost completely withdrawn. Had some last vestige of him recognized the younger immortal and helped her without knowing why? Or was there more to it?

Maybe, she prayed, she was wrong, or maybe she hadn't even known what had happened. It was a known fact that first deaths could be confusing. But had it really been her first death?

Finally she picked up the phone. Nobody answered. Stella's roommate didn't seem to be home either.

The doctor send a call to the IRS to have the other girl brought in for more information. She calmed herself and tried Stella's cellphone. No connection. It felt wrong. Stella had never disconnected her phone. Even while she was working. The girl was never this unreachable.
She place down the phone. Owen. He had to know. She had no choice but to tell him.

It took a few rings before he picked up. "Dr Mendez here"

"Ah..hello Doctor. I have been meaning to get a hold of you."

The man sounded his usual professional self. How could she tell him this.

"Owen." She took a deep breath forcing herself to continue. "I'm sorry but I think I might have bad news"

"It's Stella isn't it..what did she do now?" the man sounded more annoyed than anything else.

She gasped and continued. "I'm not sure, there was an accident. When we reviewed the tapes, certain well facts came to light. I need to speak to her. Have you talked to her lately?" She didn't bother to stop. Afraid that if she did she wouldn't be able to continue.

"I just spoke to her a couple of hours ago."

'A couple of hours ago' she thought. Before she turned her phone of.

"How did she sound?"

"Nervous..she was definitely not telling me the whole truth about what was wrong."

He was right about that one.

"I think ... " she took another deep breath. "I'm sorry Owen, but we have reason to believe that she died in that accident."

"Died?"

"I reviewed the tape over four times today, hoping to be wrong, but slow motion images clearly showed Cullen snapping her neck Kinkade pulled her away before we could see anything more.

The voice on the other side went silent.

"Immortal? My Stella?" There was almost a sign of shock in Owens voice.

"She could be, that's why we need to find her. If you hear from her, anything, tell her to come in. If we're wrong ... Oh god I hope we're wrong, it would be in her best interest to come to the center as soon as possible. Tell her that will you."

"I will." Two words that held more meaning than anything else he could have said.

"Owen are you alright?"She was getting worried about the old Hunter.

After all he'd been through, now this.

"Ask me that again when we find her."

"I understand this has to be a shock."

"I need to see it to believe it ... do you understand?"

"Yes, I do, if José or Michael ... I don't think I could deal with it."she kept silent for a few moments. "The office said you were in France"

"Yes I'm tracking two runaways. I'll be flying in now though."

"Get here as fast as you can. I'll do my best to find her as soon as possible. Let's just hope we're wrong."

"It has to be wrong. I'll want to see that tape"

"I'll send it to you over the web. Wait a minute."

She picked up the tape and pressed send, waiting a few moments for him to be able to see what had happened.

"And?" The line stayed silent for a while. She can hear him order his driver to the airport on the background.

"Owen?"she says finally

"I still need more Mendez...I still need more than this tape."

"When we have her, we can do full testing, make sure that we're right."

Her voice drops a tad as she continues. "I'm truly sorry Owen. I 'can' understand how you must feel."

"What am I going do with her? If she is?"

"I don't know, you'll have to decide for yourself." what would she do if José or Michael were in Stella's situation. She really couldn't think of anything. "But Owen, you'll have to be careful. If she is, she'll no longer be the Stella you knew."

"I know...",his voice trailed of a bit.

Then she thought about her earlier doubts.

"I think Cullens action might not be her first death though, she was acting strangely since the day before."

"The day before?"

"There was an accident in the lab. She went home early afterwards.

When she went on rounds with me the morning afterwards, her behavior was of. I just blamed it on the procedure, brainchirgurie is never easy to look at, especially since we had to keep the subject aware.

But still, Stella never acted that squeamish before.

He seemed almost angry as he asked his next question. "Why wasn't she questioned then..after the accident?"

"We questioned her after the first accident, after the second one ...

well she was gone before I could talk to her. I was processing a new arrival at the time.

"Well what about that Kinkade you said he carried her out.

"He's one of the plants most of the time. It's hard to figure what his type'll do at any time. Still I hadn't expected him to respond to it.

There could be more to him, than he usually shows. Do you want to talk to him when you get here?"

"Yes.. him and the one that atacked her."

"I'll have him ready. Cullen is with Jacob right now."

"Any results yet. Did he say why he did it?"

"Not to us, but on the tapes he seemed to be saying something about letting the world know her secret or something like that, our lipreaders weren't certain.

"If Cullen does say something, make sure it stays between us."

"Of course, the publicity alone would be terrible." Owen Fishers niece an immortal. The media would have a field day.

Owen asked of and Laura put down the phone. She stood up, looking at the screens. Kinkade was back in his room. The man seemed somewhat lost.

"I need Kinkade in my office. "she said to the first orderly she could reach. "get him here."

Part Ten

Stella stood in front of the mirror looking at her new hair. She almost didn't recognize herself. The color turned out a little blonder then it was supposed to but it fit her. Her new cut tickled her shoulders when she turned her head. Margo stood behind her smiling at her handy work.

"I guess this isn't so bad." Stella said. Margo smiled and walked into the other room. Stella grabbed another beer out of the mini-fridge and sat on her bed. Margo wanted her to cut up all her credit cards and ID's, along with anything that would leave paper trails. She rummaged in her pack for her wallet and began pulling cards out.

"I never liked this picture anyway." Stella said as she looked at her license. It took a good ten minutes to break all her credit cards and bank cards in half, creating a little mountain on the bed.

Stella kept a picture of her and Kenya grinning like idiots at their high school graduation, but tore the rest up. Including the only she had of her Uncle and her together. She was tempted to keep it , but she remembered what Margo had said about him. She couldn't take the chance.

She took one last look remembering everything he had done for her and then added it to the growing pile of torn paper and broken cards.

Stella and her Uncle were very close. He was more of a father to her then her own father had ever been. Uncle Owen was the one that came to her dance recitals and picked her up from singing lessons. Her own father didn't even come to her graduation, but her uncle did. It
would be hard to never see him again, but he was better off thinking she was dead. She didn't know how he would react if he ever found out she was immortal.

She'd watched him hunt his best friend down like an animal, just because he was immortal. He'd regretted it of course. They'd served in two wars together and saved each others asses more times then they could count. But when it came down to it her uncle did what he thought
was right. She wondered to herself if he would do the same to her.

----------

Charlie stood with her co-workers slash friends in a Hilton Hotel bar.

They had just arrived that morning for a week long vacation and she was going to use every
minute of it. She was a little tipsy from the two beers and a jello shot she had before and she decided to slow things down with a cola.

She had been there about twenty minutes when an attractive men came in the door.

He made eye contact with her immediately. She returned his gaze with a flirty smile.

He walked to the bar and leaned against it, looking in her direction.

"Excuse me boys." She said to her companions. "If I play my cards right, I might be getting lucky." The two men erupted in whistles and cat calls as she made her way across the room.

"Hi I'm Charlie" She said sweetly. His grin widened as he introduced himself.

"Donovan." he said as he moved in a little closer.

She was really turning it on with this guy. Shamelessly flirting with all her might.

They talked about nothing for about ten minutes. Donovan said he was in town for a family reunion but he was bored and was looking for a little fun. He grabbed her hand and walked over to the table where a young women was seated. He introduced her as his cousin, Lise. This could be interesting she thought to herself. He started talking about meeting the rest of the family. It really wasn't she was looking for that night, but it was still early.

"I would love to meet your family, Lise." Charlie said to the women at the table as Donovan pulled at a chair for her. Whispering in her ear, asking her if she wanted a beer. She nodded her head, shivering as his warm breath surround her ear. This was going to be a very good night, she thought to herself as she watched the man walk away. Keeping her brown eyes glued to his butt.
----------

Lisa could barely contain her contempt for the Hunter. And right now for that damn idiot of a cousin of her. Didn't he realize what a dangerous game he was playing? The woman was a Hunter for crying out loud. How did that guy ever keep his position in the IFF? Outwardly she stayed sweet and nice. Her voice coated in sugar. If the woman had been even the slightest bit better at noticing details, she would probably spot the trap she was walking into from miles away.

Finally the three of them got up. The other Hunters started whistling after them. Especially at their gendermember who was leaving the room with two beautiful women.

The Hunter had to lean against the wall, to keep standing. Lisa helped keep her up.

Donovan smirked at her. Making his cousin even angrier. They dragged the woman up the elevator and to the room.

Gently they knocked the door.

Two firm knocks and five light ones. The signal that had been agreed upon with Margo.

Margo opened the door it took all her will not to slam it shut when she saw the Hunter. After letting them in Margo got Lisa to go in to the other room. "What the hell is going on? That's a scum sucking hunter for the love of God? Do you two want to get us all killed?"

"Hey I'm not the one to blame. That idiot of a cousin of mine is. All of a sudden he decides to seduce that bitch right in front of a crowd. And to make things worse, he actually brings her straight to me. What was I to do?"

Lisa sat down. Anger obvious in her eyes.

"I just hope for him he's got a good reason or I'll kill him myself after I get rid of that Hunter."

*******

Stella heard a knock at the door and watched as Margo got up to answer it. From her vantage point on the bed she couldn't see who it was, but she just assumed it was Lisa who returned with food. "Good I'm starving." She said to herself as she picked up the trash can next to the bed and began dumping the pile in. Laughter drifted in from the other room and then the sound of Lisa arguing with Margo. Cautionary she slid of the bed and made her way into the room. Her eyes almost popped out of her head when she saw where the laughter was coming from.

A hunter, half drunk off her ass, was shamelessly throwing herself at Donovan.

"This is who we were waiting for?" Stella asked the two women. Both of them were obviously pissed at the man, so Stella really didn't need the answer. This was definitely not part of their plan.

You could cut the tension in the room with a knife. Perhaps this was not the best place to be right now she thought to herself as she retreated back into the bedroom.

******

Margo sat down next to Lisa. "You may not have the chance. I may kill them both. Were there any other hunters with her? They almost always travel in packs, like jackals."

"At least three more that I could see. I think they're on vacation. But you can never be sure."

Margo seemed as angry as she was at this.

Still they should have expected it. The very reason why the Hilton was the one place where the Hunters wouldn't expect to find them, was the very reason the Hunters were here. It was a Mecca and restingplace for them.

********

Charlie couldn't believe how drunk she was. It seemed a little impossible to be this drunk considering she drank so little. It never dawned on her the Donovan had put something in her beer. "Why don't we move this party up stairs." Donovan had suggested as he helped the hunter stand. Charlie's body felt numb, so she'd leaned heavily on the other two as the made their way through the bar to the elevator.

The feeling of the elevator going up made her knees weak and her head spin. She would have fallen if Lisa hadn't been there to prop her back up. Donovan finally had to carry her the last couple of steps through the door.

"There you go, honey." Donovan said as she put down on her feet.

She followed him clumsily to the couch. There she fell laughing drunkenly as Donovan jumped out of the way of her grasping hands.

"No, no, no. Let me talk to my cousin first, I will be right back." He said with a wink.

*** Streets of Denver ***

Rowan drove all night. She was tired and needed rest. More she needed to get rid of the dead hunter in the trunk of her car. He was a fool for thinking he could take her alone, and he paid the price for his foolishness.

Pulling next to a sewer outlet Rowan pulled the body out of the trunk and dumped it down.

The rats, dogs, and people living down there would take care of the body in next to no time. She would use his credit cards to create a paper trail to make it look like he went rogue . By the time they found out he was dead she would be long gone and her trail too cold for them to follow.

Getting back in her car Rowan drove to the hotel where Margo was with the new immortal. She entered the booth of a pay phone. " Pick up Margo, pick up "
----------

Suddenly the door went open, showing a grinning Donovan.

"She's almost falling asleep . That sure didn't take her long."

Lisa stood up and confronted her cousin.

"What the hell were you thinking?" She looked him in the face.

"Have you completely forgotten what we're doing here.

That bitch is a Hunter. If you give her a chance, all of us will end up in prison or dead. Not to mention Stella. Were you trying to get her captured? And I'm not even starting about Grandma.
Do you know what the Hunters would do to her if they got their hands on her. Well? What have you got to say for yourself?

Donovan looked at her with the same grin he'd been wearing for hours. "It's simple. She could be useful. We need to know who the Hunters in town are, and how many of them are on active duty. She should know that. And when we kill her we'll have one less hunter to deal with afterwards."

Margo was not convinced. "Still if she should find out who we are, she must be gotten rid of. If that does happen Donovan you will be the one to do it. So don't get too attached. As soon as she's asleep take her to her own room.

Later find out what she may know, but only you Don, only you. If this thing blows up, you will be the one to pay the price. There are too many lives at stake here to play games."

"Don't worry. The Hunter's as good as dead."

Lisa looked at him, understanding. Donnies father had been killed by Hunters seven years ago. His grandmother had been tortured just for being related to an immortal. Before that Donnie hadn't at all been interested in immortals. He'd been your average football-player.

Concerned with nothing but his next goal and the possibility of a football scholarship. After their deaths everything changed. Grandma had shown up and had taken the entire family into hiding. Donovan had begged her to be allowed to help. To do something, anything to avenge his father and grandmother.

Lilin had agreed. More to keep him near her, to prevent him from going off on his own, than anything else. All the men were dead now. All but Owen Fisher.

Lisa shivered as she thought about the Hunters her cousin had killed. It seemed that when he saw a Hunter all reason abandoned him.

Margo agreed. When the phone rang Donnie took the opportunity to get up and leave the room, talking about getting ropes and some food.

Lisa picked up the phone.

"Lisa Moore speaking." She said in her best version of a British accent.

Rowan didn't recognize the voice but she knew the name. " Is my cousin Wyoh there? This is her cousin Hazel from Novylen and I wanted to tell her that Adam Selene says HI"

Lisa immediately recognized the code "Oh how are Mike and Manny. Did things in Tycho City cool down?"

This was good. "Is Margo there, it's Rowan. I'm in a coffee shop across the street. Are things clear for me to come up?"

"I'm not sure Rowan. Donovan caused some trouble with a Hunter. Are you sure you want to come up? We're expecting major company. "

Lisa wasn't sure what to tell the immortal. Rowan was pretty known.

She was as bad with Hunters as Donovan was and one loose canon was more than enough. She hoped the code for older immortal visitors would scare her of. If it didn't, at least she was warned.

Rowan wondered who could be coming that was older than herself. "Lisa all I need is a few hours sleep, I've been on the road for days, and a chance to talk to Margo . Then I'll be off to a safe house for a few days till I can get settled ."

Lisa nodded, almost ignoring that the immortal on the other end couldn't see her. "We'll get things ready for you. Let's see. Grandma and ... her companion won't share a room. Donovan took that ... woman up in his. I'm already sharing with the new girl. Will the couch be good for this night. I'll try to arrange for a separate room later, but I don't think I can get you one right now. With the medical convention and all." Not to mention the bloodtests." Rowan yawned.

"Right now I'd even take the floor. Anything beats sleeping in my car again. I'll be right up."

Part Eleven

*** Paris Airport ***

Kronos looked at her in disdain as they entered the airport.

"You better pretend to be my boyfriend Horseman." she told the him as they went in. "It might keep those damn Hunters from giving you a bloodtest."

The look Kronos gave her scared her. She didn't bother to try and hide her unease. He knew she feared him, so why hide it? They passed a couple of Hunters that pointed at the unlikely couple.

One little pregnant girl with a man almost a head taller than her.

Sure the man wasn't all that big when you gave him a closer look but the contrast, not to mention his behavior made him seem larger than life.

One of them wanted to call them in, but the other one stopped him.

"Why bother Fisher again. The Old man's angry enough about the last screw up. Besides. Not only is the girl pregnant. But they don't even come close to the description we've got."

Lilin hid her smile at those words. She hoped the immortals they were looking for would get away as well. But with Fisher on the manhunt she couldn't honestly give them high odds.

She led Kronos to her private jet.

It was big enough to sustain her needs, but small enough to stay anonymous. The pilot looked at her with a smile on his face."Is there something you have to tell me grandmother?"

Lilin pattted her son on the shoulder, laughing ominously.

"Kronos meet my grandson David. David, Kronos. Don't trust him. Don't talk to him. Don't bother him. And we'll all be better of."

David nodded and returned his eyes to the steeringwheel.

"Lisa called." he said while checking up the flightcontrolls. "What about?"

"Donovan messed up again. He caught himself a Hunter."

"Damn. Can't that boy ever do something smart for a change."

"Hey, I'm just happy he isn't my son. At least Lisa is smart enough to wait for permission before doing something that dangerous."

*** Over the Atlantic Ocean ***

The plane ride was as uneventful as the Horseman had hoped. He was bored, and spent the time tapping a pencil in a militant staccato beat on the small nine inch thick window next to his seat. The Girl's 'grandson' had popped back and forth from the cockpit to the body of the plane several times to speak with the Girl, Kronos made no attempt to overhear. What she had said to the mortal was right. Don't trust him, don't talk to him, and don't bother him, and everyone would be better off. At least someone knew how to follow directions.

The last hour of the flight he opened the black canvas duffelbag which had lain quietly at his feet for the last dozen hours like an obedient puppy resting by his master's feet. Within it's dark confines was a leather case which held an interesting array of items. The first off was thin silicon duplicates of his fingerprints, which were the fingerprints of James Kent, a respectable mortal antiquities dealer, with offices in New York, London, Paris, and Amsterdam. There was also a myriad of needles and small vials of red liquid that looked disturbingly like blood.

The false pregnancy created by the Girl would work as long as they were together, but he hoped for a quick meeting, and an even quicker departure from the Girl and her god slayer husband. When doing a needle test the Hunters almost always pushed the syringe through the index finger, but on occasion, they would press it to the middle finger, to avoid anyone trying to pull a fast one.

Mindless to the curious stares from the petite woman on board who had brought him a sandwich, which despite his hunger he did not eat, as well as the occasional glance from the Girl and good ol' grandson, Kronos began to work. He had bought the kit from another immortal who specialized in black market items used to fool the mindless robots, who called themselves Hunters. He was also the one that sold the false pregnancy bellies, as well as actual children, for people with babies were rarely if ever stopped. Kronos was not one for caring for others, especially small ones who cried a lot, so he paid the cold million francs the man had been asking, and he was provided with two years worth of silicon fingerprints. Not just any silicon fingerprints, but the tiny nearly transparent bubbles were host to a small air pocket directly between the synthetic material and living flesh where a surprisingly good deal of blood could be injected, that would continue to leak long after the needle test was given.

Working as carefully as a neurosurgeon, Kronos placed a thin layer of epoxy on his index and middle finger, and lightly lay the fingerprint of his alter ego his own. A needle inserted deftly between the two layers, and a light press with his thumb injected his own blood in the air pocket. A half hour of work, and Kronos to the naked eye appeared mortal. He smiled smugly and lay back in his seat. His mouth pressed into a tight white line. He drifted off into the realm between the land of the dreams, and reality. For one who had four thousand years of past, four thousand years of enemies behind him, it was the safest way for him to get a good nights rest.

Flying into Denver international airport was a bumpy ride as usual, something about being nestled within the Rocky Mountains caused no shortage of turbulence to incoming and outgoing flights. Grannie's golden boy put them down safely, which really wasn't a concern, for him, because with immortality plane crashes weren't such a big deal.

Though he would admit, his heart began to beat wildly in his chest, knowing that he was in the same place as his brother. He could feel the hair on the back of his neck, rise and stand at attention, as if they sensed their kin close as well. A quick glance out the window, at the slowly dawning sun peeking it's fiery head through the peaks and valleys of the snow capped mountains confirmed this sentiment. Methos was near, he could feel it throughout every fiber of his body.

*** The Denver Hilton ***

Stella couldn't take it any more. Her stomach was screaming for food. All she had today was a cherry coke and two beers. Margo and Lisa were still arguing, but now Donovan was into it. Rummaging in her bag only produced a stick of gum and god only knows how old that was. There has got to be some food around here, she thought to herself as she slid off the bed.

The three figures didn't seem to notice her as she squeezed by them. The hunter was passed out on the couch. Her head drooping awkwardly. Stella had been around her drunk friends long enough to know to fix the women's head so she could breathe. Pitying the poor thing. She was going to have a hell of a hangover when she woke up.

Stella went to the mini fridge. Only three beers left. Her stomach growled again. She slammed it in disappointment.

"What are you looking for?" said a voice behind her making her jump. She turned around to find Donovan. Stella smiled, she didn't know why but she kinda liked him. "Something to eat. I haven't eaten all day." He had a very mischievous grin. Almost like a little boy with a sling shot.

"Well, we're going to have to fix that." He said as he grabbed his coat. "Like burgers?" he asked as he checked to see if the hunter was completely out. Stella nodded and he started to walk out the door, telling Lisa and Margo he would be right back with food and rope to tie up the hunter. He was obviously tired of being nagged at. His cousin had no sense of fun she heard him mutter.


*** Denver Airport ***

Lilin got up as soon as David put the place to the ground. She was about to give him a few final orders when all of a sudden her mind was overcome by a scream of pain.

'Temlan.' she thought.

She staggered back and held on to the first thing she got her hands on. Suddenly she looked up and let go in less than an eyeblink.

Kronos.

She nearly fell in her haste to get away from him.

'What the hell was that?' she thought.

All of a sudden she'd felt Temlans presence clearer than ever before. But aside of his pain, there wasn't much of anything she could say about where he was, or what was happening to him. These flashes of presence were so frustrating.

She knew that the only reason she got them was because she'd been with him for so long. She didn't have any psychic abilities of her own, but Temlans connection to her occasionally led them to shared dreams and feelings. Mostly on his side.

She shrugged it of and got a hold of herself.

Ignoring Kronos' smirk at her discomfort.

They left the airport and Lilin could see the car waiting for them.

She didn't have to ask Kronos to take the wheel. He would have done so wether she asked or not. She had no illusions whatsoever about ordering this immortal around.

*

The blue eyed immortal had deftly plucked the set of keys out of the Girl's hand. She held her palm so flat it was like she was afraid any contact with him would cause her to burst into flames. He adjusted his leather jacket and pushed his way through the crowded terminal cutting a path through the mass of people.

"Move." He snarled at a woman walking casually along hand in hand with her toddler son. She turned to mouth off, but she saw the fire and ice in his eyes and her mouth snapped shut with an audible sound.

"People." He muttered under his breath, and thought about releasing a nice batch of cholera in the airport just so he could get through faster. It seemed like a good idea, if he had any cholera that was.

It was morning in Denver, but it was already a good seventy degrees outside, the air was dry from the altitude, and he could feel in his lungs the slightly less oxygen from the low atmospheric pressure. He made a mental note to himself as he paced the length of the parking garage leading to the silver Lexus parked at the end of row 25, to work out a little tonight. The last thing he needed was to get Methos and then be too out of breath to run anywhere with him.

Kronos, who often fancied calling himself Time, because he thought he would be around to see the end of it, had nearly forgotten Lilin was behind him. Only the sound of her soft footsteps on the concrete brought him out of his scheming. A rare moment of chivalry passed over him as he pressed the electric button on the keychain, which by remote control unlocked both doors of the vehicle.

They rode in silence until the toll booth where there were twenty lines of traffic lines up for a good fifteen minutes waiting to pay to park. Kronos turned up the radio to a local station that was playing a horrible remake of 'American Woman' but he didn't mind, as long as it kept everyone quiet he would listen to dogs barking jingle bells if he had to.

They pulled up to the toll booth, and Kronos flashed his best plastic smile, and held out his hand to the Girl. She placed a few dollar bills in his outstretched palm. She was annoying, but she was most definitely not stupid. "Good girl." He droned passing over the bills to the male toll collector and being waved through the yellow and black gates.

The hotel wasn't that far from the airport, a good thirty minutes if one was following the speed limit, which was something the Horseman never did. Fifteen minutes later, tires screeching and smoking they pulled into the lot. Kronos tossed the keys to the valet.

"Don't scratch it."

"Oh no Sir, wouldn't dream of it." Then the pimple faced valet rolled his eyes. Kronos made a mental note to kill him later if he had time.

"Fingers please." A heavy set man with a pistol strapped to his right hip announced before they even entered the hotel.

"Why you idiot? Can't you see my wife is pregnant." He tried not to choke on the sentence, but as he said wife, his voice became a strangled version of itself.

"Fine, then just your finger then Mr smarty pants." The Immortal Registration Service officer smiled with a grin as false as his teeth.

"Here, my favorite one." The Horseman then extended his middle finger to it's fullest extent and smirked as the man pricked it with the sterile needle. The stopwatch was set, and thirty seconds ticked off, a cotton ball was swabbed over the small wound, and a droplet of blood appeared in it's wake.

"You're clear." A somewhat disappointed IRS agent said, waving them through the double doors.

"You think?" Kronos then added this man to the same list the valet was on. Once inside, it was the Girl's show, she knew what name their reservations were under and the names of all those they were to meet to get Methos. The name echoed in his head as she spoke with the desk clerk. 'Methos, Methos, Methos.' It was like a mantra to calm him, a single word of two syllables that held so much meaning for the four thousand year old immortal. He drummed his fingers idly on the counter top while he waited for the Girl to get the keys, and lead the way to
their room.
----------

Lilin went of to the desk.

"Hi, my cousin Lisa said she'd make reservations. It's under the name Moore."

While the clerk checked through the files. Lilin took a quick check of the lobby. She held in her disdain as she noticed two Hunters sitting in the bar.

Lisa had warned her, but the idea of seeing them was still both annoying and dangerous. Even if they were flat out drunk.The television was still playing. Some rap group was on. She had to smile at the title of their song."Mortality sucks" it was. The lyrics were about the bothers of mortal life. She clicked her tongue. That song had to be the themesong for many people these days. But what made them think that immortal life was any better?

Especially recently.

"Miss Moore and Mister Moore are upstairs, miss ..."

"Mrs ..." she hesitated a second before responding. If she gave a name Kronos would have to respond to it as well. Ah well he could complain later. "Mrs Kruger."she said. How would Kronos know she used the name to honor the Kurgan. One of her and Temlans oldest friends. The man might have been dead for several decades, but he was still alive in both their memories. She definitely still missed him.

The man didn't notice her hesitance. He just handed her the key. The suite contains four bedrooms Mrs Kruger. I hope you and your husband'll have a nice stay. Lilin nodded before handing her ID to him. He signed it in and gave her a receipt.

"Are you coming." She turned to Kronos.

"Don't worry about me." Kronos smiled his lips curling and twisting into a grin that the hotel desk clerk caught a quick glimpse of and didn't like one bit. He liked the name she used to check in, Kruger.

It was a good strong name, and close enough to his own that he would answer to it without hesitation.

He had used many variants on his true name for three thousand years.

Vitruvius Calvus, Melvin Koren, Nicholas Kroner, and his current sobriquet, James Kent being the most memorable of the hundreds he used.

He glanced at the key and saw their room was on the fifth floor and thought that would suit him just fine. He had spied the Hunters in the bar just as the Girl had, and though he was not worried about them, their presence was enough to put him even more on his guard.

They took the quintuple flight of stairs up to the room, the last thing he wanted was to be stuck in an elevator with a chatty immortal hater. He had enough work to do with disposing of the valet and the IRS officer later, he didn't need to be adding Mr. and Mrs. tourist to the list as well.

When they reached the fourth floor, Kronos began to sense a slight tingling in his spine, the hackles on the back of his neck began to raise, but his hair was getting a little on the long side so they were having a rough time of it. 'Sorry hackles.' He thought offhandedly as they traipsed further upwards, the Quickening getting stronger and stronger with each step. It came to it's crescendo, and then settled into the nice steady thrum in his bones, a constant reminder that there were still enough immortals around to be wary. They rarely killed each other anymore, for the Hunters and the Haters did that for them. Kronos thought of Christine Salzer for one of countless times in the last twenty five years, and wondered if she had any idea what she had done when she released that blasted database.

"Showtime." Pestilence murmured beneath his breath as the Girl turned the key in the lock and opened up one of many doors that would eventually lead him to Methos.

----------

Rowan rubbed her eyes. " Right now I'd even take the floor. Anything beats sleeping in my car again. I'll be right up."

A few minutes later Stella opened the door to some one who looked more like a kid that a anything else. She wasn't at all as an dangerous free immortal was supposed to look like. Her long red hair was in two braids, and she was wearing the kind of outfit Stella had seen on preteen girls all over the city.

Rowan walked in and dropped her bag on the floor. " Sorry it took so long. I had to wait 'till a family came in. I just followed them like I belonged with them. You would be surprised how often that works. I found most every day people see us, immortals as being fully grown adults. Not like someone who looks like one of their kids. I used to hate looking so young but now it's my biggest asset. And to think I was all of 17 when I first died. 17 and I look all of 14. One guy thought I was 12 the other day. "

The immortal teenager sat on the sofa. Within minutes she had fallen fast asleep. Sleep made her look even younger.
----------

Stella sat in a chair across from the sleeping hunter, trying to stay out of Lisa and Margo's way. Taking a quick look She watched the sleeping girl mumble and stir, only to pass out again.

She avoided the couch where the other immortal was sleeping as she rose to fix the awkward kink in the women's neck, only to have the sudden sensation of another immortal sweep over her. It was stronger then any she had felt before, causing her to sway slightly on her feet. Or maybe it was just that she was finally learning the difference of what it was really like to meet immortals and not just the mass buzz she'd had of them at the center.

"Someone's here." Stella said to the two women who were looking at her with mixed concern.

"Another immortal" she said as she sat back down. Shaking her head clear.

The teenage immortal on the couch woke up almost immediately as she sensed the Buzz. She looked at Stella who was looking a bit dazed.

'Definitely a newbie' she thought.

Lisa got up to the door and opened it.

There was a weird couple standing there. A young pregnant looking girl and a sturdy looking man, dressed in black.

Lisa smiled as she saw her grandmother, but then she caught a look of the man next to her. Kronos. He looked smaller than she'd imagined him.

Despite his size, the moment he looked at her she shivered on her feet. This man was insane. She remembered the stories Lilin had told her about him and his brothers. The mere thought of having to work with him was scaring her.

She went up to her grandmother and hugged her.

"Glad to see you grannie."

Lilin playfully patted her on the head. It was kinda funny since the Immortal teenager was almost half a head shorter than her.

She nodded and turned to Margo. Lisa had sent her a picture of members of the underground before, so she wasn't surprised when her greatgrandmother recognized the older woman almost immediately.

"I heard that you want to help us free ... a friend of ours."

Lisa wondered why she ignored Rowan. Lilin of all people should know that looks were deceiving where immortals were concerned.

----------

Rowan sat up, and looked in Margo's way checking up her reaction.

Margo gave Lilin a once over, she had heard about this woman. Seeing her Margo could believe what she had heard. But the man, Kronos made her nerves jump. She'd heard horror stories about this man. Dallas had once called him a massacre waiting to happen. But if he was half as good a fighter as his reputation said he was, they could use him.

"I heard that you want to help us free ... a friend of ours."

"Yes, but not just your friend. I think if we plan this right we can free a lot if not all the immortals in that Hellhole."

Lilin nodded for the woman to continue.

"We have blueprints of the compound and someone who knows the place. I can get hold of some knock out gas we can use. I want this to be as bloodless as we can make it. The underground has a lot of friends working to help us in that place. Most of them I can warn ahead of time, some will even help us."

She took a breath, trying to assess the other side before continuing. "But we still need a back up plan, and especially, we need to find safe houses for every one. I know of a few places, but we will need more. And I have a meeting place for everyone once things die down. If we can pull this off, with little or no loss of life we can get the public to abolish the laws against immortals. We need the public on our side but if several mortals are killed that won't happen. We need to make immortals look like the victims they are...."

Rowan rubbed her eyes "Margo, we all know what needs to be done. You don't have to convince us. Right now my main worry is what to do with our new friend. But if you think I can be of help count me in. I like anything that makes the hunters look like fools."

----------

Kronos had entered the suite standing stock still for a moment allowing his senses to take in the people and his surroundings, as well as being one to make a good and lasting first impression.

After he was satisfied in the fact that this was not some elaborate scheme by a disenchanted slave he made his way to the mini bar nestled snuggly under a counter. He yanked open the door without such necessities of a key, and plucked three bottles of amber colored liquor from it's chilly depths.

He caught a glimpse of 'Grannie' and her granddaughter hugging hello in the mirror which was strategically hung at the bottom of the bed and that turned his stomach. He pulled the sticky labels off the bottle necks with his teeth, and poured the scotch into a glass tumbler filled with crystal shards of ice.

A velvet chair in the corner of the suite beckoned to him, and he obliged the call by flopping bonelessly into it. He took a sip of his drink, and the small candle that was lit up on the table next to him danced it's shadows and light across his ancient face. He lowered his head slightly, staring up and directly into the face of the fledgling immortal debating on if she was going to live or die after this little escapade into enemy territory.

Part Twelve

Stella watched the arrival of the two they had waited so long for with a hint of amusement. The girl couldn't have been any more than seventeen, but Lisa was calling her grandmother. It was strange to see immortals that had died so young. Stella couldn't even imagine herself the eternal teenager. It was hard enough trying convince people she was twenty-five and not twenty like everyone guessed.

Lisa and rest of the women collected in a small group at the far end of the room. leaving her with the man who was helping himself to the mini fridge. He flopped down in an empty chair and caught her gaze.

Stella felt small in his chilling stare. He seemed to be sizing her up. For what she couldn't even begin to imagine. A shiver ran down her spine as she returned his gaze. The most striking thing about him, besides the large scar that ran down his rugged face, was his eyes.

Never before had she seem eyes like his, almost transparent and very, very cold. Those eyes trapped her thoughts, holding her in the chair, like a deer in the headlights of the car. She had to do something to break his hypnotic stare. She managed a small smile and in a shaky voice said hello.

----------

Lilin twisted one of her curls around her finger as she started considering the plan. If they freed one prisoner all the Hunters would come after them. But if they freed all prisoners they could disappear through the cracks. Not to mention that nobody would know they were going after Temlan as well.

"I agree with your plan Miss Kane. Still..." She eyed Kronos. The Horsemen seemed to be concentrating on the new immortal. She hoped the man would kill her. That girl had been helping to torture her own kind for years and now they were supposed to help her?

"I can't make the decision alone." she said.

Even if Kronos would probably agree, that still didn't mean she could talk in his place. Not about something like this. The thought of truly angering him now ...

She couldn't risk it.

----------

If Kronos hadn't been staring at her, he would not have even heard her attempt at a greeting. He watched her mouth move, and a tiny sound came out of it. He resisted the urge to yell BOO as loud as he could just to see if she would stick to the ceiling, though the thought amused him all the same.

"Didn't the Girl teach you the rules yet?" His icy voice rumbled it's way out of his chest as he jerked his head towards Lilin. "Let's see, what were they?"

He rolled his eyes upwards for the briefest of moments as if physically searching for the words to snatch out of the air. "Don't look at him, don't talk to him, but most importantly don't trust him. Hmm . . . I think that was right. I wonder why she would say that?"

He laughed as he scratched his chin in a contemplative manner.

Though his lips were twisted into a semblance of a smile, it did not reach his eyes which remained in a cold deadlock with the new immortal.

Stella narrowed her eyes in annoyance, her nose wrinkling slightly as it always did when she was mad. The spell he held over her was broken by the emergence of her temper. She hated the way he was talking to her like she was a child. She bit her bottom lip to keep from saying what she really wanted to. Normally she would have told him where he could go. Keeping her mouth shut when it counted was not one of her strong points .

"I have never even seen that girl before today. And you don't have to be such an ass, I just said hello." she snapped, proud of herself for holding her tongue. Quickly she rose to her feet, totally aware he was watching her every move and made her way to the bar. Stepping gracefully over the legs of the sleeping hunter. If he can make a dramatic entrance she can make a similar exit, even if she was only going across the room. She grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge and leaned on her elbows against the bar. Even more annoyed when she found him amused by the whole thing. This was going to be a long day she thought to herself as she stared back at him defiantly. Suddenly she became sorry she left her cigarettes at the center.

*

The fledgling didn't know just how lucky she was to still have some use left in her. As much as he wanted to piss the Girl off by allowing her to keep her head, that little outburst of hers seemed to have earned her a place on Kronos' to do list, and that was not a safe place to be. He watched her every move, she had yet to gain the grace of movement he associated with immortals, and she seemed clumsy and childlike to him. He thought maybe he would tame the little hellcat before killing her, that would teach her to run her mouth of to a Horseman.

Drumming his fingers on the table, in a slow melodic beat, his eyes not leaving her slender form, Time sipped his scotch allowing it to burn it's warm path down his throat before settling nicely in his belly. He was bored, and that is one thing he never thought he would say while in a hotel room filled with women.

He thought of the mortals words about there being little or no bloodshed, and he idly wondered exactly why The Girl was bringing him in this if she didn't want every one of the employees of the Center killed for their unspeakable crimes. The Polaroid of Methos' face contorted in agony as so called 'doctors' ripped his entrails out and burned them with electric prodding irons. Once Methos was back Kronos was sure he would feel the same away. Who wouldn't want to murder the people who killed them on a daily basis all in the name of science?

"Are we going to get this operation in motion?"

Margo gave Kronos a look. "Soon. Very soon. But first we need a leader for this group, I don't care who. And we need to get the things we'll need for this." Rowan didn't even look up from her book."I say Lilin."

Lilin startled up.

"I don't think so." she said. Kronos would never listen to her. Not to such a degree. He didn't know Rowan personally, so he wouldn't listen to her either. Margo, Lisa, Donovan, ... as competent as they were she sincerely doubted Kronos would even bother.

And there was no way in hell she was going to give leadership to Stella Reyme.

That left one person. She took a long look at Kronos.

He had led four men into becoming the terror of the world for almost a thousand years.
Sure Methos had been the schemer, but a leader didn't need to be a schemer. He needed to get the job done. "I vote Kronos."

She prayed to all the gods that he would understand why the bloodshed would have to be limited. She just didn't count on it.

------------

"I vote Kronos."

Those three little words were music to the Horseman's ears. Now she was finally seeing the light of things. Kronos always found women to be over emotional, and often wondered why immortality was wasted on them, but he could always count on them to surprise him from time to time. The three words 'I vote Kronos' spoken by the girl who had been his slave for sixty years, showed that maybe she did learn something besides fear in her stint with the Horsemen.

"Now we're talking." He smiled, his lower lip turned in slightly in the malignant grin. He was going to get to make the Hunters look like the three stooges, he was going to get his brother out of his personal hell, and he got to lead the team that got to do it all, even if it was a bunch of women who looked like they should be in school, not leading raids against the most feared organization of this era. He didn't even consider the notion that the others might not agree.

"You." He pointed at Stella. "Make sure your head stays on your shoulders during this, you might have some use yet."

"You Girl." He moved his finger slightly to the right aiming it right for Lilin. "No blood, unless one of them gets out of hand, then I will kill them all. I am not going to jeopardize Methos for a few worthless Hunters." He leaned back further in his chair, tilting the dregs of his scotch down his gullet. "We leave at dawn."

----------

Stella watched in wonder as the rest of the women in the group put the man in charge. But she had to trust that the others knew what they were doing. Donovan came back shortly after the election. His smile faded as he saw the darkly clad immortal sitting in a chair.

"Here you go gorgeous." He said as he tossed a brown paper bag in Stella's direction and made his way to say hello to his "relative" .

Eagerly she opened the bag and pulled out a smaller one filled with hamburgers. Inside the larger one was rope. A lot of rope. For the hunter she assumed. Speaking of which. She grabbed a hamburger, leaving the rest on the table for whoever wanted one, and made her
way back to the hunter who was beginning to stir.

"Donovan," Stella called out over the groups conversation. "She's waking up."

----------

Charlie's head felt like it was in a vice. Echoes of voices bounced painfully off her head. She opened her blood shot eyes to see the blurry image of a young blond standing over her. Nausea swept over her as she struggled to prop herself up. A familiar face appeared over her. It took her a second come up with the name.

"Donovan," she said "I don't feel so good." The man just laughed and said she shouldn't drink so much next time.

"Umm...Donovan." Stella said as she watched the hunter go from chalk white to green. "Maybe you should get her to the bathroom, before she...you know." The man nodded and together he half drug, half walked her to the bathroom, just in time to prop her up on the toilet.

"Damn, I wouldn't have thought a girl as small as her could throw up so much." Donovan said as her stood next to Stella in the doorway of the bathroom.

----------

Charlie felt so much better as she collected herself and washed up in the sink. Everything was coming back to her now. In bits in pieces any way. She smiled at Donovan who was standing in a door way with a familiar looking blond. She blushed deeply. It was never good to throw up in front of a guy. It kinda of ruined the mood.

"Feel better." He said as he grabbed her hand leading her into the other room. "I want you to meet someone."

"Donovan. Maybe that's not such a good idea." Stella said only to be hushed by Donovan's finger. Charlie being the vain person she was began to fix her hair as she allowed herself to be lead into the room full of people.

She put on her best smile, looked up, and gasped in horror as her tired eyes focused on the room filled to the brim with immortals.

Charlie looked up into Donovans face.

"You said you wanted to meet my family." He said with distaste.

Charlie began to pull away but Donovan held her hand tightly. Her hunters training began to kick in and she started fighting with all of her might. She clawed Donovan's hand with her long red nails and actually broke loose for a minute only to be knocked down from behind by the blond. She managed to flip herself onto her back and up onto her knees only to be knocked down again by the same girl. Charlie managed to lay a good punch across the blonds face before she could capture her hands. But this girl had obviously been trained too, She put a knee into Charlie's stomach and caught her hands pinning them to her chest. Charlie couldn't move. She was caught.

"Way to go, Stella ." Donovan said as he ran across the room. "Hold her while I get the rope."

An elderly black woman looked down at the fallen hunter. "This is a mess we don't need right now. If she turns up missing her people will be looking for her ."

"Unless her death looks like a mugging or rape gone bad."

She was stunned to hear the words coming from one of the teenagers, the girl said them deadpan, before going back to her book. The Hunter could recognize her now. 'It's Rowan. Oh my god no.'Charlie couldn't help her shock showing on her face.

Lilin looked at the hunter on the ground. She kneeled down next to her. Pulling her face up from the ground. "Why is she still alive Donovan?"

"Uhm ... because we might get some information out of her."

"Really?"

Then she turned to the Hunter.

"You do not want to know what I could do to you."

Hunters had killed one of her daughters. They had murdered her grandson. Not to mention what their side might be doing to Temlan.

Now there was no way Lilin would just let the woman go like that.

"We could try to hypnotize her." Lilin gave Rowan an annoyed glance.

"Or do to her what they did to one of my mortal friends. "Her voice became harder as she continued in a near whisper. "They dissected her alive. They started at her feet, by the time I got there they had removed most of her organs. She was still alive. I had to stay with her and hold her wile she died. Casey never told them a thing."


Part Thirteen

Stella was beginning to regret stopping the hunters escape. She honestly thought the others would just question her and let her go as soon as they left town. But now she was not so sure the hunter was coming out of this in one piece. It was obvious that the majority of the people in the suite were not fans of hunters. Stella had nothing against them, but she had never been on this side of the line before. It was frightening how much rage she saw in the others eyes.

She sat on the top of the bar pulling off bite sized pieces of her burger. Her bare feet were in the stool, manicured toes played with a gold toe ring on her right foot. Skillfully she moved it from her right foot to her left and then back again using only her toes. She felt guilty. When she felt guilty she fiddled with things. The hunter was tied up tightly. A gag was in her mouth to muffle her cries for help. She caught Stella looking at her and narrowed her eyes.

A tear escaped, causing a dark line of mascara to run down her flushed face. That made Stella feel even worse. She broke from the hunters gaze and began to trace the dragon on her right ankle, trying to ignore the women's eyes burning into her head. The longer she stayed with in the hunter's eyesight, the more her conscience began to pester her.

She jumped down from the counter and went to stand out on the balcony.

It had gotten much colder then she remembered and she regretted not grabbing a jacket. But her jacket was next to the hunter and she couldn't bear to go any where near her again. She was already being eaten alive by guilt.
----------
Charlie was terrified. Of course who wouldn't be. Half the people in this room were on the Hunter's most wanted list. Dangerous immortals with death orders on their heads.

Her hands were bound tightly. Every time she shifted her uncomfortable body the ropes tightened. She kept telling herself she had to be calm. She wouldn't give these creatures the satisfaction of seeing her cry or beg.

The blond that caught her was sitting across the room on the bar.

Charlie searched her mind for where she saw that girl before. It wasn't from the fugitive list and it wasn't from the IFF list. It didn't come to her until she saw the tattoo on the girl's ankle. She
remembered that tattoo.

Two years earlier
Award Ceremony for Owen Fisher
Washington, DC

Charlie was in awe of the splendor of the room. The IRS goes all out when they honor one of their own.

"Look, there he is." She said a she pointed Owen Fisher out to her date. Charlie admired the man greatly, as did most of the younger hunters. It was an honor to be able to attend this dinner.

"Where, I don't see him?" Charlie rolled her eyes. "Come on let's go say hello." She said as she grabbed his hand and pulled him through the crowd. The man of honor stood in the center of the crowd with an attractive young girl in a black dress on his arm. Charlie pushed close enough to hear the conversation he was having with a group of men in expensive suits.

"This is my niece, Stella Reyme." He said as the young woman reached out to shake their hands. After a few minutes of mindless babble the men took Fisher aside. leaving the young women by herself. She made her way to the bar and ordered a white Russian. Charlie followed sitting on the stool next her.

"Hi," She said to Stella as she asked for the same drink. The young woman just smiled back. "I love your tattoo." She said trying to get on the girl's good side and obviously it was working. Stella smiled.

"Thanks, I'm really proud of it. My uncle hates it though." she propped her foot up on the bar so the other girl could get a closer look. It was good work, Charlie thought to herself. very detailed and tastefully colored with red, gold, and green. The lights began to flicker, signalling the start of the ceremony.

"Well, it was nice meeting you, but I better go find my uncle." Stella said as she slid off the stool. Charlie tied to talk to her again later that night, but she never got a chance.

** Present day, Hilton **

Charlie was sure that was her. That son of a bitch Donovan had even called her Stella. Her hair was different and she looked a little ragged around the edges, but it had to be her. It didn't seem like she was against her will either. Charlie was going to get her back for tackling her. Just wait till they take this gag out of her mouth.

She was going to see how much they really knew about their little friend.

----------

Rowan could see that Stella was getting upset by what was happening. Walking over to the newbie she laid a hand on her arm. "I have some stuff left in my car. Ya want to help me get it."

Stella nodded. Once outside Rowan began to speak. "Sorry if this makes you upset but a lot of us have lost people to the hunters." The older immortal waited a few seconds to make sure she had the younger ones attention. "Margo was raped by them, one of them fathered her daughter Jesse. I understand that most kids nowadays only know what they have been told about us and I hope we don't have to kill the girl but if we do I'll do it myself to save her suffering. I was wondering once this is all over and we have our friends free and safe, have you given a thought about having a teacher? If not how about running with me for a few years. I stayed alive for over 3000 years, and have yet to get grabbed by the hunters. Must be doing something right. And watch out for Kronos. He's smart but, don't trust him, and stay out of his way.

One thing I know of him, is that if you get him mad, get in his way or if he can't use you, he'll kill you. So watch out for him."

Stella took in everything the seemingly young women was saying. Some of it made sense. It was still hard to see the hunters from their point of view, but she supposed she would in time. It did make her feel a little better knowing that the woman they had tied up in the suite wouldn't suffer.

"A teacher? I hadn't really thought that far ahead. It's only been a couple of days since..." Her voice trailed off as she picked up a box out of the trunk. Her thoughts dwelled on the man that Lilin brought with her. The one the women just called Kronos. She had heard his name before, her uncle mentioned him once or twice in conversations with colleagues. He talked about a lot of things when she was around, especially when she was younger. Stella knew more about how the IRS operated then most of the hunters did. She never let on how much she knew to her uncle or anyone else though. It could have cost him his job.

"What's the deal with that guy anyway?" she said as Rowan dug around in the trunk. "Is he always in such a bright and cheery mood?"

She was still sore about being told off. If there was one thing she couldn't stand it was arrogant men. She could never keep her temper around them. If that was his nature then she was definitely going to have to stay away from him.

"A long time ago he and three others rode as the Four Horsemen. They destroyed everything and everyone that was in their way." Rowans eyes seemed to gaze back in time. "My foster mother used to tell me horror stories about them when I was a child. I don't claim to understand
him, not sure I even want to. But one thing I do know, Kronos is dangerous. If I thought I stood a chance I would kill him myself. I'm good but not that good. Only four people I know of might be able to take him and two of them are in the compound. Kinkade and Methos.

Methos was one of the horsemen with Kronos. Hopefully once we free the others Kronos will go back to where ever he was and stay there. Till then I think the both of us should just stay out of his way. I don't like him any more than you do but if we want to pull this off we have to put up with him"

"No way." Stella said in astonishment as Rowan told her about Kronos and the Horsemen. "That would make him thousands of years old." She was unable to wrap her mind around a solid figure. She should have paid more attention in her ancient civilization 101 in college.

Rowan took out a sword and, upon looking around to see if the coast was clear, handed it to Stella. After a second of hesitation she took it, feeling an electricity run up her hands and through her body.

"It's heavy." She said as she watched the blade catch the light.It felt awkward in her hands. She handed it back to Rowan who put it in the car and began to lock the doors. "Do you think I will ever be able to fight with it? I have seen the immortals in the center, especially the men. They're huge."

Rowan smiled. "Stella your bigger than I am and I can fight with one. As for it being heavy don't worry by the time I'm done with you, you'll think it's light. As for Kronos' age remember we are Immortal, we can live as long as we keep our heads. In more ways than one. I'm over 3000 myself. Kinkade is only a few years younger than I am.

Methos is even older than Kronos. Now lets get this stuff up to the room I could use some food and more sleep. "

Grabbing some of the bags Rowan lead the way back to the hotel. She insisted they take the firetraps, saying that most people never took the stairs any more. Too lazy.

By the time they made it back to the room Stella was winded but Rowan still looked like she could do it again.

Part Fourteen

Lilin was sitting on the ground in the corner. It was a personnel oddity of her but even after 3500 years she still preferred sitting on cushions over chairs. Her back was leaning against the wall, her head supported by it as well.

She looked at the Hunter tied up on the couch. The woman was helpless yet the mere sight of her was horrifying. She tried to look away, having to yawn due to sheer exhaustion. Before she knew it she tumbled into sleep.

*** Small unnamed settlement in the Bronze Age ***

The little girl was hiding underneath some of the bushes. They'd be here soon. She grinned slightly, hoping they wouldn't find her to soon. Suddenly someone tapped her back.

"Got you." she startled up, turned around and smiled.

"Daddie." she jumped to the man, hugging him.

"You'll have me found."

"Now now Rena. You know you can't play this far away from town."

The girl pouted. They were never allowed anything fun.

She followed a few footsteps behind her father. The proper daughter.

He turned around and winked at her. Then he made a run for it, teasing her to follow. She tried, and almost ran into him when he stopped.

"Daddie." She said under chuckles.

Suddenly the man looked up at the sky. Smoke was visible from the direction of the town. There was always some smoke. But never this much.

"Rena, stay put." He ran back to town. The girl didn't listen.

She couldn't follow him of course. Her father was a big man and his steps were much faster than her smaller ones.

When she finally arrived she stayed away from the clearing a short while longer. Some of patch roofs of the homes were in flames. But none of the villagers were trying to put any of them out. Most of them were running.

Rena couldn't see what they were running from. She stayed hidden under a brush until she heard hoofsteps behind her. She looked up. A man dressed in black armor was heading up to her. In his hand he held the head of the tribes chieftain. She gasped as she noticed the blood seeping from under it.

She knew she should run, try and get away but she couldn't. She was frozen to the ground. The mans face was hidden behind a mask. He might as well be a demon. He swung the head around by the hair and threw it away loudly laughing. It was only after the head slammed open against one of the trees that he came at her and grabbed her up. Pulling her in front of him on his horse. She tried to fight, but there was nothing a 9 year old girl could do against an armed raider.

Rena started feeling dazed, having her head hanging over the horse like that. By the time they stopped at what had been the towns center a man on a pale white horse came riding towards them. Rena could only see the white of his pants.

"What do you got there Brother?"

"A little bit of fun for later."

"Isn't she a bit small? You'd better throw her back Kronos. We've got more than enough of a pick amongst the others."

"Nah. I like her hair."

Rena shivered. The bantering between the raiders went on and on and she just couldn't get away. Her eyes fell wide open when they caught sight of her fathers head rolling at her on the ground. A third raider came at them. This one was on feet. He had an arm in his hand. She froze up as she recognized the bracelet on it as one belonging to her mother. The man was biting from it as if it were a cornhalm.

******

3500 years later Lilin still shivered in her sleep. Not a word or whimper could be heard from her, but her face was visibly grabbed in terror as she hugged the wall as if trying to hide in it.

******

The little girl was uncourteously thrown on the ground as soon as they got to the Horsemens new camp. Some women working on the Horsemen's meals looked up curiously at the new arrivals but turned down their eyes as soon as they saw the Horsemen looking at them.

"Come." Rena didn't move, she didn't dare get up. The man hovered over her and kicked her in her stomach. "Get up! Now!" Rena scrambled up as fast as she could. She still wasn't fast enough. He grabbed her hair and pulled her along to his tent. Dropping her on his cot. She was forced to watch as he pulled down his pants, grinning dangerously.

"You're mine now little Danni. All mine."

The girl Rena, now named Danni, but who later would be known as Lilin could do no more than shiver as the man came down on her. Using her.

His penetration made her scream in pain. She had no way to defend herself and could do nothing but shout out her suffering. Noone came to help her.

*******

Some people in the room looked up startled at the screams coming from the teenage immortal. She was shriveled up in a small ball. Holding her hands around her legs as if trying to protect herself from an unseen attack.

******

When the man was finally finished, having gotten what he wanted from her. He sent her out, bleeding and half naked. She stumbled out, hoping to find some place to lie down and die. There was nowhere she could go.

One of the women came peeping out of one of the tents and nodded at her to come over. Rena accepted whatever place she was given and fell deep asleep.

Hoping to escape what had happened.

******

Lilin woke up, while someone tried to shake her awake

"Lisa?"

"Sorry Grannie. But ..."

"Thanks.

Lilin didn't say much more. She just got up and headed for the bar.

Ignoring Kronos as much as she could. He seemed to smirk happily at her discomfort.

*** Horsemen Camp, Bronze Age (about 1500 BC) ***

Rena woke up from the cold sand she'd fallen asleep on. A woman stood over her. Shaking her. "Come on girl, the sun will be up soon."

She shivered. Rena was used to the cold, but not to being this undressed. The woman took a look at her and threw a dress her way.

"Try this on. It used to belong to Dega. She displeased master Methos."

Rena didn't dare ask what had happened to the woman afterwards.

She was told to get water, help with the chores. Everything seemed to be going well until she caught sight of the dark man who'd taken her.

She stood frozen and dropped the can she was carrying. It broke in shards.

The woman looked in shock and hit her in the face.

"Clumsy brat." Rena bowed down her eyes, close to crying. She'd never been hit before. "Are you trying to wake the masters wrath."

The woman ignored the little girls trembling.

Rena spent the rest of the day in training. Getting her act together.

The woman forced her to serve wine. Even the most minor spill was payed with a beating. Either by hand or with a cane. When the older slave had to leave to serve the master Silas, she left Rena with the order to keep practicing. If she dared stop, even to eat she'd find out about it. They couldn't leave a slave untrained.

By the end of the day Rena stood dead on her feet, ready to collapse and still the woman wouldn't let her stop. Not until she could serve the wine perfectly.

******

Lilin took a beer and sipped it slowly. Not the smallest drop was spilled. Her skirt was getting wrinkled. The Hunter was looking at her, seemingly amused by something. Lilin didn't care anymore. She went to one of the rooms and started undressing in front of the mirrors.

She hardly recognized the young face looking back at her. Small scars covered her breasts and she brushed her fingers past them. Medals for survival Temlan had called them. What did he know? His childhood had been filled with kindness, soft hands, games and play.

He'd had Methos as a friend. Someone to teach him to ride or hunt. To her ... Her fists clenched at the mere thought of it.

*** Bronze Age ***

Bitta was calling out to her. Danni, the woman called her. The girl no longer refused the name, Rena had died weeks ago. The day she'd been captured. She wiped away her tears and giving the body of the woman a last look. Master Kronos had killed her last night.

Danni took over some of the cups and helped the older woman fill them with fruits, vegetables and meat. She looked at the food in front of her. Her stomach grumbling. But she didn't dare take anything. This was the masters food.

She still remembered how one of the other woman of her tribe had tried to take a bit of meat. The master had seemed to smell it of her fingers. Danni still remembered her screams as Caspian roasted the woman, eating pieces of her meat while she was still alive.

She'd been sitting in the tent at first. Trying to close her ears, to ignore the screaming but the older woman had hit her in the back, telling her to go on with her work.

Danni had not dared refuse.

Together they carried the trays over to Master Kronos' tent.

He looked at the both of them and when Lilin wanted to follow the other woman out he held her back. Grabbing her arm.

"Not so fast little one."

Danni tried to keep her trembling in. She didn't want to anger her master. He took a bite from his food and looked at her while doing so.

'What had she done wrong?'

Suddenly he offered her a bite.

Could she refuse? What would anger him more?

She opened her mouth as he brought the fruit to her. Its taste was soft, cold and sweet. She swallowed it before he could change his mind. He shared his meal with her, the look on his face becoming more and more lustful. Danni sat unmoving. When he dropped his pants she already knew what to do. Endless practicing in the tents had forced her to learn how. She took his penis in her mouth. She couldn't take the whole of it. Her mouth was to small for that. But he forced himself further in her. Her throat ached endlessly but even if she'd dared to refuse she couldn't. Not a whimper could leave her mouth.

"Lick me." He ordered her. She followed his orders and did as the woman had told her to do. When he finally withdrew, leaving some kind of liquid in her mouth she was just about ready to throw up. He told her to leave and she didn't wait another second to follow his orders.

The meal she'd just had didn't stay inside for a second longer as she'd left.

*** Present ***

In her room at the Denver Hilton Lilin refused to cry for the child she'd been. Her clenched fists started feeling wet and she looked at them. They were drenched in her own blood.

Part Fifteen

Rowan and Stella had returned. Rowan came over to Lilin put her hand on the other woman's arm. "Lil, come with me I have something I need to show you.''

They went into the bed room Rowan put a video tape in the VCR, turned down the sound and hit play. What appeared on the screen was like a scene for Hell. Necked people strapped to tables, tubes running from them. Even with the sound low Lilin could hear screams and moans.

"What brought me here in the first place was this. I got it from a member of the underground who had gone rogue. He was selling information about us and our whereabouts to someone. Not the hunters, he had the bad manners to die before I could find out much. This person buys Immortals from any one who has one, even hunters. The guy has lots of cash. He uses it to buy any one he wants, Doctors, Politicians, hunters, even members of the underground. From what I gathered he's behind a lot of our problems in the government."

"I only trust you in this. I want to find this guy and get him. I don't know if we can tell any of the others. Margo will go off wanting to house clean, that will let him know we know about him. Your kids may not be able to handle something like this right now too young.

Same thing for Stella. The hunter we might be able to use if we can win her over to us. She can find out who in her group is in this guys pocket. I would trust Kronos only as long as Methos is with us. Methos, Dallas and Temlan should be able to keep him in check.

My plan is this we free the others and then go hunting for his bastard. What do you say?"

Lilin looked at the screen. She saw some of the faces. She took the remote out of Rowans hand and pressed rewind until she hit a familiar face.

"Livia." she whispered.

"I'll help. Temlan will too as soon as we get him out."

Rowan looked at her, when she mentioned her husbands name.

"It's why I'm working with Kronos. With his and Methos' help we can get Temlan. And then all these mortals playing with immortal lives will pay."

She looked at the still image of her daughter on the screen. The poor woman was barely skin and bone. Her face was contorted in pain.

"First Methos, then Temlan and then we'll come for you Livia. I promise." The teenage immortal whispered the words to the screen as she kneeled down in front of it. Her fingers softly touching her daughters face on the screen.

Rowan sat down next to Lilin. "We get Dallas too. I owe him too much to let those monsters keep him. Dallas is the closest thing to family I have left. Anyway, ever try to stop that overgrown Irishman from doing something he has his mind set on doing? Dallas will want to be in on this. If Dallas were free he would be doing everything he could think of to free us and those poor bastards there. And you know that when it comes to dealing out payback us old foggies are the masters."

Lilin nodded, taking a handkerchief to wipe of the last remnants of the blood from her hand.

"That Hunter, are you sure we need her? She gives me the creeps and not just because she's a Hunter."

Lilin opened the door and looked at the bound woman on the bench.

"Come on grannie. And she's so sweet." Donovan touched the womans hair.

The Hunter tried to back away but there was no place for her to go.

"Donovan!" Lilin knew she hated the woman, but there were some limits that shouldn't be crossed. Insinuating rape was one of them. She guessed that there were some things you just couldn't get rid of.

She stood looking over the bound woman. There were times that she could be really jealous of others. Seeing grown women like this one, was one of them. She banned out the jealousy and pulled the woman up."I am Lilin. In case you didn't know. My friend here, she pointed at Rowan, thinks you could be useful. I was hoping that you'd be willing to ... help us out a little."

Rowan just stood behind Lilin arms crossed. The look on her face was unreadable.

Margo stood in the back, it seemed she knew Rowan was up to something with Lilin but that she wasn't sure what. It didn't seem as if she really cared as long as it got Dallas free.

Charlie looked at the immortal standing over her. Of course she knew her. She knew most of the immortals in the room. Uncatchables they were called. Those unlucky few who got close enough to them never made it to retirement. Charlie thought it best if she just went along with what they wanted. She nodded, motioning for the girl to take off her gag.

"Are you going to scream?" said Donovan. It was more of a warning than a question. Charlie shook her head, breathing a sigh of relief as Donovan loosened the gag, sliding it down around her neck.

"What do you want to know?" Charlie said defeated.
----------

Stella sat at the table going over a set of plans Margo had given her.

She recognized them instantly as the floor plans to the center.

Margo also gave her two names. One she knew, Kinkade. But There was noone called Methos in the center. Not as far as she knew anyway. Maybe he went by another name. It was common practice for immortals to give fake names to the centers. It played hell with keeping accurate records. She would have to ask Margo. She collected the plans in her arms and walked into the other room.

She shrank a bit in the hunters cold stare. Ignoring her Stella walked over to Margo and began to ask her about Methos, but she was interrupted by the hunter.

'Hello Stella." She hissed from the couch. Stella looked at the girl. She didn't look familiar. "How's your uncle?' the girl continued.

Stella took a sharp breathe. Her stomach jumping into her throat. This was not good.

"I don't know what your talking about." She said as she turned her attention back to Margo.

"Oh sure you do. Your Uncle Owen. I've always admired him. He's a great man." Charlie smiled as she saw the blonds smile fade and her eyes grow wide with fear.

"What is she talking about, Stella." Donovan said from his place in the background.

"I don't know. I have never seen her in my life before today."

Stella tried to retreat from the room, but Donovan stepped in her way.

Grabbing her hand to keep her from leaving. "Owen who." he said with a dangerous look growing in his eyes. He began to squeeze her hand. "Owen who?" He asked again. She shook her head. Refusing to answer. Dovovan looked over his shoulder at the hunter. Asking the question again.

"Owen Fisher. The great white hunter himself." The hunter hissed enjoying the show. That stupid blond was about to get a taste of her own medicine.

Stella cringed as Charlie said her uncle's name. Anger engulfed Donovan. "Your uncle is Owen Fisher." He said. Stella turned away, refusing to answer. Donovan shook her roughly. "Answer me." he screamed at her.

"Yes. are you happy? Yes he's my uncle. He's the only family I have left. What's it to you anyway?"

---------

Margo hissed at Donovan . "We can't always choose our family. Do you think I would have chosen a hunter to father my daughter if I had a choice? Do you think Stella would have chosen a monster like Owen Fisher for her uncle if she had a choice?

Donovan not all of us have the freedom of choice in a lot of things. Stella is not her uncle and he is not her. We cannot judge her by him or her past. She's one of us now she has a whole new life ahead of her. Don't make things harder on her than they already are."

Lilin looked at the scene. Owen Fishers niece.

What would Fisher say if she took the girls Quickening right in front of him? She remembered her daughters body the way the Hunters had left it behind. The old woman had died a slow and painful dead because she hadn't wanted to give her in. Would Fisher even care?

Maybe the best revenge would be to keep the girl alive. Letting Fisher know his little Stella was one of the enemies now.

"Donovan back of."

The boy looked up not understanding.

"Fisher has to pay, but letting her live will eventually hurt him more than taking her head would ever accomplish." She looked at Kronos for a moment, the man was smiling ferally. Doing nothing about the situation, she guessed he found it amusing. "Do you want to do their work for them Donnie? Fighting amongst ourselves will only work against us. It's what she wants us to do."

Donovan bowed down his head and admitted defeat.

"Just wondering kid.

You wouldn't happen to know where your uncles private home is, would you? I'd just love to pay him a visit when this is over."

She started turning away, heading over to her jacket that was hanging over one of the chairs.

Then she turned to Stella, taking a picture out of her wallet. She threw it on the table in front of the girl. There was a small group of four on the picture. Herself and Temlan dressed in black, She still shivered at the sight of the buzzcut she'd been wearing at the time, Gerinn, the Kurgan was as usual dressed as a punk, his dark leather firmly accenting his muscled body, the scar on his neck accented by safetypins and finally sticking out against them three was a man in a classic armani buisnesssuit. Methos. She pointed at him. "You didn't happen to see this guy in the center did you."

----------

Stella rubbed her wrist which was raw from Donovan's grip. She picked up the picture and released a small laugh. "It has to be him, doesn't it." She said under her breath as her eyes caught the familiar face. "Adam Pierson. Yeah I know him. I saw him the day I left." She flinched as she remembered the last time she saw him, strapped tightly to a table. His long body writhing in pain.

She hoped he wasn't one to hold a grudge. Of course who could blame him if he did.

Stella remembered what Rowan had said abut Methos when they were at her car. She had always thought Pierson was more then he let on.

There had been many times she had watched Dr. Mendez trying to figure out those writings of his. Stella had spent hours in the databases trying to find some sort of translation for the pages of scribble. It all made sense now though.

She handed the picture back to Lilin. "Look, I'm sorry for what my Uncle might have done to you. But everything I am today I owe to him and I will not just hand him over to you. If you want to kill him, then your not going to use me to do it. You'll have to take my head first."

Stella could feel tears burning in her eyes but she blinked them back.

She shot a cold look at the hunter siting smugly in her ropes. Every ounce of pity she had for her, was erased. Stella could care less what happened to the bitch now.

----------

Rowan sat down next to Stella. When she saw the picture a big grin spread over her face.

"Temlan. Good. We need fire power like his if we are going to do what we talked about Lil. Oh and Don FYI Stella is now my student as long as she will have me. As for Mister Fisher, well don't worry about him. I think once this gets out he'll be replaced. After all it wouldn't do to have the leader of the hunters turn out to be the uncle of an Immortal now would it. The trash papers will eat him alive. Witch reminds me, can I get some food?"

Rowan's request made her look very young.

Rowan looked at Lilin "Well Lil at least we know she's loyal. I think though she's one of those who's loyalty and respect has to be earned."

Then she turned to Stella " Don't worry about your uncle dear. If the papers don't make a laughing stock out of him. This whole this may cause him to lose his edge. If by some chance you have to talk to him strongly suggest he retire. Don't get me wrong I hate him as much as the next immortal, but I believe every one deserves the chance to change their ways. Even hunters."

Lilin almost hated Rowan for those words, knowing she had to agree. If she were still the same person she'd been millennia ago ... or Temlan. Even Methos had shown he could change. It was almost good to see that Kronos hadn't changed. It made the world seem more reliable somehow.

The first time she'd ever met Temlan she'd hated him. She'd seen the killing spree he'd left behind him. The children butchered, tortured. Her student Nekron had told her about him as well. How Loki had killed his family, only leaving the young boy alive because someone had stopped the Headhunter before he could go on and kill the child, giving first death. A certain someone she'd later found out to be Methos.

The day she'd first met the man that would become the love of her life ... she still remembered every bit of torture and humiliation she'd put him through. It hadn't been until the day he saved Livia that she'd learned to know the man, and after a couple of centuries, learned to love him.

She turned away from the other women. Heading of to Kronos and sitting down at his feet.

"Will this change anything?" she asked him softly, her back resting in the air. Subservient to the bone.

********

The Girl's placement near his shoes reminded him of times long past where all the slaves sat at the Horsemen's feet, usually with fear in their eyes and a trembling chin. He saw no quiver to her chin as she spoke. He saw in his minds eye some three thousand years ago when she sat at his feet before she danced for the Horsemen, and how they all had wrapped their fingers through her fiery red hair not seeing much of that color in the lands of olive skin and dark locks.

"Will this change anything?" she asked him.

He pushed himself down a little further in his chair, folding calloused fingers gently together, resting them at his belt. He saw in his minds eye the Hunter Owen Fisher, laying upon a table with his bowels removed and burned to a crisp. He could almost hear the Hunter screaming for mercy, or even better Death. He cast his arctic gaze down to Lilin, and shook his head slowly from side to side.

"No. It won't change the plan, but it might change who gets killed after we have Methos and your husband." He practically choked on the last word unable to believe the situation still. "We will still leave at dawn, but..." He trailed off and flicked his eyes to the bookworm.

"If we don't need her, she stays behind. I trust her less than I trust you." Kronos was not sure why he spoke of Rowan the way he did, he hadn't even spoken one word to her, but when a Horseman gets a feeling he can't ignore it.

Lisa almost threw up, seeing her greatgrandmother subjugate herself to that man like that. She couldn't understand it. This wasn't like the grannie she was used to. What was it about that man that frightened the younglooking immortal so much. When it all came down to it, he was just a man. He wasn't any bigger than most men, he was almost small. Sure his stare was scary and they had a past, but in the end he was just a man. Wasn't he?

******

Lilin didn't move.

The night passed onwards and noone dared leave the room. Lilin watched as Lisa was working on her computer.

"Damn."

"What's up?"

"Jesse, again." She turned to the older mortal. "You know Margo, haven't you told her to stop those pranks of hers."

Margo didn't seem to understand the problem much.

"Is she still working on that virus of hers?"

The mortal woman nodded.

"Damn, double damn."

"A virus?" Lilin gazed at her greatgranddaugher questioningly.

"She was planning some virus to mess up the Hunters computersystem, last time I heard from her."

"Who was."

"Jesse Kinkade. Our dear Margo's daughter. If she releases that thing before we get to the center we're all in trouble."

"Can you find her."

Lisa turned to Lilin. "Yes."

"Then go stop her."

"Grannie?"

"Go Lisa."

Lisa stood up and took her coat.

"Grannie?"

Lilin nodded reassuringly.

"Go."

Lisa didn't dare look back

----------

Lilin had finally crawled in her bed. Kronos had first taken a room. She'd taken the one farthest away from his. She'd seen Rowan taking the couch while Donovan had locked the hunter up in the third room. Margo and Stella shared the fourth one. Her last sight before closing the door was seeing Donovan leaned back up against the Hunters door.

She turned around one last time. Her head hit the pillow and she couldn't help dozing of. She was terrified to dream but she knew she couldn't stop it.

** Horsemen camp **

The sun was shining friendly and Lilin was basking in its rays. Her fingers kneaded through the paste she was preparing. She picked up some of the flower and spread some over the meat before slowly holding it over the fire.

Kronos was looking at her again. Danni didn't try to hide, she was to terrified to stop her work. He came over and took a look at the meal she was preparing. He picked up a piece of the meat. "Good job Danni."

The girl couldn't help blushing, grateful under the compliment. He brushed through her hair. "Very good."

Nothing more had happened that day. The slave Danni had enjoyed her work. Her master had been pleased and no more pain was suffered than was necessary She fell asleep with a smile on her face. Her sleep undisturbed.

** Present **

For a moment Lilin woke up shivering. Shame came over her. She'd been happy. Happy, with the Horsemen. She'd known there had been good days like that, but she'd never wanted to admit it. It was easier if she only thought of the bad days. Easier to hate them.

She turned around and tried to fall asleep again, unaware that in the room next door, the hunter Charlie Rivers was working on her ropes.

Almost ready to make her escape.

Part Sixteen

Charlie was left alone in one of the bedrooms. She was still tied, but the ropes were beginning to loosen with her constant squirming and the bonds on her wrist were becoming slippery with her blood.

After about an hour she was able to get one wrist free and then another. Hot tears streamed down her face from the searing pain the rope burn caused. Donovan was stupid for leaving her unwatched. She waited quietly, almost afraid to move. The suite was quiet.

She looked around the room for an escape. Then tip toed to the door and peeked underneath it. Donovan was there leaning against it. Her eyes found the window. Carefully she made her way to it and pulled it open. Groaning as she saw how high they were. But it was the only way out. Quickly she slipped out and balanced herself on the narrow ledge. To the right of her was the balcony. She made her way to it, inching her way along the edge. It was all she could do to keep from looking down.

Charlie breathed a huge sigh of relief when her hands touched the cold steel of the railing. Carefully she vaulted over the rail and onto the balcony. From the balcony she could see a ladder that led to the roof. It took some careful balancing of tables and patio chairs but soon she found herself on the roof via the flimsy ladder.

Breathing heavily and almost crying from the feeling of relief, she began to form a plan. She had to find Owen Fisher. He had to know about Stella. She got her second wind, no longer caring how loud she was, and ran as fast as she could to the service elevator. Within minutes she was racing through the lobby and into a pay phone. <Those stupid immortals won't even know what hit 'em. They're going to have the whole bloody IRS down on their heads. > She thought to herself as she dialed the number to Owen's cell.

----------

Owen Fisher's cell phone began to ring. Causing him to jump slightly. He excused himself from the room and stepped out into the hall.

"This better be good." He said gruffly.

"Mr. Fisher. I don't know if you remember me, but my name is Charlie Rivers. I served under you last year." Said a female voice on the other end. He searched his mind and vaguely remembered an attractive girl by that name. She had no head for her kinda work but she always seemed to get by.

"Yes. Miss Rivers. I'm not in the mood for interviews right...."

"You'll want to hear this. It's about Stella Reyme, your niece." Owen caught his breath in his throat. "Continue" He said calmly.

"She's in the Denver Hilton, but she's not alone. She's got some heavy issue immortals around her. I'm sorry mister Fisher, but I think she's there voluntarily."

"How many." He said as he began to form a strategy in his head.

"Three immortals at least. Three mortals. I'm not sure how Stella fit into it all."

"Stay there and out of sight. Tell no one else about this. I will be there soon with reinforcement in a couple of hours. If she leaves I want to know immediately." Fisher didn't bother to wait for her answer. He burst back into the room. announcing loudly to Laura, not caring who was in the room. "They found her. I'm leaving. I'll keep you posted."

And with that he was gone.

Even before Fisher reached the car he was rounding up the best hunters in Denver. All of them ready to lay down their lives for Owen. He would keep the operation small. Four hunters not counting him and Charlie. It would be a small attack, but powerful. They'd grab Stella and leave before the others had time to react. All he wanted was Stella.

*********

He pulled up to hotel at half past four in the morning. A young brunette darted from out of the shadows and approached the car. Her eyes were puffy and red, skin flushed. Her wrists were raw to the point of bloody. Owen opened the door and wearily she crawled in.

"What the hell happened to you?" Owen said as she examined the haggard girl.

'They had me. They had me tied up in their room but I escaped. I bet they haven't even figured out I I'm gone yet." She looked around her.

Shocked at only finding Owen there. "I thought you were bringing reinforcements."

"They're coming, meeting me here. Let me see your wrists." he said as he reached under the seat for a first aid box. "This is going to hurt." he said as he began to wash her wrists. She flinched as the liquid began to sting. "Now, why don't you tell me what happened. How did Stella look? Have they figured out she is my niece."

"Yes, I...I...umm...told them."

Owen looked over at her. Anger flashed in his eyes. He grabbed her upper arm roughly. "YOU TOLD THEM" He shook her hard, causing her to cower back in the corner of the seat. "What the hell did you think you were doing? If you put Stella in danger...if she is dead. Then I will have no problem with killing you myself. " He threw the rest of the bandages at her. "I better not see you out of this car. I'm going to check some stuff out." He slammed the door and walked into the hotel.

----------

Stella woke up before the others. It was a couple minutes past four and it wasn't worth going back to sleep. She might as well make use of the bathroom before the rush. Grabbing her backpack she quietly made her way to the bathroom and shut the door before turning on the lights.

She stared at her reflection, shocked at how different she looked. It wasn't just the physical changes like the new hair. It was her attitude. Her eyes were tired, her smile weak. Her posture slumped.

Stella hated to admit it but she was broken.

"Immortality doesn't agree with you, girl." She said to her reflection as she peeled off her wrinkled clothes throwing them on the floor.

A hot shower was just what she needed. The water was so hot it actually hurt, but she didn't adjust the temperature. At least not at first. Soon the steam became to much and she found it hard to breathe.

Besides it was make her sleepy again. The others were stirring when she turned off the water and stepped out. Today she felt blue, so she pulled on a pair of light blue jean shorts and a baby blue tank top.

Wrapping a towel around her wet hair she opened the door and sat on the couch. Savoring the quiet of solitude, while she brushed out her wet hair. A solitude that didn't last long. Lights began to pop up all around the sweet as the dead began to rise, so to speak.
----------

Lilin woke up slowly. She still felt tired even after a night sleep. Nightmares had kept invading her dreams. It was just like all the times Methos had stayed over with her and Temlan, only a hundred times worse. Even if she didn't have a single flashback for over a century, one minute in his presence would ruin her nights for weeks to come.

She breathed deeply, trying to pull away any proof of the dreams effects. She was glad there were separate bathrooms for every bedroom.

She flushed some water through her face and started applying some make up. No more than the day before, just enough to hide the growing lines under her eyes. She just couldn't show weakness. Not now.

Her bag was standing on the bed. She took out a tightfitting shirt and pants. A skirt or a dress would hinder her in a fight. Then she carefully took out the dark leather coat from underneath, pulling it on. She knew the dark clothing would make her look even paler than she usually was but it would fit the job. To finish it of she tied her hair up in a ponytail on top of her head, making sure it wouldn't be in the way while she had to fight. She'd put on the bivak cap if possible. Anything to keep them from getting videoshots of her. They had to keep the guards from finding out who they were as long as possible.

----------

Kronos being the ever practical Horseman, had chosen the room with the fire escape right outside the window. After all he was sharing a suite with not one person he trusted, some were mortals who knew how to kill him, and that just did not go over well with the ancient immortal.

He slept fully clothed, and with one eye open, as he had for the last four millennium. His arms were folded serenely across his chest, and his legs crossed at the ankles as he lay across the top of the green and pink paisley bedspread of the Hilton issue bed covering. His hair, which he had just cut himself a week ago, was already starting to look a bit shaggy around the base of his neck, giving him a rugged look.

He reached up his right hand, the one with a few silver scars on it from a tousle with another boy when he was twelve and brushed a jet lock away from his ear.

With that motion a sound made it's way to his aural canal and called his attention away from his half sleep. It was the sound of too much silence. Never a good thing in a room full of people. Someone was missing. Someone had left camp without permission. That was never a good thing.

He rose as quick as a cat from the bed, not even the springs in the mattress squeaked, as if somehow they were afraid of the man too. He opened the door between his room and the living area, and felt Lilin's strong Quickening wind it's way up his legs and settle into his spine like a nice jolt of static electricity. It wasn't the girl who was trying to leave, he knew that much. One more room between the living room and the Girl' room.

It was the Hunter. She was free, and she was missing. With a wide sweeping gesture Kronos wiped clean the dresser full of perfume bottles, hotel bibles, and pens onto the floor. He was fuming, he was now out for blood.

If none could be spilled tomorrow, why not tonight?

"No one leaves the camp until I say." His voice seemed exceptionally loud in the calm still of the night. "Wake up, we have to go hunt a Hunter." He snarled as he proceeded to open every door in the four room suite as his anger came to a boil.

----------

Lilin was startled when she heard his words.

"Not now."

'If that damn fool ..." she shrugged it of, she couldn't start blaming Donovan now. They didn't have the time for this. They would have to spread out, find that bitch before she could call for back up. Who knows how long the damn hunter had been out already.

Maybe it was simply to late and they should just leave as fast as possible, making their escape before the Hunters barged in on them.

"Welcome to life as an immortal miss Reyme. I hope you like it."

She went back to her room and quickly pushed her stuff in her bag. If it had been just the clothing she would have left the thing behind. But there was more in it than that. Things that could endanger her children, the underground or even herself. Things she couldn't allow the Hunters to find.

Part Seventeen

"Don't worry Kronos, she'll come back to us and if I judge hunters right bring her friends with her. I think a change of address is in order ." Pestilence threw Rowan a death glare

Margo was brushing her hair as she walked into the room. "Damn I knew we should have killed her when we had the chance. Don you and I are going to have a long talk about this. Rowan's right about one thing we can't stay here any longer. Kronos, your the group leader. Most of us are good fighters but who knows how many hunters are on their way. If we run I have a place for us to go , but we must leave soon. Well what is it to be? "

----------

It was almost dawn and the rest of Owen teams had arrived. Ready and willing to do what ever it took to get Stella back. A short team meeting in a dark corner formulated the plan.

'They are probably going to leave," Owen said with a hushed whisper. "I don't believe they're stupid enough to stick around now that their presence isn't a secret anymore. We surround them and grab my niece. Try to keep the guns out of it. But if it does come down to it then let's try to keep the civilian count low. Any questions?"

The others shook their heads and got up to take positions. Two sat on a set of chairs their backs to the elevator their eyes on Owen, who would give the signal for the attack. He stood, leaning against the wall next to Charlie, who was watching the security cameras behind the guards desk. He glared at the girl as she chewed her fingers watching nervously the comings and going of the hotel. A camera was trained on the hall where their suite was. Stella was here, he could feel her. The other three hunters were spread out, ready to pounce.

----------

Lilin looked out her window, there was a unmarked car standing there. It made her hair stand up in the back of her neck. "Kronos?" She shivered slightly as her former master joined up behind her. "Hunters?" She nodded. "The fire escape is out then." "They're probably all over the lobby by now."

Both of them joined the others in the main room. "We might still have a chance." she whispered just loud enough for Kronos to hear.

He turned to her.

Under his glare she continued a bit louder. "They might be unwilling to hit the mortals downstairs. If we go through the lobby we might use the civilians as shielding. As long as they don't start shooting we might still have a chance to get away. Maybe even take some hostages to prevent them from following.

Rowan who was standing close to them spoke up "We could set off the fire alarms. That will cause the mortals to panic. Make it easier for us to get away. I have a few new toys I was saving for later but now is a good time.''

Rowan handed them two black things that looked like wrist braces but the backs were thicker and the had two metal rods protruding an inch over the knuckles. Rowan put one on 'It's a stunner. It won't activate unless you close your fist and press your fingers to your palm. This thing will drop a full grown man in his tracks. It won't kill him but it will take him out of our way for a few. Aside of that I've got tranc pistols, and smoke bombs. Everyone believes Immortals don't carry guns, so if mortals start to fall like they've been shot every one will think it was the hunters shooting in to the crowd. Well, what do you think? I like a good fight as much as the next person but, now is not a good time to fight. We'll have that later."

"No one walks away from a fight." Kronos stated. His nerves seemed tight enough to hum. It was Hunters, and by the looks of it, quite a few of them. He ran a sword worn hand through his hair after Lilin went to see what the bookworm wanted. This was turning out to be one hell of a plan. Things were downright chaotic. His team was full of children, and fledglings. They lost their hostage, and the lobby was now filling with Hunters. Well he always did like a challenge.

"The fire alarm is good. It will get anyone I don't want to kill out of the way." That was as close as the Horsemen got to sparing a life, or compassion. "We should break off in two teams, one down each stairwell, meeting in the lobby. Try to take hostages. Hunter hostages." he repeated to drive in his point a little more, he didn't want an piddly desk clerks or sobbing maids, he wanted people the Hunters would actually care about. "If they fight, kill them." He chewed off a piece of ragged thumbnail and spit it casually to the ground. "Danni." He said reverting back to his days in charge of the Horsemen. "You lead one team down the west stairs, and I will take the other down east." The Horseman hated putting a former slave in charge, but in the room full of people he didn't trust, he found himself not trusting her the least.

----------

Stella watched from the couch as the scene unfolded. Kronos and Lilin were obviously upset by something, but they spoke in such hushed tones that she only got bits and pieces. It wasn't until Rowan spoke up that she finally put two and two together. She drew her knees up to her chest as she listened to the plan, praying silently that no of the hunters would recognize her and run to tell her uncle. That's all she needed now.

Rowan had definitely come prepared. Stella had never seen much fire power in one place. She hoped they wouldn't give her a gun. She knew how to shoot, her uncle saw to that, but she hated them. It made her sick to hold them.

"So, who goes with whom She asked as he began to pack up.

Margo was not sure about all of this but she was sure of one thing. The other Immortals had to be freed. Going over to Kronos "Kronos I need to ask you something. I know all about you. Dallas raised me, and Methos was a friend of his. I have heard you called many things, most not very nice, but noone ever said you would not finish what you started. All I know is that if anything happens, will you still help the others free the Immortals in the compound? "

Margo hoped his answer would be yes, but Dallas told her with Kronos no one could ever tell what he was going to do.

If there was one thing Kronos hated in the world it was bleeding heart mortals, didn't she know in the end there can be only one? Being a man not big in stature, but big in attitude he found himself looking nearly eye to eye with the old woman. The scowl which seemed to have etched itself permanently on his visage seemed a bit more lined than usual. His lips turned down slightly at the corners and his brow furrowed in thought. He had no idea what he was going to do when he got to the compound where they were testing the immortals, he did know he would get Methos out, and finish his part of the bargain and get the wretched Loki out as well, but as for anyone else, well...

"I make no promises." His mouth finishing what his mind started. He strode off, shunning the weapons offered to him by the others. He was as skilled with his fists as he was with his sword, and he had no problem breaking a neck or two with his own calloused hands if the occasion arose.

"Danni to the west." He nodded at her for an affirmation of the plan to get out of the hotel hopefully with most everyone in one piece, for they needed quite a bit of help if they were going to free the worlds oldest immortal, therefore the worlds most valuable test subject.

Lilin nodded. "Donovan, Rowan you two are with me." She looked at Kronos to see if he agreed. He didn't seem bothered by it. It was just that she had absolutely no intention whatsoever to take Stella with her.

And she couldn't take care of two mortals. Not in this situation. She took one of Rowans stingers. It was better to have to many weapons and not count on them than to have none.
Donovan gazed through the door, checking out for anyone. Lilin didn't really want him to do so, but she'd learned a long time ago that trying to reason with her stubborn minded greatgrandson was a lost cause.
----------

Stella didn't argue with Lilin's decision either. Kronos seemed more built for fight than the girl, plus he would be much better to hide behind if they started shooting. Lilin's group was already headed out, traveling cautiously down the hall to the western stairs.

Now it was their turn. Kronos turned and gave the girl a dangerous look, which Stella interpreted as "Stay close, don't act stupid." She turned and looked at Margo, who seemed way to calm to Stella.

"Okay," She said to herself as she took a deep cleansing breath.

"You can do this." She kissed her thumb for luck, a little immature but it was hers and it had always worked before.

"There will be no mistakes." Kronos said as he turned out the suite door. His form clad all in black, looked a bit larger then usual, possibly because he was getting into a fight for what very well could be his life. He never feared for life when facing another immortal, the outcome was inevitable, he would win. Hunters were a totally different animal though, they had the means and the lack of morals to break the rules of the game.

The stairwell was cold, as if the air conditioning had been turned on full blast simply for the comfort of those guest who chose to walk the few flights to the lobby rather then take the musty elevator. The crisp air glided across his skin, and he felt a true smile threatening to appear. He rubbed a calloused thumb over his mouth to wipe it away, he didn't want the fledglings to know how much he was enjoying this...at least not yet.

"There will be lot's of Hunters down there." He growled at Stella as they skimmed lightly down the concrete stairs, barely making a sound between them. "They will shoot you, then take your head, and your usefulness has not run out yet, so do not let them." The Horseman studied her young features, looking for some sort of understanding in her face. When he saw it, he opened the door into the lobby, and into a hornet's nest.

Part Eighteen

Charlie spotted them first, coming out of the stairwell. But it was only three of them, Stella and one of the other women being led by the man. The others must have went another way. Damn that bastard Donovan wasn't with them. She wanted a piece of him. Owen noticed a change in
the women posture.

"It's her." Charlie said as she pointed in the direction of the group.

Owen scanned the busy convention crowd searching for his nieces familiar strawberry hair. His eyes finally fell on a her face, He would have passed her right over if he hadn't been careful. The damn underground had already begun altering her appearance.

Owen gave the signal and the hunters began to close in. He began to move closer, placing himself between Stella's group and the only door out.

----------

Stella hadn't even noticed her uncle at first. She had kept her eyes down, careful not to look at anyone in the face. so intent was she on watching her feet, she didn't notice their leader had stopped and she walked right into the back of him. Her heart stopped when she realized
why they had stopped. Her Uncle Owen blocked their escape.

"Uncle...I can explain." She stepped a little closer to her uncle placing herself between her uncle and Kronos.

"You can explain later, honey. Just come with me." He held out his hand to her and for a second she was tempted to take it. Her fingers were inches from his, but a gunshot brought her back to reality. The crowd began to panic and her Uncle was washed away in a sea of fleeing tourists.

Margo grabbed Stella's arm . "Move it child he would have put you in with the others or turned you into something you hated without so much as a thought."

----------

Lilin passed through the halls easily. Donovan was right behind her with Rowan taking the back. She looked at the fire-alarms.

"Now?" She signed at Donnie to wait. She was almost in the lobby when she saw a couple of Hunters standing there. Pull back or go further.

"Now"

Donnie took an ax and hit the alarms.

One of the Hunters saw them and tried getting through the crowded lobby. Both Donovan and Rowan started using their stingers. Lilin waited back a bit.

As people started falling around them, one of the Hunters guns accidentally went of.

"Perfect."

She kicked the nearest hunter in the groin and ducked through an empty place to avoid him. People started running for the exits.

"Get those immies!" One of the Hunters shouted.

She clicked her tongue. A second Hunter was just close enough. The man tried to hit her but she blocked him and before he could react he had a gun pointed at his head.

"One hostage coming right up Rowan."

She smiled, invigorated by the sensation of adrenaline coursing through her in a fight.

Rowan pulled a syringe out of her pocket. "Hi big boy. Don't worry this will just make you more complacent. Unlike the stuff you guys use this is harmless."

Rowan injected the hunter in the neck. The man's eyes glazed over and a silly smile came on his face. "Now he will go where ever we lead him and no fighting back. Wish I would have thought of this last night, saved us a lot of trouble."

Rowan lead the now drugged and very happy hunter by the arm. "Lil we had better get out of here fast. My car has a full tank."

A hunter came at Rowan she pushed her new pet against the wall, pulling out a knife she slashed the man from groin to neck. The man just stared as he saw his uniform gaped open showing what he was wearing underneath. "You know I hate to tell you this but pink is not your color."

Lilin couldn't help a smile from showing up on her face. Then she was attacked again. Two hunters at once this time. She saw Donovan fighting the crowd to get by her side. She ducked to avoid getting hit. One of the Hunters started grabbing for his gun as soon as he was near enough. She looked at him. Signing for him to come on ahead. The man froze for a second, looking like a fly caught in a spiders web.

"Come on." she whispered ferally.

As the man tried to shoot she turned around pushing the other Hunter in front of her. The man died instantly. The look on the Hunters face was ... indescribable.

A hunter came at Rowan She looked down "Your flie's open." When the man looked down she kicked him in the face, then grabbed him and shoved him into the wall. The other hunter a woman came at her. Rowan waited till she was closer then hit her with the stinger.

----------

Charlie struggled to find the others in the the crowd. The gun she borrowed was draw, pressed tightly against her right thigh. From all sides she was getting knocked and shoved as people tried to get out of the way. Then she saw him, Donovan. Anger welled up in her body as she caught his gaze. He had tricked her, used her affections against her.

He gave her a wicked smile, almost as if he was rubbing in the fact that he was getting away scot free. Charlie couldn't take it. Ignoring everything Owen had said she raised her gun and skillfully aimed it at Donovan's head, But to her horror Donovan had raised his faster. Before she could blink she heard two loud pops and her chest began to burn intensely. She fired back but the force of the blow caused her to miss Donovan by feet, lodging itself in the wall above the crowd.

She hit the ground hard, nearly being trampled by the thinning crowd. She had never felt pain like this before. It became impossible to breath. She closed her eyes tightly as the pain began to spread down her body. Coldness began to grip her as the blood poured from he wounds in her chest. She felt hands on her, shaking her. Owen kneeled next to her, picking her up quickly and put her on a couch out of the way of the stamped. His expression looked grim as he placed his jacket over her to keep her warm, not that it would help.

'Hold on for me." He told her as he check his gun one last time and rose, heading off in the crowd again.

----------

"No more mister nice guy." Owen said to anyone close enough to hear. He had lost Stella in the crowd and he was frantic to find her again before they managed to get her out. He thought he had seen her, but it was total chaos in the lobby. He heard his name off to the right. He half expected it to be one of his, but instead a young man stood facing him down, His gun drawn.

"Do I know you?" He said as he raised his hands above his head, moving his trigger finger into place.


"I doubt it." Donovan still didn't trust it. But Kronos had wanted important hostages. How much more important could they get than Owen Fisher himself.

"It's not like you cared when you killed my father."

"Who?"

"Marcus Moore. Son of Dehlia Moore who was the daughter of Thomas and Lilin Moore. You killed both my father and grandmother you bastard. And now you'll pay the price for that."

Donovan got ready to pull the trigger.

Owen could see the man's trigger finger start to itch and years of training took control. The kid never had a chance. In a blink of an eye the boy lay on the carpet, his hands covering the bullet hole that shattered his right thigh. He screamed in agony as two hunters converged on him, ready to end his life, Owen stopped him. "No. We'll keep this one alive. We can interrogate him later." He kneeled down next to the boy and put his hand on the boy's bloody leg. "I remember
your father. He was a hard man to kill. It took hours for him to die and even then he wouldn't give us anything." He squeezed Donovan's wound, smiling as the boy cried out. "Let's hope for your sake that it doesn't take you as long because I'm in a hurry." He motioned for the two to take the man away and he went back to find his niece, but it seemed a little to late. She was nowhere to be seen.

----------

Stella was in shock. She knew her uncle would find out sooner or later, but she hadn't thought it would be like this. She was glad Margo was there to pull her through the crowd and out the front door. She opened the car door and pushed Stella into the front seat, telling her to keep low. The others would be here as soon as they make it out.

Margo shut the door after her and ran back in.

So there she sat, sunk low in the seat, her feet propped up on the dash board. All around her the sound of chaos. She hugged her bare legs regretting her choice of wardrobe. It seemed like an eternity before any one joined her in the car. And of course it had to be Kronos. She just rolled her eyes and stared straight ahead. Like he said himself, don't talk to him, don't look at him.

----------

Max Hess watched the show that was going on. He decide to give the family of the hunter who informed him a bit extra, since the hunter was now dead. Fisher was a fool. One of Max's favorite pawns in the game he played. Even though most people knew who Max was, most of them had no idea that he got the base ingredients for most of his drugs from Immortals and some mortals who found out about him. Even the workers at the farm thought they worked for the government. Everyone saw Max as a rich do gooder. The kind who was always helping others. Even the great Owen Fisher.

Then Max saw them. Two prizes and one of them Fisher's niece "Wilson, do you see them in the blue car and man and a young woman?"

Wilson had been an orderly at one of the compounds when he was fired for raping some of the younger looking Immortals. "Yes, Mr. Hess. The man is on the hunter's Ten most wanted list, the girl is unknown,"

"Wilson would you be so kind as to plant a bug on their car I want them. Mostly I want the man he is lovely "Max leaned back in his set dreaming of what he would do to this wonderful creature.

----------

Rowan pulled her gun free, aimed at the sprinkler and fired. Water rained down on them. "Now would be a good time to leave while they are still caught off guard."

Lilin agreed. She turned to call for Donovan. Where the hell was he? Suddenly she saw him face off against Fisher. To many people were between them. She couldn't hear what they were saying but a gunshot rang through the air and she could see Donnie go down.

If it weren't for Rowan she would have ran up to Fisher and killed him with her bare hands. Lilin took out her gun but before she could shoot Fisher kneeled down. "We have to leave Lil."

"No we can't leave Donnie."

"And get us captured as well? What do you think he'd say if his greatgrandmother got captured because of him? It's to late Lil. We have to go now, no choice about it.

Lilin was about ready to fight it but didn't get the chance. Rowan pulled her along outside. There were two many Hunters both inside and outside. No way for them to get to Rowans car.

Lilin pulled their hostage in front of her, holding a gun to his head. The look on her face was clear. 'Try and stop us and he dies.'

----------

Upon entering the lobby, the ancient Horseman felt as if he had been bombarded with every Hunter known to the world right now. Of course this was not true, because out of the corner of his eye he saw the bookworm and her toys go to work on one Hunter, while a few of the others fought them off as well. Kronos himself was fending off five.

They had known he was here, and they wanted him alive, so not one had a sword, Pestilence dispatched of the first man to approach him easily. he reached forward and smashed the hardest part of his head, the crown right into the mans nose sending fragments of bone into his soft pliable brain.

The second man was not so easy, it took a little more than a minute to wrestle the knife from him and slit his throat from ear to ear. 'Oops to the no killing rule.' He grinned and thought to himself as he grabbed the third man's head between his strong and calloused hands. He twisted and the crackling sound of bone on bone filled his ears as the man's neck splintered and shattered in his hands. Dead weight rested in his arms as he threw the body against the fourth man.

The last man in the attack against the Horseman was named Jeff Stanford. He hated immortals more then anything in the world. He had no idea that he himself would be one someday. Kronos on the other hand did, and thought instead of killing him and sending him into his death, he would cripple the man, so when his immortality showed itself he would think he was cursed.

Kronos pulled the dead man off the live Hunter who was struggling beneath the heavy weight. He placed his boot on Jeff's right hand, and ground his heel deeply into the flesh. Screams of pain and agony filled the air, a symphony to the corrupted immortal's ears. He repeated this process with each hand, making sure each bone was crushed and pulverized, so even when he healed after weeks of surgeries and casts, he would still be unable to hold anything heavier
then a fork.

Kronos then broke the man's ankles in the same manner, intent on creating a mortal cripple, and eventually an immortal who would beg for death. He leaned down and whispered in the crying man's ears.

"Tell the Hunters Pestilence did this to you. If you hurt now, wait until you see what Death can do." he was speaking of Methos, and how he hoped his brother's bloodthirst had not slacked after his years in captivity.

With that said, the Horseman strode out of the lobby unscathed and sat behind the drivers seat of the waiting car. He had one passenger already. He sat in silence waiting for the rest.

----------

Margo saw Donovan go down, and Fisher catch him. She was not going to let another one of her people suffer at the hands of those beasts. Drawing her gun. "Get away from him you monsters."

Owen's head came around to follow the noise. He saw the women come at him, gun drawn. He raised his own and fired, but missed by inches hitting a civilian in the back. Margo fired striking Owen in the shoulder, spinning him around. She wouldn't get a chance to do that again. He rolled on his back and fired twice. He could tell by the look on the women's face, his bullets hit their mark.

Margo didn't feel the bullets hit her. She only saw the blood comes from the holes they left in her. Her legs gave way as she went to the floor. Every sound was far away as her life left her. Her thoughts were not on her self. { Jesse baby I wish I could have been a better mother to you, so much I wanted to tell you, to say to you. Now I'll never be able to. I love you Baby hang strong for me, pray for me please. }

"I love you Jesse Baby."

The old woman never heard them say she was dead.

Part Nineteen

Rowan made it to the car first. She opened the door and dove in. Stella turned sideways in the seat to search for the other three in the crowd. Shortly after Lilin joined them telling Kronos to drive. He popped the car in drive and squealed out of the parking lot. Pedestrians dove out of the way to avoid getting hit. "Wait, what about the others? Donovan? Margo?" Stella asked as she buckled her seat belt.

Lilin looked at her sharply. Trying to get the fledgling to shut up with her eyes. How dare that ... child ask her.

"Margo's dead." Rowan brought in. "Donovan might as well be. "The younger immortal paused a few seconds "Fisher captured him."

Lilin looked at Rowan. Did she have to say it that way. She still remembered finding Donnie after Dehlia and Marcus died. The blood filling the room. The sign of burnmarks on the elderly womans body. Who knows what that monster might do to Donnie now.

The boy hadn't cracked the last time the Hunters had gotten their hands on him. They'd tortured him, aside even of the usual beating and he'd given them nothing.He still bore the scars.

----------

The pain in Owen's shoulder was intense but he pushed it to the back of his mind. He looked around the lobby and shook his head. He was going to catch a lot of hell for this one. Four dead civilians, two dead hunters, a couple of more injured. A hotel lobby in shambles with
no positive results and no Stella. HE walked back over to Charlie, who was fading quickly. HE shook her back to consciousness.

"Tell me you know their plans." He said as he examined her wound. She nodded weakly and with a dying breath whispered a name. "Pierson."

----------

Stella turned back around and sank lower in the seat. She could feel Lilin's cold stare hitting the back of her head. Now the other immortal had even more reason to hate her and her uncle. Now with Margo gone her line to the underground was severed and with the company of Lilin and the Horseman, her head could follow.

She could tell by the directions Lilin was giving they were headed for the center. They traveled in silence until they were within eyesight of the center. The car was parked behind a clump of trees and they began to make a plan to break the ancient one out.

Rowan took several deep breaths. She needed a clear mind for this. "Lil when we get Methos and Dallas free, I want to get Donovan back. Then I want to hurt those bastards. For every one of us they kill I want to kill ten of them. Till there are no more hunters."

She turned to look at Lilin her eyes red with grief and anger.

----------

"Donovan's the name right." Owen hissed in the boys ear as he sat tied to a chair. "Well Donovan. I need some information. You tell me what I want to know and your free to go. There's been enough killing already don't you think." Donovan didn't answer, but Owen knew he was listening. He pulled out a chair and set it in front of him.

"All you have to do is tell me what Charlie meant when she said Pierson and you can go." The boy still made no attempt to answer so Owen motioned another one of the hunters to come closer. He whispered in the man's ear and a wide grin spread across his face.

"I'm going to leave you with Hendrix while I get this shoulder looked at. I suggest you tell him everything he wants to know, because he takes a sick pleasure in extracting information from people like you."

Owen walked out the door. The sounds of Hendrix's interrogation method coming out from under the door. He usually conducted them himself but he was so angry he might kill the boy.

When Fisher left, Donnie didn't waste time staring after him. He didn't try to keep his screaming in either. It wouldn't help anyway.

<Looks like it's the end this time.>

He tried to remember what Lilin had once told him about handling pain and tried to slip away. This wasn't his body. He didn't feel any pain.

For over an hour he didn't say a word, nothing but screams. He tried to escape the light over his eyes but it didn't help.

"Who's Pierson?" his interrogator asked once again.

< Pierson, Pierson, you won't know. Can't tell on grannie, One two in a horseshoe. >

"Who's Pierson?" He could feel the pain in his stomach as the man hit him. "What is he to your plans."

<Methos, Horsemen>

"Won't find 'Death'." he whispered as in a tune in between gasps of pain."The Horsemen strike, everything's death." < One two in a horseshoe. Three four I saw a crow.>

"What do you want with Pierson. Who is he?"

"So many people all of them dead." Donovan cackled a bit. A mad kind of laughter in between pain. "The Horsemen will ride and the end is nigh. Death will ride again."

The man hit him with a electro-rod and Donovan was pulled forwards against his ropes by the pain of the electricity coursing through him.

"Nobody stops the Horsemen."

He knew he had to get the man mad enough to kill him so he started filling tunes, unable to stop himself from letting thoughts about the Horsemen slip through every once in awhile. Finally he felt himself fading into unconsciousness.

---------

When Owen got back, shoulder patched up, the young man was slumped against the ropes. He looked at Hendrixs who was wiping the blood off his hands onto the Donovan's shirt.

"He didn't give anything useful. He just ranted on about something called the horsemen." Hendrix said. The man seemed more than annoyed by his lack of success.

"Did we tape it?" Owen said as he checked to see if the boy was still alive. He barely felt a pulse.

"Audio and visual." he said as he pointed to the set up in the corner.

Owen replayed the scene, slamming his fist angrily on the table. The boy could take a lot. But that's how he found most IFF member to be. They were trained well when it came to withstanding IRS interrogation methods.

It had already been thirty minutes since he last saw his niece. She could be anywhere by now. And this Pierson was the key to all of this.

He pulled out his cell and dialed his office.

"Angel, it's Owen. I have a name I want you to find the name Pierson. I'm not sure where to find him, but start with the immortal database and then work down to know IFF members."

"Yes, Mr. Fisher. I will get right on it." Owen hung up and gave one last look at Donovan.

"What do you want to do with him?" Hendrix asked calmly while straightening his tie.

"Leave him like that. Don't let him out of your sight. If he wakes up, ask him again. If he dies, he dies."

----------

Lilin was looking at the center when she suddenly felt the presence. Temlan. He was here. She touched the air in front of air as if trying to reach out to him. << Lilin >>, the air whispered her name. She looked at the others, they hadn't noticed a thing.

<< Be careful mi chikir. Do not tempt the lion. >> Temlan, it was him.

She looked at Kronos and the others again. <Don't worry my love. We'll be together soon.>

Stella was already heading into the building.

Part Twenty

"Stella, your the last person I expected to see here." The guard at the front desk jumped straight when he saw her arrive, trying to look busy.

"I just came to clean out my locker. Is it okay." She said as she put one of her bags down by her feet.

"I can't see why not." He said as he buzzed her in. She traveled down the hall quickly, ducking into the locker room. She did quick once over, making sure no one else was in the room. Breathing deeply she went to work. She did everything Kronos and Rowan told her to do.

One bomb at the entrance in the bag she left just out of the guards sight. A small one, just a lot of noise and smoke. At least that's what Rowan said. The bigger one went in her locker. This one would give the staff something to do while she got everyone to the meeting point. She had ten minutes to find both men. It didn't give her much time, but she really didn't have a choice.

The first room she came to was Pierson's, but he wasn't there.

"Great" she said to herself as she stood in his empty room. She snuck down to the dining room peaking in, but he wasn't there either. She looked at her watch, two minutes gone.

"Think, Stella." She said to herself as she leaned heavily against the wall. He wasn't scheduled for any procedures. "Where the hell are you?"

Almost as if the gods had answered her prayers she saw a familiar form walking down the hall. It wasn't Pierson, but he was just as good. She pushed off the wall and ran in his direction, catching his arm. "Dallas, I need to talk to you."

Dallas gave her a hard look. Whispering. "I told you to get away from here. Fisher's been here, and I don't think it was to have dinner with our lady of mercy either. What is going on?"

"I hadn't planned on coming back here, but.." Stella pulled Dallas into an empty room when she heard foot steps coming down the hall. She waited until they passed and began to explain the whole thing. "I didn't want to come back here but it wasn't my idea. Margo...Margo thought I could help. Her watch started to beep, giving her a five minute warning. "Look. I don't have time to explain, but all hell is going to break loose in five minutes and if you want to get out of
this place I suggest you go to the front entrance and wait for the others to come in. Avoid the hall with the doctor's office's and the locker room. It's going to be a mess in a couple of minutes."

Stella poked her head out of the door to see if the coast was clear. "I have one more person to find. See you in a couple of minutes and in case I don't... " She stood on her tip toes and kissed him lightly on the fore head. "Thanks for saving me." And with that she was gone..

----------

This was going crazy fast. Something was going to happen and fast.

Dallas thought for a bit then smiled. He knew of a way to help.

Quickly returning to his room he got what he needed. Then he went to the front. The guards knew him as a plant so they didn't think much as he began to wander around their desks. He walked up to where all the complex's security systems where hooked up, with one swift movement he jammed the metal and plastic tool he had made for that porpoise deep in to the main circuits of the system. Shorting them out.

They would have only a short time before the backups kicked in. He hoped it would be enough time for what ever Stella had came here to do.

Stella was frantic. She could find hide nor hair of Methos. What was she going to tell the others. They definitely were not going to be happy.

She snuck into a security room and began to scan the TV monitors. Still nothing. They couldn't have moved him to another center. It takes miles of paper work and days of planning to move them. He had to be here somewhere. Suddenly the scenes flickered off and systems across the board began to shut off.

"Good thinking, Kinkade" She said as she looked at her watch. Then braced herself for the chaos that would come very soon. "Time to face the music." she said as she walked to the front to wait for them to make their entrance.

The explosion was a lot bigger then she thought it would be. The entire building shook from it. She smiled wearily at Dallas who was already there. Through he smoke she could see forms approach."I couldn't find him." She said to Kronos. "Maybe he's not here anymore"

----------

Laura was calmly sipping her coffee while explaining the Centers work to her new colleague. She was careful to stay away from the more ... offensive parts of her work and gave only hints where most of the means being used where concerned.

The girl seemed strangely calm and the kids look sent shivers rising up on her spine. When the alarms went of, Laura was almost glad they did. It gave her something to concentrate on. For the moment none of the surveillance equipment seemed to be working. She wasn't sure but she thought she heard the sound of explosions outside of her office.

She worked on her laptop for a second and soon an image of the entrance appeared on its screen.

A small group was coming in.

A man and two girls.

She tried to set the cameras to pick up their faces and identify them. It didn't immediately comply. The chaos must be pretty bad. She told her computer to make a link with Fishers phoneline and kept working on the image.

Finally three names came up.

-Melvin Koren
-Rowan
-Lilin Moore

All three immortal and all three on the Uncatchables list. What in the name of God where they doing here?

She quickly paced through their files.

Both Moore and Rowan were confirmed to be several thousands of years old. Koren's age was less confirmed. The Watchers had very rarely spotted him and despite his distinctive mark of a scar on his eye, even they had trouble finding him. The earliest presumption they had to place him was as Vitruvius Calvus in the days of Rome.All three were noted to be extremely dangerous.

Suddenly she saw Stella join with them.

'Oh my God. It can't be.'

----------

"I couldn't find him." She said to Kronos. "Maybe he's not here anymore"

"Oh Methos is here, I can smell him." Kronos growled, he didn't like the fact that he couldn't feel his brother yet, but could sense him as clearly as if he was in front of his face. He stalked off carefully and deftly avoiding the security cameras, for what reason was unknown even to him. They certainly had been spotted and most likely IDs the minute they walked in the door.

'The bomb, the bomb, the bomb.' His mind reminded him as he walked, sniffing out each room like a dog searching for contraband. 'Methos, my brother.' The other half of his ripped mind repeated back. A conversation within the two halves of his mind. The insane half, and the mad half.

Placing his hand on a railing that lined the hallway, he let his hard fingers run along the harder metal surface. It was cold beneath his touch, but his eyes were colder. Rounding the corner he felt the wash of Methos' Quickening run over him like charged silk. He hadn't felt his brother in nearly two thousand years, but he recognized his sensation as surely as if he had been looking in the mirror at his own face.

The electrical zip racing up his back got stronger and stronger with each step, and finally came to a climax right outside a door marked 434. Kronos didn't care if there was a whole team of IRS agents inside he was here with one directive. Get Methos, and leave. The other immortals he was with had silly dreams of getting out their friends or past teachers, dreams that he couldn't possibly care less about.

Methos, his brother was all that mattered to him.

He pulled open the door and was greeted with an empty room, but the sound of shuffling and scurrying met his sensitive ears. It was again the sound of someone trying to leave camp. This wasn't his camp, but it was as black as any place the Horsemen set up their hide and fur tents some millennium ago, but all the same, no one left if he did not want them to.

The sound emanated from a closet, and Kronos pulled open that door without fear, for one who hid in a closet was no danger to him. He did find himself shocked for once today. Methos was there all right, his face contorted almost similar to the pictures the girl had shown him. Not with pain this time, but with pleasure. He had a boy bent over before him, his hands on the younger ones hips, and a soft sheen of sweat covered them both.

"God Dammit Methos." He hissed. Even though the ancient was well of his scarred brother's presence he was at the point where tornadoes, nor bombs could stop him from the task at hand. "I have waited two thousand years to find you, and as the world comes tumbling down
around your ears, you are fucking? Typical." He slammed the closet door back shut, for he would not be witness to the activities in which he had once been a part of, and looked around for something to stab Methos with. He was coming with him 'dead' or alive, and he didn't give a crap about the little boy with him.

Dallas watched as Kronos, Rowan and Lilin walked in to the center. He turned to follow them when he spotted Jon Lighthorse "Jon get out of here and as far away as you can. All hell is about to brake lose and I don't think you want to be here when it does'

Jon did ask what was happening. Dallas had spoken to him for the first time. Which meant for Jon do as he tells you? Leave!

Once Jon was out the door Dallas went after the others. He had been locked up for too long and there was no way he was going to miss the fun now.

Part Twenty one

Methos looked up at the man invading on them. 'Oh great of all people it had to be him.'

Kronos slapped the door shut again and Methos looked at the young immortal across of him.

"Uhm Rich I think we'd better get dressed and quickly, because If I know my brother he's as likely to give me a hand as to put a knife through my heart."

'Are you kidding.' The kids face show he understood all to well. Both of them quickly started pulling their pants back on and came out of the closet.

"Timing?" Methos turned to Kronos. "Ever heard of it?"

He looked leeringly at Richies nude chest. The boys muscles were lined under his pale thin skin.

"Richie this is my 'brother' Kronos. Kronos, this is Richie, my 'Student'. He put an emphasis on the word. Nobody harmed the kid or they would have him to deal with.

"Student." Kronos snorted in disbelief. "When do you teach him to use his sword...the one that kills people?"

"Kro.." Methos started, but the scarred immortal held up his hand, with one finger extended. The universal sign for 'one minute.' He craned his neck, and set his ears on a small thin sound. It was high pitched, almost beyond the range of human ears, but often Kronos fancied himself part wolf. Ferocious and cunning, capable of stealth, and traveled swiftly under the cover of night.

"It's an alarm." He muttered as he opened the door a fraction of an inch and peered one winter ice eye out to survey the area.

"I don't hear anything." Richie stated, as he pulled a white t-shirt over his head.

"Are you coming, or do you want to stay here with your Allievo?" He said the word student in heavily accented Italian, hoping the fact that how it sounded like Alleviate was not lost on Methos. "Because I did not wait two thousand years, and come ten thousand miles to watch you screw." He grumbled and pushed the door closed with a barely audible click.

"I'm coming, but he comes too." Methos stated. He was not arguing with Kronos, not at a time like this. He also knew that because Richie was his student, Kronos would not raise his blade to him, but it didn't mean he wouldn't have someone else do it.

Kronos paused, his hand clasped and unclasped over the hilt of his sword, knowing in one powerful swoop he could take both their heads at the same time, but also knowing if he did it would be like severing his own. Without Methos there would be no Four Horsemen. He looked at Richie, standing their with an annoyed look on his face. It was a face of youth, and with patience, and time his character could be sweetly moulded by Methos and Kronos, and maybe one day Richie, if he gave up that silly name could join the Horsemen. He shrugged in greement,
and released his sword.

"After we leave, we have one more task to complete, I gave my oath." He pulled open the door and stepped out onto the pale blue linoleum floor of the center. He was looking for someone he came in with. Methos had been acquired, an now it was time to go before anyone who could prove useful had their head removed by an overeager Hunter.

----------

Richie looked at the man. He couldn't really understand why, but something about the guy gave him the shivers. It wasn't the strangers appearance. Richie had stared bigger men down and had lived to talk about it. No.Something about this one just didn't feel right.

He took up a shirt and threw another one at Methos. Kinda easy when all your stuff was spread over the floor. He knew that no matter how long he lived, he would do anything to avoid ever wearing the color blue again.

Methos had said he was his student. Part of him wanted to fight the claim. What about MacLeod? But one look at Methos' 'brother' had convinced him that being Methos' student might be the safest position for him to be in.

The guy seemed to discard him with one look. His talk with Methos was short, showing him that they'd leave quickly.

Then Richie noticed the girl standing behind him. He recognized her almost instantly. The doctors aid that died. What was she doing here?

He hesitated a second. A young girl appeared in the door. She looked barely in her teens.

"We're losing precious time Kronos."

Methos turned to her, a look of apprehension in his eyes.

"Lilin." the words came out in a near whisper.

"Brother of my husband."

'huh who the hell was this kid and what was she to Methos. "I ... wasn't expecting you here."

So Methos knew her, now if only he could give a nice short introduction.

Then again, she did talk about a husband.

They went outside and were barely halfway the hall when a group of orderlies started coming their way. The seemingly harmless teenager took out a gun and pointed it at them. "We can do this the hard way, or my way. Your choice of course." Several of them put in an attack.

The men didn't get far, the first six where shot by the gun, the last two died with knives in their guts. Richie hadn't even seen where the weapons came from. No hesitation, not even any flinching. Each of them had hit their targets.

Richie had to take an extra breath.

"Can I take one of those?" he finally dared ask. She pointed at him and Methos invitingly. "Why not."

The young immortal quickly wiped the blood on the dead guards shirt and held the knife in his grip. Not his favorite weapon. Before getting up again, he also grabbed one of the guards stinger and another ones gun. From the back of his eyes he could see that Methos was doing the same thing.

----------

Mac opened her eyes and saw that she was in her room. "I guess the exam is over," she thought out loud. Suddenly she remember the little boy that held her hand during the worse of the "exam." ' Goddess, I hope he is OK,' she thought. She decided to go looking around the center to look for a weak point in security. She did that every time she was moved.

She walked down every hall counting the cameras and checking the doors and windows every chance she got. Suddenly, all Hell broke loose. There was an explosion somewhere close and the lights went out. In the dark, Mac heard the sound of several running guards. Not wanted to be found in the wall, Mac went to the first door she came too and tried to open it, but found it locked. Using her shoulder, Mac broke the door opened and slid inside, the door had just closed when the guards ran past.

'Damn that was close,' she thought as she leaned against the door and looked around the room,' What the hell is this place?'. In the red glow of the emergency light, she saw shelves of boxes. She walked over to the one of the shelves and pulled a box down to look in it.

On the side of the box was written Richard Ryan. When she pulled off the top, she saw it was filled with a manilla envelope and clothes. She reached in and grabbed the envelope, on the outside someone had written first a name 'Richard Ryan' and the number attached to it. Inside was a wallet, a set of keys, and other stuff you would find in someone's pockets.

"This is the stuff they took off of us, when they first caught us," she realized as she looked in the other envelopes. She left the box on the floor and started looking at the other boxes on the shelves. "Pierson, Byron, Cullen, Constantine, yes here it is Monqiue Crusher.", she said as she pulled the box off the shelf and ripped the top off. Inside was along with the envelope was a backpack, a pair of jeans, a T-shirt, a pair of hiking boots, and her leather jacket. After changing into her old clothes, she opened the envelope and looked inside. Along with her wallet, she found her wedding ring and her IFF bracelet. She slid them on and dumped the rest in her backpack. While most of her weapons had long been destroyed, she thanked the Goddess that they hadn't found the false bottom of the backpack as she pulled out her spare hand gun and hunting knife. Securing her weapons in easy reach, she walked to the door and looked out to see if it was safe.

Once she saw the coast was clear, she stepped out and headed in the direction of the explosion. Maybe she could get out there. When she rounded the corner, she saw a group of immortals step out of a room, but only two looked like they were from the center. ' The others must be freed immortals', she thought as she observed them for a moment in the shadows.

She had decided to follow them to find their way out of the center, when she saw an orderly step out of another room. She remembered this guy from one of the other centers she had been in. He had raped countless of immortal, men and women alike, and never got caught. She also saw that the group down the hall hadn't seen him or the gun he had aimed at them. She pulled out her gun and placed the silencer on it as she slowly walked towards the man. Without warning, she grabbed the hand holding the gun crushed it and spun him around.

Aiming her gun at his groin, she looked at him calmly and stated," Guess what happens now" just before she pulls the trigger and blows his balls off. Before he had a chance to scream in pain, she put another bullet in his brain and dropped the lifeless body on the floor.

She looked over at the group and slowly walked over to them and asked," OK. Are we just going to stand here or get out of this Hellhole?"

----------

Dr Mendez turned to her son that was sleeping on a cot in her office. With all that had happened she hadn't had time to bring him home.She looked at the screens and at the immortals attacking them.

"José." She nudged him at the shoulder. "Come on sweetheart." she pulled the half sleeping boy up and brought him to a closet in the back of her office. Pulling a blanket over him. "Stay quiet ok sweetie."

When her son was safe she left her office and headed up to security.

Part Twenty two

When Laura was gone, Becky locked the door securely, whispered a prayer, and stepped to the monitors to watch the events unfolding. /I can't go anywhere... I can't even call Anthony to come and pick me up and take me someplace safe... thank God this office doesn't have windows.../

She sighed, and the old monster in the shell of a child resigned herself to waiting.

Dallas headed to Mendez's office. There were two things he needed to do, one to prevent the back ups from coming on line. The keys to the back up room where in her office. Then to get her son out and safe. Mendez had no right bringing him here. The kid was in danger. Sooner or later someone would remember he was there and try to use him to get free. Dallas knew the hunters would kill the boy first.

When Dallas opened the door he saw the old one there. Bowing his head respectfully "Lady, there are things I need in this room. And I don't think this is a good place for one of your kind. It is only a matter of time before the hunters get here. I know they can't really harm you, but I my self would rather not have them find out about your kind."

/So... he *does* know./ She lifted her chin proudly. "I can't go anywhere. Dawn is too close. And the boy is under my supervision; if he goes anywhere, it is with me." She folds her arms implacably across her chest, staring boldly up into the Immortal's face.

Dallas almost smiled. He liked this one. He only hoped she had the ass to back her self up. " I need the key to the back up room. I have to put the system back ups out before they come on line. The longer it takes the outside world to find out about what's going on, the better.

After I leave lock and block the door. No one should really bother you till the hunters arrive. If I can I'll try to find a way to get you out of here, if not leave as soon as it's dark enough. Once you get free please put a personnel add in the papers to a Jamie Bishop. Let me know that you and the boy are all right and if there is any thing I can do for you. "

Dallas went to the desk, soon her had the key he needed. " Like I said if I can find away to get you out of here before dusk I will, if not take care of yourself and the boy. "

She nodded faintly, her lips pressing into a line. "I'll do what I can."

José peeked through an opening in the door.

'What were they talking about?'

The girl looked at him and he startled back. He tried to look as little as possible when she opened the door and looked at him.

"Mom said to stay here." he tried.

The immortal looked at him with big friendly eyes. José wasn't sure what to do, what about Michael? What about mom and dad?

"I know, José, I know. But there's some bad people that would try to hurt you if they found you. Besides..." She sighs softly. "You know what your mom does, don't you?"

José nodded helplessly. Did the immortal know it too? He'd seen some of his mothers work today.

"I have to go home." He tried to come up with a really good reason, but he couldn't think of any that the girl and the immortal might accept.

"I can't take you anywhere outside, José. I wish I could. It would probably be safest for the two of us to just stay here until its dark, when the bad people are gone." Becky's heart welled with pity, and reached over to touch the boy's cheek with her cold fingers.

Dallas knelled down next to Becky. "She's right. Some of my people are very upset with what has been done to them. Most just want to get out and get their lives back but some want pay back. And I'm sorry to say this, but they won't care right now who they give that pay back to.

So you two stay here, I got to go disable the back ups. Lock the door if someone tries to get in stay quite, that way they'll think on one is in here. As soon as you can leave and get as far away from here as you can." Becky nods mutely at the instructions.

Dallas headed for the door. "Lady can I talk to you Please."

"Ah, sure." Becky gets up carefully and goes to follow him to the door.

José froze up, looking at the big immortal. He stood talking to the girl for a while and José wondered about things. He got up to his moms desk and accidentally pressed one of the buttons.

The screens in front of them jumped on and José could see his mom in the lead of an armed group of guards. A group of people, probably immortals stood opposed to them. A young teenage girl in front of them. A girl that would have been beautiful if her face hadn't been soiled with blood and if her eyes didn't seem to call out for more

----------

Lilin looked at the woman with a feral grin and nodded the way.

Adrenaline was coursing through her, with her. When more Hunters came she ran in the middle of the fight. Fighting alongside her former master Kronos, defending eachothers back as if they'd done so countless times before.

The no-killing rule had fallen through the moment the Hunters had attacked them at the hotel and she'd been forced to leave Donnie behind. Her knives were thick with mortal blood and she could see the look on Methos' boys face. He seemed in some sort of shock.

Following them, fighting, but keeping in. As if he were afraid to kill.

Rowan came up with unknown immortal that had joined them. Both firing at the guards trying to stop them.

Suddenly a door went open and a woman appeared in front of the opening. "Mendez." she heard Methos say.Lilin had heard about her.

The director of the Center. Everything done here was done under her orders. Lilin looked her in the eye. For a moment the two groups stood frozen. One one side a group of immortals willing to do anything to get out on the other side a group of Hunters willing to do anything to stop them.

She liked the odds.

----------

Richie heard Methos whisper her name.

Mendez.

Shivers started building up from his gut. He tightened his grip on the knife.

Mendez Mendez.

< Don't try and stop us. > His mind cried out.

< I won't let anything stop us. Noone captures me again. >

She stood there. The guards guns were raised. She wasn't going to let them go. One woman between them and outside. He threw the knife almost unconsciously.

Nothing would stop them. Nothing.

Mendez grabbed for something to hold on to as she fell. Blood came sipping from the top of her forehead where the knife had somehow hit her.

The young immortal had to force himself to breath. She was dead.

She'd never hurt him or Methos ever again. He wasn't sure why, but he couldn't be happy.
Someone was dead. A mortal. And he was responsible.

The guards looked at them, their weapons raised to shoot. Richie turned to them, forcing a cold look on his face, the terror at killing pushed down deep inside of him.

"Who's next?"

Most of them attacked, only a few were smart enough to run for it..

----------

Dallas had left the office. He headed for the room where the back up system was. On his was he saw Dr. Mendez laying on the floor. Looking down at her. "

Dear lady you should have stayed home with your son today. You both would have been better off." A distant voice was speaking in his head. He couldn't understand the language but he knew a plea for help when he heard it. Dallas hoped he ran in to someone he knew soon he could use the help turning off the back up system.

A hunter came rushing at him Dallas grabbed him and broke the man's neck.

Dallas saw a young girl. Well, she had the feel of an Immortal. But she wasn't dressed in compound clothing "Hello are you lost? If so follow me I'm going to disable the backup systems so we don't get any more visitors. Watch out for the hunters some of these people are friggin' nuts."

Diana nodded a bit, biting her lip; she had just been brought here a day or two ago, and they had been arranging for some child-sized clothing for her. Until it came, she was to've worn what she brought with her. Now everything was going gonzo all around her, and she hadn't the foggiest clue of what to do, and... and...

Dallas can see the girl is scared, putting an arm around her he pulls her with him. "Come on with me Lamb. We'll go shut down the back ups. I'm Dallas by the way, want to tell;l me about your self. Oh if we see any of our people, we'll let them know what we're up to. As soon as the back ups are down, I say we find the others a blow this place. In more ways than one."

"I'm... Diana..." She says softly, walking beside him meekly, biting her lip as she looks around while they walk. "W-w-what's happening, Mister Dallas?"

----------

Lilin noticed the new arrivals almost instantly. Dallas, wasn't he one of Rowans friends? She sighed as she wiped of her knife on the shirt of one of the Hunters she just killed. Most of the troupe attacking them only moments ago where dead now.

She shivered when the same look of savage bloodlust that she knew was on her face appeared on Kronos'. Ah well, it wasn't like these mortals didn't deserve to die. Methos kept himself in the back, like usual but he still fought as sneaky as ever. He kept sneaking peeks at the boy.

The young redhead he'd been with when they arrived.

The boy had done well for a kid. Lilin couldn't read Quickenings like Temlan, but she could see that he wasn't all that much over his apparent age yet. A true child. She feared for him, Kronos would not like to share Methos with anyone, especially the other Horsemans latest lover.

Color surged high in Methos' cheeks and the thrill of killing, of retribution, of *freedom* had never tasted so sweet. He divided his attention between Richie and Kronos, the new and the old. Richie he wanted to ensure stayed alive, Kronos it was just wise to not turn your back on, ever.

Kronos. He couldn't believe it. If anyone could pull this thing off it would be him, but after the way things ended between them, after all that was between them, he wasn't sure he understood why his brother had come to free him. But Kronos *had* come and they were so damned close to getting out of this hell...there would likely be issues coming up between Richie and Kronos, or rather between Methos and Kronos about Richie, but Methos imagined they could take care of those as they came up.

He'd survived everything the mortals could throw at him, the degradation, the torture, the inhumanity, but then again, survival was the name of the game and it was one he excelled at. For the briefest instant, he felt a surge of fear at the thought of what things would be like on the outside. It had been years since he'd lived like a real person, like he counted and mattered, years since he'd provided anything for himself beyond the satisfying mental amusement of imagining his captors writhing in any one of a million torments.

Could he still do it?

His hands remained steady and true to their given task, hack and slash and kill without mercy. When had mercy ever been shown to them? He glanced around, catching sight of Lilin and wondered what pressure Kronos had used to get her here, considering she wouldn't have crossed the street to help him. He cast her a smile, but she didn't return it.

Then again, he hadn't expected it, but seeing her brought a wave of nostalgia and his brother Temlan to mind and he wondered what had happened to him. Was he still free or had he been captured?

Suddenly, Methos saw one of the orderlies sneaking up behind Kronos and launched a knife, straight and true toward the man's chest. He never knew it was coming. The blade found it's mark and sank straight into the heart, sending the uselessly flailing body right into Kronos.

When Kronos looked over at him, Methos offered him a feral grin.

Whatever else happened, they could still function as a well oiled machine.

"Just like old times, brother."

----------

By the time Owen arrived, his tires smoking, most of the immortals were gone. All that was left was the ruins and a rampage. No Stella anywhere.

But he'd find her, and all the other and when he did, they'd pay. No immortal would ever get the better of him. Not in this lifetime.

Epilogue

Getting out of the center had been no harder, but no easier then The Horseman thought it would be. A couple of mortals had been killed in the process, less then he would have like to kill, but obviously more than the woman had wanted dead. The crisp Denver air washed over his skin, ridding him of the tainted feeling that made his skin crawl while inside the Center. Evil knows evil, and that place was nothing but..

Pestilence eyed the childe immortal that Methos had taken under his wing with distaste. He was not one for students, having only one in his four millennium and that student was Caspian. He turned out to be everything a teacher could have wanted. Without conscience, without remorse, an indiscriminate killer as well as the icing on the cake, a cannibal. Yes, Caspian had been an apt pupil, everyone else after him would have been a disappointment, so he hadn't bothered.

Kronos opened the doors to the green car the immortal recognizance mission had driven here, and watched as everyone piled in. Alarms were blaring in the Center, and the place was in chaos. Exactly the way he liked things.

Lilin took a deep breath, trying to stiffen the sense of disgust the Center had given her. Their group was slightly bigger now. Rowan was talking to Dallas, she wondered what the two of them were planning to do with the kid they'd taken along.

She didn't really care. They had Methos, for now that was all that mattered.

The ancient bastard had taken the backseat, probably wanted to be near that boytoy of his. She doubted Kronos would like that. Did it really matter, any argument between the Horsemen was fine with her, just as long as it didn't stand in the way of freeing Temlan.

She sat down next to the kid, he seemed startled by the touch, hugging Methos even more closely. It amused her, was he truly as innocent as he seemed? It would be nice to find out.

Other immortals were seeping out of the building as well. The Hunters would have their work cut out for them, if they were lucky enough chaos would erupt to give them a chance to free Temlan before they were caught up with.

Once again life as they knew it was over and for once it was a good change.

Immortals would no longer allow themselves to be victims and when they were ready mortals would learn not to mess with anyone who's life expectancy ranged into eternity.

The wheel was turning and the flow would lead them up.

******