Title: Pawn

Author/Pseudonym: Sarah Saint Ives

Archive: Yes

Fandom: Highlander (the series)

Pairing: Duncan/Amanda/Richie

Category: Drama, Pre-Slash

Rating: R for violence

Series/Sequel: It depends on the muse.

Disclaimer: Rysher films owns everyone except Buck. Buck is all mine.

Warning: A bit of suffering and a very timely death.

Author's note: I blame my brother Michael for my Highlander fanfic. He has been endlessly watching tapes of the show in my room, and this series has an extremely graphic muse. I apologize to those of you who love to read Duncan/Methos stories. Methos is not in this story. In fact, this story doesn't even contain real slash, but it *is* discussed. If Michael keeps watching this infernal show, though, I'm sure I'll end up writing a hardcore D/M slash story.

Summary: Duncan and Buck are taken hostage by two immortal bank robbers. Richie and Amanda are to the rescue.

Pawn

by Sarah Saint Ives

For the past thirteen hundred years, Domino Vangard had believed that the truest of talents belonged to him. He was bright, witty, gifted with both voice and the aptitude for playing stringed instruments. His head swam with lyrics to complicated operas, his heart longed for the show. He was a man who loved the stage and the orchestra, but also a man who knew the potential for crime. He had studied with many brilliant men in history and had consorted with many villains. He knew he could arrange a modern show for the audiences of the world and have a sellout show that went on and on. There could be no limit to the possibilities. There was only one thing that held him back. Domino was flat broke. No money at all, so it was time to resort to his secondary aptitude for misdeed as a means of funding his first love.

In the 11th century, he had teamed up with another creative dreamer, a huge, masterly, athletically capable immortal named Nikoli Tlan. The two of them had remained together through the ages, two of a kind, friends, lovers, partners. They had been linked to more than a few dastardly money-making schemes that had in one way or another made history.

They needed money again. The world was growing, making it more difficult to acquire by vile means, but they had devised a plan that they hoped would procure them the funds to last several years.

Domino flounced onto the lounge as Nikoli finished the last of five hundred pushups. "You work altogether too hard, Nikki. There's no use of it. You're an immortal, for heavens' sakes! You have this great big, strong, beautiful masculine body, you're not bad to look at, you're smart, you're the best swordsman in the whole world, why do you need to spend three hours ever day working out?"

"How many pushups can you do, Domino?" Nikoli asked.

"Me? None! I'm not into all that macho steroid type stuff! I'm more suited to just sitting here, humming, looking pretty, you know, doing my nails...that sort of stuff. And planning our future, of course. We will be soooo great, Nikki. I can't wait to get that money and start our show. It's going to be just wonderful! Just think about it, Nikki! Can't you just die?"

Nikoli smiled at him. "We'll have it soon. We'll hit the credit union tomorrow at noon. I've mapped it all out over here on the desk. Would you like to take a look at it?"

"Oh, shoot, no, Nikki. That's your department." Domino waved it off with a limber wrist. "I'll leave all the nasty details to you. All I need to know how to do is hold a gun, right?"

"Yeah, Domino. That's right. I'll take care of everything else."

"Tell me everything is going to be all right, Nikki."

"Everything is going to be all right, Domino. Don't worry. We're going to be rich. We'll go in, take the hostages, get our money and leave in the van. The police will be afraid to push us too close because of the hostages."

"Oh, it's delicious, Nikki!" Domino clapped his hands gleefully. "It's going to be so much fun!"

The big man squatted at a weight bar that held three hundred pounds of lead weights, and grasping the bar firmly, lifted it suddenly to his waist, then over his head. When he let it to his waist again, he began to curl the weights, fifty repetitions. Thick veins popped out in his neck and on his temples.

"Oh, you big ox." Domino scoffed. "Put that silly thing down and come over here."

Nikoli ignored him as usual, continuing on with his weight program. "The guards go first. There are four. I am familiar with their posts, and with their routines. I know where the alarm is, I know how to disable it. I know everything about the place. We're ready, Domino."

***

Thomas Buckley looked like a Jamaican with the long, wild, unkempt, hair, but his proper British accent gave doubt to that origin. He had been born in South Africa two thousand six hundred and eighty years ago. His chocolate-colored skin was smooth and flawless, his teeth were studded with diamonds. He wore an abundance of jewelry, a very decorative man. "I'm finding it hard to believe you actually beat me at that last game of chess. You're getting more clever every time I see you, Duncan."

Duncan MacLeod stopped the car with a smile for the African. "Next time we play for money."

"No no no. We play for the complication, for the sport, for the intrigue. We play because we have lived beyond all expectations and we are simply bored out of our skulls. But never, *never* do we play for money."

MacLeod's eyes widened in feigned contemplation. "You’re bored, Buck? I'm not bored."

"Well, by god, you should be! It's not normal for an immortal to lead such a full life."

"But I do. I have very good friends."

"You certainly do, and so do I." Buck rested his enormous hand on MacLeod's arm. "Who says there can be only one?"

"I don't know who said it first, but it's caught on rather well." MacLeod patted his hand and got out of the car. "I'll be right back."

"I'll walk in with you. I, unlike you, Duncan, get bored when I sit and wait." Buck was six feet seven when he stood, towering over his white companion. They strolled together into the Credit Union, and because of the new metal detector system, they left their swords in the car.

"Good afternoon, Mr. MacLeod." the teller purred as he handed her a banknote and a deposit book. She opened the book and filled out the correct columns to the new balance, then returned it to him, stamped the note, and wrote him a receipt.

"So, what excitement do you propose for this evening?" Buck asked. "More chess? Dinner at Guido's? Drinking at an all night dance club?"

"None of the above." answered MacLeod. "I have a date tonight."

"A date? With Amanda?"

"Yes. You won't be too bored with Richie for company, will you?"

"No, of course not. Richie is an entertaining young man. He's still full of life and ambition. Bad ideas, bad judgment, bad timing...but he can certainly keep you listening."

"Yes. He can do that."

"You have done well with him."

"He's a good study...and a good friend."

"And? A good son?"

"I suppose I have become a bit of a father figure to him. In a way."

"How does he get along with Amanda?"

"They get along great." MacLeod's dark eyes weren't as certain as his voice.

"What's the matter, Duncan? Are you afraid she'll catch you gone and rape the boy?"

MacLeod looked down with a grin. "I'm sure Richie can fend for himself."

"Richie is a good boy. But he needs a little more self-confidence."

"He's learning. Give him time. He's still very young."

Abruptly, the presence of other immortals interrupted their discussion. They watched the front entrance with a sense of dread, wishing fervently they had brought their swords.

"Maybe it's Richie or Amanda." MacLeod spoke hopefully.

But it wasn't Richie or Amanda who stepped through the wide door. It was Domino and Nikoli, who trained automatic weapons on the guards. Shots were fired and the few people in the room flattened themselves on the floor to avoid being hit by the spattering of bullets. The four guards were incapacitated, then one of the five tellers.

MacLeod was on his hands and knees, glaring at the criminals. He began to narrate his rescue strategy. "I’ll crawl round the room and jump the big one..."

Buck cut him off quickly, slipping a massive arm over his back and forcing him to the floor. "I think not. You'll remain here beside me and wait until they leave. We won't be heroes today, Duncan. We will not make spectacles of ourselves. If you get shot, it could prove to be very embarrassing."

"But we can..."

"No, we can't. Stay put."

The toe of a shiny boot stepped on the tips of MacLeod's fingers. "Look here, Nikki! Look who we've captured here! Of all people! We have Duncan MacLeod! And look who else! Oh, my stars, I can't believe it! Just our day for old reunions! It's Buck! I didn't know you guys knew each other! This is just like old times, don't you think, Nikki?"

Nikoli was instructing the tellers to fill bags with money and getting anxious results. He half turned to see Domino's toe mashing playfully down on MacLeod's fingers. "Stop that, Domino. Leave him alone."

"But it's Duncan! I just had to torture him a little. Oh, Nikki, I have an idea! Let's take him with us! We can have such fun with him. We'll tie him up in our bedroom and break his bones one by one. And we can play with him. It would be such a turn-on! Tell me I can have him, Nikki."

"You can have them both. And one more. Take your pick. We should have three hostages. It's time to go."

"Oh, goodie! Okay, let's see now, I think I'll pick that little girl over there in the corner hiding behind her mommy's coat."

The woman cried out, holding her child securely, but Nikoli took the tiny girl by the hand and with almost no effort at all, extracted her from the clinging mother. "Get up." he said to MacLeod and Buck. "The two of you are going with us."

They stood and he handed the girl to MacLeod. "You are responsible for the child. Buck will drive. Let's go."

They found the van where they had parked it, directly in front of the bank. Buck seated his tall frame behind the wheel, glancing uncomfortably to the passenger's seat at Domino. Nikoli had taken MacLeod and the child into the back and seated them on the floor. "Let's go." Domino said.

"You're making a big mistake." MacLeod warned.

"You shut up!" Domino cried. "We made no mistakes! Everything worked out perfectly!" The van thrust forward and stopped suddenly, throwing him into the dash. He held his forehead where a knot was swelling, then healing. "What the hell are you doing, Buck? Don't forget that Nikoli has the gun on that little girl back there."

"Sorry. I'm doing the best I can." Buck said, grinding gears. "It's my first time, you know."

"Your first time at what?" asked Nikoli, not as high-strung as his partner, but getting tense.

"His first time at the wheel." MacLeod supplied. "He doesn't drive. I told you you were making a big mistake."

"Shit!" Domino was anguished. "Trade me places, quick! Here come the cops! Move! Get in the back with the others!"

The police cars were arriving with sirens wailing. Buck squeezed his lanky body between the seats to MacLeod's side and sat down, shrugging at him. "I thought I was hitting the gas."

"Why can't you drive? You're the oldest immortal I know and you never learned to drive?" Nikoli put the gun barrel in his face. "I should shoot you for being ignorant! If I could learn it, anybody can learn it!"

The little girl whimpered and hid her face in her hands. MacLeod closed his arms around her and spoke gently. "It's all right. He won't shoot him. He's just making noise."

The van was traveling along a bumpy road, making it impossible to keep their balance. Domino was looking in the rearview mirror. "Cops are right behind us, Nikki. Now?"

"Yeah. Now."

The van stopped in the center of the road, and Nikoli bent to take the girl from MacLeod, opening the back door of the van. He held the gun to her head so the police could see he had a hostage, and shouted above the blare, "We have three hostages! We will kill them one at a time if you don't back off! We'll start with this little girl. Bottom line...I don't want to see any more cop cars! Does everybody understand?" With that, he closed the door and handed the child back to MacLeod, then climbed into the passenger's seat. "All right. Go. We shouldn't have any more trouble."

***

Richie's young face was drawn in apprehension as he listened to the policeman's account of the credit union robbery. "They took Mac and Buck with them?"

"Yes, and one other hostage. A little girl."

"Do you have any information on the bank robbers?" asked Amanda.

"Sorry. We don't know who the guys are. They're good, though. They had it all planned out. They knew what they were doing. Witnesses told us that there were two of them, one big and one medium sized, the big one had a slight Russian accent, really muscular, the other one talked real gay...he kept calling the other one Nikki."

Amanda slipped her hand into Richie's, faking a smile for the policeman. "Thank you for coming to tell us. You’ll let us know if you find anything, won’t you?"

"Yes, ma’am. All you can do is wait and pray."

"We'll do that." she promised, holding the tight smile so long her pretty face looked like a photograph.

When the policeman left them alone, Richie turned to her with a frown of perplexity. "What's the matter with you? Do you know who did this? Are they friends of yours?"

"No. Not friends. Acquaintances. That is, if they are who I think they are." She patted his cheek, then gave his nose a tweak. "Let's go. We may be able to find them."

Richie threw up his hands in defeat and followed her. It would be useless to ask questions, to argue, to demand explanations. This was Amanda, who was beautiful, unpredictable, mysterious and flaky. She would do it her way. He was just along for the ride. And when the time came, she would impart the details of her acquaintance with the men who had abducted his friends. The most important thing to Richie was to get MacLeod back alive, and the only reason he was being patient with Amanda was because he knew that it was a mutual importance.

***

Hiding the van in the garage, Domino and Nikoli took their hostages in the lakeside house. Buck was tied immovably to a kitchen chair and MacLeod was roped to a support post in the bedroom. The little girl was left unattended as the two criminals went into the bedroom and closed the door.

When he was sure his captors weren’t listening, Buck smiled at the girl. "Hi, honey. What's your name?"

"Molly."

"My name's Buck, Molly. Are you scared?"

"Yes."

"Do you want to get out of here?"

"Yes."

"Me, too. Listen, Molly, let's try this. Come over here and see if you can loosen these ropes on my wrists. Do you think you could do that?"

Molly moved hesitantly around behind him and began to tug at the knots, but it was useless. After several minutes of futile efforts, she had still not budged the ropes.

"Okay, Molly. Forget that. How about if you go for help? Run to the next house and ask them to phone the police and tell them where we are."

"I'm afraid. They might catch me."

"Open the door quietly and then run as fast as you can."

She went to the door, pulling it open. "Which way do I run?"

"The way we came."

"I don't know which way that is."

"Just find another house, Molly. Ask them to call the police."

"Okay." She stood, tearfully watching him. "Bye."

"Bye, Molly. Go."

Molly ran, leaving the door opened.

Part 2

Buck could hear Domino and Nikoli talking in the bedroom. Now that Molly was gone, he strained to hear what they were doing to his friend.

Domino had unbuttoned MacLeod's shirt and was rubbing his chest with the blunt side of a long knife. "When we don't need them any more, can I take his head, Nikki? I really want Duncan MacLeod's head." Duncan winced as the knife made an accidental slice in his flesh, but said nothing.

"Oops. Look what I did." Domino wiped the trickle of blood with a tissue, then, giggling, began to cut the clothing he wore. He took great pleasure in surgically removing each garment, and when he was finished, the Highlander was wearing nothing.

"Look how sexy he is, Nikki! He works out, like you."

"Nobody works out like me." Nikoli advanced to MacLeod and gave his bicep a pinch. "Doesn't even compare."

"Well, of course not. Nobody compares to you." Domino said.

MacLeod's face was laden with distress. "You'll not get away with this."

It was one of those agonizing times when his original Scottish accent came out strongly. "If you do this and leave me alive, I'll take your heads, I swear it."

"Do what, Duncan? What do you think we're going to do?"

MacLeod hung his head in shame. "I ask you to leave me alone."

"He thinks we're going to molest him, Nikki. Should we?"

Nikoli laughed almost gently, outlining the captive's lips with an index finger. "We don't intend to molest you, Duncan. Don't worry about that. Worry about your head."

Domino had brought a long, metal pole from the corner. His face was vicious. "But first, we’re going to break your legs!" He savagely swung the pole, striking their hostage's knees.

MacLeod screamed. His legs would not support his weight. He sagged on the post. Then, the angry attacker wrapped wide tape over his mouth and around his head several times. The tape restricted his breathing when it covered his nose on the second round. He would smother from lack of oxygen. Then, the pole swung again, hitting the top of his thighs, wrenching a second scream from him, and when he felt ribs break on the third impact, he lost consciousness.

"You got too carried away!" Nikoli scolded. "Why did you do that, Domino?"

"Because you were being nice to him! You were being kind to him! Why were you kind to him?"

"Are you jealous, Dom?"

"Yes. I am."

"Good." Satisfied, Nikoli led him away from the unconscious hostage.

***

They had taken MacLeod's car, which they had found parked at the credit union. Richie was driving. "You know where we're going?"

"Just go straight. I'll tell you before the turn." Amanda instructed.

"Why did they take Mac and Buck?"

"Because they're immortals, too."

Richie's fear became more noticeable. "But their swords are here. They're defenseless."

"Duncan has seldom been defenseless."

Richie saw that, despite her words, she was worried. "Who are these guys?"

"A pair of thieves from early on. Their names are Nikoli and Domino. They've done this before."

"Did they kill the hostages when they did it before?"

"They killed one. A man I loved very much." Amanda was reflecting. "And now they have Duncan. He told me before he left that he had a funny feeling something bad was going to happen today. I tried to get him to stay, but he had business. You know how he is about his 'business'. I tried everything that works." She ran her delicate but deadly fingers through the short hair on the back of her slender neck. "He likes it when I rub his shoulders, and when I breath in his ear. He likes to be touched. Some people don't, but he does. He likes it when I play with his hair and kiss his throat. But if I really want to drive him nuts, I just rub his stomach. He loves that."

Richie was staring at her. "God, Amanda, could you talk about anything more embarrassing?"

She smiled awkwardly. "Sorry." She pointed to a crossing ahead. "Make a right at that intersection."

After the turn, he increased the speed. "How much farther?"

"About three miles."

He drove on, noting her thoughtful expression. "What?" he asked finally.

"I like to watch men together, you know." she said, a devious little smile curling her lips.

This time, the stare was in utter disbelief. "Amanda!" he exclaimed. "Ewww!"

She raised her eyebrows at him.

He fidgeted and adjusted his jeans, wondering why the notion was so damned sexy.

Three miles later, they topped a hill, and Richie swerved to miss a little girl sitting in the center of the road. He stopped as Amanda sprang from the vehicle and went to her.

Molly looked up at her with a wet face. "Buck told me to find a house. There are no houses." she whined.

"Where *is* Buck?" Amanda asked.

Molly pointed. They could see the roof of the house.

Richie parked the car on the side of the road and, taking all the swords from the car, he gave Amanda a valiant glance. "You stay with her."

"The *hell* I will. Give me my sword." She put Molly in the back seat of the car. "Stay right here, honey. Don't move." she said, putting a seatbelt on her. Then, turning to Richie, she took her sword. "Let's go."

They knew they couldn't sneak up on immortals. They could only hope to outdo them at their game. Amanda had an idea. "What if I go in first? They'll think I'm alone, then you can come in and..."

"I have a better idea." Richie interfered. "I'll go in first. I'm getting pretty good with a sword, you know. I have a good chance."

"Against two of them?"

He gave her a reckless shrug. "I can try."

Amanda caught his hand. "We have to do this right, Richie. I'm not ready to lose you or Duncan. You're both people I love very much."

He smiled at her and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "Give me to the count of ten, then come in."

The front door was standing open. The multiple-immortal presence was overwhelming. Richie walked in the door and smiled at Buck. He wasted no time cutting the ropes that bound his wrists. "Why aren't they coming out? I know they know I'm here." he asked.

"They will probably use Duncan as a bargaining tool." Buck looked grim. "I don't know what they did to him, but he screamed bloody murder for a while."

The despair was obvious. Richie went to the closed door, listening and hearing nothing. Amanda entered the house, giving Buck a quick hug.

"There are two of them." Buck told them. "Domino and Nikoli."

"I know." Amanda answered.

Richie was anxious. Stepping back, he kicked the bedroom door opened and stood ready with his sword, but what he faced was his greatest fear. There was Domino with a sword at MacLeod's throat, the ultimate threat.

"You will all leave now or he will lose his head!" he screeched.

Richie advanced two steps in the room, knowing there was a second man. He pointed a sword at Domino, seeing that MacLeod was dead still. "Don't kill him. Don’t. We don't care about the money or anything else. We just want him, and we'll leave peacefully."

MacLeod's head snapped up as if in alarm, his eyes focusing on Richie and broadening to warn him. It was his only means since he was gagged and could not make a sound.

Richie turned to look behind the door and was attacked with a sword held by Nikoli. He took four paces backward, regrouped his skills, and, with the poise of a much more experienced swordsmen, he began to slash and thrust with both his own sword and MacLeod's, soon knocking the sword from Nikoli's hand. The big man was taken by complete surprise that this unknown opponent had beaten him so effortlessly.

Richie drew back his sword for the final beheading swipe, but Domino's clear voice rang out and stopped him. "Don't forget about Duncan! I will take his head!"

Richie paused and made a rotation to notice that Amanda was no longer with Buck outside the bedroom door. She was now standing behind Domino. How she had come to be there was a mystery. The tip of her sword touched Domino's neck. "A head for a head."

Domino froze. "Amanda?"

"Of course. Who else?"

"Yes, of course." He dropped the sword from MacLeod’s neck and turned it on Amanda. "We were rudely interrupted last time. Shall we dance again?"

"Domino!" Nikoli demanded. "No! Don’t be foolish! Stop it! Let's go!"

Domino did not seem to hear him. He and Amanda were already engaged in combat.

Seeing that MacLeod was out of immediate danger, Richie turned to finish Nikoli, but the big man was making a hasty exit out the front door.

Richie went after him, but gave up his chase when he ran into the garage, jumped into the van and sped away. Shaking his head with a sigh of relief, Richie went to MacLeod and began cutting the binds, viewing Amanda and Domino's fight nervously.

Buck came with a blanket and wrapped it around MacLeod as Richie freed him and began to work on the aluminum tape that smothered him. It was stuck tight, but he finally managed to pry it loose from his nose and mouth.

"This tape is all tangled up in your hair. It'll take a while to get it all out." he commented, seeing that Domino had led the way out a breezeway type window to the back yard.

Buck ran to watch, holding his sword ready. Then, abruptly, the lightning storm embarked. Richie and Duncan stared fearfully as they plodded slowly to the window to see who had been triumphant.

Wild, unbridled spirits filled the view and the focus of it all was Amanda, who stood alone, arms outstretched, receiving jolt after jolt of the quickening.

"Can there really be only one?" Richie asked as he watched, transfixed.

"In my humble opinion, that's just old immortal folklore. It’s nonsense." Buck answered. "We are four. There are many more. I would no more take your head than Duncan would mine. Why can't we live together in harmony? Why should we kill one another to fulfill a ridiculous game plan?"

Richie nodded. "There's no way I'd take your head or Mac's, or Amanda's."

Duncan smiled and hugged him.

"You know I would've taken that big dude's head if he hadn't run." Richie said.

MacLeod met his eyes. "Yes, I know. So, Buck, this is the boy you thought needed more self-confidence?"

"Well, he does seem to be quite confident in some ways, doesn't he?"

They shared a laugh and greeted Amanda as she stumbled to join them. She kissed MacLeod, then Richie and with her between them, they helped her to the car.

***

Amanda stood at the stove, stirring gravy that simmered. She had cooked an entire meal to celebrate their victory. Buck was pondering over the chess board, and on the other side of it, Duncan was smiling. "Admit it. You're beaten."

"Don't be so hasty. Give me a few minutes." Buck studied his limited options.

Richie was busy with a comb and a pair of scissors, carefully taking the last of the tape from MacLeod's hair. He had removed most of it with very little hair loss.

"Ow!" MacLeod complained as he pulled a bit too hard.

Richie sifted his fingers through the long hair, leaning to breathe sensually into his ear, "I was told you liked this, Mac. You know, playing with your hair like this, and breathing in your ear like this...and oh, yes, you like your stomach rubbed." His palm slid from the muscular chest down onto the flat belly.

Duncan's semi-stern eyes went to Amanda. "Oh, yeah? Where did you hear that?"

"Oh, you know. Around." Richie laughed and winked at Amanda, who smiled in return. He whispered again in Duncan’s ear. "If rubbing your belly is the way to your heart, I’ll be doing it a lot more from now on."

MacLeod met his eyes and his stoicism faded into an affectionate smile. "I love you, Richie."

"Love you, too, Mac." Richie’s blue eyes were soft. Unable to consummate the emotion with a kiss or even a hug because of Buck’s presence, he settled for a very suggestive wink. "You know, Amanda likes to watch men together. She told me that." he murmured in the Highlander’s ear.

Duncan coughed and shifted to conceal his mixture of embarrassment and arousal. "Yeah, I know." he said lowly.

"So, you want to let her watch?"

Duncan drew in a long sigh. "I don’t know if I can handle you both."

"Sure, you can." Richie patted his stomach again.

Oblivious to their budding relationship, Buck saw his move and pounced on it. His bishop had a clear path across the board, and when backed up by the castle, Duncan’s king would be doomed. He slid it across, and showed them a mouthful of diamonds.

"Checkmate." he said.

end