TITLE: BLOOD FOR BLOOD

AUTHOR: PEJA

FANDOM: Sentinel/Highlander/Raven

SUMMARY: AU; War between the watchers and the immortals comes to Cascade

DISCLAIMERS: not mine, but don't tell them

RATING: Probably will finish out at NC-17

PAIRING: That's anyone's guess at this point

FEEDBACK: If you want more you gotta feed the need

EMAIL: daltonavon@yahoo.com

ARCHIVE: The WWOMB Archive

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Last night they showed what could of turned into a massive world encompassing war between watchers and immortals. This is my impression of what could have happened if things had gone sour.

Another AU for the curious

BLOOD FOR BLOOD

By PEJA

Jim skidded to a halt, causing Blair to ram into him from behind. "Judas priest, Sandburg. Tell me I'm not loosing my mind."

Blair peered around his partner's broad back and stared gape mouthed at the pair of duelists circling each other in the dark alley. "If you are," he said softly, "Then I'm right there for the ride."

"Methos, stop playing with him," a young red head encouraged one of the combatants from the darkness. "The watcher issued the challenge. You have no reason to offer him a chance."

Stunned by the scene being played out before his eyes, Jim stood watching the graceful dark haired man dart small, scoring strikes on his brash, sweating opponent. The taller man scored another hit, chuckling as his opponent staggered back and touched the bleeding scratch on his arm.

Still chuckling, Methos stitched an elegant bow. "Go back to the playground, watcher. You've not man enough to win against me."

Rage marred young features and the man raised his broadsword over his head and charged. "Blood for blood," he screamed, swiping toward where the dark haired duelist had stood moments before.

Methos laughed outright and did a couple expert fencing steps. "Cut and parry, young blood. Cut and parry. I give you your life, this time. Do not challenge me again." He turned his back on the other man, heading for his red-haired companion.

The one he'd caller watcher roared his rage and attacked again.

Methos blocked the downward swing without even looking, turned on his heel and dealt the killing strike.

Wrenching himself from the horror played out before his eyes, Jim moved forward, his gun aimed and ready. "Cascade Police. Put down the swords and...."

Twin blades appeared from the darkness, one at Jim's throat, the other at Blair's.

"I don't think so," the words were heavily laden with a Scottish accent.. "My kinsman and I won't let you interfer, will we Connor?"

A soft laugh ruffled Blair's curls. "These ones are not watchers, Duncan. We have no grudge with them."

"Aye, tis true enough," the taller man said. "But they have seen way to much by my way of thinking. Methos we've nay more time."

"Jim," Blair whispered, moving a step closer to his partner.

The man, Connor, grasped Blair's forearm and spun him around. "These two are going to be a problem."

Duncan sighed. "I'll no kill the innocent. They are not part of the war."

"You don't have a choice, Mac," An elderly man limped into view, trailing a young woman with startling white hair. "You knew when this began we couldn't keep the uninformed out of it forever. Looks like it's finally bled out to the rest of the world."

"It's your kind that started this blood for blood war, Joe," Raven grumbled. "Think of something."

"Well, I for one am against the direction this is going," Methos commented, sauntering over to the others without he redhead in tow. "You know what this man is, don't you?"

The tall Scot frowned. "I don't know what your talking about."

Methos grinned. "Come on, you aren't stupid. None of you. You have to feel that queer tingle....not an immortal tingle, but different?"

Duncan let go of his anger. Methos was right. There was a strangeness about the pair. One he could not identify. "So what does it mean?"

"I've only felt it twice before in all my years." Methos said. "Both times I was in the company of Sentinels."

"Sentinels?" Raven snapped. "But Sentinels are only folklore...Aren't they?"

Methos shrugged. "So are immortals."

"One things for certain," Joe said, casting a worried glance around. "He said he was a cop. Cops travel in packs. I think we would be wise to take this elsewhere."

CHAPTER TWO

Blair fidgeted in the back of the large Winnbago, staring intently at the strange group who had taken Jim and him captive.

"Sit still, chief."

"Sorry man," he said softly and fell silent for a few moments. "We're in trouble here, aren't we?"

Jim hit him with a what-do-you-think glare. "The old guy wants to put us out of their misery." He paused, moistening his lips. "Blair..."

Blair's brows quirked. When Jim said his name like that they were in it serious as hell.

"....These characters....I don't think their entirely sane. They keep talking about an enemy called the watchers being after them. And a war that no one knows about."

"So what are we talking here?" Blair whispered. "Serial killers? A death squad? Hell, Jim, I've never heard of anything like this."

********

Methos rose gracefully to his feet, his sword appearing in his hand along with the other immortals gathered at the front of the RV. "Someone new?" he asked softly.

Raven replaced her sword and shook her head. "Someone familiar." She moved quickly to the door and flung it open, revealing a tall dark haired man with his hand raised to knock. "So you've finally decided to come in from the cold, have you?"

"I always hated that blasted need of yours to gloat....Raven, is it now?" he grumbled, meeting her eyes coldly. "You going to let me in or not?"

She stepped back, admitting him. "Arrogant bastard."

Duncan grinned. "I don't know him, but I like him."

Methos nodded. "Anyone who can talk Raven down has a place with us, to my way of seeing."

Frowning, Raven hit them both playfully. "Everyone, this is...."

"Wolfe?" Joe's welcoming laugh drew the new comer's gaze. "Nick Wolfe? Is it really you?"

"Afraid so, Joe." he replied.

"It's great to see you again, boy," Joe grinned, limping toward him with his hand out-stretched in welcome. "I'd heard you were newly reborn."

Nick grimaced over Joe's choice of words, but it quickly turned into a warm laugh as Joe folded him in a hearty embrace. "Good to see you, Joe."

Joe stepped back and finished the introductions with a flourish.

"Where are you coming from, Nick?" Richie asked as they settled down around the large table.

"Seattle for the last couple weeks."

Connor nodded. "How's the situation shaping up there?"

"Bad," Nick told him. "There were four immortals murdered during the time I was there. We lost ten out of Spokane in that same time span. The watchers were zeroing in on me when I made the run here."

"You brought them down on us?" Raven demanded.

"I'm not stupid, woman," he returned. "I made sure I lost them before heading in this direction. As sure as you can be about losing a watcher, that is."

The others nodded their understanding and silence reined for a few moments.

"They're going after the young ones," Nick said finally. "And those of us who have refused to band together against this common enemy. Those who have been playing the game as if this war doesn't involve them if they ignore it."

"There are fools in every race." Connor said.

Nick nodded. "When I left to find your band, they were starting to form squads, but.....Is it too late? Are our kind doomed?"

"We're not dead yet, Nick," Connor said, receiving nods from the gathered warriors "We won't go out easy."

PART THREE

"This is getting crazier by the second," Jim muttered.

"What?" Blair asked, virtually jumping out of his skin in his impatience. "What's happening?"

"The new guy's as crazy as the rest of them. And worse, he knows about those serial murders in Spokane and Seattle."

Blair paled drastically. "You think he committed the murders?"

"Not from the way they're talking. Blair, those people are scared. The new guy is asking for refuge. Claims other groups like this one are forming in the other cities."

"But that means....." Blair flicked a nervous glance toward their captors. "Jim, insanity is not contagious. For something this widespread...man, I don't think you're looking at the big picture here."

"Don't give a damn about the big picture right at this minute, Blair," Jim told him. "Right now I want nothing but to get you out of here...and I don't mean in a black coroner's bag."

"Right there with you on that one, big guy, but listen." He paused gatheing his thoughts. "Jim, what if there is a grain of truth in what these guys are saying? What if two groups of society are deliberately waging war against each other? Is it possible?"

Jim hit him with a cold glare. "Ever hear of Capone?"

"Short little mobster type? Shoot 'em up in the city streets? Blood in the spagheti sauce? Night Chicago died and all that? Yeah, I heard of him..Anyone who ever listened to Paper Lace has heard of him." Blair drawled. "But hey man, that wasn't a battle fought in the darkness like this one apparently is. All we're finding are decapitated bodies...Strange electrical flare ups in the sky that don't deliver on the promise of rain. Stuff like that. Jim, you gotta open up that mind of yours."

"Sounds like yours is open enough for both of us." Jim muttered. "Be careful all your smart doesn't dribble out on the floor and leave you a babbling idiot."

Blair looked hurt for a moment, then grinned. "Ah, then what would you do for intelligence, huh, man?"

Jim's head swung around. He stared, open-mouthed at the grinning man beside him. "You are such a...a brat."

Blair chuckled, leaning closer to his partner. "Yeah, but you love me."

Another long, stunned moment. "Yeah," Jim said with something of awe in his voice. "Yeah, I do." He gave a low chuckle. "How the hell....Damn, how about that."

Blair's grin was megawatt. "Yeah, how about that."

******

Low laughter drew Nick's attention to the two men sitting nervously on the back bunk. "Who are those two?" he asked

"Dead men." Joe answered harshly.

"Now Joe we've been over this already. No killing a sentinel," Methos said from rote. "Against the rules."

Joe glowered at the immortals. "There are no rules anymore. When are you going to get that in your heads. You're not playing the game anymore. You're fighting for your lives and those two cops are bad karma."

Nick came to his feet. "Cops? You're holding cops? Mortal cops?"

"They witnessed Methos eliminate one of the Watchers." Raven said coolly. "Saw all our faces. Hell they were gonna shoot Methos."

"Like that would have made a difference. How long would he be dead? Five, ten minutes and Zim, zam, boom he's back with us."

"Dying of a gun shot hurts like hell, Nick."

"Like I don't know that," Nick demanded, glaring at Raven.

"I had to do it, Nick. You were just never willing to listen."

"Still not."

"Nick?"

"Drop it, Raven. I don't want to hear it. You killed me and that's the end of it."

"You were dying already. I just..."

"Don't," Nick towered over her. "Don't want to hear it, Raven. You'll respect that, or I walk."

"Just like last time."

"Yeah," Nick settled back into his chair. "Just like last time." His tipped his chin at the two men in back. "I won't hold with killing them. Better think of another way."

PART FOUR

And just what would you suggest?" Raven jeered. "Set them free and let them arrest us for murder?

Nick hit her with a jaundiced glare. "How about convince them we aren't the baddies?"

"Aye?" Duncan said softly, "Any ideas you be having would not be going amiss. How would you have us explain The War to them. Or The Game, for that. Those two are well and truly grounded in their reality."

"Not if the big one really is a sentinel, Duncan," Conner rose slowly to his feet. "How about it, cop?" he whispered. "Are you a sentinel?"

Scowling, Jim crossed his arms over his chest. "I haven't got a clue what you are talking about."

Blair frowned. "What? I never said anything."

"Not you, Sandburg. The guy in the trench.....

Conner grinned, waggling his finger at Jim.

"Oh, shit." The guy had spoken in a voice that wouldn't have carried the dstance betwen thenm. At least not to a man with normal hearing.

"What? Dammit, Jim, what's going on?"

Conner sauntered toward them, "A sentinel," he said, his voice moderated to reach everyone listening. "Must, by the very nature of what he is, be paired with another. Someone to watch his back. A guide." He hunkered down to Blair's level and selected a strand of the young man's chestnut hair, watching it curl around his fingers. "That explains you."

Jim bristled at the intimate touch. "Leave him alone."

"No, Jim." Blair laid a reassuring hand on his partner's arm. "It's all right." His bright gaze moved to Conner. "It is all right, isn't it? You're not going to hurt me."

Methos paced and forth from one end to the other of the Winnebaggo. "We are forbidden. By the terms of The Agreement we are bound to protect and serve the bonded ones." He met Blair's curious eyes, smiling. "As are you to defend the immortals."

"Look at them, Methos," Conner said, tugging Blair's loop of curl for attention. "These two have no knowledge of our existance, Methos. It's a fair bet they'll never adhered to The Agreement, either."

Jim broke the older man's grip on his partner with a hand on his wrist. "First time I heard of it." His hard glare moved to Methos. "Why should I believe one word you have to say. I saw you cut that man down with intent."

"You saw what was convenient for your mortal mind to see." Methos said. "I hate dealing with sentinels. I have always hated dealing with sentinels and I will always hate dealing with sentinels. The bloody minded fools are without question nothing if not totally judgemental and condeming. I will never forget the trouble it was putting together The Agreement. Those rigid fools wanted to have every concession without making one to the immortals. Took forty-seven days to.....

He turned to Jim. "You don't believe a word we're saying, do you?"

Jim looked down his nose at the sleek man. "Not a word of it."

The immortal turned to Blair. "And you?"

Blair's nervous laugh echoed in the silent, waiting RV. "Well, ya gotta understand, it's a little hard even for me to swallow this immortality speel."

"Talking is useless," Nick snapped. "I know how cops think. They will never be able to understand what we are."

"Hey, I think we're a little more open minded than most cops," Blair protested.

"You are not a....."

"....A cop, I know. Heard it all before." Blair repeated from rote. "But that doesn't alter my point, does it?" He turned back to Conner. "I mean, Jim had to get his mind wrapped around what he really is, didn't he?"

"Blair..."

"What? They know about sentinels. That much is obvious. This guy tricked you into revealing the truth, didn't he? Well, didn't he?"

Jim glared into Conner's smirking face. "Yes."

"Soooo, what secret are you trying to protect. They know, man." He suddenly brightened. "They know."

"You said that. Twice."

Blair bounced a couple times, a flush of excitement warming his lean features. "Man, don't you get it? If they are what they claim to be....If they have actually met and lived among sentinels openly....Oh man, Jim...."

"Where are you going with this, Chief?"

"Think about it, man. Imagine what they know that we are only finding out through trial and error. They might be able to tell us...."

"Blair, there are no such things as immortals. It's crazy too..."

"But Jim, how can you be so sure? Four years ago you said the same thing about sentinels. Just think about what these people could do for you. Just imagine...."

"I think there is entirely too much imagining going on here."

"Ah, Jim. Loosen up, man."

"This is getting us nowhere," Nick snapped, drawing his service revolver.

Methos whirled on the man. "No, the Agreement...."

Nick leveled the gun at his own forehead. His dark gaze locked on Jim's. "Watch and learn."

"No...." Jim sprang at the man as the gun fired. Nick crumpled with a superior smirk still plastered on his broken face.

"Oh, Jesus," Blair whispered, watching Jim kneel at the dead man's side.

Duncan lifted his cup, surveying the blood and brain splatters and sipping his coffee. "I am nay cleaning up his mess."

Richie nodded. "Least he could have done was take it outside."

Duncan grinned, pointing to Richie's cheek. "He got on you, kid."

Grimacing, Richie wiped a blood splatter off. "Yuck."

Blair blanched at the callous behavior. "Oh Jesus. Jesus."

"He's dead, Blair."

Raven shrugged. "Leave him alone. He'll wake up when he's ready to."

"What kind of people are you? This man just killed himself in front of you. You," he pointed toward Duncan. "You were close enough to stop him. Why didn't you at least..."

A gutteral sputter at his feet stopped Jim's tirad. He stared down at the man he'd declared dead moments ago, seeing a killing wound vanish before his eyes. finding himself caught in the grimly laughing eyes of a man who had been dead mere seconds before. "Don't ask me, man. I'm as impressed as you are."

Duncan reached a hand down, helping Nick up. "Cleaning supplies are under the sink."

PART FIVE

Nick shoved the cleaning pail back under the sink and, shutting the cabinet door, leaned his hip against the counter. Crossing his arms over his chest, he hurled a dagger's glare at his companions. "That was cold, you know?"

Duncan looked up innocently. "What?"

"Least ya could do is offer me a clean shirt." Nick scratched at a blood splatter on his chest. "I mean I did settle the argument about the reality of immortals, didn't I?"

"Yeah, and that's a fact for sure." Connor agreed. "Sent the Sentinel into catatonic shock." He wandered back toward the prisoners. "How's it look, kid? You're partner showing signs of coming out of it yet?"

Blair scowled up at him. "Your man did a real number on him."

"Our mon?" the highlander protested, slipping into a heavy brogue. "This one tis nay our mon...At least he nary was afore he came a-knocking this very night."

"Bury that act." Methos snapped, fire flashing in his eyes. "The guide has enough on his mind with his sentinel pulling this...this..." His hand waved heavily in the air.

"We kind of call it a zoneout." Blair said absently. "Your man," he emphisized. "Didn't have to be so....graphic."

Connor tilted his head. "Do you think he would have believed anything else?"

Sighing, Blair shook his head. "Jim is....rigid."

"So...You would have recommended?"

Blair shrugged. "I don't know." Blair rocked back on his heels, slanting a chill stare at the men towering over him. "So, what's the decision. You gonna kill us? Cuz I gotta tell ya, if I'm just coaxing him back to die, think I'd like to let him go while he's not knowing what's happening."

"What will he do about last night's little excercize, do you think?"

Blair smiled. "The big guy here has a real respect for weird things. If he thinks they are outside the sphere of his jurisdiction. This war you have going on...I don't guess mere mortals should interfer with the doings of immortals....or their enemies."

"And you believe this....cop," Joe demanded. "Is going to feel the same way?"

Blair glared at the grizzled man. "Why are you so dead set against us, anyway?"

Several heads swiveled toward Joe. "I'd like to know too." Methos added.

Joe looked taken aback for a moment, then sighed. "I haven't an idea in hell," he said finally. "I...This insanity...Well, I guess I've been feeling like I'm the one who brought it down on your heads, guys. If I hadn't spoken out of turn...And I guess I'm just over compansating...at these two's expense."

"Ah, Joe...." Raven said wrapping the older man in a warm embrace. "You have to know there was no way around this happening sooner or later. Horton is insane. He simply can't handle the concept of immortality. What he doesn't understand, he fears. You are not to blame. And neither are these two."

Nick nodded. "So you leave the cop and his little buddy alone, right. Send them on their way and let us get on with the business of keeping alive?"

"Well, that might be a bit more than even we can do," Methos sighed, sprawling his long legs out before him.

"What?" Blair sputtered. "Why not? I thought it sounded like a real good plan. Me and Jim, hey we can just disappear. Forget everything we saw and poof...."

Methos stilled Blair's babble with a curt shake of his head. "We need the sentinel."

"Need him?" Raven sauntered across the cabin to smile down on the zoned man. She traced his strong jaw with one long-nailed finger, smiling. "Yes, I could think of some very interesting things to do with him."

Eyes flashing dangerously, Blair swatted her hand away from Jim. "Back off, chickie."

Raven giggled. "Ooooo, the little guide is possessive."

"Leave them alone, Raven. You have enough men to play with." Duncan snapped. "Besides, we can speculate until the final cut, but we still won't know what that man there is going to do until he comes back to reality. Guide....Blair, that's your name right? Do your guide thing and drag him out of that bloody zone. We don't have all night and we need to talk."

She pulled an adorable pout then smiling suddenly, she turned away. "Oh very well."

Nick grabbed the teasing woman's arm and pressed her into the cushioned seat next to Duncan. "Watch her, MacLeod. She doesn't know how to behave around company anymore." He turned away, adding, "If she ever did."

Raven made several sputering sounds that Duncan quickly silenced by claiming her open mouth in a searing kiss before he settled her back with a curt "Be good."

Blair watched the entire production with a growing grin. "That is one spoiled woman."

"You don't know the half of it. The stories I could tell...." Nick sauntered back to stand over him, staring intently at the man who was a sentinel. "Does he know what's going on around him?"

Blair shrugged. "Subconsciously, yeah, I think so. On an awareness level, to a point. He's zoned on what he saw. You dead. You alive again. I think he's shut down to process it."

Nick reached out to touch Jim, but pulled back, glancing at Blair. "May I?"

Blair's worried glance touched the immortal cop than returned to Jim. "Yeah, I guess. He's not much for touching other people," A secret blush picked his cheeks as he realized the implications of those words. "But, yeah. And talk to him. hearing your voice might bring home the truth of what he saw. help me draw him back out."