THE YOU'RE IN MY HEART SERIES CALIFORNIA DREAMING PART THREE by JoLayne and Susan Continued from Part Two ~~~~~ Fitz spun around so not to appear shaken up to the police and Rebecca said, "You have something in your eye? Here, let me help you wash it out, hun," as she steered him to the bathroom. Fitz covered one eye with his hand. "Thanks, luv." As they left, Wilkins said, "I need to talk to you both. Don't go anywhere." Rebecca waved him off as she helped Fitz into the bathroom. A great sob escaped the English immortal before she could shut the door. Methos covered by saying, "This is quite shocking, detective." He asked completely innocently, complete with wide eyes and unemotional face, "How did she die for heaven's sake?" "She was slashed fifteen times while she laid in bed. She was nude, and she had just been with someone." Gaffney nodded to the bathroom. "Him, perhaps?" "I would certainly hope not," Methos said. "If it was, I would have to kill him." Both detectives gaped at him, as well as Amanda, but Methos explained, "Because he is sleeping with my little sister. You know how it is." "Then, maybe Miss Romero's nighttime visitor was you?" "It better not have been." Amanda proudly declared, "He's my man." "And you are?" "Amanda Starling, Detective Wilkins." Amanda shook the other detective's hand. "Detective Gaffney. It is nice to meet such strong police men, but of course, it would have been much more pleasant under better circumstances." Detective Gaffney was taken with Amanda, and she played him to the hilt. "How awful. Who in the world could have murdered poor Gia?" "You knew her well?" "I just met her last night." "That is the first thing that's been said that matches our witness," Wilkins said, flipping back through his little notebook. "Witness?" Methos asked.  Wilkins reached the page he seemed to be searching for and said, "Yes. A John Bowers." Amanda could see that Methos was about to smash something or someone, but to a lesser observer, such as the policemen, he kept totally calm. Then, she was elated. She asked, "John? He saw her murdered? He knows who did it?" "No," Gaffney said authoritatively. "He found her body this morning and called us. He told us that the four of you were at dinner with him, and gave us your name, Mr. Michaels. Even though you haven't introduced yourself, we know everything about you." Methos twitched, and muttered, "Oh? And what is it that you know?" Gaffney said, "Where you live, you're on the second year of a five year lease, you're a professor at Berkeley, you own that van outside, and besides that... you don't exist." Wilkins added, "You're in the DMV, and we got hold of an office worker at the dean's office to substantiate your tenure there. But, we couldn't find any other paperwork on you. Could you show us your green card, please?" Amanda watched Methos go from tight reserve to a cordial smile. "Sure," he said as he sauntered to his desk. "Can't be in America without one, that is, if you aren't a rock star." "Even then," Gaffney said. "Look, it's been a long week for us. We were at Woodstock, drove cross country, and now you tell us some woman we met for the first time over dinner last night has been murdered," Amanda said. "Can you give us a break? We're a little tired." "A woman has been killed, Miss." Wilkins was all business. "I'm sure you'll survive until you answer our questions to get some shut eye." Methos produced his green card and both of the detectives scrutinized it. Amanda caught Methos' eye and he indicated that it would be all right. Of course it would be. Methos covered all the bases. Gaffney handed it back, and asked, "Miss Starling. May we see your ID?" "Me? Why?" "Mr. Bowers indicated that you were all from other countries. You're our only witnesses." He motioned with his hand. "ID, please?" "I neglected to mention that I told you my stage name," Amanda said as she pulled her wallet out of her purse. "My real name is Amanda Sinclair." "You have a stage name when your real name is Amanda Sinclair?" Gaffney asked. "To be honest, I'd stick with the real name." "Maybe I will." "Why do you need a stage name, Miss?" Wilkins asked. "I'm in movies." "I haven't heard of you." "Thanks, bunches." Rebecca and Fitz exited the bathroom, with Fitz pulled together. Gaffney right away asked, "Miss Michaels, may we see ID, please?" Rebecca could plainly see Amanda and Methos returning their ID to their wallets and desk, and she had used a fake name while introducing herself. She immediately said, "My purse was stolen. I'm sorry, I don't have it." "Did you file a police report?" "No. It only just happened, on the drive here." "Where did it happen?" Rebecca paused before saying, "Denver. Could I file one with you now?" "We work homicide, Miss Michaels. Do it at the station." "Will do." "Where are you from?" "England," she replied. It was as good an answer as any, Amanda thought. Good thing there wasn't a way for cops to find out information instantaneously. Rebecca nervously laughed. "Do you want to be me on my return flight? Customs is going to be hell on earth without the proper identification." "And you are?" Gaffney asked Fitz. Fitz walked forward and said, "Hugh Fitzcairn," much to the other immortals' surprise. He must really be wiped out emotionally from having been killed along with Gia, who he really did care about. As soon as he said it, he wanted to take the words back. But shoved ahead anyway. He took out his wallet and just handed it to them. He couldn't have anything with Gia's address on it or he wouldn't have, or at least Amanda hoped. Wilkins wrote down his green card number and handed it back. "So, when was the last time you saw Miss Romero alive?" "Alive, well, that's a question, now isn't it?" Fitz said, playing along. Methos cut in. "He's a terrible joker. We were walking along the beach and ended up having dinner with the woman. Amanda and I left around...." he looked to Amanda for help. "It was about ten," Amanda said. "Who all had dinner?" "Just us." "That's not all together true, is it?" Methos chuckled. "Of course. John Bowers was there as well. Did you interrogate him? Beat information out of him? He looks a bit shifty to me." Rebecca swatted his arm. "I left soon after that." All eyes went to Fitz, who looked like he could have crawled into a cave for the next century. "All right, I'll admit it. Thank you, officers. Thank you very much." He turned to Rebecca. "I'm sorry, luv. I slept with her." Rebecca grunted as if ticked off, and said, "Well, I slept with John, so there." Wilkins said, "I was wondering when you were going to mention it." "I have to tell you the story of my life?" "In a murder investigation, yes. You're the only one in this room with an alibi, Miss Michaels." "We all have alibis," Methos argued. "Oh?" Gaffney demanded. "Yes. I was with her," he said pointing at Amanda. "She was with me. Fitz was with Gia long enough to have sex, then he came and bothered us after they got into an argument." "Argument, really?" Watkins looked to Fitz with interest. "Yes," Methos said before Fitz or anyone could say anything. "Just as Amanda and I were getting situated here after running out of gas in the van, and we are well past the age of when sex in the back of a van holds any intrigue. The music was soft, the lighting was low, the wine was chilled, and then Fitz knocks on the door talking about how women would be the end of him." "It just might be," Wilkins said. "He showed up here about 11:30 and has made my life hell ever since. Can't a guy just spend some time alone with the love of his life?" He pulled Amanda into his arms. "What was the argument about?" Watkins asked Fitz. "She wanted to get married," Fitz replied without thinking, as they had quarreled a bit about that, but it wasn't a ‘fight'. "So, you didn't just meet her." "No, I just met her. She is... was..." Amanda could tell that it was hard for Fitz to lie, but he needed to in order to get out of this mess. She prayed he would find it in him. "She wanted to get married. She said something about her family forcing her to marry some guy she didn't know, and since we made love so nicely, she told me she wouldn't mind being able to do it for the rest of her life." Fitz pondered those words with heartsickness written all over his face. "How true those words were." Another tear welled up in his eye and he wiped it away. "If I had known she only had hours left, I never would have left her. I would have said, yes. I would have put her in a car and drove to Vegas. Tonight. I wouldn't have left her alone." He collapsed in tears and Rebecca and Amanda took each arm and sat with him on the couch. "See what I've been dealing with here?" Methos said. "Come on, give us a break. We don't know anything that happened over there after about eleven o'clock. Why don't you investigate Bowers more thoroughly. He seems to be the only one who knows anything about it. After all, he found the body." Soon, much to everyone's relief, the police said that they would be back for more answers at a later time when Fitz started howling about how he could have saved Gia from death, and they left. It wasn't until Amanda gave the okay by seeing the policemen get into their unmarked car and drive off did anyone say anything. Most of the words were directed at Methos, such as "What the hell were you thinking, saying I slept with her?" that came from Fitz. "Yeah," Amanda and Rebecca echoed. Methos said, "I was a doctor in many lives, and I guess, once a doctor, always a doctor. I read medical journals. In 1943, they determined that all life is contained in a single string in our bodies called DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid to be more specific. In that single string, there is a code that is unique in all of us." "Thanks for the medical lesson, Noah," Fitz spouted. "Why bring me into it?" "Watson, Crick, and Wilkins, ring a bell to anyone?" "Wilkins was just here." "Coincidence, I'm sure. The trio won the Nobel Prize for Physiology/Medicine earlier this decade. There was a case in London two years ago where DNA figured prominently. In that case, they could tell if a man sired a child just by matching their DNA. I know that in this town of medical funding, and because Gia's killing is going to make the news, they might have the capability of testing Gia to find out not only that she slept with someone before she died, but maybe even who she slept with if they get a sample from you, Fitz. We couldn't cover that lie if they ask you for a sperm sample." "God," Fitz declared, grossed out. "They can do that?" "It's expensive, and not very accurate, but yeah. Science is an amazing thing. Don't worry. They don't think of you as a killer, Fitz. They just think you're a wimp." "Thanks, old chap." "There might another round of questions for us, but we can be one step ahead of them. Rebecca, look up John and ask what he told them." "I think we should just get the hell out of here," Amanda stated. "I'm starting my class next week," Methos said. "I'm not going anywhere. A senseless murder that I had no part of isn't going to make me take off. I take off when I want to take off. I want to teach that class." Rebecca was holding Fitz in her arms on the couch, and asked him, "Hugh, who in the world could have done that to Gia?" "I don't know. I honestly don't know. All I could do is guess. She was a beautiful creature. Why would you kill such a thing of beauty?" "Well, Woodstock was great," Amanda said, "but I've about had it with America for the time being. I say we all take off before the cops start snooping around again. How about the south of France? The south Pacific?" "Woodstock!" Fitz interrupted her.  "What about it?" Amanda asked. "I saw Luther there." Methos tightened. "You weren't the only one." Rebecca was guarded. Whenever her former student was mentioned, and the events in Egypt in the late eighteenth century, she usually tightened up. "Luther was at a peace festival?" "I'm sure he was there for the music and chicks," Methos said. "But, yeah. He was." "And you all lived to tell about it?" "He agreed there was a truce for the weekend." "He told me to watch where I step," Fitz said. "Watch where you step?" Amanda asked, wondering how that could have been anything to remember. He had told Methos and her, "Peace and love, brother." "It was a warning," Fitz said standing up and starting to pace the small living room. "I thought it was just because there was a cow pile there, but he isn't that nice. He never has been. He was warning me. He did this! He killed Gia!" Methos laughed out loud, long and hard. "What? Luther is many things, but what in the world would possess him to kill some Italian broad on the other side of the country?" "He and I had a disagreement," Fitz said. "And I sort of... took off, and he might want to settle the score." "I didn't even know you knew him. What did you do?" Rebecca asked wondrously. "How was I to know she was his girl?" Everyone put their head in their hands. Fitz continued, "It wasn't as if she had ‘I belong to Luther' stamped on her forehead." "Did you look all over her body? I wouldn't put it past him to brand his women," Amanda said sneering. Then she shivered. "To be one of Luther's women. Imagine how desperate you'd have to be. I didn't even assume he liked women..." Fitz was concrete on this. "It was him. I just know it. Gia died horribly, just as Luther likes it. He did it. Where is he?" He looked at Rebecca. "How would I know? I spend most of my time making sure I'm not in the same country as Luther. I did such a horrible job with him. I never took another student after Luther, having failed so miserably." Amanda patted her shoulder. "You were just stuck with him. You did all you could. No one can wrangle Luther. Not even Darius." "Luther did it," Fitz was adamant. "Fine. I'll prove to you that he couldn't have," Methos said. He went to the phone and dialed without looking up the number. Amanda went to him and asked, "You're not calling Luther, are you?" Methos shot her a look of ‘get real'. "I thought that was far-fetched," she said. "Trudy. It's Noah. How are you?" Methos said into the phone in a jovial voice. Trudy? Who the hell was Trudy? The depth of women in Methos' life made Amanda shudder again. She didn't look at Rebecca for fear that the old jealousy act would creep in again. "Great. You have to look up something for me. You owe me, remember?" Methos paused, and then chuckled. "Luther. Where is he?" Amanda slapped Methos' arm, and Fitz and Rebecca hovered near. "Who is that?" Methos covered the receiver to say, "A Watcher." "What the hell is a Watcher?" Fitz asked. "Someone who snoops and knows too much," Methos said before paying attention once again to the phone. "You're kidding!" he declared, mouth agape. "What the hell is a Watcher?" Fitz repeated. Methos hung up and said, "I thought Trudy would have to do some research and she wouldn't get back to me until at least next week." "Who the hell is Trudy?" Amanda demanded. Rebecca said, "The most important answer right now is, what did Trudy have to say?" Methos gulped and looked to Fitz before admitting, "She didn't have to search long, because... Luther is in San Francisco." Amanda closed her eyes and groaned. "Damn him. First, he infringed upon Woodstock and now this! If I didn't hate him already, I would now." "Calm down, Amanda," Methos walked away from the desk and the phone. He paced the length of the living room deep in thought. "We don't know that Luther did this." "And we don't know that he didn't," Amanda retorted. "It's just like him to do this." Methos flung himself down on the sofa and glared at her. "And you're the expert on Luther now?" "Stop bickering, you two," Rebecca interceded. "Regardless if Luther's involved, we need to remain calm." Methos snorted, but remained quiet. The other three immortals did the same. Rebecca walked to the kitchen and rummaged through the refrigerator. Fitz took a seat in an easy chair and absently tapped some tobacco into his pipe and lit it. Amanda perched on the arm of Fitz's chair. Music from Methos' radio played softly in the background. All was calm after the whirlwind that was the visit by detectives. It still amazed Amanda how cops could zap all energy from a room, but also add to it. "This just doesn't make sense," Rebecca said as she strolled back into the living room munching an apple. "Why would Luther just shoot Fitz but kill Gia? He's never passed over an opportunity for a Quickening." "That's assuming Luther is the killer," Methos reminded her. He moved his feet so she could sit down and replaced them once she was settled. "I'm not fully convinced he's involved." "Well, I say he should be the first one on our list," Amanda said. "It's just the thing he'd do." She repeated her earlier sentiment, then she looked Methos squarely in the eye. "You know how he likes to toy with people." As soon as the words left her mouth, Amanda wished she'd never said them. She cringed as she waited for Methos' nasty response, knowing that he had been holding in a lot of pent-up emotion since the man's name was first uttered after what Luther had done to him. Surprise flooded through her when he glared at her as he stood up. Without a word to anyone, he scrambled to his feet and stomped to the door. Rebecca and Amanda jumped when the door slammed and rattled ominously on its hinges. "What's his problem?" Fitz took a long drag on his pipe. Rebecca glanced at Amanda, who discreetly shook her head. Methos kept his life and the details of that particular time private. Fitz wasn't exactly good at keeping secrets. She said to appease Fitz,  "He's just stressed." "Yep," Amanda agreed. "He's always like this when he's stressed." "Maybe, I should go and talk to him," Fitz made a move to stand up, but Amanda grabbed his arm. "What, Amanda?" "No, Fitz, I don't think that's a good idea. I'll check on him. Besides, it's been a long night. Why don't you lay down in the spare bedroom and take a nap?" Fitz yawned at her suggestion. "That's not a bad idea. Care to join me, Rebecca?" "Only if you behave yourself," Rebecca laughed. Some of the grief had begun to fade from the Englishman's face. Fitz was one resilient man. "I promise to keep my hands to myself," Fitz said in all honesty. "You have my word as a gentleman." Rebecca allowed him take her hand and help her from the sofa. "You have a deal. Amanda, you'll take good care of Noah, won't you?" "Of course. Don't I always?" Amanda replied demurely, which elicited a chuckle and shake of Rebecca's head. ~~~~~ The cool of the early morning settled over Methos. Soon the sun would win its fight with the still chilly air. For now, the temperature made him wished he'd grabbed a jacket on his hasty departure out of his apartment. He'd climbed the couple flights to the roof in a huff; the weather was the last thing on his mind. How dare Amanda bring that up in front of Fitz? For all he knew she was probably spilling her guts to the mouthy immortal at this very minute about the time that left him so emotionally scarred by Luther's deed that he left the Game for good. Hopefully, Rebecca would stop her before she did. Better that the mess with Luther never left their circle of three. The fewer immortals privy to that information the better. "Methos?" Methos turned when he heard Amanda call his name. "What?" "I'm sorry." "You should be." "I am," Amanda said sincerely and reached for him, but he moved away. "Let's not do this." "Fine, go away." "I didn't tell Fitz a word about it. I'm not stupid, you know." "I never said you were," Methos said. "You just have an annoyingly bad habit of opening your mouth when it should stay shut. Are you in the habit of just using that as an example of Luther's ruthlessness to anyone who mentions him?" Next thing he could imagine was her using his horsemen days as a reason why it should be Methos who carved the turkeys. "Of course not, it just slipped out."  Even Amanda's pout couldn't soften his demeanor. Her hands trailed down his spine under his thin shirt and her other hand rested on the warm flesh above his heart. He was pissed and that shapely immortal wasn't going to turn his head. No matter what she did. Nope. Her feminine wiles weren't going to do a thing for him. He was mad and he wasn't going to give in. "You'd think that after all these years, you'd know me better," Amanda whispered. She didn't bother to try to hide the sadness in her words. "I'd never do anything to hurt you." "Not intentionally, but you say things without thinking them through. Hopefully, Fitz wasn't paying attention to what you were saying," Methos said. "No one needs to know about Luther besides the three of us, Amanda." "Who pays attention to me?" Amanda teased, but knew her mouth did land her in trouble once or twice. She hoped that for once in his life, Fitz hadn't been. "I'll just blow him off if he asks me about it." Methos shook his head and walked to the other side of the roof. He peered over the edge and watched the people bustling around the neighborhood. Normal little people living their normal little lives, blissfully unaware of the bloody Game he and his kind fought. "And if that doesn't work?" he turned and settled the full force of his gaze on her.  "It will. He's probably already forgotten about it, he's still shaken up over Gia," Amanda placated. "Why don't we go in and take a nap? Everyone is stressed and anxious. Maybe I could give you a nice long massage, loosen you up." "Is that your standard response, Amanda?" He crossed the roof and grabbed her arms. "Piss me off and then a good shag and all's forgiven?" Amanda shoved herself in close to him. "It's worked well in the past." "Not this time, darling." "Really?"  She freed one of her arms from his hold to snake around his neck, and she pulled his face down to her and kissed him firmly. Despite his efforts to resist, Methos found himself returning her kiss with a force to match hers. Soon Amanda was tugging at his clothes. Amanda's nimble fingers raced down the front of his shirt freeing each button. Her hands slid the material from his shoulders and it floated slowly to the floor of the roof. Her hands slid down his now bare chest and rested on his hips. She felt him suck in his breath when her fingers went to his belt buckle. "Stop it, Amanda," he pushed her hands away, "it's not going to work this time."  "Oh, but I think it is," she purred as her hands returned to his hips and pulled him in close. The firmness of him pressed against her. "It always does." Methos jerked away from her. "Get over yourself, luv." "Why do you have to be such an asshole? Apologizing to you is like pulling teeth and just about as painful." Amanda stalked after him. "For the millionth time, I'M SORRY!" "Shout it to the world, why don't you?" Methos hissed. "Don't you think I know you're sorry? I just question your lack of discretion." "Luther's not even here, and he's tearing us apart again," Amanda replied. "I hate him more than I've ever hated anyone." "Join the club," Methos said. "No one deserves to lose their head as much as he does." "That's why we need find out for sure if he's involved in this mess," Amanda said. "We need to take him out if he is." "Not we, me," Methos stated emphatically. "I should have seen to that years ago, but I'll remedy that soon." "Fitz's is the one after his head," she reminded him. "Somehow, I doubt that he's gonna let you do the honors for him." "Do you think I'd let Fitzcairn stand in my way if I decided to take out Luther?" The hard gleam in Methos' eyes scared Amanda more than just a little bit. "Surely, you know me better than that."  He threw her words from earlier back in her face. "Yes, I do," Amanda whispered. "Fitz is an innocent in this, Noah." "Then I suggest you and Rebecca convince him to let me take Luther, if it comes down to that. I cannot risk that bastard walking away again, or making any of us do what we later wish we hadn't." Methos heard the roof's door bang open and groaned when he looked up to see Fitz's curly mop against the bright blue sky. "What the hell do you want?" "I can't sleep. I know Luther's behind this, and I will do something about it," Fitz said as forcefully as he'd ever said anything in his life. Rebecca stood beside him. While the Englishman seemed oblivious to the tension that hung heavily between the two immortals, Rebecca, through years of experience, knew without a shadow of a doubt something big was brewing.  "I couldn't stop him. I knew what you were probably doing up here, but he's a man with a mission," Rebecca apologized. "Noah, where is he?" Fitz demanded as if this was High Noon. "Don't be silly, Fitz. He's way out of your league," Methos dismissed the other man and walked to the rooftop door. "Don't think I can't take him." Fitz rushed to the door, blocking Methos' way. "Where is he? I will take care of Luther once and for all," Fitz said determinedly. "I will avenge Gia." "You're going to go blowing in there with a sword and challenge Luther?" Methos let loose a humorless laugh and moved Fitz aside. "Yes." Fitz, still determined, ran to catch up with Methos. "Tell me where the son of a bitch is."  "Okay, fine, have it your way. I'm not looking to get into a pissing contest with you." Methos rose his head and sniffed the clear, fresh air, then shrugged. "Today's as good a day as any to die. Trudy said the address where Luther's been staying the last few days is 99 Henry Street." With Methos' words, Fitz spun around and stalked down the stairs. Rebecca looked exasperated at Methos as she said, "You didn't have to tell him," and then rushed down the stairs after the Englishman on a mission. "Come on, Information Man," Amanda pulled at his arm. "We have to stop this train wreck in its tracks." Methos  followed Amanda back down the flights of stairs to his apartment. Even though Methos knew all about Fitz' determination when it came to settling scores that had to do with women, he was actually surprised to see Fitz sharpening his blade as they entered the apartment. There was some small part of Methos who had thought Fitz would change his mind, realizing the folly of this quest on the way down from the roof, but the fool seemed totally serious about going after Luther. Fitz didn't know what a devious, dangerous bloke Luther truly was. Rebecca tried to reason with him, Amanda joined in, but Fitz' mind was set, and he couldn't be reasoned with. Fitz told them full of emotion, "You didn't wake up drenched with Gia's blood. It was like I could taste it, it was everywhere. He did this. Luther is the only brute to do it. He didn't take my head because that's also his way. It was a dreadful warning. He doesn't expect me to come after him." Fitz sheathed his sword in his overcoat and moved to the door. "I have surprise on my side." "Well, you're not going alone." Amanda grabbed her coat.  Methos reacted with more surprise. "Don't tell me you want to see Fitz lose his head. If he wants to go, fine. But you?" "Fitz is my friend, and he is not going alone." Methos was shocked when Rebecca grabbed her coat, too. "The four of us should be able to overtake him," she said. "It would be lovely to rid the world of Luther. The only thing we have to decide is who gets the quickening." "I do," Fitz said, gleaming at his new cohorts. Then, he waltzed out with Rebecca hot on his heels. "Well?" Amanda said at the door back to Methos.  "No, it's not well. It's bad, Amanda. Why are you encouraging him?" "The four of us can take him, Methos. Isn't it exciting?" "The three of you haven't a chance, and I've decided I want to live and not have my head played with. I'm not going anywhere near Luther." Amanda put her hands in her pockets and drew out Methos' van keys. "Oh, what luck. I'll drive." "You're not going anywhere in my van." "Where's your sense of adventure, luv?" "Right next to my sense of survival." Amanda's face fell. "You're not going?" "Hello? Who do you think you're talking to? Of course not; none of you should. You're being ridiculous!" "This is serious, Methos. A woman, another woman, another mortal woman, has been killed by that maniac. Come or don't come. We're going to take care of this once and for all." "It's been wonderful knowing you, Amanda," Methos intoned. "I'm not going, and if you have a brain in your head, you wouldn't either." Amanda's answer was to the slam of the door. Soon, her buzz faded, even though he assumed she would return and he wouldn't make fun of her backing down. He couldn't believe she was going; he'd thought her smarter than that. He moved to the window and saw her join Fitz and Rebecca at the van. Amanda looked up to him and waited, but he just shook his head. He walked to the kitchen and grabbed a beer. "Oh, well," he said after he drained the beer and grinned evilly, "it's not like they're going to find him." The empty beer bottle was tossed into the trash where it landed with a heavy thud. "Even after all these years, they still underestimate me." Methos strode into his bedroom. He jerked the closet door open and knelt down. With practiced ease, he pried a floorboard up and reached in and pulled out a metal box. His well-used main gauche and his handgun rested safely inside along with his important papers and documents. Withdrawing both weapons, he replaced the box and stood up. It'd had been a while since he'd been on the hunt, but he didn't worry. Hunting had been his specialty for so many years that it was second nature to him. Better for him to take out Luther now, even if the bastard had nothing to do with Gia's murder. If Luther had shot Fitz, there would have been nothing stopping him from taking his head. Luther was no longer one to play with other immortals, he was an all-or-nothing chap which really grated on Methos. Everything about Luther grated on Methos, especially having been played so well by him 174 years ago. After collecting his wits years after the encounter in Egypt where Methos decided once and for all the Game wasn't for him, he didn't want to wrap his head around the fact that it had been Luther who had played him so well. "Two hundred years without a fight, old chap," Methos muttered to himself as he looked out on the city he had grown to love as of late. The crisp blue water in the distance, the green trees dotting the residential and commercial landscape, the people walking the streets. "You've gone soft." There was a time when the scene before him would have brought out the part of him so lovingly nurtured by Kronos for over a millennia. Methos would have wanted to ride down and take whatever he saw. He didn't want to control what was before him any longer. All he wanted was to be a part of it. That was the difference between then and now, and also the difference between his thinking now and 174 years before. Luther had found a way to make up for all Methos had done to him. All Methos had done to him was to be cautious, want to protect his life, friends, and safety. Methos wanted that now as well. More than ever. If there was a chance that Amanda, Rebecca, and Fitz did find Luther, Methos could lose all three. "Five thousand years, kiddo," he told himself. "You're going to piss that away for a few friends? You know you could lose your head. One bad step, one wrong move. It's all gone. Are you ready for that?" Methos took a deep breath, soaked in the view from his living room, and tasted the safety of anonymity one more time. To savor it, enjoy it, one more time. After all, he could lose it within just a few hours. He'd have to keep his wits about him when he saw Luther, and not think about Messina. He couldn't think about the events of 1795, he would only think of the here and now. He tried to call up the feelings of revenge for Gia's death, but that didn't work. He had to feel more personal about the events that were actually making Methos throw away 174 years of treading outside the Game. He put Amanda into Gia's place, Rebecca into Sina's place, and thought about things in a very different light. Remembered what he had done to both women under the spell of the ‘forbidden' quickening. Methos gathered all the brute strength he had buried deep inside him so well               and focused his attention on only one thing: making sure Luther wouldn't see the sun come up in the morning. Luther would no longer get his way. Luther would no longer use people that Methos loved. Luther would no longer exist, which the very thought of had made Methos inwardly cringe for 174 years. Soon, Methos was ready. The others were going to be pissed when they got back. He'd given them correct, though slightly old information on Luther's whereabouts. Only he knew the true location of the sadistic immortal, and he wasn't about to share with anyone. Tucking the dagger in his boot and the gun on his waist, he grabbed his coat off the coat rack and slid the Ivanhoe into the lining. He was prepared for anything Luther might have up his sleeve. Now well armed, inside and out, Methos bounded down the stairs to the street and hailed a cab. ~~~~~ It took most of the day for Amanda, Fitz, and Rebecca to find 99 Henry Street. Amanda parked across the street of the run-down, lime green house that they had, in fact, drove past three times. There wasn't a house number, and there was a vacant lot next to it. Amanda asked, "Are you sure that's it?" "I think so," Rebecca said from the passenger seat. "It has to be." She pointed to a house on their side of the street but behind them and said, "There's 94. The street ends at the intersection, so that must be the house." Fitz's head was between them as he knelt in the back of the van. "Are you sure? We could circle the block again. I want to be damned sure this is the right spot before we go barging in." Amanda didn't blame him for being nervous. Not only because Luther could actually be inside that awfully gauche house, but there were shiny Harley Davidsons and run-down cars parked in what had to be the driveway and yard. One of the vehicles was a Cadillac with hydraulic shocks and a fur lined dashboard, obviously a pimp-mobile. The black drapes were drawn and loud music could be hear from inside. The whole neighborhood looked run down. One could only guess what peril laid in that house. She was going to suggest that they might have bitten off more than they could chew when Fitz said, "Well, as the great Elvis Presley says, it's now or never." "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea," Rebecca said. "Perhaps we should've listened to Noah." Fitz stared at her incredulously, "Gia must be avenged, Rebecca. Wait in the van if you prefer." "I didn't say that, Fitz." Rebecca responded. "I just think we might be in over our heads. I've seen what Luther is capable of." Amanda glared at Rebecca and tossed her eyes in Fitz' direction for her to shut up about the past. Fitz had thankfully dropped the opening Amanda made back at Methos, and Rebecca didn't need to bring it up again. "I'm going in with or without either of you." Fitz chivalrously said, "If you women don't want to go, I understand, but I must." With that comment, Amanda opened the door of the van and got out. "Fools rush in where angels refuse to tread." When Rebecca sat with her mouth open, she shrugged her shoulders and smiled, "Are we going in or what?" "It actually worked." Fitz was full of glee as he said, "I know just how to play you, Amanda. I always have. Let's go." He jumped out of the passenger's seat and hurried around to Amanda's side. "Rebecca, why don't you wait here with the van? Noah'll flay us all if his van gets purloined." Rebecca had been thinking the same thing. "Good idea. Besides, we might have to make a quick getaway." She climbed from the back into the driver's seat. "Be careful." Fitz waved off her concern. "We will be just fine."  "Luther's dangerous, double so when he feels he's being ambushed," Rebecca warned. "Fight dirty if you must." Amanda took her words of advice, and strengthened her resolve. "Whatever it takes, Rebecca, he's going down." Amanda and Fitz stood on the sidewalk for a moment to regain their respective composure then headed over to the house. Amanda kept a wary eye out for any possible lurkers, but she'd spotted no one. Fitz confidently sauntered up the sidewalk and onto the sagging wooden porch. "They could use a good gardener," Amanda sniffed as she stepped carefully over a pile of broken boards. "Or at least a dumpster for starters."  "I hardly doubt that cleanliness is next to godliness in this instance, Amanda."  "Well, it should be," Amanda joined him on the porch. "This place is a hovel. I thought even Luther had better taste than to hang out in a place like this. I don't feel his buzz, Fitz." "If he's not here, we can find out when he will be back." Fitz raised his hand to knock when the door opened followed by the loud blasting of Jimi Hendrix and the sickly sweet scent of marijuana. A short, stocky man, the hairiest man Amanda had ever seen, covered with tattoos, and wearing leather pants, vest, and band around his head glared menacingly at them. Even though the man wasn't all that big, his presence exuded danger. "Who da hell are you?" he growled. Fitz opened his mouth, but Amanda stepped in front of him and began talking. "That's not important, sir." The man shrugged and started to shut the door. However, Amanda was quicker. "Wait!" "State your business or get the hell off my porch!" "We're looking for an old friend of ours." Amanda nearly choked on the word friend. Luther was anything but a friend, but this hirsute man didn't need to know any specifics. Amanda hadn't thought it possible for a person to grow hair on their eyelids, but she was sure she saw some. "We heard he might be staying here." The tattooed one gave her a thorough once over and laughed. "Don't think you've got friends here." "Oh, you'd surprised," Amanda smiled cheekily. "What's the harm in asking?" As usual the man was responding to Amanda's assets. "What's in it for me, darlin'?" When he smiled, she saw that dentist probably meant one who puts dings in cars for his lack of hygiene. Nevertheless, she pushed on. "I'm sure we can negotiate something for the information," Amanda bargained. "Now, my friend's name is Luther. Have you seen him?" "Maybe, maybe not," the man leered. "Name doesn't ring a bell. What's he look like?" Fitz didn't like the turn the situation was taking, so he stepped closer to Amanda. "Tall, fierce looking fellow." "That's not helpful, pal."   Amanda glanced over at Fitz, a bit perplexed that she agreed with the Adonis. Another biker, this one half again as tall as the first one came to the door and whistled. Amanda smiled at him, thinking this one might be more helpful. At least he shaved. Before she could say anything, she was pulled inside. She felt Fitz holding onto her blouse from behind and tagging along. A group of five or six men and a couple of women were lounging around the dark living room on furniture that had seen better days. Beer and other liquor bottles littered the room. A lamp with a black light shone dimly in a corner of the room. She waved the air around her as the mingling of cannabis, cigarette, and cigar smoke was so thick she thought she was going to have to heave a lung. "Want to party?" the big man asked as he put his arms around her and started to move. She assumed it was dancing of some sort, but didn't recognize any of the steps. "I don't think so. Not that I'm not interested, of course, it's just that we're in a bit of a rush and need to find someone as soon as possible." She looked back to see Fitz taking a toke from a bong a guy offered him and yelled, "Isn't that right?!" "Hm," Fitz asked, his eyes focused on two stacked women in bikinis sitting on the steps leading upstairs as he kept the smoke in his lungs. He slowly exhaled and asked Amanda, "What was that?" "We are in a bit of a hurry," Amanda squealed as the biker's arms were tight around her.  He gyrated against her as he said, "Want to ride a real man, doesn't look like he could satisfy you like I can." "Goodness," Amanda croaked as she lost her footing. It didn't matter, the tall guy was completely holding her up, but too tight against him. A tattoo across his bare arm read, ‘Randy', as if he needed to be reminded what his name was. Unless Randy was a woman. "Randy?" she asked. When he nodded and cockily smiled, she said, "Randy, if you don't mind, I usually dance on my own two feet, if that's what we're doing. Fitz!" The man was carrying her to the stairs that led downstairs and Amanda was pounding his head and shoulders with her fists. "This isn't good form!" Fitz stepped on the man's leather boot as hard as he could. That got his attention off Amanda long enough for her to struggle out of his grip. She fell on her butt as the man raged to Fitz. The look of ‘what the hell did I get into' flooded his face as he reached for his hilt under his coat. Amanda knew showing any blades in that house might only get them killed. Sure, they'd revive, but she was wearing her favorite blouse. She picked up a beer bottle from near her hand and threw it with all her might and accuracy at his head. He fell just in front of Fitz. With the roar from the short, hairy man who had witnessed it, women were loudly encouraging as all the men on the main floor came at them with a vengeance. Fitz hit the floor and scrambled past Amanda through the legs of their would-be attackers to a crack of sunlight that had to be a half-open back door. She thought he had a great plan and hustled behind him. Fitz had jumped to his feet when he reached the door and was on his way to safety. Amanda felt something clap onto her foot and pull her back. She turned to see a beefy fellow with a drug-induced gleam in his eye. She screamed with all her might, "He's the one that cold-cocked poor Randy!" Suddenly the burly man lost his swagger as he was being pummeled from all directions from Randy's friends. As soon as she was free, she turned again to the door to see Fitz's curly hair appear and his hands pulled her to the light. Dishes, pots, and pans crashed against walls, floors, and bones as Amanda and Fitz ran together hand in hand around the house. Just as they felt the fresh air of freedom, they were stopped by a tall woman in denim from neck to mid thigh and brown leather boots that covered her from toe to knee. "Missy," she snarled at Amanda. "What the hell do you think you're doing? Acting all girly-like and then leaving as soon as the house gets damaged." Amanda figured the house was a lost cause before their arrival."We're only looking for a guy we thought would be here," she said wearily. "And who's that?" Fitz took over as he smiled at her. "And you are?" "We don't have time for this," Amanda said. She saw that Rebecca had the van running and she was more than willing to cut their losses and get the hell out of there. The woman smiled back at Fitz and cocked her shoulder suggestively to him. "Daisy," she answered. "Ah, Daisy. What a lovely name." Amanda said, "Our friend is a tall, bald, black man with a bad attitude." Daisy tilted her head and thought for a minute. "My memory ain't none too clear." With casual ease, Amanda plucked Fitz's wallet out of his pocket and dug a twenty out. She held it up like bait, and then smacked it into Daisy's hand. "Remember him now? His name's Luther." "Yeah, a real bad ass," the girl recalled suddenly, her eyes on Fitz. "He ain't here." "When will he back?" Amanda pressed on. "We'd really like to catch up with him." "Never'd be too soon for me." Daisy grimaced. "That guy's gotta temper." "Seems he'd fit in right well here," Fitz surmised.  Daisy shook her head. When the fight scrambled out on the porch, Amanda and Fitz lurched back and Daisy followed saying, "That dude was too violent for our little gang. The guys ganged up on him and kicked his ass out of the house, and he ain't been back since." "Lucky you," Fitz mumbled. "I'd watch my back if I were you. Luther isn't a bloke you want to piss off. Just because you ‘kicked him out' doesn't mean he's not planning his return." "Thanks for the information," Amanda smiled at her and grabbed Fitz by the collar to get them out of there when a man went crashing through the front window and landed against a tree by the sidewalk. Men poured out of the house punching each other. If hell hadn't broken loose before, it did when one adventurous soul slashed a tire on another's Harley. "Just rile things up and run, huh?" Daisy called to them as they ran to the van.  "That was gross," Amanda announced as she and Fitz piled into the van and Rebecca hit the gas pedal. "Looks like Noah's information was wrong." "Damn!" Fitz muttered. "So close." "Don't worry, we'll find him." "No luck?" Rebecca asked as she turned the corner at a high speed and looked back at them.  "Nothing, nada, zilch," Amanda said, then pointed ahead. "Watch out!" Rebecca swerved the van so as to not hit a car, then settled the van into an easy cruise. She sadly shook her head. "Luther is truly the biggest disappointment in my life." "It's not your fault, Rebecca," Amanda stated adamantly. "He's chosen his path in life of his own free will." "Still-"  "Nonsense," Amanda refused to let her continue. "The rest of us turned out rather well under your tutelage." "Hear, hear," Fitz agreed from his seat in the back of the van. "I say, we head back to Noah's and regroup. If Luther's anywhere in this area, we'll find him." ~~~~~ Amanda headed up the stairs and into the apartment, closely trailed by the other two immortals. "Hey, Noah, looks like you need to get yourself another informant. Trudy's information is for crap. Noah?" "He's not here, Amanda," Fitz pointed out the lack of Methos' presence and buzz.  "Son of a bitch!" Amanda threw the car keys across the room. "That lying son of a bitch!" Rebecca shoved Fitz out of the way. "We've been played, haven't we?" "Oh, yeah, by the master." Amanda ran her finger through her hair and rubbed her neck.  Fitz watched the two women with a bit of trepidation. They were clearly not happy with Noah. Tentatively, he asked, "Played?" "Noah sent us off on a wild goose chase," Amanda ground out. "Ten to one, he's off to hunt Luther on his own." "Surely, he wouldn't-" Fitz started. Rebecca replied knowingly, "Oh, but he would. In a heartbeat." "Luther is mine, damn it!" Fitz protested.  The women ignored him as they paced the apartment fuming. "We really should've known he was up to something," Rebecca said as she sat down on the sofa. "He is so devious. When will we ever learn not to trust him? It's that blasted innocent looking face of his." Amanda nodded in agreement. "But he's not the only devious one."  Rebecca quirked an eyebrow, "What do you mean, Amanda?" "Follow me." Rebecca followed Amanda into Methos' bedroom as Amanda nearly jerked the door off its hinges. She inspected everything about the room with her eyes. Finally, seeing the rug on the floor, she lifted it and saw the loose floor board. She gave a little cheer when the board was pried free. "Bonanza!" Amanda pulled the metal box free. "Noah's little treasure chest!" "Well, hurry up and open it!" Rebecca prodded. Amanda jammed open the tiny lock and peered inside. "Well, his gun and dagger are gone, but his little black book is still inside." Amanda held up a worn leather book for Rebecca's inspection. "Well, let's just give Trudy a call," Rebecca smiled. ~~~~~ Methos walked steadily to the hovel that Luther was residing in not caring that his immortal radar was being felt by the occupant of the shack. A lantern was lit in the far right room, and because it could still be seen faintly in the left windows, Methos was able to determine that Luther lived in one large room. "Certainly not a palace," Methos muttered. "A coat of paint, a nice comfortable chair, an iced keg would do wonders. He never did enjoy the finer things in life. Maybe that's his problem..." There was no use wondering how to ‘reform' Luther; it wasn't ever a possibility anyway. For now, Luther was toast, and Methos had a plan of how to do it. As the door opened, Methos knew he had been watched from inside and acted the part of a hitchhiking immortal who had come across a buzz. Methos jumped and cowered, and pretended to be ready to run in the other direction as the large black immortal stood in the doorway. "Guthrie!" Luther yelled before Methos made his clean escape into the woods. Then Luther laughed. Methos was comfortable enough to turn around. Methos took a conspicuous deep breath and said, "Luther, I didn't think I'd run into you again so soon." It wasn't hard to miss that Luther had a large knife in his hand, and his left lower arm was dripping blood. Luther said, "How did you enjoy the concert?" "Still living peace and love, you know?" Luther took another cut of his lower arm and watched it bleed as one of the cuts started to heal with iridescent blue sparks. Methos cleared his throat nervously and said, "Well, I should be going." "Are you out here on purpose?" Luther might be able to see through him, so Methos said, "If I knew you were here, do you really think I would be?" Luther's laugh reverberated loud and low, as if he wasn't used to doing it. Methos continued, "No, I got stuck out here and need a lift home, or else find a comfortable spot to spend the night and walk home by daylight." He paused and looked around cautiously, wondering if Luther was accepting his scared demeanor. "Where's Amanda?" Luther asked with a sickening leer. "No idea. Why?" Luther just shrugged and cut himself again to watch the process of bleeding and healing. Methos cringed. The man didn't seem to feel pain at all. "She was all over you in New York, just as she had been in York, and Paris, Buenos Aires, Tripoli. Has she ever mentioned how she enjoyed having a front row seat to your failure?" Luther obviously had been pleased with himself just as Methos had been wounded for those 174 years. "Aren't you in a mood," Methos commented. "We choose not to talk about that." "Wise choice, Guthrie," Luther said as he made another cut on his arm. At least Luther never found out Methos' true name, and still thought of him as Guthrie, a name Methos had come up with out of the blue as soon as Rebecca had introduced him and Amanda to her new student. Rebecca had written about her new student that she had saved from a life of pain and misery. As soon as Methos laid eyes on Luther, he knew there was something about him that was more than what even Rebecca knew and felt more comfortable with him not knowing he was in the presence of one of the oldest immortals on earth at the time. One thing Luther never lost was his act of self-mutilation and pain. What you were as a preimmortal always carried with you no matter how old you were. Methos kept an eye on Luther's every movement, not trusting him in the least. ~~~~~ With Fitz behind the wheel, Rebecca and Amanda held onto the seat or dashboard for dear life holding their breath. Now that he knew the location of where Methos had gone to face Luther, he was a man on a mission. "Will you please slow down?!" Amanda asked once again, for what seemed to be the thousandth time. Rebecca cried out and covered her face with her arms as Fitz swerved between a car he was passing and a car coming straight at them on the county road east of the suburb of Fremont. Fitz had expertly cut back into the right lane before the oncoming car passed them. He turned to Amanda and Rebecca. "How's my driving?" "For the birds," Rebecca spouted. "Pull over and let me drive." "I can't do that, luv," Fitz shook his head to make his point clear. "Sit back, shut up, and enjoy the ride, ladies." He winced as he felt one of their fists connect rather painfully with his shoulder. "Kidding, just kidding." "This is such a dreadful mess," Amanda lamented as she crawled into the back of the van with Rebecca. At least if Fitz wrecked the van, she'd be safer back there. "How did this get so nutty?" Rebecca shifted when Amanda came over the front seat. "We both know the answer to that, Amanda, and you know it." Amanda held her finger to her lips. "We cannot talk about this now. Noah'll have both our heads if we let it slip to Fitz." Thankfully, Fitz was too busy driving and ranting to pay any attention to their conversation. "The nerve of some people," he huffed. "Gia was my lover, not his. Luther's head belongs to me, not him. Where does he get off thinking that I'll step aside and let him do my dirty work. Luther means nothing to him." Rebecca reached out for Amanda's hand. Without a word, Amanda grasped her hand tightly. Amanda's brown eyes flew to meet Rebecca's. Fitz, in his ignorance of the shared history of the four immortals, had no idea just how wrong he was. Methos had every reason to hate Luther, more than enough to want him dead. "I'm scared," Amanda mouthed. Rebecca squeezed Amanda's hand. "So am I." Fitz's mad rant was over, and he turned the eight track of Jimi Hendrix up full blast. Amanda gritted her teeth and fervently hoped they wouldn't be too late. It wasn't that she didn't want to see Luther dead. She had no love for the sadistic man. In fact, she had never found a word strong enough to describe her loathing for Luther. ‘Dead' and ‘Luther' were two words she liked the sound of, and hell, Methos could take him even though he claimed he hadn't picked up a sword in a hell of a long time. No doubt about that. The cagey old bastard might try to make light of his sword skills; however, Amanda knew from experience and instinct that Methos was the best of the best when the need arose. She just worried about Luther getting lucky and taking her longtime lover's head. Living without Methos hovering on the fringes of her life made her shiver. "Are you all right, Amanda?" Rebecca had felt her student's tremor. "Yes, no, I don't know," Amanda felt the words rush out of her mouth. "I wish we'd get there, already. This is so bad, Rebecca." Under the cover of the guitar licks screaming from the quadraphonic speakers Methos had placed around the van, Rebecca consoled, "He knows what he's doing." "What if he doesn't?! "  Rebecca responded just as vehemently as Amanda. "He is Methos." "Yeah, and he was Methos then, too," Amanda pointed out, "and that didn't turn out so well, did it?" Rebecca's eyes widened when Amanda had so blatantly brought up the past once again, even when she herself had said they shouldn't talk about it in front of Fitz. Obviously reading her teacher's mind, Amanda glanced up to the front of the van. Fitz's attention was on the road and the blaring music. "He hasn't taken a head since Giza, Rebecca." "He hasn't?" Rebecca didn't bother to hide her shock.  "Not a single one," Amanda said. "He's been totally out of the Game." Rebecca felt a shiver insider of her for the depth of sorrow her old friend had to have been going through ever since 1795. "But now is the time of the Gathering. He cannot just rely on running away and steering clear of us. It is inconceivable." Rebecca had always known that Methos could hide his troubles from her and others, but not to even accept a challenge in 174 years? That horrible moment on the Giza plains had started out as a whimsical reunion for Rebecca; one of her oldest, dearest friends; and her three students. Fitz whooped from the driver's seat as he slowed the van to a stop. Suddenly, all sound was gone as the van engine and 8 track was shut off. All that could be heard was the breathing of three edgy immortals. All each of them felt was the wash of immortals nearby. Fitz declared excitedly, "There it is. There is the immortal who killed my love." Rebecca and Amanda couldn't see a thing. To them, they were in the middle of no where. Amanda went first, but Rebecca was close behind her as she jumped out of the back of the van through the squeaky double doors. Continued in Part Four