The Mark of Cain
By ABs and Donna

Thaddeus “Renny” Shaw gulped as he rolled his big blue eyes at the hangman. He was Immortal, and knew he’d survive the indignity about to be imposed upon him, but he wasn’t exactly looking forward to the experience. “Oh well,” sighed the slightly built, blond man. “Here goes nothing!”

At least he was having a real hanging. Not a lynch mob. He had been caught, tried and convicted. He’d even get to wear a hood! How’s that for class, Renny thought. “Renny” was short for renegade, and he certainly was that!

The hood was placed over his head, and Renny closed his eyes. Like most Immortals, he hated to die, but there was no way out of this one. Not even Abel Cain could get out of a hanging, when the law ordered it!  Another minute, and the door beneath his feet opened.  A whoosh of air, a sudden jump of the insides, as the adrenaline rushed through him, and he would be dead. 

But instead he kept falling! Damn fools didn’t tie the noose! Well, thought Renny, when I hit the ground I’ll start running! Better to take a bullet in the back then . . . 

He hit the ground hard, then rolled, managing to get his head free of the hood. But when he looked, he was in an entirely different town, with no spectators, or even a gallows! What in the world had happened?

He got up, his hands still tied behind his back, and looked around suspiciously. It looked like many of the small western towns he had been in, but didn't seem familiar at all. As he started to walk down the street, he saw a building with the sign *Edan Medical Clinic* over the front door, and as he stepped closer, the buzz of another immortal hit him. He swallowed hard. With no sword and his hands tied, how could he
defend himself?

He gulped again as another man came out of the clinic. Then he grinned. “Abel!” he greeted him, smiling like a fool. “So good ta see ya. Can ya do me a favor an’ untie these?” He offered his tied wrists to Doc as Sarah Jo came out to see what was happening.

"What's going on?" she asked, frowning at the strange look on Doc Adams’ face. It reminded her of that time at the Halloween party up in Esperanza!

Doc looked from his old friend to his lover. Things got a little hazy and he swerved, finally righting himself with a hand on Sarah Jo’s shoulder. When she asked again what was happening, this time with concern in her voice for his welfare, he suddenly snapped, “Leave me be, wench! Renny!” He turned to the new man. “How convenient of you to be here!”

Sarah Jo backed off in a hurry, her hand on her expanded tummy. Turning on her heels, she took off as fast as she could for the city hall and Methos and Duncan.

“Well, that’s a blasted nuisance,” Renny said as Doc untied his hands. “If her belly weren’t full I’d have a go at her. Right handsome woman. Can’t be your young ‘un, I know, Abel, but have yer had her?”

“We’ve got some catchin’ up to do,” said Doc. “Come.”

“Saloon?”

***

Out of breath and her side hurting, Sarah Jo ran into the city hall, calling out Duncan and Methos' name. The Highlander got there first, wrapping his arms around her. 

"What's wrong?" he asked, glancing out in the street. He didn't see anything amiss.

"He's back!" Sarah Jo gasped. "Doc's alter ego! Some kid showed up that knew him, and it turned him!"

Methos heard this and cursed in some unknown language. "Did he hurt anyone?"

"No," Sarah Jo said with a shake of her head. "He pushed me away, and then went to untie the kid’s hands. They acted like they were old friends or something."

“Name?” Methos asked abruptly.

Sarah Jo bit her lip, trying to remember. "Denny? No, Renny!"

The Ancient Immortal rolled his eyes heavenward and just barely bit off another curse. “This means trouble. Serious trouble.”

"Sarah Jo, stay here," Duncan ordered. "Shall I go get the police," he asked Methos, "or do we handle it *our* way?" Sarah Jo gasped at the implications that had.

“I’m not sure how to handle it,” Methos admitted, “but until they actually do something *wrong* we can’t arrest them. Chances are they will . . . but if I know those two, the first thing they’ll do is head out of town for Lovelace’s.” 

Duncan nodded. "It makes sense. Damn, Methos, I can't have him around Sarah Jo if this Dr. Hyde character of his keeps coming out! Especially not now with her getting close to having the baby!"

“I didn’t say you should. Hopefully something will break. I never thought I’d say this, but I wish Cain would come. Then he and Renny can drink and whore themselves into oblivion and we’d still have Doc.  I’ve, uh, grown accustomed to his face.”

"But how do you separate them?" Duncan growled. "Can't exactly chop him in two!"

“That’s true,” Methos sighed. “I have no idea who does this, so I can’t say that it will be done.” He looked at Sarah Jo, who was clearly upset, and said, “All we can do is hope it turns out well, and be on our guard in case they decide to bring their fun into town.  First thing I am going to do is check to be sure they didn’t *start* here.”

As she watched the two men walk down the street, a tear trickled down Sarah Jo's pale face. Had she lost Doc forever?

***

It was midday, and the place was not crowded, though there was a friendly card game going on. It did not stay friendly for long. Luckily, two of the other players were professional card players, and were experts at trying to control volatile situations. Bret especially, was joking, and trying to keep things from getting completely out of hand.

The problem, at the start, was Kit O’Brady. When Renny sensed him, he went for a sword that was not there. That got smoothed out but Renny did not trust anyone but Doc, or “Abel” as he called him. He was a friendly enough sort, just wild, and he wondered out loud where the women were.

"There are some *ladies of the night* at a place not far from town," Zane suggested, hoping to get rid of this newcomer. He smelled trouble.

“Renny wanted a game of chance. Lovelace doesn’t do cards, and there are no whores here,” Doc said angrily. “Not at all conducive to a good time.”

“Not at all,” said Renny in his southern accent. It sounded odd, echoing Doc’s clipped British tones.

"Look guys," Zane grumbled. "Much as I like a good card game, I think we should end this one now. The gals down at Lovelace's place are willing and very nice on the eyes. And you, boy, have got enough in front of you to buy a night of pleasure there. Stay
here, and I guarantee you will lose it."

Cain’s eyes went cold. “Guarantee, eh? You whelp. You think you are so polished and refined? How much experience with cards do you really have?”

"Now calm down, everyone!" Bret called out. "Let's keep this game as friendly as we can. As my pappy used to say, it ain't whether you win or lose, its how you play the game." He picked up the deck and went through a series of fancy shuffles, and then casually laid out an ace high royal straight face up. "And my pappy does this better than me." 

“That’s a bit like twirlin’ the colt an’ not really knowin’ how t’shoot it, ain’t it Abel?” Renny asked with a laugh.

His friend nodded. “Just who do you think invented the game?”

“Telling tales out of school?” said an identical voice from the doorway.

For a moment, a look of confusion crossed Cain's face, as his Doc half struggled to get control again. As Methos stepped up to the table, Duncan circled around to the other side.

But Renny was even more confused. He looked absolutely shocked when Methos said, “Put it down, Thaddeus. They may be a little pompous, but they are still mortal. And Kit’s kept silent.”

Renny wrinkled his nose at his real name, but habit made him pull his hand from under the table. It was empty. That didn’t mean he would not have drawn, *had* he had a gun to draw! It only showed how well this man who looked like Cain knew him.

"I think I am going to go get something to eat. Coming Junior?" Zane asked. Bret hesitated, but got up and followed Zane away from the table. It was then that
Renny noticed that both men were well armed, and from the way they wore their gun belts that they were no amateurs there, either.

“Might’ve been fun,” he said ruefully, “Ifin’ I’d had m’ Colt.” He grabbed a biscuit off the table and said, “Someone gonna explain this all to me?”

“I might,” Methos said, “If you promise not to kill anyone. They’re just good enough to think they can take you. And you look like such a bumbling fool they’re bound to be cocky.” Renny actually giggled at this. “Come,” he said. “You, too,” he added to Cain.

But the other man was not listening. His eye had lit on a certain redhead, heavy with child, who was running down the stairs. Pru’s face was stained with tears.

Duncan mumbled a bad word, and tried to intercept Pru before she could get too close to the man she thought was her gentle lover. 

Cain, meanwhile, was struggling with Doc. Doc wanted to go see why she was crying, while Cain was fiercely attracted to the woman, despite her condition. And possibly because of it. He had Methos’ yearning for a fruitful body. Methos jumped, putting a hand on his shoulder. “You’ve already alienated Sarah Jo,” he hissed. “Do you want to lose her too? Go to Lovelace’s.” He handed him a coin. A *real* coin! Those were rare coming out of Edan’s purse. “On me.  Get a redhead. Get it out of your system!”

"Come on, Abel!" Renny cried out. "I could use a little fun with good ol' whores!"

Suddenly realizing he had given out a coin, which he was not supposed to have, Methos said, “That was the only one I had. Use what’s on the table, Renny. Go have fun.” 

Renny was ready to do so, and started dragging Cain out. The other man stopped at the door, though, looking back at Prudence, who was sobbing in Duncan’s arms. The Highlander had blocked her view well enough that Doc/Cain was unseen by her, but he still saw her. And somewhere he wondered if he would lose both her and Sarah Jo forever.