You watch, fascinated, while a bead of sweat rolls down his back and disappears into the waistband of his jeans. You can't take your eyes off of him. You know that you should look away but there is something poetic about the way his muscles contract each time he moves.
The music blaring in the dojo must have dulled his senses just enough that he doesn't notice you standing there. Just as the song ends, he finishes what looks like some sort of karate exercise and notices you out of the corner of his eye. Startled for the first time in a long time he turns around quickly and says, "Can I help you?"
The front is just as magnificent as the back, glistening with sweat, and for a moment you can't speak. Then you ask, "Are you Duncan MacLeod?"
"Who wants to know?" he asks warily, in an accent you can't quite place.
"I can't tell you my name, but I was sent here by a friend-- Amanda. She said that you are a genuine knight in shining armor and would be happy to help a lady in distress."
Immediately after making that speech you feel foolish, but it's too late. He is looking at you like you are recently arrived from the moon! He continues to eye you, and not unfavorably, as you hand him the towel that is draped over the bench on the wall.
"Amanda sent you, huh?" he says, in a wonderfully deep voice.
"Um, yes. You see, I have gotten myself into quite a bit of a bind, and she thought you might be able to help me."
You hate how pathetic you sound. You are normally such a strong woman, but events of the last few weeks were taking their toll on you.
Duncan nods, "Why don't you step into my office and fill me in on the details."
He motions towards a door in the rear of the room, and you follow him in. He offers you a seat and a cup of tea, and you proceed to tell him everything.
"It all started a few weeks ago with a phone call. I thought it was a prank call and hung up on the guy the first time but the calls have been coming almost every night, usually around 3 am. He always says the same thing. I also think someone's been following me," you say shakily.
"What does he say?" Duncan asks you in his wonderfully soothing voice.
"He describes the places I've been that day and the things I've been doing. Last night was especially bad. He repeated in detail the things I did from the moment I got home. That's when I ran from my apartment. The closest place with a lot of people was the bar down the street, you know, Joe's Place. That's where I met Amanda."
"How did Amanda find out about it?" he asks.
"Well, after I sat down at a table, I couldn't help myself and I started crying. Apparently someone told Joe and Joe told Amanda and Amanda sat down to talk to me. She was so nice. She did say it wasn't smart leaving my place like that, but that she probably would have done the same thing. Then she told me about you."
Looking at him, you continue, "Well, I think it was you. You still haven't told me if you're Duncan MacLeod."
With a smile, he reaches out a hand, grasping yours to shake it. "Hi, I'm Duncan MacLeod."
With that, he returns your hand to my lap, then gently wipes the tears from my cheek with his fingers.
"If you want me to help you, you'll have to trust me and tell me your name. It will be slightly awkward calling you 'Amanda's person in trouble' or 'Anonymous." With a smile, he looks into my eyes and softly asks, "Do you trust me?"
You hold his gaze, searching his eyes. "I don't know, I mean, I don't even know you. I need help and I don't know where else to turn. Is it enough to tentatively trust you?"
He looks at you for a moment and then breaks out in laughter.
"That's the first time I have ever heard of tentative trust," he
chuckles. "I guess it will have to do until I can prove to you that I
am worthy of your trust. Now would you please tell me your name?
Surely that can't be a state secret."
You are sure glad he couldn't read your mind. Tentative trust?? He must think you are some kind of idiot. Smiling at your unfortunate choice of words you say, "Of course, my name is (insert reader's name here.)"
"Now that we have that established, did you notice anyone following you?"
You think back on the last few days and honestly answer that you never actually saw anyone but the pressure from the phone calls had you more nervous than you've ever felt before.
Duncan listens intently, then asks, "Do you know why anyone would be following you? Is there something that you are involved with that could be dangerous? There has to be a reason for the phone calls. We have to establish a reason in order to know where to look for the person doing this to you."
You hesitate for just a fraction too long and Duncan senses it.
"Look", he says, "I can't help you if you won't talk to me. Now tell me what is going on here."
You lower your eyes to the floor and say, "My husband died 6 months ago. Four weeks ago I received a package addressed to him." At this point you can no longer hold back the tears. He puts his hand on yours and hands a tissue to you.
"Go on."
He says this with such gentleness, and the deep brown of his eyes holds such compassion, you gather the strength to go on with your story.
"As I held the package I knew I did not want to know its contents. But it was there and I had to open it. What I found in there was what appeared to be documentation of a ring of extortionists. My husband was a cop, Duncan, a good one. For weeks before he died he had seemed preoccupied and worried. No matter how I tried, he would not share with me what was worrying him. This was not like him--we shared everything.
All he would tell me was that it was dangerous for me to know. Now I wonder just how he died."
Duncan looks at you sympathetically and asks, "How did it appear he died?"
"He was killed in the line of duty. It was suppose to be a routine stop. Someone called in a complaint about a domestic dispute. He and his partner responded. At the foot of the stairs they could hear the yelling and shouting...something about it made them call in for backup. Before the backup arrived, the door flew open and there was gun fire. My Harry caught one in the chest. Now I wonder. Things just aren't right. They won't talk to me at the station. They think I'm imagining things. I'm not, Duncan..." your voice trails off as tears continue to flow down you cheeks.
He again reaches for your hands and squeezes them gently.
"Was his partner killed also?" he asks.
You manage to move your head back and forth even though you can’t speak.
"Have you tried talking to him? Partners are usually so close."
Seconds pass as you try to collect yourself. You hated yourself for losing it with this man, this man who doesn’t know you but is so comforting to you when you need it most.
"Yes, Duncan, I have tried every day since Harry died to get David to talk to me. He either doesn't return my calls or he just makes placating noises about how sorry he is about Harry. I don't know what else to do, and now I am afraid that someone is after me for something that I don't understand. Duncan, what do I do now?"
"Well, the first thing we need to do is to get you settled somewhere safe. I'll call Amanda and..." his voice trails off as he notices you shaking your head no.
"She left for Paris this morning, but she gave me this note to give to you," you say as you hand him the note.
Duncan looks at the note and frowns. He looks up at you and sighs. "Well looks like you're staying here."
"Oh I simply can't impose on you like that!"
"Nonsense, it's not wise for you to go home. Do you have any other family, friends?"
"No", you say, "Harry was the only one."
"First of all we'll get a shower and then I believe you need some rest."
You look to him gratefully and he stands to lead you upstairs.
Up in the loft, Duncan hands you a towel and washcloth and points you in the direction of the shower. After he hears the water running he gets on the phone and calls Joe.
"What do you mean it isn't safe for her out there?" Duncan knew he sounded frustrated but he couldn't help it. "What do the Watchers have to do with this?"
You come out of the shower with the towel wrapped around you. It
doesn't cover much, and you feel self conscious. When Duncan sees you, a look of pure male appreciation comes over his face, and you suddenly feel very warm.
"I, umm, don't have any other clothes with me," you stammer as his eyes slide over you and his smile widens.
Those white teeth against that beautiful skin. You feel guilty for noticing how handsome he looks when you've only been a widow for a few months, but you do miss the companionship a male can provide, you think. You continue to blush as he watches you. Only you know, however, that most of it is a *flush* obtained from admiring the scenery in front of you.
Finally, Duncan rouses himself and offers you his robe while he digs around for something for you to wear. Drawing the robe around yourself, you can smell his lingering scent that has become a part of the robe. Inhaling the intoxicating smell, you watch him as he bends over and rummages through a trunk. You smile as you listen to him mumble to himself, unable to hear him clearly.
"Ah-ha! I knew I had them in here somewhere."
Handing you a pair of gray sweat pants and a white tee shirt, he grins and says, "Sorry, but that's about all I have that will fit you. Amanda usually leaves *something* behind when she visits, but I can't find anything right now."
Returning his smile, you answer "Oh, Amanda, that's right, you all are…umm…I mean…she and you..." you start to stammer as you realize that he and Amanda are involved. What were you thinking, you ask yourself? Of course a man like Duncan would be taken. Anyway, you rationalize to yourself you aren't really in the
market for another man... but if you were... You shake your head slightly to stop your runaway thoughts.
Duncan takes pity on you and says, "Oh, Amanda and I are old friends who see each other once in awhile. We're not together the way you're thinking."
"Oh, whatever," you say as you walk toward the bathroom where you put the T-shirt and sweat pants on. The T-shirt is a bit too tight across the front and you smile to yourself comparing your body to Amanda's. Unfortunately, the pants are a bit tight too and you grimace wondering how you look from the back....then you realize that your life is in danger and wonder why you can't seem to remember that fact around Duncan.
Just as you come out of the bathroom the phone rings and you start out of reflex. You can feel your heart pound, but with fear, not excitement. You watch with trepidation as Duncan answers the phone.
"Hello?....Hello?"
Biting your lip, you wrap your arms around your body and back up against the bathroom door. Running through your mind is the thought that HE found you. You start to shiver, and slide down to the floor. Clasping your knees to your chest, you lay your forehead on your knees and fold in on yourself. Closing your eyes, you take several deep breaths, trying to calm down.
You dimly hear Duncan repeat, "Hello?", then talk quietly for a second. Then you hear, "Sure. Just a sec."
Holding the phone against his abdomen, Duncan turns to you and says, "It's Joe. He wants to speak to you."
He moves away a little to give you some privacy. You pick up the phone trying not to tremble as your heart is pounding so hard you can feel it. Even though you know it's Joe, you still feel afraid as you say, "Hello?"
"Hi, this is Joe. I have to ask you an important question. Did your husband have a tattoo that looked kind of like a circle with a design inside of it on the inside of one of his wrists?"
You are stunned for a moment and then answer, "Yes. He said it was because he was in a special branch of the service, covert operations kind of stuff."
You hear Joe sigh on the other end of the line and he says, "I think there are some things we need to talk over. I will be over in 20 minutes."
With a puzzled look, you hang up the phone. Duncan walks to the liquor cabinet. As you glance up at him, you catch him studying you as he pours a drink.
"Here, you look like you could use this."
He hands the drink to you as you say, "Joe's coming over. What could he possibly know about this?"
He thinks for a moment before he answers. "Your husband was a Watcher--part of a secret organization that observes and records but never interferes with the people they watch--immortals."
Duncan continues to tell you all about immortals and watchers, and even though you find it hard to believe you know somehow that he's telling the truth.
Suddenly there's a knock at the door. Duncan opens it carefully, holding his katana in one hand. In comes the Roadrunner and that Coyote is right on his tail.
"Me-beep!!" exclaims the Roadrunner, swooshing past Duncan and causing a whirlwind in the loft. The Coyote, fast on his heels, crashes right into poor Duncan.
Sprawled on the loft floor, with stars swirling around his head, Duncan moans, "What was that?"
The Coyote stops and looks around the room. The Roadrunner is nowhere in sight. There is a big black hole in the wall, and the Coyote heads right into it. A moment later, the Roadrunner runs out, grabs the hole off the wall, and swooshes past Duncan again, who has just gotten up off the floor, causing yet another whirlwind that knocks Duncan back down.
"I cannae take much more of this!" he mutters, slamming the door shut.
"Can't take much more of what?" you ask, coming out of the bathroom. Looking around at the sudden mess in the room, you look at him and raise an eyebrow. "Care to tell me what you've been doing in the.." looking at your watch, "minute I've been gone?"
"Well, ummm. You see...well..." Taking a deep breath, he blurts out the story,
"RoadRunnerandCoyotecamethroughhereandmadeahugemess,RoadRunnerwentthroughthewall,butafterCoyotewentthrough,RoadRunnercamebackoutandtooktheholehewentthroughsoCoyoteisstillinthewall."
You shake your head realizing that you must be suffering from something like Post Traumatic Shock Syndrome.
Just as you're about to question him further, someone knocks on the door. Duncan approaches it cautiously and stand behind it when he opens it. With wide eyes, you watch as Duncan opens the door.
"Hey, Mac! Why the look on your face?" says Joe, as he steps inside the loft. "I told you I was coming."
Duncan throws his hands up in the air, muttering something about needing a drink. Joe walks towards you, extending his hand.
"Hi, I'm Joe Dawson. We talked on the phone earlier. Sit down, we gotta talk."
In a daze, you sit down, but watch Duncan as he goes to the hidden liquor cabinet. Opening the doors, he pours himself a shot of Scotch and throws it back. Blinking his eyes, he gasps and pours another one. Hearing the silence behind him, he turns around and asks whether either of you want a drink. With a shake of your head, you refuse, but Joe accepts the offer and asks for a beer.
Closing the door to the cabinet, Duncan then walks over to the refrigerator and opens the door. Reaching inside, he pulls out...nothing. Bending down, he looks inside. Standing back up, he looks at Joe and says, "Sorry, for some reason I seem to be out of beer."
With a grin, Joe says, "Adam's been here, hasn't he? Never mind, Mac. We need to talk about this situation. Come sit down."
Watching Duncan's fluid stride to the couch, your mind isn't *totally* focused on the problem at hand. In fact, Joe has to speak your name twice before it penetrates that he is talking to you.
Looking at him, you catch a glimpse of a symbol that is very familiar. You have to resist the urge to reach for his wrist.
Joe tells you all about the immortal that your husband had been watching. "He's a bad one all right," Joe says shaking his head. "We think he probably had your husband killed."
"But why is he after me? I don't know anything!" you cry.
"No, you don't know anything about this," Joe agreed. "Since you were married to the person following him, Kowalski figures you know about him. That, and Kowalski somehow discovered that your husband kept a journal on him. Kowalski doesn't take any chances. You need to be eliminated to protect himself."
"But can't we somehow let him know that I don't know anything? Hey, I'll leave town! Or why can't he leave? What does he do that makes him want to stay here?"
Joe's response was hesitant. "Well, I hate to tell you this, but he is a cartoonist for Disney Studios."
"You have to be kidding," Duncan says disbelievingly.
"Nope. He's the best villains cartoonist Disney has," Joe adds. "You remember Bull Winkle? Well, he did Natasha and that idiot she worked with. He's also done Cruella in 101 Dalmatians."
"Wow, he REALLY is good, isn't he," commented Duncan. "I really loved the step-mother in Snow White. Do you know if he did her? How about Captain Hook in Peter Pan? Oh, I know..."
"YOOHOOO!!! GUYS!!!" you scream. When you get their attention, you quietly say, "My life is in danger, remember???"
Duncan and Joe look embarrassed and try not to notice that you're giving them the evil eye. The phone rings again and once again you try not to give into that helpless sick feeling that comes over you each time you hear that sound. Duncan picks up the phone talks quietly for a few moments and then, after he hangs up, he tells you that his friend Adam is coming over.
"Great, the more the merrier," you say sarcastically. "Who is this Adam, and why is he coming over? When Amanda convinced me to come to you, I figured that it would be kind of private. Well, so far, Amanda knows about it, you know, Road Runner and Coyote know I'm here, and Joe knows. Now this Adam is getting into the game. Is there ANYONE who doesn't know or isn't going to know?"
Glancing back and forth, neither Joe nor Duncan wants to answer *that* question, so silence hangs in the air. Finally, the silence is broken by a knock on the door. Giving a relieved sigh, Duncan catapults from his chair to answer it.
Opening the door, he gasps and steps backwards into the room, only to reveal Cassandra!
"Let's take some heads," she says as she smiles at Duncan, and kisses him lightly. "I heard through the grapevine that Kowalski has resurfaced and I want to be the one to get him!"
"Grapevine? What kind of communication system do you people have," you mutter as you look at Cassandra suspiciously.
Adam, seeing the door partly open, gives it a gentle shove. When he sees everyone he says, "Hail, hail, the gang's all here!"
No sooner had Adam spoken, then Cassandra drew her sword. She pointed it at Adam menacingly and charged forward, screaming at Adam, "You rotten, no good, spawn of a warthog!"
Adam jumps out of the way, screeching at Cassandra, "What are you trying to do? Kill me, again?"
Cassandra, pulling the blade out of the wall, yells, "That blind date you set up for me! What were you thinking. How could you be so low as to set me up with a k'immie!"
"He was nice enough when I knew him a 800 years ago," Adam replied mildly, as he ducked out of the way of her second attempt to behead him.
"Enough!" bellowed Duncan as he grabbed the sword from Cassandra's hand. "We have a bigger problem here..."
