TSB 13

The Space Between

By AmandaDoE

Chapter Thirteen: Indiscretions

Lynn was walking down the quay, preparing to meet with her uncle as a surprise. She was thinking about how Joe was more a father to her for the past four years than her biological father ever was.

Lynn saw something strange nearby after hearing a strange sound nearby at an alleyway. She walked over to the strange object, "What is that?"

She walked further to the object before she felt herself being pulled into the mysterious object. Lynn didn't realize until it was too late that it was a portal to somewhere else.

-The-Space-Between-

"How is your task going?" William asked.

"Rough," Amy answered, "He got away from my tracks again."

"Well, from what we know about the selected Watchers we have from the IUA, you watchers have one of the riskiest jobs," William replied.

"Yeah," Amy nodded, "but I wish I could have done something."

"Why don't you talk to your father about it?" William suggested.

"I don't know what good that will do," Amy sighed as she shook her head.

"Agent Chan, we have a problem!" Daphne exclaimed from nearby.

"What's going on this time?" William asked as he walked over to her station. She followed him, curious over what was going on.

"A civilian got sucked into one of the portals," Daphne answered.

"Oh man. That's not good," William exclaimed in surprise, "That means that person must have been sent to Mongo by mistake!"

"Can you identify the person?" Amy asked.

"I don't see why not," Daphne nodded before she typed into her computer.

Amy paled upon seeing a familiar face on the computer.

"The woman has blonde hair," Daphne explained, "and her name is Lynn Horton."

"Oh no," Amy muttered before she exclaimed, "That's my cousin! Damn it! Lynn's now trapped in Mongo!"

She took a deep breath before she said, "I have to tell Joe."

-The-Space-Between-

Methos was walking outside the Abbaye de Chaalis when he sensed the buzz as Walker approached him.

"Well, well. Look who we have here," Walker greeted his adversary, "The good Dr. Adams – if that's what you call yourself now."

"Morgan Walker," Methos addressed the immortal.

"We have some unfinished business," Walker declared.

Methos scoffed, "I don't think so."

"You were a coward then. You're still a coward," Walker stated.

"And you are as charming as ever," Methos chimed in.

"Shall we find a quieter spot?" Walker asked.

"Maybe another time," Methos answered.

"Now."

"Not going to make a scene, are you?" Methos asked before he got in his car, starts engine, and drove away.

-The-Space-Between-

"I can't believe I was so dense. I figured, great," Amy confided in her father while at his bar, "First assignment: Morgan Walker, big deal modeling agent. I'll get to see the world."

"The guy's got great cover, okay? Don't beat yourself up," Joe replied.

"Walk in a model, walk out a slave," Amy chimed in, "and I am too thick to even notice until he murders someone right under my nose."

"There is nothing you could have done about it," Joe reassured her.

"I could've thrown rocks. I could've called the police."

"No. You couldn't have."

"Right. We just watch."

"It's our job. Observe and record..."

"But don't interfere," Amy cut him off, "Yeah, I know. What about you, Joe? What about you and MacLeod?"

"Look, this is not about me, okay? I didn't make up the rules," Joe told his daughter, "Blame that on Amelatu, the Akkadian. He was the guy that started it four thousand years ago when he saw Gilgamesh come back to life."

"If I wanted a history lesson, I would've asked for one," Amy replied.

"You've had really a rough day. Why don't you just go home and chill, okay?" Joe suggested.

"Joe, why would someone who came tenth in her class at the academy be the first to get a field assignment?" Amy asked.

"Maybe you got lucky," Joe answered.

"Maybe someone pulled a few strings."

"Yeah, well, that happens. Look, I've got stuff to do, and so do you."

"Why did you do it?" Amy asked.

"Your mother and I were classmates together at the academy. We were friends," Joe answered.

"Friends," Amy replied before she gave out a disbelieving laugh before she asked, "What kind of friends?"

Joe didn't respond.

"You know what's strange, Joe? My father died about five years ago," Amy continued, "I came home to find my mother going through some old stuff. She was staring at a photograph. It wasn't my father. I wasn't even sure you knew about me until I got bumped up, but you did, didn't you? Why didn't you tell me? Why the hell do you think I became a Watcher? What will you do now that Lynn is trapped on Mongo?!"

She then stormed out of the bar.

"Amy….." Joe called out as Amy left," What did you mean Lynn is trapped on Mongo?!"

He considered something, "Oh no. You don't think…"

-The-Space-Between-

Flash and Duncan looked around as they heard Richie's laughter from a distance.

"Richie, where are you?!" Duncan called out.

"MacLeod," a robotic voice similar to Richie's called out.

Duncan and Flash turned around. They looked to see "Richie" standing there with a grin on his face.

"That's a neat trick," Flash muttered.

"You really have your standards, Subject Duncan MacLeod," "Richie" stated before he then said, "Mac, I'm still alive."

Richie slowly sat up, coming to terms over what was happening, "Mac, I'm still alive, and the pain...it's going away."

"Give it another minute," Duncan told him, holding Tessa's lifeless body, "and you'll be fine."

Tori gasped, reviving as well, "I hate when this happens."

She looked over to see Richie was fully alive, "Richie? You..."

"I'm one of you," Richie stated, "I'm an Immortal?"

"You always were," Duncan told him.

"You knew all along, didn't you?" Richie asked.

"Yes," Duncan answered.

"Tessa too...is she..." Richie asked, sounding hopeful.

Tori glanced over at Duncan, who was looking at the love that was laying in his arms, like a crushed dove. He slowly shook his head.

"Mac?" Tori urged this time.

"No," Duncan finally answered.

"Oh no," Tori sobbed before she fell into Richie's arms. Richie comforted her, tears rimming his eyes as well.

"That's Klytus' tricks," Flash told Duncan, "He'll make you relive your worst memories. He did it to Hans, and he's doing it to you right now."

"Richie" laughed as he paced around for a moment in front of the two men, "You are very vindictive as you were when we first met, Subject Flash Gordon. It's because there can be only one? Is that it?"

Richie backed away, "What are you doing, Mac?"

"You're a smart little boy," Duncan stated, "Why don't you figure it out?"

He attacked again, prompting Richie to defend himself. Duncan gave Richie's leg a cut as he toyed with him. Tori gasped in shock and she prepared to get out her Tachi to fight.

"Aht! Aht! Aht!" Duncan grabbed Tori by her hair, making her drop her sword, "You know the rules, girl. Not two against one."

"Mac, what the hell are you doing?!" Richie exclaimed in more shock.

Ignoring him, Duncan eyed Tori with lust, "You have some nice honkers, and I'll have my fun with you, honkers and all, after I have taken your boyfriend's head."

"Leave her out of this!" Richie exclaimed, defending himself as Duncan resumed his duel with him.

Tori shook in a mix of anger and fear as she backed to a wall, grabbing a nearby railing.

"Whatever happened, Mac," Richie insisted, "we can work it out."

"Sorry," Duncan replied, "wrong number."

He attacked again, gave Richie's shoulder a cut before bowing mockingly. Then the two men fought before Duncan cut Richie again, smacked a kiss on top of his head, and finally disarmed him.

"Just tell me why," Richie pleaded in worry and asked, "The teacher kills the pupil? Is that what this is all about? Is it because there can be only one? Is that it?"

Duncan laughed before answering, "That's as good a reason as any."

"No!" Tori yelled in worry, unable to contain her worry any longer.

"Yes," Duncan smirked before he raised his sword, preparing to behead Richie. Suddenly, Duncan was shot multiple times before he fell to the ground, dead.

Tori followed Richie's glance and they saw Joe, who pulled the trigger. Then, she hurried to Richie's side and helped him up as Joe walked over to them.

"I'm sorry," Duncan stated, lowering his head, "I'm so sorry."

"MacLeod, snap out of it!" Flash shouted.

-The-Space-Between-

Methos was looking on the computer for information regarding Walker.

IMMORTAL: Morgan Walker

KNOWN ALIASES: Robert Morgan, Walker Hudson

BORN: 1637: Bristol, England

FIRST DEATH: 1671: Sailor, drowned in storm off Gibraltar

FIRST TEACHER: Stein Myhrstad

MOST RECENT BASE OF OPERATIONS: Paris, France

OCCUPATION: Modeling Agent

WATCHER: Amy Brennan

ROSTER OF IMMORTALS STATUS: Active

Below that, for some reason, was Joe Dawson's timeline:

Coordinator Pro Tem, US NorthWest

Duncan MacLeod

Liza Grant

Roy Ferrer

Historian

Joe entered the storeroom to find Methos tapping away at his laptop, "Hey!"

"Oh, hi, Joe. Uh….." Methos stated, "I'll just be a minute."

He turned back to the laptop.

"What the hell are you doin'?" Joe asked.

"I'm looking for something," Methos answered.

"I can see that. Where have you been?"

"Here and there. There, mostly. Hey, I stopped by the barge. Where's MacLeod?"

"You are unbelievable," Joe stated before he slammed the laptop shut.

"So, uh, MacLeod?" Methos inquired.

"He's dealing with trying to find Richie," Joe answered, "and he's with Jack and the Defenders doing so."

"Richie's missing?" Methos asked.

Joe nodded, "Yes. He's been taken to Mongo for some time."

Methos nodded before he stated, "I'm looking for Morgan Walker, Joe."

"The chronicles are not your personal Rolodex. You find another way to hunt him!"

"Hunt? I don't want to hunt him."

"Oh, no, you want to send him flowers."

"No. I want to keep the hell away from him."

"Really? So what'd you do to him?" Joe asked.

New Orleans, 1808

"Your brother's fever has broken," Methos told Charlotte, "Another two or three days, he'll be as good as new."

"Thank you, Dr. Adams," Charlotte replied, relieved and grateful.

"It's Benjamin."

"Thank you, Benjamin."

"I'll be looking in on him again tomorrow."

"Benjamin, why do you look after slaves? Not many doctors do," Charlotte asked.

"Perhaps I was one in a previous life," Methos answered.

"Do you have to go so soon?"

"Captain Walker…" Methos started to say.

"He's at sea," Charlotte told him.

"Really?" Methos asked.

"I used to watch you sometimes... in the marketplace. I saw how those women used to look at you," Charlotte explained.

"Charlotte, are you flirting with me?" Methos asked.

"Yes. Is that all right?" Charlotte answered.

"It's lovely," Methos replied before he kissed her, embraced her, kissed her neck, picked her up and carried her to the bed as she untied his cravat.

-The-Space-Between-

"Captain Walker! Captain Walker. Found two slaves in the galley," a sailor announced, "They broke their chains. They was raidin' our supplies. Fixin' to make a break for it."

Walker drawn out his pistols, and followed the sailor.

"It's this way, Captain," the sailor led him to two slaves being dragged forward by other sailors, "These are them, Captain."

Walker then shot the two slaves, "Nobody steals from me. Least of all, my own cargo."

He walked back toward the house. Another slave watched as the sailors dragged the dead slaves away. Walker climbed the steps to porch.

-The-Space-Between-

"Anyone ever tell you how beautiful you are?" Methos asked.

"No," Charlotte answered.

Methos smiled, "The world is full of fools."

He kissed her, "I should be going."

"No. At least let me make you something to eat," Charlotte insisted, "He is still at sea."

"But for how long?" Methos asked.

"He's not back for three more days," Charlotte answered.

"Maybe I will stay for dinner."

"And breakfast?"

Before he could answer, Methos sensed the buzz.

"What is it?" Charlotte asked.

"I've got to go," Methos started pulling on his trousers.

"Benjamin, what are you doing?" Charlotte asked.

"We're having company. Walker's back," Methos answered, "Get yourself dressed. He'll be here any minute."

"How do you know that?" Charlotte asked.

"Call it a feeling," Methos answered before he kissed her one last time.

"Benjamin- Don't leave me," Charlotte pleaded.

Methos left the bedroom.

The Present

"You've got to be out of your mind," Joe stated in disbelief.

"Come on, Joe," Methos replied.

"Look, just because you couldn't keep it in your pants two hundred years ago, you expect me to turn over the chronicles."

"That was the basic idea, yes."

"I'll bet it was," Joe retorted.

"Come on. You'd do it for MacLeod," Methos argued.

"Well, you know, I know MacLeod. You see, I know who he is. I know what he is. As far as you're concerned….." Joe shook his head.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Methos asked.

"Look. Let's make this real simple. I'm a Watcher. You're an Immortal. It's not my job to make your life easier," Joe answered.

"Your Watcher oath? Oh, yeah. Heaven forbid that you get involved with an Immortal," Methos interjected, "That would compromise your precious ethics, wouldn't it? Providing, of course, that it's possible to do that with a hypocrite."

"Get out," Joe firmly told him.

Methos shrugged, and sauntered out.

-The-Space-Between-

Amy peeked around the corner of building, and saw Walker leaving his office, "About time."

She spoke into the micro-recorder, "It's one-thirty. Mr. Congeniality's leaving the office on foot."

Walker turned a corner. Amy hurried to catch up, and trailed him. As she walked around the next building corner, Walker was suddenly in front of her. He grabbed her by the throat.

"Looking for me?" Walker asked.

-The-Space-Between-

"Quite a grip you've got there," Amy stated as she rubbed her neck.

Walker was looking through Amy's notebook, "Sometimes I get carried away. It's part of my charm."

He closed the notebook, "What's a Watcher?"

"A what?" Amy asked, playing dumb.

"At first, I thought you were police. And then I found this," Walker stated before he held up the micro-recorder.

"Okay. You win. I'm a reporter," Amy replied, "My editor wanted an expose piece on modeling in the nineties."

"Nice try. You know I'm an Immortal."

"And I'm a Capricorn. Big deal," Amy retorted.

Walker held up a notebook, "Your notebook. Shall I read you a selection?"

He flipped through the pages.

Amy – I wrote it. I know what it says.

"I insist. Here. "I wonder if all Watchers" - there's that word again - "get stuck with such a slimeball as Walker for their Immortal." Not very flattering," Walker looked through the notebook.

"But accurate," Amy stated before she gave him a defiant look.

He laughed at her.

Walker motioned at the photographs of models on the walls, "Look at them. Beautiful, aren't they? Frozen in time. Like Immortals, but they're not Immortals. Give them ten or fifteen years... what do they have to look forward to?"

"Oh, I don't know. Life?" Amy guessed.

"It's not a real life. The skin sags. The eyelids droop," Walker told her, "The wrinkles attack. It takes a minor medical miracle to hold them together long enough for a photo shoot. Nobody wants them anyway."

"So, you sell them."

"Morality is an acquired taste. In my time, slavery was legal. I give my women a new life, new hope."

"And how many cards are missing in your deck?" Amy asked.

Walker grabbed her arm, "You... need... to learn... respect for your elders."

He noticed her Watcher tattoo, "That's interesting. What is it?"

Amy pulled her arm away, "A birthmark."

"I like bravado in a woman. I find it very... exciting," Walker replied, "We need to talk about a name that keeps popping up in here….."

He picked up the journal again, "And on the tapes."

He flipped through the pages. "We need to talk about... Joe Dawson."

-The-Space-Between-

Joe heard Amy's voice on an answering machine on his phone, "I'm gone. Leave it after the beep. Bye."

He heard the beep.

"Amy, it's Joe. Where you been? Call me, will ya? Please. Please," Joe spoke on the phone before he hung up the phone.

Joe left the bar, and walked toward his jeep and drove away.

-The-Space-Between-

Methos carried a duffle bag to parked car, dropped the duffle on ground, opened the back hatch of the car, and then saw Joe driving up.

Joe got out of Jeep, "Hey, where're you going?"

"Next stage out of dodge," Methos answered before he placed the duffle in the back of the car, "Listen, I hate long good-byes."

"Look, I'm really worried about something," Joe told his friend.

"Aren't we all?" Methos interjected.

"Her name is Amy Thomas," Joe explained, "She's a new Watcher. She's supposed to check in with me every four hours, and she hasn't called."

"I'd like to help, Joe, but I've got a plane to catch," Methos replied.

"She's watching your guy."

"What guy?" Methos asked.

"Morgan Walker," Joe answered.

New Orleans, 1808

Walker busted in front door.

"Captain Walker, you're back early," Charlotte stated, surprised.

"Who's here?" Walker demanded.

"No one, sir," Charlotte answered.

"Don't lie to me, damn it! I know someone was here.

"No one, I swear," Charlotte insisted.

Walker saw the rumpled bed sheets, "Who the hell was in my bed? Tell me!"

"There wasn't," Charlotte insisted again.

"Who is he?" Walker asked.

"There was no one, I swear," Charlotte answered again.

"Tell me who it was, Charlotte. Tell me, damn ya!"

"There was no one!"

"Who is he?"

"No one."

"How could you do this to me? I chose you. I saved you. You are my woman!" Walker grabbed her aggressively.

"I am your slave," Charlotte started sobbing, "Please, you're hurting me!"

"Tell me you love me!"

Charlotte sobbed, "Please, you're hurting me!"

"Who? Who? Who is he?" Walker demanded before he slapped her.

"There was no one," Charlotte insisted.

"Who?"

"There was no one! There was no one!"

"You liar!"

Walker shoved her through the window.

She rolled off the porch roof, and landed on a pile of bales.

Methos ran to her, and stroked her face as she died.

-The-Space-Between-

"You killed Charlotte," Walker confronted Methos.

"I slept with her. You killed her!" Methos argued.

"You bastard. You have no idea what she meant to me. I loved her."

"You owned her."

"Fight me," Walker then challenged Methos.

"Pass," Methos declined.

"Draw your sword, damn ya."

Methos backed away. Walker followed, as he called after him, "Fight me, damn you."

Methos called back as he moves out of sight, "Some other time."

The Present

"So you don't know he has Amy," Methos told Joe.

"Yeah, and I don't know that he doesn't," Joe argued.

"Get your Watcher buddies to help you," Methos replied.

"You know they're not going to if there's an Immortal involved."

"Call the cops."

"Oh, yeah," Joe retorted, "Oh, Officer, I'm looking for this Watcher. She's following this guy who lives forever, and now she's disappeared."

"You'll think of something," Methos assured him.

"Methos!" Joe exclaimed.

"What do you want, Joe? Oh, now you need my help. I'm an Immortal, you're a Watcher, but we're in league together? Sounds a lot like interference to me."

"Are you through?" Joe asked.

"Yes, for the moment. We have other concerns," Methos answered.

"Yeah, like what?" Joe asked in turn.

"Like the car down the street," Methos answered and then as Joe started to turn, he stated, "Don't look. It pulled up when you got here. It hasn't budged since."

"What the hell are you doing?" Methos asked as Joe pulled out a gun.

"What do you think?" Joe asked in turn before he turned toward the henchmen's van, noticing them muttering amongst themselves.

"Joe, I wouldn't advise….." Methos started to say.

"Yeah, I know," Joe replied, cutting him off.

The first henchman opened the passenger door of the van, and fired his gun at them.

Methos jumped in front of Joe, taking a bullet in the chest. Joe took cover, and shot back at the henchman, hitting him.

"I'm hit," the henchman said.

The second henchman ran around the back of the van to help him.

Methos gasped, reviving. The second henchman covered as his partner got in the van, shooting at Joe.

Methos exchanged looks with Joe, "Cover me."

Joe and the second henchman fired at each other as Methos got to his car.

"Joe!" Methos called out.

Joe jumped in the back seat of the car and Methos drove off with a squeal of the tires. The henchmen's van followed them.

-The-Space-Between-

"Will you turn the car around?" Joe asked.

"Give me one good reason," Methos answered.

"Because we're going the wrong way," Joe told his friend.

"I beg to differ. The bullets are back that way."

"I forgot who I was dealing with. Look, we lost those clowns two towns ago!"

"I saved your life! I get to choose!"

"Turn the car around!"

"No."

"Look, I am going back. With you or without you, I am going back!"

"To do what, exactly?" Methos asked.

"I don't know," Joe answered, "I've got to find Amy."

"Remember the Alamo, Joe."

The car sputtered, slowing down.

"Well, thank you. I knew you would understand," Joe stated.

"Thanks, nothing. We're out of gas," Methos replied.

"You've got to be kidding," Joe stated as the car came to a halt. The two men got out of the car, "I don't believe that you ran out of gas."

"I didn't know I was going to be driving across country," Methos countered.

Joe walked to the back of the car, and opened the hatch, grabbing the gas can from the back of the car, closed the hatch, and started off down the road. Methos laughed before he asked, "You're walking?"

"Unless you've got a better idea, huh?" Joe retorted before he sighed, and then muttered to himself, "Stupid…."

Methos ran after him, "Hey! Let me carry that."

"I can do it," Joe insisted.

Methos took the gas can from him, "Look at the bright side, Joe. We've got good weather."

-The-Space-Between-

Lynn looked around to find herself at a mysterious lab. She had no idea where on Earth she was, provided that she was on Earth.

She looked to find herself at a mysterious laboratory of some sort. This was something Lynn was certain that she had never seen in any lab on Earth before.

"What is this place?" Lynn stated quietly.

She looked to see a familiar face sleeping in a bed of some sort, "Is that…..Richie? Richie Ryan?"

-The-Space-Between-

Duncan and Flash looked around as they saw Klytus holding what looked like Richie's sword. It was clear that this wasn't Richie, but he looked and acted like him.

"It's over for you, MacLeod," Klytus declared, "Pretty soon you will lose your head and both Earth and Mongo will belong to the unholy alliance for the taking."

Klytus swung the sword at Duncan, who blocked the attack.

"Richie," Duncan called out, "Richie, stop!"

"For the love of God!" Flash shouted, "That is not Richie! I don't know how many times I have to tell you that!"

Moments later, he fired his gun at Klytus, causing him to lose the disguise form.

"He's not Richie," Duncan stated in surprise.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you," Flash replied.

-The-Space-Between-

Methos held his thumb out as a car whizzed past them.

"So that's twelve," Joe stated.

"Who's counting? I'm not counting. It's eleven, anyway," Methos replied.

"Here. Let me try," Joe replied in turn before he handed the gas can to Methos.

"Yeah, sure. They won't stop for me, but they'll stop for you," Methos retorted, "Of course they will."

"Observe…" Joe licked his thumb, "and record."

He grinned jauntily at Methos, and stuck his thumb out. A delivery van pulled over. Joe chuckled.

"Magic. Technique, my good man," Joe stated.

"Technique, my ass," Methos retorted.

"Hi," the driver greeted the two men.

"Hi," Methos replied before he held up the gas can, "We're out of gas."

Joe climbed into the delivery van after Methos, and closed the passenger door, "Thank you, sir."

-The-Space-Between-

"It was nice of the guy to open up," Methos stated.

Joe angrily set the full gas can on the ground, and picked up his cane.

"What is your problem?" Methos asked.

"You know, if you had whacked that guy two hundred years ago, we wouldn't be in this spot now, and Amy would be safe," Joe answered.

"Hey, don't lay it on me, pal," Methos replied, "You're the one that sent the rookie into the field. You know as well as I do... a sloppy Watcher is a dead Watcher."

Joe saw the henchmen's van drive past, "Hey. Is that who I think it is?"

The van backed up, turning toward them.

"Damn it," Joe muttered.

Methos took the gun from Joe, "I'll cover you this time. Go on!"

He ducked bullets, and fired back, shooting at oil barrels, causing them to explode into flames as a distraction.

The two henchmen got out of the van, running past the burning barrels in pursuit.

Joe entered the warehouse, out of breath. Methos entered the warehouse, and pulled the door closed.

"Ah! Oh! Man. It's not going to take long for them to find us in here," Joe exclaimed.

Methos checked the gun, "And we're out of chips, too. You know where I should be now? I should be thirty-five thousand feet in the air, sinking my teeth into a succulent steak, just anticipating the stewardess coming to plump my pillow."

"Listen. I appreciate this, man."

"Yeah, whatever," Methos handed the empty gun back to Joe, and walked off.

"Hey, where are you going?" Joe asked.

Methos walked back to him, "Well, in the absence of any alternative, I thought that I would... go and do it the old-fashioned way."

"Yeah, well, you're not going without me," Joe argued.

"Joe, you don't have any bullets, and you are not quick on your feet."

"Yeah, well, I'm going to do what I have to do, Methos!"

"You got something to tell me?"

"What?"

"What is it between you and this Amy?" Methos asked.

"Look, we're wasting time," Joe told him, not answering the question.

"Hey! Look, Joe. Watchers put themselves on the line every day, but you don't go out there and risk your life for them."

"Yeah, well, they're not my daughter."

Methos took a moment to react to this, then heard the warehouse door opening, "Okay. I'm going to see to the help, and then you and me, we have to talk. Dad."

He headed off through the warehouse.

The henchmen walked through the warehouse. Methos snuck across the warehouse to the metal stairs, and he climbed the stairs to the upper level.

"I'll go around that way," one of the henchmen said.

The henchmen split up. Methos watched from the upper level, and stalked them. He descended different stairs to landing, then descended to the ground floor and hid in the shadows. He ambushed one of the henchmen, and knocked him out with a length of pipe, and took his gun.

-The-Space-Between-

"Damn it," Joe stated before he dug out the cell phone out of his pocket, and answered it, "Yeah, Dawson."

"Good to finally talk to you, Joe. Amy's told me all about you," Walker's voice stated over the phone.

"You let her go, Walker!" Joe exclaimed.

"But you've made me a very unhappy man."

"Yeah, well... life's full of disappointment."

"How true. How true."

"Tell him to go to hell," Amy's voice called out on the phone.

"Amy!" Joe exclaimed.

"Now, where were we? Oh, yes. Our discussion of life," Walker stated over the phone.

"Okay, talk to me," Joe replied.

"I have someone you want. You have someone I want. How about a trade, Joe?"

-The-Space-Between-

Methos snuck off through the warehouse, looking for the other henchman.

Methos then took the clip out of the gun, cocked it, and then placed the clip back in. He jumped out at the other henchman, pulled the trigger on the empty chamber, and jumped back out of sight.

"You're out of bullets," the other henchman declared.

Methos stepped back out of hiding, and shot the other henchman.

-The-Space-Between-

"When? Where?" Joe asked over the phone. Then there was a beat before he replied, "Okay. Yeah. I got it. I got it."

He ended the call.

Methos jogged up, holding up the two guns, "Two for two. Nice chaps. Even left the car keys. Who was on the phone?"

"That was, uh- It was Jack Bender. He's an old Watcher buddy of mine, and he's got a line on Walker's whereabouts," Joe answered.

"Really?"

"Yeah. That old power station outside Chartres. Tonight, six o'clock. He's gonna have Amy with him."

"Well, we know what we've got to do then."

"Yeah. We know what we gotta do."

-The-Space-Between-

"So, does she know?" Methos asked as he was driving the van along the busy road.

"Huh?"

"Amy. Does she know that you're her father?" Methos asked.

"Ah, it seems like she figured it out," Joe answered.

"You didn't tell her, then?" Methos asked. Joe shook his head.

"If you don't want to confide in me, Joe, that's – that's fine. Don't let the fact that I saved your life influence you in any way."

"It's nothing new, Methos. It was my first year at the academy. I met her mom. She was married."

"And?"

"Well, we were working late one night. We had dinner and a nice bottle of wine, a couple of drinks. Anyway, she got pregnant," Joe explained.

"Just when I think I know the real Joe Dawson," Methos replied.

"Yep. There you have it."

"So why didn't you tell her?" Methos asked.

"Amy's mom loved her husband. Amy loved him, too," Joe answered, "Better to screw up one life instead of four."

-The-Space-Between-

Walker disconnected the call, "They'd better be dead."

Amy smiled as she asked, "Getting worried?"

Walker shoved the gun against her neck, and dragged her to her feet, "I'm not the one who should be worried."

-The-Space-Between-

"Thanks, Joe," Methos stated, still driving.

"For what? You're the one that saved my ass," Joe asked.

"Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me that. You know, these last few hours, I feel like there's a bond between us," Methos answered.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah."

"Who'd ever have thought I'd end up with a Watcher as my best friend?"

"Yeah, it's a real puzzler. Hey, listen. How about a little less chatter and a little more speed?"

"Okay, buddy."

-The-Space-Between-

"You know, we actually make a really good team. We could be like Scully and Mulder," Methos suggested as they entered the warehouse.

"Yeah, right," Joe replied.

"Sipowicz and Simone."

"Whatever."

"Caligula and Incitatus. No, maybe not Incitatus 'cause he was a horse."

"Will you shut up?!" Joe exclaimed.

"Joe?"

"It's a trap, man. Walker's waiting for us," Joe stated, "He knows we're coming. I'm supposed to shoot you when we get inside. He said he was going to kill Amy."

Methos patted Joe on the shoulder, "Now, that wasn't so hard, was it?"

"But you knew?"

"Of course I knew."

"Well, how did you know?"

"Joe, you never give a Watcher's first and last name, and you couldn't go to them to help, and then suddenly one of them's phoning you with information."

"All right. All right."

"And whenever you lie, you do this weird thing with your face."

"What?"

"Well, you go…." Methos stated before he made faces at him.

"Okay, well, that's the last time I play poker with you. Why did you drag this out?" Joe inquired.

"I'm easily amused," Methos stated.

"Bonding, my ass," Joe retorted.

-The-Space-Between-

Lynn was surprised to see Richie laying unconscious on the strange device. Was he being interrogated?

She had to get him out of that device. It was only a matter of how.

Lynn looked at the electrodes above Richie, "Maybe…."

She removed the glass container before removing the electrodes above him.

Richie gasped as he woke up.

-The-Space-Between-

Flash and Duncan staggered back. Klytus groaned in reaction as if the system was starting to fail him, "No. No! This cannot be! This is impossible!"

He ran off from the two men in defeat.

"What was that all about?" Duncan asked.

"Maybe his system was failing," Flash answered.

Suddenly, they saw a portal appear before him.

"Perfect timing," Duncan sighed with relief.

Jack appeared, "Come on. You two need to hurry if you don't want to be trapped on Mongo."

Flash and Duncan exchanged a look before they followed Jack into the portal and returned to Earth.

"What happened back there?" Mandrake asked.

"Klytus is disguising himself as Richie," Duncan answered, "He's being held prisoner on Mongo but we don't know where."

-The-Space-Between-

Methos sensed the buzz, turned, and saw Walker approaching with Amy at gunpoint, "Viola."

He walked toward them, "Three's a crowd, Walker."

"Where's Dawson?" Walker asked.

Joe stepped into view, "I'm right here."

"Joe….." Amy called out.

"You were supposed to shoot him," Walker told Joe.

"Like I said, life is full of disappointment," Joe replied.

"Drop the gun... or I kill her."

"If you shoot her, I will shoot you, and I will make sure the doctor takes your head."

Methos drawn out his sword, "Take a walk, Joe. Take Amy with you. This is between me and him."

"That's all I've ever wanted," Walker replied before he pushed Amy toward Joe. She ran to him and they hugged.

"See you later," Joe told Methos before he went to escort Amy out.

Walker unsheathed his sword, "I've waited almost two hundred years for this."

"Do the words "compulsive obsessive" mean anything to you?" Methos asked.

The two immortals fought. Methos won the battle.

"Just because I don't like to fight... doesn't mean that I can't," Methos declared before he took Walker's head and Quickening.

-The-Space-Between-

"So, where do we go from here?" Joe asked as they were back at the bar.

"I don't know," Amy answered.

"I wanted to tell you."

"So why didn't you?" Amy asked.

"Your mother and I... thought it was for the best," Joe answered.

"The best for who? Listen to me. I sound like a five-year-old."

"I'm really sorry, Amy," Joe apologized.

"Yeah, me too. I've got to go," Amy told her father.

"Just like that? I thought I might give this, uh, this fatherhood thing a shot," Joe stated. Amy looked away.

"Someday. When you're ready," Joe told her.

Amy smiled and nodded, "Maybe. Good-bye, Joe."

"Good-bye, honey," Joe replied as she left the bar.

Methos joined him at table, "She'll be back."

"And how do you know?" Joe asked.

"'Cause I'm very old and wise," Methos answered. Joe scoffed. Methos held up shot glass, "To someday."

Joe raised his own glass, clinked glasses they both drunk.

"There's something else," Amy spoke up as she returned to the bar.

"Told you," Methos muttered.

"Yeah, that reminds me," Joe replied, "What did you mean when you said Lynn is trapped in Mongo? That sounds concerning."

"Lynn was taken in one of the unstable portals that I witnessed at the IUA," Amy answered, "She's now trapped in Mongo."

Methos and Joe looked on in surprise.

"That means Richie is with her," Joe stated in surprise.

"You think he would protect her?" Amy asked, worried about her cousin.

"I don't know, given the state he's in right now," Methos answered, "I don't think Ming will kill her unless….."

"Unless what?" Joe asked, worried about his niece.

"The unholy alliance plans to use her as bait as well," Methos answered.

Mongo

"Richie?" Lynn called out. She saw Richie was now awake. In spite of that, she couldn't tell if he could hear her or not.

"Where…where's Tori?" Richie spoke up suddenly, albeit weakly.

"You can hear me," Lynn stated with a hopeful tone, "I'm glad you're in one piece."

"Where's Tori?" Richie asked again before he answered his own question, "She's not here."

Lynn looked at him sadly. She could understand what he was going through as she had lost her fiance four years ago. She wondered if there was something that she could do for him.

---------

Article

Author

Chapters

1: Prelude — Part One

Everyone reflects on the recent events while considering the future.

2: Prelude — Part Two

Angie tends to a despondent Richie. Portals to new dimensions are discovered.

3: Sins of the Father

Duncan embarks on a journey abroad. Richie confronts his trauma.

4: Diplomatic Immunity

Richie joins others in Paris.