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Starring:
Adrian Paul (Duncan MacLeod) Guests:
Myles Ferguson (Kenny)
Written by Elizabeth Baxter |
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Previously on Highlander
Scenes from "The Lamb."
Richie Ryan and Duncan MacLeod, walking down by the docks, sense another immortal.
Jim Byrnes, voice over: "Previously on Highlander. MacLeod and Richie discover a child immortal . . ." Duncan walks up to where Kenny is crouching, hiding. " . . . who is more than he seems."
Duncan, to Kenny: "Don't be afraid." He starts up the ladder to where Kenny's hiding. "I'm not going to hurt you."
Kenny: "That's what you all say." He turns as if to scuttle away.
Duncan: "Look at me." Kenny turns back, and Duncan smiles. "My name's Duncan MacLeod."
In the dojo, Kenny is sitting on a weight bench, while Duncan tries to find out about him.
Duncan: "So, where are you from, Kenny?"
Kenny: "Wisconsin."
Duncan, leaning down to get more on a level: "You're a long way from home." Gently. "Is that where it happened?"
Kenny: "Yeah. Four years ago. I was ten. My mom and dad took me out for my birthday. A drunk driver hit our car."
Duncan: "When did you know?"
Kenny: "When I woke up. There was a sheet over me. I could hear the policeman talking. They said it was too bad I was dead."
Joe Dawson and Richie are talking in the loft.
Richie, disbelieving: "I mean, he's a--he's a kid, Dawson. You know, he's a little kid."
Joe, nodding: "That's what everyone thinks. That 'kid' has outlived a lot of immortals."
Richie, dismissively: "Nah, that can't be. He's not strong enough to fight."
Joe: "Let me guess. When you found him he was hiding somewhere. He was scared, he was crying. He said an immortal had killed his teacher." Richie looks at Joe. "That's his M. O."
Anne Lindsey is speaking to Kenny.
Anne: "Now, aren't you a little too young to be such an old grouch?"
Kenny: "He sleeps with a lot of women. And you're not the prettiest. He had one here last night." Kenny flips open a magazine, showing a "Weird Science" ad with Lisa posing in the foreground. "Like that."
Anne laughs, clearly not buying it: "Okay."
Richie and Joe are talking again, in the kitchen this time while Richie cuts up vegetables.
Joe: "How old he say he was?"
Richie shrugs: "Ten. Fourteen, really."
Joe: "Try more like eight hundred and fourteen."
Richie turns to look at him.
Kenny and his teacher Frank are by a river, Frank casting into the water. Kenny creeps up behind him, sword in hand.
Frank: "Every day that you fish adds another year to your life."
Kenny draws his sword back: "You think so, Frank?"
Frank turns, but it's too late. Kenny swings, taking his head.
In the dojo, Kenny is sneaking up behind Richie. He raises his sword over his head, ready to strike, but puts it down as they both sense Duncan. Duncan strolls in.
Duncan: "Hey guys, what's up?"
Richie: "Mac, how're you doing?" Richie gets up, gesturing to Kenny. "I'm just teaching Kenny here a few things."
Duncan: "Learning a lot?"
Kenny, nodding eagerly: "Yeah."
Duncan kneels down, taking the short sword gently out of Kenny's hands.
Duncan, forcibly casual: "Maybe we should use something else, though, huh?" He smiles.
Duncan is talking to Dallman Ross.
Ross: "He's using you, MacLeod. Just like he used me. He can't be allowed to live."
End of "The Lamb" scenes.
In a darkened parking garage, Kenny is running down the ramp, holding his bloodied and bleeding forearm. He stops and looks back, seeing Terence Kincaid walking towards him. He runs again, bursting through the stairwell door into the hospital. He starts running down the halls of the hospital, screaming for help. Outside, Kincaid stops, swinging his sword up. Inside, Kenny keeps running, until he finally runs (literally) right into Anne.
Anne: "Whoa, whoa, whoa." She looks at him, and recognizes him at once. "Kenny?"
Kenny: "Anne, you got to help me." He moves his arm, and she sees the blood.
Anne: "Kenny, what happened to you?"
Kenny: "I . . . fell. Climbing through this window." He gestures behind her.
In the parking lot, Kincaid walks up to the breaker box (or something like that) and swings at it with his sword, severing the cables.
In the hospital, the lights go out.
Kenny, panicked: "What's that?"
Anne: "Power failure." She returns her attention to Kenny's injury. "Happens sometimes, they're probably working on it now. I need to get a better look at this arm. Come on." She takes his other arm and leads him off down the corridor. She takes him to a corner of the emergency room, and as she sits him down Kincaid emerges from around the corner, looking Kenny over. Kenny sees him, but says nothing.
Anne: "There you go. Now tell me about that arm." While Kenny and Kincaid stare at each other, she puts a piece of gauze over the cut. "You hold this here, and I'll be right back."
Kenny, still staring at Kincaid, says quietly: "No. Don't leave me alone."
Anne turns to look in the direction that Kenny's staring, and sees Kincaid. Kincaid turns abruptly and walks off.
Anne: "Kenny, you know that guy?"
Kenny shakes his head: "Never seen him before."
In the hospital, Anne is still looking over Kenny's arm, speaking to Christine, who's just come in.
Anne: "Could you get me my suture kit, please? Thanks." Christine leaves, and she turns back to his arm. "Let me take a look at this." She reaches for the bandage, but Kenny grabs her arm, stopping her from taking off the bandage.
Kenny: "No, it's not that bad."
Anne, firmly: "Kenny, let me look." She takes the bandage off, and sees the cut healed before her eyes. She looks up at him. "Oh, my God. You're like Duncan."
Kenny: "I don't know what you're talking--"
Anne: "Kenny, no. Look at me. It's okay. I know what you are. You're an immortal." She thinks a second. "Okay. There's a chapel, down the hall. You'll be safe there. Holy ground. Let's go." She leads him away again. As they walk down the hall, Christine returns with the suture kit.
Anne, taking it: "Thanks, Christine." She points Kenny down the hall, telling him, "Halfway down the hall to your left." He goes on, and she speaks to Christine again. "Are the phones up yet?"
Christine, nodding: "Mm-hm."
Anne: "Oh, good. Could you do me a really big favor? My Rolodex is at the nurses' station. Could you look up Duncan MacLeod?"
Christine, moving off: "Okay."
Anne, even as she leaves: "Tell him to get here. Tell him it's urgent."
As Christine walks back to the nurses' station, Kincaid steps out into the hallway, looking after Anne, then follows her.
Later, Duncan arrives at the nurses' station, rushing up to Anne anxiously.
Duncan: "Anne. You all right?"
Anne, a little surprised: "Yeah."
Duncan: "Is the baby okay?"
Anne, curving her hands over her swollen stomach: "Oh. Yeah, the baby's . . . learning to tap dance, I think."
Duncan: "Somebody told me that there was an emergency."
Anne: "Well, yeah, it's your cousin." Duncan stares blankly. "The one from Wisconsin."
Duncan, getting it: "Kenny's here?"
Anne: "Yeah."
Duncan: "Where is he?"
Anne: "Oh, he's in the chapel." She takes his arm. "This way." They walk off, Anne speaking in a hushed undertone. "I was going to call security, but I thought, what am I going to tell them? I've got this kid who can live forever but he's only safe in churches?"
She takes Duncan to the chapel, but when she opens the door the place appears to be empty. But Duncan senses Kenny as he walks in.
Anne: "Kenny?" She looks around. "He must have run off."
Duncan: "No, he's here." He raises his voice. "Say hello, Kenny."
Kenny gets up from behind the altar, where he was hiding.
Kenny, defiantly: "We're on Holy Ground, MacLeod. You can't touch me."
Anne, surprised: "Kenny . . .?"
Kenny steps out, gesturing to Duncan: "You said you'd help me. What'd you call him for?"
Anne: "He is here to help you."
Kenny: "Get real. He wants my head. Just like that guy outside."
Duncan, smiling: "If I wanted your head I'd already have it."
Anne: "Duncan, what's the matter with you? The kid's in trouble."
Duncan turns to her: "Anne, he is trouble."
Kenny: "I knew it. He's not going to protect me."
Duncan, still smiling pleasantly: "I'll keep you alive as long as it takes me to get you to the airport."
Kenny: "I'm not going anywhere with you."
Duncan chuckles, and says gleefully: "Fine. Have it your way." He glances at Anne again and walks out, leaving Anne looking at Kenny in puzzlement.
In the hospital corridor, Duncan sense another immortal and turns to see Kincaid standing there.
A ship is anchored out from an island. Duncan, Kincaid, and a number of other sailors have taken a boat to the island, and are walking up the shore. The men, including Duncan, are dressed in plain, ragged clothes, but Kincaid is wearing a uniform. The island is small and barren, with grass but no trees. As they walk, Merriman looks over and starts shouting.
Merriman: "Water! Over here." He starts running, but Duncan follows, warning him.
Duncan: "Wait, you bloody fool! It might nay be fit to drink."
But Merriman tries it anyway, scooping up a handful, and then spitting it out as quickly as he tasted it.
Merriman: "It's [ruined? brine?] like that." He waves his arm at the ocean. "We haven't got fresh water."
Duncan turns to Kincaid, who seems very calm about it all.
Kincaid: "Patience is a virtue, Mr. Merriman. You'll have to practice it."
Merriman: "Look at us! How do you expect us to live on half rations?"
Kincaid, shouting now: "Because I order you to!" He turns and walks off.
Merriman: "Damn you!" He rushes for Kincaid, but Duncan stops him.
Duncan, urgently: "Think, man. This is not the way to do this."
Merriman: "Down with you." He raises his voice. "Down with this bloody voyage! I say we go back to China for fresh provisions!" The other sailors agree, nodding, but Kincaid has drawn his pistol and is cocking back the hammer. He raises the pistol.
Kincaid: "You forget yourself, sir!"
Merriman turns, and sees the pistol.
Duncan: "There'll not be any trouble, Captain." He turns back to Merriman. "He's seen reason."
Merriman nods quickly.
Kincaid spread his hands: "Very well, Mr. MacLeod. You may stand away."
Duncan walks off, and Kincaid turns as if to go. But then he turns back, raising the pistol, and shoots Merriman in the heart. While Duncan looks on, horrified, Merriman falls dead. The other sailors watch, their faces hard and grim.
Kincaid: "We have a cargo to deliver." The sailors don't look happy, but they say nothing. Kincaid has both pistols out, pointing them at the crowd. "And I'll hear no more talk of turning back. Not under my command. I trust I have made myself clear?" The expressions on the sailor's faces show that they've seen the qualifying loophole in that statement, but nonetheless there's a muttered chorus of "Aye, Captain"s. Kincaid looks to Duncan. "Mr. MacLeod."
Duncan: "But what about Merriman?"
Kincaid: "Leave him."
When they get back to where the boat is waiting, Duncan turns to Kincaid.
Duncan: "You had no cause to kill him."
Kincaid: "Didn't I? Alive, he was a bad influence. Dead, he's a shining example."
Duncan, impassioned: "Dammit, Terence, you cannot treat the men like this. They'll nay stand for it!"
Kincaid, cold: "That's Captain Kincaid to you. And they'll do whatever they must."
Duncan: "Even if they die?"
Kincaid, dismissively: "Then they die." He puts his hand on Duncan's shoulder. "Or are you against me, too?"
Duncan: "I'm against pointless death." He tries persuading him. "How many weeks will it cost us to go back to China and re-provision?"
Kincaid: "There'll be no turning back. This cargo has to be in London by the end of August or we default. And Terence Kincaid never defaults! I will not lose one hundred thousand pounds for the sake of a few lives." He stalks off, leaving Duncan staring after him.
At the boat, two of the sailors exchange nods just before Kincaid strides between them.
Kincaid: "What are you waiting for? Osmond, push away."
They do nothing. Kincaid starts for his pistol, but the two sailors grab him, taking his pistols away. McPhee comes up, putting the barrel of the pistol under Kincaid's neck.
Kincaid: "Damn you, McPhee. This is mutiny. I'll see you hanged for this!"
McPhee: "Aye, Captain. You shan't live to see it!"
They push him down, McPhee raising a sword over his head. Duncan rushes forward.
Duncan: "No."
McPhee points the pistol at him: "Stand off, Mr. MacLeod. We have no quarrel with you. It's this bastard here."
Duncan: "Aye, but you're making it too easy for him." Kincaid turns to look at him. "Make him suffer like we've suffered." Some of the sailors call "Aye!" in agreement. "Maroon him here." Kincaid looks at Duncan sharply.
McPhee, gleeful: "I quite like the sound of that!" He glances at the others, who agree.
They let Kincaid go, and move to the boat, McPhee keeping him in his sights.
Kincaid: "Damn you, MacLeod. We're the same kind."
Duncan: "This is your doing, not mine. Be thankful I saved your head." He leaves.
Kincaid: "Duncan. Duncan! Don't leave me here. Not here! Duncan! There's no food. No water." Shouting now, as the boat pulls off. "Duncan MacLeoooood."
Duncan steps forward to speak to Kincaid, but even as he draws breath he senses another immortal. He turns and sees Anne pulling Kenny towards him.
Anne: "Duncan, whatever he's done, you have to help him." She strokes Kenny's hair. "Come on, he's just a little boy."
Duncan, leaning close: "He's eight hundred years old." Anne looks at Kenny in shock. "So, what's it going to be, Kenny?" He glances at Kincaid. "Him or me?"
Kenny, looks at Kincaid, and doesn't take long assessing his options.
Kenny, turning to MacLeod: "Let's go."
Duncan casts one last look at Kincaid, then leaves with Anne and Kenny. Kincaid stays a moment, then walks off in the other direction without having said a word.
Back at the dojo, Duncan and Kenny head for the elevator, Kenny explaining himself.
Kenny: "Look, it's not like I meant to come back here. I was just running." He sighs. "You going to give me a hard time?"
Duncan: "I won't get the chance. Where'd you meet Kincaid?"
Kenny: "Down by the docks. You know him?"
Duncan: "We've met." They get in the elevator. "One night. And you're on the first plane out of here. You got that?"
Kenny nods sulkily: "Yeah, I got it."
Duncan: "Good." He pulls the gate down and they start up, Duncan carefully keeping his back to the wall, not turning it to Kenny for a second. As they ascend, Kenny senses another immortal.
Kenny: "Someone's up there." Duncan looks at him, clearly not caring a bit. Kenny backs away. "Someone's waiting, you son of a bitch. You set me up!"
Duncan: "Relax, nobody's setting you up. She's a friend, she's not like that."
Kenny: "We're all like that, MacLeod, and you're a fool if you don't know it."
Flashback, "The Lamb"
Duncan, Joe and Richie are all the in kitchen, Duncan speaking to Richie.
Duncan: "You've been learning to fight, so you can kill, so you can survive. That's all Kenny's doing. He wants to live. There can be only one, Richie!"
Present Day
Duncan just keeps looking at Kenny, saying nothing. As the door opens, Amanda speaks up.
Amanda: "Where have you been?" She's pacing through the bedroom, her back to the elevator, stirring something.
Duncan: "I had to go to the hospital. I couldn't be helped."
As Amanda turns to him, Duncan stops, and Kenny steps out from behind him. Amanda stops and stares.
Amanda: "Oh, my God."
Duncan, wryly: "Yeah, I know."
But Amanda isn't listening. She takes a step forward.
Amanda: "Kenneth?"
Kenny: "Amanda?"
Amanda walks forward, her stride growing quicker: "Kenneth, is that you?"
Kenny, starting to smile: "Amanda?"
He opens his arms and Amanda throws hers around him, picking him up and spinning him around, laughing.
Amanda, excited: "I can't believe it! I can't believe it!"
Duncan rolls his eyes, not believing what he's seeing. He watches, incredulous, as Amanda puts Kenny back down.
Amanda: "It's so good to see you!" She and Kenny look at each other, smiling, while Duncan looks on.
Duncan, Amanda, and Kenny are sitting at the counter, eating linguini. Piano music is playing softly in the background, and a candle is burning on the counter. Amanda watches the two others eat, smiling.
Amanda: "Having you back and the three of us sitting here like this . . . " She sighs happily. "It's lovely, isn't it?"
Duncan pastes a smile on: "Ooh, wonderful." He goes back to eating.
Amanda: "It's like having a real family." Duncan looks up at her slowly, then to Kenny, who grins and keeps wolfing down pasta. Amanda tries again. "Duncan, this is as close as it will ever get for me, so would you please lighten up?"
Duncan: "I'm done." He gets up, leaving Kenny and Amanda alone. Amanda ignores him, returning her attention to Kenny.
Amanda: "It's been a long time, hasn't it, Kenneth?"
Kenny nods, and gently corrects her: "Kenny." Amanda looks a little taken aback. "Well, like you said, it's been a long time."
Amanda nods: "Kenny." She tries it again. "Kenny. That suits you."
Kenny: "Amanda, I was afraid I'd never see you again."
Kenny is sitting by the wall of a small house, his face wet with tears. He gets up, and walks slowly to a man lying on the floor of the house, dead. He knees beside him, touching his face, then gets up and moves to the woman lying nearby. Outside, Amanda, walking through the fog, draws her sword as she senses another immortal. Kenny looks up, and walks outside. Amanda sees him, and walks to him.
Kenny: "Don't kill me."
Amanda, gently: "Don't be afraid." She puts the sword away. "Where are your people?"
Kenny looks inside the house, his mouth quivering: "The Normans came. My father couldn't pay the taxes."
Amanda looks in, then draws back slowly, seeing what must have happened.
Amanda: "What do they call you?"
Kenny: "Kenneth." He looks inside again. "They found me when I was a baby. I was like their child. My mother . . ." [see Notes]
Amanda: "Hush. No one can hurt them anymore."
Kenny parts his tunic, showing a line of blood on his chest: "They hurt me, here. It's gone away."
Amanda: "I know." She holds out her hands, taking his arms gently. "Come here, Kenneth."
Kenny: "Will you hurt me?"
Amanda: "Never." She holds him close. "It's okay."
Later, Amanda is washing his face, cleaning off the dirt and tears.
Kenny: "You mean I'll never be old?"
Amanda: "You won't look it, but you will get older. Maybe very, very old."
Kenny: "Unless somebody takes my head?"
Amanda nods: "That is the only way we die. And also, the way we live. Here." She stands up, drawing her sword. "Take it up." Kenny takes hold of the heavy sword. "Use both your hands." Kenny tries, and with an effort manages to raise the sword, but it's still too heavy. He lets it fall.
Kenny: "No. I'm too small to fight."
Amanda: "Well, then we'll get you a smaller sword."
Kenny, sulky: "I'm going to die."
Amanda, firmly: "Look at me, Kenneth. I have lived three hundred years. Many have tried to kill me. Big people, strong people. But I'm still here."
Kenny: "How?"
Amanda: "By being quick." She touches her head. "By using this. You're small, yes, but you are very clever. You'll find a way. We use the weapons we have."
Kenny: "But I have no weapons."
Amanda, smiling: "Yes, you do. You just don't know it yet."
Kenny: "What is it?"
Amanda picks up the mirror lying behind them and wipes it off, holding it up to Kenny's face.
Amanda: "Your innocence."
Kenny looks at the mirror, at his face in it, remembering.
Kenny sees the Norman soldiers coming into his house, one of them grinning and stalking his mother. His father tries to protest.
Kenny's father: "No! Stop it!"
But the other soldier grabs his mother, throwing her down while Kenny watches, bleeding from the cut on his chest. The other soldiers stab his father, leaving him on the ground while the first man wrestles with his mother. Another soldier raises his sword over Kenny, his mother screaming "No!" while Kenny shrinks back, crying out in terror. Then the soldier plunges the sword down.
Amanda and Kenny have a small camp among some bushes. While Amanda lies asleep in the tent, Kenny goes off to find wood for the fire. He's reaching for a fallen branch when he hears voices, and turns back, peering through the bushes at the camp. Several Norman soldiers approach the camp, poking around and looking for them. The Sheriff takes Amanda's sword, waiting for her to wake up and reach for it.
Sheriff: "Is this what you're looking for?" He reaches in and pulls her out, handing her to another soldier to hold.
Amanda: "What do you want from me, sir?"
Sheriff: "What would anyone want from a thief? Search her things." One of the soldiers snatches Amanda's purse from her belt. "A witch and her brat have been waylaying tax collectors in these forests for over a year."
Amanda: "It wasn't me, I swear. Look around, I'm alone."
Sheriff: "We'll see." He holds up her purse, full and heavy with coins.
Amanda: "Wages. I'm a baker."
Sheriff, smiling: "Then you sell a lot of bread."
Amanda: "I'm a very good baker."
Sheriff, grabbing her: "No. But you're a comely little thief." He strokes her face. "A shame to stretch this lovely neck."
Amanda: "You mean you won't hang me?"
Sheriff, still touching her: "Oh, you'll hang all right. After we take our pleasure."
Amanda knees him, and strikes at the others, but she's quickly overpowered.
Amanda: "Bring on the rope."
The Sheriff throws her at the other men: "Bitch! Hang her!"
They take her away while Kenny watches. He follows, and creeps up as the Sheriff is speaking.
Sheriff: "This will shut her smart mouth for good."
Kenny looks and sees Amanda hanging, turning around on the rope, her head lolling to one side. He runs away, and the Sheriff spots him.
Sheriff: "Fetch the little ferret!"
But Kenny has too much of a head start, and dashes over the field away from them.
Kenny is asleep on Duncan's couch, Amanda leaning over him, stroking his hair.
Amanda: "Poor little guy. I never saw him again." She straightens up. "He's been running ever since." She walks over to where Duncan is getting ready for bed, turning back the covers and sitting down to take off his shoes. "You don't like him very much, do you?"
Duncan: "No . . . I don't like him at all." He gets up and starts taking off his robe.
Amanda: "Duncan . . ." She moves closer, putting her hands on his chest. "Do you know how I have never really asked you for anything?" Duncan looks at her, making a face as he sees where this is headed. Amanda puts her arms around his neck. "Can't he just stay with us for a little while? Until Kincaid leaves?"
Duncan: "Amanda, he's not helpless."
Amanda, pouting: "I know. Please. Humor me." She kisses him.
Duncan: "All right."
Amanda, sweet and sincere: "Thank you."
Duncan: "Hmmph." He breaks away and walks where his sword is leaning. He picks it up and starts back to the bed.
Amanda: "You won't need that."
Duncan, dryly: "Humor me."
Amanda makes a face, but gets in bed without any protest. Duncan lays the sword down next to him, and the camera moves to Kenny, lying wide awake, listening to every word.
Flashback, "The Lamb"
In a parking garage, Anne is walking to her car when another car, driven by Kenny, tries to run her down. She rolls aside into an empty space, and Kenny misses her.
Cut to Duncan being pinned under a piece of large machinery, which Kenny has caused to fall on him. While Duncan struggles to free himself, Kenny walks up, holding his sword.
Kenny: "It all comes down to one thing, MacLeod. In the end, there can be only one." He raises the sword.
Present Day
The scene fades back to the present, Kenny lying and looking up while his voice continues, "And it might as well be me."
Across the room, Duncan wakes up with a start, then rolls over and goes back to sleep.
Kenny and Amanda are walking down the street, carrying bags of groceries. Amanda's carrying one bag, but Kenny's nearly hidden behind the two bags he's holding.
Amanda: "You know, when those Norman pigs left, I looked for you."
Kenny: "I went to the coast, and found a ship I could stow away on."
Amanda shakes her head: "I looked for three years, every day and every night."
Kenny: "I wish you would have found me."
Amanda: "Me, too." She sways over, bumping into him playfully. "But the important thing is you're here now."
Kenny: "Yeah, well not for long."
Amanda: "Oh, we'll see."
Kenny: "He's going to throw me out as soon as he can. He hates me."
Amanda: "I think that's a little strong."
Kenny: "You don't see the way he watches me when you're not looking. I don't want to lose you again, Amanda."
Amanda: "You won't, I promise."
Kenny: "I will, as long as he's around."
Amanda: "You know, he's not such a bad guy once you get to know him."
Kenny: "I don't want to know him."
Amanda: "Look, we are going to work this out." She stops and faces him.
Kenny, doing the same: "Yeah, right." He shifts the bags he's carrying. "This is getting kin of heavy."
Amanda, taking the bags: "I think I can handle it the rest of the way."
Kenny: "Good. I'll see you in a little while." He starts to walk away.
Amanda, startled: "Where are you going?"
Kenny: "I, uh, forgot something at the store."
Amanda, calling after him worriedly: "Well, we'll get it later!"
Kenny, turning back, smiling: "No, it's okay, really."
Amanda: "Kincaid is still out there."
Kenny: "I'll be careful! I promise." He runs off.
Amanda: "Kenny . . . Kenny!"
Kenny: "Don't worry, I'll be back soon."
Amanda finally turns and walks on, but keeps casting worried looks over her shoulder as she leaves him.
Down at the docks, Kincaid steps up from a small boat, walking over to where the cargo is being piled up.
Kincaid: "How many we got left?"
Worker: "There's a few more down there."
Kincaid walks over to check: "Okay. Finish up, I'll be back." He starts off, pausing to catch a case as the loader nearly lets it drop. "Careful, careful." He starts off down the dock, again, but presently he feels another immortal, and turns to see Duncan step out from behind a storage shed.
Kincaid, expansively: "Well, if it isn't the white knight." He walks toward him. "You taken the boy's head already?"
Duncan: "Maybe I'm saving it for a rainy day."
Kincaid: "What exactly stops you? The fact he won't put up a fight? Or is he not noble enough for you."
Duncan: "That occurred to me."
Kincaid: "But a mutiny is." He stops walking as he draws even with Duncan, and they start walking back down together.
Duncan: "They were going to take your head. I gave you your life."
Kincaid: "No, MacLeod. You gave me death. A thousand times over, for one hundred years." His voice starts rising, until he's shouting. "A living, dying, hell! Of unending thirst, and unbearable hunger. Do what Hell is like, MacLeod? You live on rats, snakes . . . and when they're all gone, flies. And when everything is dead, you starve to death." Duncan's jaw tightens, in sympathy, but he doesn't say anything as Kincaid goes on. "Again, and again . . . and again." He starts to stalk toward Duncan, and Duncan begins to retreat.
Duncan: "I left you there because you gave me no choice." He backs up until he hits a building. Kincaid pursues, drawing his sword.
Kincaid: "You should have killed me on that island!"
Duncan backs through the doorway into the building, drawing his own sword.
Duncan: "Don't start this, Kincaid, because I'll finish it."
Kincaid attacks. They fight, but before they go too long a pair of Kincaid's workers walk by the open end of the shed, wheeling a dolly of cases.
Worker: "What the hell's going on in there?"
Duncan quickly steps back, hiding his sword.
Duncan: "Stay away, Kincaid. You'll stay alive." He leaves.
Kincaid watches him, then turns away.
Worker: "Is everything all right, Captain?"
Kincaid, striding towards them: "What are you looking at? Get back to work, go on!"
Duncan walks out of the shed, and immediately senses another immortal.
Duncan: "Kenny? Kenny!" He looks around, calling for him, but Kenny's nowhere in sight.
Meanwhile, in another part of the dock, Kincaid also senses someone. He strolls forward, glancing around.
Kincaid: "What is it, MacLeod? Changed your mind?" He looks up as Kenny jumps down from behind the building.
Kenny: "Is that the best you could do?"
Kincaid: "Good enough to take your miserable little head." He sweeps the side of his hand around illustratively.
Kenny, keeping a wary distance: "You could. But if you do I can't help you."
Kincaid: "Help me with what?"
Kenny: "Get MacLeod. That's who you really want, isn't it?"
Kincaid looks at him speculatively.
In the loft, Amanda is unpacking groceries when she senses another immortal. She walks eagerly to the gate, and meets Duncan as he's coming out.
Amanda: "Oh, I thought you were Kenny."
Duncan, offended: "Disappointed?"
Amanda: "No. Just worried." She walks back to the counter. "He said he'd only be gone for a few minutes." Duncan hangs up his coat and joins her. "I know, I shouldn't have let him go."
Duncan: "He knows what's out there. He's tougher than he looks."
Amanda: "You know, I think he might be growing on you."
Duncan rolls his eyes, but before he can answer they sense Kenny returning.
Amanda: "That must be him now."
Duncan walks forward as Kenny comes from the hall, holding a bouquet behind his back.
Kenny: "I'm sorry. I ran into someone downstairs."
Duncan, folding his arms: "Did you?"
Anne walks in just behind Kenny, smiling shyly: "Hi."
Duncan, startled: "Hi."
Anne, sheepishly: "I was checking in on Kenny and he insisted I come up."
Duncan, flustered: "Well, how thoughtful of him."
Amanda, standing behind Duncan and watching Anne with interest, clears her throat. Duncan steps back, looking back and forth.
Duncan: "Oh. Amanda. This is Anne." He swivels his head from one to the other nervously.
Amanda: "Nice to meet you."
Duncan, dithering: "Yeah, Anne, Amanda. Amanda . . . Anne's a good friend of mine."
Anne and Amanda both nod, smiling politely.
Amanda: "Hm. The doctor." They nod and smile again, and a long, awkward silence ensues before Amanda breaks it, gesturing over her shoulder. "Look, I was getting ready to make some coffee, would you like . . ." Her eyes drift down to Anne's stomach. "Some decaf?"
Anne: "Regular. Is fine." She smiles, and walks forward, taking her purse from her shoulder. "I'm willing to sacrifice, but caffeine is not high on the hit list."
Amanda laughs, and Kenny moves to follow Anne into the kitchen, but is intercepted by MacLeod.
Duncan: "We agreed you'd stick close by."
Kenny, defiant: "There was something I needed to get."
Duncan: "Was it important enough to lose your head over?"
Kenny whips the flowers from behind his back: "They're for Amanda." He pushes past Duncan, and presents them to a delighted Amanda.
Amanda: "Oh. They're really pretty. Thank you." She kisses Kenny on the cheek. "I'll put them in water."
Duncan, not to be put off: "I saw Kincaid at the docks, one of us was there."
Kenny: "So? It wasn't me. I'd be crazy to go near him." He starts to walk past Duncan into the main room, but Duncan's hand shoots out, grabbing his collar.
Duncan: "Let's take a little walk."
Kenny: "I don't want to go."
Duncan, pulling him firmly to the elevator, says pleasantly: "I didn't ask whether you wanted to go." He pushes him in.
Kenny: "Leave me alone."
Anne: "What's going on?"
Duncan, brightly, as he reaches for gate: "Nothing."
Amanda trots up: "Duncan! Duncan, he's scared."
Duncan, brightly casual: "No, it's okay. We'll just go for a little walk, and talk."
Amanda, to Kenny: "You'll be okay."
Duncan: "Hm." He pulls the gate down.
Amanda, in Duncan's face: "He won't hurt you."
Duncan: "Much." The elevator starts down.
Amanda, turning back to Anne: "Coffee."
From the elevator, Kenny starts screaming for help, but Amanda ignores it.
In the elevator, Kenny continues to yell for help as they go down to the dojo.
Kenny: "Help! Amanda, please don't let him do this to me! Help!"
Duncan pushes him out: "Drop the little boy act. She can't hear you."
Kenny twists away: "Let go of me, dammit. Stay the hell away from me. If you kill me, she'll kill you."
Duncan, smiling, starts toward him: "You think so?"
Kenny: "I'm her son. You're just some guy she screws."
Duncan, pleasantly: "I don't want your little head. I just want the truth, if you remember how to tell it." He finally backs Kenny into one of the wood racks. "What were you doing by the docks?"
Kenny: "You're so damn smart. What makes you think I was even there?"
Duncan grabs his shirt: "Because I know you." He glances down. "And, you've got tar on your shoes." He paces around him. "Now, I don't know what you're up to . . ." Laughing. " . . . but I'm through treating you like a little kid. Come after me, and I'll kill you."
Kenny: "You're just like the rest, looking for an excuse."
Duncan spreads his hands: "Hey, I'm giving you fair warning. I won't turn my back on you again."
Kenny: "Good. Because the second you do . . ." He snaps his fingers in Duncan's face. " . . . take your head." He runs off.
Upstairs, Anne and Amanda are sitting on the couch, sipping coffee.
Anne: "So . . ."
Amanda: "My thoughts exactly." They both laugh.
Anne: "This is really awkward."
Amanda: "Only for about the first hundred years or so." They drink coffee.
Anne: "He seems very different around you."
Amanda: "You think so?"
Anne: "Yeah. Yeah, the way he smiles. He can really open up to you."
Amanda, clearly not sure what to say: "Well, I--I'm sure Duncan really cares about you, too, Anne."
Anne: "I was, uh, talking about Kenny."
Amanda, now really embarrassed: "Right."
They both laugh again.
Amanda: "Kenny's really special. I guess I'm the closest thing he'll ever have to a mother. And, um, he's definitely the closest thing I'll ever get to having a kid. And he's not even a kid . . ." She trails off, and gestures to Anne. "So, what are you, about four months?"
Anne: "Five."
Amanda, reaching out tentatively: "Could I . . . ?"
Anne: "Oh, yeah! Go ahead." She takes Amanda's hand, putting it on her stomach. "Here."
Amanda, quiet: "So, what's it like?"
Anne: "Oh, like all the cliches. You know, carrying a watermelon, walking like a duck. And this . . . this is the easy part. The tough part comes when she gets here."
Amanda: "Are you scared?"
Anne, suddenly meek: "Terrified." She smiles. "Yeah, you know, I'm a single mother. And I work crazy shifts and weird hours and . . ." She takes a deep breath. "She's going to need me, and the ER's going to need me, and I haven't figured out how I'm going to make it all work yet."
Amanda, sincerely: "You know what? I think you're going to do great."
Anne: "Thanks."
They smile at each other.
Later, Amanda is pacing around the loft while Duncan sits on the sofa, reading the paper.
Amanda, worried: "You know, I--I don't like this. He's been gone almost all night."
Duncan, sarcastic: "Well, maybe he's buying you some more flowers."
Amanda: "Well, maybe he's getting killed. I can't believe you just let him go."
Duncan: "He's lived without you for eight hundred years."
Amanda: "You know he's an easy target and you know it." The phone rings, and Amanda dashes for it.
Duncan, getting up: "Amanda . . ."
Amanda grabs the phone and turns it on: "Kenny?"
Kenny, from the phone: "Kincaid's after me. I got away, but he's coming. Please come and get me. Oh, tell Duncan that I'm sorry, and I should have trusted him, but I was afraid. I'm at [??] Point, by the docks."
Duncan, reaching for the phone: "Give me that . . ." But Amanda turns away, listening. Cut to Kenny, speaking into the phone from the booth.
Kenny: "Amanda . . . I--I'm scared."
Amanda: "Okay, Kenny. Just listen to me. Stay out of sight, until I get there. Okay? All right. Good-bye." She hangs up.
Kenny hangs up the phone, and turns to Kincaid, who's standing right beside him.
Kincaid: "I told you I wanted MacLeod, you little dwarf." He grabs Kenny, yanking him out of the booth. "Not the girl!"
Kenny, impatient: "He'll be here."
Kincaid: "What makes you so sure?"
Kenny: "Because I know him. MacLeod's yours, but just remember one thing: Amanda's all mine."
It's early dawn. Amanda is walking down by the docks, but she turns warily as she senses another immortal. She turns around only to find Duncan behind her.
Amanda, angry: "Don't sneak up on me like that!"
Duncan: "'Oh, thanks for coming, Duncan.'"
Amanda: "I didn't ask you to come."
Duncan, walks up to her, pleading: "Amanda, I can't believe that he's completely taken you in like this." She starts to walk away, Duncan following. "He's not a kid, he's a con man. The only thing he wants our heads." [Okay, I rewound the darn thing a jillion times, and I swear that's what he says. "Only thing he wants our heads" makes nearly zero sense, but there you are. Always open to suggestions . . . --Jinjifore]
Amanda: "Not mine."
Duncan: "Yours, mine, it makes no difference. He's taken enough of them."
Amanda: "Oh, and we haven't."
Duncan catches her arm, forcing her to stop: " Not like him. Amanda, he uses people." She looks pointedly at the hand holding her, and he lets it drop, but doesn't give up talking. "It doesn't matter to him. Good, bad, to him it makes no difference."
Amanda, stalking off again: "You say."
Duncan lunges, getting her arm again: "I know. I've seen it!"
Amanda turns and faces him: "Duncan, you don't understand. Whatever he is, I helped make him."
They both turn as they hear Kenny's voice in the distance, calling for Amanda.
Kenny: "Amanda! Help me!"
Amanda: "Kincaid has him." She dashes off, and Duncan follows.
Duncan: "Maybe. Amanda . . . Amanda!"
They both go into one of the warehouses, Amanda first with her sword drawn. They sense another immortal, and Amanda stops.
Amanda: "He's in here."
Duncan, wearily: "It's Kincaid."
They hear Kenny's voice again, muffled with distance but still in the same building.
Kenny: "No, don't! Let go of me!"
Amanda: "I don't care about Kincaid. I've got to find Kenny." She starts to move off.
Duncan: "Amanda . . ." She turns. "If you find him, be careful." He turns away, muttering, "And while you're at it, watch my back, too." They head off in different directions.
Duncan eventually emerges into a larger space, and finds Kincaid waiting for him, his sword leaning over his shoulder.
Kincaid: "I've been waiting for you. For a long time."
Duncan, taking off his coat and moving to the middle of the floor: "If this is what you want, let's get it over with."
Kincaid: "Aye-aye, Mr. MacLeod."
They fight. As they move over the floor, Duncan retreating, Kenny emerges above, standing next to a valve wheel. He puts his hands on it, waiting, watching the fight. Amanda walks out behind him, out of his sight. When Duncan nears the right pipe, Kenny turns the wheel, sending a blast of scalding steam right into Duncan's face, blinding him. Duncan reels back, clutching his face and slashing wildly with his sword.
Kenny smiles in satisfaction, watching as Kincaid advances on his helpless enemy.
Amanda steps up behind Kenny: "You set him up."
Kenny whirls: "I had to do it. Kincaid made me."
Down below, Kincaid is taunting Duncan.
Kincaid: "My only regret is, MacLeod, you will only die once."
Duncan slashes at him, his face still blistered, still unable to see. Kincaid throws a stone, and when Duncan whirls towards the sound he slashes him across the back, sending him to his knees.
Amanda: "Why?"
Kenny: "I haven't lived this long trusting anyone, except for you."
Amanda: "But he would have helped you."
Kenny doesn't answer, just turns to look down at Kincaid and Duncan.
Duncan is still slashing wildly, trying to find Kincaid.
Kincaid: "I want you to know what it feels like, to die slowly."
Duncan's sword finally connects with Kincaid's and he lunges, but Kincaid eludes him easily, slashing his leg. He goes down, holding his sword up to parry.
Kenny looks back at Amanda: "Kincaid's got him. And you can't interfere."
Amanda steps forward, looking down and watching.
Below, Duncan is on his feet again, listening. Kincaid makes one last lunge, but this time Duncan catches his blade on his, parrying so that Kincaid's own blade bites into his stomach. Kincaid looks at Duncan in shock, and Duncan slashes his own sword up.
Duncan: "See ya." Kincaid falls to his knees, and Duncan takes his head.
As the Quickening starts, Amanda watches avidly. While she's absorbed, Kenny slips a pair of handcuffs from his pocket. He slaps them on, cuffing her to the valve wheel before she can get away.
Amanda: "Take these off!"
Kenny: "I'll be back. I've got some business to take care of, first."
Amanda turns to him: "Kenny! Take these off."
Kenny turns back, and smiles. He walks back to her, and kisses her lightly on the lips. She stares at him in shock as he moves back again, smiling, then he turns and runs for the stairs.
Amanda: "Kenny! Kenny, take these off!" She turns back to look at Duncan, then starts working at the cuffs.
Below, the Quickening is finally over. Duncan falls over, still weak and shaking, his face still reddened from the steam. He looks up as Kenny comes up, sword in hand.
Kenny: "The bigger they are, the harder they fall." He raises his sword.
Amanda: "Do it and you're next." She walks up while Kenny stares, and tosses the cuffs on the floor between them. "It's kid's stuff," she adds with a sneer.
Kenny: "You wouldn't."
Amanda: "Try me."
Kenny looks at Duncan, then at her again: "But I'm just a boy."
Amanda: "Like hell."
Kenny tries again: "Look at him! He'll kill me!"
Amanda, calm: "Maybe. But if you kill him, I will kill you."
Kenny gives Duncan one last look, and Duncan smiles at him. Kenny hesitates a second, then runs off. Duncan pulls himself to his feet, and puts his arm around Amanda, holding her.
Duncan, his voice still rough: "Thanks."
Amanda: "You were right about him."
Duncan: "I'm sorry." He kisses her forehead, and they walk off, arms around each other.
In the loft, Amanda is standing in front of the mirror, adjusting her outfit. Duncan comes up behind her, and starts kissing her neck.
Duncan: "Alone at last."
Amanda: "Now, don't start anything you can't finish."
Duncan: "Who says?" He slips off his shirt and flips it around her waist, pulling her in.
Amanda turns and puts her arms around him, kissing him back, but as she does so she cranes her neck to look at her watch.
Duncan: "Am I boring you?"
Amanda, reluctantly: "Mm . . .?"
Behind them, the elevator gate slides up, and Anne steps out.
Amanda pushes Duncan back gently: "Told you." She walks towards the elevator.
Duncan, awkward: "Anne! I wasn't expecting you."
Amanda, over her shoulder as she goes to meet her: "I was."
Anne, holding up a key ring: "I still have your key." She puts it on the table as Amanda picks up her purse. "We discovered that we have a lot more in common after all."
Amanda: "Don't wait up."
They slide their arms around each other and stroll to the elevator, leaving Duncan still clutching his shirt protectively in front of him. He waves his hand weakly.
Duncan: "Bye."
Amanda: "Bye." They pull the gate down, leaving Duncan sheepishly waving them good-bye.
This episode was, I must say, very painless to transcribe. No mumblers, no screamers, no babblers. No French . . .
Some random observations about Kenny's character, gleaned from here and there. Kenny was introduced in the third season episode "The Lamb." You don't have to see "The Lamb," since most of the pertinent information was provided in flashbacks to it, but it's still a good idea to have watched it first. Kenny's a pretty unique character, one of the few really young immortals we've seen (the only other one I can remember is that drummer kid, who I think was older, anyway), and of course the fact that he got away both times means he's still around. A lot of folks would really like to see Kenny shortened, so to speak, but he's still been allowed to escape both times. The reason for this, or so I've gathered, is that there's some issue about TV censors maybe being a little reluctant to allow a ten-year-old kid to get his head cut off, even off-screen. So, Kenny's still out there, somewhere, no doubt plotting his revenge.
Nitpicky canon alert: This is as good a time as any to bring up the ooky "foundling" issue. To the best of my knowledge, it's series canon that all immortals are foundlings, that none of them have biological parents that they're aware of. Duncan was a foundling, Richie was an orphan, Amanda was an orphan, etc., and Kenny remarks here that the dead couple found him when he was a baby. This is one of those issues that tends to get discussed a bit, mostly because some folks think it's a dumb idea. Whether it's a dumb idea or not is still open to debate, but it's a fact that all the immortals we know of either never knew any parents, or found out that the people who raised them weren't their biological parents (Okay, all of them except for that Cimoli guy . . .). Anyway, just a picky little factoid.
Next time, "The Colonel."
These pages are written by Jinjifore and are translated into HTML and maintained by Ian.
Disclaimer: All the dialogue, characters, situations, and darn near everything else belong to a bunch of fine and talented folks at Rysher Entertainment and Panzer/Davis, and in particular the dialogue belongs to the credited writer of this episode. Me, I just wrote the rest down in my own words, which belong to me, but the episode itself was made by the aforementioned people and is owned by them. This humble synopsis isn't meant to infringe on their rights, and I'm sure as heck not making any money from doing these.
Everything not belonging to Rysher, et al, ©Copyright 1997 by Jinjifore
Feel free to copy and distribute as long as this copyright notice and disclaimer are included, except where local bandwidth laws apply.
Also, check out Ian's home page.
Celtic clip art courtesy of the Celtic Art Web Page.
Celtic clip art courtesy of the Free Celtic Art Page.
| Last Rev: 9AE [ 09 Oct 97 ] |
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