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Starring:
Adrian Paul (Duncan MacLeod) Guests:
Elizabeth Gracen (Amanda)
Written by Durnford King |
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At Joe's, Joe Dawson and Amanda are at the bar, Joe cutting up limes while he talks to Amanda. [The music in the background is Jim Byrnes, "Special Rider" from That River.]
Joe: "Amanda, for thousands of years, the Watchers have lived by one single set of rules. We observe, we record, and we stay the hell out of it."
Amanda sighs impatiently: "Would you give me a break? That is such a guy thing." She pauses for a second as Melissa walks behind her, following her briefly with her eyes before continuing. "You have your rules and MacLeod has his."
Joe: "Mac and I had a good friend, Charlie DeSalvo. And he is dead because I broke those rules." [See Notes] He cuts at a lime and slices his finger instead. "Ow! Dammit!" He looks Amanda. "See? I bleed. I can get an infection and die."
Amanda: "You'll want to run some cold water on that."
Joe glares and sticks his hand under the faucet: "On the surface, we may look alike. But underneath, we are two different species. It's right that Mac backed off. It's better this way."
At the University, Duncan MacLeod is exiting the stairs into the parking garage, humming to himself while he strolls to his car. The General gets out of the car parked next to his and starts past Duncan. He turns, though, just as Duncan is putting his bag in the back.
General: "Hey, pal, you wouldn't have change for the meter, would you?"
Even before The General finishes speaking, another man dashes up behind Duncan, swinging a length of pipe. Duncan tosses him over the hood, and starts fighting them both. He slugs The General with his own car door, then shuts the same door on the second thug's head and vaults over the top.
Back at Joe's, Joe is still trying to explain himself to Amanda.
Joe: "I took an oath. I have to live by it."
Amanda: "Oh, yeah? Well, let's just picture two gravestones, okay? One says, 'He lived by the rules.'" She looks at Joe, and her voice softens. "The other one says, 'He was a good friend." She cocks her head. "Now, which one do you want?"
Joe shakes his head, trying not to smile: "I guess you tried to get the Beatles back together, too."
In the garage, Duncan is still holding his own. He kicks The General while dangling from a pipe, and starts pounding on the other guy again.
Amanda, pleading: "Oh, come on, Joe, just talk to him, okay, for me, please?"
The General finally starts to get at Duncan, driving him back with a series of punches.
Joe shakes his head, and looks sidelong at Amanda, who gives him a "Come on . . ." look. He sighs.
Joe: "I'll think about it."
Amanda: "Good." She adds quickly, grabbing her glass, " . . . because he's on his way over."
Duncan grabs The General and slams his head into a car as a van pulls into their section of the parking lot.
Joe, staring at Amanda: "MacLeod. He's coming here."
Amanda: "Mm-hm."
Joe, not buying it: "To see me."
Amanda: "Well, actually I told him that you had the night off."
As the van pulls up behind Duncan, Cisco leans out and zaps him with a tazer. Duncan falls to his knees, dazed, and The General is able to take him out with a punch.
Joe: "You expect me to make the first move."
Amanda makes an apologetic face: "Would you? Please? For me, Joe?" He gives her a "I don't believe this" look. "Please?"
Joe starts laughing, knowing he's just let her talk him into it.
The General drags Duncan around the van to the side door, while Cisco gets out of the van and follows, carrying a straightjacket.
Cisco, accusing: "I thought you were some big-shot fighter."
General, hauling Duncan up to the door: "I was a contender. [At '76 and seventeen]." He tosses Duncan inside and turns back to Cisco. "Forty-seven knockouts."
Cisco: "If I hadn't of zapped him he would've kicked your ass." He shoves the straightjacket at him and walks off, leaving The General to get in, growing to himself. He points to the other man who attacked Duncan, who's standing by the door holding his arm.
General: "See you later."
The other man nods and shuts the door, moving slowly. Inside, The General straps Duncan into the jacket.
General, muttering: "Okay, tough guy." He rolls him over, and slaps his cheek lightly. "Sleep tight."
The van pulls up somewhere on a dock. Cisco and The General get out, and Cisco slaps The General on the shoulder.
Cisco: "Let's get him inside."
General, as they pull Duncan out: "You know, we didn't need this outfit. I could have taken him."
Cisco snorts derisively: "Yeah, sure. You could have taken him to a movie, maybe."
General: "Hey, I took him on."
Cisco: "You're a big help."
General: "And you're a pain in the ass." He pulls at Duncan. "Come on, sweet--"
Duncan abruptly revives and starts fighting, kicking at Cisco, then The General until Cisco takes him down with a pipe. When he's unconscious, they grab his arms and drag him up a ramp to a building.
General: "I'm getting tired of dragging this guy around."
Back at Joe's, Amanda has turned around, leaning against the bar and looking into the crowd.
Joe: "Would you look at that. I didn't think he'd be your type."
Amanda, not looking at him: "He's not." She cocks her head, frowning as she watches Melissa sitting and giggling with a silver haired man. Melissa touches his nose playfully, laughing.
Man: "You like me, don't you?"
Melissa looks demure, and glances down at the space between them. Watching them, Amanda's lips curve into a knowing, cynical smile.
Man, pulling Melissa towards him: "Come here." But as he tugs, Melissa overturns a glass, spilling the contents all over him.
Melissa: "I'm sorry . . ." He stands up quickly, shaking himself off, and while he's distracted she dives for something that was beside him, then stands up. "I'm such a kltuz." She starts off. "I'm just going to go to the ladies' room. Don't go away. I'm really sorry." She walks quickly past the bar, still talking over her shoulder, but as she passes Amanda, Amanda speaks up.
Amanda: "Now that was amateurish."
Melissa stops dead, and Amanda swivels to face her. Melissa turns slowly.
Melissa: "What are you talking about?"
Amanda crooks a finger at her, and Melissa comes over. Amanda leans close, dropping her voice to a whisper.
Amanda: "I think the glass in the lap was overkill. Way, way over the top."
Melissa, nervous: "Are you a cop?"
Amanda: "Not in this life." She leans back against the bar. "My name's Amanda. Why don't you sit and have a drink with me? My date's late."
Melissa, moving away: "I'm moving on."
Amanda: "Oh, yeah? Without these?" Melissa stops as she hears the jingle of car keys behind her. She turns to see Amanda holding up a ring. Amanda snaps the keys in her fist as Melissa walks back. "I've had centuries of practice." She leans forward, asking conspiratorially, "Now why didn't you take his wallet?"
Melissa: "It's not about cash."
Amanda, intrigued: "Is that so?"
Melissa, defensive: "I'm not a thief."
Amanda: "Really?" She pauses. "Why don't you sit and talk to me. Tell me all about it."
Melissa sits down sulkily. Amanda turns to the bartender.
Amanda: "Lou, could we have two drinks? Something fruity?" Melissa, still sulking, doesn't answer. Amanda dangles the keys in front of her, but snatches them back when she makes a grab for them. Melissa laughs.
Duncan is lying on the floor, coming around while The General and Cisco talk over him.
General: "What's the Colonel want him for, anyhow?"
Cisco: "You're not paid to ask questions."
General: "You're a real friendly guy, you know that?"
Duncan finally wakes up enough to sit up or try before he realizes the jacket is in the way. He rolls over swiftly and gets to his knees, looking around warily.
Melissa has started talking to Amanda.
Melissa: "Basically, I go to work, I give a perm, I go to a club, I go to sleep." She shakes her head. "It's the same thing every day. The only thing that changes are the blue-haired old ladies that sit in my chair."
Amanda, dubious: "So you steal because you're bored."
Melissa, suddenly excited: "Oh, no. I do it for the rush. I mean, I just want to take the guy's Beemer for a little joyride, you know. He'll get it back."
Amanda leans in again, dropping her voice: "Do you want some company?"
Melissa, thrilled: "You want to come with me?! Bitchin'." She hesitates. "But what about your date?"
Joe walks up to them: "Looks like you got stood up."
Amanda: "Well, you know, he's teaching at this university, he's probably . . . arguing with some co-ed about a grade."
Joe, quiet: "Yeah. Right." He walks up to the bar.
Amanda: "Sorry, Joe."
Joe: "Hey. Not a problem."
Amanda and Joe look at each other, then Amanda turns back to Melissa.
Amanda: "Ready?"
Melissa: "Yeah." She stands up. "We're outta here."
They leave.
In his prison, Duncan has crept up to the door, listening to Cisco and The General talk.
Cisco: "What of it?"
General: "Who do you like on Friday?"
Cisco, reading a magazine: "I got Fenton, in three."
General: "Fenton's a bum."
Cisco: "Nah. He took you out."
General: "He got lucky."
Cisco: "He got lucky he didn't kill you."
The General growls. Inside, Duncan starts working on his jacket, twisting and trying to work his arms free. Outside, the other two continue talking.
General: "You should have seen me in my prime."
Cisco: "I did. As I remember, you lasted all of twenty minutes."
General: "If I'd've been five years younger, I'd've murdered Fenton."
Cisco: "Give it up, will you . . ." Their voices fade as Duncan continues to struggle with the straightjacket, grunting in pain when he jerks too hard, then stopping to think.
Amanda and Melissa are walking down the street, holding hands and giggling. Amanda stops at the door of a particular store, and Melissa breaks free and stares at her.
Melissa: "You are mental, girl! This is La Belle's."
Amanda, putting her hands on her hips: "Is your heart pounding yet?"
Melissa: "Are you kidding me? It's in my throat." Amanda laughs, and Melissa turns to her, pleading. "Why don't we break into Penny's, or something?"
Amanda, digging things from her purse: "Because Penny's doesn't have lasers, or shatterproof glass, or computerized locks, and what's the fun in that?" She trots up to the keypad by the door, brandishing a key card attached to a small hand-held device.
Melissa, admiring: "You've done this before."
Amanda, sighing theatrically: "Oh, a couple of times in my youth." She bends down to scan the card.
Melissa: "What is that thing?"
Amanda, enunciating proudly: "This is a digital analyzer."
Melissa, awed: "And you carry it in your purse?"
Amanda: "Doesn't everybody?" She smiles happily as the device beeps, and scans the card again. "Damn, I'm good." She reaches for the door.
Melissa, nervous: "I think we just moved from bitchin' to, like, grand theft. I can't believe I'm here."
Amanda, pushing the door open: "What, you want to stop?"
Melissa shakes her head, grinning. They high-five, then Amanda presses her finger to her lips.
Amanda: "You ready?"
Melissa nods eagerly, and they join hands. Slowly, grinning at each other, they pace deliberately into the store, one slow step at a time. On the third step, the alarms go off, and they scream with delight, laughing in each other's faces.
Amanda looks at her watch: "Oh, we have about forty-five seconds before the police get here." She grabs Melissa and pulls her away. They run for the car, holding hands.
Melissa: "You are so weird!"
Amanda: "Oh, honey, you don't even know!"
Melissa: "Did we actually do that?"
Duncan is still struggling with his straightjacket, while outside The General and Cisco continue to talk.
General: "You got tickets?"
Cisco: "Almost ringside. How about you guys?"
General sorts: "Yeah, right. Ringside at Gleason's bar. You think this bum would have comped me a couple of tickets."
Melissa and Amanda are sitting in the car, laughing over their stunt.
Melissa: "Oh, did we actually do that?"
Amanda: "I think so."
They let the seats back, giggling as they land back, and sit there, looking up while Melissa babbles on.
Melissa: "This is unbelievable. I mean, one minute, I'm sitting in a bar and the next I'm breaking into La Belle's. This is outrageous! I mean, I do some crazy things sometimes, but this is just . . ."
Amanda: " . . fun."
Melissa: "Yeah."
Amanda: "Yeah."
Melissa: "I mean, I bet you do this kind of stuff all the time."
Amanda sobers: "Uh." She looks a little wistful. "I used to."
Melissa: "Not anymore?"
Amanda shakes her head: "I gave it up."
Melissa, incredulous: "Why?!" She stops. "No, wait. Don't tell me. It's for a guy, right?" Amanda doesn't answer. "The one who stood you up tonight?" Melissa shakes her head. "The man's a fool, if you ask me."
Amanda, confidently: "He had a good reason."
Melissa is skeptical: "Says him."
Amanda looks over at her, and they start to laugh again.
In his prison, Duncan is kneeling quietly on the floor, eyes closed. He raises his head, breathing deeply, then grits his teeth and snaps his shoulder forward, dislocating the socket. Wincing, biting his lips from the pain, he unwraps his arms, freeing the straps from around his back. When he's done, he walks to the center of the room and aims for a pipe running up to the ceiling. He makes a run for it, using the impact to knock his shoulder back in place.
In the outer part of the warehouse, Cisco and The General go out and meet a car as it drives up.
Cisco: "Right on time."
The car stops, and Simon Killian steps out, immediately sensing Duncan's presence.
Inside, Duncan looks around as he feels Killian in his turn. Moving quickly, Duncan squirms the rest of the way out of the jacket and darts off.
Killian: "Any problems?"
General: "Nah. I took him down in two."
Killian: "Place him in the car."
General: "Yeah." He and Cisco head back for the main door.
Cisco, as they go up the ramp: "You didn't take him in two."
General: "Shut up."
Cisco: "You couldn't take my mother in two."
On cue, Duncan lashes out from the doorway, felling The General with one kick. Killian whirls as he hears the noise, and sees Duncan pummel Cisco, then turn to The General. Behind the scenes, hidden from the others, Andrea Henson starts snapping pictures, catching Duncan as he fights off the two thugs and breaks away. Killian turns to his driver, who whips out a machine gun and starts firing. Duncan ducks away, rolling under the van for cover, but one bullet hits the gas tank and before long the leaking fluid is ignited and the van explodes. While Andrea continues taking pictures, Duncan lurches out, the back of his sweater in flames, howling from pain. She turns her arm to follow him with the lens as he stumbles toward the water, revealing the Watcher tattoo on her left wrist. Cisco and The General run up, followed closely by Killian, just in time to watch Duncan take a dive from the pier into the water. Killian pushes between them, staring at the waters as they close over Duncan's body.
Amanda and Melissa are just returning to the dojo, Melissa talking as they walk across the gym floor to the elevator.
Melissa: "I was watching you, when we were breaking into La Belle's. Your hands didn't shake. You didn't sweat. You just had this look on your face that said that no matter how hard they tried to keep you out, you knew they couldn't. Am I right?"
Amanda, rather curtly: "Yes."
Melissa: "So, what did you do before you were a . . ."
Amanda finishes it for her: " . . . a thief? Mostly, I was hungry."
Melissa looks at her, not understanding, but before she says anything Amanda senses another immortal. Melissa watches her, wondering, while she turns around, and Amanda smiles as she comes back to find Melissa staring.
Amanda: "Duncan's here."
Melissa, doubtfully: "How can you tell?"
Amanda hesitates, then points at the door: "The door."
Melissa turns as Amanda gestures, and sees Duncan come in.
Melissa: "Oh. Yeah."
Duncan comes in, hair disheveled, his sweater torn and bloodied, one huge rip showing in the front. He stops as he spots Melissa, and quickly brings his hand up to hold the rent together as Amanda brings Melissa over.
Amanda: "Hey. I want you to meet my new friend, Melissa. Melissa, this is Duncan MacLeod. His friends call him Mac."
Duncan walks over, smiling: "Hi." His voice is a little too cheerful, but Melissa doesn't notice.
Melissa: "Hi, Mac." She turns to Amanda, whispering, "He's so awesome!"
Amanda laughs, and Duncan stops near them, smiling fixedly. Amanda gives him a long look.
Amanda: "You look terrible."
Duncan: "She said I looked awesome."
Amanda: "She lied."
Duncan glares briefly, and the three of them stand there in silence, Amanda sensing that there's something wrong but not able to ask with Melissa there. Melissa, though, clues in quickly.
Melissa: "Uh, I think I better go." She starts to walk out, and Duncan smiles, shuffling around to keep her from seeing the tattered and scorched ruins of the back of his sweater.
Amanda, standing to help shield his back: "Okay. Well, I'll talk to you tomorrow, then, okay?"
Melissa: "Okay. Bye. It was nice meeting you, Mac."
Duncan: "And you, Melissa."
Amanda: "Bye."
Melissa leaves, and Duncan and Amanda get in the elevator.
Amanda, on the way up: "So, what, did the other guy have a bigger sword or something?" She twitches a fold of the ravaged sweater, and Duncan makes an exasperated noise.
Duncan, wryly: "Don't worry about it, it's just an old war wound acting up."
Amanda: "What's his name?"
Duncan: "Killian."
Amanda: "Will he keep coming?"
Duncan: "He'll keep coming." He steps forward as the elevator reaches the loft and reaches for the gate. "He's got good reason."
A battlefield. Dead soldiers are lying on the bare ground, wearing gas masks. Guns are firing, and men are calling to each other from the trenches. Duncan, in uniform and wearing a Red Cross armband, ducks down into a trench, making his way along until he senses another immortal. He looks round, then spots Killian. He goes up to him. Killian turns to face him, smiling.
Killian: "Good afternoon. Colonel Simon Killian. Commanding."
Duncan looks him over: "Duncan MacLeod." He looks past Killian. "Transporting the wounded." He follows his own gaze, ducking to the next section of the trench and kneeling down by a fallen soldier. Killian follows him.
Killian, incredulous: "Ambulance driver?"
Duncan holds his canteen to the wounded man's mouth: "That's correct."
Killian: "I would think that a man of your . . . experience could do better."
Duncan glances at him while he starts bandaging another man's wounds: "I chose this duty."
Killian, leaning down incredulously: "Why?" He smiles. "When you could lead men into battle instead? Share their glory? Hear their shouts of victory?"
Duncan looks at him: "And the screams of the maimed and dying!" He gets up, walking over to confront Killian. "I fought here against Napoleon and Louis the Fourteenth. I've seen men die over the same ground too many times to want to do it again." He goes back to his work, leaving Killian staring after him in puzzlement. Before he can say anything, though, Sergeant Merton jumps down and salutes Killian.
Merton: "The artillery's in place, Colonel."
Killian: "Excellent, Sergeant." Merton holds out a paper, but Killian turns, waving it back. "Thank you." He gestures to the battlefield, speaking to Duncan while Merton withdraws a pace, not sure what to do. "The Hun think that they own this ground, but we own it. We paid for it with the blood of a thousand men."
Duncan gets up: "Excuse me, sir, but could I borrow your canteen . . .?" He takes it without waiting for an answer. "Thank you."
Merton tries again to hand over the paper: "Urgent, sir."
Killian ignores him, intent on speaking to Duncan, gesturing excitedly to the field: "Now that I have reinforcements I will drive them all the way back to Berlin."
Merton tries one last time: "Urgent sir, it's from headquarters."
Killian finally turns to him, and takes the paper: "Thank you. That will be all." Merton leaves, and Killian opens the orders. He scans over the "Urgent" stamp, and reads the message: "CEASE HOSTILITIES IMMEDIATELY. STOP. WAR IS OVER. STOP." Killian closes the paper, his mouth tightening, then turns to Merton.
Killian: "On your whistle, sergeant. Tell the men."
Merton: "Yes, sir."
Duncan pauses, staring at Killian while he gives the orders.
Killian: "Today we take our revenge."
Duncan gets up: "Sergeant, wait!" He snatches the paper from Killian's hand and reads it. He looks up, dumbfounded. "You can't do this!"
Killian snarls: "We have left too many dead here to leave with nothing."
Duncan: "But the war is over. No one else has to die."
Killian: "They die if I tell them to die." He glances at Merton. "Put him in irons."
Duncan turns to Merton: "It's true. See for yourself." He gives Merton the orders.
Merton scans the message: "My God, it is over." He raises his head at Killian. "Why--?"
Killian snatches the paper from him, crumpling it in his fist: "I did not receive this, do you understand? This never arrived." He throws the paper down.
Duncan confronts him, getting in his face, shouting: "You can't do this, Killian! The war is over!"
Killian: "The war is over when we take that ground." He turns to Merton. "Sound the attack, Sergeant. That is an order."
Merton looks at him for a second, then reaches for his hat: "I'm sorry, sir." He takes off his hat, pulling his whistle over his head. "But there won't be any attack." He turns to Duncan, smiling. "I'll tell the men the news." He turns and starts down the trench, and Duncan returns to the wounded, leaving Killian standing there, furious. Killian turns to Merton, drawing his gun.
Killian: "Sergeant!"
Merton turns, and Killian raises the pistol, firing twice, killing Merton.
Duncan: "No!"
Duncan leaps for him, struggling with him, but Killian clubs him with the butt of the pistol and leaves him. He dashes down the trench, calling to the men. As he urges them up, "Tipperary" begins to play in the background.
Killian: "On your feet, men!" The soldiers obey, readying their guns. "Ready, men!"
Behind Killian, Duncan gets up and runs after him, grabbing the soldiers, trying to pull them all down.
Duncan: "Don't listen to him!" But the soldiers look at him like he's crazy.
Killian leaps out of the trench, pistol drawn, and blows the whistle. The men surge up, Killian in the lead, and start over the ground. The song gets louder as Duncan follows the men out of the trench, still trying to stop them. But Killian turns and shoots him, and Duncan only manages to get his hands on Killian's shirt, reaching weakly for Killian's throat before he falls back. Killian stands there, pistol upraised, and the shot pulls back to show him standing alone on the still battlefield.
Killian is standing at his court martial, while the charges against him are read.
Officer: "Colonel Killian, after careful consideration of the evidence, this court finds you guilty on all charges. Your heinous act resulted in the unnecessary deaths of three hundred British and German soldiers. You are hereby stripped of all rank and privileges, and sentenced to death by firing squad." Killian says nothing, his expression not altering, but Duncan, sitting at the back of the room in civilian clothes, closes his eyes. "And God only will have mercy on your soul." He looks down, finished.
Killian: "You think you judge me. You think you can dispose of me that easily. Men and their governments come and go, playing at peace, while soldiers like me fight on." He steps forward, taking his hat from under his arm and tossing it on the table. "Read your history books! Peace is nothing but a pause between the wars!" He puts his fists on the judge's table, shouting. "Do you not think that we will fight Germany again?!"
Officer: "Guards, restrain him." Two guards step forward, but Killian keeps on as they pull him back.
Killian: "Shoot me if you will! I am Colonel Simon Killian. I was Colonel Simon Killian before you were born. I will be Colonel Simon Killian long after you and yours are dead! I will dance on your graves! You insignificant bastards!"
Duncan stands up, speaking quietly over Killian's rantings: "Gentleman, may I speak."
Killian shuts up abruptly, staring at Duncan.
Officer: "Your testimony is on record. What more can you add?"
Duncan steps forward, holding his hat in his hands, his voice meek: "I fear a grave injustice will be done if I do not speak. Please, I beg the court's indulgence." The officer nods, and Duncan glances at Killian before stepping forward. "I am a simple man. But I was there when he ordered those men into battle, and I can attest he was not in right mind." He glances at Killian, then back at the judges, his face the picture of honest sincerity. "He is as he was then, the victim of his own delusions. I beg you show mercy. Spare his life."
The judges think it over, and Duncan turns to Killian, giving him a look of pure, innocent malice.
Killian: "You bastard." He starts forward, the guards holding him back. "I know what you're doing." He addresses the judges, shouting. "I demand to be shot! Do you hear me?" Duncan turns to the panel, shrugging as if to say, "See what I mean?" Killian goes on. "It is my right, I demand it! Do you hear me?!!!"
The hall of an asylum. Killian is led to a cell by two orderlies, while an inmate beats his head gently against the wall next to the door. Someone is laughing maniacally in the background as they open the door.
Orderly: "Here's your new home."
They put him inside and shut the door, leaving him standing in the barren cell.
Duncan, voice over as he's lying in bed next to Amanda: "He was sentenced to life in a prison for the criminally insane."
Amanda: "Why didn't you just let him shoot him?"
Duncan turns to her, saying as if it's obvious: "He had to pay the price for the men he'd killed." Amanda looks at him. He turns back. "Amanda. His crime was committed in the mortal world. It was only right that he was sentenced by mortal justice."
Amanda snorts: "Sometimes I worry about your overindulged sense of morality."
Duncan: "Do you, now?"
Amanda: "But I wouldn't worry. I'll protect you from it." She tosses the covers over her head, laughing, and burrows with Duncan under the blankets.
The next day, Amanda and Duncan are walking down the street, Amanda talking to Duncan.
Amanda: "It's just lunch. Besides, once you get to know her I think you're really going to like her."
Duncan: "Amanda, you only met her last night."
Amanda shrugs, sliding her hand through Duncan's arm: "What can I say? There's something about a woman with her hand on a man's wallet that just . . . turns me on. Besides, what's the worst thing that can happen?"
Duncan: "She could get arrested. She could go to prison . . ."
Amanda shakes her head emphatically: "No no no no. I'm a pro!"
Duncan: "She's not."
Amanda strokes his chest: "Would you not worry?" She sighs petulantly. "I promise we'll be good." She slides her arm across Duncan's shoulders, and he looks her up and down.
Duncan, derisive: "Yeah, I'm sure you will be, dressed like that."
[Following a terrific suggestion from Mari, I'm going to add a description of Amanda's clothes here, which I should have done to start with! --Jinjifore] Amanda's wearing a short black skirt, high black boots, a black tank top with spaghetti straps (I think that's what they're called) and a short black jacket with long sleeves. Her hair is short and slicked back, with a spit curl over one eye. In other words, very typical Amanda . . . Amanda, indignant: "What's wrong with the way I'm dressed?!"
Duncan: "Oh, nothing."
Amanda walk on her tiptoes for a moment, looking over his head: "You know, I think I'm taller than you . . ." [And she almost is . . . --Jinjifore]
Duncan: "Yeah, very funny."
Amanda looks over: "Oh. Here's the place."
She and Duncan go in, and Amanda pauses at the front of the room, looking around. She frowns as she fails to see Melissa.
Amanda: "That's funny. She said she'd be here." She walks to the cashier. "Excuse me, is Melissa working today?"
The cashier nods and points to a chair near the back. Amanda walks over, but doesn't see Melissa. She looks around, then turns to Duncan and shrugs. The dark-haired woman sitting in the chair finally swivels around, though, and Amanda takes a step back as she finally recognizes Melissa, dressed in black and with her long blond hair cut and dyed to resemble Amanda.
Melissa, smiling: "Amanda. Is this completely perfect or what?"
Amanda: "Melissa . . .?"
Amanda is shocked speechless for a moment, and she turns to look at Duncan, who's regarding Melissa with equal horror. She turns back to Melissa, and forces herself to smile.
Amanda: "Well . . ." She laughs uncomfortably. "It--it suits you."
Melissa: "You think?"
Amanda: "Yeah."
Melissa: "Maybe colored contacts . . ."
Duncan, sitting down: "No!" He smiles. "You look just fine like that."
Melissa gestures to Amanda's jacket: "Oh, fine lines, girlfriend."
Amanda: "You like it?" She takes it off immediately. "Well, here."
Melissa: "Oh, for me?"
Amanda: "Yeah, why not?"
Melissa: "I couldn't."
Amanda, making as if to put it back on: "All right, I'll keep it."
Melissa: "On second thought . . ."
Duncan smiles, watching as she puts it on, and looks at herself in the mirror, Amanda watching from behind her.
Amanda: "It looks very nice."
Melissa, hugging Amanda: "Thank you, you're the best."
They break apart and stand in front of the mirror, side by side.
Melissa: "Just like sisters."
Amanda looks at Duncan: "What do you think?"
Duncan, nodding and smiling, says casually: "I think one of you's enough."
At his hideout, Killian is sitting in a room festooned with vines, surrounded by glass tanks holding various spiders, most of them tarantulas. He's holding one on his arm, letting it crawl over him. The General comes in, pausing at the door.
General: "Colonel?" He comes in cautiously.
Killian: "Consider the low arachnid, Sergeant."
General, nervous: "S-Sir?"
Killian transfers the tarantula to his other hand, watching it crawl over his palm: "For years they were my only companions. Bees have a complex social structure. Ants are arranged by class, into an efficient army of workers. But I prefer spiders. Each so unique. Solitary. Spinning their fragile webs alone. This one is a tarantula. A harmless pet." He points to the wall. "That one--" He points to a spider crawling up the wall. "--_Loxoceles reclusa_. Deadly as a bullet under the right circumstances." He returns to the tarantula on his hand. "Rather like people. Some are poisonous. Some are harmless." Suddenly businesslike. "What do you have for me?"
General, recovering: "Oh, yeah." He hands him a photograph.
Killian looks at it. It's a picture of Duncan and Amanda, Duncan facing the camera while he talks to Amanda, who has her back turned in the picture.
Killian: "The perfect bait."
General: "Here she comes."
Killian looks up, delighted, as a man brings in a blindfolded woman.
Killian: "Remove her blindfold." The guard does so, revealing Melissa's terrified face. "Very pretty." Killian holds up the spider. "But not as pretty as this."
At Killian's home, Melissa is speaking angrily.
Melissa: "What do you want from me?" She's tied to a chair, and Killian spins her around roughly.
Killian: "I want nothing from you. I want MacLeod!" He leans close to Melissa. "He'll be coming to save you."
Melissa: "Why would he save me?"
Killian: "Because he loves you."
Melissa: "Loves me? I just met him yesterday."
Killian laughs nastily and straightens up: "You lie rather well for someone so ordinary."
Melissa, still defiant: "I swear it's the truth!"
Killian laughs again and takes up the photograph, showing it to her: "Tell me this isn't you."
Melissa: "It's not. That's Amanda, his girlfriend."
Killian snatches the picture back: "You're lying."
Melissa, starting to get scared: "I swear I'm not."
Killian reaches forward, and this time he has a spider in his hand. He puts it on Melissa's shoulder.
Melissa: "Oh, my God! Get it off me! Get it off me!!! Get it off!!!"
Killian leans forward: "The truth!"
Melissa, terrified: "I told you the truth!" Her voice starts shaking. "I'm a nobody."
Killian picks up the spider: "You know, I think you are."
In the loft, Duncan is sitting and reading, while Amanda's in the bathroom.
Amanda: "Duncan."
Duncan doesn't look up: "Hmm?"
Amanda, a little louder: "MacLeod."
Duncan: "What?"
Amanda leans out, still in her underwear, holding a makeup brush: "Melissa's going to be here in a minute. Would you entertain her while I get ready, please?"
Duncan: "What are you going to teach your little protege tonight, how to knock off an armored truck?"
Amanda leans out again, looking at him oddly, then abandons the makeup and comes out.
Amanda: "No, you know, I thought we'd go down to Kentucky and try Fort Knox. Would you give me a break? We're just going to a club. She knows the band."
Duncan: "I'm sure she does." Amanda glares, snapping her compact closed. Duncan sighs. "Are you enjoying this?"
Amanda: "What?" She spreads her arms. "A girl's gotta have friends of her own."
Duncan: "Same hair, same clothes . . . Don't you find it a little odd, being cloned?"
Amanda comes over and drapes herself over Duncan's lap: "Well, you know, I can't help it that the girl has excellent taste. As long as she doesn't have my man." She starts kissing Duncan.
Duncan: "One of you is all I could handle."
Amanda growls: "Well, I've got to get ready." She wipes her lipstick from his mouth. "So you'll have to handle me later." She starts to get up, but Duncan pulls her back.
Duncan: "I can't wait."
Amanda heads for the bathroom, but stops as she and Duncan both sense another immortal.
Duncan stands up: "He's downstairs." He tosses the book down. "Stay here."
Amanda: "Huh. Right." She heads for her sword.
Downstairs, several tarantulas are crawling over the floor. When Duncan opens the gate, he sees Melissa, sprawled on the floor and surrounded by the spiders. Killian is watching from the hall and Duncan sees him, but he rushes to Melissa, kicking the spiders away. Melissa moans as he kneels over her.
Duncan: "It's okay, Melissa. It's all right. Don't move, stay still." He gently brushes the spiders off. "It's okay." He kneels down and lifts her up into his lap. Killian smiles, and walks out, leaving Duncan to stare after him helplessly.
Melissa: "It hurts. Help me, please don't leave me here."
Amanda runs out the stairs, and sees Melissa on the floor: "Oh, my God. Melissa."
Duncan: "It's all right, Melissa. I won't leave you here." He lifts Melissa to Amanda. "Take care of her. Call an ambulance." He runs out.
Amanda: "Oh, my God. What did he do to her?" She gathers Melissa in her arms. "Oh, honey. Hold on. It's going to be okay."
Melissa: "I'm so cold, Amanda."
Amanda, holds her tighter: "It's okay, it's going to be okay." Outside, we hear Duncan's car pull away.
Melissa: "He thought I was you."
Amanda looks at her, stricken.
Duncan pulls up on a rainy street and stops. Inside his house, Killian senses his approach, and smiles. He moves to a chair and sits, waiting. A moment later, Duncan opens the door and walks in, his sword held behind his arm.
Killian: "Welcome to my parlor."
Duncan: "Very homey. If you wanted me here, you should have just told me instead of using the girl."
Killian stands up: "Think of her as an invitation."
Duncan: "Mm." He starts forward, but whirls as a side door opens and The General steps out. Cisco appears from another hallway, flanking Duncan. Duncan turns to Killian.
Duncan: "This is between you and me, Killian. Isn't that what you dreamed of all these years?"
Killian: "My dreams would terrify you." To the thugs. "Kill him!"
They raise their guns, but Duncan whips his katana underhand and throws it into Cisco's chest, killing him.
General, stunned: "Jesus." While he's frozen, Duncan darts forward and frees the blade.
Killian: "Kill him!"
Duncan lunges forward, sword raised, but The General pulls out a machine gun and shoots him in the back, gunning him down. Duncan falls down, dead.
Later, Duncan revives in a barred cell, set in one corner of a concrete basement. He's lying on a cot, still wearing his old sweater, riddled with bullet holes. He gets up, looking around. There's a cot, a sink, a toilet, and a stack of boxes along one wall, labeled "U.S. Army Ration Packs." He opens one of the boxes, prowling through the cans inside.
Duncan: "Liver?!" He slumps down dejectedly against the boxes. He straightens up, though, as he senses another immortal, and turns around as Killian opens the outer door and steps into the room. He's holding Duncan's sword, and taps the blade against his palm as he walks in.
Killian: "Lovely piece of work. How do you feel, MacLeod? Naked? Helpless? Just as I felt when they took my rank and my sword?!" He turns and drives the katana into the concrete pillar beside him.
Duncan: "You deserved it."
Killian: "Did I?" He steps forward. "You know, you were right. I have dreamed of this day. Seventy years. Seventy years they locked me away. So long that no one remembered where I came from or who I was." Duncan looks bored. "And all I thought about was you."
Duncan: "Really?"
Killian: "And how to return the favor."
Duncan: "Oh, I'm flattered."
Killian smirks: "Get used to your new home, MacLeod. No one's used this brig in forty years. And the only one who knows you're down here thinks you're dead."
Duncan paces to the far wall and turns back: "So, what's my sentence?" He salutes mockingly. "Colonel, sir."
Killian laughs nastily: "Fair is fair. I did seventy years. You'll do seventy years. Unless, of course, someone takes my head. Then you'll be here forever."
Duncan sits down on the ruins of a concrete wall, folding his arms: "Maybe I should take up a hobby."
Killian: "There's enough food and water here for the first fifty years. Long enough for everything you loved to die. And so you don't think too badly of me . . ." He gestures. "The light bulb is an extended life. It should burn for at least two years." Duncan looks away. Killian's voice grows more serious. "I've heard the madness grows more slowly in the light." He smiles. "And I want you to experience every precious moment, as you wait for the darkness to come." He turns and walks to the door.
Duncan, calling after him: "I guess you didn't leave me anything to read?"
Killian turns back at the door: "Just the walls and the ceiling, MacLeod." He leaves, locking the door behind him. Duncan sits up and rubs his face, then looks straight ahead, thinking.
At Joe's, Amanda is pacing up and down, wringing her hands. Joe is sitting on a stool, watching her.
Joe: "Amanda." She pauses briefly. "Two Immortals go off together--" She starts walking again, shaking her head. "--one doesn't come back. We both know what happened."
Amanda: "No."
Joe sighs: "I'm sorry."
Amanda stops and faces him: "Look, Joe. I would know if he was dead. I would...I would feel it."
Joe, very gently, very quietly: "Amanda, he's gone."
Amanda: "No, he's alive. And if he's not alive, then I want to know where to find Killian."
Joe, sighs, giving in: "All right. I'll see what I can find out."
In his prison, Duncan is opening a can of liver, and singing.
Duncan: "'If I came [??], even when I want to--" He breaks off abruptly, staring at the can and can opener in his hand. He moves over to the remains of the wall, still humming, and pries experimentally at the concrete. A piece snaps off, and he watches it fly away. "--break."
Tossing the can of liver over his shoulder, he goes to the bars and scrapes at the concrete pillars supporting them. After a moment, he sits down and starts scraping again, singing "99,000 Bottles of Beer." [Okay, I'm not really sure this is what he's singing, but it sounds like it. I really can't make out any of the words very well, because he's mumbling it under his breath, but you get the idea. --Jinjifore]
Duncan: "Ninety-nine thousand bottles . . . ooh, I hate that sound . . . ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred . . ."
At Joe's, Andrea Henson comes in, and walks across to where Joe is sitting at the bar.
Andrea: "Joe Dawson?" She puts her notebook on the bar. "Andrea Henson. I watch Simon Killian."
Joe nods: "Thanks for coming down. Can I get you a coffee?"
Andrea: "Sure. Is there a problem?"
Joe: "No. No problem. I'm sure you're doing just fine."
Andrea takes the coffee: "I'm still filing with London. We figure Killian will go back there."
Joe: "Yeah, you're probably right. Do you think Killian came to town just for MacLeod?"
Andrea: "Stands to reason. They got a history."
Joe: "You know, they met last night." He pauses. "I'm uh, writing my close-up on MacLeod."
Andrea, matter-of-fact: "He's not dead. They shot him, but Killian didn't take his head. He's locked him in one of those old cells at the abandoned Air Force Base." She raises a brow at Joe's surprise. "You didn't know?"
Joe, trying not to sound relieved: "No, I...I didn't know."
Andrea pauses: "Listen, this is your territory and I'm the new kid on the block."
Eurominutes
Joe looks aside.
Andrea: "But I know people in the Paris office . . . and a gal hears stuff . . ." Joe continues to look away. " . . . Rumors."
Joe: "What, er..." He looks at her. "What kind of rumors?"
Andrea: "You and MacLeod. That you're more than just his Watcher."
End Eurominutes
Andrea regards Joe impassively: "You're not gonna get involved, are you, Joe?"
Joe doesn't answer.
Meanwhile, in his cell, Duncan is busily moving boxes of liver from one end of the cell to the other, building up a wall in front of the bars. He stops as he senses another immortal, and quickly moves to unscrew the lightbulb as he hears someone at the outer door. He crouches down behind the boxes, waiting. The door finally opens, and Amanda peers through, unhooking her stethoscope from her ears.
Amanda, looking around: "My first safe in years."
Duncan pops up from behind the boxes: "Amanda?"
Amanda walks toward him, smiling: "Duncan."
Duncan: "What are you doing here?"
Amanda: "Did you miss me?"
Duncan: "More than you'll ever know." He moves to the door of the cell as Amanda starts working on the lock. "How's Melissa?"
Amanda shakes her head: "She's in the hospital. I don't know if she's going to make it."
Duncan: "I'm sorry. How did you find me?" Behind Amanda, Joe steps through the outer door.
Amanda pushes open the cell door: "I had a little help from a friend."
Duncan starts through the door, and stops dead as he sees Joe.
Joe nods: "Hello, Mac."
Duncan looks at him, a touch coldly, then to Amanda and back to Joe, who's waiting.
Duncan: "I thought we agreed to stay out of each other's way."
Joe: "Well, we can always throw you back if you want."
Duncan looks away, scowling, then looks at Amanda grimly.
Duncan: "I'm going to take a trip to Gleason's Bar."
Killian is yelling at The General: "You're drunk!"
General: "It was him, I tell you, at Gleason's Bar. He was no more than thirty feet away from me."
Killian waves it away angrily: "That's impossible."
General: "No, what's impossible is he's alive. I put seven slugs in that guy!"
Killian, voice over as we see him walking down the hall to the cell, sword in hand: "Did you check the cell?"
General, also voice over: "No."
Killian continues down the hall, and stops as he senses an immortal. He cocks his head curiously, and a moment later bursts through the outer door into the prison room. The light is on, but the cell is empty. Killian walks over and pushes at the door, which swings open. He backs away, and turns to back of the room as he hears a noise from the stairs. Duncan appears at the top of the steps and trots down them, sword ready.
Killian: "How did you . . .?"
Duncan, raising his sword: "Used to be in the Boy Scouts." He keeps coming forward, grinning, as Killian starts to retreat. "I got a merit badge just for this." He beats at Killian's blade as Killian backs through the door, and follows him the corridor, where they begin to fight in earnest. They fight for a while, Duncan continually pressing Killian into retreat, until finally he forces him over a low wall. Killian falls, and Duncan jumps after him. They continue the fight down a low corridor, open at the roof but spanned with concrete supports. Killian quickly scrambles up to the top and retreats by jumping from beam to beam, Duncan following him underneath, sword ready. They make periodic swipes at one another, Killian slashing from above while Duncan stabs up from below. Finally, Duncan engages Killian's blade and cuts him from below, sending him sprawling over the beam, head and shoulders sticking out. Duncan disarms him, and in the next blow sweeps up, taking his head from below.
As the Quickening begins, Duncan snaps to attention, sword held down. As the Quickening goes on, he stands stiff and still, presenting his sword in different positions, until finally he falls to his knees. He flashes on Killian's face, just before his death, and turns his head, snapping around, and then back. Finally, the Quickening is over, and Duncan slumps down, giving one last, tired, salute.
In the loft, Duncan is leaning against his desk, wearing his robe and slippers, looking out towards the windows while Amanda bustles around the bed, putting things in her trunk. She's barefoot, wearing an oversized nightshirt, but it's clear that she's packing up her things to leave.
Amanda, trying the close the trunk: "Ah, this damn stuff used to fit before." She glances quickly at Duncan, then turns back to the trunk.
Duncan, gently: "Amanda, it wasn't your fault."
Amanda, looking around, not looking at him: "Oh yeah? Well, then who's fault was it, huh? She was trying to be like me, she almost died, and I just let her do this . . ."
Duncan: "It was Killian's fault, not yours."
Amanda, still packing feverishly: "I know, but it doesn't feel that way. I don't know what to tell you." She leaves off her packing and goes up to Duncan, putting her hands on his shoulders. "Look." He puts his arms around her. "I love you, and you're my best friend. But, I just have to go away. I've got to get it together."
Duncan nods: "Door's always open."
Amanda: "I know." She shakes her head again. "God, I just . . . I forgot how fragile they are."
Duncan nods: "Yeah."
Amanda looks at him a minute: "Okay, so I'm going to call you when I get there, and you can send my stuff to me."
Duncan, smiling a little: "Anything you need, anything I can do. I'll always be there for you, all right?"
Amanda kisses him, and they hug each other. After a minute, Amanda opens her eyes.
Amanda, quietly: "You want to do something for me?" She pulls back to look him in the face. "Go and see Joe." Duncan looks down, but she puts her hands on his face, making her look at him. "Duncan," she says softly. "Life is too short. For him."
Duncan sighs, and looks away.
At Joe's, Joe is walking to the bar when the door opens behind him, and Duncan walks in. Joe turns and sees him, then looks away, sighing deeply. He glances at Lou, who's working at the other end of the bar.
Joe: "You want to take five, Lou?" Lou nods and moves off. Duncan walks up to the bar. There's an awkward silence, then Duncan starts fiddling with something he picks up off the bar.
Duncan: "You broke the rules."
Joe looks down at the floor: "Yeah, well." He takes a breath. "It's not the first time. I figured it was a good cause." He gives a short laugh. "It's hard to say no to Amanda." He glances at Duncan.
Duncan: "Yeah, I know." He puts whatever it is back and walks down the bar, a little closer to Joe. "She left this morning."
Joe: "Well, you'll see her again."
Duncan: "Always do."
Joe finally takes a step towards the bar, coming to stand facing Duncan: "You want to talk about it?"
Duncan, after a pause: "Nah." He reaches over the bar, and gets two shot glasses, thumping them down firmly between himself and Joe. Then he reaches for a bottle of whiskey, and sets it down between them, taking the cap off. He waits, and after a beat Joe takes the bottle and pours them each a shot. He puts the bottle back down and they stand there, looking at each other.
Thanks again to my wishing-to-remain-anonymous benefactor, who gave me a much-appreciated leg up on some of the dialogue and Eurominutes, as well as useful info on background music. Thanks!
Just in case you happen to have read this without having much knowledge of the first part of season four, the tension between Joe and Duncan came about as a result of the events in the episode "Brothers in Arms." Joe refers to this in his talk with Amanda, when he mentions Charlie's death. It's a fairly convoluted story, but here's the quickie version: Charlie's girlfriend Maia was killed in the Balkans by an immortal named Andrew Cord, and Charlie pursued him to Seacouver, bent on killing him. Cord, though, was a friend of Joe's, in fact he saved his life when Joe stepped on a mine in Viet Nam. Because of that friendship, Joe asked MacLeod not to go after Cord. Duncan did spare Cord's life, and also tried to get Charlie to stop pursuing him. Instead, Charlie was killed by Cord, and Duncan subsequently challenged Cord and took his head. Duncan felt that Joe's interference cost Charlie his life, and told him that they should never have become friends, that they were too different. They've been estranged ever since, and when Joe walked into the cell it was the first time they'd spoken since "Brothers in Arms." (Warning: I've done severe injustice to the story, here, and I highly recommend watching "Brothers in Arms" or reading the synopsis to get the full story.)
Next episode, "Reluctant Heroes"
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: 9AH [ 09 Oct 97 ] |
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