From: martin@PROBLEM_WITH_INEWS_GATEWAY_FILE (Michele Martin) Newsgroups: alt.tv.quantum-leap.creative Subject: XOVER:The Witness pt1 Date: 14 Mar 1995 19:55:11 GMT Organization: Duke University, Durham, NC, USA Message-Id: <3k4sav$qcl@news.duke.edu> The Witness A multiverse crossover by Michele Martin . All characters used without permission and sometimes without regards to the laws of physics. Characters are the creative properties of a lot of different people too numerous to go into here. PART ONE (scene 1--*Highlander*) Seattle (Or is it Vancouver..no, wait, I'm pretty sure it's Seattle...though it certainly _looks_ like Vancouver.) _Seacouver_ Saturday 2:00pm PST {WARNING: Gratuitous shirtless scene ahead!!} Duncan MacLeod cursed as he heard the distinctive sound of the phone ringing. *_Always_ when I'm in the shower. And if it's not the phone, it's the doorbell.* He hastily turned off the spigot and grabbed for his towel. He reached the phone on it's fourth ring, just before the answering machine. *Watch, they'll probably have hung up*. "Hello?" he said into the receiver. "Duncan? Thank God you're there. Had me worried for a moment." "Connor?! This is a surprise. Then again, maybe not. How are things?" "Oh, you know. The usual. Nothing to lose one's head over. Listen, I really need to talk to you. In person. Can you be in Toronto in two days time? This is _really_ important." "Sure. Where do you want to meet?" As Connor described when and where they should meet, Duncan pondered what could be so urgent that his slightly more experienced (emphasis on "slightly") kinsman couldn't handle by himself. He could understand Connor's reluctance to detail the situation over the phone. One could never be too careful when discussing Immortal business. Duncan hastily scribbled down the name of the hotel Connor wanted them to meet at. "Okay, I'll be there." "I'll be waiting. Don't let me down, Duncan." "Never, " Duncan replied. Connor hung up on his end just after, and Duncan wondered at the brevity of the conversation. Then again, it had only been, what, three years? since he'd seen his kinsman last, not a real long period of time, considering. Considering that both he and Connor were over 400 years old. Toronto (yes, I'm sure of it this time) 5:00pm EST As he hung up the pay phone, the man who had just been talking to Duncan MacLeod chuckled to himself. He was most definitely _not_ Connor MacLeod. But he was quite pleased as his own ability to imitate the older MacLeod's voice. That had taken alot of practice, even for someone as skilled in verbal impersonations as he had become. *That was almost too easy. I hope his skill at swordfighting is better than his skill at detecting deception. Or else it'll be just another boring beheading. And I'm ready for a challenge. Speaking of which, that other young fool should be arriving any time..* As if on cue, a voice called down the alley, "Grant? Is that you?" The first Immortal, whose name was Stayde and not Grant (or Connor MacLeod), smiled as he turned and drew his sword. "Oh, I'm _sooo_ sorry. Your friend couldn't make it tonight. Perhaps I could be of some assistance." The last word was nearly shouted as Stayde rushed his surprised opponent, who did manage to get his own sword up in time to parry Stayde's first thrust. Barely. That was the best he managed. In less than two minutes he was on the ground, sans head. Stayde smiled evilly as the mist of the Quickening rose from the body and the windows on the nearby buildings shattered.... Overhead, on the roof of one of the buildings bordering the alley where the fight had occured, a figure watched. His shape was illuminated by the lightening-like emanations of the Quickening...though no one was really looking. As the last flashes of light faded away and the wind died down, the silent figure seemed to rise into the air and disappear into the darkening winter sky of Toronto. On the street below, Stayde staggered slightly from the afteraffects of the Quickening before kneeling to retrieve his victim's sword and, just to frustrate the police, the man's wallet with his identification. Then he too disappeared into the night. (scene 2--*Forever Knight*) Toronto 6:00pm "This is the fourth one in a week. No witnesses?" Nick Knight asked, though he really didn't expect that there would be one. He doubted it would be that easy getting a break in these mysterious beheading cases. He looked down at the body that Nat was looking over. And at the shattered glass and scattered trash that littered the alley--it looked almost like a bomb had been detonated in the alley as well. Shanke, standing nearby, answered his question. "No, though a few people in the area swear to seeing some sort of lightening or pyrotechnics display coming from this area at about the time we estimate the victim bought it. Weird. No identification on the body, either. It's almost exactly like the other ones. This is really starting to give me a headache." "I know a quick cure for those," Nick said, nodding at the body. "Ha-ha. I ought to let you deal with Cohen this time. These murders are really starting to get to her as well." Nat straightened up. "Well, it looks like all the others, as far as I can tell at this point. The victim was decapitated with something extremely sharp--possibly a sword. Some other wounds on his body seem to support that conclusion. I'll know more when I look at him in the lab. But it doesn't look promising, at least as far as finding anything useful goes. Anyone want to bet me a chocolate ice cream cone no one turns up to identify this one, either?" "No bet," Schanke replied. "Okay, guess it's off to the wonderful world of report filing again. One good thing about not having alot of new information--it cuts down on the paperwork. Coming, Knight?" "Yeah, in a minute." As Schanke headed off, Nat turned to Nick. "Still worried that this might have something to do with your kind?" "Well, beheading is one way to kill a vampire. Considering that this one of the places with a high vampire population, it's a bit of a disturbing coincidence. And of course, we'd never find the bodies of _those_ victims." "That really doesn't explain _these_ victims, though. If this were directed solely at vampires, I doubt we'd have much of a case." Nick shrugged, "At present, it doesn't look like we have much of a case anyway--four victims, zero leads." Nat patted him sympathetically on the arm. "Hey, don't give up hope. Who knows, I may get lucky tonight with our friend here, " she said, grinning. "Hey Knight! You coming or what?!" Schanke called from his car. "Yeah, Schanke. I'm ready." He shrugged at Natalie, then joined Schanke. Soon they were heading back to the station. (scene 2b) Toronto Metro Police Station 6:30pm "So what do you have on these murders so far?" Captain Cohen asked peremptorily as she cornered Nick and Schanke entering the station. The two detectives looked at each other, hoping the other would answer. Schanke won. Nick said, "Well, Captain, forensics took some fingerprints off the body and we're going to run them through the computer to see if we can come up with anything. And we got more reports of strange lightening or fireworks or whatever sighted in the area..." "But no clues?" Nick paused, then shook his head. "Dr. Lambert is going over the body right now..." Cohen sighed, "And she'll probably turn up nothing we can use. I don't like this...and now I've got the newspapers calling me asking for information. Look, I don't mean to come down on you two, but we've got to find something. Dig around--see if _anyone_, _anywhere_ has noticed something we can _use_." As the Captain turned back into her office, the desk sargeant called out, "Hey, Knight!" "Yeah, Miller. What's up?" "You got a message from someone named Jannette. Says she needs to talk with you--she has some information you might be able to use." Nick was rather surprised--Janette _volunteering_ to give him information before he even asked? He hoped it wasn't just a ruse to get him to come visit her. He'd been so busy of late... "Another visit to your favorite..source?" Schanke asked. "Well, you heard the Captain--_anyone_, _anywhere_, with information we can use." "Fine. I'm coming with you. And no arguments." "Alright--but you stay in the car. No arguments." "Trust me--I have no desire to ever step foot in that place again. But if you get any leads I don't want you running off mysteriously by yourself...again. That's why I'm tagging along." Nick nodded, and the two headed back out the way they'd just come in. As they left the building, Schanke could be heard asking, "Can we stop for something to eat first? I'm starving...and I know this _great_ Italian restaurant....." (scene 2c) The Raven 7:30pm As promised, Schanke stayed in the car. He still had to finish the last of his dinner anyway. Nick was glad to get out of the car because the smell of garlic (though Schanke had courteously refrained from getting something extra garlic) was starting to really get to him, even with Nat's garlic pill treatment. Besides which, Schanke kept trying to get him to eat something. Making his way down the steps into the bowels of the club, Nick spotted Jannette in a corner nursing a glass of "wine" and watching her patrons. He came up beside her and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "You wanted to talk?" "Nicholah! So good to see you! You haven't been by lately..." "I've been busy." "Yes, I know. You're too busy playing policeman. Well, fortunately for you, I've come across something that might help you out. Someone, to be exact. Though you may have to work pretty hard to get anything out of him. And before you ask, yes, one of my motives is to get you to come down and see me. But I also am a bit...nervous...about all this talk of beheadings. One never can be too careful." "So, who is this source?" "Right down to business, as always, hmm?" "Schanke's waiting for me in the car." "I see. Well, see that vampire over there? He's new to town. His name is Gregory, and he arrived at about the same time as those mysterious decapitations started. No one seems to know much about him, and he keeps pretty much to himself. I have noticed, however, that he has a mysterious tatoo on the inside of his left wrist." "A tatoo?" "Yes...I've seen it several times on different evenings. One wonders what would be so important that he would take the time to apply the same tatoo in the same place every night. Anyway, there's also a rumor going around that he knows about these beheadings. He's never in the club when one occurs." "That's still a little thin...could be just coincidence. But thanks for the information. I think I'll have a talk with this newcomer." As Nick headed for Gregory, Janette grabbed his arm. "Be careful, Nicholah. Gregory is not very...sociable." Nick nodded, then smiled. "Thanks for the information. And the concern." As he headed down the barn, Janette sighed and returned to nursing her drink. Gregory sat savoring the memory of that night's installment in the Game. A little short on good swordwork--the victim had been too surprised to defend himself well--and the Quickening was hardly the most spectacular he'd ever seen, but an adequate night's entertainment all the same. Gregory had been a Watcher now for almost 300 years, and he never tired of the Game. The best spectator sport going, though he doubted the Immortals would see it that way. If they knew--and few, if any of them were even aware of the existence of the Watchers. Much less an immortal Watcher--though Gregory's immortality stemmed from a different source. What was even more satisfactory to Gregory's mind was the fact that very few of his kind knew about Watchers, Immortals, or the Game. He was quite smug about his knowledge of something of which vampires centuries his senior were totally unaware . It gave him a feeling of superiority. Now he looked forward to the next round of the Game. One of the reasons he'd followed Stayde to this area was that Stayde actively sought out opponents and even lured them to their deaths. Thus, rounds in the Game came relatively regularly. And Gregory wondered how Stayde would fare against the MacLeods...not just Duncan MacLeod, whom Stayde had lured to Toronto, but Connor MacLeod as well. For, unbeknownst to Stayde, Connor had been trailing him and Gregory had learned that Connor had recently arrived in Toronto. Things promised to get interesting very soon. Gregory's thoughts were interrupted by a tap on his shoulder. Amongst the multitude of other vampires who frequented the Raven, Gregory had failed to sense the presence of one approaching him. He turned and noted that this one was one whom he hadn't seen here before. One who, not surprisingly, was somewhat older than Gregory himself. "What do you want?" Gregory asked, angry at being disturbed. "Just have a few questions. I hear that you're new in town?" "What of it. We come and go rather frequently, as I'm sure you're aware." "Yeah, well, at about the same time you arrived, the first in a series of unexplained beheadings occured. Rumor has it that you might know something about it?" Gregory laughed, "If _I_ were to go about killing mortals, that's certainly not the way I'd do it. And why should you care if there are a few less of them around anyway?" "Look, I'm not accusing you of anything. I just want some information--like whether or not you might know who's doing it?" "And if I did?" "You know as well as I that mortals aren't the only ones who have to worry about being beheaded. Like I said, I just want some information." "Sorry, I can't help you." "Can't...or won't? That's an interesting tatoo you have, there. Must be pretty important..." Gregory hissed. Enough was enough. "It's none of your business. I know who you are--you're Nicholas, the mortal wanna-be. The cop. Go away, copper...I have nothing to say to you." Gregory spat at Nick's feet. *Weak, pathetic fool. Even if I was inclined to tell someone about the Immortals, it would not be you.* Nicholas's eyes narrowed dangerously. He appeared to be trying to keep himself from doing anything rash in so public a place. Instead he just glared at Gregory, and his voice dropped to a vampiric hiss. "This conversation isn't over. If you're hiding something...let's just say that I might not be the only one interested in what's going on." He left it at that and turned away. As he strode out the door, Gregory smurked to himself. He doubted there was anything that Nicholas could do to get the information out of him...certainly not here, and probably not even if they were alone. The thought of knowing something a vampire 500 years his senior did not gave Gregory great satisfaction. He chuckled to himself as he returned to contemplating the Game. Nick shook his head in frustration as he left the Raven. He was certain Gregory was hiding something, but he was at a loss for figuring out how to get the information out of the recalcitrant and arrogant vampire. As he got in the car, Schanke asked, "Anything useful?" "I'm not sure. Janette pointed out someone who might know something, but he's not talking. And since there's no _evidence_ that he knows anything, we can't bring him in." *Not that we could even if I could _prove_ he knew something.* "Well, guess that puts us right back where we started. With zip. Are you sure you don't want some of this?" Schanke asked, pointing to the very last of his dinner. "Quite sure," Nick replied as they drove off. -- Michele Martin martin@abacus.mc.duke.edu --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Evil Guest Immortal: "I have you now, MacLeod." Duncan MacLeod: "I admit it. You're better than I am." EGI: "Then why are you smiling?" MacLeod: "Because I know something you don't know..." "..._I_ am the star of this show." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------