From: martin@abacus.mc.duke.edu (Michele Martin) Subject: XOVER:The Witness pt8 Date: Sun, 26 Mar 1995 15:12:39 -0500 (EST) scene 10 Street not far from Edward's Camera Supplies 8:45pm Scott was glad he'd finally been able to leave the police station. He'd told his father what he'd learned in the bathroom, and Paul had smiled when Scott had described the confused look on the faces of Sam and Al when he'd declined to find out anything more about them. Paul did confess he'd like to know more, but he thought Scott's handling of the situation had been appropriate. There were still unanswered questions about Detective Knight and the murder Scott had seen, but they both decided that there'd been enough excitement for one night. As they made their way home, Paul asked Scott if he minded if they stopped to run a few errands. "I know you're tired and want to get home, but I promised your mother I'd pick up a few things from the drug store." "No problem. Besides, the walk to and from the store might help clear my head. So much has happened, I'm getting a headache." "Well, that's pretty easy to fix," Paul remarked knowingly. "Yeah, but if this bruise heals up too quickly someone might start asking questions. And even though Agent Mulder and Agent Scully seem nice enough, I don't want to give anyone from the FBI reason to be suspicious." Paul nodded in agreement as he looked for a parking space near the drug store. He found one that was a bit out of the way in a slightly more deserted area. They both got out and made their way to the store. It didn't take long to purchase what they wanted and be on their way back out. Since the hour was getting late and it was a weekday, there were noticeably fewer people around than when they'd entered the store. As they neared their car, Paul suddenly stopped and looked around the relatively empty street. "Did you hear something?" "No, I..." Scott stopped abruptly as a man suddenly...flew...down from the roof of the building ahead to land right in front of them. Gregory had been waiting for his chance all evening. Now the witness was finally out of the police station and far enough away from that interfering fool Nicholas that Gregory could take care of him. Too bad he wasn't totally alone, but Gregory doubted the young man's father would be much of a problem. Now that the area was deserted, it was a perfect time to strike. Without a witness, there could be no arrest. Not that Gregory was particularly interested in keeping Connor MacLeod out of trouble...he just didn't want anything to get in the way of the Game. And he most certainly didn't want Nicholas finding out what was going on. As the witness and his father neared their car, he flew down to land in front of them. "What the..!" the boy called out as his father stepped between Gregory and his target. The man began fishing in his pocket for something, apparantly sensing the danger. *Too late, fool!* thought Gregory. He smiled and let his vampire self show--it'd be the last thing they would see. "Too bad, boy. Too bad you had to see part of the Game. Now you must die!" The man tensed, obviously preparing to defend his son, but Gregory tossed him negligently aside. He heard him land in some garbage piled to the side--probably unhurt for now. That would change. The boy cried out "Dad!" as Gregory advanced on him. He smiled at the boy again, while the boy began backing up frantically. Suddenly Gregory leaped, caught his prey and bent for the boy's jungular. As he sank his teeth into the neck of his target, the boy cried out in pain. At that moment, Gregory got the surprise of his death. Suddenly he found himself flung forcefully against the building and pinned several feet off the ground, spread eagle. He hissed in anger and frustration, but could not locate what held him to the wall. There was blue light all around him, so intense that it started to burn. He also sensed anger and a hint of, was that...curiosity? He couldn't see clearly through the blue mist surrounding him, but it looked like the boy was down on the ground in front of him, rubbing his neck and beginning to get up. Gregory strained his eyes to try and see what else was going on around him, but he couldn't move his neck. Suddenly, he heard the boy's father call out "Scott! Are you hurt?" The boy rose shakily to his feet and replied, "I...I think I'm okay. He...he _bit_ me! But I'm alright. Just a little shaken." The father came into view. Gregory hissed again. In the man's hand was a glowing blue light. Gregory was sure that whatever was holding him up against the wall was coming from that light. From the man himself. Gregory looked into the eyes of the man in front of him. Anger and surprise...and more than a hint of restrained power...were in that gaze. "You hurt my son," the man said. Gregory began to suspect that he was going to regret that. He began to feel something he hadn't felt in centuries. He began to feel fear. This was no ordinary mortal. Scott's vision began to clear as he took some deep breaths. His father was still holding the attacker pinned against the wall. The expression on Paul's face was one Scott could only remember seeing two, maybe three times. It took alot to get Scott's father angry--and more often than not his anger was a direct result of someone threatening the welfare of his family--Scott and Jenny. Scott looked at his assailant and gasped. "What is it? Are you sure you're alright?" Paul asked, concern in his voice. He moved a little closer to Scott, dividing his attention between Scott and his "prisoner". "Look at his eyes! And his teeth! It's like this guy's a vampire or something!" Paul was silent for a second, then, "Define 'vampire'." "Remember when we watched Dracula? Count Dracula was a vampire." "Yes, I remember. He doesn't _look_ like a...vampire." "Dad, he flew down in front of us, he bit me in the neck, he's got glowing yellow eyes and pointed incisors. That sounds pretty vampire-like to me." Paul looked at Gregory again, carefully. "He's not wearing a cape." "Um, I think the cape is optional. You know, maybe it's time to consider moving. I don't think I'm terribly thrilled with the idea of living in a city where people get their heads chopped off and other people are going to jump out of the shadows and bite me on the neck." Paul was still examining Gregory, still glaring at the imprisoned vampire. Suddenly he seemed to come to a decision. The sphere flared a bit brighter for a second, and the vampire seemed to slump. He was unconscious. Paul let him fall to a heap on the ground, watched him carefully for a few seconds to make sure he didn't move again, then turned to Scott. "Let me see your neck." Scott obediently turned his head to one side and let his father inspect the wound. He knew that if it was at all serious, Paul would heal it immediately. It felt a little bit sore, but not too bad. In fact, it was kind of numb at the edges. Remembering what he'd heard of vampire lore, Scott felt a moment of panic. Would he become a vampire? But he doubted he'd been bitten long enough to be affected by it, and besides which, if Paul found anything suspicious he'd take care of it. "It doesn't look too serious. Do you want me to fix it now, or do you want to show the police?" "The police?" "Yes. I think we should take this...vampire...to the police and tell them you were attacked. It may have something to do with the murder you saw earlier today. And there's something else, too." "What?" "When I pinned this person up against the wall, I got a sense that he wasn't human. The sensation I felt then reminded me of what I felt when I shook Detective Knight's hand." Scott gasped. "You're saying that Detective Knight is a vampire?" "I'm saying that whatever this person is, Detective Knight is the same thing. Except for one thing. This person meant you harm--I could feel that as clearly as I could see him attacking you. But Detective Knight doesn't feel that way. Remember at dinner--I told you I sensed that he wants to help. Maybe he can help protect you if there are more of these," Paul pointed at the heap, "after you." With that, he bent down and picked up the vampire, tossing him over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. "We'll take him to the car and drive him to the police station. I think it's time to talk to Nicholas Knight." scene 11 Metro Police station 10:00pm Something was nagging at the back of Mulder's mind. Something about the witness. Scott Edwards seemed like a nice enough young man, very polite and helpful. But something about him...he looked almost familiar, but Mulder couldn't quite place him. Which was odd because Mulder had a photographic memory and would remember if he'd ever met Scott before. Well, it wasn't as if he didn't already have enough to keep his mind occupied. For one thing, there was that mysterious statement Scott claimed the murderer made just prior to decapitating his victim. 'There can be only one'. *There can be only one...what? Coca-cola? Definitive version of Casablanca? Crazed lunatic intent on beheading people? Hmm, maybe that's it. Maybe there can be only one of them...whatever they are. But why?* Hopefully they'd have some answers soon. In a stroke of almost unbelievable luck, Dr. Natalie Lambert not only claimed to have had dinner with the suspect, Russell Nash...or Robert Greene as he was going by now, she also had a phone number and his promise to come to the police station to help examine the sword they'd picked up earlier that evening. Detective Knight, Scully, and Dr. Lambert had returned from the Coroner's Building with this news a short while ago, and after a brief discussion it was decided that Dr. Lambert should call this Robert Greene and have him come down to the station. It made their job so much easier--would that it were always this easy! So now they just had to wait for his arrival. "So, Natalie, you said this guy was a friend of your friend's boyfriend?" 'Schanke' was asking. "Where is your friend from, anyway?" "Anne? She's from Seattle..." Dr. Lambert replied. At that, Mulder and Scully exchanged glances. Seattle--another city associated with these beheading cases. Mulder was sure the connection was more than just coincidental. "Dr. Lambert, who is this boyfriend of your friend? I don't know if Detective Knight told you, but the Seattle police have reported a few cases of unexplained beheadings in the past three years. There may be a connection," Mulder asked. Natalie looked confused and more than a little disturbed by this revelation. "Ah, his name's Duncan. Duncan MacLeod...but he doesn't seem the sort...Then again, neither did Robert..." she trailed off. "It's always the quiet one's you've gotta watch out for, " Mulder replied. "Oh dear. In that case, Mulder, someone better start keeping tabs on you," interjected Scully. Mulder shot her a look that said 'score one for you' as he flipped through the file on the Seattle incidences. That name rung a bell. Ah, there is was, a side note that one of the victims had been found near a dojo owned by one Duncan MacLeod. Better and better. He passed the note over to Detective Knight who was standing nearby as he said, "I think I may want to talk with Mr. MacLeod as well. It may be just a coincidence..." "But you don't really think so," finished Nick. Not long after returning he and Anne returned to the hotel, Duncan heard the phone ringing. It was Connor. Apparantly, Natalie had taken him up on his offer of aid and wanted him to come to the station. He'd decided to invite Duncan to come along with him, since he "could use a second opinion", and because it would give them a bit more time to talk. Alone, since Anne had claimed to be tired after dinner. Duncan hadn't wanted her to return to the hotel alone. Just in case. The uneventful trip back to their hotel had qualmed some of his fears, and he apparantly decided she'd be safe there by herself, so he agreed to Connor's request. Connor picked him up on his way to the police station. They chatted about old times as they drove. Upon their arrival, Conner walked up to the officer at the front desk. "Hi. My name is Robert Greene, and me and my friend are here to see Dr. Lambert. She wanted me to look at a piece of evidence?" "Yes, she's right in there, Mr. Greene." Connor and Duncan followed the officer's pointing finger and saw Natalie standing at a desk with several other people. "Natalie!" Connor called. She waved him over. Duncan scanned the group around her when suddenly his eyes froze. He blinked once, twice. It couldn't be!! The man he was staring at suddenly caught his gaze, then jumped off the desk he'd been casually sitting on. Suddenly, both Duncan Macleod and Nick Knight were caught up in a mutual flashback..... "Mr. Greene?" a youngish man in a dark suit interrupted Duncan's and Nick's reveries. *What's going on here?* thought Duncan. Connor, meanwhile, was looking more than a bit guarded as he answered the man who'd addressed him. "Yes, I'm Robert Greene." "Mr. Greene, I'm Agent Fox Mulder from the US FBI. My partner, myself, and these detectives would like to ask you a few questions." "Why? What's going on. Natalie?" Connor sounded confused and suspicious. "Robert Greene, alias Russell Nash...I'm afraid you're under arrest. For murder," said one of the detectives. Duncan groaned inwardly as Connor was handcuffed.