Crossover Fic: Dead Ahead [ Highlander/Veronica Mars | Chapter Six | PG13 ]
Title: Dead Ahead.
Rating: PG…to be safe.
Author jinxed_wood
Fandoms: Veronica Mars/Highlander
Characters; Veronica Mars, Logan Echolls, Methos, Joe, ensemble from both shows.
Spoilers: Post ‘Donut Run’ for Veronica Mars, the entire series for Highlander.
Previous Parts: CHAPTER ONE | CHAPTER TWO | CHAPTER THREE | CHAPTER FOUR | CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX: MUSICAL FLOORS
Joe was already gone when she made it to the garage, and there was no way in hell he could have climbed the stairs in such a short time period, so that only left the elevator. She glanced over at it and, sure enough, the indicator above the door was climbing down from the seventh floor.
She crossed the garage at a trot, and looked over her shoulder when she heard the hum of a car engine. A pair of headlights caught her eyes and, blinking, she took a hasty step back - fear quickly turned into irritation, however, when she recognised the ugly yellow colour of the jeep.
“Back for another visit so soon?” Logan drawled, as he jumped out of the car. “I’m touched.”
Veronica rolled her eyes. “I really don’t have time for this, Logan,” she said sharply, as the elevator doors opened. She stepped inside, and groaned as she heard the distant wail of sirens. Her first instinct was to leave Logan standing there, and let Lamb have him. But she couldn’t trust him to say nothing about her presence in the garage. “You’d better get in,” she said reluctantly.
He stepped into the elevator beside her, with exaggerated alacrity. “Friends of yours?” he asked, as the blurred lights of a cop car flashed at the garage entrance.
“One more word and I’ll push you out and leave you to the wolves,” she said, through gritted teeth.
“Don’t you mean the Lamb?” he countered
Silently, Veronica hit the button, and stepped back. Ignoring Logan, especially in these close quarters, was almost a supernatural feat. She stared at the elevator door, her face carefully blank.
His hand swam into view, as he hit the fifth floor button.
“I’m not going to the fifth floor,” she said flatly.
“No, that would be me,” he drawled. “And, hey, look on the bright side; at least this way Lamb won’t head straight for the seventh floor when he starts banging on doors.”
She gave him a startled look, and he replied with a humourless smile. “I’m a jerk, not an idiot,” he reminded her. “Try to not get yourself killed, Mars - and nice overcoat, by the way.” Veronica shrugged uncomfortably in Joe’s coat, as the elevator doors opened, and Logan slunk past her and gave her a sloppy, knowing salute. It was at times like this she didn’t know whether to slug him or hug him.
The doors slid open on the seventh floor, and Veronica paused on the way out and hit the buttons for the eighth floor and the roof, and then the buttons for the rest of the floors for good measure. It’d be a while before the elevator made its way back down to the garage.
The door to room 610 was already slightly ajar, and Veronica found Joe talking into his phone, held in place by his shoulder and chin, as he threw his clothes into a carryall.
“I’m telling you, this situation is getting way out of control,” Joe barked, waving her into the room, “We need a clean up team, fast - and get Winters on the job. The last thing we need is a full on FBI hunt!” he paused, obviously listening to the person on the other end. “I don’t give a flying shit what Gerard thinks, Max, it needs to be done.”
Veronica leaned against the doorjamb and crossed her arms, as he hung up the phone and threw it on the bed. “You know, it’s a funny thing, but I’m pretty sure you promised me an explanation if I came here… and yet all I see is an exit strategy.”
“I need to leave,” Joe told her shortly. “Proctor knows where we are, and he’s not the kind to give up easily.”
“From what I can see, he’s not the type to die easily, either,” Veronica drawled.
Joe threw her an exasperated look. “Could you come in and close the door behind you, before we have this conversation?” he asked.
She did as she was told. “I met your friend Adam in the Lobby,” she said, conversationally, as she sat on the edge of the bed. “Proctor didn’t seem too happy to bump into him.”
Joe went deathly still. “When?” He asked.
.
“About five minutes ago?” Veronica said cautiously. “And the cops are in the garage. Somebody must have reported gunfire… anything I need to know?”
He grimaced. “You know a back way out of here?” he asked.
Veronica sighed. “No, but I know a good detour,” she admitted, getting to her feet. “Someone I know lives on the fifth floor. He’ll be a pain about it, but he’ll cover us. We should use the service elevator; it doesn’t go down to the garage.”
He nodded, understanding. “Lead the way,” he said, zipping the carryall closed.
They stepped out onto the corridor. “Proctor knows where I live, too,” she said, as they hurried towards the service elevator. “Do I need to call my Dad and warn him?”
“Not yet,” Joe said, as they reached the elevator. “We should wait to hear from Adam.”
Veronica rolled the trolley sitting inside the service elevator out into the hall. “And what if Adam doesn’t contact you?” she asked quietly, as the door closed.
“Then we really are up the creek without a paddle,” Joe admitted.
“I see,” Veronica asked, “Can I ask you a question?”
Dawson gave her a wary look. “Depends on the question,” he said.
“Did you ever intend to tell me the truth, or were you just going to string me along until you figured out what I already knew?”
Dawson raised an eyebrow. “No flies on you,” he said wryly.
“Let’s just say I’ve had a steep learning curve.” The doors slid open, but Veronica stood in his way, blocking his exit. “I can’t keep covering for you, if I don’t know what is going on,” she said. “I need to know where I stand.”
“Listen, kid-”
“My name is Veronica,” she threw back. “And you can save your dear John speech, I’m not going anywhere.”
“What I was going to say, Veronica,” he said dryly. “Was that I’m not the best person to explain it to you. For you to really understand what is going on here, you’re going to need some form of...visual proof.”
Veronica crossed her arms. “Let me guess, you don’t have that proof on you, but you will real soon, and then you’ll tell me everything?”
“Did anyone ever tell you, you were a bit on the cynical side?” Joe asked.
“All the time,” Logan’s voice drawled, from behind her. “But guess what? She’s too cynical to believe me.”
“Hey, Logan,” Veronica chirped.
“Hey, Veronica,” he chirped back. “What’ya doing?”
“Oh, you know, the usual,” Veronica said.
“Hiding from the law?”
“Yup.”
“And let me guess, you were hoping to hide out in my place,” Logan said. “Tell me why I should say yes?”
“Because I’d do the same thing for you, if our positions were reversed?” she ventured.
Logan let out a laugh. “No you wouldn’t - you’d break out the popcorn while they slapped the cuffs on me.”
“Oh Christ,” Joe said suddenly. “You brought me to your ex’s place, haven’t you?”
“That obvious, huh?” Veronica asked.
“We don’t have time for this,” Joe said, pushing past her, before glaring at Logan. “Which one’s your room?” he asked.
“Why should I tell you, old man?” he asked.
“Because this old man is armed,” Joe said heatedly.
“Whoah! Let’s not go there!” Veronica cut in, grabbing Joe by the elbow. “It’s this way.”
“Veronica, you need a key,” he called after her.
“Good thing I still have the key card Duncan gave me, then,” she said, not looking back. She grinned as she heard him curse.
“That’s a very dysfunctional relationship you’ve got going there,” Joe muttered.
“You don’t know the half of it-”
Joe’s cell began to ring, and he pulled his elbow free to answer it. “Dawson,” he said, as Veronica opened her bag.
Logan’s hand reached in between them as he swiped his card through the door lock. “I’m changing the card code tomorrow,” he said flatly.
“No you’re not,” Veronica said, sugary sweet, as she pushed the door open.
“Could you two keep it down?” Joe grumped. “Adam’s on the phone.”
“Who the hell is Adam?” Logan asked.
“Cute British guy,” Veronica shot back, as she took off Joe’s coat. “Have you anything other than cold pizza and beer in here? I didn’t get my steak dinner tonight.”
She turned to look at Logan; who was staring at her, frowning. “What happened to your neck?” he asked.
“Oh” Her hand automatically went to touch the bruises. “I forgot about those.”
“Christ, Veronica, why is it you can’t seem to get through a single week without getting into some kind of life threatening situation?”
“Guess I’m just lucky that way,” she quipped, ignoring the look on his face as she turned to Joe. “Well?” she asked, as he got off the phone.
"Proctor got away again - it might be a good idea to call your Dad, after all. Tell him to shoot first and ask questions afterwards.” He tossed his phone at her, and she caught it.
“And your friend?” she asked.
Dawson shrugged. “He’s on his way up,” he said. “Congratulations. It seems you’re going to get your answers, after all.”
“You don’t seem too happy about that,” Veronica observed.
With a sigh, Dawson sat on the edge of the couch. “You remember that old Frost poem from school - two roads divided in a yellow wood…”
“The Road Less Travelled,” Veronica said impatiently. “What has that got to do with anything?”
“Well, let’s just say that this is one hell of a thorny path,” he said gently, as there was a knock on the door.
“Joe?” a muffled voice said.
“You’d better answer that,” Joe said. “After all, you’re the one who wanted answers.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Rating: PG…to be safe.
Author jinxed_wood
Fandoms: Veronica Mars/Highlander
Characters; Veronica Mars, Logan Echolls, Methos, Joe, ensemble from both shows.
Spoilers: Post ‘Donut Run’ for Veronica Mars, the entire series for Highlander.
Previous Parts: CHAPTER ONE | CHAPTER TWO | CHAPTER THREE | CHAPTER FOUR | CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX: MUSICAL FLOORS
Joe was already gone when she made it to the garage, and there was no way in hell he could have climbed the stairs in such a short time period, so that only left the elevator. She glanced over at it and, sure enough, the indicator above the door was climbing down from the seventh floor.
She crossed the garage at a trot, and looked over her shoulder when she heard the hum of a car engine. A pair of headlights caught her eyes and, blinking, she took a hasty step back - fear quickly turned into irritation, however, when she recognised the ugly yellow colour of the jeep.
“Back for another visit so soon?” Logan drawled, as he jumped out of the car. “I’m touched.”
Veronica rolled her eyes. “I really don’t have time for this, Logan,” she said sharply, as the elevator doors opened. She stepped inside, and groaned as she heard the distant wail of sirens. Her first instinct was to leave Logan standing there, and let Lamb have him. But she couldn’t trust him to say nothing about her presence in the garage. “You’d better get in,” she said reluctantly.
He stepped into the elevator beside her, with exaggerated alacrity. “Friends of yours?” he asked, as the blurred lights of a cop car flashed at the garage entrance.
“One more word and I’ll push you out and leave you to the wolves,” she said, through gritted teeth.
“Don’t you mean the Lamb?” he countered
Silently, Veronica hit the button, and stepped back. Ignoring Logan, especially in these close quarters, was almost a supernatural feat. She stared at the elevator door, her face carefully blank.
His hand swam into view, as he hit the fifth floor button.
“I’m not going to the fifth floor,” she said flatly.
“No, that would be me,” he drawled. “And, hey, look on the bright side; at least this way Lamb won’t head straight for the seventh floor when he starts banging on doors.”
She gave him a startled look, and he replied with a humourless smile. “I’m a jerk, not an idiot,” he reminded her. “Try to not get yourself killed, Mars - and nice overcoat, by the way.” Veronica shrugged uncomfortably in Joe’s coat, as the elevator doors opened, and Logan slunk past her and gave her a sloppy, knowing salute. It was at times like this she didn’t know whether to slug him or hug him.
The doors slid open on the seventh floor, and Veronica paused on the way out and hit the buttons for the eighth floor and the roof, and then the buttons for the rest of the floors for good measure. It’d be a while before the elevator made its way back down to the garage.
The door to room 610 was already slightly ajar, and Veronica found Joe talking into his phone, held in place by his shoulder and chin, as he threw his clothes into a carryall.
“I’m telling you, this situation is getting way out of control,” Joe barked, waving her into the room, “We need a clean up team, fast - and get Winters on the job. The last thing we need is a full on FBI hunt!” he paused, obviously listening to the person on the other end. “I don’t give a flying shit what Gerard thinks, Max, it needs to be done.”
Veronica leaned against the doorjamb and crossed her arms, as he hung up the phone and threw it on the bed. “You know, it’s a funny thing, but I’m pretty sure you promised me an explanation if I came here… and yet all I see is an exit strategy.”
“I need to leave,” Joe told her shortly. “Proctor knows where we are, and he’s not the kind to give up easily.”
“From what I can see, he’s not the type to die easily, either,” Veronica drawled.
Joe threw her an exasperated look. “Could you come in and close the door behind you, before we have this conversation?” he asked.
She did as she was told. “I met your friend Adam in the Lobby,” she said, conversationally, as she sat on the edge of the bed. “Proctor didn’t seem too happy to bump into him.”
Joe went deathly still. “When?” He asked.
.
“About five minutes ago?” Veronica said cautiously. “And the cops are in the garage. Somebody must have reported gunfire… anything I need to know?”
He grimaced. “You know a back way out of here?” he asked.
Veronica sighed. “No, but I know a good detour,” she admitted, getting to her feet. “Someone I know lives on the fifth floor. He’ll be a pain about it, but he’ll cover us. We should use the service elevator; it doesn’t go down to the garage.”
He nodded, understanding. “Lead the way,” he said, zipping the carryall closed.
They stepped out onto the corridor. “Proctor knows where I live, too,” she said, as they hurried towards the service elevator. “Do I need to call my Dad and warn him?”
“Not yet,” Joe said, as they reached the elevator. “We should wait to hear from Adam.”
Veronica rolled the trolley sitting inside the service elevator out into the hall. “And what if Adam doesn’t contact you?” she asked quietly, as the door closed.
“Then we really are up the creek without a paddle,” Joe admitted.
“I see,” Veronica asked, “Can I ask you a question?”
Dawson gave her a wary look. “Depends on the question,” he said.
“Did you ever intend to tell me the truth, or were you just going to string me along until you figured out what I already knew?”
Dawson raised an eyebrow. “No flies on you,” he said wryly.
“Let’s just say I’ve had a steep learning curve.” The doors slid open, but Veronica stood in his way, blocking his exit. “I can’t keep covering for you, if I don’t know what is going on,” she said. “I need to know where I stand.”
“Listen, kid-”
“My name is Veronica,” she threw back. “And you can save your dear John speech, I’m not going anywhere.”
“What I was going to say, Veronica,” he said dryly. “Was that I’m not the best person to explain it to you. For you to really understand what is going on here, you’re going to need some form of...visual proof.”
Veronica crossed her arms. “Let me guess, you don’t have that proof on you, but you will real soon, and then you’ll tell me everything?”
“Did anyone ever tell you, you were a bit on the cynical side?” Joe asked.
“All the time,” Logan’s voice drawled, from behind her. “But guess what? She’s too cynical to believe me.”
“Hey, Logan,” Veronica chirped.
“Hey, Veronica,” he chirped back. “What’ya doing?”
“Oh, you know, the usual,” Veronica said.
“Hiding from the law?”
“Yup.”
“And let me guess, you were hoping to hide out in my place,” Logan said. “Tell me why I should say yes?”
“Because I’d do the same thing for you, if our positions were reversed?” she ventured.
Logan let out a laugh. “No you wouldn’t - you’d break out the popcorn while they slapped the cuffs on me.”
“Oh Christ,” Joe said suddenly. “You brought me to your ex’s place, haven’t you?”
“That obvious, huh?” Veronica asked.
“We don’t have time for this,” Joe said, pushing past her, before glaring at Logan. “Which one’s your room?” he asked.
“Why should I tell you, old man?” he asked.
“Because this old man is armed,” Joe said heatedly.
“Whoah! Let’s not go there!” Veronica cut in, grabbing Joe by the elbow. “It’s this way.”
“Veronica, you need a key,” he called after her.
“Good thing I still have the key card Duncan gave me, then,” she said, not looking back. She grinned as she heard him curse.
“That’s a very dysfunctional relationship you’ve got going there,” Joe muttered.
“You don’t know the half of it-”
Joe’s cell began to ring, and he pulled his elbow free to answer it. “Dawson,” he said, as Veronica opened her bag.
Logan’s hand reached in between them as he swiped his card through the door lock. “I’m changing the card code tomorrow,” he said flatly.
“No you’re not,” Veronica said, sugary sweet, as she pushed the door open.
“Could you two keep it down?” Joe grumped. “Adam’s on the phone.”
“Who the hell is Adam?” Logan asked.
“Cute British guy,” Veronica shot back, as she took off Joe’s coat. “Have you anything other than cold pizza and beer in here? I didn’t get my steak dinner tonight.”
She turned to look at Logan; who was staring at her, frowning. “What happened to your neck?” he asked.
“Oh” Her hand automatically went to touch the bruises. “I forgot about those.”
“Christ, Veronica, why is it you can’t seem to get through a single week without getting into some kind of life threatening situation?”
“Guess I’m just lucky that way,” she quipped, ignoring the look on his face as she turned to Joe. “Well?” she asked, as he got off the phone.
"Proctor got away again - it might be a good idea to call your Dad, after all. Tell him to shoot first and ask questions afterwards.” He tossed his phone at her, and she caught it.
“And your friend?” she asked.
Dawson shrugged. “He’s on his way up,” he said. “Congratulations. It seems you’re going to get your answers, after all.”
“You don’t seem too happy about that,” Veronica observed.
With a sigh, Dawson sat on the edge of the couch. “You remember that old Frost poem from school - two roads divided in a yellow wood…”
“The Road Less Travelled,” Veronica said impatiently. “What has that got to do with anything?”
“Well, let’s just say that this is one hell of a thorny path,” he said gently, as there was a knock on the door.
“Joe?” a muffled voice said.
“You’d better answer that,” Joe said. “After all, you’re the one who wanted answers.”
CHAPTER SEVEN