Fic: Reckoning
Vin crouched on a rooftop, binoculars clasped in his hands. His coat was buttoned against the rain and wind, but he hardly noticed it as he peered into the loft across the street. His mark was currently on the ground floor going through several katas. Vin had studied the pattern to MacLeod’s fighting and the way in which he moved.
Vin had been following the other Immortal for several days in order to learn his routines as well as his strengths and weaknesses. He had also taken special note to memorise MacLeod’s alarm code. So far MacLeod hadn’t changed it, but Vin took careful note each time he punched the numbers in, just to double check.
Typically MacLeod would spend his days at the dojo and loft, and his nights at Joe’s bar. However, Vin’s first priority had been to make sure that he wasn’t walking straight into a trap of some sort. After all they still didn’t know who had sent the email or what the intention behind it had been.
Chris had wanted JD to trace the email, but Vin was unwilling to go that route unless it was absolutely necessary. It would ultimately require telling JD at least a little about what was going on and JD would likely dig even further in an effort to help his friend. Once JD knew about his Immortality it would only be a matter of time before the rest of the team knew. Not because JD would deliberately tell the others, but rather because four was an awfully big number to keep a secret. All it took was one indiscreet word and Vin would be forced to move on again.
Regardless, it had not taken Vin long to determine that it wasn’t a trap, at least not in the traditional sense. MacLeod was simply too oblivious. While he didn’t know who had sent the email he was willing to put it aside for the moment.
He had also been very careful about staying out of the Highlander’s range. While letting MacLeod sense him would have been a good way to put him on edge, it also would have given away the element of surprise.
Vin watched as MacLeod grabbed a towel and wiped his face before slinging the towel over his shoulder. A minute later MacLeod was upstairs taking a shower. It didn’t seem like he would be going anywhere tonight. Vin took his cell out of his pocket and flipped it open, quickly dialling Chris’ number.
“I’ll be back in a few minutes,” Vin said
“I’ll order some food and get some coffee going.”
“You know me too well,” Vin said as he shivered, just now realising how cold he was.
“Yeah well, don’t expect your usual calibre of coffee. I’m having some of it too.”
“I’ll wean you off of that weak stuff eventually.” Vin smirked at the doubtful snort he heard.
“We don’t all have your constitution.”
The lights in MacLeod’s loft switched off and Vin put the binoculars into the bag at his feet.
“I’m on my way.”
***
Ezra kept to the shadows in a corner of the bar while he waited for the last of the patrons to leave. Finally he approached Dawson as he was cleaning up.
“Mr Dawson.”
“Mr Standish, I understand Kay-oh-im-hin is in town.”
“Caoimhín,” Ezra corrected, pronouncing it as one would Kevin, “current alias Kevin Tanner has recently arrived.”
“His purpose?”
“I have determined that he is searching for something, beyond that I am unaware,” Ezra replied. It was true that Vin was looking for something if one counted revenge, but that was something Ezra was going to keep from Dawson because the man was his superior in the organisation but more importantly because he was MacLeod’s Watcher.
“Does it have anything to do with MacLeod?” Joe asked, because Immortals seldom came through Seacouver without involving MacLeod.
“It seems entirely unlikely,” Ezra said, and it certainly did seem that way. “Caoimhín has yet to confront MacLeod and has by all account made a concerted effort to stay out of his way.”
“Report back if you discover any new information.”
“I shall endeavour to do so, Mr Dawson.” With that Ezra turned and left.
***
On the fifth day of his hunt while Vin followed MacLeod as he went on several errands he was surprised by MacLeod meeting with a man he hadn’t yet seen. They had spent almost half an hour talking and from what Vin could tell they seemed to be friends.
Unfortunately because they were out in the open Vin was forced to stay quite a distance away so that he wouldn’t be seen or sensed. The result was that he couldn’t properly see who MacLeod had met with, and hauling out his binoculars in a crowded street would only draw attention.
Vin gave brief thought to postponing his fight with MacLeod because the unknown man was an uncertainty he was not willing to accept. Especially when he didn’t know if the man was an Immortal or not. Unfortunately, he couldn’t plan for everything, much as he wished he could, and the longer he took to challenge MacLeod the more likely it was that MacLeod would notice his presence.
It certainly seemed like MacLeod had noticed something. He was definitely more alert than usual. Luckily he wasn’t suspicious just yet, and Vin was close to confronting him.
Almost as if he sensed something MacLeod’s companion turned to discreetly scan the crowd. Vin ducked into the nearest doorway because even if they couldn’t see him clearly from a distance they would still have evidence that someone was following them.
Vin counted slowly to 50 before he casually stepped out of the doorway and glanced at where MacLeod and his companion had been. The friend was gone, but MacLeod was still there. Vin looked around, trying to spot anyone who might be watching him. It seemed that he had not been caught, but he would still have to take measures to ensure that it didn’t happen again. He would also have to be overly cautious just in case he had been noticed.
***
Two days later Vin was snapping on a pair of latex gloves as he pulled out a lock-picking kit. It wasn’t a skill he used all too often, but he’d made sure to keep practised at it, if simply for the fact that it was so useful. After several moments the door to MacLeod’s dojo swung open and Vin moved swiftly to the alarm where he punched in the code. The red light switched to green and Vin didn’t waste time breathing a sigh of relief, he was already moving towards the stairs. Taking the lift would have been too risky. He flicked on a small penlight torch which provided enough light to see by, especially with the moon bright as it was tonight, without drawing undue suspicion to the loft.
Vin’s purpose in breaking in was to get a better feel for who MacLeod was and the first thing he noticed about the loft was that it simply oozed masculine sophistication. It wasn’t so much that Vin got the impression MacLeod was trying to show off his wealth, but rather that he liked good quality, expensive things. Vin figured that MacLeod was still young enough that material possessions meant something to him.
The next thing Vin noticed was the fact that everything was spotless and obviously had its specific place in the loft, which meant that he would have to be especially careful not to disturb anything.
Vin wandered over to the CD rack and browsed the titles which consisted mostly of opera and classical pieces, though there were a few bagpipe pieces which amused him. He took another glance around the apartment but saw nothing else that might prove enlightening. Overall, he got the distinct impression that MacLeod was trying too hard to forget the fact that he’d grown up in a hut, likely sleeping in the same bed as six others, and bathing infrequently at best. For a man so proud of his heritage he’d managed to forget the truth of it quite quickly.
Vin’s phone vibrated and he quickly answered it.
“He’s on his way back,” Chris told him. In the background Vin could hear blues music and lots of people talking and laughing. For that night Chris had served as a lookout, but he usually followed MacLeod when he went to Joe’s simply because Vin wasn’t able to. Not only would MacLeod sense him but the owner was also a Watcher.
“I’ll see you at the hotel.”