[heavy metal music playing]

RR - I think I've had enough, Mac. Let's go home. [DM stares silently at nothing.] Whatever you say. It's fine for me. I think I can hang here for a bit. Mac? Mac? [snaps fingers] Come in, Duncan MacLeod. Earth to MacLeod.

DM - Sorry.

RR - Hey, come on, man. You've hardly talked about it since Darius died. I know it's tearing you up.

DM - I've seen a lot of people die, Richie.

RR - Yes, but you haven't been friends with most of them for three hundred years. [picks up Darius' chronicle] All you do is stare at this. It's -- it's like an obsession, Mac.

DM - [carrying wounded comrade on his back, senses 'buzz' coming from hooded monk wandering among the dead & dying, and reaches for his sword] I am Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod.

Darius - I am Darius. You won't need that.

[DM reaches front of chapel & sees Darius' body lying off to one side.]

DM - [runs toward body] Darius! Darius!

(resume previous scene)

Joey - [screaming in DM's face] Aaaah! [laughs, walks away]

DM - He left this for a reason.

RR - Okay, so then fine. What's the reason? Is it -- is it our zip code in the back cover, here? I mean, and what's this "27NJS"? I don't understand.

[Joey grabs busboy & pushes him against table.]

Busboy - Please, let me go.

<Joey - You greasy bastard. CUT

Busboy - Please, no.

Joey - What?

Busboy - Let me go.

DM - Leave him alone. Hey, I'm talking to you, conehead!

Joey - [pushes boy away, turns toward DM] Maybe you'd like to take his place.>

DM - Oh... [stands up, spoiling for a fight]

RR - Uh, look, I'm not really one much to give advice, but my friend here has had a bad week. You know what I'm saying? Really bad.

Joey - It's going to get worse.

DM - [to RR] Stay out of this one.

Female skinhead - [to boyfriend] Carve up this {??}.

[Boyfriend lunges at DM with knife. DM breaks guy's wrist & knocks him to floor.]

DM - Get up! Get up! [The other skinheads & RR exchange looks. RR shrugs.] Get up! Come on! Come on! Get up! [Joey stands up.] Come on.

Joey - I'm going to kill you.

DM - Oh, I don't think so. [starts fighting Joey] Come on. Come on. [throws some more punches] Come on. Come on. [DM's doing all the hitting by now.] Come on, B.C. Come on!

RR - Mac! Enough, Mac! [stops DM from continuing to beat up on skinhead] Mac, enough. Enough.

DM - [drops Joey, who is unconscious, & nods shakily] Enough. Enough.

RR - Let's go.
 

Tessa - All you have is a few numbers and couple of initials. How do you know it's our zip code in the states?

DM - Well, what else could it be?

Tessa - Maybe it's a phone number he didn't finish writing. Or the beginning of an address.

DM - He would have left more if he could.

Tessa - Even if you're right, a zip code doesn't narrow it down very much. How are you going to find them?

DM - Well, if I go there, maybe they'll find me.

Tessa - [hands worker a vase] All right, it goes over there. It's for the exhibition in Lyons. [to DM] Revenge. That's all this is about. Is that what Darius would have wanted?

DM - I can't ignore this, Tess.

Tessa - When are we leaving?

DM - My flight leaves in the morning.

Tessa - Mine, too. We're either together or we're not. CUT

[Plane lands on runway.]

[DM is driving around with piece of paper listing possible 27NJS addresses. The first 4 lines are crossed off:

[Still driving.]

[Street sign: "NEW JESSUP ST." - DM parks, goes into building, chronicle in hand.]

[Driving again. Sign on door: "27-N. JAY St." - DM enters.]

[DM stands on sidewalk, looking around. He crosses street & enters bookstore.]

DM - [to Robert] Oh, I was wondering if you could help me. I have this book-- [notices Robert is staring at him] Sorry. Do we know each other?

Joe - Uh, maybe -- maybe I can help. [to Robert] It's all right, I'll take care of this. Go ahead.

DM - I'm an antique dealer. I came across this book, but I can't tell much about it.

CUT

Joe - I'm afraid it's not worth much in this condition.

DM - Well, I'm really just curious.

Joe - Beautiful illustrations. Probably the work of monks.

DM - Yeah, perhaps. Ever seen it before?

Joe - No. I, uh, I might be interested in buying it.

DM - Really? I thought you said it wasn't worth very much.

Joe - It's for me. I have a weakness for beautiful things.

DM - I'm sorry. It's not for sale.

Joe - I'd give you a fair price.

DM - Ah, thanks anyway.

Joe - Look, if you change your mind... I'm Joe Dawson.

DM - Thanks. [turns to leave]

[On his way out, DM notices red laser beam shining through front store window. It can't be seen by the naked eye, but with his sunglasses on, is quite visible.]

CUT

DM - Have a nice day.

[DM leaves store & stands facing window. He holds chronicle up so laser hits Watcher symbol on cover, over his shoulder. Turning around, he catches a brief glimpse of someone at second-story window across street. He crosses street & tries door; it's locked. Joe comes to bookstore window & watches as he runs around side of building.]

DM - [as two Hunters, Jack & Belson, run down staircase at back of building] I'll take two.

Jack - What?

DM - Aren't you selling something in the case?

Jack - No.

DM - Oh, funny. I could have sworn that you were. My loss, huh?

Jack - Yeah, no problem.

DM - No, but you see, there is. See, I promised the little lady some laser surveillance gear -- you know, so that she could keep an eye on the kids.

[Hunters jump at him, push him down, then take off toward street. DM follows, chasing them through streets & alleys.]

DM - [after knocking Belson down yet again] Stay down. [Belson starts to get back up.] Stay down, please. [Belson stands up & DM kicks him, knocking him out. DM looks around, sees briefcase sitting on ground nearby. He opens it, looks inside.] Ohh! Does this come in pink? [to Jack] Who are you? Talk to me!

Joe - [walking up behind him] You'll know soon enough, Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod.

DM - So you do know me.

Joe - We know all about you.

CUT

Joe - Don't look so surprised. I probably know more about you than you know about yourself.

DM - Do you?

Joe - I can tell you the time and place you became Immortal. The name of your first love. But that's not important. What is important is that you care about mortals, and you don't kill for pleasure.

DM - How about for revenge?

Joe - For that, I'd have to be your enemy. And I'm not.

DM - Is that what you said to Darius?

Joe - Darius. The great general who became a monk? I hope the Immortal who killed him rots in hell.

DM - He was killed by a mortal.

Joe - How do you know?

DM - Because he was beheaded on holy ground. CUT <No Immortal would ever DARE break that rule. If you knew so damned much about us, you'd know that!>

RR - [runs outside, the streets are empty] There was a guy here just one second ago. Now he's gone. [Both go back inside.] ²

Joe - For as long as your kind's been around, we've been watching.

DM - No Immortal has ever discovered you?

Joe - Ah, why would they notice another face in the crowd? I mean, even one as extraordinary as mine?

DM - [holds up Darius' chronicle] And this?

Joe - It's one of our chronicles. That disappeared five hundred years ago. Somehow Darius got it. It's, uh, it's part of a record we keep of Immortals.

DM - So you can hunt us?

Joe - No, no. We observe. We record. But we never interfere.

DM - And why not?

Joe - Well, too much of man's history has been lost. Once you get through all life's crap, the only thing that matters is the truth. We want the truth about Immortals to survive, not a bunch of old wives' tales.

DM - Great rap, Dawson. You expect me to believe that you've kept quiet about us for all these years?

Joe - Look, if we had revealed your secret in more superstitious times, you can imagine the witch hunts.

DM - I don't have to imagine.

Joe - And today... you'd probably end up on page three of one of those supermarket rags, next to the two-headed monkey, and I'd be in a strait jacket.

DM - You say you refuse to interfere, but you have.

Joe - We would have never hurt Darius. He was one of our great hopes.

DM - And why should I believe you?

Joe - You've been around for four hundred years. You'd feel it if I were lying to you. You can always kill me. But between you and me, I hope you don't have to.

RR - [to movers] That's good. That's good. Just like that. Just like that. Hey, be careful with that. These things don't bounce, you know what I'm saying? Thank you. Right through there. Perfect. Thank you very much.

Mover - Where do you want this?

RR - What is that? Ah, I hate that one. Put that back in the truck.

Tessa - Richie.

RR - Oh, I'm just kidding, Tessa. Well, we're, uh, just about done unloading.

Tessa - We'll set up tomorrow. It's too late to start now.

RR - Very good idea. It's exciting, huh? Being home?

Tessa - Yeah, I suppose.

RR - Tess... What's the problem?

Tessa - I wish we were coming back for another reason.

RR - Oh, come on, now. It's kind of like you're married to a cop, or even a superhero. I mean, there's quite a bit of stress placed on a relationship like yours. I mean, sure, you could have gone for some normal guy, you know, like a dentist, you know, who comes home at the same time every night, tells you about Mrs. Goodman's bridgework and abscesses, makes you floss three times a day -- but only with the unwaxed stuff. But something tells me that you were not cut out for that.

Tessa - Yeah. What was I cut out for?

RR - I don't know. Maybe something more the Mel Gibson type.

Tessa - [laughs] Yeah, right.

RR - He'll be okay. He always is. [kisses her on the cheek]

Tessa - [notices man in parked car down the street] Don't turn around. [RR starts to turn and she grabs his chin to stop him.]

CUT

<Joe - [puts disk in computer, types] Kurgan...> Now from 1453 to 1535, he was in Moscow. Then... he went to the Scottish Highlands.

[Computer screen image:

Joe - Spent most of the 17th century in Italy.

[Computer screen image:

Joe - We had lost him until New York, about eight years ago. Your kinsman, Connor MacLeod -- he did us all a big favor when he got rid of him. Here, look at this. This shot glass... was used by a gunfighter named Okie. He got drunk when he shouldn't have and lost his head. [picks up an Indian artifact] Iron Horse was a medicine man for three generations. He was beheaded by a cavalry officer during the massacre of his tribe.

DM - I know. [sees an axe that he recognizes]

Caleb - First, I'll take your Quickening. And then I'll take your woman. [They fight, in and out of water's edge.] Not this time, MacLeod. Your Quickening's mine. ⁴ [They fight some more, until with a primal yell, DM beheads Caleb with his own battle ax.]

Tessa - Duncan. [She watches from shore as DM receives Caleb's Quickening -- the first one she's seen.] ⁵

(resume previous scene)

DM - You were there?

Joe - One of us was nearby. All these things are from the northwest. We have many more at other locations. But you're why I'm here, MacLeod. I've been tracking you for fifteen years.

DM - Should I be flattered?

Joe - We know there can be only one. It could be you.

DM - It should have been Darius.

Joe - Not his fate.

DM - Fate didn't kill him. You did. [grabs Joe's arm, exposing his wrist] One of his killers had the same tattoo.

Joe - No, that's not possible. [hears store bell ring and a woman giggling]

Joe - [comes out of office, approaches Robert kissing blonde girl] Ahem. You know, you're lucky her father's the boss.

Lynn - Oh, Uncle Joe.

Robert - Sorry.

Lynn - Dad loves him. CUT

Joe - So, what brings the triumphant graduate here?

<Lynn - Let's not overdo it. CUT A B.A. doesn't exactly secure my future.> [as DM appears behind Joe] Hello.

DM - Hi.

Joe - Ah, Lynn, this is an old friend of mine, Duncan MacLeod.

DM - Hi. I couldn't help overhearing. Congratulations on your degree.

Lynn - Thanks. [to Joe] Oh, Dad is throwing me this graduation party, only he forgot to send out the invitations.

Joe - Well, I'll be there.

Lynn - Great. It's cocktails at five. And... can I borrow my fiancé for a few hours?

Robert - I can't.

Joe - Of course you can.

Robert - I think we have some things that we need to talk about.

Joe - Nothing that can't wait.

Robert - But--

Lynn - You heard the man.

Joe - Go on. Go on, Robert. I can handle the store.

Lynn - Come on, let's go. [to DM] He's slow, but I love him anyway. [to Robert] Come on. Come on! [pulls him out of store]

DM - [to Joe] I hope I don't find out you had anything to do with Darius' death. [leaves]

[Man in car lights cigarette, looks up as moving van backs toward him. Before he can react, the van rear ends him. RR jumps out of van's driver's seat.]

RR - Come on, Tess! Let's go! [Tessa drives up in her convertible. He jumps over door into passenger seat.] Let's get out of here. [They drive away.]

Hunter - [can't get his jammed door open] Damn!

Tessa - [parks convertible] Why did you do that?

RR - Better safe than sorry.

Tessa - But you're not sure!

RR - If I'm wrong, the insurance will cover it. If I'm right, those just might be the guys who killed Darius. So, now what?

Tessa - I don't know, but if they were after us, they're after him.

RR - Well, then we've got to go warn him.

Tessa - How? We don't know where he is.

RR - Oh, man. This is just great! Just great! I mean, he's there. They're there. We're here. Nobody's anywhere!

Tessa - CUT You ever think of running for Congress? [starts car]

[Tessa hangs up phone, gets back in convertible.]

RR - What's up?

Tessa - If we're not going anywhere, we might as well stay here.

RR - Tessa, that's ridiculous. We've got to do something.

Tessa - There is nothing to do but wait and keep trying to get Mac on the phone.

RR - You just want to sit here?

Tessa - We can't go back to the store. They may still be there.

RR - All right, all right. Waiting is just not my thing.

Tessa - So I've noticed. CUT

DM - Tess? Richie? [Robert, from bookstore, appears & shoots dart at DM, who blocks it with Darius' chronicle. Second Hunter attacks from behind him. He fights both men off, sending second one crashing through store window.] Great. Another window. [He grabs Robert as he tries to run away.] Where are my friends? Did Dawson send you? [Robert remains silent.] Damn you! It doesn't have to be like this! [Robert still remains silent.] Give me the book. [takes chronicle from him] Get out.
 

[DM is sitting in T-bird, watching store entrance. Joe comes out & gets in a car. DM follows it.]

[Joe enters building. DM waits briefly, then enters after him. <He gets off elevator & watches Joe enter condo where Lynn's party is being held. CUT>]

Horton - So, you spoke to one of them. That's never happened before.

Joe - Well, I had to. He thought we were trying to kill him.

Horton - And what did you tell him?

Joe - That he was wrong.

Horton - When MacLeod left you, he killed one of our men.

Joe - That's impossible. He couldn't have misunderstood.

Horton - He didn't misunderstand, Joe. He didn't care.

Joe - We've been watching MacLeod for centuries. CUT

Horton - People change.

[DM is looking at family photos -- one of Horton, Lynn, & Joe, with Lynn in graduation cap & gown; another of a much younger Lynn in softball uniform with Horton next to her in coach's jacket & cap.]

Lynn - It's Duncan, isn't it?

DM - Yeah. Hello, Lynn. Um, I was just looking for Joe Dawson.

Lynn - I think he's out on the balcony with my dad. I'll make sure you don't get lost. [takes his arm to escort him] Come on.

DM - No, it's... uh...

Lynn - Oh, come on. Come on!

Joe - Do we know where he is?

Horton - Not at the moment.

Joe - We've got to find him.

[Lynn escorts DM through crowds of people.]

Man - Lynn, hi.

Lynn - [as Joe & Horton come in from balcony] Uncle Joe, look who's here. [Horton turns. He & DM stare at each other in recognition.] I thought you guys might know each other.

Horton - I'm afraid not. James Horton. I'm delighted to meet you.

[Horton shoots DM with tazer. DM reaches into his coat, pulls out katana, cuts tazer wire.]

DM - Is that how you killed Darius?

Horton - I'm unarmed.

DM - You hate us, but you expect us to behave honorably. Why is that?

Horton - When you kill me, others will come to continue what we have begun.

DM - I'm not your enemy. This isn't about mortals. We have our own fight! Don't you understand?!

Horton - We've always understood. We will never be dominated.

DM - No one wants to dominate you.

Horton - Liar! We know about the Gathering.

DM - Do you sense evil in me? Talk to me! Tell me what you know!

Horton - It's about power! There is nothing greater than the power of man! ⁶

(resume previous scene)

Horton - James Horton. Pleased to meet you. [offers his hand]

DM - Duncan MacLeod. [shakes Horton's hand] I just got back from Paris.

Horton - Oh, how nice. What brings you to this part of the world?

DM - I was looking for someone.

Horton - An old friend?

DM - No, my old friend died -- unexpectedly.

DM - [runs toward body] Darius! Darius!

(resume previous scene)

Horton - Oh, that's too bad. These things can happen.

DM - To anyone.

[Lynn and Joe frown at the exchange.]

Lynn - Okay, everybody, let's get real here.

Horton - What do you mean?

Lynn - Well, it's obvious you guys know each other.

Joe - You're wrong.

DM - [to Horton] Why don't we just take a walk?

Horton - Why don't you go to hell.

[DM lunges at Horton.]

Lynn - Hey, stop it! Whoa! Leave him alone! Please! [DM freezes with his hand up, poised to strike.] Stop it! Please. [DM stands down.] Daddy?

Horton - I'm all right. I'm all right, Lynn.

Lynn - [to DM] What the hell was that all about?

DM - Why don't you ask your father. [Joe stares at Horton incredulously.]

Lynn - [looks at her father briefly] He won't tell me.

DM - Neither will I. [leaves]

[Horton is standing on balcony when there is knock at the door. Robert enters condo.]

Robert - Mr. Horton?

Horton - I'm on the balcony. Come on out.

Robert - How was the party?

Horton - Fine. Lynn's sleeping. She was anxious when you didn't come.

Robert - MacLeod put one of our guys in the hospital, then I lost him.

Horton - Oh, don't worry about it, Robert.

Robert - Maybe he left the city.

Horton - He was here, tonight. He's come to destroy us, and he won't stop unless we stop him.

Robert - What if we're wrong?

Horton - What do you mean, wrong?

Robert - Maybe they're not all bad.

Horton - It doesn't matter if they're good or evil, Robert. They're here to dominate us. They will fight for the right to rule us. And one day, that is what they will do.

Robert - That's not what Joe thinks.

Horton - Joe... is a hopeless romantic. MacLeod has killed people.

Robert - Well, maybe he had to. He could have killed me. He didn't. I think... He said it didn't have to be like this.

Horton - This is the way it is.

Robert - For you. Not for me. I'm done with it! Now!

Horton - What would you like me to do?

Robert - Nothing. I'll handle it with Joe.

Horton - Maybe you're right. It's good to question. It's the sign of an active intelligence. That's why Lynn is so fond of you. [rushes at Robert & pushes him off balcony]

Robert - Aah!

[Lynn wakes up with a gasp. Horton walks back into condo.]
 

[Tessa hangs up phone after trying unsuccessfully to reach DM again. She gets back in convertible. RR is sprawled across back seat, snoring.]

RR - [wakes up when Tessa closes car door] Oh! What, what, what?

Tessa - There's still no answer.

RR - Oh. I think I dozed off for a minute. What time is it?

Tessa - Morning. I've been calling all night. Mac hasn't come home.

RR - [sits up] Ohh... [stretches] Oh... oh! This has been the crummiest night of my entire life. Except maybe the prom, with Mary Ellen Nowicki. She got wasted on lemon gin, puked all over the ladies' can.

Tessa - I'm going back to the store.

RR - Tess, the store -- they're watching it.

Tessa - And Duncan will be looking for us. If he calls, we have to let him know what happened. And besides, I'm tired of being afraid of these guys. I'm not running anymore.

RR - Ooh, you sound like my old coach trying to get us fired up before the big game.

Tessa - Did it work?

RR - Sometimes. Mostly, we just got our asses kicked.

[Joe enters, goes to office in back. DM is waiting inside & confronts him.]

DM - Where's Tessa?

Joe - So now you're going to kill me, too.

DM - Where is she?

Joe - I really don't know, MacLeod. [DM realizes he's telling the truth.] You know, I believed in you. You killed one of us.

DM - I didn't kill anyone.

Joe - You're lying.

DM - Cut the crap! This is happening right under your nose. You're not stupid -- maybe you're just blind.

Joe - Why don't you tell me what I'm supposed to see.

DM - How about a softball coach who's running a death squad on the side.

Joe - You're talking about James.

DM - <No, I'm talking about Gunga Din.> CUT Don't you get it? Horton killed Darius.

Joe - Darius died in France. James was in Germany on business.

DM - Check his passport. He was in Paris trying to take my head, together with the other killers he recruited from your "Watchers".

Joe - If you believe that, why trust me? I might be with them.

DM - You would have tried to kill me in the alley yesterday. I think those two men were watching you, not me. Besides, like you said, I've had a little more experience judging men than you have.

Joe - So what are you going to do?

Lynn - We had a fight yesterday when we left the store. I wanted him to take me to lunch, and he put me in a cab and sent me home. He said he had something important to do, and I shouted at him that I was important. Oh, Dad... [cries on Horton's shoulder]

Horton - I'm sure it was nothing to do with that. He must have lost his balance. Maybe he had been drinking. I'm so sorry, honey. I am so sorry.

[Telephone rings, Horton answers it.]

Horton - [into phone] Hello.

DM - [on phone] Where are my friends?

Horton - [into phone] So, it's you. [to Lynn] Excuse me, honey. [goes out onto balcony, continues talking into phone] And what makes you think I know?

DM - [on phone] Because all this stinks of you.

Horton - [into phone] Look, um... why don't we meet and discuss this?

DM - [on phone] Where?

Horton - [into phone] Darrow wharf. It's on 3rd and--

DM - [on phone] I know where it is. [hangs up]

[Lynn, just inside doorway, has heard end of conversation.]

[Horton waits for DM to arrive. Joe arrives instead.]

Joe - He's not coming, you bastard. His friends are safe. You ordered their deaths.

Horton - The friends of my enemies are my enemies.

Joe - [grabs fire axe from table] What the hell is this? You were going to use this to kill him? Are you crazy?

Horton - It's not state of the art, I agree, but it's effective.

<Joe - CUT What you are doing is totally wrong. It betrays everything we stand for.>

Horton - I have thought of that.

Joe - And you felt nothing?

Horton - I felt like a doctor watching a cancer grow.

Joe - But they aren't all evil, James.

Horton - I leave nothing to chance.

[In the shadows, DM takes out one of Horton's men -- Jack from the laser surveillance team.]

Horton - [hears man cry out] He's here. [pulls out a gun] Jack! Jack!

DM - [appears amidst strategic lightning] Sorry. They couldn't make it to the party.

Joe - MacLeod... he doesn't know what he's doing.

Horton - Shut up! [to DM] My brother-in-law is very well liked in our organization. [grabs Joe & holds gun to his head] When the other Watchers find out you murdered him... Unless you'd like to make a deal -- your life for his?

DM - You'll kill him anyway.

Joe - Like you killed Robert.

Horton - In times of war, innocents get harmed. I believe the generals call that collateral damage.

Lynn - [enters room] Is that what Robert was? Collateral damage? Daddy?

Horton - What are you doing here? Get out.

Lynn - What?

Horton - Go home! Now! Go home!

[DM uses Horton's distraction to rush him & grab the gun. <He forces Horton to turn the gun on himself.]

Lynn - Don't! No! Let him go! Please don't! No! [Horton and DM stare at each other, the muzzle of the gun pressed against the side of Horton's neck.] Let him go! Please, let him go! Stop it! Stop! No! God, please... No... Oh, God, please stop. [DM's finger tightens on the trigger.] Please stop. Stop!

Joe - Don't.> CUT

DM - [yanks gun away and tosses it aside] Another time.

Horton - This will slow you down a bit. [grabs another gun from table]

Joe - MacLeod!

[Horton shoots DM several times in the back. Lynn grabs his arm.]

Horton - Lynn!

[Horton tries to shoot DM some more but is hampered by Lynn pulling on his arm. DM pulls out his katana & stabs Horton with it.]

DM - For Darius.

Lynn - [kneeling over her father's body] Why?

[DM & Joe exchange a look, then DM succumbs to his gunshot wounds & dies.]

[some time later]

[DM revives with a gasp. He is alone. He picks up his sword & leaves.]

[DM enters office, which has been cleaned out, although computer is still there. DM types on computer "C: dir KURGAN" but gets only "NO FILE FOUND". He tries "C: dir DUNCAN MACLEOD" and again gets "NO FILE FOUND". He turns computer off & leaves office.]
 

RR - Secret societies, mortals trying to kill us... I mean, you're never going to know where it's coming from.

DM - Yeah, thanks for the happy thought, Rich.

Tessa - They'll be back, won't they?

DM - Maybe... but not today. [kisses her]

[As they continue walking down the street, a man & woman turn & watch them. There is a blue Watcher tattoo on the man's wrist.]