Summary: Megabyte meets *another* Immortal.
Author's Notes: Just moving along the timeline. This story takes place around the same time as "Opposites.
Disclaimer: If you recognize them, they don't belong to me. The characters of Richie Ryan, Duncan MacLeod, Methos, Amanda Darrieux, Joe Dawson and the concept of Immortality and the Watchers do not belong to me. Neither does the character of Megabyte Damon, Ami Jackson or the Tomorrow People. These characters belong to Panzer/Davis, Rysher/Gaumont Television, Roger Damon Price, Thames/Tetra and ITV television respectively. I use them here without permission, but not for profit. Feel free to print this out for personal use, but it is not to be archived anywhere without my permission
Feedback: Send it to michele@alt-realities.net
Other stories in the series can be found at the TPFICT archives, and (eventually) at my archive located at http://www.alt-realities.net.
Boredom was not a new feeling. Megabyte had been going insane with boredom for the past two weeks. When he wasn't taking university classes, or doing class work, he had nothing to occupy his mind except for the fact that he was bored. Adam was spending most of his free time with Cat. Ami was back in classes at Cambridge; when she wasn't there, she was off in Seacouver batting her eyes at Richie Ryan. And Jade--well, Megabyte didn't think that he could handle more than a few hours of Jade's company. Besides, her idea of a fun time lately involved trying to annoy Methos. And while the man was smug and arrogant, baiting him simply wasn't what Megabyte considered full time entertainment.
Megabyte tossed a small rubber ball across the ship. It bounced up in an arc, hit the opposite wall and began its bounce back to him. The ship pulsed and hummed in its usual manner, attempting to soothe his agitation. Unless the ship became human and interactive however, Megabyte doubted that would work.
He supposed that he could head over to Seacouver. Joe was pretty cool to talk to, and as long as it was before business hours, he was welcome in the bar. Unfortunately, the under age thing kept them away from the place after hours and Megabyte was convinced that was when the place got interesting. And there was always the dojo -- Mac had been taking time to teach him Tae Kwon Do, not just him all of the Tomorrow People. Adam hadn't exactly agreed with the lessons -- it was the first time that Megabyte had seen the Immortal and Adam disagree about anything -- until Mac pointed out that Tae Kwon Do, like most forms of martial outs were for defense and useful for meditative purposes. Even Cat had thought it was a good idea for them to be able to defend themselves; there were people out there who knew how to inhibit and suppress their powers and they couldn't always depend on teleportation to save them.
Unfortunately, when he arrived at the dojo, Mac was no where in sight. A large group of regulars worked out on the various pieces of equipment, sparred, and wrestled on the mats. A few nodded to him, recognizing him as a frequent visitor to the dojo.
Richie was in the office, speaking on the phone and he didn't even notice Megabyte. Which Megabyte was grateful. He wasn't really in the mood to deal with Richie. Of course, he wasn't usually in the mood to deal with Richie. The young Immortal was just a bit too cocky and arrogant for Megabyte's taste; he still hadn't the faintest idea why Ami seemed to be completely enraptured with him. Well, aside from that smile and charm that Richie oozed, that Megabyte was certain that he wouldn't be able to mimic if he had years of practice.
He ducked up the stairs quickly. Two days ago the elevator had been out of order and he didn't want to risk it. Sure, he could teleport out, but still, he would prefer not to be trapped in the cage at all if he could help it
Opening the door to the loft was easy, even if it was locked. A moment's concentration was all it took him. Mac never exactly approved of that little skill, but Joe and Methos seemed to find it amusing.
The first he thing Megabyte saw were her legs. Long, tanned, bronze legs that seemed to go on forever spilled from a very short, very tight black skirt. The skirt was actually part of a dress, a dress that she had clearly been poured into because it fit her like a second skin. Her hair was short and dark, curling a little around her very distinctive face, and her eyes glittered with mischief. The smile and the purr of her voice made Megabyte's heart skip.
"You're not whom I was expecting."
Megabyte attempted to find his voice. He also attempted to stop gawking at her. He could feel the dark blush rising to his face, and that only made matters worse. She leaned against the kitchen island, making the island an extension of herself -- and her psychic aura flared brightly in his mind.
So, she was Immortal. Immortal and beautiful. Megabyte wondered idly if all Immortal women were beautiful. Even Maris had been--
Thoughts of Maris pulled him up short. Yes, the woman was Immortal. She was also armed and dangerous, although for the life of him, he couldn't figure out where she could hide a sword in that dress. She might not be here on completely friendly terms.
But, how had she slipped past Richie?
Maybe it isn't Richie's head she wants, idiot, Megabyte's inner voice answered his own question.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?" He backed away a few steps, ready to bolt if the woman tried anything.
"I was here first, so I think that I should be asking you that." She titled her head, her voice never rising above that low purr. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"
The sound of the elevator rising whirred to life, and the sudden shift of her stance told Megabyte precisely who was in the elevator. Her eyes widened, and then, as the crest of Richie's red-gold hair appeared, she relaxed, returning her attention to Megabyte.
Maybe that was a good sign. Maybe she was one of the good guys.
"Amanda," Richie threw the gate up and gave her a sad shake of his head. Megabyte noticed the sword in his hand and quickly looked away. Those swords gave him the heebie jeebies. "Megabyte, I didn't see you come in."
"I know," Megabyte muttered. I didn't want you to, was the added after thought.
"Megabyte?" The woman's voice rang with laughter. "Oh, you must like computers."
"What are you doing here, Amanda?" Richie deposited the sword by the elevator and headed into the kitchen. He turned his back on the other Immortal, so Megabyte figured she couldn't be all bad.
Amanda. Megabyte thought that he had heard the name before, but he wasn't sure. Maybe one of Mac's former lovers?
Jeez, if she was one of his former lovers, Megabyte really envied the Immortal.
"I’m looking for Duncan."
Richie rummaged through the refrigerator. "You and what law enforcement agency, this time?"
"I'm going to pretend that I didn't hear you say that." Amanda glared at the back of the Immortal's head. "You wouldn't happen to know where I could find him, would you, Richie?"
"Not here," came Richie's clipped response.
Megabyte wondered how Richie had kept his head so long if he was always this disagreeable with other Immortals -- he and Methos didn't seem to get along well either.
"I can see that. I'm not precisely blind." The purr vanished, replaced by a throaty, melodious voice. "Where is he? He's not off with some little tart is he?"
Richie laughed, emerging from the refrigerator with a plate of cold cuts, lettuce and tomatoes. "No, Amanda, he's not off with some tart. At least I don't think that he is. He said he had some business to take care of in southern France." Richie deposited the plate on the counter, including the Tomorrow Person in the look he gave Amanda. "Either of you guys hungry?"
"Not for food," Amanda pronounced airily.
The implications of those words made Megabyte blush. Richie, however, merely chuckled. "Why am I not surprised?"
"And what's that supposed to mean?" Amanda demanded dryly.
The Immortal in the kitchen began making himself a sandwich. "Nothing, Amanda. Nothing at all."
"When's Duncan coming back?"
"I don't know, Amanda. I'm not his secretary." Richie layered ham on a slice of bread. He glanced at Megabyte again. "So, hungry or not, MB?"
Megabyte flinched. He hated being called that. It was a joke started by Methos. Methos had commented that Megabyte was too long to say, and MB worked just as well. Of course, only Richie, Jade and Methos ever used that particular misnomer. And they all did it to annoy him.
Still, he couldn't argue with his growling stomach. And Richie was being civil -- that usually didn't happen unless Ami was around and he was trying to impress her. Normally, Richie just ignored him or kept his conversation to a minimum. At least they agreed on that much -- they didn't even try to enjoy one another's company.
"A little," Megabyte commented, approaching the kitchen.
"Ham, turkey or roast beef?" Richie offered.
"Would Joe know?"
"I don't think he scheduled with Joe, but you could check," Richie replied, not looking up from his more urgent task -- attending the needs of his stomach.
"Well, as long as I'm here, I may as well stay for a few days." Amanda literally floated toward the sofa, her entire body moving in a sway that left Megabyte speechless and red-faced.
Richie's hand on his arm startled him. He didn't even have a moment to think before Richie hauled him into the kitchen, his voice low. "Amanda is like playing with fire. Don't even let her see you acting that way or she'll milk it for all its worth."
"What do you know about it?"
"I know Amanda," Richie replied crisply. "Just take it as friendly advice, kid. Amanda is dangerous in a very different sense than what you're used to."
"You don't mind if I hang around for a few days, do you Richard?" Amanda's voice rang from the living area.
Megabyte looked up to see her seated on the couch, her legs crossed, the skirt rising higher if that was possible. He really did envy Duncan MacLeod.
Richie looked up suddenly. Megabyte caught the young Immortal's eyes wandering up Amanda's legs as well. "If I say that I do mind, will you leave?"
"No."
Richie shrugged. "Didn’t think so." He leaned across the counter, his eyes intent on Amanda's face. "So, you never did tell me which law enforcement agency is going to come knocking on the door now?"
"Richie, you really do hurt my feelings. You know I'm not involved in that sort of thing anymore."
"Two words, Amanda: Corey Raines."
"That was a misunderstanding." Amanda settled back comfortably, her voice smug. "And you're simply upset because he ran you over. Twice."
Megabyte knew that he didn't imagine the faint blush coloring Richie's cheeks. However, before the Immortal had a chance to answer, a familiar energy filled the air, making the hairs on Megabyte's arms rise and stand on end.
"Oh no," Megabyte muttered, recognizing the imminent arrival of another Tomorrow Person. Good guy or not, teleporting around a new, strange Immortal wasn't the best of ideas.
"Oh no, what?" Richie asked.
The flash of light in the center of the living room answered his question.
"Hey guys," Ami called out a greeting, not aware of the Immortal on the couch behind her.
Amanda gasped, and swore, her words a mixture of English and French, and enough to make a sailor blush. "What in the--"
Ami spun, her own face showing surprise as she looked at Amanda.
"Way to go, Ami," Megabyte muttered.
"Way to go, Ami," Richie commented at the same moment.
The two of them exchanged a quick glance.
Amanda was on her feet, putting some distance between herself and Megabyte's fellow Tomorrow Person. "How did you do that? Who--what are you?"
"She's a college student, Amanda," Richie informed her. "Ami, Amanda. Amanda, Ami."
"But how did she get here?"
"She teleported," Richie supplied the answer as if he saw this sort of thing every day. Then again, Megabyte remembered, Richie did see this sort of thing every day. "Pretty neat, huh?"
[Boy, you really screwed up this time, Ami.]
[I didn't know anyone was here besides you and Richie,] Ami 'pathed back to him.
[You didn't ask, either.]
[I wasn't aware that I had to ask to teleport to Mac's loft.]
Richie glanced from one to the other. "That's rude. Stop it."
Megabyte wondered when he became so good at knowing that the Tomorrow People were speaking telepathically.
"What the hell is going on here?" Amanda demanded. The woman truly looked out of sorts.
Suddenly Megabyte wished that he hadn't complained about being bored.
~End~