Chapter Thirty
The newspaper spun twices as it was thrown down the counter, landing with the text upside-down at Joe's elbow. A gold ring bounced down the counter after it, whirling to a rattling stop a few inches away from the paper. Joe glanced up to see who'd tossed them. Then, with his eyebrows lifted, he rotated the paper to read the short article.
Morning storm claims lives
An early-morning storm on the Mediterranean Sea claimed the lives of two research doctors. Doctor Mary Kostani of the University of Chicago, recently acclaimed for finding the legendary city of Atlantis, and unaffiliated researcher Adam Pierson died Friday morning when a violent storm arose. The two were the only ones on the deck of research vessel Retribution, thanks to a late-night party the evening before.
"We have a crew that's usually up early," Dr. Michael Powers, a friend of both the deceased, said in a subdued interview Friday afternoon. "We had a fantastic find Wednesday afternoon. After we'd verified some of our findings we threw a party to celebrate on Thursday evening, and everyone was up all night. I guess we were lucky, if you can call it that, since no one else was up to get caught in the storm.
"This project was Mary's life. I'd like to see it go forward, in her memory," Powers added.
When asked about Pierson, Powers shook his head. "I only met him recently," he said. "He was a recluse, no family. It was his discovery, in fact, that we were celebrating. I guess that means I should thank him, for saving the lives of a lot more of the crew, no matter how inadvertantly."
The storm blew itself out early Friday afternoon, only after which it was discovered that two of the Retribution crew were missing. No bodies have been found. Neither Kostani nor Pierson have next of kin. Kostani's assets were left to the University.
The article went on to discuss the Atlantis Project. Joe looked up.
"Nice, isn't it?" Methos asked. "I like the part about how I saved everyone's lives."
"What happened?" Joe asked pragmatically.
Methos shook his head. "Adam Pierson turned out to be an Immortal. He'll need a Watcher, Joe. Make it someone we can trust." He turned his head towards the door as a warning tingle washed through him. "Company," he added, and sat on a stool.
Joe picked up the ring as Duncan came through the door. "What's this?" the Watcher asked.
"What happened?" Duncan demanded before the door closed all the way.
Methos considered the ring Joe held. "Call it a legacy of Atlantis," he said.
Joe turned the ring, watching light sink into the lion's head etching. "A legacy." He looked up at Methos over the ring, folding his hand around the gold metal. "You couldn't bring me back a unicorn, huh?"
Methos' mouth twitched in a smile. "Everybody knows there's no such thing as unicorns, Joe."
The Watcher laughed, putting the ring in his pocket. "Hope you don't mind if I'm not sure I want to wear it. That kinda choice takes some thought." He turned away, pouring drinks for himself and the two Immortal men at his bar.
"As long as you're lucky enough to have the choice," Methos said mildly.
Joe nodded, turning back to the counter with the drinks. "What happened to the Book?"
Methos quirked a faint smile. "It's safe."
"Safe? Safe where?" Duncan ignored his glass a moment, studying Methos intently. The old man only smiled at him, an eyebrow lifted in amusement, and after a long moment shook his head slightly.
"Let it go, MacLeod. It's safe, and that's all you need to know."
Silence reigned for a few seconds before Joe made a dmismissive gesture, letting the question of the Book go as instructed. "I know this guy named Dawson," he said. "Real trustworthy sort. I think he'll keep an eye on Pierson a while. Won't be much trouble for him. He already watches somebody called MacLeod, and Mac's been palling around with Pierson for a while now. Way the Watchers figure it, Pierson's gonna need some training with a sword, and MacLeod's been waiting around for Pierson to get himself killed so he can be his teacher." Joe lifted a shot of whisky to Duncan. "Mac's like that, y'know."
Duncan picked up his own shotglass and touched it to Joe's. "He is," the Highlander agreed with a smile. He looked at Methos again, eyebrows lifted. "Methos? What happened?"
Methos lifted his glass in two fingers to look at the amber liquid. After a brief silence, he touched his glass against his friends'. "I survived."