The part of Duncan MacLeod is temporarily being understudied.
Duncan pulls his car into the parking lot of Joe's Bar and sees Methos' car so he parks next to it, gets out and heads around to the front of the building. He feels an Immortal buzz as he approaches the door to the bar. He opens the door, steps inside and waits for his eyes to adjust to the dim light.
Methos waves at MacLeod when he sees him, then looks down at the table to get his beer glass again.Methos:Look who's here.Methos whispers at Aldria.Duncan heads over to Methos' table, motioning to Mike, the bartender, that he wants a draft beer.Aldria: So I see.Aldria chucklesDuncan: Just the man I was looking for.Duncan says as he sits in the chair to Methos' right.Aldria: This is going to be good.Aldria mutters to her beer.Methos looks up at MacLeod suspiciously.Methos: Oh ho, why do I have the feeling it doesn't sound good?Duncan looks over at Ally.Duncan: I'm glad you're here, too.Duncan says as the bar maid sets a frosty mug of draft beer in front of him.Methos side glances at Aldria, then looks back at MacLeod, waiting for what he's up to.Methos: And the reason is...?Methos urges him to go on, promising himself that if it has anything to do with the Game, he's going to pretend to go to the bathroom and leave through the back door.Duncan takes a sip of his beer and looks back at Methos. He leans closer so he can speak quietly.Duncan: I had an interesting visit from a detective yesterday. He was asking a lot of questions about Nicayla and you. When he showed me a newspaper photo of you and asked if I recognized you I said no. I tried to call you but it just went to voice mail and I thought I should give you a heads up.Duncan says and takes another sip of his beer.Methos rolls his eyes as he gets his beer glass again.Aldria: Talked to a Detective myself today. Wanted to know about Nikki and Haley - though did ask if I knew who you were...Aldria says with a smile to MethosMethos: Oh it was you? I was wondering how he found me at Joe's.Methos says before he takes a sip of beer.Duncan: He already talked to you?Duncan asks, a bit surprised at the speediness of the police.Aldria: Told him I knew you that we drank, at Joe's.Aldria shakes her head sadly.Aldria: Poor detective had never even HEARD of Joe's before.Methos: Let's hope he doesn't become a regular costumer.Methos could have added that it would be pretty boring to have a detective around but he knew the other already figured that out.Methos: Yes, he already talked to me, MacLeod.Duncan: Just what the Hell is going on?Duncan asks and takes another sip of his beer.Methos: Hmm, I told him Nikki called me and said she had some kind of family emergency. Is that enough for you?Methos smirks, almost 100% sure the answer would be no.Duncan: Is Nicayla in some sort of trouble?Duncan asks, concerned.Methos sighs looking down at his now empty glass.Methos: You could say that.Aldria: I do believe the problem is she's missing.Aldria replies.Duncan: Missing? What do you mean by missing?Duncan asks...his concern growing.Methos: No, the problem is that she ran away with that kid from the ranch. Haley?Methos points out before he gestures Mike to bring him another beer.Duncan: She what??!!!Duncan says, almost choking on his beer.Methos: Don't think she had much of a choice, but she could have planned it better, so it wasn't so obvious, I think.
Methos sighs playing with the empty glass on the table, he knew Nikki would never have the patience for it.Aldria: I didn't realize that. Well, I figured it was a good possibilityAldria shrugs.Aldria: Given what Haley went through and the state was going to do I can't say I blame them.Duncan shakes his head.Duncan: I wish somebody would tell me what the hell is going on.Duncan says...obviously confused.Methos: Why don't you start, Your Honor? After all you're the one who got involved in it in the first place.Methos teases, before he looks up at Mike and thanks him for the beer.Methos: It's always better to start from the beginning, no?Methos points out as he picks the new beer glass.Aldria: Haley's father **** her, from the time she was... 10, I think. She stole things and went to jail to get away from him.Aldria explained.Aldria: Problem was, because of her father's position nobody believed Haley. Just recently, thanks to one of us,Aldria gestures to the three of them.Aldria: Who wanted Nikki, Haley missed one of her scheduled visitations with her father, so the state decided that she needs to go back to her father's custody.Aldria explains.Aldria: That's all I know, other than that the detective came by my office this morning asking questions about both Haley and Nikki.Duncan slowly nodded his head.Duncan: You know....as scary as it may be.....that sounds exactly like something she would do.Duncan takes a sip of his beer.Methos: Yeah, you know Nikki would do anything for those kids. She was taking Haley to her father in Ireland, last time I talked to her, until Haley turned 18.Methos takes a deep breath looking down at his glass.Methos: I only wish there was some other way, what if they decide to close the ranch?Methos takes a sip of beer and sighs.Methos: We have to do something.Aldria: Yes well, luckily I do have some say in that.Aldria chucklesDuncan: Do the cops know that Nicayla actually took Haley out of the country?Duncan asks and picks a peanut out of the bowl in the center of the table.Methos: No, but they're investigating, they might come up with something.Methos frowns remembering the detective who had talked to him, he looked good at his job.Duncan: What kind of trouble will she be in then?Duncan asks Ally.Aldria: Depends. On if they they left the state, or the country. And what they can prove Nikki had to do with it.Aldria replies.Aldria: Minimum I think Nikki's looking at some kind of Jail time. Unless she can prove she went after Haley to bring Haley back, rather than being the one who took Haley.Duncan looks over at Methos and quirks an eyebrow.Duncan: And you knew about this?Duncan asks Methos.Methos: Yeah, she paid me a short visit before she left.Methos takes a deep breath looking down at his glass on the table.Duncan: And you didn't try and talk some sense into her?Duncan asks, incredulously.Methos: What was I supposed to do? Ever tried to stop her from doing anything?Methos points out, apparently MacLeod didn't know Nikki as well as he did.Duncan shakes his head.Duncan: No. But it can't be any worse than trying to talk Amanda out of doing something stupid.Duncan says and swigs down the last of his beer.Methos: Yeah? How many times did you succeed in that?Methos asks slightly amused, he knew there couldn't have been that many times.Duncan: There's a bit of a difference between the two situations, though.Duncan says looking around for the bar maid.Methos: Care to enlighten me?Methos asks raising an eyebrow at MacLeod.Duncan catches the eye of the bar maid and motions her over. When she gets to the table he places his empty glass on her tray and looks up at her.Duncan: Make mine a single malt this time and another round for my friends.Duncan says, indicating Methos and Ally. The bar maid heads back to get his order and he looks back at Methos.Duncan: Enlighten you about what?Duncan asks as he picks another peanut out of the bowl and pops it in his mouth.Duncan: The difference?Duncan says, quirking an eyebrow, questioningly.Methos gestures him to go on as he takes a sip of beer.Methos: Yes, what's the difference between the two situations?Methos says as he puts the glass back on the table.Duncan: I have never been in love with Amanda. Not in the way you are supposed to be with Nicayla.Duncan says...completely serious.Methos raises an eyebrow at MacLeod's answer.Methos: Really? Could have fooled me.Aldria: Guys... is this really important?Aldria asks, arching an eyebrow.Duncan simply shrugs and turns to look at Ally.Duncan: Ally? Who is actually pressing for Haley's return? CPS?Duncan asks just as the bar maid brings everyone's second round.Methos: Yes, what's done is done, we should be discussing what to do now.Methos points out as he takes the beer glass absentmindedly.Aldria: Her father, I believe, is the one pressing for Custody of her again. And as CPS really doesn't have any reason to suspect him... And as far as they can see, Haley is the one who has made mistakes, not him.Aldria shrugs.Aldria: Damn....
Aldria mutters as her phone rings. Picking it up she answers it with a, "Hello?"Duncan thinks about Ally's answer to his question while she takes her call.Duncan: What exactly did she tell you when she left?Duncan asks Methos, softly.Methos looks away from Aldria on the phone to look at MacLeod.Methos: What do you mean?Aldria: Alright. I'll be there as soon as I can.Aldria says ending the call and standing up.Duncan looks up at Ally, a bit surprised that she is standing up.Duncan: Are you leaving, Ally?Methos: What's up?Methos asks looking up at Aldria.Aldria: Sorry guys gotta run. Have a warrant request.Aldria says.Methos: Have fun.Methos murmurs picking up his beer glass.Duncan: Ahhh. A judge's work is never done.Duncan says understandingly.Aldria: Yes well. I'll see you two around.Aldria replies and heads to towards the door.Duncan returns his attention to Methos.Duncan: Now. Back to my question.Duncan says as a prompt...hoping he doesn't have to repeat it.Methos: She asked to take care of a chain with the amethyst crystal spear, which is at a safe deposit box by the way. If I lost it how was I ever to face her again?Methos sighs sadly remembering those moments as he grabs the beer glass again.Methos: She actually didn't talk much.Duncan thinks about what Methos has said....trying to picture the Nicayla he knows...or knew...and he is about to interrupt when Methos asks a question, even though Duncan knows he said it more to himself, and Duncan refrains from interrupting and listens to his friend.Duncan: Do you WANT to face her again?Duncan asks Methos in a soft, non-confrontational tone of voice.Methos frowns puzzled, wondering what the hell MacLeod wants to mean by that.Methos: Of course I want to face her, just what the hell are you thinking?Methos shakes his head trying to clear his thought, maybe he's missing something here.Duncan holds up his hands in surrender.Duncan: Not thinking a thing. Just a question. Don't even need answer it.Duncan says, sitting back in his chair.Methos: MacLeod, we've been friends for years, long before we moved to the next level, as far as I'm concerned we'll still be friends even if we stop dating.Methos points out hoping MacLeod can understand that.Methos: I'd still want to face her.Duncan: Tell me.....Duncan says and leans forward placing his arms on the table and looking seriously at Methos.Duncan: ....did she tell you where she was going?Methos: She told me she was going home, so I assume her father's ranch in Ireland. Why?Methos asks before he takes a sip of beer.Duncan: Because when Nicayla runs....she never says where she is going or for how long.Duncan explains and picks another peanut out of the bowl then pops it into his mouth.Duncan: Ok. So let's analyze this.Duncan says, moving his glass out of the way and brushing off the peanut shells on the tableMethos looks at his glass on the table while he frowns thinking.Methos: Actually I don't think she did. How long she'd be away that is.Methos says after a while.Duncan realizes that Methos has become preoccupied with something that had been said before. And although he believes that that is a good thing.....now was not the time so he raises up in his chair and waves his hands in front of his friend's face and snaps his fingers.Duncan: Hey! Come on! Focus!Duncan says as he snaps his fingers....as if snapping Methos out of a trance.Methos blinks in surprise when MacLeod jumps to his feet and snaps his fingers in front of him.Methos: OK, I'm back, now what?Duncan shakes his head.Duncan: Man. You got it bad.Duncan says as if it saddens him.Methos: What do you want to analyze? Methos urges him to go on.Duncan: Ok. So Nicayla left to get Haley away from her father.....right?Duncan says to clarify.Methos: Right.Methos nods in agreement as he picks up the almost empty glass again.Duncan: And Haley's not running from CPS or any government agency.....she's running from her father...At least that's the way I understood what Ally said.....am I right?Duncan again, clarifies.Methos: Right.Methos nods again, before he drinks the rest of the beer and puts the empty glass on the table.Duncan: Now what was Ally said about Nicayla maybe having to do jail time?Duncan asks Methos....unable to remember everything Ally had said.Methos: Only if they prove she had anything to do with Haley's disappearance.Methos goes on while he thinks if he should order another beer or not.Methos: We just can't let that happen.Duncan sits back in his chair, picks up his half full glass of single malt and swirls the liquid around the glass like it were brandy. He stares at the designs the golden liquid is making on the inside of the glass for several minutes then puts the glass to his lips and downs it contents in one swig. He sits up, sets the empty glass on the table and looks directly into Methos' eyes.Duncan: Then there's just one solution.Duncan says, seriously.Methos: Which is?Methos asks raising an eyebrow at MacLeod.Duncan wrinkles his forehead and squishes up his mouth until he, slightly, resembles Marlon Brando then says in a very convincing Marlon Brando impression he says.....Duncan: Make him an offer he can't refuse....capisci, Fredo?Methos is slightly surprised MacLeod had proposed to do it, but can't help to burst out laughing at MacLeod's answer.Methos: Lead the way, Don Corleone. To be continued