© Kermit Griffin Ltd.

    Duncan MacLeod walked into Sloansville'd 101st precinct with the
intention of finding a friend.  A friend he hadn't seen in over 15 
years.  Shortly after he entered, a young officer asked if he could be 
of assistance.  "I'm looking for Peter Caine," said MacLeod in his 
slightly accented voice.
     "Detective Caine is out now sir, he should be back soon.  Sir?"
Duncan was no longer paying attentin to the officer because he saw a 
familiar face in the back room.
     "Kermit," he saide under his breath, a smile coming to his lips.
MacLeod walked past the officer and made his way to Detc. Griffin's 
office.
     "Duncan MacLeod," said Kermit Griffin, before Duncan had reached
his office.
     "Kermit old friend," said MacLeod, reaching out to Kermit.  Griffin
clasped Duncan's hand, and they exchanged formalities.
     "Are you in Sloansville on buisness?" questioned Griffin.
     "Mercenary buisness you mean," said Duncan lowering his voice.
"No, I'm retired, been out for a while now."
     "Yet you still look the same," observed Kermit.
     "What can I say," said Duncan sarcastically," good skin runs 
in my family."
     "That's for sure," said Jody Powell, hearing the last part of their
conversation, "Kermit, where are you manners?  Aren't you going to 
introduce me to your friend?"
     "Don't you have some work to do?" growled Griffin.
     "Duncan MacLeod," said Duncan amusedly, extending his hand.
     "Detective Jody Powell," she said, embracing it.  "It's a good
thing Broderick has the day off, you might not've got past the front 
desk," she said, making conversation, then left to do some paper work.
     "Broderick?" questioned MacLeod when  Jody left.
     "Sgt. John Broderick," saide Kermit,"governs the front desk with
an iron hand."
     "Wouldn't happen to be related to our old pal Broderick, would 
he?"inquired MacLeod
    "I could tell you, but I'd have to kill you.  So," Griffin said,
changing the subject," what brings you here?"
     "Well," said Duncan," I'm in Sloansville on personal buisness,
and thought I'd visit an old friend of mine, Kwai Chang Caine.  
Didn't know I'd find you here too."
     "You know Caine?" questioned Kermit.
     "We go way back," sid Duncan, and indeed they did.  Duncan 
MacLeod had first met Kwai Chang Caine when Caine was a child.  Duncan
Had been well over 300 years at the time, but being immortal, he 
appeared the same age throughout time.  MacLeod went way back with the
Caine family; he had known the first Kwai Chang Caine, and made a 
promise to him.  A promise he kept to this day, to watch over Kwai
Chang's descendents.  Duncan vividly remembered the first time he met 
"little Kwai Chang."  He had been in China visiting fellow immortal
Mei Ling Chin when he decided to pay a visit to Matthew Caine at a 
Shaolin temple.  Kwai Chang had been very smart, even at such a young
age, and Duncan had taken to him at once.  They were fast friends, 
despite the cultural and age differences.  MacLeod had watched Caine
grow up, and was immensely proud of him.

     "You know where I can find Caine?" questioned MacLeod, breaking 
away from his thoughts.
     "Yeah," said Kermit," do you want me to take you there?"  When 
MacLeod nodded in affirmation, Kermit continued.  
"To the Kermitmobile."

When MacLeod and Griffin were in the hall outside of Caine's apartment, Duncan signaled Kermit to be silent. He had felt the presence of another immortal. Kermit hadn't heard anything, but knew from experience that MacLeod had excellent senses. He slowly unholstered his Desert Eagle and remained silent. Meanwhile, MacLeod was trying to contact Caine on the psychic plane.

Duncan? said Caine into MacLeod's mind, is that you my friend?

Yes, Kwai Chang, said Duncan There is someone in there with you...someone like me.

Yes,said Caine,though I am not immortal, I sense the presence of evil. Wait until they attack, and then come in. Peter is with me

NOW, Caine signaled to MacLeod.

"Now," whispered Duncan to Kermit. Kermit and Duncan burst through the door, the one with his gun unholstered, the other, his katana at the ready. At that same time, the shadowy figures leaped through the window. The immortal Duncan had sensed srew his own sword, and addressed MacLeod.
"I am not here for you," he said.
"If you're here for Caine, you're going to have to go through me," MacLeod said, walking towards the unknown immortal. "I am Duncan MacLeod of the ..." Duncan looked around him, not wanting to reveal his immortality to Kermit and Perer.
"Too many bystanders, Mr. MacLeod?" questioned the immortal's cohort, whom Duncan sensed to be a pre- immie, wryly.
"Er. Something like that."
"Another time then," said the immortal, "and as for you, Kwai Chang Caine, I will return."
"You'd better not," warned MacLeod.
They leapt out of the window. Kermit rushed to it, but the evil immortal and his minions were nowhere to be seen.
"Glad you could join the party," Peter remarked to Kermit and Duncan.
"Yeah, but we chased the other guests away," Kermit complained.
"That's okay," said Peter,"the were uninvited."
"Who are you?" questioned Peter to Duncan, "And why do you have a sword?"
"Don't you remember son?" asked the elder Caine. "From the temple."
Peter closed his eyes, concentrating on times past. "A stranger came to the temle at death's door. Only he wasn't a stranger--you knew him," struggled Peter.
"Yes my son," encouraged Caine.
"You brought him in, but there appeared to be no hope for him. The next day, though, he wanted to work out with us and did... You should've died then," he directed that last part to Duncan.
"I did," said MacLeod. Maybe now was a good time to reveal his immortality afterall. "Kermit...shoot me."
"What?" exclaimed Griffin. "Did you say 'Shoot me'?"
"What part of shoot me don't you understand?" questions Duncan exasperatingly.
"In the arm?" queried Kermit hopefully. "Kermit..." MacLeod disarmed Griffin, not and easy task. He pointed the Desert Eagle to his chest. "Don't call an ambulance,"he added just before firing.
When MacLeod came to Kermit and Peter were hovering over him.
"Woah," remarked Peter,"is that some kind of trick?"
"You could call it...a kind of magic," grinned Duncan. Then turning more serious, "I thought that it was time to reveal my secret since," he turned to Peter,"one like me is after your father. I've found, over the years, that the easiest method to prove one's immortality is a demonstration."
"How old are you?" Peter inquired uneasily.
"It's easier to count time in centuries," said Mac cryptically.
"Always thought there was something strange about you." remarked Kermit. Little suprised Kermit, he tried to prepare himself for every possible situation. He just didn't include immortality on that list of situations. He was trying desperately not to let how unnerved he was to show. He was always calm, cool, and collected, and he dindn't want his image ruined!
"Connor says I was strange even when he met me, so I odn't think it's the years," Duncan laughed.
"Who's Connor," inquired Peter.
"Connor MacLeod," stated Duncan, "my clansman and teacher."
"Just how many of there are you?" Peter gasped.
"A lot," smiled Duncan, then he turned serious,"but there will be less and less until the time of the Gathering, then when only two remain- they will fight for the prize."
"I thought immortality meant you couldn't be killed!" Peter protested.
"There is only one way to kill and immortal," Duncan paused, "to cut off his head."
"Now there's a pleasant thought," remarked Kermit, then decided to tactfully change the topic, "So what's an immortal want with Caine?"
"Well, Pop?" Peter demanded.
"I..do not know," the elder Caine shrugged.
"Except for the fact that the dark forces are always after you," Peter sighed.
"Good and evil must always meet. The Light cannot exist without the dark," expalined Caine. He turned to MacLeod. "Duncan, there is someone that perhaps you should get reaquainted with."
"Who?" asked MacLeod, his curiousity piqued.
"You will kwno him when you see him," assured Caine.
"Never a straight answer," commisserated Peter. "Has he alwayts talked in riddles, Duncan?"
Duncan nodded. "Even as a child, I couldn't make heads or tails out of him," he grinned . "Matthew was a little easier. But his father was even worse than yours!" Duncan clapped Caine on the back to let him know he was only kidding.
"Just how old are you?" gasped Peter. "Nevermind, I don't htink I want to know... So Pop, where are we going?"
Peter had his answer when they arrived at the Ancient's, LoSi's, apartment. They walked up the stairs and knocked on the door before entering.
"Lao Tse, you old goat!" exclaimed Duncan upon seeing the Ancient. "Ye're still alive?" Duncan was regressing to his Scottish brogue as he had met "Lo Si" before he even knew he was immortal. He had seen Lao Tse through his many incarnations, including Lo Tsu, Han Li, and Ping Hai. The Ancient wasn't exactly immortal, he just had an unusually long lifespan. Duncan suspected he was one of the "Ancient Ones" Connor had whispered about, but he had know way to know for sure.


TO BE CONTINUED...