POWELL - I heard he pumped iron a lot. There's a lot of designer steroids that--

RICHIE - --of any kind! He didn't buy that "If you're not on steroids you can't compete" crap.

POWELL - Yeah, yeah . . . and he helped poor blind folks across the street. Wait -- don't tell me -- he used to hang out at the Christian Science Reading Room.

RICHIE - You really are a--

MacLEOD - [quickly] From what I hear, Sergeant, Gary wasn't exactly a saint, but if Richie says he was clean, then I believe him.

POWELL - You can believe in the tooth fairy, pal. I got a memory like an elephant -- Gary Correll hung around with a bunch of scumbag bikers. He had a list of misdemeanors it'd take you till next Tuesday to plow through. [to Richie] When was the last time you saw him?

RICHIE - About six months ago, maybe longer.

POWELL - A lot can happen in six months.

MacLEOD - People do change, Richie.

RICHIE - [piercing MacLeod with a stare] Yeah? Well, you didn't know Gary at all, did you? [turning to Powell] I want to see him.

POWELL - What for?

RICHIE - He was my friend. Isn't that enough?

[Powell deliberates for a moment . . . then shrugs an okay.]
 

[The white sleeve of a flowing robe CUTS ACROSS CAMERA revealing the lined face of an aged Chinese man -- THE HERBALIST -- as he raises his arms in greeting.]

HERBALIST - You honor my humble dwelling.

[MacLeod -- a younger, "teenage" Immortal -- and his friend, KIEM SUN, a handsome Chinese Immortal, stand before the Herbalist's hut.]

SUN - Your reputation reached us in the Khingan Mountains to the North.

HERBALIST - Then you have traveled long and hard. Let me quench your thirst.

[The Herbalist bows slightly, disappears into the hut. MacLeod surveys the hut with a critical eye.]

MacLEOD - An herbalist of such renown should live in a handsome house. I hope this wasn't a wasted journey.

SUN - We have an eternity of days, MacLeod. We can afford to waste a few. I ride with you because you are an entertaining fellow -- the only one of our kind I ever trusted in six hundred years -- but there are times when you are such a doubting Thomas.

MacLEOD - All great ideas begin with someone having the courage to doubt.

SUN - And then having the courage to take that idea and light up the world with it. But you -- you sit on that Immortal backside of yours -- swilling sake -- and watch humanity grope in the darkness.

MacLEOD - [grinning] I like sake . . . But I don't like this notion we should interfere in mankind's progress.

SUN - Why not? We Immortals could make this planet a paradise.

MacLEOD - And all humanity has to do, in return, is give up its freedom. Doesn't sound like paradise to me. Let mankind be; they prefer it that way. Our business is the Gathering.

[The Herbalist comes out of the hut with two wooden goblets and a hunk of bread on a tray. As they eat and drink:]

HERBALIST - Here is bread and water.

MacLEOD - Many thanks. It's a pity a man of your talents has to live so meagerly.

HERBALIST - Did you journey here for guidance, or for a lavish banquet.

SUN - Forgive my friend; he is very young and very skeptical. It is said you have a knowledge of medicine greater than any man alive. We have come to learn.

HERBALIST - And what would you do with this knowledge? Use it for riches, for personal fame?

SUN - No, sir. We seek only to make the world a happier place.

HERBALIST - An untroubled world is a noble goal . . . And I have achieved it, right here. Come . . .

[The Herbalist leads them past the hut and points to where--]

[In the distance, PEASANTS are plowing and tilling. SEVERAL HUGE BOULDERS litter the field.]

HERBALIST - [off screen] All this land was once barren. The people were starving.

HERBALIST - Meanwhile, the local Warlords grew fat on . . . [a sidelong glance at MacLeod] Lavish banquets. Now everyone is equal; they all work side by side in peace and harmony.

MacLEOD - [pointing] Kiem Sun, look!

[TWO PEASANTS clear a path for the plow by lifting two huge boulders and casting them aside.]

MacLEOD - That's impossible! No man could lift such a weight. This must be sorcery!

SUN - [to Herbalist] As I said, my friend is very young--

MacLEOD - [aside to Kiem Sun] I'm a hundred years old.

SUN - --and very foolish. [to Herbalist] How did you work such a miracle?

HERBALIST - Kwanlo root . . . more precious than gold; an ounce would ransom an Emperor. It takes a lifetime to ferment . . . [smiling enigmatically] . . . then mixed with certain herbs from my garden . . . the potion produces remarkable results.

SUN - Remarkable indeed -- complete obedience and miraculous strength -- with such a potion . . . [to the Herbalist] Sir, give me the formula and I will use it well, I swear.

HERBALIST - I cannot be sure of that . . . So I will give you the ingredients of the potion, but not the formula.

MacLEOD - What use is that?

HERBALIST - If he has the determination to succed, he will discover the formula. [back to Kiem Sun] But live long, my friend, or you will be dust before the Kwanlo root's fermentation is complete.

[Kiem Sun looks at MacLeod . . . and they suddenly both burst out laughing.]

SUN - I will never become dust, old man.

MacLEOD - Unless you lose your head.

[Kiem Sun draws his sword -- so does MacLeod. They cross them in an oath.]

MacLEOD - And I pledge that will not happen. As long as you are right.

SUN - Thank you, MacLeod.

[And as they sheath their swords, still laughing, CLOSE IN on MacLeod's sword as we--

 
POWELL - And some kinda root.

MacLEOD - Root?

POWELL - Yeah, the M.E.'s never come across anything like it before. But he's working on it . . .
 

 
POWELL - Not a particularly pleasant way to go. And lemme tell you, whatever it was is out there on the streets right now. If this becomes the flavor of the month, we're in for a rough time.

MacLEOD - That's very true . . . from what you tell me. Well, thank you for your time, Sergeant.

POWELL - Hey, MacLeod. Why you so interested in all of this?

MacLEOD - [not stopping] Like I told you, Gary Correll was Richie's friend.
 

 
ANGIE - [teasing him] Why, they wanted a pet?

RICHIE - I haven't quite got that figured yet, but it's great. I mean, man, I really landed on my feet.
 

 
[There's an uncomfortable beat between them.]

RICHIE - When did you two start seeing each other?

ANGIE - After you split, for a few months. It was nothing like . . . The only time he wanted to be with me was in the sack. Rest of the time, we hung out with this bunch of lowlife bikers. I finally said to myself, "Girl, if you don't make some changes in your life, you're gonna end up a thirty year old biker groupie." Sent shivers down my spine.
 

[Angie and Richie emerge into the sunlight.]

ANGIE - That's forty-nine you owe me.

RICHIE - You should've stayed out of it. I was doin' great till you walked in.

ANGIE - Sure you were. They were spillin' their guts all over the sidewalk. Nobody does anything for nothing in this part of town . . . Come to think of it, in any part of town. Montgomery and Ninth.

RICHIE - Okay, I'll take it from here.

ANGIE - Like hell you will. You're hopeless. You don't know it, but you weren't gonna get out of there with your nose in place.

RICHIE - That's crazy. They were just having some fun.

ANGIE - Uh-uh . . . the fun hadn't even started. [hopping on her bike] Montgomery and Ninth. [revving up] Let's go.

[Richie shrugs and hops on.]