FRANCOIS - How come you don't have to wear a mask?

XAVIER - I'm immune. That's why I use this stuff. It's all in the genes.
 

 
[Xavier takes one briefcase. Francois hurries into the manager's office with the other. Xavier crosses to Nathalie's lifeless body, kneels, runs a hand over the dead girl's face as he thinks of what might have been. He finds a key hanging on a thin chain from her neck. He yanks at the chain and is about to stand when he notices Nathalie's diamond bracelet. He removes the bracelet and examines the gems as he gets to his feet. He suddenly casts it aside.]

XAVIER - Fakes -- you can't trust anyone these days.

[He uses Nathalie's key to open the display cases, humming as he crams rings, watches, etc. in the valise. A dead employee is crumpled over one of the display cases. Xavier nonchalangly casts the body aside.]

[Francois darts out of the office with a bulging valise. Xavier steals the contents of the last case. Francois approaches Xavier.]
 

 
GIRL - Then maybe I should date her ex-boyfriend. See what she thinks of that . . .

DARIUS - Are you attracted to him?

GIRL - No, he's ugly and has hair growing out of his ears.

DARIUS - [with wry humor] That's an awful penance to pay to get back at your mother. [beat; off no response] Look at it this way. In your life you'll have lots of ex-boyfriends, but you'll only have one mother.

[The Young Girl ponders Darius' words for a moment, then responds.]

GIRL - Thank you, Father.
 

 
XAVIER - [as a joke] I think I left them in my other pants . . . [beat] You never did have a sense of humor . . . Well, I must be going. I have so much to do.

[Xavier leaves the confessional, his briefcases full of stolen goods in hand.]
 

[Spartanly furnished, but lined with bookshelves. Darius is clearly disturbed by his encounter with Xavier. MacLeod enters.]

MacLEOD - Where's the chess board?
 

 
LeBRUN - [enters] Father Darius? I was told I might . . . [as he spots MacLeod] MacLeod, what are you doing here?

MacLEOD - Talking to an old friend. [beat] Father Darius . . . Inspector LeBrun of the Paris Police.
 

 
LeBRUN - I beg you, father . . . talk to me. Help me . . .

[Darius can only shrug. LeBrun starts to go, then turns.]

LeBRUN - This is on your head.

[Darius looks to MacLeod after LeBrun leaves.]

DARIUS - I think I need a drink.

[Darius moves to a counter. MacLeod's eyes fall on a simple cross . . .]
 

[THE CROSS on the side of an ambulance as it moves among the hastily constructed tents and assorted army vehicles of a relief station. An EXPLOSION of an ARTILLERY SHELL forces the ambulance off the road.

Two men exit, one is MacLeod, the other is STAN -- a private. The two men are thrown off balance by another explosion.]

STAN - [yells over his shoulder] This is the infirmary, you bastards! The war's over there!! [turning to MacLeod] Don't you wish you had a gun sometimes?

MacLEOD - No . . . I've had my share of killing. Driving an ambulance is fine with me.

[Distant EXPLOSIONS continue as Macleod and Stan dive for cover. Meanwhile, ANOTHER SHELL lands nearby, raining dirt on the entire area.]

STAN - I dunno 'bout you but I need a smoke.

[Stan lights up. They sit on a couple of crates just as a HUGE ARMORED VEHICLE thunders by, stopping 30 yards away, outside a tent with a sign declaring, 115TH BATTALION QUARTERMASTER.]

MacLEOD - It's pay day.

STAN - It's a joke, Mac -- a sadistic joke. Every week, they give us our wages and they know damn well there's nothing in this filthy mud-hole to spend 'em on.
 

[MacLeod turns to Darius, who is pouring the wine. MacLeod looks to Darius' eyes.]

MacLEOD - It's Xavier, isn't it?

[As Darius returns his glare . . .]
 

 
DALOU - And we had four hours to bring it off before the troop train passed to the front.

[MacLeod realizes that Dalou's memory is selective about events that transpired fifty years ago. He is gentle with his old friend.]

MacLEOD - It was a munitions train bound for Paris.
 

 
MacLEOD - Who was behind it?

DALOU - If I knew, he'd be dead . . .
 

[Tessa is working at her computer when an offstage voice catches her attention.]

RICHIE - [offscreen] Anybody home?

TESSA - In here, Richie.

[Richie proudly enters with a tall, attractive 28-year-old brunette named RENEE DE TASSIGNY.]

RICHIE - I'd like to introduce you to . . .
 

 
RICHIE - You guys are friends . . . That's great. [beat] We're going for lunch. Want to come along?
 

 
ANNE - I'm afraid I don't know much except a first name. Xavier. [MacLeod reacts to the name.] He didn't tell Francois much. Francois told me even less.

MacLEOD - Madame Bertrand, I didn't know your son, but this man killed a friend of mine. Anything you can remember -- anything.
 

 
MacLEOD - Did you tell this to LeBrun?

ANNE - No . . . all his life the police persecuted my son. I tell them nothing.
 

 
MacLEOD - Tell him what exactly? That I think I met Xavier in 1917, but he was wearing a gas mask and I can't be sure? [grim smile] How does that help the police?
 

 
RICHIE - No . . . [beat] It's gotta be . . . She just said she'd been married . . . As in ancient history. [begins pacing] She's married. [then] Not that it matters, right? When two people are . . . really tight. [beat] It's gonna be tough on her husband when she tells him.

MacLEOD - Richie . . . Aren't you moving a little fast?

RICHIE - [beat] It was totally out of our control. I saw her, she saw me and the rest was history.

MacLEOD - Sometimes when you first meet someone, there's an attraction. But . . .

RICHIE - [interrupting] It's not what you think, Mac. This is the real thing. [beat] I just feel sorry for her old man.

[Richie contemplates this for a moment, then sees the bemused expression on MacLeod's face.]

RICHIE - What?

[Duncan starts to say something, changes his mind, and manages a little smile.]
 

 
RICHIE - I made this big speech to Renee last night. I thought I broke her heart. Then I saw her leave with her husband after the show. She was laughing. [beat] I never really meant anything to her, did I?