[MacLeod moves down the foggy street. He's scowling, in a black mood. Some distance behind him -- MASSANET, The Watcher from the docks, is tailing him. ON MACLEOD as he pauses at a corner, seeming unsure which way to turn. There's a public phone box there -- he turns down a street, continues on. A moment later Massanet comes into view. He pauses at the corner too -- but he can't see MacLeod. He hurries a few paces ahead, scanning the streets -- but there's no sign of MacLeod. He's lost him.]

MASSANET - Merde.

[He hurries back to the phone box, lifts the receiver. As he starts to dial -- a HAND clamps down on the receiver, killing the line.]

MacLEOD - (O.S.) Sorry. It's out of order.

[As the startled Massanet tries to turn -- MACLEOD yanks the receiver from his hand, loops the heavy phone cord around his neck, and pulls, holds it just tight enough for Massanet to breath with difficulty.]

MacLEOD - There's an immortal named Sean Burns. Is he still living here?

[He loosens the cord a notch so Massanet can speak.]

MASSANET - [shakes his head, manages to gasp] You're crazy! I don't know who you're talking about!

[MacLeod's free hand grabs Massanet's wrist, twists his arm up so the TATTOO is in plain view.]

MacLEOD - I know you're a Watcher. [beat] The next lie's your last. [He twists the cord.]

MASSANET - [gags, manages to gasp] Please... I have a family. Children...

MacLEOD - Then tell me what I want to know. If you don't, I won't kill you... I'll kill them. [off Massanet's startled face] Believe it.

[Massanet sees his face -- he believes it. He nods weakly.]

MacLEOD - Sean Burns.

MASSANET - He's at his Chateau... out in the country... Val D'Air.

[MacLeod nods, accepts the answer -- but he doesn't release Massanet. His face hardens with cruelty -- he could crush this little mortal like a bug. Massanet sees the look, understands his danger. As MacLeod's hand tightens on the cord--]

MASSANET - Please... I told the truth!

[BEAT. MacLeod gets hold of himself. He stops twisting.]

MacLEOD - [beat] You know who Joe Dawson is.

[It's more a statement than a question. Massanet looks panicked, not knowing which answer might mean his death. He decides on the truth. He nods.]

MacLEOD - Good. It's all that's going to keep you alive tonight. [releases the cord, grabs Massanet by the hair, lifts his head up so their eyes meet] You're going to tell my "friend" Dawson that I know who you are. I know what to look for. The next Watcher he sends after me dies. [beat] And then I'll come for him. [beat] Make sure he knows that.

[Massanet nods, terrified. MacLeod shoves him away, and the Watcher stumbles away. OFF MacLeod's face--]
 

 
DOMINIQUE - It's the least I can do. [She eyes her dinner table.] Why don't you just stay for dinner.

MacLEOD - I don't think so.

DOMINIQUE - If Robert were here, I'm sure he'd insist.

MacLEOD - Then, yes, I'd like to. [beat] If I could just wash up a little.

DOMINIQUE - It's right over there, Mr. MacLeod.

[She points to the doorway of a bathroom. As MacLeod passes by her he offers her his gentlest smile.]

MacLEOD - Please, call me Duncan.
 

 
MacLEOD - If I had a wife as beautiful as you, I'd never leave home.

DOMINIQUE - [touching her hair] I'm not so beautiful, Mr. MacLeod. [off his look] Duncan.
 

[CLOSE ON DOMINIQUE'S FACE as she lies on her side, turned outward, a sheet wrapped around her. She's tousled, pale, eyes wide, in a sort of shock.]

[MACLEOD finishes putting on his clothes and sits on the bed beside her. The mask of charm is gone, replaced by a chilling brutality.]

MacLEOD - [a harsh laugh] Should I come back tonight?

[Dominique shakes her head. She gets up, slips on a robe, and moves--]
 

[Methos double-clutches around a corner, looks in the mirror -- sees they're not being followed. He pulls over and glances beside him -- MacLeod slumped there, holding his chest, shallow breathing, on the verge of death.]

METHOS - Looks like I was just in time.

[MacLeod looks at him. He opens his mouth to say something... then dies. Methos looks at him a BEAT.]

METHOS - There's timing... [beat] And then there's timing. [He puts it in gear.]

[And OFF MacLeod, lying dead as the car pulls away--]
 

 METHOS - Feeling better, are we?
 

 
[MacLeod looks at him. A crafty, unpleasant smile creeps over his face.]

MacLEOD - Why the hell did you come?

METHOS - To help you.

MacLEOD - I don't need help.

[Methos eyes MacLeod -- the blood, the haggard look.]

METHOS - Tried looking in a mirror lately?
 

 
[He starts to turn back to the girl. MacLeod leans into the window, grabs him by the collar and twists hard.]

MacLEOD - [with a smile] I take.

[He opens the door and hauls the Driver out, shoves him stumbling out of the way.]

MacLEOD - All leather... fine wood grain... turbocharged. [leering at the Girlfriend] All the accessories. Nice.

[As the furious Driver regains his feet, starts to come back at MacLeod -- Methos arrives, holds the Driver back.]

METHOS - No! Just give him what he wants! [off the guy's look] Please, just do it!

[The Girlfriend sees MacLeod's look -- she scrambles from the car.]

DRIVER - Like hell.

[MacLeod starts to get in -- it's too much for the Driver. He grabs MacLeod, tries to haul him back--]

METHOS - No!

[Too late. MacLeod turns, hammers him two or three times. The Driver staggers back, eyes rolling up in his head. Methos catches him, lets him down. As the Girl screams and runs to her injured boyfriend -- MacLeod slides into the car and starts it. METHOS straightens from the moaning Driver. Pissed, he moves toward the car, tries to block it.]

METHOS - MacLeod!

[MACLEOD, seeing Methos directly before him through the windshield. He floors it, heads straight for Methos.]

[ON METHOS reacting, as the speeding car closes in.]

METHOS - Oops. [He tries to dodge -- too late.]

[WIDER -- A THUD as Methos is struck, rolls up and off the hood, and tumbles along the road on the wake of the car.]

[FOLLOWING THE CAR as MacLeod revs the beast to the redline, fishtails away down the road.]

[RESUME METHOS -- He lies there for a moment, dead or badly injured. After a moment he picks himself up, sees the stunned couple staring at him. What can he say? He shrugs. They look blankly from Methos, back to the rapidly disappearing car.]

METHOS - Hope you're insured.
 

 
METHOS - [comes right to the point] What did you and MacLeod talk about?

MASSANET - [defensive] We didn't. It's all in my report. I lost him after he left the ship.

METHOS - I don't have time for you to lie to me, Claude. [Methos lays it out as if he was speaking to a fifth grader.] You spoke to MacLeod. He knows you're a Watcher.
 

 
MASSANET - [surprised] There really is such a thing?

METHOS - Yes. [beat] Whatever you tell me stays with me. My word no one will ever know.

MASSANET - [pained] He threatened to kill my children. [beat] He asked me about Sean Burns.

METHOS - [moving to his car] Thanks...

MASSANET - [grabs Methos' arm] You can't go after him. He knows who we are... what to look for. He'll kill you.

METHOS - [wry smile] I'm tougher than I look. [gets in his car and races off]
 

 
BURNS - It must be hell out there.

MacLEOD - [remembering] The bombs fall like rain. The earth shakes, the bullets never stop. There's no honor, no glory... just frightened boys, throwing their bodies against steel tanks and machine guns. [bitter] It's madness.
 

 
BURNS - Him... Adler and Jung, the others in Vienna. Young mortals with great ideas, MacLeod. They'll do great things.

MacLEOD - Maybe. After this is over.
 

 
METHOS - I've been around for five thousand years. I might be able to handle it.

MacLEOD - You don't really believe that.
 

 
[He approaches. Methos backs up, warily tracking him.]

METHOS - Maybe it's worth it to stop you.

MacLEOD - You think so?
 

[CLOSE - A TABLE, as a DUST COVER is pulled off, revealing the few articles that MacLeod has left here. WIDER, as a silent MacLeod stares at them, with no sense of attachment. He looks around lost, seeing through a stranger's eyes. He moves around the barge; touches an item here, an item there -- finally the sculpture of Tessa's. He looks lost, a stranger in this tiny place that has seen so much of his happiness -- he can't connect to it. Finally he lifts a small framed PHOTO of him, Richie and Tessa from happier days.]

[BRIEF FLASHES of scenes in the barge: (NOTE: CLIPS FROM PREVIOUSLY AIRED SHOWS, TBD)]

[We see FLASHES of MacLeod with Tessa, Richie, Fitzcairn... But they do nothing for MacLeod, only remind him of what he's not.]

[RESUME SCENE as MacLeod drops the photo on the table.]

MacLEOD - There's nothing. [He turns, explodes in frustrated rage. Picks up a heavy LAMP, and smashes it against a wall.] Nothing.... NOTHING!

[He flips over a table, throws it -- a raging freight train, destroying the place. He turns and looks toward his bed and sees--]

[MACLEOD'S POV -- Dominique in her nightgown in the arms of the Evil MacLeod. Her head is at an unnatural angle. A thin line of blood exits her mouth. She is dead. MACLEOD shakes his head. His eyes clear -- the bed is empty. With a silent scream on his lips, he runs from the barge.]
 

 
BURNS - The truth is you can't protect everyone. It's impossible.

MacLEOD - [wry] So what's your diagnosis, Doctor?

BURNS - That you're beating the crap out of yourself for things you have no control over... Doing a damn good job of it, too. [a smile]
 

[MacLeod is still on his knees. He feels a BUZZ, raises his eyes to the altar before him -- there's a REFLECTION, unrecognizable, in a cross: another Immortal approaching from behind him.]

[CLOSE - FOOTSTEPS approaching slowly.]

[MACLEOD doesn't rise. Doesn't turn. Maybe this is an answer to his prayers. The Immortal moves closer, is behind him. MacLeod steels himself. He closes his eyes.]

MacLEOD - Do it.

[A BEAT, then--]

METHOS - Sorry. Not today. [beat] Holy ground.

[MacLeod stands, turns to face him. Methos stands there, looking contained, wary after their last meeting. Trying to judge MacLeod's state.]
 

 
METHOS - [MacLeod hesitates.] Come with me! [beat] Sean can only do so much. The rest is up to you.
 

 
MacLEOD - I've no right...

METHOS - Who has more right?

[Slowly, hesitating, MacLeod reaches out and takes it. As he holds it up--]

METHOS - [relieved] Good. I had a helluva time convincing the woman who had it to give it to me.

[He hoists the rappelling gear onto his shoulder and starts to move through the underbrush. MacLeod follows. Methos stops at a mound and begins to clear the brush away.]

MacLEOD - There's nothing out here.

METHOS - Not out here. [pointing to a hole in the earth] Down there.
 

 
EVIL MacLEOD - You can't drive me out. We're one. [beat] I know your thoughts.

MacLEOD - Then you know who I am. [beat] Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod.

[Raising the Claymore, he attacks, drives the evil doppleganger back. The Evil MacLeod is no match for this.]
 

 
METHOS - Tell me about it.
 

 
METHOS - Well, I'd love to chat, but Alexa's waiting for me in Athens. [teasing] You kids be good, now.

[As he turns to go, MacLeod puts a hand on his arm. A shared moment.]

MacLEOD - Thanks.

METHOS - No problem.