9

Chapter 4 - Scoping Out Radar

Amanda's attitude toward Walter had softened considerably. She was literally tucking him in.

"Uh, Amanda? You don't really have to go and do this."

She smiled.

"Walter, of course I do! It bugs the hell out of Duncan when I act out of character. Plus, Methos and I owe you for not squealing about the gag."

"Hey, I'm no stoolie. Could ya send Methos back in? I got somethin' ta ask him bout'."

She did as she was asked, and left when Methos arrived.

"I fear I know what this is about."

"You fear pretty correctly, Doc. Is what I heard about Colonel Potter riding with Kronos anywhere near true?"

Methos walked very lightly, feeling indebted to Walter after cavalierly dismissing his stories earlier.

"Walter, if I give you my word, backed up by you reminding Duncan that I have, that I will one day tell you of Potter and Kronos, and their World War One activities, will that be enough?"

"Yeah, I guess. Was he like you?"

"As I said, a tale for another day. But, your Colonel was a soldier, grimly performing an unwanted task. I was a barbarian, seated upon human skulls--and getting off on the pain of a woman who deserved far better."

An image of Cassandra flashed through Radar's mind, courtesy of his telepathy.

"Wow, she was sure beautiful. How could you act that way towards her?"

"How could I destroy her? It was frighteningly easy. I am a coward, and I rode with cowards."

Walter shook his head.

"I met Calvin Ixion--Kronos--Doc. He was a rough number, but he was no coward, uh-uh. He was ready to make me into thinly sliced Radar Loaf."

"Word of advice, Walter---it takes no courage to kill, and it only takes fear to act as I did. That fear drove me to take up Death's mantle, and to horribly mistreat Cassandra. Emulate Duncan. There is very little in my worldview of use to anyone else."

Dejected, The Oldest walked off. Once outside, he talked with the others about Walter, and the strange abilities which had left him so weak after their use against the insane Immortal David Keogh.

Duncan spoke first.

"The abilities are unreliable, and could eventually leave him vulnerable to attack. Added to the mix, they frighten him no end. I know they would scare me."

Connor, now.

"Sidney Freedman tried to tell me some of this before Horton and Xavier took his head. But you, kinsman, have Xavier's--and Sidney's Quickenings. Ramirez taught me a few tricks in that field. We might just be able to 'talk' with Sidney. But where the hell do abilities like that come from? Heh. Maybe we should change his name to 'Rayden' O'Reilly."

Joe Dawson now put in his two cents.

"I have a theory. But its pretty far out there."

Duncan gestured.

"Go on, Joe. I mean, this pretty much defines 'out there' situations."

Joe put down his head, and then looked at the Macleods.

"Okay. But let's not say I didn't warn you. I've recorded the dates in Walter's Watcher's Journal where his power seems to increase for no apparent reason. Sword ability, speed, grace, you name it. Now, mind you, he's never been a real contender. But on these dates he goes from nothing at all to mediocre. In terms of the game, that's a huge jump. Fact is, we have had to rotate Walter's people constantly. One reason is so that we can verify the things they've seen. Another is the hazards of the job."

Amanda nodded.

"People like Keogh, Korda, etc."

Joe shook his head.

"No. Actually, we've had three Watchers stepped on by Godzilla. Duncan, try to keep the kid out of Japan! Another reason is---well, The Watchers have always been fond of Walter. He's a nice little fella."

Methos brought things back.

"Dawson--theory?"

"Oh, yeah. Well--one of the most pronounced increases in Walter's power occurred after June, 1993. On or about the fifteenth."

Connor asked the obvious.

"Whose head did he take?"

"No one's. These increases just happen. A mild Quickening effect surrounds him, and then, next duel, he's better than ever. People---when Walter O'Reilly's power increases---there's no other Immortals around. My belief is that when an Immortal dies alone--Walter somehow gets that 'lost' Quickening. Remember, he was already born quite powerful, in terms of raw potential. You've all sensed it."

Duncan snapped his fingers.

"June, 93'. That was when Horton murdered Father Darius. My God! Walter holds all of the Lost within him. Darius is not destroyed."

Amanda felt a chill.

"Incredible. I mean, just how many of us have been lost in that manner? Even if Walter has a fraction of that power--he could walk up and TAKE the Prize."

While Methos pondered something, Joe elucidated further.

"Its hardly just him. The whole MASH 4077th crew is a veritable nexus of bizarre activity. Winchester's money helps fund both my group of Watchers and the Anti-Vampiric ones, out near LA. What Walter said about the Stephenses, Hunnicutts, and Pierces was dead-on. Of course, there's Freedman and Blake. We now know that Flagg was James Horton's mentor-in-hate. BJ Hunnicutt and Trapper John McIntyre used to play archaeologist with no less than Indy himself. Jack Scully's niece is an FBI Special Agent. Oh, and here's the kicker : If not for Father Mulcahy, Duncan, you and I might never have met openly."

"So give."

"Guess who sent Darius the Watcher Diary?"

Duncan's eyes went wide.

"You mean Francis sent Darius the book that started it all? The one that he later sent me?"

"In more ways than one. I now believe that it was that diary which caused my late, unlamented brother-in-law to move up his timetable against Darius. For that, I'm sorry, Mac. But it did presage our alliance. Bishop Mulcahy must have seen what was going on better than any of us other Watchers did, and acted to warn Darius before he himself died of old age. We know that his great-nephew, Sean O'Brien, hand-delivered a package to Darius in January of 90, barely a month after Mulcahy's death that Christmas Day. Poor guy. Senility started to creep in badly. One entry reads : 'Visited DS9 again; Benjamin and The Kai argued over a memorial to Jadzia, what else is new?' Weird stuff, Mac."

Duncan analyzed Joe's words.

"Joe! Those words were from his private journals!"

Dawson stood his ground, though.

"We look at such things, Mac. Remember? Secrecy? We even checked out who the Father of Anne Lindsey's baby is. Boy, talk about a small camp...."

Duncan was too disgusted to ask, but Amanda was not.

"Someone from the 4077th? Joe, why would you bother checking on Anne's private life?"

"Easy. Suppose the new Daddy had been a Horton remnant? What then? Another hostage scenario? Uh-uh? As to who he is---huh. Doctor John Francis Xavier McIntyre, soon to be retired Chief of Medicine at San Francisco General."

Methos finally voiced his concern.

"Same old Trapper. That aside, I at first wondered how O'Reilly survived a draw with Kronos. Now, seeing what he did to the vapid David Keogh, I must instead wonder how Kronos survived him. The kid could have just erased him."

Connor was quick to respond.

"Sidney said his control over those abilities will increase with a normal--for us, normal--training regimen. For now, though, its up to us to keep him out of the Game. Whoever gets his Quickening better be an angel, or we're all in pretty deep."

Duncan looked at the Barge.

"Sleep well, kid. Tomorrow, the heavy lifting begins--and you have to stop being Walter O'Reilly--forever."

But Walter did not sleep well. There had been many days that changed his life. But none would ever compare to the day he now dreamt of---that day in 1952 he was told what and who he truly was.