??????????? Methos had once again reverted to a nocturnal lifestyle in Sin City:? sleep during the day, when the heat of the desert was too much for the attire needed to conceal swords, and only ventured out once the sun went down.? But in Las Vegas, much of the population did the same thing, businesses only opening when the heat dissipated.? It worked out well for the old Immortal.
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He had asked Jere, when they had last met, to meet with him again in a week?s time; giving Methos time to see if he could find anything on this Shamair woman.? Unfortunately, Methos could only find tiny snippets of the woman through the Watcher database, the Chronicles of Shamair ending in the Roman Empire.? There were no cross-references, no aliases recorded, nothing more to go on.?

But Methos and Jere agreed to meet once again on Holy ground, a Buddhist temple situated right on the Vegas strip, and Methos would be there to give the Lakota warrior what little he had found.? The Ancient Immortal prepared to leave his hotel room, his falcatas sheathed and harnessed onto his back, boot knives hidden away, stiletto knife and nine millimeter handgun in their respective sheathes in his leather trench.?

He shrugged into his coat, settling it across his shoulders, distributing the weight.? Just because he was meeting a friend, didn't mean he wouldn't run into someone not so friendly before or after. Closing his hotel door behind him, he made his way down to the lobby of the Bellagio, nodding to the few employees who recognized ?Devdan Yutrah?.?

They didn't bat an eyelash at his attire, which consisted of black jeans, black tee and his omnipresent leather trench; they were used to the wealthy man?s eccentricities.? As he passed the entrance, his roving gaze caught a headline in that day?s Las Vegas Sun, and it stopped him cold.? Methos shoved a coin into the machine and ripped the little door open, grabbing a copy.?

It couldn't be? the President and owner of Keyes International presumed dead?
Thoughts swirled through his mind as he walked down the Strip on auto pilot.? Could the story be true?? The reporter stated that the flight itinerary of his private jet showed he was flying into Iraq, but not flying out, and no one had heard from Keyes for nearly two months.?

The story, however, didn't mention anything about a passenger on that plane, no mention of a wife.? Maybe Nova wasn't with him on that flight. Methos arrived at the temple before Jere, if the lack of Immortal Presence was any indication.? He toed off his boots, greeted a passing monk with a bow, and settled in to wait for his former student.

?
Jere had been viewing the rather ... Macabre sights on hand at the Madame Tussaud's Las Vegas at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino. It featured six highly themed environments showcasing more than 100 specially crafted wax figures of some of the most popular film, television, music and sports celebrities, as well as legendary Las Vegas icons.

Jere felt a tad bit of unease on how life-like most of the figures appeared, often stopping more than once to make certain. (m) "And they actually charge people to look at these? Incredible." Granted each wax figure had a history behind it/them, which Jere would call into question. There was one thing about writing and recording history, and historical moments. It was another to have actually been witness to them.

A glance at the time would have the former Indian warrior taking his leave from the museum to be in time for an encounter of another sort. Methos had sent word that he wished to speak with him once again at the temple, and Jere was curious as to what the topic would be. Perhaps Methos uncovered something else pertaining to Shamair?

Weaving in and out of the people surrounding him, his tan trench fluidly flowing about his lithe figure, while shielding any potential prying eyes of what lied within, that which was held fast by a special harness. His choice of attire had always leaned more towards the more casual modern look, loose fitting clothing that allowed equal movement in kind, earth tone in color.

He had not even reached the door of the temple, when he sensed a presence. Removing his sandals before stepping inside, Jere offered greetings to those within, before spotting a lone figure that sort of stood out himself. The always neutral expression he maintained was replaced with a wide grin on those dusky features, as the immortal clasped the forearm of the Methos in greeting.

"How is it, that so many years can pass between us, our paths never crossing once, but here within Vegas ... Is this a social call, old friend?" He took a step or two away from the elder immortal, while removing his trench, placing it on a bench close by.

?If this is true, this is an interesting turn of events,? Methos handed Jere the newspaper.? On the front page of the business section, was the headline, ?Business Mogul Presumed Dead? and below that, a relatively recent photo of Jackson Keyes in an obviously expensive suit, giving a smirking smile to someone off camera.

An eyebrow arch, for Jere recalled the name, not from personal experience, but from the mouth and words of his former student Alexander. "Iraq? Presumed dead?? Could this be a ruse, to draw out his enemies?" Jere was not sure what to make of this, and why Methos was bringing it to his attention. Wait. The Immortal he had met several months ago when he first arrived in Las Vegas, searching for Alexander. "Isn't he the one that married that woman Nova?"

?No.? Keyes wouldn't use this kind of subterfuge.? If he?s been M.I.A. for two months, then there?s a possibility that Nova just became a hell of a lot more powerful in the Game.?? Gods below, Methos thought, she really could have done it too, given all her training.? Then again, this could have been a freak accident, and they both could be dead in Iraq.? And he wouldn't know, until some faceless Watcher wrote the final report, and Methos snarled at the very thought of that.

This was a side of Methos that Jere had never witness before, during all their years as friends. Then it dawned upon him. This was the same woman that *Dev* had inquired about with Alexander in Morocco, with somewhat painful results. Jere arched an eyebrow at Methos? reaction.?

?If this is true, then it appears that our female counterparts are less content to being part of the background it seems.? It goes without say that you have given this?? and he pointed to the newspaper, ?some thought already.? Another Immortal perhaps?? One concerned with the paired of the two?? My friend, you know I respect your privacy, as well your own personal affairs. But I have also noticed a look within your eyes, a change in your demeanor when the woman is mentioned, and now you present this newspaper to me, with the name of the man who she has been with?"

?There has to be a thread of truth in this news story.? The Sun?s a reputable paper.? What in the gods? names was Keyes doing?. ?? Methos paused, thinking it through.? ?Lot of money to be made from the war? importing, exporting...? Methos glanced at his friend as he folded the paper and stuck it in his coat pocket, shrugging. ?And the only Immortal ?concerned? with the pairing is me.?

?Methos, this seems to be bothering you to the point that you're not even hiding it.? Is there more to this??? Jere decided that it was time to get some answers. Methos turned his back to Jere, focusing his attention on one of the burning candles.? He sucked in a breath, as if he could physically draw in the calm spirit of the temple.? Did he want to spill the last eighty years of his life to the Lakota man?? But what did it really matter?? That chapter of his life was dead, never to be resurrected.

?Nova and I met in the 1920?s.? Methos paused.? ?Got married.? Survived World War II? the sixties? my family ? everything.? For eighty years.?? Methos spoke in a flat, unemotional voice, his narrative clipped.? ?2004.? Nova finds this Immortal.? Brings him home.? Weird shit starts to happen... lust?love.? Lies.? Keyes pits Nova against me, telling her one thing, myself another.? Nova and I leave, but the damage had been done? we couldn't trust each other.? I couldn't trust her. ?I left her two years ago, and I found out that Nova and Keyes have been married for two months.? About the same amount of time that Keyes has been missing.?

Jere only gave a small nod.? What was he supposed to say?? He understood?? Jere had never seen Methos appear so ... Tightly wound. For a man to have lived as long as he had, for this to remain inside him like this? He could not fathom the long term effect. He would instead wait until Methos was finished speaking before approaching him, placing a hand upon the immortal's shoulder, looking him squarely in the eyes. "Methos. You are more like a brother to me than my own family. And as we performed that ritual, becoming blood brothers so many years ago, I remind you of that now."

Methos stayed silent, only reminded of the fact that Keyes had called him brother as well.? Jere did not push the topic further, instead taking it as a reminder than even Immortals were still

....Human, when it came to certain things.