This episode continues the theme of James Horton’s obsession with the annihilation of Duncan MacLeod. Horton knows Tessa’s loss is a raw wound, yet unhealed. With malignant glee, he rips it open again by creating a false Tessa. His malicious plan is to torture Duncan’s emotions, alienate him from all he loves, and ultimately cause his death. The plan is working. MacLeod is torn apart. He knows he’s being fooled, but he can’t help himself—so strong was his passion for Tessa that he can’t bear to abandon the fantasy. Richie and Joe feel powerless to help him. He must play this one out himself. There are no new characters in this episode. Unless you count Alphonso, the car dealer. Recap (Previous Episode) The renegade Watcher, James Horton has vowed— Destruction and death— To Duncan MacLeod. Between Mac and Rich— He’s erected a fence. Now MacLeod feels he’s losing— His self-confidence. So far, Horton’s plan— Has worked out logistically. As the coup de grâce nears— He rejoices sadistically. He has surgically altered— An escaped sociopath, She’s the image of Tessa, Perfect tool for his wrath. The Cemetery At Pete Wilder’s graveside— Rich strongly objects— When he sees Mac has come— To pay his respects. He glowers at Mac— With a look unforgiving, “If you thought of him earlier, Pete still would be living.” Duncan’s lived by his instincts— For four hundred years. Are they failing him now? Overcome by dark fears— He seeks out the one— Who to him always gave— Love, wisdom, support. He turns toward Tessa’s grave. Her name, chiseled there, Clear, cold and precise— Brings back that night, When his blood turned to ice. He enfolded her body, Feeling warmth slowly fade. How he yearns to return— To the life they both made. “Oh, I miss you so!” With head bowed in grief— He pours out his soul, Seeking blessèd relief, As the mist swirls around him, Straining through tear-blurred eyes— There’s a figure...familiar— “Tess?” No one replies. A Bridge, Near the Barge “Someone’s accessed our files!” Dawson tells Rich and Mac, “I designed them with Horton, Impossible to hack. They have also obtained— Watchers’ money accounts, Transferring funds— In prodigious amounts.” Rich: “Horton is dead!” Mac: “There was no body!” Joe: “Maybe my aim— Was a little too shoddy.” Mac: “Horton’s alive! Now it all starts to fit, Horton used Pete— Then he ordered Pete hit!” Rich stalks away angry, “Pete’s dead! Let it go!” From afar, Horton gloats, “All the ducks in a row.” Mac observes Richie’s back, As he walks out of sight, If Horton’s behind this, They are in for a fight. A Car Dealership “The silver Aston-Martin,” Says Alphonso, “Oh, yes.” Mac: “The owner has moved, Can you get his address?” He looks up, in that moment... Outside, blonde hair streaming— Walks Tessa! HIS Tessa! Is she real? Is he dreaming? Mac’s bewildered, in shock— So, he’s no Lochinvar, He almost gets ‘Tessa’— Struck by a car. When he pulls her to safety— What does he do? Examines her wrists— For a Watcher tattoo. Lisa plays him expertly, Cool, aloof, hard-to-get. He: “Could we have lunch?” She: “Oh, no.” (Not yet) She is late, and she leaves him— Standing stunned in defeat. But he picks up the card— That she dropped in the street. As he watches her leave, He remembers the day— When he told Tess the truth, In a traumatic way. With no mortal woman, Had MacLeod ever shared— Immortality’s secrets. All the others, he spared. Flashback, Paris, 1983 He had placed Tessa’s hand— On the gun’s handle part, Then he pulled back the trigger, Shot himself in the heart! This way he was certain— She’d believe when he said— He could not age or die, Unless he lost his head. Yes, Tess was unique, She loved him so much, She would face any danger— For the warmth of his touch. He told her the price— She’d continue to pay. No children or family, And yet, she would stay. Her initial reaction— Wasn’t fear or chagrin— Or disgust. No...she sighed— “How lonely you’ve been!” Her eyes mirrored his, In each a teardrop. When he asked, “You still love me?” She: “How could I stop?” The Barge As Mac stares at snapshots— Of Tessa’s dear face— There’s a knock at his door, He returns them to place. He’d sent Lisa flowers, On the card—his address. Now she stands in his doorway, The image of Tess. “Can you change that lunch— To a dinner invite?” How can he refuse? ‘Tessa’s’ face is alight. As they walk to the car— Rich abruptly needs Mac, Rich wants to mend fences, Only seeing Lisa’s back. Then she turns...and her face— Jolts his core like a blow! Mac: “You really do look like— Someone we know.” Shrugging, “Later,” to Rich, Mac is “Sucker du Jour.” Lisa’s cold eyes pierce Richie’s He mumbles...”Yeah, sure.” Restaurant, Eiffel Tower The dinner’s delightful, They chat over wine, Lisa lies with such cunning, Duncan thinks she’s divine. But his mind is in flux, Thoughts of Tess flood his head, It is so very hard— To believe she is dead. The Barge, Next Morning Mac is whistling, he’s happy, Rich notes the huge difference. “Horton’s still out there— This is not all coincidence! You were right about Pete.” Mac will not deal with this. “This isn’t the same.” But, Rich knows that it is. A Park Rich fears that his friend— Is in serious trouble. Mac is flirting with danger, Falling for Tessa’s double. Rich seeks help from Joe, Maybe Dawson can fix it. But Horton will not— Allow Joe deep-six it. “Rich, MacLeod is too smart, This hoax, he’ll see through it.” “Joe...Mac’s so confused— He might not WANT to do it.” A car races toward them, A gun flares at Joe. Rich jumps out to shield him— And he dies like a pro! Park Mac and Lisa stroll carefree, The Highlander is smitten, Lisa ‘Milon’ beside him— Purrs like a kitten. Mac cannot see her claws, He sees only Tess, He tries not to merge them— With little success. The Barge, That Night “Tonight,” she entices, “I don’t want you shared.” Her web’s tight and strong, Mac is gladly ensnared. She awakens his hunger— With animal pleasure, They ravish each other. She is Tessa! His treasure! Alternating between— Carnal lust and surrender, They battle as equals, Now forceful, now tender. His passion was dormant, Now it reaches full flower, Their desire impels them, Hour after hour. At last, satiated— They drowse, drained and weak. Mac strokes her blonde hair. What is THAT near her cheek? A surgery scar! Shattered! Torn! Ripped apart! Lisa Milon—a sham! Mac’s eyes close...then his heart. The Next Day A groggy Highlander— Awakens to find— Lisa’s found Tessa’s pictures. Now what’s on her mind? “You made love to HER, And not ME, I can tell! “I am leaving right now, And you—Go to Hell!” Mac pulls on his jeans, Leaping out on the deck— Just in time to see Lisa— Abducted, by heck! In the car, Horton smiles — This round he has won. He congratulates Lisa— With a hearty, “Well done!” The Barge Mac’s having no luck— Locating the car. Rich and Joe now relate— Their story, bizarre. “Horton tried to shoot Joe— But I jumped in the way.” Now Lisa’s been kidnapped, This is NOT MacLeod’s day. Horton’s Place Horton telephones Mac— And lets Lisa speak, “He’s crazy, please help me.” Her voice scared and weak. “You’ve buried Tessa once,” (Horton’s clearly insane.) “I’m sure you don’t want— To go through that again.” “You’re a dead man!” warns Mac. Words bitterly spoken. “Lisa, he sounds quite angry,” “Yes, he is heartbroken. I pushed all his buttons— And I’m worth fighting for.” Horton contemplates victory, “Now we’ll push one more.” The Car Dealership “That silver Aston-Martin— Is here, now in process, Do you still desire— The owner’s new address?” “Thank you, Alphonso,” Says MacLeod, on the phone. Now he knows where find— Lisa Milon. The Barge Rich reminds Mac and Joe— How MacLeod saw the tie-in, “She’s just Horton’s pawn, Like Pete must have been.” “That may be true, You may think I’m a fool, But she has Tessa’s face. Horton’s game, Horton’s rule.” Horton’s Place Mac soon locates Lisa, She’s tied up and guarded, Only two men? No contest! They soon are discarded. Lisa pushes more buttons. She still is in charge. “I don’t want to go— Back to the barge.” The Cemetery, Tessa’s Grave “I want you to see— That when all has been said, She and I... we are different, I’m alive! She is dead!” Mac has just one question, “What did your face— Look like before— You tried taking her place?” He KNOWS! But, she’s slick— And attempts an invention. “My little boy, Marc.... It is Horton’s intention— To kill him, unless— I see his plan through. But Duncan, believe me, I would never hurt you.” “Tell me about Marc,” Voice caught in his throat, “I’ll show you his picture.” She pauses to gloat, Reaching into her purse— Her hands grasps her gun, Aims it at MacLeod’s head, This is her kind of fun. As she circles MacLeod, He stands fixed in one place, The suffering and grief— Deeply etched on his face. For a moment in time— He recaptured a dream, Now he’s caught in the nightmare— Of Horton’s cruel scheme. “How does it feel? Knowing you’ll die? Are you scared? Is it hard?” Then Mac’s cold reply. “It’s not as hard, As killing someone— When all that you’ve got— Is an unloaded gun.” Mac shows her the bullets, Lisa sees she can’t win, MacLeod wants to know, “When does Horton come in?” Horton’s still in his car, Awaiting his cue.... A shot! It is done! His triumph’s in view. Mac is sprawled ‘cross the grave, Apparently dead. Horton nears with his cleaver— To chop off Mac’s head. At the very last moment— Mac deflects the deathblow, But Lisa’s irrelevant, It is her time to go. Horton’s bullet destroys her, “MacLeod,” her last moan, Mac allows her to fall— Across Tessa’s gravestone. Horton aims at Mac’s heart, He’s got one more round, Mac cannot kill him, They are on Holy Ground. A shot fired at Horton! — Sets the bastard to running! Dawson and Richie, Have trumped Horton’s cunning. Horton leaves Holy Ground, Dawson aims at the swine. But, Mac waves him off— “Joe...No, he’s mine!” Across a bleak field— Horton makes tracks until, He hears, “You’re afraid? — You’re the man I can’t kill!” He turns, holds a knife, His purpose undiminished, Mac is thorough this time, Making SURE Horton’s finished. Mac leaves Horton dead, Joe will clean up the mess. Mac returns to the grave, There she lies, so like Tess. “She’s NOT Tess, never was.” Rich and Joe share Mac’s sorrow. The Highlander leaves. He must still face tomorrow. Quay de la Tournelle MacLeod sold the barge, They bid it adieu, Mac: “It’s only a boat.” Rich: “It was home to you.” “I have mourned Tess too long, It’s time to move on.” Rich looks at MacLeod— With a look, woebegone. “Where will you go?” “Somewhere,” Mac’s unclear. Rich thinks to himself— Mac might not want him near. Richie feels so alone, To self-pity succumbing, Till Mac turns and smiles, “Hey, are you coming?” Peace, Emit © 2001-2003 Home ~ Samurai