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As a matter of fact, Sam Beckett was at that moment regaining consciousness, in Duncan's home. Richie was looking over him, worryingly. He'd found 'Duncan' passed out at the sight of fight. Not unusual, but worrying because he'd seen Mac beat Matthews, but hadn't seen him pass out from a Quickening - not a fight, just a Quickening - since the Dark Quickening.
"Ohh, what happened?"
"You lost consciousness after the Quickening, Mac. Are you alright?"
Sam, assuming his name for this leap was 'Mac', just nodded.
"You're sure? I mean, no offence Mac, but you normally take Quickenings better than that".
" 'Quickenings'?" Sam murmured.
"Uh, sure, I'm fine", he groaned.
"Ok, well, I'm, um, I'm gonna phone Joe. I said I'll get back to him about that thing, you know..." Richie replied, making excuses.
Richie left the room and Sam took the chance to look around him.
He was in what looked like a converted loft. It was fairly spartanly decorated, but not uncomfortable. Whoever lived here must be pretty well off, Sam thought.
Gathering his thoughts together, Sam tried to run through what he knew so far about this leap. His name was Mac, this was probably his home, or the boy's - who's name he didn't know. He obviously wasn't the boy's dad, as he called him Mac. Finding a mirror, Sam saw a reflection of a tall, dark man, aged about 35. Maybe he was the boy's brother, he thought, although there was no real resemblance. The television was on, and from what he could see, it must be the 1990's. A dairy on the table, confirmed it was the year 1998. Well, that was the who - kind of - and the when, now he needed the where and why. Not to mention the mysterious murder! Feeling much better after a few minutes, he decided to make some dinner. At least that was something to do while his head was trying to get around this latest leap. It was obviously getting dark and there was no sign of any dinner having been recently made, or eaten. So, he was just cutting some vegetables fifteen minutes later, Richie still hidden in the other room, when behind him, he heard the door to the project opening.
"Hey Sam," greeted Al.
"What do you have for me Al?" Sam whispered, not wanting to alert Richie. He whipped around to face his long-awaited friend, and managed to cut himself.
"Ow!" he just managed, before a faint blue light flickered and the small cut healed before their eyes. Blue eyes met brown ones, both men in shock.
"Did...?!" gasped Sam.
"Holy...! He was right!"
"Who? What the Hell is this, Al? Did you just see that? It...it.."
"It healed, Sam. Like he said!"
"What is going on!?"
Al took a deep breath.
"Wellll. You are definitely not going to believe this one!" Al replied, his thoughts on what their current guest had just revealed about himself.
Ten minutes earlier...:
"Alright, alright", replied Duncan. He could see that Calavicci was about to lose it completely.
"Never let it be said that I don't help people who need my help", he continued.
"How about, you tell me your secret and I'll tell you mine", he suggested.
Al shrugged. He didn't really have much choice, and he had a feeling that whatever MacLeod was about to tell him would be important to the Leap. Besides he already knew much of what Quantum Leap was about, and it was unlikely that MacLeod would remember much when he returned.
"Well, as I already told you, you are part of an experiment, created by Dr Sam Beckett. He used a Quantum Accelerator and 'Leaped' into other people lives, literally into their bodies. At the moment he is in your body in 1998 Seacouver. I can contact him by a neural link and holographic technology."
"Wow, this is amazing."
"The other thing is, it's a time-travel experiment. The year here is the year 2002."
"Time travel?!"
"We've discovered that Sam leaps in order to change people lives for the better, and we use our knowledge of the past to help in this. That's way we really need to know about you."
"What needs changing in my life?"
"I don't know yet, and if I did I couldn't really tell you. We've found it's dangerous to let people know too much about their own future. Quite frankly the only reason I'm telling you this much is because you probably won't remember much when you return to your own time, and because we had a deal".
"I see..."
"You believe me?"
"I'm not really sure. It sounds amazing, but then again why not? There are certainly more strange things in the world than people know about. I've seen a lot of things in my 400 years but never a time-traveller before!"
"Did you just say 400 years?!"
"Yeah. I'm Immortal. I was born in 1592 in the highlands of Scotland. I can't age and can't die unless I'm beheaded."
"But that's impossible!"
"Oh, and time-travelling scientists happen all the time?"
"But...but that's science. Immortal beings...? That's like...science-fiction...".
"Well, it's a fact I've lived with for 400 years. I don't know why or how, but it's true. Trust me on this one. And I'm not the only one".
Al just shook has head in amazement. But MacLeod didn't seem to be having him on. In fact, he was more open than previously, and Al was a pretty good judge of character.
"So what's the danger that Sam's in from all this?" Al asked, trying to take his mind off the unbelievable and focus on something he could cope with.
"That's the downside. There a Game, a deadly game that all Immortals are forced to play. We fight, to the death, and in the end there can be only one".
"Fights, to the death? But you can't die?"
"We behead the looser. That's why we have swords. I don't go looking for challenges but I'll fight if forced. Unfortunately I've taken a fair few heads in my time and often have other Immortals come looking to challenge me. That's why your friend is in danger, and he is not Immortal!"
"Oh Boy! This is crazy!"
"Look, I'll prove it to you". With that Duncan grabbed Al's tiepin and cut himself with it. Al watched, fascinated, as Duncan bled and then...
...Continued bleeding. For the first time in almost 400 years, Duncan MacLeod didn't heal. He suddenly felt very mortal.
"Righttt..." was all Al could comment.
"Look it's true. All this means is that, as we've swapped places, Beckett's the one with the immortal powers, but that doesn't mean he's out of danger."
Al continued to look sceptical.
"Just watch him if he cuts himself. I believe you, so just believe me. Now, you said you can contact him, so go do it. I can't let any more mortals get hurt because of me!"
Speechless, and still amazed at the thought of a visitor advising him on Sam, Al just ran from the room.
"Well, that went well", commented Duncan, sarcastically. He'd obviously been hanging around with Methos too long.
"Are you really 400 years old, Mr. MacLeod?" can a detached voice, in reply.
"Yes..Uh, who-who said that?"
"I am Ziggy, Mr. MacLeod, Dr Beckett's hybrid computer. Now, tell me about your life, it must be fascinating to life for so much longer than 'normal' humans?"