'Landon"s Diary' by Rain Pierson

The concept of 'Immortals' and 'The Game' belongs to Panzer/Davis of Highlander. So it stands to reason that the character of Adam Pierson and any other Highlander characters that are likely to pop up are the creation and property of Panzer/Davis. No copyright infringement is intended or implied. Several upcoming characters will belong to their creators on the RPG list and I will point those out as they appear. In this story, Erin does not belong to me. Erin belongs to Carrie. Antar belongs to Rob. Van and Reid belong to me. Landon belongs to herself and to me.

Thank you to my beta readers: Lorenzo and Kim

Landon's Diary
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Bon Jovi Concert
November 27, 2000
Part 3

(Antar posted)

"I apologize. Would you be willing to meet with me later?" Antar asked of the young looking immortal. He saw a look of caution come across her face and he quickly added, "Just to talk. As you've already deduced, if I wanted to kill you, we wouldn't be talking right now." Landon was caught slightly off guard having her thoughts paraphrased like that. "You've been reading my mind. I don't like that," she warned. "Again, I apologize. I only did a surface scan and aside from that I couldn't help but pick up on some of your stronger thoughts. Your life being in possible danger is a VERY strong thought, I might add." Antar was quite happy to see her relax a bit.

"I'll tell you what… I'll meet you tomorrow night in a public place," Landon said. "We can talk there." "That sounds good," Antar replied. He reached into his coat and pulled out a business card from one of his preferred local establishments. "How's 7:30, tomorrow night sound?" he asked as he handed her the card. Landon eyed the card for a moment. There was more than the time to think over. More so than ever, her life was in danger from this strangely charming being. After a few more seconds of weighing the pros and cons she spoke up. "I'll be there," she said confidently. "Alright. I will look forward to it, my dear," Antar said.

****

"I'll be there," Landon repeated to herself as she made her way back into the concert arena. "I'll be there? Why would I be there? Just because this whole week has been wildly ridiculous I'm agreeing to meet a vampire tomorrow night? I'm really playing my death wish card," she concluded. Bon Jovi was in the middle of "Captain Crash and the Beauty Queen From Mars", but it took Landon until the final chords to push through the horde of young bodies pressing against the barricades in front of the stage.

Landon found Van and Reid but,

"Erin's not with you?" Van yelled.

"No!"

"I hope she went for beer!" Van picked Landon up of the floor roughly and kissed her. The tiny girl wrapped her legs around his waist and kissed him back then turned toward the stage. For a second that seemed to last hours, it seemed Jon Bon Jovi actually saw her and smiled at her. He was wearing gold jeans and a gold jacket and Landon screamed hysterically singing along to "Keep The Faith."

She hopped down off Van as Reid handed his beer to her. Reid lifted Erin's cup and commented, "I hope your English chick comes back soon."

"Irish. She's Irish."

Reid paid no attention but to himself. "I'm planning on giving her a wild ride tonight! Yeah, she's into me!" He and his younger brother high-fived. Landon sipped the beer and jumped to the beat of the rock music, she herself hoping Erin was getting herself bitten by Antar. Then the overcurious Watcher would be gone and Antar would be less hungry for blood. Landon didn't really need to know more about Alexa. It was probably better if she didn't learn more. It was possible she'd turn into a terrible emotional mess, she may even get careless enough to lose her head to a nobody Immortal for absolutely nothing.

***

An hour later Landon checked her coat to be sure the minidisc was still recording the concert. It was. Landon turned back around to the stage. The band members had changed their clothes; Jon now wore a black shirt, but kept his gold jeans. The excitement level of the people both in the arena and playing the instruments had not abated, but only grew more intense. As she was trying to win Jon's attention again, a faceless body slammed Landon sideways into another body. She was nearly knocked down and instinctively lashed out at them all. It did no good. Van finally yanked her out of the throng.

"Let's get a smoke!" he suggested. Erin still had not returned. Maybe Landon would catch a glimpse of her in the corridor or a restroom. For some reason she could not yet describe, Landon was finding herself feeling more and more protective of the Watcher.

"Yeah, okay!" she replied and grabbed hold of Van's hand, letting him lead her outside.

Landon bummed a few cigarettes off a girl 'her age'. Landon lit one, handed it to Van and then lit another for herself. She pocketed the rest of the cancer sticks. Then Landon smiled. She couldn't get sick with cancer. She couldn't get sick with anything. She was immortal. Sometimes remembering that fact just hit her like a ton of bricks and she would laugh silently at all the mortals around her. So happy in their short little lives thinking that was the only kind of life that existed in the world.

Landon felt Antar's business card in her back pocket. It had a picture of a plate of spaghetti on it. An Italian restaurant only a few blocks from here. Landon decided she would go. A girl had to eat. She imagined it would hurt pretty bad to starve to death. She might as well enjoy some fettuccini. Maybe the vampire would even pay. Hell, maybe he could use his mental powers so neither of them would have to pay.

***

Bon Jovi played four encores. Four wonderful encores. After "Never Say Goodbye" the arena lights remained dark. The band had really finished and in fact said goodbye. The red-haired Watcher hadn't come back. Landon wondered but did not worry. She supposed the woman was trained to take care of herself. Otherwise she would have been kept safely cloistered in a European library somewhere.

Landon and Van groped at each other all the way out of the concert. She forgot to buy a tee shirt. Van tasted too good to leave his lips for even a moment.

Behind them Reid grumbled, carrying Erin's jacket. "You two are disgusting. Get a room."

Van stopped his kisses, his hands on Landon's butt. His pale grey eyes implored the question, "Do you want to get a room?"

Landon was about to answer when she saw a familiar figure behind Van. It was Erin O'Dell, stumbling around in slow motion as the crowd of people hurried past her in straight lines, eager to cross the street and get home out of the Toronto cold. And she was wearing the vampire's coat!

"Van? I have your number, right? I'll call you tomorrow! Thanks for the concert!" she said, and then Landon was running for Erin.

The girl heard the brothers behind her trying to catch up. Van called out, "What? Landon, wait!" Reid was just laughing. Landon ran back to snag Erin's jacket and to kiss Van one last time. She knew she would probably never lay eyes or lips on him again, no matter how sweet a boy he seemed to be.

Erin was turning in delirious circles when Landon caught up to her and pulled her out of the stream of concertgoers.

****

(Erin posted)

"Where did you get off to Erin?" Landon asked her as she handed her the coat that she had left draped across her seat. Erin sank down onto a bench and stared off into space. Landon laughed and waved her hand in front of Erin's face. "Earth to watcher O'Dell."

Erin shook he head clear. "I'm sorry... I've just had the oddest night. I feel as though my whole world... everything I have ever believed in has been turned upside down..."

Landon had an idea about what had happened but decided it best not to bring it up. She really wanted to ditch the boring watcher, but decided that it would be far kinder not to leave Erin alone to try to work her way through her confusion. She sat down next to the younger woman and patted her shoulder. Anyone looking on would have seen what appeared to be a teenager trying to console a heartbroken young woman. They probably would have laughed at such a backward site.

"You look like you could use a cup of coffee or something, Erin. Come on. My treat."

Erin was quiet for a few more minutes. "Ok." she said quietly.

The two walked down the street until they found a coffee house. They ordered their drinks, and walked over to a quiet booth in the corner. Once they had sat down, Erin pulled a slim silver flask out the back pocket of her jeans and poured a liberal amount into her café latté.

Landon seemed amused by Erin's actions.

"What?" Erin asked and arched a brow defensively.

"Well, it's just that you don't strike me as the type to carry a flask. You really don't even seem like the type to drink anything harder than ginger ale."

"Are you kidding me? I worked with Adam for three years... I had to take up drinking scotch to wash away the taste of beer. But enough about me. What was his name?"

Landon looked genuinely confused. "Who?"

Erin looked her dead in the eye. "The vampire."

Landon paled a bit, then took the flask from Erin's hand and drained it.

(And Antar added in)

That was when Erin noticed that she hadn't put her coat on before leaving the concert hall. She was wearing the coat the vampire had been wearing earlier in the alley.

****

For once the taste did not repulse her.

"Sorry," she told the Watcher. "But you're not the only woman to suffer through that English alcoholic's madness." Erin smiled but waited to hear about the vampire. Landon said, "The MAN I was talking to is Antar. I've never met him before, but we have a date tomorrow night." Landon had not taken any vows to protect the vampire and so felt no shame in telling Erin his name. But she also never passed up an opportunity to drive Erin crazy with shock either. Of course, it worked. Again.

"You, my dear, are amazing!" Erin cried. "I can't believe you! A date? What about Van? What about Adam?"

Landon shrugged and handed Erin back her flask. The dark-haired girl lit a cigarette, ignoring the clearly posted No Smoking sign hanging on the wall of the coffee shop. She inhaled a large breath of smoke and exhaled leisurely.

Erin shook her head. "You're such a tart."

Landon took another puff. "So what if I keep my dance card full? It's better than wasting my life away with my nose in a dusty old book. Why are you a researcher anyway? I thought Watchers would all want to get out and chase us around all over the world. Challenge the integrity of the oath a little," Landon teased.

Erin set down her coffee mug. "Adam was a researcher," she stated matter-of-factly. "And we can't say much for his Watcher oath, now can we?" She blinked her bright green eyes as Landon's smoke hit her in the face. "You know, lass, those things will ki--. Oh, listen to me! What am I saying? Not much will kill you." She seemed to laugh at herself and her near slip. "What the hell? Do you have another of those awful smelly things?"

Landon handed her a cigarette and a lighter. The girl sat back and observed the red-haired woman's nerves calm even more with the help of the smoke. What the hell happened to Erin tonight anyway?

Landon spoke. "You're gonna go with me tomorrow when I meet Antar, aren't you? You're curious about him. Obviously." Erin couldn't deny that. "What happened between you two? There's got to be a reason you missed the entire concert," Landon guessed. "More than just trying to keep Reid's hands out of your clothes."

Erin shuddered across the table. Landon supposed the woman was remembering either Reid or Antar. Landon agreed both men gave HER the creeps too. "But hey!" Landon continued. "I've got the whole thing on CD. You can listen to it sometime."

"Thanks, yeah," Erin told her. "But I'm not following you tomorrow, Landon. That's not my job. It would undoubtedly get crowded."

Landon had no interest in her own Watcher and rarely even thought of him or her. It was probably just some old horny bastard staring at her when she undressed, wishing he could put those details down into the Chronicles.

"Well, good," Landon said. "And it's probably best you just stay away from Antar, and any others like him. You're already in way over your head, Watcher." Landon stood up and threw several bills onto the table. "You know where I'm staying but don't call. I'll contact you."

Landon walked out of the coffee house, long coat billowing out behind her, black hair tossing about her shoulders. She only resembled a little girl alone in the city at midnight.

FIN

next Landon story...

Landon's Diary Main Page