"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Susanne wasn't sure she had heard the words correctly. Nyx was proposing an alliance? Ridiculous.

Joe set up the shot and left the bottle on the counter.

"I think we should let the ladies sort this all out," Methos smiled courteously at MacLeod. The two of them sauntered on either side of Roger, each taking an arm. "Eh, Rog, what'd you say we take in a movie?"

"But--" the other looked back at two women seated at the bar. He couldn't help worrying about Susanne's welfare. He couldn't leave her with Nyx!

"This isn't Holy Ground."

"I'm not going anywhere," Joe comented. "My insurance doesn't cover destruction by Quickening."

As soon as the door closed after the men, Victoria downed the shot and poured herself another. "We're the same, Susanne. The others? They're nothing. Let's face it, the only other person who's got a shot in this is Celly... ok, Anaera." Susanne noticed the streak of lightning shone in the woman's eyes when she spoke Chichiri no Otaku's name.

Victoria downed the second shot.

"You think I'm inhumane. You might even see me as a monster. Hell, why should you trust me? But I'm here for the same reason you are, chica. It wasn't by choice, was it?"

Susanne shook her head. She recalled playing her guitar and singing along with her friends and blasting her stereo at the end of the day. When was the last time she relaxed? She couldn't remember *when.*

"I had a life. Yeah, me. And you did, too. Don't you want it back again, Susanne? To taste what it was like again? I can take you back."

"What?" Susanne's eyes widened in shock and bewilderment. Could she really do that? "But that's impossible." Frustrated she stood up and started for the door. "You're full of shit, y' know that? If you think you can feed me this lunacy you've got another think coming. Ok? What is this? Celly put you up to this, or what?"

"If you ask me, and I know you wouldn't have anyway..." Joe spoke up. "You should take the offer, kid."

Susanne pretended not to hear him and kept walking.

"Fine, walk away little girl." Victoria pulled out several shot glasses from HammerSpace, lining them up in a neat, even row. "Forget I mentioned it."

Susanne stopped and turned. Her jaw dropped when she saw the unmanned bottle of whiskey which begin pouring the drinks. Victoria nodded and the bottle set back down like a well trained puppy. "How'd you-- you David Copperfield or something?"

"This? Nothing."

"You're not going to fight me? You're just going ot let me walk? I don't get you."

"Join the club, sister."

Despite herself, Susanne clentched her fist and made her way back to the bar. After a few seconds, she spoke, "Suppose I take you up on your offer."

"I'd say you're smarter then you look."

"Hey, at least I'm not blonde!"

"I wouldn't have asked you if you were. You want to get out of this as badly as I do. Why not have fun in the meanwhile?"

TBC................