"Yeah?"

It was Eddie. "How've you been, man? I've been wondering all day! You really need to learn to check in more, Fost-"

"Save the lecture, Eddie. I'm having breakfast, give me a break already." He switched beats. "Hear anything important? Interesting?" He was grateful for the familiar voice, and was, for once, willing to deal with Eddie's ramblings.

"Well, man, frankly, it's been quiet. I'd be lying to you, though, if I said that that made me happy. It can't be good, Foster. There should be something, anything. There's not much, though, outside of the usual suspicious events. It's freaking me out, man."

Chewing thoughtfully, Cade pondered this. Quiet, eh?

**********

Joe was calmly going over bills in his office when he heard something coming from the bar. He could make out the sound of someone jimmying open the lock in the front. Sighing, he slipped his gun from his desk drawer to his pocket, carefully stood up, and walked into the bar.

"Look, pal, we're not- Oh, it's you." He lowered the gun. "Man, would you stop that already? One of these days I'm gonna hafta waste you to teach you a lesson."

Methos grinned. "Why don't you just give me the key? Save us both a lot of time." He surprised Joe by passing the bar and heading straight for the office. As he turned the corner, he asked over his shoulder, "You wouldn't happen to have that cot still here, would you? I'm incredibly tired..." Joe could hear him rootling around inside the office. He sighed. He'd gotten fond of the Old Man, and had long ago decided that harmless break-ins and a bar tab the size of Siberia were small prices to pay.

He was still amazed by this fact.

A loud thunk shook Joe from his reverie. "Ah! Found it!" Joe wandered back into his office, to find Methos curling up on the narrow cot, looking for all the world like an average cat who'd found a nice warm corner to nap in, and was conforming perfectly to the corner's shape.

"Why the hell are you here? I thought you stayed in hotels these days," Joe asked as he slid slowly back into his chair.

No answer.

"Methos?"

No answer.

Joe sighed again. "Fine. Don't let my work bother you, then." He resumed his accounting work.

His answer was a small snore.

..........

The bar'd been open for an hour when Methos had finally stumbled out of the office. Rolling his shoulders, he sat down at the bar, smack in front of Joe.

"Good evening, Joe. Beer, please."

Joe rolled his eyes. "Don't you eat?" He silently passed the mug he'd prepared as soon as he'd heard the creaking of the cot a bit earlier.

Accepting it gratefully, Methos smirked. "I eat. Just not now." He took a long draft of the brew. "Bar's not full yet."

"Yeah, well, give it time, buddy." He narrowed his eyes. "What do you care, anyway? I thought you liked it when you had the alcohol all to yourself."

Methos threw a hand over his heart. "You wound me, Joe. I make a simple comment, and look what happens..." He took another hearty swig.

"Yeah, I see what happens. You drink me out of house and bar, that's what."

"And you love me for it." Methos finished the mug in one long chug. "Now, however, I must be off. Thanks for the nap." He got up, swung his coat off the rack, and headed out the door.

Joe didn't even try to understand. He figured he'd hear all about it later. In fact, he knew this. He knew it because Methos had left his wallet sitting on the bar. His wallet with the picture of Alexa sitting right inside.

**********

Cade had spent the day checking out the city. He'd visited markets, bookstores, parks, anything he could think of, in search of something remotely suspicious. He'd even wandered into a few of the city's martial arts dojos. He was stumped.

Sighing, he keyed his way into his room, whereupon he recieved a bit of a shock.

Beside it lay his toothbrush, miraculously still wet. It had been used.

**********


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