Date sent: Tue, 31 Mar 1998 10:19:08 -0500
From: steve711 <steve711@concentric.net>
Subject: Story Submission
Author: Steve711 - Steve Pantovich
E-mail Address: Steve711@concentric.net
Title: The Chronicles of Wanderer - Hellmouth - New Beginnings
Copyrighted : March 1998
Category: Crossover
Rating: PG-13 - Small amount of foul language and description of violence
Spoilers: A few, but who cares?
Keywords: X-Files/Highlander/Buffy the Vampire Slayer Crossover with a few guest
stars.
Summary: An Immortal Demon Hunter comes to Sunnydale and teams up with Buffy to
hunt down Angelus, Spike and Drusila.
Highlander: All rights and properties owned by Rysher Entertainment.
The X-Files: All rights and properties owned by Chris Carter, Ten Thirteen
Productions
and the FOX Network.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: All rights and properties owned by Joss Whelon,
Warner Bros.
and Mutant Enemy, etc.
The following are authors who's characters I borrowed for this little story.
They may play
minor roles, but all have been giants:
Don Pendleton
Warren Murphy
Richard Sapir
Mickey Spillane
Jeffery Lord
Barry Sadler - May he rest in peace.
Jim Shooter
Stan Lee
Any character whose names and descriptions are used are the property of their
original
owners, and no copy right infringement is intended or meant.
No money can be made from this story. It can be distributed freely so long as
it is kept in its
entirety, with all notices and copyright information intact.
The characters Wanderer/Steven St. Wolf, Brother Aaron and Robert McCallister
and this
story are mine. Anyone wishing to use him, please contact me at my e-mail
address:
Steve711@concentric.net
Comments and Criticisms are appreciated, please post to the above referenced E-
mail.
Author's Note's: When I started to write this story I decided to change some
things
concerning the characters.
X-Files Mulder and Scully are married and Immortal - So Non-Relationshippers
beware.
Highlander: Richie Ryan shouldn't have died in the end of the fifth season.
So here he
hasn't.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Nothing really.
Part 1- The Death - Dearborn, MI - August 1983
(How to become Immortal - Cheaply)
My name is Steven St. Wolf, but most people call me, Wanderer. I'm 39
years old. I
died fifteen years ago, yet I'm still alive. I am an Immortal. This is my
story:
Fifteen years ago I was on my way to work. As I was passing a school yard,
the light
changed < Fuck, I thought to myself, It would be the two minute light I got
stuck at >. As I
was waiting for the light to change, I watched the kids play and thought about
Kathy, and
about the life we could have had.
Just as the light was changing, I heard a car door slam and noticed some
guy getting
out of a car down the block carrying an AK-47.
As he pointed the AK-47 at the kids in the school yard, I knew I had to do
something.
And as luck would have it, I did the stupidest (luckiest?) things I could think
of:
I gunned my Harley Soft Tail and aimed it straight at the bastard with the
AK-47,
screaming at the top of my lungs. He turned and saw me coming straight at him.
Instead of
trying to get out of the way, he aims the rifle at me and fires.
I don't care what they about say about not feeling the pain when your shot,
it
*HURTS*. My final thoughts (?) are, can I take this bastard down with me and
save those
kids? The world was going black, but I feel a soft thud and hope that I hit
him hard
enough to kill him.
As I'm laying there in the worst pain in my life, I open my eyes and see
that I'm in
an ambulance and a paramedic is working on me. "Are the kids all right?" I ask
him.
"Yeah, they're alright. None were hurt, thanks to you." He says. I see
that his
name is Jackson.
"So, how bad is it?" I ask.
"Your going to make it" Jackson replies
"You're lying to me, I know I'm dying, please don't lie."
"We're doing our best. We'll get you to the trauma unit in a couple of
minutes. Just
hold on!!" Jackson tells me.
"I'm dying, I know that, just one thing, did I kill that bastard with
the AK?"
"Yeah, he was dead at the scene. You saved those kids." Jackson replies.
"Good" Then, I died.
The last thing that I hear is the paramedic screaming "We're losing him.
His
pressure's bottomed out. I can't feel a pulse. God Damnit, don't give up the
fight man . . . "
But I know it's too late.
Later, I wake up in the hospital morgue. My only thought is to get out of
the
morgue and the hospital.
I don't know how I got out, just that I did. Somehow, I made my way to my
apartment. My clothes were red with my blood, but it was dark and I manage to
get home
without anyone seeing me.
I turn on the news, and the top story of the night is the attempted mass
murder at
the school yard. The reporter is going on about how a brave Samaritan had given
his life to
save the children, and for a call for tighter gun controls < God, how I hate
those gun-
control nuts >.
Then, I begin to think: < Why am I still alive? > I looked at my shirt <
And not filled
with bullet holes? >. I know that I can't stay here now. I have to leave. The
ink on my
fingers tells me that the police have probably already found out that I was
wanted in Texas
for killing the bastards that had raped my wife and then brutally murdered her.
And they
will be coming to this apartment soon.
I grab some clothes, my fake ID, my Colt Auto with a dozen magazines and
all of the
cash I have in the apartment < Good thing I don't trust banks < G > >.
I have another bike in the garage, my dirt bike. While it's not strictly
street legal, it
will get me out of town. Besides it's registered to my fake ID and I will have
to start over
somewhere else under that identity and I'll need transportation.
I decide to head west to Seattle and lose myself in the crowds there.
Part 2- Discovery
(A Road Picture without Bob Hope and Bing Crosby)
I had been traveling for three days, keeping off the main roads and just
generally
taking my own sweet time.
I had stopped at this road house, in Montana, to get myself a beer, relax
for an hour
or two and get out of the mid day heat. I was minding my own business at the
bar, passing
the time, talking the bartender, a guy named Jake, asking him about the weird Y
shaped
tatoo on his arm, when I felt a pain in the pit of my stomach that wouldn't let
up.
Jake leans over and asks "Hey Steve, you okay man?"
I look up at him and reply "What'd you give me Jake, bad beer?"
"Couldn't be? I'm drinkin' the same stuff" Jake replies.
The door then opens, and a stranger wearing a trench coat walks in. He
comes over
to where I'm leaning over the bar.
"Are you alright son? I'm a doctor, let me help you." He replies.
When I look at him, the buzzing goes away suddenly, as if it never
occurred. "I feel
better now, thanks any way." I reply.
"Here, let me take you outside. You probably only need some fresh air."
The
stranger says.
He walks me outside, and around the corner from the entrance.
"I'm feeling much better now, thanks, I think I'll head back into the bar."
I tell him.
"You must be new to the Game, too bad." The stranger replies.
< The game? What the hell is he talking about? > I see the sword then <
Where did
THAT come from? >.
"Hey dude, I don't want any trouble" I tell him.
"Too bad, you die tonight! There can only be ONE!!" He says.
< I am NOT going to take this shit from anybody!! > I think to myself as I
pulled out
my 45 and shot the bastard in the knee. He falls down screaming, the sword
still in his
hand.
"Who are you?!" I yell at him.
"My name is Richard Markham, and I will kill you for this. Maybe not now,
but
someday I will kill you." Markham answers.
"The Fuck you will!!" I counter, shooting him between the eyes and in the
heart. I
take his sword, a beautiful civil war era saber.
"Dumb Fuck, wasn't he? Bringing a knife to a gun fight." I turn around
and see
Jake standing there with a 12-gauge pump shotgun, pointed at me.
"Look, Jake, I didn't start it. He tried to kill me with this sword." I
try to explain,
holding up the saber.
"I know, I saw and heard the whole thing. Leave, I'll cleanup the mess
here. Won't
be the first time."
I look at Jake, < Don't ask, I say to myself, just leave > nod thanks, put
the saber
under my saddle bags, get on my bike and leave
As I leave the bar, I decide to go cross country, to get away from all of
this.
Jake watches as Wanderer leaves. He looks back onto Markham's body in the
back
of his road house and goes back into the bar. < Well so much for me trying to
save Steve's
life. > Before closing the back door, Jake give's Markham's body another look, <
He'll wake
up and be gone in a few minutes > Jake thinks to himself.
"Hey, Jake what was that racket out back?" A rather drunk local asks.
"Oh, just some guys settling their differences." Jake replies.
"Anyone hurt?"
"Nah, nobody hurt. They both left."
Jake reaches for his phone and dials a Seattle number. "Joe's Books," says
the man
who answers the phone.
"Joe, this is Jake over in Montana."
"Hey Jake, long time no hear, how's the retirement?"
"Not so retiring, I just had two of them come in here, today."
"Who were they? Was there a fight?" Joe asks.
"One of them was Richard Markham, remember him? The other was some guy
I've
never heard of before, called himself Steven St. Wolf. Yeah, they fought, but
it wasn't the
usual kind of fight."
"Care to elaborate on that." Joe asks.
"Well Steve was sitting at the bar and talking to me when Markham came in.
The
"Buzz" hit him pretty hard. He's new isn't he?"
"He probably is." Joe answers
"Markham claims to be a doctor and he walks Steve out back to 'get some
fresh air'.
Then he pulls a sword on Steve and tries to kill him."
"What do you mean 'tries' to kill him"
"Steve sees that Markham is trying to kill him. So, he pulls out a 45 and
shoots
Markham in the knee. Markham starts to threaten him and Steve shoots him in the
head
and the heart, takes his sword, and leaves, going west, cross country on a dirt
bike with
Michigan plates."
"Damn, he doesn't know, does he?" Joe comments.
"Probably doesn't, do you think he'll survive?"
"How quick was he with the gun."
"Very quick, when he had to be." Jake replies. Jake then gives description
of St.
Wolf to Joe for his files.
"Damn Jake, thanks for the information, and keep in touch" Joe says, and
then
hangs up the phone.
< I wonder what's going on in St. Wolf's head right now? > Joe thinks to
himself, as
he boots up his computer to put the information he just received into the
Watcher
Database.
Part 3 - Decisions - Seattle
(Swords R Us/Immortality & Swords 101)
< God, doesn't it ever stop raining in this town? > I ask myself as I'm
driving into
Pioneer Square. I notice an antique shop on one of the corners. I park my bike
in front,
next a meter and go in.
The owner, a Mr. Ferguson, greets me politely and asks my business. I show
him the
sword and explain that I'm looking to sell it.
"Where did you get this?" Ferguson asks me.
"I inherited it from a(n) uncle who died recently"
"I don't deal in swords, so I can't help you. But hold on a second, let me
find his
card" Ferguson putters around behind the cash register and pulls out a business
card
holder and flips through it until he comes up with a card.
"Ahh, here it is. Now hold on a minute, young man, and I'll write down his
address
for you" I watch as Mr. Ferguson writes down card's address on a slip of paper.
He
finishes, puts the card holder back under his register and hands me the slip. I
look at the
name on it.
"McLeod's Antique's" I look questionably at Mr. Ferguson.
"Yes, Mr. McLeod is a specialist in antique edged weapons, and is one of
the most
well respected and honorable men I know."
I thank him for his help and ask directions to McLeod's shop. He tells me
its in the
International section of town and gives me directions to it.
"Oh, one more thing, say hello for me will you?"
"Yes, I will sir, thanks again for the help." With that, I leave his shop
and head
toward McLeod's shop.
I make it to McLeod's shop in about an hour. As I'm pulling up to the
shop, I see
that Mr. Ferguson sent to the right place. There are edge weapons ranging from
European
rapiers to Japanese Katanas hanging on the walls and in the display cases.
As I enter the shop, I see a gorgeous blond standing behind the counter.
"May I help you Sir?" she asks in a french accented voice.
"Hello, my name is Steve St. Wolf." I reply. "I'm trying to sell this
antique saber, my
uncle left me." I place the saber on the counter in front of her, and take a
step back. "Mr.
Ferguson, who runs an antique shop on Pioneer Square recommended your shop, and
he
sends his regards as well." I explain.
"Mr. Ferguson is an old friend, and my name is Tessa, Mr. St. Wolf. Can
you wait
for a few moments while I get Duncan from the back? He will give you a fair
price for this
saber, I assure you."
"I can wait. Would it be alright if I looked around? This is a rather
impressive
collection Mr. McLeod has."
"But of course, you may. The collection is his passion, Duncan is very
proud of it."
Tessa replies with a smile. < God, is this McLeod lucky guy or what? > I think
to my self as
she walks to the back of the store. I'm admiring Tessa more than the swords on
display.
I hear her call back to Duncan in the rear of the store. I also hear his
reply that he
would be right out. As I'm looking a magnificent Katana, edged with silver and
gold and
enameled in dark blue, I hear Tessa's footsteps coming up behind me.
"See anything you like?" She asks.
"Nothing that I can afford at this stage in my life." I reply smiling.
Then it hits me,
that damned 'Buzz' that I felt in the road house in Montana.
"Mr. St. Wolf, are you alright?" Tessa asks with a worried look on her
face.
I'm looking at her, trying to reply, when I see the guy with a sword moving
up
behind Tessa.
"I am Duncan McLeod of the Clan McLeod." He states, as if its a challenge.
I quickly move to the left, getting Tessa out of my line of fire. I then
pull my 45 out
and shout: "I don't who you are, or what the shit with the swords is, but if you
take another
step, I *WILL* blow your freaking head off!!!"
Duncan looks at me "You can't use that, you know the rules!" He says.
"Rules? What the Fuck are you talking about? All I see is some nut case
trying to
cut me up with a sword. You're the second person in one week, who's tried to
kill me with
a sword. And, I've never met either one of you before in my life." I reply.
"You don't know *WHAT* you are, do you?" Duncan states as he puts down his
sword. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you. I just want to talk. Listen to what I
have to say to
you. I'll explain every thing."
"I don't know what you're talking about, but the only thing I came in here
to do was
to sell that saber over there." I nod my head toward the counter.
Duncan puts his sword away, I put my 45 back in its holster, but keep my
hand near
it. Tessa is standing off to one side, looking worried, but she's remaining
calm. Duncan
walks over to the counter and examines the saber.
"Where'd you get this?" He asks
"The first guy who attacked me tried to use it on me."
"What did you do to him?"
I tell Duncan and Tessa everything that happened at the road house in
Montana.
Duncan looks at me and smiles
"So you meet Richard Markham, huh?" He asks.
"I left him dead."
"No, you didn't kill him. Just pissed him off." Duncan replies. I look
at him like
he's crazy.
"No, I'm not insane, let me explain to you what we are." Duncan then
starts into
one of the weirdest stories I've ever heard, but I continue to listen as he
tells me a story of
Immortals, the Game they play, and some of his own history. I look over to
Tessa < She
believes him, Oh God, what have I gotten myself into? >
Duncan's next question threw me for a loop: "Where and when did you die,
the first
time?"
I tell them about what happen to me in Dearborn. They look at each other,
remembering the news reports. How I left, and why. I also tell them about what
happen in
Texas, how Kathy was murdered and what I did to the men who did it. Duncan
looks at me
with respect and understanding. Tessa reaches out and gently squeezes my arm.
I look into
her eyes see that she also understands, most women wouldn't.
"You know Markham will be coming after you again, don't you?" Duncan tells
me.
I look at him like, he's crazy < I head and heart shot that bastard >.
"Think back to Dearborn." Duncan says. "How many times were YOU shot?"
< Dear God, he's right. How do I fight someone who can't die? > I think to
myself.
"Steve, you're in trouble and I'm willing to help you." Duncan tells me.
"What do you mean 'Help me'?" I ask.
"Well it's obvious that you know absolutely nothing about yourself, the
rules or how
to properly defend yourself. I'm willing to teach you."
"Why?" I ask.
"Because I think you will make an excellent student. And from what you've
told me,
and from your actions earlier, especially how you got Tessa out of your line of
fire, I don't
think that you'll abuse what I teach you. Also, you'll help out in the shop
when I'm not
teaching. The money you make will help you get started in your new life. So,
do you
accept." Duncan asks.
I don't know why, but I said, "I accept."
"Good, you can use the spare apartment in the back for yourself. Tessa and
I live
above the shop. Training will begin at 7:00 am, tomorrow."
I spent the next eight months with Duncan and Tessa. I remember those
times as
some of the best in my life. I learned a lot from them, besides the friendship
they openly
gave me. From Duncan, I learned honor, skill and the courage to face my enemies
and win.
>>From Tessa, the courage to go on, not blame myself for Kathy, and to seek a
new life and to
make the most of it. Tessa's gift was the most important one.
On the day that I was leaving, Duncan and Tessa gifted me with that
exquisite blue
Katana.
"Duncan, I can't accept this, its one of your most prized pieces."
"Steve, you've been a good student, and a better friend. Tessa and I want
you to
have it. You'll need a good sword out there."
"Thanks, Duncan, Tessa, I don't know what to say."
"Just never be a stranger, and live." Tessa says as she hugs me goodbye.
As I reach to shake Duncan's hand, grabs in a hug and says, "Steve consider
yourself a part of my extended family. Call me if you need anything."
I don't know how some people feel about leaving a place where you know
you're
loved, for me it's a hard thing to do. But its something that has to be. I
quickly turn so
neither of them sees the tear in my eye, and go.
Part 4 - New Beginnings - Sunnydale - February 1998
(Greetings from the Hellmouth)
It was a Tuesday, at 2:00 am on a chilly February night when I rode into
Sunnydale.
I had spent the last fifteen years wandering the world. Looking for myself,
maybe. Trying
to get over Kathy's death, definitely. I had been working as an antiques buyer
and locator,
a job I learned from Duncan and Tessa, but I was tired of constantly being on
the move. I
wanted to settle down, at least for a short while.
I had run into Duncan, in Paris, and asked if he knew anyone who had a job
opening
back in the U.S. He introduced me to a Robert Lancaster, an antiques dealer in
the small
town of Sunnydale, California. We talked, and I gave him a description of the
work I had
been doing for the last five years and he hired me on the spot. The only catch
was that I
had to move to Sunnydale within the next two weeks..
No problem, I would like to live in a nice quiet small town, I told him.
I see a gas station that still open. I pull in to get some gas and
directions to a motel.
As I get off my bike, I see the attendant coming towards me. A cheerful looking
twenty
year old kid. The name tag said "Matt".
"Hi, can I get a fill up of super, and directions to the nearest motel." I
ask.
"Sure, no problem buddy." The attendant replies cheerfully.
As I'm turning around to pay him, the attendant asks, "Hey buddy, mind if I
have
you for dinner?"
< Dinner? What the hell was this guy talking about? > I turn around and
look at the
attendants face, its no longer the cheerful twenty year old, but the face of a
monster with
fangs.
"Damn, another vampire." I whisper. < I hadn't seen another vampire since
Prague, about seven years ago. >
It smiles and replies, "Yes, I'm a vampire and you are my dinner."
Smiling evilly it moves towards me, stalking me like I once saw an Alaskan
timber
wolf stalk a caribou, its chosen prey. < Well this piece of meat has fangs too.
> I didn't have
enough time to reach my sword, so, I pull out my Glock and fire five rounds into
its chest.
"I will kill you slowly for that" The vampire vows, still smiling, walking
towards me
as if nothing had happened to it.
Thinking quickly, I see a spray can of engine starter close by, I grab for
it. I reach it
just as the vampire in on me. I turn around spraying it into its face. It
staggers backwards,
wiping the fluid off its face. I've only gained a couple of seconds breathing
room, but I see
that its still not enough time to grab my sword or a piece of wood and stop it.
I reach into my coat pocket and get out my trusty Zippo lighter, and as he
is coming
back at me, I light the spray like a flame thrower. The vampire lets out an
unholy scream
and burns up, leaving nothing but ashes. As I'm catching my breathe wondering
what the
hell I had gotten myself into, I hear a low growl. I turn around again and
there is another
one, a female. I wait for it to come to me, and I spray it with the engine
starter flame
thrower. It dies the same way the first one did.
Now I'm in full alert mode. I get my sword and I start to look around
looking for
more targets. I hear a noise from the office of the station. I check it out
cautiously, in case
there are more vampires around. I find a guy without a shirt tied up and gagged
on the
office floor. I reach down , and pull out his gag.
"Where are those things." He asks.
"Matt, I presume," I ask. Matt nods his head yes.
"Well, they just disappeared." I tell him as I'm untying him.
"Look, Matt, I pulled in here to get some gas and directions to a motel,
can you help
me?"
"Yeah, go up the road about two miles, there's a motel there that will give
you a
room. The night manager is my cousin, he'll treat you right." Matt informs me.
As I leave, I reach into my pocket and give Matt the a dollar bill "Here,
this is for
the gas I filled up my tank with tonight."
"Nah, man, keep it, thanks for saving my ass."
"Not a problem, dude."
It takes me a couple of minutes to get to the motel. The manager, a
stocky, dark
haired, guy, in his late forties, is sitting behind the counter, giving me a
look. He's
probably wondering if I'm going to rob or try to murder him.
"Hi, I'd like a room please. Matt from the gas station recommended this
motel."
"My cousin Matt, told you to come here?" The manager replies.
"Yeah, he said you would treat me right."
"Hold on a second." The manager says. I hear the phone being used and him
talking someone quietly, probably Matt. He hangs up the phone, and comes back
to the
counter.
"Matt says you saved his life, that true?"
"Actually, I was saving my own ass, Matt's was just there as a bonus."
The night manager laughs. "Heh, heh, that's a good one. My name is
George.
Here's the key to room 17. Its on the ground floor. Take your bike inside with
you, while
you're sleeping, so nothing happens to it."
I reach to my pocket pulling out a couple of twenties. George seeing this,
waves his
hand and says:
"Don't worry about paying for tonight, at least. You saved one of my
family, I owe
you."
"Look, George, I've always paid my own way. I've never lived off of
anyone."
"That shows good character son. It's not a free ride. It's a gift and a
thank you,
from me and Matt."
"Thanks"
"Sleep tight, and *DON'T* invite anyone inside, no matter how they look,
until its
daylight. You hear?" George tells me.
"Understood" I reply. < What have gotten myself into now? >
As I enter the room, I sweep it with gun drawn. I check the entire room
and bath
room. I make sure all of the windows are shut and locked, the closet doesn't
hold any
surprises. Hell, I even look under the bed and check the walls for any hidden
passages/entrances.
Paranoia is a *VERY* good thing to have in this town. It will keep me
alive.
Needless to say, I sleep with one eye open, my gun cocked and ready and my
sword
drawn, lying in bed next to me. If I move too much in my sleep, I'll either
shoot myself in
the head or cut off my privates <G>.
Its morning. I awake instantly. I hear a key turning in the lock. I pick
up my gun
and sword, slip out of bed and stand by the door, ready deal death to whatever
demon or
monster is coming through the door for me. Like I said, paranoia is a good
thing.
As the door opens, I stick my gun to the head of whoever is coming through
and say:
"You better be the cleaning lady."
The girl, young, Hispanic, about twenty two, looks at the gun and says in a
quivering
voice: "I'm here to bring you extra towels Senor, and clean up the room."
I look, and see the only thing she has in her hands is a bunch of towels
and a
cleaning cart is outside the door.
"Sorry, Senorita, I'm just a little jumpy today. Are you all right? My
apologies for
the rude greeting."
She looks me in the eye and sees only caution and concern.
"No apologias Senor, many of my friends have disappeared in this cursed
town.
Your caution is well merited. I will give you, your towels now and come back in
a hour to
clean the room."
"Gracias, Miss?"
"My name is Constance, Senor."
"Gracias, Constance, most people just call me Wanderer."
"Wanderer, Senor?"
"Its a name, Constance, like any other"
She smiles and leaves me to clean up the other rooms. I take the chance to
grab a
quick shower, and change into some clean clothes. The rest I pack away into my
saddle
bags and put on my bike. I then roll my bike out the door, and head to the
office to settle up
my bill with the day manager.
The day manager is a slightly older version of George, < Probably his
brother > I see
as I walk into the office and drop my key onto the counter. He turns around
looks at me
and the key.
"You the guy who saved Matt's life last night?"
"Yeah, that's me. What do I owe for the room?"
"Like George told you, its on the house. My name is Frank, thanks again
for saving
Matt."
As I turn to leave, Frank tells me: "Son, if you need to stay some place
tonight, come
back here, I'll save your room."
"Thanks Frank, I might just take you up on that offer. By the way, how do
I get to
Spring Street from here?" Frank gives me directions, and tells me it shouldn't
take more
than ten minutes to get there at this time of day. I thank him for the
directions and go.
Part 5 - The Dillbert Experience
(Meeting the Boss's Sexy Wife)
As I'm driving through town, I notice that this does look like a nice town,
during the
day. I wonder if anybody notices the darkness at night.
I make it to Lancaster antiques, in about thirty minutes. It's a large
warehouse with
a store front off to one side. I park in front of the store. As I enter the
shop, a bell rings. I
hear a woman's voice call to me from the back of the shop.
"I'll be with you in a second, please wait." The voice says. So, I wait.
A couple of
minutes later, two woman walk out of the back of the shop. One is blond, in her
late
thirties. The other is brunette, also in her thirties. Both are very good
looking.
"Can I help you Sir?" The brunette asks.
"Hello and yes, my name is Steve St. Wolf. Is Mr. Lancaster here."
"No, he's not, he's in Europe for several more weeks. Is there anything
that I can
help you with, Mr. St. Wolf."
"Well, I met him in Paris last week and he hired me to work for him."
"Oh, Yes, he told me about you a couple of days ago, but I didn't expect
you here for
at last another week."
"Well, Miss..."
"It's Carol, I'm Robert's wife. Let's sit down and talk, Mr. St. Wolf."
Carol says as
she leads us off to a conference table close by the front door.
"A pleasure, and its Steve, by the way. I was able to bum a ride on a
friend's plane
and get here sooner."
"A friend's plane?" The blonde asks.
"An friend of mine was coming to L.A. to attend a seminar, and he offered
me a lift
in his plane, as well as cargo space for my bike, Miss..?" I look at the
blonde.
"Oh, I'm sorry, this is Joyce Summers, she runs a gallery not far from
here." Carol
informs me.
"But, please, call me Joyce." Joyce adds.
"Carol, Did Robert explain what my job would be here?" I ask.
"Yes, he said that you locate antiques and specialty items for people all
over the
world. And that you have a huge amount of contacts and clients. Also, that you
would be
using our antique store as your base of operations and as a clearing house."
"That's it in a nutshell. I use computers to keep in contact with my
clients and vis-
versa. I have an extensive database of clients that contains specific items
that they are
looking for, and what types or classes of items they prefer to collect or have
an interest in.
It also contains general information on how much money they want to spend and
other such
details."
"Robert wanted me to go through your collection and see what I could sell
to my
clients right now, and then to set up a system that could help increase your
sales overall."
"So, where is all of this equipment that you will need for this work?"
Carol asks.
"Well, I normally just use my lap-top computer for most of my work and that
will do
for now, but the store will need to get a web server installed. The server can
be installed
later on."
"How does this help us make sales?"
"Well, your store is just a local antique shop now. But, by the time I get
everything
done, It'll become an international trading house, open twenty four hours a day,
seven days
a week, all year round. And it will be accessible from anyone's computer that
has an
Internet connection." As I finish explaining to Carol and Joyce, their eyes
light up.
"How much is this going to cost us?" Carol asks warily.
"Well, the initial startup costs are a little expensive, about five
thousand dollars, give
or take a couple of hundred for the equipment. The maintenance and web fees
will be
about one hundred fifty to two hundred dollars a month. The setup time will
depend on
how much time it will take to catagorize, photograph, and the number of
antiques to input
onto the web site. We'll need some temporary help for that job, mostly weekend
and
evening work. After that, either you, me or Robert will updating the site, as
needed, and to
answer the messages and requests, as they come in."
"That's not too bad. One more question Steve, did you and Robert come to
an
agreement about your salary?"
"Yes, we did. I agreed to work on a commission basis. Twenty percent of
the profit,
plus reasonable expenses."
Joyce looks at me strangely. "You agreed to that?" She says.
"Yes, I did. I have been able to make a decent living in the antiques
business for the
last five years. And I'm not greedy. Most of my clients know this and they
respect me for
it. Knowing this, they also trust me not cheat them."
"When are you going to be able to start" Carol asks.
"In a few days. First, I have to find a decent place to live in and get my
personal
belongings sent to me, there. Do either of you know of any apartments or homes
that can be
rented now, until I find a more permanent place?"
Joyce recommended a real estate agent who was a friend of her's. I went to
see him.
He had quite a few rentals available < In this town? No Kidding >. I chose a
house in a
good neighborhood and moved right in.
Part 6 - House Warming
(Fire Fight in the Night)
The house had everything I was looking for. It was big, comfortable and
had a large
well equipped gym built into it < It also had three vampires living in the
basement, but I'd
find them later >. The previous owner had mysteriously disappeared, and his
family was
looking to unload the house. I thought I could buy it, after renting it for a
few months.
I had just finished signing the rental papers and six month lease, paying
the real
estate agent the rent for the entire six months and two months security, in
advance < The
real estate guy was smiling his head off when he left >. After he left, I was
making myself
at home. I figured that I would get the phones turned on tomorrow. At least
the electricity
and water were still on and it was partially furnished < Guess his family didn't
like leather
and wood too much >.
I call Sidney Meyers, my business manager and give him my new address. He
will
the arrangements to send out my belongs by fast freight. I should have
everything in about
three days. I check the house and make a mental list for what I need to get
over the next
couple of days.
As I give the house a more thorough going over, I notice that the previous
owner had
some secret panels put in. < Mmm, I could use those for my weapons and other
stuff I didn't
want lying out in the open. >. I open several of them and find large quantities
of drugs.
Needless to say the toilet was working overtime. I was done by around eight
o'clock and
hungry. I pick up my cell phone and order a pizza from the local pizzeria.
At 8:40 the pizza delivery kid rang my door bell. I check through the peep
hole and
see the delivery kid. When I open the door, I get the kid thrown into my face.
As I'm
rolling, and flipping the kid out of my way, I see three vampires, a male and
two females,
shoving their way into the doorway.
As I'm getting up, I ask, "I thought vampires couldn't enter into a home
without
being invited?"
The leader, a big burly guy standing about 6'2", looks at me and smiles.
"We can, when its our own homes." He snickers.
"So, you're the previous owner. Weren't you a drug dealer?"
"Yeah, I still am." Big, burly guy says.
I smile wickedly, and inform him: "No, you're not. I destroyed all of your
stashes,
earlier today. The alligators in the sewers are *VERY* happy tonight."
The burly guy screams his rage and rushes me < Which is what I wanted >. I
side
step him and stab him with the pencil that I'm holding. He disintegrates into
dust with a
stupid look on his face.
The other two vampires haven't moved yet, but that won't be for long. I
grab a
wooden chair by the door. I smash it into the closest vampire and splinter it.
She's a little
stunned, as I step to her side and stab the other one with the chair remains.
She disappears
as I'm turning back to the second vampire and stab her as well. She, also
disappears.
As, I look around the room, shaking the my head, at the mess this little
Donny-brook
made, I hear the pizza delivery boy moaning. I rush over to him and examine him
for any
injuries. He only looks a little shaken up.
"Kid, you alright? Can you tell me your name?" I ask him.
"My name's Ted, Sir. Where are those guys who grabbed me, and shoved me
in?"
"Ted, they ran after they saw that I was armed and had my gun out." I show
him
the holster on my belt. He sees it and whistles. He looks up at me with a
worried
expression.
"Uh, are you going to use that on me?" Ted asks.
"No, Ted, I only carry it for my personal protection." I tell him. "Are
you going to
be alright Ted, do you want me to call the pizzeria? See if your boss will come
and pick you
up, if you can't drive."
"No, Sir, I can drive. Thanks for caring. Uh, I never got your name."
"My name is Steve St. Wolf. Just Steve will be alright. C'mon, lets see
if the pizza
survived?"
The pizza box was sitting in the corner by the door, I open it, the pizza
is
undamaged < Well, at least this was unharmed >. I think to myself. I pay Ted,
and give
him a decent tip for the delivery < combat pay > and tell him to give me a call
when he got
back to the pizza parlor. I watch as he gets into his car and leaves.
About ten minutes later, I sit down to eat the pizza, when my cell phone
rings. I
answer it. Its Ted, he's back at the pizza shop safe and sound. I tell him to
keep safe and
hang up the phone.
As I'm eating, I think to myself < I've been attacked twice in the last two
days by
vampires. This town is full of them. And they think they own it. Well, looks
like I'm about
to pull a hostile takeover. And here I was worried, I'd get fat and lazy in
this tranquil,
pleasant, little town. >
Before I go to sleep, I check every room and every floor, especially the
basement,
and make sure everything is locked down tight. The next few days were going to
be very
interesting indeed.
Summer's Residence - Same Time Frame
(Butt Talk)
At the Summer's house, Buffy is having dinner with her mother, Joyce.
They're
going over the news of the day.
"Buffy, Mr. Lancaster hired a new salesman for his shop. I met him today."
"Is he cute, mom." Buffy asks, hoping for a negative answer.
"He's what you would term a hunk, dear." Her mom replies.
Buffy rolls up her eyes thinking that her mother was going to try and date
this
dweeb. She imagines a gray haired version of Giles, with thick glasses,
slightly over weight,
wearing a bad suit and bad hair.
"So, are you going to ask him out, Mom."
"Actually no, he's only twenty four years old. I was thinking you might
want to
show him around town, since he's moving here from Europe."
Buffy perks up at hearing this. "C'mon, Mom, dish the dirt. What does he
look
like?"
Joyce replies, "Well, he's extremely polite, has good manners and is highly
intelligent, well traveled and a specialist in European antiques." While
thinking < Well, at
least she is still interested in something. >
Buffy looks a her mother with a look of pure venom, while thinking < God,
please
don't let him be a dweeb, please. Oh God, he probably is. >
Joyce relents, "Okay honey, don't give me the look, please. After he left,
it was all
Carol Lancaster and I could talk about the way he looked and moved < And wishing
we
were both twenty years younger >. All right here goes, he stands about 6'2",
weighs about
180 to 200 pounds, no fat, all muscle. He has brown eyes and hair. He walks
like a dancer
and drives a motorcycle. And he has the tightest butt I've seen in a long time"
Joyce starts
to lose it and giggles, seeing the look in her daughter's face.
"Mother, the tightest butt? You mention that around any of my friends and
I'll
never be able to live it down!" Buffy says in a huff, then bursts into giggles.
"So, when do I get to meet him." Buffy asks, grinning..
"Not for a few days, he's looking for an apartment and will need to settle
in." Joyce
answers.
Part 7 - Preparations - Sunnydale
(Remember the Boy Scout Motto:
Always Carry More Fire Power Than The Enemy,
When in Doubt, Massive Quantities of C-4 Works the Best)
I wake up at 6:00 am the next day. I get up, shower and get dressed. The
first thing
I do is call Sid, in New York, to see if he sent my stuff out yet.
"Sid, have you sent out my stuff yet?" I ask after the usual round of
greetings.
"No, I haven't. Do you need anything else?" Sid asks.
"Yes, send me the black section as well."
"Steve, are going to war? You told me that you hoped to God never to ask
for those
things, again."
I explain to Sid, what has happened over the last two nights.
"Sweet God in Heaven. Steve, you're going to fight them." Sid says.
"Yeah, you know I tend to get a *little* pissed off when I see innocents
getting hurt."
"You'll have everything by late tonight. And Steve,"
"Yes, Sid."
"God go with you, and good hunting."
"Sid, in case I don't survive, don't come here to avenge me by yourself.
Use the
envelope that's in your safe. Contact the people on that list. They'll take of
everything."
"Steve, if you die there, there will be no place they can hide from my
vengeance or
Gods'."
"Go with God, Sid"
"God be with you, Steve. I'll call you back as soon as I make the
preparations."
New York City - The Offices of Meyers, Meyers & Randall
(These Are NOT The Offices of Dewey, Screwem and Howe)
Sid Meyers was looking out the window of his twenty second floor corner
office. <
My God, the kepiloth - 'empty ones' - exist. > Sid makes his decision, reaching
around, he
picks up the phone and dials a number. The phone at the other end is picked up.
"Hello, Iverson Air, can I help you." The voice on the other end asks.
"Myra, this is Sidney Meyers, put me through to Frank." Sidney demands.
"Mr. Meyers, what can I do for you today?" Frank Iverson asks over the
phone.
Sidney explains what the situation is, and tells Frank that he will meet
him at the
warehouse in thirty minutes. After Sidney gets off the phone Iverson starts to
plan the run
into L.A. and makes arrangements to deliver the items to Sunnydale.
As Sidney leaves his office, he turns to his secretary, Jane, "Jane cancel
all my
appointments for today." He tells her.
Seeing the look in his eye, Jane doesn't ask any questions.
At the warehouse, Iverson leads Sidney to the black storage section and
unlocks the
doors to the sealed room.
As Iverson opens the door, he turns to Sidney, "You know Sidney, I hoped to
God,
that I wouldn't have to open this room ever again, let alone this soon."
"You and me both Frank." Sidney muses.
They enter the room, the lights are turned on, weapons of every description
stood on
racks. Ancient edged weapons shared the space with the most modern assault
rifles. Axes
stood next to anti-tank missiles, knives next to handguns. Swords next to
rifles.
Iverson's cell phone rings, shattering the quiet.
"Iverson, here. We can leave in three hours? Good. I'll need some help
packaging
the stuff. Have Antonio and Toby come here to help immediately. Also call
Wanderer in
California and give him our schedule."
A few minutes later, two men enter the area, and stand by Iverson, looking
at the
black room. The shorter stockier man, Antonio, replies, "Oh shit, it's going to
be a bad one,
isn't it?"
J. Edgar Hoover Bldg. - Washington D.C.
(Spooky Theater)
"Scully, I want you to see this video tape. I just got it from the Lone
Gunmen."
Mulder tells his long time partner Dana Scully.
"Oh, what's on it? Teen-age cheerleaders in action, or is Frohike trying
to propose
to me again?" Scully replies with a grin.
Mulder just shakes his head and puts the video into the tape player.
"This tape was made at the Sunnydale shopping mall, a couple of weeks ago.
The
tape was given to the Lone Gunmen by one of their sources. You'll find this
very
interesting."
The tape shows a mall entrance. It winds for a few minutes until a group
of strange
people come through the doors and stand atop the landing, leading down into the
mall. The
man in the center is in the costume of a devil. His skin is blue with horns on
his head.
Scully turns to Mulder and asks.
"Mulder, is this a joke?"
"Just keep watching, Scully."
She watches as the tape continues to roll. The group splits up, leaving a
man and a
woman standing beside the blue devil on the landing. A man in a light trench
coat walks up
the stairs to exit the mall. As he approaches the group, the man in the devil
costume
touches him. The man burns up.
"Mulder, this can't be real."
"Keep watching, Scully."
The tape keeps on going. Scully watches as rays shoot from the blue devil
and attach
themselves every one, except the two people standing next him. The blue devil
looks like
he's enjoying himself Scully thinks.
Suddenly, the blue devil jerks, and the rays disappear. He reaches up to
his chest
and pulls something out and throws it to the side. Scully reads his lips as he
says: "No
weapon forged of Man can stop me!" He is looking at someone in front of him,
out of the
camera's view.
The man and the woman at his side suddenly start to jump down from the
landing.
The blue devil looks puzzled and mutters, "What is that?". Suddenly a streak of
light
strikes the blue devil, and he explodes into a thousand pieces. The man and the
woman who
stood at his side are knocked down by the blast, but manage to get up to run
away. The
video goes blank at this moment.
"Mulder, what did I just see? This can't be real. And if its real, then
who and what
destroyed the blue guy?"
"I had the Gunmen blow up sections of the tape. When the rays disappeared,
he was
struck with a crossbow bolt."
"Mulder, what are dealing with here, William Tell?"
"It would appear so, but when the devil threw away the bolt and showed that
he
wasn't hurt, they used a Strella Anti-Tank Missile, that's what the streak of
light was."
Scully looks at her partner in disbelief. "An Anti-Tank missile, where
would
someone get something like that?"
Mulder tosses a report to Scully. It's a confidential, U.S. Army CID
report about
the theft of a Strella Anti-Tank missile from a California depot.
"I think they borrowed it from the Army, Scully."
"Mulder, that's a confidential CID report. Where did you get it?"
"From the Lone Gunmen, of course. And they also provided this."
Mulder then hands Scully a folder full of newspaper clippings about strange
things
that have happen in and around the town of Sunnydale for the past two years.
"Well, Scully, I don't know about you, but I think that I would like to pay
this place
a little visit. You interested?" Mulder asks his partner with grin.
Scully looks at her partner with disgust, knowing that he had trapped her
into going
to Sunnydale with him. < Well, at least we are getting away from a very cold
February in
D.C. >
Part 8 - House Shopping
(Building Your Own Arsenal - The Quick and Easy Way - Mail Order)
After calling Sidney, I decide to go out and set up my utilities and buy
some
necessary items for the house and get the lay of the land, so to speak.
The telephone was easy enough, they promised me that everything would be
set up
and installed within a day. The gas and electric company was no problem either.
But,
getting furniture delivered in this town is nearly impossible.
`I stop by the shop and inform Carol about my new address and telephone
numbers.
She is impressed by how quickly I get things done.
"Carol, I'll be ready to start work on Monday morning, what time do you
open?"
"Steve, we don't work on Monday, Tuesday at 10:00 is the earliest that you
can
start. Is that fine?"
"No problem Carol, it just gives me more time to get to know this town
better and
take in the sights."
"What are you doing this afternoon, more house shopping?"
"Yeah, I've still got to get a new bedroom setup, know anybody in town who
will
deliver today by 5:00 PM?"
"Hold on a second, let me make a phone call." Carol reaches for her phone
and calls
a local store owned by a friend of her's. "Hello, Nancy, this is Carol. I have
a friend here
who needs a bedroom set, can you help him." She writes down an address and a
store
name for me.
"Here Steve, go see Nancy, at Bedrooms 'R Us.. The store is two blocks
over and
three blocks up, on Green Street."
I thank Carol and go.
I finish all of errands by three o'clock and make it home, just as the
phone company
pulls up. The tech finishes up as the furniture arrives. The delivery guys
help me place the
furniture in the house. By four o'clock, we're finished setting up the bedroom
set. Just
then, Frank Iverson arrives to deliver the rest of my belongings. I offer them
an extra
hundred apiece to help get the stuff in the house. They finish in thirty
minutes.
"Steve, this is nice looking town, I hope you don't demolish it like the
last place that
pissed you off." Frank tells me as we unpack the stuff he brought me.
"Frank, I didn't start this, the vampires did." I tell Frank, as we are
putting the
weapons away into the hidden closets.
"Look Steve, me and you have been through some strange stuff together, but
vampires?"
"You want to go out tonight and see for yourself, Frank?"
"Yeah, I do."
"Well then, let's set up the reloading equipment in the basement and then
we'll go
out and take a look."
Frank agrees. We finished setting up my re-loading equipment in the
basement by
around eight o'clock, and then prepare to go out.
I gear up for the night with my Katana, Glock 21, several wooden knives,
and a
cross. Frank equips himself with his H&K Spec Ops 45 and several wooden stakes
as well.
Part 9 - A Stroll in the Park - Sunnydale
(Research - Vampires? - Endangered Species or Just Another Duck Hunt?)
Willow is running very hard and fast. She is very scared, because of the
three
vampires chasing her through the park. She is most afraid of what will happen
to her when
they catch her.
Willow can't believe how stupid she was. Staying late at Oz's place and
then
walking home alone. < I can't believe my luck. I run into Angel and eight
vampires as I'm
leaving Oz's house. > Willow thinks back to Angel's offer.
"Ah Willow, out for a late night with the boyfriend? Too bad." Angel
comments
with a Cheshire cat smile. "Let's make this a little more fun. Willow if you
can out run my
vampires, I'll let you live. You'll have to get across the park, before they
catch you.
Otherwise, you're dinner. I'll even give you a two minute head start."
Willow starts to run. Angel looks at his watch, barely thirty seconds have
passed
before he says, "Go get her." The vampires hesitate. "I said NOW!!" Angel
screams, as
three vampires take off after her. Angel looks at the five remaining vampires
and says,
"Let's go." As he follows Willow and the three vampires.
Willow sees the meadow in front of her and she knows that the park ends a
couple of
hundred yards away from the other side. She turns her head to take a quick look
behind
and sees the three vampires gaining on her. She screams and spurts forward
gaining some
distance. But, she doesn't see the depression in the dark and falls, spraining
her ankle. Her
last thoughts are, < Buffy, where are you. Oh God, I'm going to die, or worse
become one
of them. > before the world goes dark.
The night was quiet as we walked out the door to my new home. I had
scouted out
the area and figured that the most likely spots to find the vampires would be
around one of
three places, the park, the cemetery and a dance club called "The Bronze". As
we walk
towards the park we are scanning the shadows on the lookout for anything trying
to attack
us.
As we enter the park, a scream breaks the silence. Frank sees a young girl
running
from three attackers. We both run to help. The girl trips on a depression in
the ground,
and she is caught by her attackers. Frank yells a warning and the three turn to
face us.
"Shit, what the hell are they?" Frank whispers when he sees their faces.
"Well, Frank you asked for proof that there were vampires. What do you
think
THEY are? A street gang on PCP?"
The three rush us, Frank takes out his .45 and shoots the first one in the
chest, twice.
It doesn't even slow him down.
"Frank, use your stake, shove it into its heart!" I tell him.
I move to the side and kick the second one in the groin. He doubles over,
as the third
one comes at me. I grab my sword and duck down slicing off its leg. The first
vampire is on
Frank, trying to wrestle him to the ground. I follow up the leg slice with a
cut to the third
vampire's neck, slicing off its head, and causing it go POOF. The second
vampire has
recovered and is coming after me again. I pull out one of the wooden knives I'm
carrying
and throw it into its heart. The second vampire disappears. I turn to help
Frank, but I see
that he has managed to beat the vampire back, he then pulls out his stake and
shoves it into
the first vampire's heart, which makes it disappear.
"What the fuck happened to it?" Frank exclaims.
"They tend to disappear, when you kill them. Either a stake to the heart
or taking
off its head works." I explain to him. "Let's go see if the girl is alright."
We turn to look at the girl. She's still lying on the ground where she
fell. We move
towards her to make sure she is alright.
As we approach her, I notice that she's young, couldn't be older that
eighteen with
long red hair. She looks very innocent laying there, but you can't be sure <
The innocent
looking kid at the gas station pops up in my mind >. As I bend down to examine
her, I pull
out the cross, to make sure we don't get any rude surprises, and touch her with
it. Nothing
happens, so Frank checks her pulse and sees that she's still alive. I keep an
eye out while he
tends her.
"How is she, Frank?"
"Looks like she passed out when she fell. But, I don't think she hit her
head on
anything."
Just then the girls eyes pop open and she looks at the two of us with fear
in her eyes.
"Frank, keep an eye on the woods, make sure nothing comes at us without
warning.
I want to ask this girl a couple of questions." Frank gets up and starts
scanning the
perimeter, while I talk to the girl.
"Hi there, out a little late aren't we?" I ask her.
"Hmm, you're not with the guys who were chasing me?" Willow asks < Who
are
these two? They're not vampires, I hope. >
"No, we're just a couple of guys out for a walk, who heard your scream and
came to
help. Do you have a name?"
"Yes, my name's Willow. Who are you guys, what happened to the three vam..
guys
chasing me?"
"Well Willow, when they saw me and friend, those just sorta went to pieces
and
disappeared." I say with a grin.
Willow looks up at the stranger's comment, wondering what he means by that
saying that 'they went to pieces'.
"Steve, there some more people coming this way, and I don't think they're
the
friendly types." Frank calls over to me.
I stand up helping Willow to her feet.
"Ouch, I think I sprained my ankle when I fell. I can barely stand, I
don't think I
can walk." Willow tells me, a worried look on her face.
"Don't worry Willow, neither Frank nor I will leave you here. You can bet
your life
on that." I tell her.
"You don't understand, those are vampires, the other three probably went to
get
help. We have to get away from them." Willow informs us.
I look over to where Frank is pointing, a group of six more vampires is
moving
towards us at a trot.
"Frank, you ready this time."
Frank pulls out two stakes, and smiles his evil smile. "I know what I have
to do
Steve, don't worry about me. Give the girl your cross, and let's send these
bastards back to
whatever hell they came from."
I hand Willow my cross and a wooden knife. She looks at me with wide eyes.
< She's
scared, but she'll fight for her life. Good. >
"Frank, let's take the battle to them. Don't let any of them get past you."
Willow is shocked to see the tall stranger handing her a cross and wooden
knife. As
he turns around to face the vampires, Willow wonders < Who are these two guys.
And how
do they know about vampires? > Willow looks at the new group of vampires, the
three that
were chasing her are not in the group. < What happened to the three that were
following
me? > Then she remember's the stranger's comment 'They went to pieces'. < My
God, they
killed the three vampires that were chasing me. > Willow looks in wonder as the
tall
stranger who spoke to her, pulls an incredibly long sword from out of his coat!?
< Where
did that come from? > She wonders to herself.
Frank and I move forward about ten yards and stop. The vampires have seen
us and
notice that we're not running away. I lift my Katana and call out a challenge:
"You guys
want something?"
The six vampires stop in their tracks and one steps forward.
< Who are these two, and where are the three vampires I sent after Willow?
If they
ran away from these two mortals, I'll kill them. > "My name is Angelus, and
that girl is
my dinner. Walk away and you two will live."
"Angel" Willows cries out in fear.
"Ah Willow, Buffy will be very anger when she finds out that I've killed
you."
Angel smiles and licks his lips.
"Come down here and I'll stab your heart out, Angel." Willow retorts,
holding up
her knife and cross.
"Frank, do you think they know each other?" I ask, grinning like a fool. <
God, this
kid has heart. >
"Yeah, I think they do, but I don't think they like each other much,
though." Frank
comments. He turns around and gives the girl a thumbs up sign and a smile.
Angelus looks at us again, "I thought I told you two to beat it. Oh well,"
he turns to
his vampire cronies, pointing at us, "You can have these two for dinner. Willow
is mine."
The five vampires split into two groups, three coming for me, two for
Frank. I
throw my wooden knife, killing one vampire with a hit to the heart. The other
two see this
and come straight at me. I use my Katana to cut open the stomach of the second
one, while
ducking under the third one. I stab the third vampire in the stomach, from a
crouched
position. As the third one is doubled over, I straighten up and bring my blade
back and
behead him. The second is just getting back up when I cut his head off with
another stroke
of my sword.
Meanwhile, Frank has managed to kill his first vampire with a quick stab to
the
heart. The second gets groin kicked and as he doubles over, back stabbed.
We turn around and move back to help the girl called Willow. She's
standing her
ground. Angelus is trying to get past the cross and wooden knife she has.
"Willow, I promise that it will be quick." Angeleus tells her.
"Angel, I used to like you a lot when you had your soul. You were my
friend then,
now your just another monster." Willow tells him.
I clear my throat and ask, "I know this is a touching reunion, but Angelus,
old son,
why don't you face me or my partner, instead of a wounded, slip of a girl. Or
aren't you
man enough?" I challenge.
Angelus turns around and sees me and Frank standing there.
"How in the hell!!" Angelus exclaims, looking for the five vampires he
sent after us.
"Who are you two? No mere mortals could have killed five vampires."
< They killed five vampires in less than a minute!! > Willow thinks to
herself. < Who
are these guys? > Willow now notices that Angel has his back to her. She
decides to try and
finish Angel for Buffy's sake. She reaches out, thrusting with the wooden
knife, aimed at
his heart.
Suddenly Angel moves away, and Willow's sprained leg doesn't let her catch
up to
him.
I see Angelus move suddenly to the side, Willow had attempted to stab him
in the
back when he turned to face us. < This girl has potential. > He sees that the
odds are
against him and starts to run back into the woods. Frank pulls out his H&K Spec
Ops. 45
and goes through the rest of his magazine, shooting Angeleus in the back.
"Frank, you know that bullets won't stop them." I comment, as I put my
Katana
away.
"Yeah, but it just makes me feel so good knowing that I ruined pretty boy's
nice
leather jacket." Frank replies, giving me that evil grin, as he replaces the
spent magazine.
We turn to look at Willow. She in turn is looking at the two of us. <
Probably
wondering what we're going to do. >
"C'mon, lets get out of here before he brings back any more of them." I
tell Frank
and Willow. "Willow, do you want us to escort you home?"
"There's a pay phone not far from here, I can call for a ride from there.
Can you
help me get there?" Willow asks. "Hold on a second, let me get my purse."
Willow bends down to retrieve a small purse and one of Frank's shell
casings. < Girl
definitely has potential! >
"Lean on me kid," Frank says, "I'll help you walk there. Steve will keep
guard on
both of us."
As we're walking out of the park, I ask Willow some questions.
"Willow, that Angelus guy knew you, and he mentioned someone named Buffy.
Would you care to explain what he was talking about?"
"No, I can't right now. You have to understand these are my friends and I
don't
want anything to happen to them." Willow explains. "Hmm, why are you walking
like that
for?" Willow remarks, as she notices me turning around at random times and
walking
backwards.
"It's a patrol method called the 'Belfast Stroll'." I reply with a grin.
"I'm not going
to ask any more questions. We understand Willow, you have your friends'
confidence. You
need to talk to them first, before you can tell us anything. After all,
everybody has secrets
they need to keep and confidences that can't be shared."
Willow looks relieved at my words.
We exit the park and see the pay phone. Willow reaches into her pocket for
some
change to make the call, but comes up empty.
"Drat, I must've lost my change in the park." She mutters.
I reach into my pocket and give her a quarter. "Here, make your call,
we'll wait
here beside you, until your friend comes."
Willow dials a number, and asks her mother to pick her up. She explains
that she
tripped and sprained her ankle in the park and couldn't make it home. She tells
her mother
where she's calling from, giving the cross streets where we are standing.
After Willow hangs up the phone, she turns to us, "I just want to say thank
you for
saving me back there. Is there any way for me to contact you tomorrow, after
I've talked to
my friends."
I give her my cellular phone number to call, to arrange any meetings.
While we
wait for Willow's mother, Frank and I keep an eye out on the park, making sure
nothing
can rush us without any warning.
A few minutes later, a car pulls up to the phone booth. A woman gets out
of it.
Willow moves toward the car and calls out to her mother. Frank and I start to
walk away,
checking the area. As we're walking away, the car pulls up to us. The woman
gets out and
approaches us. I see Willow sitting in the front seat embarrassed.
"I understand you helped my daughter, Willow, out of the park." The woman
asks.
"Yes, ma'am, we found her with a sprained ankle in the middle of the park."
Frank
tells her.
"I just wanted to say, thank you, for helping her."
"No problem, always glad to be helpful." I reply.
She gets back into her car and drives away.
"Steve, that girl knows what's going on here. Why didn't you question her
more
thoroughly?" Frank asks.
"Frank, I don't think that she could have handled an interrogation, not in
her state.
Besides, its obvious that she was going to be a victim tonight of that thing.
And I think that
we have just gained ourselves an ally in this town."
"Yeah, I can see your point of view. But, who is Buffy?"
"I don't know, but I'm sure we're going to find out sooner or later,
probably sooner.
Let's go back to the house."
Rosenberg Residence - One Hour Later
"Mom, Dad, Uncle Mike, I'm going to bed now." Willow says as she heads up
the
stairs.
The moment she gets into her room, she dives for the phone and calls her
best friend
Buffy.
"Please be home, please be home," Willow whispers as the phone rings.
The phone is answered on the fourth ring, "Hello, this better be
important," a sleepy
Buffy answers.
"Buffy, this is Willow, are you awake?"
"Willow, what's so important, that you have to wake me up?" Buffy asks.
"Buffy, I was attacked by Angel tonight."
Buffy is instantly awake, "Willow, is Angel holding you prisoner? Tell him
I want
to speak to him, right now."
"No, Buffy, I'm at home and safe. Let me explain."
Willow then tells Buffy about her run through the park, being chased by
three
vampires, falling and waking up to see two strange men. She then tells Buffy
how these two
men stood up to Angel and five vampires to protect her.
"Willow, are you sure it only took a minute for these guys to kill FIVE
vampires?"
Buffy asks in wonder.
"Yes, I'm pretty sure it was less than a minute, because Angel only got
five steps,
before the other five vampires were gone. Buffy, I think they also took out the
three
vampires that Angel had sent after me earlier."
"Eight vampires Willow? Are these guys really that good? You couldn't
have
imagined it? Maybe Angel is playing a game, trying to set us up?"
"I don't know Buffy, but they gave me a phone number to call to arrange a
meeting.
How about everybody meets in the Library tomorrow morning before first period?"
"Good idea, I'll round everybody up, you go straight to the Library."
Buffy tells
her.
A Deserted Factory - The Vampires' Hiding Place
(It Ain't the Ritz Carleton, But the Screams Are Free)
Angelus slams his hand against the wall in frustration. He turns to Spike
and
Drusila.
"I can't believe those two strangers killed eight of our brethren tonight."
Spike
comments, looking at Angelus.
"Believe it Spike," Angelus answers. "I hadn't gone more than five yards
before they
were challenging me to a fight. It took them about a minute to destroy five
vampires. A
fucking minute. And probably less to do the first three. Can you believe that.
Plus, add the
fact that they rescued Willow makes this even worse."
"How so Angel darling?" Drusila asks.
"Because the first thing that she will do is contact Buffy. And if these
two join with
her, then we're in deep trouble. Can you imagine the Slayer allied with two
hunters who
are possibly as deadly as she is?" Angel comments.
"How can you be sure that they will join forces? Maybe the Slayer won't
have
anything to do with them. After all, how can she know that they're on her side?
All of the
Slayers in history have been loners. Why should she be any different?" Spike
comments.
Angelus turns to Spike. "Spike, this Slayer is different, she has friends,
a family. She
doesn't hunt us alone. She might welcome the extra help." Angelus answers.
"We have got to lay low for a few days, maybe these guys will go away by
themselves. Pass the word to the other vampires. No more hunting for at least
three days.
Do I make myself clear." Angelus commands several vampires who immediately
leave to
spread the word.
"One other thing, we'll need to add more vampires to our ranks. Make
ourselves
stronger, just in case." Angelus angrily states as he throws his leather jacket
in the corner.
"And somebody find me a new jacket, one of those bastards shot mine to pieces."
Part 10 - A Gathering of Forces - Sunnydale High School Library
(How to Save the World as a School Project, But No Extra Credit)
As Willow enters the library, she sees that Buffy has already rounded
everybody up
for the meeting. Oz gets up from his chair and helps Willow to her usual spot
next to the
computer. All eyes are on Willow as she sits down.
"Hi guys, I take it Buffy already told you about last night?" Willow asks.
Mr. Giles, the Librarian, checks his glasses and asks, "Willow would you
mind going
over what happened last night, again?"
Willow nods and goes over in great detail what happened in the park last
night. She
also pulls out the cross, wooden knife and the shell casing that came from one
the stranger's
guns.
Xander picks up the shell casing and whistles.
"Xander do you know what it is?" Mr. Giles asks.
"Yeah, its a modified .45 Colt Auto. Very NASTY stuff. It also doesn't
have any
manufacturer's marks, so we can't find out who made it or where it was bought.
Without
the manufacturer's marks, we can't track the bullets. The only people that
would have
access to and use this kind of stuff would be special or black operations
soldiers."
"Would mind explaining in English what you just said?" Cordelia asks.
Xander looks around the table seeing the blank stares, explains "Oh sorry.
Remember that Charlie Sheen film, 'Navy Seals'. Well, the guy who fired this
bullet,
belongs to the same type of group."
Giles clears his throat and asks, "Xander, would you care to explain, to
me, what is a
Navy Seal?"
"Well Giles, imagine a soldier trained to fight on the land, in the air and
on and
under the sea. They're some of the best of the best, Giles. Trained in
weapons, explosives,
hand to hand and stealth fighting techniques. These guys have through some of
the
toughest training in the world, where eighty to ninety percent of the volunteers
washout."
"So, in other words, we have a pair of highly trained and well equipped
killers
roaming the streets of Sunnydale." Giles replies as he turns to Willow, "Willow
can you
look up the words 'Belfast Stroll' on the Internet, please."
Buffy looks up, and asks the questions on everybody's mind, "So, just who
are these
two Rambos? What's their reason for being in Sunnydale? And, just on whose side
are
they on?"
"Those are the questions that need to be answered." Xander replies.
Giles turns to Willow, "Willow, have you got a match yet?"
"Yes, I did Giles." Willow replies. "The term 'Belfast Stroll' according
to the
Internet article I've pulled up from Soldier of Fortune magazine, refers to a
patrol method
used by British Special Air Service and Royal Marines in Northern Ireland."
"My word," An awed Giles, mutters.
Buffy turns to Giles and asks, "Uh, Giles who are these guys?"
A pale, shaken Giles clears his throat, "The British SAS and Royal Marines
are the
two most elite branches of the military back in England. Also, the units have
won
international fame for defeating terrorists all around the world. These men are
trained to
fight and think. I think this answers the question of how they defeated five
vampires in less
than a minute."
"What do you mean, Giles?" Oz asks.
"Simple, the vampires meet a foe that knew their weaknesses and how to
capitalize
on them. In words of your vernacular: 'They kicked the vampires' ass'."
Giles turns to Willow, "Willow, you said they gave you a telephone number
to
contact them."
"Yes, here it is." Willow hands Giles a slip of paper.
"Let's call and arrange a meeting shall we?" Giles explains.
"But where?" Buffy asks.
"Lets see where they want to meet. If its public with a lot of people,
then they might
be friends. If its secluded, then most definitely its a trap." Xander reasons.
The group gets up and walks over to the library counter where the speaker
phone is.
Oz moves a chair, so Willow is comfortable, Xander locks the doors, so no will
interrupt
them. Giles dials the number on the slip of paper.
"Hello, Steve here." The voice on the phone answers.
"Hi, Steve, this is Willow. I've talked to my friends, and they want to me
to arrange
a meeting with you and Frank. Tonight, if possible."
"Sure, how about the food court at the local shopping mall, around six
o'clock sound
about right?"
Willow looks at her friends and sees them all nod, yes.
"I'll wait for you there, with a couple of my friends." Willow answers.
"Bye Willow."
"Bye Steve." And the phone is hung up.
"Giles, what do you make of their choice for a meeting place?" Cordelia
asks.
"It's too public, it will be hard to trap any one there. What do you think
Xander?"
Giles replies, as he notices him drawing a sketch of the food court and its
general area.
"Yeah, I agree with you Giles. No one could plan an effective trap here.
Too many
witnesses, too many exits. You couldn't cover them all unless you had an army
with you,
and that would be VERY obvious. Also, its a great place to hold a meeting. No
one will
notice one taking place, just a bunch of people sitting down to eat." Xander
explains.
Giles looks impressed with Xander's train of thought. "So, who will be
there first?
Us or them." Giles asks.
Xander considers the matter. "We'll be there first. They'll be late, about
ten
minutes I think." Xander looks around, seeing the blank stares continues, "They
will want
to check the area out first, make sure that WE are not trying to trap THEM.
These two are
real pros. Buffy, these two guys are probably a lot more dangerous than
anything you've
faced before, even the Order of Teraka."
"These men are more dangerous than the Assassin's Order? I find that hard
to
believe." Giles answers.
"Giles, the Order has some tough people working for it, I'll give them
that. But face
facts, they normally go after people who have never fought more that a cold
their entire
lives. Giles, the order is a bunch of wild dogs that goes after sheep. These
two guys we're
meeting are more like a pair of alpha class timber wolves."
The sound of the first attendance bell breaks the silence. Giles gets up,
"We have a
lot to think about, we'll meet back here after school. Go on to class." The
meeting breaks
up, every body heading to their first period, deep in thought.
St. Wolf Residence
(Batmobiles for Sale - Cheap)
Frank and I are having a light breakfast when my phone rings.
"Hello, Steve here," I answer.
"Hi, Steve, this is Willow. I've talked to my friends, and they want to me
to arrange
a meeting with you and Frank. Tonight, if possible." Willow informs me.
I look at Frank, and make an impulsive decision. "Sure, how about the food
court at
the local shopping mall, around six o'clock sound about right?" I had been to
the mall
yesterday and the food court looked like a perfect set up for a meeting. Public
but private,
and no easy way to control it.
"I'll wait for you there, with a couple of my friends." Willow answers.
"Bye Willow."
"Bye Steve." And I hang up the phone.
"That was our young friend from last night, setting up a meeting." I
inform Frank.
"Girls a fast worker." Frank comments.
"That she is." I reply. "Let's go over to the mall and scope out the
area, before the
meeting."
"Good idea, I need to get some more clothes any way. I only brought my
overnight
bag" Frank comments.
"After we do that, let's stop by a car dealer, I need a car."
"I've got an associate in L.A., who can fix you up 'Special'."
"What do you mean by 'Special,' Frank?"
"Oh, how about armored and bullet proof, with all of the fixings?" Frank
explains
with a grin.
"Alright, lets pay this guy a visit." I decide. "Do you think he can
provide
something today?"
"I don't know, but we can ask."
The stop at the shopping mall only takes about an hour, so we head into
L.A. to visit
Frank's associate. We pull up to an auto body shop in South L.A. I look at the
decaying
buildings on the block and don't feel too sure about this guy.
"Steve, always remember, 'don't judge a book by its cover'." Frank
comments as
we pull up to a gang-banger. "Hey Amigo, tell Paco that Frank Iverson is here."
I watch
as the kid pulls out a small radio and speaks into it.
The kid turns back to Frank, "Senor Iverson, Senor Garcia says to send you
in
immediately." The kid points to a garage door that's rolling up as we speak.
Frank drives
right into the building, where a man is waiting for us.
"Paco, Mi Amigo." Frank calls out to the man. "How have you been? How's
Carmen, and the kids?"
"Frank, long time no see. I'm fine, Carmen's fine, and the kids are great.
What can
I do for you?" Paco gets right down to business.
"My friend here needs a very "Special' car." Frank answers pointing to me.
I explain to Paco what I'm looking for and that I hope to have either today
or
tomorrow.
Paco just shakes his head "Senor, normally I would tell you to go screw
yourself, but
you have luck. A client couldn't take delivery on his vehicle recently and I
still have it.
Would you like to see it. If you like it, we can work out a deal." Paco then
leads us to a
tarp covered vehicle.
Two of Paco's mechanics/bodyguards uncover a dark blue, 4 door, Chevy Tahoe
Blazer. Paco, then describes the modifications and improvements made to it.
I'm
impressed.
"How much, and can you get the ownership papers cleared up today." I ask.
"Senor, the person who ordered this vehicle put a substantial deposit on
it, but alas,
he cannot accept delivery now. < Being dead > I can sell this car to you for
$75,000.00. I
can also get you title, plates and insurance today." Paco tells me.
"How much more for the registration and insurance?" I ask.
"Another $3,000.00, Senor."
I pull out my check book, and write a check for $78,000.00. "Who do I make
the
check out to?" I ask Paco.
Paco looks over to Frank, who nods his head. "Senor, make the check out to
Paco
Garcia Auto Body." He then turns around and calls out to one of his workers.
"Manuel, is your sister working over a DMV today?." The man nods yes. "Go
to
my cousin's insurance office and pick up the papers she gives you, and come back
here."
The man puts his tools down and leaves.
"Senor, I'll need some information please." I give Paco the info he needs.
"This will
take about an hour, why don't you have some lunch then come back. I recommend
the
Mexicali, its just around the block, tell the Hostess you're my guests."
I give Paco, my Sunnydale address, as well as my California drivers
license. He then
calls up his sister and starts to make all the arrangements to transfer
ownership of the car.
An hour later, Paco delivers the car to the restaurant. He hands me
portfolio filled
with papers and my driver's license.
"Three beers, please." He says to our waitress. "The car is yours, Senor,
enjoy it,
and lunch is on me." The waitress delivers our beers, and we toast to close the
deal.
We chat a little longer. I notice the time. "Frank, we have that six
o'clock meeting
tonight, remember."
"Paco, its nice seeing you again, but like Steve said, we have to go.
Paco, can one of
your guys return the rental car for me? I'll ride back with Steve."
Paco calls over to a kid sitting by the door. Frank gives him the rental's
keys and
one hundred dollars. The kid smiles and promises to return the car immediately.
Paco
whispers something in the kid's ear and he gets very serious.
"Your rental will be returned immediately, Frank." Paco confirms.
As we get into my new car. I find a computer printed instruction manual on
the
passenger seat. Frank picks it up and starts to read it and whistles.
"Steve, I don't know who wanted this car, but they really got it tricked
out. James
Bond would've drooled over this thing." Frank grins, then starts to detail the
'extras', his
friend Paco put in.
"Frank, I have a feeling that we will find out very soon, how well Paco
made this
car." I comment as we pull out into the early afternoon traffic and head back
to Sunnydale.
LAX - The Same Day
(Bull shit - Washington D.C. Style)
Mulder and Scully have just deplaned from their morning flight from
Washington
D.C.
"Scully, did you see the look that stewardess gave us when we didn't check
our coats
in?" Mulder comments.
"Yes, but do you want her to wonder why we're each carrying a Katana in our
coats? You know, we should have checked them with our luggage."
"Are you kidding Scully? They would get ripped off in a minute. Besides,
I always
like to keep mine handy."
"A little bit of sword envy, Mulder?" Scully comments with a nasty grin.
Mulder gives her a look, but it goes away and he smiles. "Scully, if I
didn't know
any better, I would swear that was preposition."
"Only if you're really lucky, Mulder." Scully shoots back.
Before Mulder could comment, a man dressed in FBI regulation suit walks up.
"Are
you Agents Mulder and Scully?" He asks, flashing his identification.
"Yes, we are." Scully answers for both. "And you are?"
"My name is Joe Tanaka, Agent in Charge Daniels wanted me to meet you and
give
you a hand on the case that you're working on. Come this way, the cars are
parked in the
secure lot, just below the terminal."
Mulder looks at Scully and she nods. "Agent Tanaka, the only help we need
is the
use of a car while we're here and directions to a suburb called Sunnydale."
Mulder
informs him.
"Sunnydale? Why are you going to Sunnydale? Nothing ever happens there.
It's
just a sleepy little town outside of Los Angeles." Agent Tanaka informs them.
"Well that's where our case is taking us. So if you don't mind we'll work
it from
there, alone." Mulder responds.
"I'll have to inform Agent Daniels of this breach in protocol." Agent
Tanaka states.
"Please do so, he can take it up with Assistant Director Skinner, back in
Washington
D.C." Scully replies cooly. "And he will want to know why Agent Daniels and
members of
his staff are attempting to assert authority over us."
Agent Tanaka gets the message, and stops complaining. He leads them to
their
loaner car from the LA office and gives them the keys.
"Maps are in the glove box, but the fastest way to Sunnydale is by the Los
Angeles/Riverside Highway." Tanaka informs them and wishes them, "Good luck."
As their call pulls away Mulder turns to Scully, sitting in the passenger
seat, "You
almost took his head off, Scully. He was only following orders from his boss."
Mulder
comments.
"Mulder, I don't like anybody trying to play mind games with me, not after
what
happened to us in New York." Scully snaps.
Scully's mind goes back to the night that she and Mulder died at the hands
of
Immortal madman, named Kale, and how they came back to life as Immortals.
CENTRAL PARK, JUNE 1996
Mulder and Scully were chasing a serial killer wanted in a series of
decapitation
slayings. They had followed their main suspect, Russell Nash, into the park.
As they were moving through the under brush, they hear a clanking of metal
on
metal. As they rush to the sound, they come upon a sight they couldn't believe.
Russell
Nash was fighting a scarred and disfigured man. Their weapons were swords.
Mulder gets up and clear of the under brush, and shouts, "FBI, freeze,
you're both
under arrest. Put the weapons down or I will shot you." Scully is standing
next to him,
holding her gun on the two suspects.
The scarred man and Nash break apart. The scarred man spins around and
pulls
out a gun and shoots both Mulder and Scully down.
"That was uncalled for, Kale." They heard Nash say as they lay dying.
"I don't care Highlander, I want your head. And those two got in the way."
Kale
answers.
"Mulder, I'm sorry, I love you." Scully gasps out as she lay dying.
Mulder crawls to where Scully is lying, "Scully, please don't leave me. I
love you."
He reaches out to her and with his dying strength, hugs her to him. Then he
looks over to
where Nash has beaten Kale down and behinds him. Mulder watches as the
lightning
comes out of Kale's neck and enters the man called Nash. Then, the world goes
black.
Mulder awakes with a start. He sees Nash standing over him with a sword.
Nash is
smiling.
"Glad to see your awake."
"But Scully, she's dead. I can't leave her." Mulder replies.
"No, she's not. Wait for it." Nash tells Mulder.
Mulder looks at Scully's body and watches the bullet holes heal. Scully
jerks awake
and her eyes pop open.
"What's happening. Why are we still alive." Mulder asks as a shocked
Scully looks
on.
"C'mon, let's get out of here. We have to leave. I'll explain everything
at my
home." Nash tells them.
At Nash's home. He tells Mulder and Scully what happened to them. Who and
what they are. Nash tells them of the Game, and of his own history.
"I can train you for this, if you're willing. I can teach you how to
defend yourselves
and how to change your identities when you can no longer keep your present ones.
Scully listens to this in disbelief. "Mr. Nash how can we believe this
story." Scully
asks.
"Weren't you killed tonight? Shot several times by Kale in the chest? Just
look at
yours and Mr. Mulder's clothes. What does it take to make you believe, Ms.
Scully?" Nash
replies.
`"You know Scully, this explains everything about this case. The murders,
the
weapons, the unbelievable forensic evidence we've found about the victims."
Mulder
comments.
< God, how things changed that day, for us both. > Scully thinks to herself
as they
approach Sunnydale.
"Scully, penny for your thoughts." Mulder asks coyly. "Deep in thought
about this
case?"
"No Mulder, just thinking about what happened to us two years ago." Scully
replies.
"Yeah, I think about that some times myself. At least one good thing came
out of it."
"What Mulder, the fact that the Bureau's medical expenses have gone down
drastically over the last two years?" Scully replies with a smile.
"No silly, the fact that we love each other, and that we finally did
something about it,
Mrs. Mulder."
Scully reaches over and clasps his hand and looks at her husband of less
than one
year. "Too bad, we can't tell anybody, or else the Bureau would split us
apart."
"So, what's the first thing we do when we get to Sunnydale?" Mulder asks.
"Go to the local police and see if they have any information that the Lone
Gunmen
missed, but I doubt that. Your friends are quite thorough. But it would be a
good idea to
interview the police officers who answered the call. Then we go see the scene
of the crime,
so to speak. You know, I could get some new clothes while we're at it." Scully
muses.
"Scully, can you actually go shopping while we're on a case? I am
shocked."
Mulder sarcastically replies.
They reach Sunnydale by three o'clock, and locate the polices station
almost
immediately.
The police are not so forth coming with information as Mulder likes. As
they leave
the station Mulder comments to Scully.
"You know, I do believe that they are hiding something from us, Scully.
What do
you think?"
"Normally Mulder, I would say no, but these cops were some of the most
tight
lipped, I've ever seen. Can you believe the story they gave us: 'Gang kids on
PCP'. Its one
of the lamest stories I've ever heard. Look, its almost four thirty, lets get
to the mall. We
call look at the scene, and grab some dinner at the food court afterwards."
"Oh yum, mall food" Mulder replies.
"Hey, after what I've seen you eat, mall food is a step up."
They make it to the mall by five o'clock. As they approach the landing
that they saw
on the video, Mulder comments.
"Scully, the Strella probably was shot from on top of that counter."
Scully walks over to the counter and looks at the angle of trajectory the
missile
would have had to take to hit the blue devil.
"I agree Mulder, this is the probable place where it was fired from. Do
you think
that any evidence is left? Its been over a month." Scully muses as she and
Mulder examine
the landing and its surrounding area.
"Well Scully, I don't think we'll find anything here. Lets go see what
they have to
eat at the food court. It's almost six o'clock and I'm hungry."
"Alright Mulder, lets go. Maybe we can do some shopping afterwards, we
passed
this shoe sale over by the food court."
"You mean over by Jerry's shoes?" Mulder asks, remembering the poor shoe
guy
trying to force a shoe onto a 300 pound woman. Poor guy looked like he wanted
to kill
himself. < If he gets it on her, he deserves his own X-file. >
Part 11 - A Convergence of Forces
(Light on the Soy Sauce and Heavy on the Ammo, Please)
Frank and I make it to the mall with some time to spare. The first thing
that we do
is recon the area in and around the food court, making sure there are no
surprises waiting
for us.
A little before six we see that Willow and a two other kids, a boy and a
girl, make
their way to the food court. I look over to Frank.
"Frank, none of those kids looks to be older than eighteen."
"Maybe Willow is using her friends as a cover for the meeting. Making it
look like
nothing special is going on. After all, we did save her life in the park, and
we didn't try to
force information out of her. Maybe she feels that we won't do anything to her
friends.
She's right about that, girls a good judge of character."
As we watch, the kids make their way to a set of tables off to one side,
where a man
and woman are sitting. The kids sit down with them.
"Frank, those two adults, do you think, they're the leaders?"
"Probably are. Let's go meet them." Frank replies.
As we approach the entrance to the food court, I notice a man and a woman
in
trench coats coming towards us. I feel the 'Buzz' of another immortal. I
motion Frank to
back me up as I meet them in front of a woman's shoe store. As I approach
them, I
recognize the man: Fox Mulder of the FBI. I glance at Frank, he recognizes him
as well.
"Agent Mulder, long time no see." I comment. "I see that your a member of
the club
now, or is it the lady?"
"Hello Wanderer." Mulder replies, not very pleased to see me again. "It's
the both
of us. I see that your partner is still with you. I take it that you're both
Immortals as
well?"
"No, Frank's not one of us." I inform Mulder. "Is this a chance meeting,
or are we
going to find some place private?"
"No, Scully and I are here on a case." Mulder tells me. "What are you
doing here,
Wanderer? Last time we meet, you were hunting down a serial killer in Europe."
"I live in this town now, Mulder." I inform him. "Why don't you introduce
me to
the lady." I nod my head to Scully.
"Sorry, this is Agent Dana Scully, my partner." Mulder tells me.
"In more ways than one, I see." You can feel the attachment, the bond
between
these two. If these two aren't married or sleeping together, then my respect
for Mulder
would go down quite a few notches.
"Hello," Dana Scully says upon our introduction, "What Mulder didn't
mention was
that I'm also his wife as well as being his partner and a member of the club."
I smile. < Good, he isn't a complete idiot then. Letting a woman like this
go would
be a crime. > I also notice that Mulder is shocked that see tells me about
their marriage.
"Scully you don't know who this guy is, you don't know who he works for, or
that he
can be trusted. Why are you telling him this?" Mulder angrily asks her.
Scully turns to Mulder, smiling and explains, "Mulder, we can trust him, if
my
cousin Frank is working with him, then he can be trusted."
Both Mulder and I turn to Frank. "Her cousin, Frank?" I ask.
Mulder looks at Scully, "Your cousin? I've never seen him at your family
affairs, or
a picture of him in any Scully house." Mulder states.
"Its really simple, Mulder. Frank is the black sheep of the family. My
father and
Frank hated each other. And him resigning from the Navy, in disgrace, didn't
help much
either." Scully informs us both.
After saying this, Frank and Scully hug and talk quietly with each other.
I turn to Mulder and shake my head. "You know Mulder, I had no idea."
"You and me both Wanderer." He mutters, looking at Scully and Frank.
"Wanderer, do you have a real name?" Mulder asks.
"It's Steven St. Wolf. Just call me Steve" I inform him.
I look at my watch its 6:12. I turn to Frank. "Frank, the family get
together will
have to wait. We have to attend that meeting, right now."
Frank and Scully stop talking and Frank turns to me, "Steve, I know this
may sound
crazy, but lets include Scully and Mulder in the meeting. They can help us."
"Frank, they have their own case to work on." I look at Mulder and he nods
his
head in agreement.
"Mulder, Steve, I think we're both working on the same case." Scully
informs us.
I turn to Mulder, "You're here hunting vampires?" I ask in shocked
disbelief.
"No, we're here hunting a blue skinned demon, or possibly, the person that
killed it
with a Strella." Mulder replies smiling.
Needless to say it, but I am in shock. This was a turn of events that I
couldn't have
imagined in my wildest dreams. It stuns me for a second, but I make my decision
to include
them in the meeting. After all this couldn't get any weirder, could it?
"Mulder, Scully, Frank and I have a meeting set right now with a source, do
you two
want to attend?" They look at each, silently communicating, before both nod
yes. "Good,
but Frank and I run the show, got that." They both agree, and with that, we
head to the
food court and our meeting with Willow and her friends.
Sunnydale High School Library - 4:00 PM
Willow and Oz walk back into the library. Everyone is back, even Miss
Calendar is
there. Willow looks to Buffy.
"Miss Calendar, its nice to see you." Willow says, surprised to see her in
the same
room as Buffy.
"I thought I could use some help, so, I spoke with Jenny this morning, and
told her
what happened. I asked Buffy first, she agreed." Giles tells her.
Buffy stands up from her chair. "Alright guys, have any of you have any
ideas what
to do about tonight?"
"Giles, guys, I asked Amy to join us." Xander states. "She's running a
little late, so
can we hold the meeting until she comes in?" Amy walks in as Xander finishes
explaining.
Buffy turns to Xander, "Why did you invite her?" Buffy asks.
"Look, I know the type of guys we're dealing with, and I figured we could
us a hold
card. I explained the situation to her and she agreed to help us." Xander
explains.
"What can Amy do to help us against two professional killers?" Willow
asks.
"Well, I have read up on some defensive and offensive spells. Xander and I
don't
think that they will be expecting a magical attack, if they try anything.." Amy
speaks up.
Xander clears his throat, "Buffy, we agreed to the meeting. We have to be
there.
Not all of us, but at least Willow and one, maybe two people."
"Do you have a plan, Xander?" Giles asks.
"Yeah, here's how it works: Willow, Buffy, Miss Calendar, myself and you,
Giles,
will meet with these two guys. Cordelia, Amy and Oz will keep an eye on us from
a table
on the opposite side of the food court. That way, if anything happens, they
won't be caught
with us, and maybe able to help."
"First thing we do, is Oz and me will check out the area at about five
o'clock. Make
sure that there is nothing unusual happening. After that, we split up and I go
meet Buffy
and Willow at the Foot Locker. Oz will meet Cordelia and Amy by the Sach's.
Then, we'll
go to the food court in stages. First, Giles and Miss Calendar go in at about
fifteen minutes
to six. About ten minutes later, Cordelia, Amy and Oz, and then about five
minutes after
that, Buffy, Willow and me will meet with Giles and Miss Calendar. l don't
think anything
will happen, but this will cover all of the bases
"Xander, that is a well thought out plan." Giles remarks, "Anyone got any
comments or additions?"
"Why are me, Amy and Cordelia on the sidelines, why not Buffy and you?" Oz
remarks, looking worriedly at Willow.
"Because if they checked Willow out, then they know about me, Buffy and
Giles
already, and probably Miss Calendar as well. You three are too new for them to
have
found out about, in this short time." Xander explains.
"Willow did you dig up any more on information, or made any matches?"
Giles
asks.
"No, nothing at all. I've checked all of the local hotels and motels
computers, but
nothing matches these two. Its as if these two guys are from nowhere." Willow
sighs.
"I'm not surprised, Willow, these men are trained to blend into their
surroundings.
They will be hard to spot." Giles replies.
"Alright, we have our plans set and ready?" Xander asks, "Good, Oz and me
will go
in his van, we'll park by the Sears. Willow, Amy, Buffy and Cordelia, in her
car, park by
the Nieman's. Giles and Miss Calendar in hers, park by the Model's."
"Why are we doing this?" Cordelia asks.
"Because this way we have multiple escape roots, if we need them." Amy
explains.
"Oh, that's a good thing, right?" Cordelia asks.
"Yes, it is." Buffy replies. "Okay, lets go. And, Xander, good job."
"Thanks Buffy." Xander replies.
As Xander and Oz are making their way to the mall. Oz turns to Xander and
asks.
"Xander, when did you become Patton? That plan you worked up, knowing what
that shell casing was, and knowing about the kind of guys we're dealing with.
How did you
know all that?"
"Remember last Halloween, when everything went freaky, kids becoming their
costumes?" Oz nods, remembering. "Well, my costume was a soldier, and I became
one.
But, after the spell wore off, I still remembered everything. Later on, I went
back to the
Army surplus store and asked the owner about who the uniform used to belong to.
He told
me it used to belong to a guy who was a Green Beret. I think that I may have
his memories
and experiences."
"Cool," Oz replies, as he parks his van in front of the Sears.
As Oz and Xander check out the food court, Buffy, Willow and Cordelia split
up and
head to their individual meetings.
"Willow, do you believe how Xander is acting." Buffy asks.
"Yeah, I guess the soldier from Halloween is still with him. I think that
is a good
thing, especially now, and getting Amy to help was also a good idea." Willow
replies.
"Yeah, I guess so." Buffy comments as she sees Xander coming up to them.
"Okay, let's get this show on the road." Buffy says as they head toward
the food
court.
Xander checks his watch, "Its almost six o'clock, lets go meet with Giles
and Miss
Calendar."
As they enter the food court, Buffy sees that Oz, Amy and Cordelia are well
away
from the meeting place. < Good, at least those three, are safe. > Then the three
move to the
table shared by Giles and Miss Calendar.
"Anything happen," Buffy asks.
"No, nothing strange." Giles answers.
The three friends join their mentors at the table waiting for their
contacts. Buffy
turns to Xander.
"Xander, do you think they'll show?" Buffy asks.
"Yeah, they'll show. If fact, I think they're here already. Willow, turn
around and
sneak a look over by the shoe store." Xander says.
Willow looks over at the four by the shoe store. "My gosh, that's them.
But who are
the people that they're talking to? I've never seen them before."
"Alright, all four of them are coming here, something's changed, be ready
to move
out in a hurry." Xander whispers as Buffy suddenly bends over in pain.
Part 12 - The Meeting
(Truth and Consequences Time)
"Buffy are you all right?" A worried Giles asks.
"I've got this incredible 'Buzz' in my head and it won't stop. What's
wrong with
me?" Buffy gasps.
As we move towards the table that Willow is sitting at, the blond girl with
her, bends
over in pain, and I feel the 'Buzz' of an approaching Immortal. I turn to look
at Mulder
and Scully. They both nod their heads. Its the blond, she's an Immortal and
from her age,
she probably doesn't know it.
I quickly walk up to her and grab her shoulder, "Look at me girl, the pain
will go
away." She turns around looks at us and I can see the relief in her face.
"It stopped. What did you do to me?" She asks.
"I can explain everything later, in private. Then, it'll be up to you, who
to tell after
that." I tell her.
Meanwhile, the boy tries to push past Frank, who sits him back down,
forcibly
"Don't be a hero, boy." Frank tells him. The man and woman try to get up, but
Mulder
and Scully open their coats, showing their guns and the pair sit back down at
the table.
Willow with a worried look on her face is the only one who hasn't moved. I can
sense the
betrayal in her. I move to calm everyone's fears.
"Look, let's get this straight. We are not here to hurt any of you. We
arranged this
meeting to get some matters cleared up. Fair enough. But, I have to tell
something to the
girl here." I point to the blond, "and I can't share it with anyone else. When
this meeting
is over, the two of us will go to another table and talk. We will not leave any
one's sight
and neither I, nor any of my associates will force her to come with us. Does
that clear
matters up." I see looks of relief on Willow and her friends.
"Alright, everybody calm? Good, allow me to make the introductions on my
side.
My name is Steven St. Wolf, though I use the name Wanderer sometimes. The man
on my
right is Frank Iverson, the man on my left is Fox Mulder, please refer to him as
Mulder, the
lady is Dana Scully. Willow would you make the introductions for your side,
please." I ask.
Willow licks her lips nervously and starts. "Yeah, uhm, sure. This is
Buffy
Summers (Willow points to the blond), that's Xander Harris (the boy Frank forced
to sit
down) and that's Rupert Giles (the older man) and Jenny Calendar (the older
woman)."
Willow informs us.
"Now lets get to the matter at hand." I comment. "Last night, Frank and I
were out
walking in the park, where we found Willow being attacked by a group of
vampires." I
notice Mulder and Scully looking at us, I continue. "After killing the first
three vampires,
we were attacked by another group of six, we managed to kill five of them, the
sixth one,
calling himself, Angelus managed to get away. Did I leave anything out?" Frank
confirms
the details, Willow looks pale, but agrees with my narrative. I then tell them
about my first
and second nights in Sunnydale and the five vampires I had killed by myself.
"Now the question I wanted answered, which Willow wouldn't at that time is,
are
there more of them than the eight Frank and I killed last night and the five I
took care of
Tuesday and Wednesday?"
I look at Willow and her friends, they can't believe what they just heard.
The girl,
Buffy looks at me.
"I want to know something. Why do you want to know if there are more
vampires
out there?" Buffy asks.
"Good question, here's a good answer. The woman that I loved was brutally
raped
and murdered. The people who did that to her have paid for their crimes, but
there are
more monsters out there. I have spent the last four years of my life hunting
down and
killing those monsters, human and demonic alike, all over the world. Whether
they're
human serial killers or demons from the pits of Hell, they all share the same
common trait:
They hurt innocent people. And, I can't sit idly by watch it happen. So, while
they're out
there hunting normal people, I, and a few friends, hunt them."
"Oh, if you think I get a kick out of this, I don't. It's purely revenge
for what
happened to my wife Kathy and all of the others who were murdered by these
psychos. If
everyone of them died tomorrow, I'd be a happy man. But, we all know that won't
happen." I tell Willow and her friends.
"Frank and I have been working together on and off for the last four years.
Mulder
and I have tracked down a several serial killers together. There are others,
but I won't
mention who they are because, right now, they aren't your business."
The kid, Xander, asks, "Who trained you? No, normal person can kill one
vampire,
let alone five."
"I served three years in the Green Berets. Frank served seven years in the
Navy
Seals." I tell him.
"Scully and me are with the FBI." Mulder informs them. "My specialty is
profiling, and Scully is a forensic pathologist. We work the X-Files."
"The X-Files? I've heard that name before." Jenny remarks, looking very
worried.
"We investigate the cases that deal with the paranormal, or that can't be
explained
within the normal boundaries of science." Mulder explains.
Willow's little group looks very worried. They can't make up their minds
to run or
to find out more. The blond girl, Buffy looks at the four of us wondering what
else we want
from her.
I break the silence. "Look we came hear to talk and maybe work together.
Why
don't you tell us what is going on here." I ask.
Giles looks at his friends and they nod their ascent. "Well, how can I
explain this
without sounding crazy?"
"Mr. Giles, I have just admitted to killing ten vampires, Frank, three.
Mulder and
Scully are hunting a blue skinned demon, would you care to top that?" I tell
him.
"Did you say, a blue skinned demon?" Buffy asks nervously.
"Yes, we have a video tape of a large blue skinned man, with horns, who
causes
people to spontaneously combust with a touch. The video tape was shot here on
the security
cameras. The tape also show him being blown up with an anti-tank missile called
a
Strella." Mulder explains. "We're here to find out what happened."
Buffy and her group look very nervous at this.
Mulder looks to Scully, a thought passes between them. < These people know
something about this. >
"Look Giles, just start at the beginning. We won't make any judgements." I
tell
him.
"Very well, but let me start at the true beginning." Giles states. "This
world is older
than any of you know, and contrary to popular mythology, it did not begin as a
paradise.
For untold eons, Demons walked the earth; made it their home -- their Hell. In
time they,
the Demons, lost their purchase on this reality, and the way was made for the
mortal
animals. For Man. What remains of the Old Ones are vestiges: certain
magicks, certain
creatures, and Vampires."
"As long as there have been Demons and Vampires, there has been the Slayer.
One
girl in all the world, a Chosen one, born with the strength and skill to hunt
Vampires and
other deadly creatures, to find them where they gather and to stop the spread of
their evil
and the swell of their numbers. Buffy is the Slayer for this generation"
"The town of Sunnydale sit on top of the Hellmouth. The Hellmouth is the
sole
remaining way that demons can re-enter this world. If it is re-opened, then the
demons can
come back. Because of this, it is also a mystical convergence that draws such
magical
creatures as vampires and demons here in greater quantities than would be
normally seen.
The previous Master vampire attempted to re-open it but was stopped by Buffy and
us.
"And what is your purpose in this Mr. Giles?" I ask.
"I'm her Watcher," Giles states. "A Watcher serves by finding the next
Slayer,
leading her on her path. It is the destiny of the Watcher to guide the Slayer.
Also when
one Slayer dies, the next is called and trained by the Watcher."
"Mr. Giles, would you mind showing me the top of your left arm." Mulder
asks.
Giles exposes his left forearm. There is no tatoo there.
"May I ask why you wanted to see my left forearm?" Giles asks.
"It concerns the other matter Buffy and Steve need to talk about. She can
tell you, if
she wants to." Mulder answers.
"Did Buffy almost die recently? Was there a new Slayer called for?" I
ask.
Giles turns pale. "Why yes, how did you know?"
"That's between Buffy and me. I'll explain everything to her. As Mulder
and I said
earlier, it'll be up to her to tell you." I explain.
"But for now let's relax a bit, Frank could you and Xander go get us all
something to
drink?" Xander and Frank get everyone's orders and go to the Donut Shop.
"When they get back, can you tell us everything that has happened around
here
with your group?" I ask.
"First we would like to know what your plans are." Giles asks.
"Lets wait until Frank and Xander get back, before we start any more
discussion." I
reply.
No one bothers to talk until Xander and Frank come back with the drinks and
a
dozen donuts.
"So, did we miss anything?" Frank asks.
"Nope, no one spoke a word." I reply.
"You owe me five bucks, Frank." Xander comments.
Everybody looks at Xander and Frank suspiciously, as an embarrassed Frank
hands
over the five dollars to Xander.
"You two are quite buddy-buddy, since when?" I ask.
Frank smiles and looks at Xander. "The kid bet me five bucks that no one
would
talk until we came back. I figured, knowing both you and Dana, that it was a
safe bet."
Scully shoots her cousin a dirty look. Mulder chuckles.
"Let's get back to business. Mr. Giles you wanted to know what our plans
are,
correct?" Giles nods his head. "Well, I just moved into this town and I won't
be run off by
vampires. But also, knowing there are vampires out there, I won't sit idly by
either. I plan
on hunting them and killing as many as possible."
"You're going to hunt the vampires. Do you know what you're getting
yourself
into." Buffy states.
"Yes, as Willow can attest, I can handle myself quite well."
"What about your three friends here, what are they going to do while you
hunt?"
Giles asks.
"Mulder and Scully are based out of D.C., they can't stay here long, their
superiors
in the Bureau won't allow it. Frank has a business in New York City which he
can't run
from here. They will be leaving, I'm staying."
"Why are YOU here Mr. St. Wolf? Why are you staying." Giles asks.
"Well, before I knew there were vampires in town, I agreed to go into
business with
someone local here. I won't break my word to them. And now, I can't leave with
a clear
conscience, knowing what I do." I answer.
"May I ask what business is it that you do?" Asks Giles.
"Certainly, I deal in antiques." I reply.
Buffy starts, "You're the new sales guy hired by Mr. Lawrence at Lawrence
Antiques, aren't you?" She asks.
I look at her before answering. "That's correct. May I know how you came
about
this information?" I ask.
Buffy giggles, her friends look surprised. "Well, you meet my mom. She
was talking
to Mrs. Lawrence when you came into the shop on Tuesday." < Mom, was right, this
guys a
major hunk. >
"Your mother is Joyce Summers?" I ask, remembering the blond.
Buffy nods. "Small world, Huh?"
"Yeah, getting smaller by the minute it seems." I comment.
"Now, would you mind giving us a run down on what's been happening?" I
ask.
Giles looks at each of his friends and each nod in turn.
"Very well then," Giles begins a history of the past two years, listing
multiple
attempts by the local vampires to commit mass murders, various demons,
possessions,
animated corpses, witch craft, invisible people, werewolves, an android (?) and
the Order
of Teraka.
Now its our turn to sit in stunned disbelief. I turn to Frank with an
expression of
awe on my face. Mulder and Scully have the same expressions. This bunch of
kids have
done so much, in such a short time that it boggles the mind. And the fact that
they didn't
get any outside help really surprises me. My respect for them goes up quite a
few notches.
"Well Steve, you said these kids had potential, but this much?" Frank
comments
respectfully.
"Well, I guess that solves the case we were working on." Mulder comments.
"Don't
worry, we won't arrest you for stealing that missile. As far as the Bureau is
concerned, it
never happened, and we'll run interference with the Army CID as well. We'll
make sure
the investigation gets buried."
Everyone breathes a sigh of relief at Mulder's comment.
"This does leave one question: Where do we go from here? What are our
options?"
Giles asks.
"There are three options," I state. "The first one is that we work
together, helping
each other in all ways, including training and weapons. The second is that we
work
together occasionally, but still trade information. The third is we work
completely
separate, neither group acknowledging the others existence. I prefer the first,
and after
Buffy and I talk, so will she."
"Are you so sure of that?" Buffy asks.
"Yes, I am." I look over the food court and see an empty section a little
ways off.
"Let's go over there and talk. Do you mind if Dana joins us?" I ask.
Buffy nods. The three of us walk over to the table in question and sit
down.
"Okay, Buffy, what I have to tell you may sound crazy and shock you, but
after our
recent discussion, I don't think you will." I comment.
"Alright shock me," Buffy comments smiling < Can't get any crazier than
that
discussion, can it? >
"Very well then, I'll be blunt about it. Buffy, you're an Immortal." I
tell her.
"Alright, I'm shocked now." Buffy quietly answers, the impact of my
statement
hitting her hard.
"Buffy, don't get hysterical, Steve, Mulder and I are also Immortals, so
you're not
alone. There are several thousand of 'us'" Scully tells her.
"Are 'we' like vampires?" She asks, fear and loathing in her voice.
"No, we don't take human lives to live. We just need food like everybody
else." I
reply smiling.
"That's a relief." Buffy says, snapping back to reality. "How did I
become
Immortal?"
"Well, first you have to die to become an Immortal." I tell her.
Buffy's mind flashes back to her battle with the Master. < He killed me
that night >
She thinks to herself.
"Okay, that happened. So, what is with the pain when you guys came near
me?"
She asks.
"That's how we can tell each other apart from normal humans." Scully
explains.
"You get used to it after a while."
"Why do we want to tell each other apart?" Buffy asks.
I then try to explain everything to her, about being an Immortal and about
the
Game, but it's apparent that her mind is closed off and won't register any more
information. <She needs time to absorb this. > I think to myself. Buffy looks
at the two of
us, wondering what she can do.
"Buffy, Immortals are just like people, you have good ones and bad ones.
When I
first became an Immortal, the first one of our kind who I met tried to kill me.
He didn't
succeed. The second Immortal I met, became my teacher and friend. He taught me
to love
life, hold it sacred, Buffy. He doesn't play the Game and tries to instill that
in his students.
That's part of the reason that I hunt monsters, Buffy, because they don't hold
life as
sacred." I tell her.
"Now, you have to make a decision: Do you want me to teach you how to
defend
yourself? Teach you everything about being a Immortal? Buffy you have the
right to
chose your own teachers, but be careful. Not all Immortals will want to teach
you, they
might go after your head just to remove another potential player in the Game."
I watch Buffy as she thinks about what I have just told her.
"Buffy, you don't have to make this decision today, please take a couple of
days to
think about it." I hand her a card. "This card has my home address and
telephone number
on it, please call or stop by to talk."
I turn to Scully, "Scully do you have a local number you can be reached at?
In case
she wants to talk to you." I ask.
"No, Mulder and I will be staying in a local motel, while we're here." She
replies.
"Which one?" I ask.
"We haven't checked in yet." Scully informs me.
"You can stay at my house, I have a couple of guest rooms. You and Frank
can
catch up with each other." I tell her.
"I think I would like that." Scully says as we get up to go back to the
main meeting.
As we approach the table, Mulder comments "You told her everything?"
Scully and I nod our heads in confirmation.
Giles looks up at Buffy and asks. "Can you share what they told you?"
"Not right now, Giles, I have a lot to think about. Can you and Jenny drop
me off at
home?"
"No problem Buffy." Jenny replies.
"How do we contact you, if we need another meeting?" Giles asks.
"I gave Buffy my home address and telephone numbers. She can call me
whenever
she needs me." I reply.
"Then this meeting is adjourned." Giles comments as everyone gets up and
prepares
to leave.
I turn to Mulder and Scully. "Scully, Frank and I will meet you on the Main
Street
side of the mall. I'll be driving a dark blue, four door Blazer."
"Why are we meeting you?" Mulder asks.
"Because I accepted his invitation to stay at his house while we're here."
Scully
informs her partner.
"Scully, we hardly know this guy." Mulder states.
"Mulder, I know my cousin Frank." She turns to Frank. "Frank, do you
think
anything will happen to us at Steve's house."
"Other than the odd vampire attack, no." Frank replies with a wicked grin.
Mulder turns to me, "Steve, thanks for the invitation. Hope you don't
regret it."
"Why," I ask.
"Because Scully snores rather loud... Umph" Mulder's reply is broken off by
the
judicious placement of Scully's elbow into his ribs.
Frank and I watch them go. "Frank, those two make quite a pair." I
comment.
"That they do Steve, that they do." Frank replies.
Frank and I go to our car and get to the Main Street exit just as Mulder
and Scully
pull up. I roll down my window.
"Mulder, just follow me. Its only about ten minutes from here." I tell
him.