NationStates Jolt Archive

Best Laid Plans

Tabitha snuggled deeper into the seven hundred thread count long staple Egyptain cotton bed linens and the smallest of little cats smiles drew her full lips ever so softly upwards. Her gentle movements disturbed neither her deep sleep nor that of the three large furry lumps that took up much of the rest of the space available on the California King-sized waterbed. Most of her aquaintences would have been shocked to see the sensous, outrageous luxury of the room, for this was most certainly a boudoir, rather than just a master bedroom. But this was Tabby's as her bridge playing co-horts had nicknamed her so long ago that they had all forgotten what exactly had occasioned the applelation, though it was eminently logical given her given name Private place, one she had created just for her after Benny's death.

Her whole new residence had come about because of Benny's death. Well, the circumstances surrounding his death, circumstances that had ended up with her the unhappy recepient of nearly thirty million dollars. Tabitha would have far rather had Benny. Knobby kneed legs sticking out from beneath his walking shorts, his silly insistance that his wife would never need, or have, a "real" job. So she had filled up her life with his life's advocation, one they had actively shared before their marriage but at his insistance not afterwards. She understood his adamant insistance, understood the "why" of it, but kept her disagreement withit to herself. Her love for him wouldn't let her place an added burden on him. So she became the researching expert, the Answer Queen that even others in his rare trade came to for the information they neeeded. It was enough, barely, but it often made for lonely nights as Benny travel as part of his work, and she stayed home.

But now all her nights were lonely.

The music was faint, wafting though the cool air as lightly as a eiderdown feather, and cool moonlight filtered through the trees. The moonglow rimmed the surrounding mountains in silvery black hues and the stars twinkled in perfect time above. The Poconos mountains are almost a cliche Tabitha thought as she and Benny spun around the dance floor to the strains of the Strauss Waltz, but they are so very beautiful I wish that Benny and I had gotten a chance to see them in life. But he never wanted to be that middle class conventional. Tabitha smiled down at her inches shorter husband and leaned in to kiss him lightly on the forehead. Slowly the music faded away and Benny led her from the dance floor. They wandered down a broad flagstone path flagstone path long set into the greensward, lined by trees that sent massive limbs arching gracefully over head forming a broad leaved canopy. Small night sounds, the sleeply call of a small animal hurrying home to bed, the cascade of crickets, the soughing of wind in the branches. The conversation they shared was nothing to make an old married couple sound like anything remarkable. It concerned paying bills, a discussion of a charitable donation, and when they reached the shores of the small mirrored faced lake Benny stopped and drew her to him in a warm embrace.

"Two Bits, we have to talk"

"I'd rather not" Tabitha burried her face in his thining hair. She knew before he said it what he was going to say.

"Can't wait. Darling I love you and I know how much you love me, and we always will but you have to start really living again. You've just been going through the motions these six years." The embrace changed and he took her upper arms gently in his strong hands. Long fingered but silghtly small for a man's hands. Shaking her just enough to make her pull back and look at him, meet him eye to eye. "You need more than lurury and dreams. I want you to go out and find some one that fills the hole in your heart. I filled the Benny shaped one, I know that's mine, but out there is the one to fill the other. Don't be afraid."

Tabitha couldn't help but nod, as tears flowed down her face and he fumbled through several pockets before finding his handkerchief and handing it to her. He knew her well and was as stubborn as she was.

Once she had dried her face and blown her nose, he continued, his voice taking on the worried tone she knew so well. The tome he had only when discussing the darker aspects of his life work. "There's trouble coming as well."

Tabitha frowned as something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. The lake was larger now and its reflective surface had changed hue, as if the substance that formed it had changed. She looked back at Benny and he was gone. Half frantic, she looked the other direction and saw nothing save the dark of the forest.

The stranger was not close, nor was he far away. Tabitha could see him clearly though,despite the darkness of the night. He was tall, but not overly so, well built but not overly so, as to his features...all she could see was the gleam of eyes, flash of teeth...maybe...the rest of his face deeply shadowed by the brim of a white fedora steeply angled over his face. His ice white suit almost glowing the unfocused light, pristine and sharply tailored. White, white, and more white, from shoes to trousers, to belt to well cut blazer.

Save for the liquid onyx of his silk shirt. That caught and held her eyes, riviting her to the vee of darkness that began at his throat and ended where the shirt disappeared into his trousers.

And in thesuddenly noticed utter silence one could hear something that broke that dangerous fixation. The minimal sounds of something solid, but not heavy, hitting flesh. One hand, in a leisurely, graceful gesture, tossed a large, miniature moonof a coin aloft, it flipping end over end, then dropping back to land in his waiting palm.

"Yes, you really do need to find some one. Bad mistake thinking that an accident took care of all woes. But it didn't, did it, just added to them."

"What?"

He didn't deign to answer her befuddled question.

Suddenly the ground beneath her feet changed, became granite slabs, walls of of the same dark, polished stone, and Tabitha suddenly knew where she was. Holy Trinity Cathedral. But why am I here? she wondered as she looked about. She was very much lapsed, having been to church only once in the last six years, and not truly believed for longer than that.

The the origin of the lake of blood snapped into view with shocking clarity and Tabitha gasped in horror. Cardinal DeGrasse lay, some one she once counted as friend. His body askew, his formal scarlet robes ripped aside, before the altar so wrongly festive. Pristine lace-edged linen, draped with springtime flowers, and the many symbols of the risen Christ. Eastertide promise and glory bestained and fouled with the horror laid sacrificaily before it.

The stranger laughed mockingly "For we are many"

Tabitha tore her eyes away from the ruin of a holy man, a man of True Faith, deep and never shaken faith. The gaze she turned back at the mocking one blazed with fury. But the figure vanished as she did so.

She blinked and returned her now mournful gaze back. By the Cardinal's still, ravaged form stood another figure. Tall, wrapped in a black trench coat, with wierdling green eyes peeking out from beneath the brim of a non descript battered hat. Her attention was drawn to the pair of oversized shears he clutched in one hand.

The Cardinal's chest and abdomen were carved into ruin, but the lettering was clear "For we are many" once again as had been spoken in tones dripping with malice and mockery...

Fear such as Tabitha had never felt in her life, not even during the dangerous years before she and Benny were married swept through her and tore her from sleep with a wild scream that caused all three cats to fly into the air, fur bristling and claws unsheathed. She sat in the bed, trembling violently,for a long while as the cats slowly returned to the bed from the various hidey holes to which they had fled.

She knew what she would find in the mornings paper before the thump against the front stoop heralded it's arrival. She knew what the phone calls would announce before the first of many began ringing the phone off it's hook. She didn't need to turn on the tv. She was deep in The Books before false dawn came.

DeGrasse Dead proclaimed the headline; the man in the white suit smirked and lifted the newspaper from the passenger seat.

Andre DeGrasse, the widely loved administrator of the Catholic Church in the Arch-Diocese of New Salem, was found dead in Holy Trinity Cathedral this morning. The authorities have yet to make a statement regarding the death of the Cardinal, but an anonymous source for the Salem Sun has told us that the murder was in the style of Artemus 'Kandyman' Kandy. Kandy, infamous for the string of child murders between 2000 and 2003, recently disappeared from New Salem Sanitorium...

"Looks like you made headlines already, Art," the man in the white suit said with a chuckle, and tossed paper into the backseat. The figure in the back of the mercedes laughed briefly- a strangled, effeminate sound that hinted at lunacy.

"I did as you asked, my Lord" cooed Art, his voice held the soft, dangerous tone of a madman.

White Suit glanced into the rear veiw mirror; his gleaming eyes examined the tall statue of a man in the back. Black bowler derby, black trench coat, wild green eyes and thin, pallid lips... Art Kandy very much looked the part of a serial killer.

"We've arrived, Art," he said, pulling the Benz to a halt in front of a squat brick building with the words DreamCatcher painted in yellow over the steel double doors, "Most happinin' club in Salem."

The man in the white suit adjusted his fedora and stepped out into the night.

"Piss off, queer." barked a harsh voice. A leather jacketed bouncer emerged from the steel double doors, a snarl etched on his scarred face.

"Nice fangs, batty." Mr. L chided, walking casually up to the bulky thug. He flipped a strange looking coin with his left hand, his right was stuffed into his pocket.

The bouncer, frowned... this man was neither vampire nor slave... and he didn't have the look of a hunter.

"Who are you?" the thug asked, taking a step back. His pale eyes drifted to the Benz parked at the curb, to the tall shadow sitting motionless in the backseat.

The man in the white suit laughed.

"We've been called alotta things..." he chuckled, "But you can call us Mr. L."

Knock knock knock.

"Jason Pietrozciek, Open this door!" The nun's shouts were clearly audible to the occupant inside, but he did not bother. Taking out her hairpin, the nun undid the lock and forced her way in, witnessing the occupant doing pull-ups with amazing speed, and barely breaking a sweat. "Jason, I called for you."

The young man dropped, spinning during the fall to face the nun. He stood tall, the muscles on his body clearly outlined under his white tank-top and beneath his loose shorts. "What is it, Sister Margarite?"

"Jason, sit down." The nun walked to the desk, where half a dozen books in different languages were strewn about, and sat in the chair, leaving the bed for Jason. He sat. "Jason, Father Degrasse is dead." The nun used the title out of habit, for the cardinal never liked the more formal addresses. "The police are here, and believe that he was killed sometime last night or early this morning. We believe it was not mundane. His last wishes are being examined by Albert as we speak. Amongst them was a letter addressed to you, with instructions that it be delivered to you immediately, and that only you read it." The nu reached into her robe, and withdrew a thick envelope, handing it to Jason. It bore the wax seal of the cardinal over the enclosing flap.

Jason took the letter, but simply held it, staring at the spot on the floor by the nun's feet. After a few minutes, he looked up at her. "Who will be taking over for Father DeGrasse?"

"We don't know. But the Cardinal always saw potential in you. If anything eles concerns you, we will inform you at once." She got up and left, closing the door behind her.

Tabitha's new residence, she - even after nearly four years and though she loved it dearly still couldn't quite call it home- had once been a church, but the parish had altered demographically and it had come up for sale. Tabitha had paid out the three million for purchase and renovation without hesitation. Just as she had not hesitated to give the archdiocese a full tithe- despite her lapsedness, and Cardinal DeGrasse's more...private...enterprize an equal amount. She might be vary angry at God for taking Benny from her, but she still believed in HER, kind of, and grudgingly.

The sprawling commercial grade kitchen was where she finally brought most of the books she had pulled from the shelves. She needed a double shot before facing the day that she was already facing on too little sleep. And access to her computer, which also resided in her second favorite room in the house. "Or is it the third" she mused as she plopped the heavy arm load of thick leather bound tomes down on the heavy butcher block table that glowed in the warm puddles of light the barely risen sun created as it streamed through the stained glass windows of dining alcove. She had still not decided which rooms she liked best.

She took the cup of rich coffee from the machine and looked out the braod kitchen window at the tombstones scatterd about the long desanctified cemetary that formed most of her 'backyard' and sighed. Andre had been more than the central figure in Benny's advocation. He had been a freind to both of them, and had been so understanding as to why she couldn't, wouldn't attend services any longer. He had forgiven her for her rejection of a Church she had always had doubts about. And he'd even agreed that God was more likely female than male, but pointed out how long ago the notion of the Divine even having a gender had been formed, and the cultural ideas that formed it.

"Damn it he was the last person I could talk to such things about. I refuse to let those blood sucking, arrogant, undead son's get away with this. This really means war!" Her generous mouth compressed into a thin line she turned on the computer and set about adding to the reaseach she'd already done before dawn.

OOC: So, can the rest of us lowly mortals get some background on what's going on here?

Sean groaned as the alarm on his clock buzzed and he rolled over to smash the snooze button to give himself more snooze. Three minutes later his other alarm clock went off to really wake himself up as it was a goodly distance away from his bed. With a yawn he sat up and put his feet into his slippers. Or at least that was the plan, where his normal routine and reality diverged was his room-mate had replaced his slippers with a pan of ice water.

Making a mental promise to do vile but unspecified things to Jerome, he located his slippers and put them, along with his bathrobe, on before heading to the kitchenet. Picking up the local paper, that he knew would have had the crossword already attempted, he poured himself a cup of OJ and popped a bagel into the toaster. Once his breakfast was ready, he looked at the cover with it's headline proclaiming that a local priest, some Andre DeGrasse had been butchered. After finishing chewing a bagel bite, he commented to himself, "At least there's one less pervert priest running around messing up lives."

After finishing his food, and taking a shower he checked his to-do list.
Hand out resumes, three blocks
Baguazhang
Black Tiger Kung Fu
Relax, optional movie
With a stretch, he set out to do his day's activities.

Jason took the letter, and opened it. Inside were three envelopes. the top said "Open immediately." Jason did so, and read the letter contained within, hand-written by the cardinal.

Jason:
If you are reading this letter, then you have already been informed of my death. While I can not be with you on your world now, know that I will always be with you, as will God, in your heart and soul. The other two letters that are contained with this letter are not to be opened yet. The first will be done so after your first solo kill, the second you will know after the first. Please follow my instructions carefully and remember that it is imperative you do as I instruct, as these are my last wishes for you.

While I wish to have had the time with you so that you would never have to read this, the Lord tells us to be prepared, thus I have written this. I have arranged for your ongoing tutelage in the ways of hunting Vampires. You have been one of my most promising students over the years, and I have great faith in you. My properties contain a letter, simialr to this, to be sent to your first, and hopefully only, master. Or rather, mistress. Her name is Tabitha. She was a skilled hunter a number of years agoe, until she married her partner. Since then she has assisted behind the scenes, but her husband passed recently. She will teach you well, for I have faith in her as I have faith in you and the Lord. Obey her better than you did me, for I well know your propensity for getting into trouble. In the field, this could cost you your life.

Remember that by God's Grace, I am now in Heave, and that I shall watch over you as I can. Cry not for me, for I am in Paradise, but rather shed tears for those that cannot pass the gates, and free them of their curse. May the Lord wathc over you, and the Holy Spirit be always at your side.
-Father DeGrasse

He was defiant to the end. Always insisting on being called "Father" by the students. jason wondered when tabitha would come for him, or if he would be sent to her. Either way, he took the unopened letters, conspicuously numbered 1 & 2, and placed them in a box that fitted into the support boards on the underside of the bed.

While the computer was compliing, Tabitha opened Benny's little black book, searching out the names and phone numbers she needed. She realized that she hadn't even looked at this book in nearly six years, hadn't, in her grief and fury bothered to keep in contact with the only people who knew All about Benny's life. "Well they'll just have to forgive me. And it's not like they've been calling!"

Four hours later she put down the phone in a haze. Twenty names had been in the book. Twenty names that less than eight still resided where they had not That long ago, but were findable save for the four who'd disappeared to where not even her tracking skills - and contacts - could chase their whereabouts down. Twenty names where five were permanantly invalided or residing in nursing homes, and the remaining six all that were still alive had told her that they were no long er 'in the biz.' but wished her well. And to come visit come time.

And five were dead.

Charles Stringer, Mark Harmony, Alfred Morton, Daniel Gleeman,Michael Yoeman, deceased...But he was only... 'Oh! he was a good ten years older than Benny, why he'd be in his eighties now, no wonder his twin barely remembered my name!" Tabitha exclaimed aloud her voice filled with dismay. She never had thought of the age disparity between Benny and herself, it hadn't mattered a whit. Benny had been forty three when they had first met when she had taken his course on Paranormal and Popular Culture, she had just turned twenty.

Holy Trinity Rectory, DeGrasse's Quarters

"A moment of your time, your Grace," the priest said, his voice filled with nervous tension.

"Yes, Father?" the Arch-Bishop asked, looking up from the papers that littered DeGrasse's old desk with sharp blue eyes.

"Intellegence reports that there were several disturbances last night at the DreamCatcher nightclub." the priest replied, frowning, "We have a body count of ten vampires, fourteen familiars- and several undead... VIPs are missing. Lucian himself, and his council are gone."

The Arch-Bishop frowned, "Hunters?" he asked, "Freelancers?"

"We don't thing so, the bodies we found were not staked but.... charred."

The Cardinal's replacement sighed and ran a hand through his neat steel gray hair. A day into the job and already he was confronted with a major development. It could be a feud between the vamps... it had happened before, and Lucian Rigner was not a particularly strong leader among the undead. But... how could he and his entire Unholy council disappear in the night?

"Arch-Bishop More?" the priest asked tentatively.

"Contact Tabitha O'Kane. Have her come here, she and I must talk. The Cardinal had great faith in her abilities... and though Ms. O'Kane and I have never gotten along, I believe we will need her... unique... skills in this matter. I believe my predecessor assigned a pupil to her," the clergyman said, his sharp blue eyes wandering over the DeGrasse's well furnished, book-laden office, "Breif him."

"Yes, your Grace." the priest said and walked purposefully out of the office.

Arch-Bishop Matthew More leaned back slowly in his desk chair, a frown etched on his narrow face. More had been DeGrasse's right hand for nearly thirty years, and his intelligence was matched only by his ruthless, direct approach to destroying the undead menace. Now appointed Arch-Bishop by the Vatican to replace the murdered Cardinal, he found himself faced with massive Vampire activity and distrust from many of his DeGrasse-loving subordinates.

"Tabby, you better show up." he said coldly to the empty office, and returned to his paperwork.

((More is a less likable version of DeGrasse- he is seemingly arrogant, aloof, and tactless. However he is ultimately a good guy and great at what he does. I assume he and the somewhat unOrthodox Tabitha may have bickered in the past. Make him seem like an ass in her memories, if you wish, but he isnt evil nor is he cruel.))

"Missus O'Kane this is Father Charles"

Tabitha had recognised Monsignor Charles's voice immediately. He had been Cardinal DeGrasse's long time private secretary. "Oh it is such sad news, my deepest condolences Father!"

She listened to his request with a deepening frown. Arch Bishop More wanted to see her? That was not in the least bit common, in fact the two cordially loathed one another. *He* never thought I, heck any woman, should even be helping by researching much less actively hunting. Glad we met after I became Benny's wife. "Women are too frail, women carry Original Sin, too easy to tempt." That patronizing ass. Should just tell Monsignor Charles "NO!"....but what's this about a pupil? Andre had never said anything to me, not word one. She sighed and told Monsignor Charles that she would be over with in two hour.

Once they had exchanged a few more pleasantries and hung up, she cursed to herself and went to take a shower. She needed to dress befitting an audience with an Arch Bishop. Her jeans and tee shirt certainly would provoke a reaction, and not the sort she felt like dealing with this day. Andre's death wsa bringing pricks of tearsto her eyes unexpectedly. He had been such a good friend to both Benny and Herself. "Oh I will miss him!" She whispered as put on the lightest touch of make up. She didn't mind dressing well, she still had an excellent figure and looked younger than her years, but Arch Bishop More would probably think it frivolous. She didn't care. She had bought an exquisite Yves Saint Laurent day dress that would last her for years, due to the classic styling and the superb construction. It fell around her calves in a swirl of deep teal silk knit and brought out the bright auburn of her hair. And it had a matching scarft to go wtih it. Her hose, she refused to wear panty hose and wore either thigh highs or a properly fitted - and there for extremely comfortable - garterbelt, matched the light tan she carefully maintained and her spectator pumps were only two inch heels.

She looked at herself critically in the mirror and slid on a pair of fashionable sun glasses. They were one of her main splurges, she had over thirty in various shapes, darkness of tint, and different frames.

"Yes, this looks just fine, feminine, but soft and not dangerous. Let him forget that I am sooo not his lap dog to boss around!" Tabitha chuckled to herself as she swept up her purse and pulled out the keys to another of her splurges. "One that he won't be able to not go ballistic over." She grinned as she headed to the semi detatched garage.

Three vehicles waited there, one a seven year old Buick LeSabre, a sedate sedan that had been Benny's, bought just before his death to replace his previous Buick. The second her purchase shortly after the settlement, a Buick as well, but newer, a specially ordered Buick Blackhawk in deepest forest green. Teals, blues and greens were her favorite colors. However the one remaining wasn't in any of those hues.

The Hummer was in red. Some one young would appreciate the powewrful vehicle, she was sure. She liked it's customized comfort and solid build. "Why some day I might need to ram some one!" Tabitha half giggled as she pulled the wide Hummer out of the four car garage and on to the street.

((I may not be available to post for the next week or so, feel free to RP as the Arch-Bishop, and he can be an arrogant ass... but dont go overboard with the sexism. Also feel free to dig around the ruined vamp nightclub, DreamCatcher. The bodies you find will be charred, the Vamp leaders are missing. Until I come back hunt as much as you like; have vamp activity increase a great deal throughout the city- hinting that someone(thing) else is in charge. Sorry to leave you guys for awhile, but this summer's been a bitch and there's alot I have to take care of. I'll post when I can. Thanks for understanding))

Sean stretched as he exited the dojo where he studied Black Tiger Kung Fu. He was pretty sure he'd be a bit sore come tomorrow as he'd had an intensive match with another student of the next higher rank. Had he gotten another point, he'd have moved to the next level, but unfortunately he hadn't and thus only ended up sore and having to wait a month before he could attempt it again.

With his sports bag carrying his uniform he headed home, passing by the Holy Trinity Church. As he was mentally reviewing the reasons he disliked churches, a man began running past him. Without appearent thought, his free hand darted out and grabbed the stolen purse from the thief. Startled, the crook ran off as the woman ran up to recover her purse.

As he was generally being congratulated, he blinked at finding himself the center of attention. What happened? I didn't grab the purse off that criminal, or did I? Am I losing my mind? As these questions and those like it ran through his mind he noticed a red Hummer had pulled up. As he escaped to carry on his relaxing, he heard a few of the crowd muttering things like 'Did you see that, he grabbed it without looking' and 'How'd he know where the crook would be without being able to see'.

Tabathia had caught the actions of the young man only out of the corner of her eye. She had been paying more attention to safely parking the Hummer along the narrowish street. She had taken a special course in handling the big vehicle but still prefered to be extra careful with it. He seemed to move very quickly. I wonder if he is the young student that Cardinal DeGrasse had secretly assisnged me. Am I going to be good enough to guide some rowdy youngster? Of course I am![i]She reassured herself as she stepped out of the Hummer and locked the drivers door with a click of the remote on it's keychain.

She watched the young man move away, realizing that he was probably not the one she would be seeing Arch Bishop More about. [i]He must be having coniption fits, especially if he has reaslised that I'm the only one with any expereince in this corner of the world. I still can't believe how much time seems to have just melted away. I don't feel fifty one and I never will!

Turning away she strode briskly up the walk to the Holy Trinity Rectory. She was not surprized to find herself being directed to what had been, less than twenty four hours before, the Cardinal's private study. "I guess he just couldn't wait to take over." She muttered ungraciously under her breath as she tapped lightly on the door frame of the outer office, it's door standing open

Father Charles rose from behind his desk and welcomed her immediately, escorting her through his office and to where Arch Bishop More was ensconsed behind Cardinal Degrasse's desk. He rose from his chair, but did not come around to greet her more perosnally, as Tabitha entered his office, and his smile was wintery.

Jason had sat for a moment after hiding his letters. Then he got back to what he was doing, only harder, rage working into his system. He began doing one-armed pull-ups, and set a number of books at eye-level to read while doing so. As he switched to the right arm for the third time, Sister Margarite came to his door again. Not bother ing to stop this time, he half turned his head, but his voice carried. "What is it now?"

"Arch-Bishop More wishes to see you. He said that you are aware of what you are wanted for. Come immediately."

Jason finished his last set of pull-ups, further infuriating the nun, before releasing and falling again. this time he only turned after landing, not to the nun in the doorway, but rather to his small dresser, taking out a shirt to wear after applying ample quantities of deoderant to mask the smell. "I know that somebody is here to see me. Who is it?"

"The only person that recently arrived was a middle-aged woman in a red Hummer. It might be she, it might not. The arch-bishop wishes to see you, and you will go." The two left, the young man nearly a head taller than the nun, trailing her by a pace as they wlaked down the narrow halls.

Okay don't come around! Two can play the power game.Tabitha pasted a small noncomittal smil on her lips as she slipped into one of the comfortable leather upholstered chairs that sat before the massive desk, before he could sit back down. Point to me

"Now Arch Bishop More, I beleive we need to talk about the horrible murder of Cardinal Degrasse. I know that ...oh what is his name..Yes.. Arthur Kandy killed him, with a pair of shears. And I bet dollars to donuts the police are telling you thay haven't got any clues worth speaking of, aren't they? And Kandy just didn't do it all of his own lonesome. No there's a new player in town." She gave him a sharp look and went on briskly. "And I am all but the only one left." Point to me. I know a tiny frisson ran up her spine and she felt chilled all of a sudden Things they haven't told you yet, or more perhaps than even they do.

"What else happened last night?" She cocked her head and listened intently as Arch Bishop More grudgeingly but completely laid out all the information he had available on the destruction at the club, DreamCatcher.

I think I need to go take a first hand look" She remarked half to herself and started to bristle as the Arch Bishop started to protest, then stopped himself. They exchanged cold smiled and Tabitha moved on, not wanting to revisit their old differences.

'And I shall need to meet the student that Cardinal Degrasse has entrusted to me. Might I meet with him now please?"

There was something animalistic about the old GTO, rolling slowly down the interstate leading into town, moving like a shark in deep water as it glided across the asphalt. The matte paintjob matched the road surface perfectly, a dull black. The vehicle turned smoothly into the parking lot of the nearest motel, a Hampton Inn, before stopping in a spot near the doors. The lot was pretty much empty, a sign that the tourist season was winding down. The driver didn't mind, however. His personal views about society and life in general tended to be riddled with sarcastic observations and pesimistic ideals.

The man that exited the GTO looked to be an extension of the car itself, clad mostly in black and giving off a primal vibe of his own. He was of average height for an American male, roughly six feet tall, and built solidly. His clothing hinted at a peculiar profession, with black fatigue pants bloused into black tactical boots, with a matching jacket made of leather hiding everything else. His hair had been black at one time, but mankind's eternal enemy was beginning to win the battle he'd fought for so long, robbing him of the pigment in a semi-circle around his head, starting and ending at each temple.

Hampton Inn doors aren't particularly known for their durability, but this seemed a trivial concern to the darkly-clad stranger as he opened the door with about as much care as he treated his marks with, which amounted to zero on a good day. It collided with the wall, resulting in a sharp clang as the handle made contact with wallpapered-drywall. The receptionist's head snapped upwards, startled from her observation of the computer screen in front of her...

"Good evening sir, checking in?"

She wasn't bad looking, a blonde in her late twenties, but that didn't seem to effect the stranger much...

"It'd look that way, wouldn't it?"

The comment caught her off guard. While he was a handsome individual, even for an older guy, he was acting like a total dick...

"What was the name?"

Whle he hated engaging in more conversation than the situation absolutely dictated, flipping a buisness card across the desk would have been impractical...

"Jerico St. Croix...."

The receptionist's eyebrow's went up slightly...

'This guy's got a pornstar name...'

She decided to attempt conversation...

"You in the film industry, Mr. St. Croix?"

Jerico's eyes narrowed into an edgy glare...

"No."

Still undeterred by his icy demenor, the receptionist continued her efforts as she logged him into the computer...

"Really? Then what brings you to new Salem?"

He hated answering questions, especially to people he didn't know...

"I really don't see how that relates to my staying here..."

"Business or pleasure?"

"Neither..."

This was a lost cause, so she remained silent for the last few seconds of the log in process...

"Here you go, Mr. St. Croix... Enjoy your stay..."

Jerico took hold of the keycard with a gloved hand, a fingerless tactical design he'd used for years, starting in the Army, through the Rangers and the NYPD. As he moved to his room, Jerico's mind wandered a bit.

It'd been a long time since he'd been in New Salem, and he wasn't sure he was going to like the reason why he'd returned. A while ago he'd been contacted by a man named Benjamin O'Kane, an older man who'd given him some of his most interesting and lucrative contracts. He'd worked for Ben for qquite a few years now, which had payed for the GTO, as well as his many legal fees. Jerico was a bounty-hunter, and while extremely gifted in the tracking portion of his profession, the apprehension often ended in someone getting shot. To this day, it had always been the other guy, with the exception of that one stint in prison for manslaughter.

It wasn't that he was trigger-happy, it was just that his warning shots always seemed to hit them in the face...

Finally, he'd reached his room: 045.

The bounty-hunter was cautious by nature, and entered the room with his right hand hidden up under the back of his jacket. The room contained the usual office furniture, twin bed, seperate bathroom, and cable TV. The jacket went onto the round table near the door, revealing the more useful tools of his trade. The leather gunfighter's belt was black, like the custom holster at the small of his back, made for him by Bianchi. The rig held a Buck Special Knife, as well as his Kimber Custom Stainless II M1911A1. Both had custom grips bearing the 'Hitman' logo in white against the black ebony wood. While he didn't enjoy video games, the 'Hitman' series struck a particular chord with him. The belt also contained a series of mag pouches and a double handcuff pounch, all in matching black leather. His shirt, an Underarmor Tactical crew-neck, was black with white sleeves, revealing powerful arms and a single tattoo that ran down in the inside of his right forearm, the word 'RANGER' in an old-english font.

The belt, holster and all, joined the jacket on the table, followed by the gloves. The pistol, however, moved under his pillow for the duration of the night.

Jerico considered giving Ben, or the wife he'd talked about so much, a call, but that didn't seem right, not after not seeing him for close to a decade. It had begun to worry him, and not many things did, like the fact that he was a convicted felon carrying a forty-five automatic openly with a forged concealed-carry permit. He hadn't mentioned that manslaughter charge to Ben, and didn't plan to. Tomorrow, he'd drop by the house and check in on his employer. The visit wasn't just a friendly one, Jerico was getting in low in funding again, and O'Kane's contracts always paid well...

When the two approached the office, the nun gave two short knocks. A moment later, the chamberlain opeed the door to give entrance for the two. The nun entered first and moved to the side. Jason entered next. He noticed another woman in the office, middle-aged, a half-head shorter than he, and the arch-bishop as well.

"Tabitha," the arch-bishop said, "This is your new student, Jason Pietrozciek. He's been a student since he was eight. He is also Dhampir."

Tabitha ignored the presence of Sister Margarite after giving the nun a polite half nod. She was one of her least favorite people, and she had managed to avoid much contact with the nun in the past.

"This is your new student, Jason Pietrozciek. He's been a student since he was eight. He is also Dhampir."

Tabitha's eyebrows twitched, and though she had never met one of the vanishingly rare Dhampirs she showed only that as any indication of surprize. Then she was standing and heading over to the young man her hand outstretched.

"Very pleased to meet you Jason, I'm Tabith O'Kane. The Cardinal has entrusted you to me, and I shall endeavor to do my best to train you properly."

Once they had exchanged a brief hand shake she handed him a key chain. "Go get your stuff packed, and stowed in the red Hummer. The Arch Bishop and I have some last minute details to discuss." Her glance said that she'd explain further later. [i]Right now to get both of us out of here as quickly as possible and with as few reins tied on to us as possible.[i] Tabitha thought behind a pleasant demeanor.

She turned back to the Arch Bishop, ready to counter any arguements he might have.

Jason returned the handshake, then left for his room. So it was the lady in the red Hummer. She seemed to have an old relationship with the arch-bishop, one that was amicable in appearances only. Well, it wasn't that Jason didn't think it had no importance, he just didn't care. He and the arch-bishop had held differring viewpoints in the past, and knowing him, he could understand any type of disagreement that this Tabitha might have with him.

Entering his room, he set to work quickly. Taking out his old suitcase, he placed his clothes in, rolling the majority and only folding the few garments he used for special occasions. His dop kit was placed in as well, and lastly, he retrieved his two letters, sliding them into a hidden pouch he had personally fabricated. He took the trunk to the Hummer, loaded it into the back, then stood outside, waiting. He had a license, but one never entered another's car without first knowing if the owner wished to remain in control or relax and allow the guest to drive.

"Don't worry Father More. You and I have had our differences in the past but Cardinal DeGrasse wouldn't have entrusted me with a student if he didn't have faith in me." Tabitha's smile was as wintery as his. "However the is one thing you haven't mentioned. If Andre left me a student I am also rather sure that he left me a private letter as well. He was too thorough not to have." She gave the Arch Bishop a level stare.

He held out to her a thick manilla envelope that had been sitting by his elbow. "Of course he did Missus O'Kane, and I certainly wouldn't forget to give his last missive to you. Now about Jason..."

"I'll take care of Jason." Shr cut him off politely but firmly. "He'll be living with me. The main body of my residence is still sacred ground, and he will be safe there-in. I still remember the agreement between Cardinal DeGrasse and Benny. I will operate under those same terms. However I will need an updated contact list. You can email it to me, and let them know I will be contacting them should I need them. Now I must go. If the situation at this DreamCatcher night club is as unusual as has been reported, the sooner I look into it the better. Please call Captain Mahonney and let him know I'm coming."

The Police Chief was an upstanding Catholic and would see to it that any one the Arch Bishop sent got ever cooperation. Even with things that a 'civilian' shouldn't have gotten their hands on. It would all be hush hush and she would have to be very discrete, but she was used to that.

Making her good byes and promising to keep the Arch Bishop informed of her findings, Tabitha swept out of the rectory and to her Hummer.

"You could have gotten in, Jason, I should have told you so. My apologies for making you wait. Have you had lunch?"

Sean had puzzled about what had happened all the way back to his appartment. Finding his roommate absent, he checked the fridge to see if he'd left a note.

Be back late, left you some pastagetti.
John

Looking over att he stove, he noticed the pot with the mixed pastas in it. Grabbing a bottle of sauce, he put the entire mixture into the microwave while pouring himself a glass of water.

After finishing the meal, he checked the clock and decided to watch a movie before he'd get changed to go visit a local nightclub that went by the name of DreamCatcher. He liked it as the music tended to drown out the omnipresent background murmer which occasionally got annoying.

"Are you driving? Or does my first act as thine apprentice make me thy cheaffeur?" Jason held out the keys to Ms. O'Kane, waiting for her response. "And if it's not too nosy, would you mind telling me about the type of lodgings that I can expect? I've met a few hunters before, some with permanent residences, some without."

"Of course you'll be allowed to drive the Hummer - right after you've taken the special course that the dealership offers. It's really like nothing else out there. And you'll be living with me, my residence is large enough to house quite a number of people comfortably." Tabitha chuckled as she took the keys from him.

"Hop on it's open now" She tapped the remote and the antitheft system deactivated and the doors unlocked with a soft thunk.

With an agility that belied her age she nipped up into the tall vehicle with ease and quickly buckled in.

"Now as I was saying... have you had lunch, or even if so are you still hungry?" She asked as she waited for him to enter and buckle up before starting the diesel engine.

Jason didn't step up so much as he seemed to float up, his strength and speed giving him a grace nearly unmatchable by humans. As he buckled, he replied, "I have not had lunch yet, so yes, I am still hungry. I'll fill you in on my more, special, eating habits later. For now, lunch sounds nice."

"Yes we'll need to have a long talk about what you are." Tabith said understandingly. "I really should know all of your strengths and weaknesses, as you should know mine. Can't work together well while hiding stuff from one another."

She drove for several minutes looking for a storefront cafe she remembered. "Though it might not be there. It has been six years." Tabitha had long ago formed the habit of talking aloud to herself. She caught herself and gave Jason a half smile. "Sorry, comes from being alone for so long. I talk to the car, my plants and my cats too." Her attitude was unapologetic, just simple and matter of fact. If it bothered Jason he'd just have to learn to live with it.

"Ah here it is. Still open. The best Sichuan cooking in the city. Hope you like spicy, though they will do mild if you ask politely."

She exited the hummer, waiting until Jason was out and his door closed before keying the locks and security system. The front door, painted a cheery red, opened into a small tastefully decorated room with not more than twenty small tables. The place was nearly full but the conversations were low voiced and privacy given by large pots of towering bamboo plants that had been cunningly placed to form nitches.

"What exactly is 'Sichuan Cooking'? Never really got out much, always busy in the training rooms." It wasn't a complaint, more of the explanation that Tabitha had just offered to him about her tendency to talk to various things. "Spicy is fine."

"It's the type of cooking native to the Sichuan region of China. Most westerners know it as Szechwan." Tabith answered jason as the hostess led them two a table for two. With many bows the elderly woman saw them seated and handed them large, colorful menus.

"Oh good they still put photos of the major dishes on the menus." Tabitha excalimed happily. "I can't read but a few specific words in Chinese, but I remember what the dishes I like look like. I probably should have learned Chinese too, but Japanese was hard enough.' She chuckled lightly.

"Oh good they do still have Tea Smoked Duck, and Double Cooked Spicy Pork." She noted as the waiter arrived with glasses of ice water and took their orders. Tabitha ordered green tea, Sweet and Sour Soup, and Tea Smoke Duck.

Once Jason had made his order and the waiter left she asked him, keeping her voice low. "Did they teach you to shoot? Though I wouldn't guess they'd gotten you a carry permit yet have they?"

"Carry and Concealed. The good Cardinal had a couple of connections. Strange loopholes in the law. I'm allowed to get a concealed weapons permit, pilot a plane, but only recently was I allowed to drive. Don't worry, I'm a quick learner. I'm actually a couple of months away from geting my twin engine license, and at least a year before I can get pilot a jet-engine." Jason had ordered the Spiced Chicken dumplings with the noodles, and had been very clear about his desire to be served chopsticks.

"So, how long had you known the Cardinal?"

"Andre? Most of my life." She smiled softly as she reminisced back over the years. "My confirmation was the first one he did as an newly ordained priest, many years ago, right here at his first posting at Holy Trinity Cathedral. They sent him many places but he kept ending up back here. He loved it here and was always a great favorite of the congregation." Tabitha's voice was laden with sorrow for a moment. "He was one of the few religious people I could really relate to, really talk to, especially after Benny's death.." Her gaze sharpened.

"Nothing against Arch Bishop More, but he and I do not get along. I won't cause problems between the two of you, but I feel you need to know up front that he and I are not sympatico. I am far too forward and blunt spoken for his tastes, and he is too arrogant, condescending and interested in making sure every one knows that he is in charge. Well, he's not in charge over me!" She declared forcefully, barely manageing to keep her voice down.

She sat back in her chair as the waiter brought out the first courses, and took an appreciative sip of her sweet and sour soup.

"I'm glad that Andre made sure you were well trained. I need to go to the range soon and practise, alot! But we may not have time for that. There is a place we need to go by and take a look at this afternooon. I should have Father More's call any moment advising me that it's been arranged, But there is plenty of time for luch, so no need to hurry."

"The Arch Bishop and I also have a certain disagreement over small matters. We've managed to remain civil, but I have a feeling that he's rather happy not to have me in his hair right now."

"Then conventional wisdom would say that we would make a splendid team, but conventional wisdom is as often wrong as it is right. I am however willing to give it a go, and hope you are too. I think that it would be best if you lived with me, especially at first, but I also am well aware that you might prefer your independance. You will be paid a salary, and if you chose to reside with me you'll do your share of chores, though I have a maid come in twice a week." Tabitha smiled wryly. "As I said my place is rather large. The guest suites are furnished but rather blandly. After we take in what information we can by visiting DreamCatcher, I'm going to give you the keys to one of thes car, and one of my credit cards so you can see about tailoring one if the suite to your tastes and preferences, as well as picking up a computer system for youself."

She paused in her runn8ing dialog as the waiter unobtruseively brought their chose entrees and whisked the now empty appetizer dishes away and refilled their drinks.

"However the first thing after here is a small stop at Rendellman's." She named the most reputable weapons shop in New Salem.

"Thank you. I don't know the specifics about your disagreement with the good Arch Bishop, but knowing him as I did, I assume that it has something to do with your being somewhat of a Joan of Ark. The whole woman in a man's world deal. I won't ask the specifics, nor tell you mine, but if you wish to tell me, or wish to know, I will listen to your dispute with him, or tell you mine. I leave that to you." He popped a piece of chicken into his mouth, chewed it, and then followed it with a small ball of twisted up noodles.

"Your place got wireless internet, or a hardline system? And what do you have by way of cars?"

"I have both wireless and hardline, both hubing off a T1 connection. My residence used to be a church but for a short time before I bought it a 'dot com' company that went bust rented it and installed the the basic frame work of a such a high end network. I have both a desktop and a laptop. You should have both as well for best effectiveness. Needing information and not being able to get to it is just inadequate these days. " Tabith replied as she finished her meal. "And as far as cars I have a Buick LeSabre (http://images.consumerguide.com/autoreview/400x266/1992-99-Buick-LeSabre-94121281990402.JPG) and a Buick Blackhawk (http://www.seriouswheels.com/pics-2000-2003/2000-Buick-Blackhawk-Concept-FA-1280x960.jpg) besides the Hummer. However I don't know if either of those would suite you. We can always pick you up a vehicle specifically for you." The more she thought about it the better she like that idea. She only drove the Le Sabre because it had been Benny's, and it wsa still very low milage, and well maintained. "We can use the Le Sabre as a trade in, I believe it's blue book value is still very high. Benny bought it just weeks before his death."

"If you don't mind, then yeah, I would prefer the trade-in. I'm a fan of American muscle, even if I have to fix up an old junk heap. But it's not that important for me. I'm more concerned with picking up the proper weapons for now, and getting a good computer set-up. Got a rewards card to either Best Buy or Office Depot?"

Tabitha snorted in utter distain. "I wouldn't patronise that pair of price gouging no selection worth mentioning big boxes if you paid me. We'll go over to Directron. Their selection is better and their prices the best in the nation. An Acer Ferrari 5000 laptop, should hold you over night wile they build the desktop to specs."

She nodded at his choice of vehicles. "My preferances too, though I purely love the art deco lines of the Blackhawk. Take your time in finding what you want, use the Le Sabre until you do."

Her cell phone chirped and when the call was done she signaled for the check. "That was Father Charles, there will be i.d. waiting for us at One Police Plaza" She spoke of New Salem's police headquarters, "and once we have that we can go directly to DreamCatchers." SHe slid the phone back in her purse noting "We'll need to get you a celphone as well."

The waiter brought the check over and Tabith paid him cash with a hefty tip.

Once they were outside she used the remote to unlock the Hummer, and with a chuckle tossed the keys to Jason. "You have to start learning the hummer some time. To Rendellman's if you please Jason." She nipped into the passenger side and seatbelted herself in."

Jerico glanced at his watch, a fine stainless steel Rolex...

It was barely past one in the afternoon. The digital clock next to the bed confirmed this, and actually thinking about where he was told him that there wouldn't be a time difference from New York.

After putting that in perspective, it seemed stupid to wait until tomorrow to visit his long-time occasional employer. Still fully equipped, he grabbed the pistol from under the pillow and slid it back into his holster, clicking the thumb-break back into place. While it wasn't the most secure holster in the world, there wasn't an instance where anyone had managed to get the thing out of the holster when he didn't want it out. The lower back was an awkward place to grab for, especially when facing someone.

Jerico shrugged back into his jacket, twirling his car-keys around on their black lanyard, bearing 'GO ARMY' in faded gold across the nylon. He'd gotten the thing from his unit's recruiter before he'd left the service, and it constantly amazed him that it had held up for this long under the constant abuse he'd put it through. While it hadn't been to Grenada with him, or the Gulf, it had seen nearly every one of his successful bounty-hunting operations and withstood mud, grit, blood, and all manner of other unsavory fluids.

The interior of the GTO was warm, a sign of the mid-day's comfortable heat. He didn't care either way how warm the car was, as long as gas was in the tank. The back seats had been seperated from the front by a plexiglass divider reinforced with a black steel screen, just as the rear windows had been. After several police warnings to remove the screens, he'd simply had the windows tinted and the complaints stopped abruptly.

The vehicle roared to life as he turned the key, purring as he backed it out of the parking space, threw it into forward, and pulled out into the street to head for Benny's place...

Jason climbed in, buckled, then keyed the ignition. He had a slightly difficult time with getting out of the parking lot, but once on the road he shifted into a more natural stasis with the car. After a few minutes, he was able to feel the road through the car, and how best to manipulate the wheel. "Like I said, quick learner. I'm gonna need to be added to your insurance policy at some point, you know. Oh, and how are we going to display ourselves publicly. I'm pretty sure that a "Master and Student" persona isn't exactly low-key anymore. The cardinal taught me to keep my head down, but I don't know how."

The cardinal taught me to keep my head down, but I don't know how."

Tabitha relaxed inside as Jason did indeed prove himself a quick learner. She wrinkled her nose as she thought, then her eyes lit up. "Neither Benny or I had much family that we ever spoke of. What few of them there are disapproved of our marriage far too much to ever call, much less visit. How would you like to be a tag end nephew of mine sent to live with the 'too rich for her own good old bat' to get him out from under police suspicion back home?"

As they pulled into the parking lot of Rendellmans she added. "Benny's cover wsa that of a not to suscessful true crime author. We could say that his publisher has asked me to take up were he left off becuase of coming across some partially completed manuscripts."

"Think about it while you take a look at the weapons. I have a couple of phone calls to make, then I'll be right in. I already know what I want." Tabitha commented as she dug in her purse for her address book and her cellphone.I really need to see if... oh what was his full name, sounded vaguely French-ish...Saint Croix, yes Jerico St. Croix is still doing 'work'. I may be healthy and in great shape for a woman my age, but teaching Ladies Self Defense three time a week DOES NOT qualify one for such activity as we are probably letting ourselves in for. Benny you always spoke so highly of him, so I hope he's willing, and remembers your name. She tapped the name into the PDA and began dialing the number that came up, hopeing that after six years that it hadn't changed.

An unpleasant buzzing directed Jerico's attention away from the road for a moment, and towards the contents of his pocket. The annoying vibration was probably his cellphone, probably his lawyer, probably wanting the rest of his overdue payments, which he'd be informed that he wouldn't get them now, but he'd probably get them at the end of the week...

The small caller ID screen displayed an unfamiliar sequence of numbers, and he considered not answering it for a moment, but something seemed odd about the call...

"St. Croix Bail Bonds and Apprehension Services, St. Croix speaking..."

Jason went into the store while his new "aunt" made some phone calls. As he walked in, he gave the place a once over. They had a list of weapons on the shelf, divided into charts that compared side-by-side stats on everything from small arms to Russian anti-tank missiles. The last set gave him somewhat of a laugh. Looking to a rather nice looking young lady busy assembling an M-16 without much concentration, he waited until she finished, before going up and asking "I need an automatic that can fire or be modified to fire hollow points and Mercury core bullets. What do you carry?"

"St. Croix Bail Bonds and Apprehension Services, St. Croix speaking..."

Tabitha raised both eyebrows and wondered if she had the right phone number, or if it had been bought, as some numbers were, due to a similarity of names and recognition.

"Is this Mister Jerico St. Croix?" She asked with the faintest hint of dubiousness in her voice. But at the same time she was reminding herself that every vampire hunter had a day job unless they were independantly wealthy, ans she was the only one she knew that fell into that catagory.

"Mister St. Croix, this is Tabitha O'Kane. You used to assisst my husband, Benjamin, several years ago." Her voice was more certain now

This was fortunate. The individual he'd been looking for had actually called him up...

"That'd be correct, although I don't think we've met. I was wondering if Ben had a job for me, we haven't spoken for some time now..."

While he wasn't usually a polite individual, spouses of clients warranted some modicum of respect...

"I'm headed towards your house, perhaps we can speak further there?"

"Oh dear, if you are looking to work with Benny, then I am afraid you haven't been keeping current Mister St. Croix. Benjamin died six years ago.."

Tabith found herself bracing as she normally had to when she mentioned Benny's departure -waiting for the familiar shaft of pain, but found herself surprized that it was a warm but gently sad acceptance rather than the usual burning anger. She took a deep breath and continued on.

"I no longer reside at our old address. I am currently at Rendellman's." She mentioned the city most reputable weapons dealership. "I don't supose that you could meet myself and my apprentice here? I've taken over Benjamin's old avocation."

Jerico was taken aback for a moment... Ben was dead? When did this happen? Knowing as little as he did, however, meant that he couldn't answer his own questions, and that he'd need to consult Tabitha on the details, if she was willing to talk...

"I'm sorry to hear that, Ms. O'Kane... Isn't Rendellman's the local gun store?"

He hadn't been in one of those for a long time, since before his first stint in prison. His current forty-five was the second he'd purchased illegally for double what it was worth, the custom ebony wood grips however, were still the original set he'd ordered a few years ago. Ed Strange was truly a master craftsman.

Then he remembered. Rendellman's. He'd met Ben there once before, when the old man was looking to up his arsenal...

"I'll be there in about eight minutes..."

It was about five minutes later that Jerico found a suitable place to turn around, as the store in question was in the direct opposite direction from Ben's old abode, and roughly eight more before the store was in sight...

I need an automatic that can fire or be modified to fire hollow points and Mercury core bullets. What do you carry?"

"Take a look in that case there" Jeanette replied courteously, though she hid a frown, as she set the M-16 aside and headed over to the case she'd indicated. "Any semi auto pistol can handle those. Or were you wanting a military smg, with full auto capabilities?" Those weren't legal to sell to civilians.

The display case she directed him to held a variety of makes, models and caliburs.
********

Tabitha waited in the cool of the Hummer until a vehicle turned in. It was a weary appearing but still powerful GTO, and the man who stepped out, seemed much the same.

She'd only viewed Mr. St. Croix a scant handful of times and at a distance, but this man looked to be a slightly aged version of the one she'd seen all those years ago. Rode hard, put up wet, and could use a good currying was her mental comment but powerful, and still dangerous. Tabitha stepped out of the vehicle, leaving it running, but tabbing it locked with the spare security fob.

"Mister St. Croix?" She strode briskly over to the man as he neared, more and more certain that he was her husband's sometimes assisstant.

Those aren't legal to sell to civilians.

Jason acknowledged that with a slight raise in his eyebrows. Hopefully my new aunt has some way ov getting around that. He headed over to the case, and stood opposite the girl. He bent to examine a couple more closely, and as he did so, he asked "And what permits would I have to acquire to purchase said armaments in a manner that is in full compliance with all applicable legal statutes?"

Jerico approached the older woman as she called out to him. She was most definitely his next line of contact after Ben's unfortunate passing...

"Yes ma'am..."

He extended his right hand, more than a little aware of the fact that he may look like a jackass wearing the fingerless gloves. It usually didn't bother him much, what people thought of him, but his old employer's wife affected him somehow, in a way he couldn't quite describe, even to himself...

"I'm sorry about your loss, Ms. O'Kane... Ben was a good man..."

As well as a good boss. One couldn't afford a vintage GTO on a penny pincher's budget, nor the annoying number of legal cases he'd been subject to over the past few years. He'd considered carrying a taser instead of his forty-five, but decided against it. They had a harder time suing him if they were dead...

"I'm sorry about your loss, Ms. O'Kane... Ben was a good man..."

"Yes he was and he's missed, particularly in the unusual avocation he followed." Tabitha said bluntly but she had lowered her vocie so that it didn't cary much beyond him as she took his hand and shook it firmly without heistation. "I don't know how much Benny told you about me, but I was his in the field partner before our marriage, and his researcher afterwards." She knew she couldn't keep the wistfulness out of her voice, but went on briskly.

"However, unexpectedly, I have found myself back in the field. And I know I am not up to snuff on certain trainings and skills. I also have, again unexpectedly, found myself with a young apprentice. I would like you to be my partner much as you were Benny's. He always spoke very well of you."

Jeanette laughted as she looked at the young stranger. "Full auto? You'd have to have a Fed dealer liscense and sign off by the local Chief of Police." She shook her head. She didn't know the kid, but the Chief of Police was her uncle in law and he was real leary of giving any one permission to own full auto. Only a couple of elderly collectors with their WWII armament had gotten his signatures. And she wasn't about to admit that they had four 92 R's with their three round burst capablitiy to a stranger.

"We've got some very nice Desert Eagles in in fifty ae." She pointed to a pair of the big bore hand cannons. Or you you don't want that much of a fist ful, we have some nice Sigs with high capacity mags, and some nice Kimbers in forty five."

Jerico nodded at her comment of how well Ben had spoken of him. While he didn't believe that he'd done that well of a job, at least in the terms of a detective, his results must have been what Ben was looking for. Otherwise, he doubted he'd be here right now, talking to his widow about more of the same, and possibly landing another well-paying job that didn't require him to haul mullet-headed assholes to court after they skipped bail...

"Agreed. Ben never could shut up about you over the phone, or in person for that matter. It was obvious that he cared about you an awful lot, and I have no issues about working for you. I do, however, have certain needs that need to be accommodated periodically. Did Ben mention those to you?"

He wasn't about to mention the legal fees he still owed on, he could only hope that whatever sum he would be getting for this assignment would be able to cover those, as well as the parts for that new Caspian/Wilson Combat 1911A1 he was building. As a home-built firearm, he didn't have to register it, and it wasn't illegal for him to own, which was an interesting loophole in his occupational requirement for a firearm but his lack of a legal right to own one. For now, however, his factory-fresh Kimber with the filed off serial number and refinished satin stainless steel, well, finish, would have to do. The weapon was extremely accurate, and with the addition of the two-color Novak fiber-optic sights, effective at any time, day or night.

If Ben had told her about his payment plan, she'd already have something planned out. If he hadn't, she'd have known about it through Ben's financial records. Tabitha seemed the type to notice little nuances like cash withdraws and direct deposits into strange bank accounts.

He hoped his sudden shift in tone from the rarely-used friendly and personable to his usual no-bullshit business mode hadn't put her off any, he figured they might actually get along quite well, provided he could make ends meet in the process. He was, like usual, in this for himself...

Did Ben mention those to you?"

"Yes Mister St. Croix, I know how much he paid you and the various ...aspects of how he paid you. I have every intention of paying you properly. Cash and carry if you prefer, or though the arrangements you and he had. And to cover for the hideous inflation of the last six years, I think double your old arrangement is only fair."

His turn to business matters didn't phase her one bit. She just hoped that she and he could work a satisfactory amount out. She didn't want to take advantage of him. And helping me and Jason may be just that! She thought.

"would an initial retainer, a sign on bomus if you will, sweeten the deal?" She asked hopefully.

"I thank you for your assistence. Would also be able to inform me as to the status of this establishment in curretly possessing said Federal distribution License? And could you give me information on the Desert Eagles regarding the necessary sum of money transfer for such a sale to be staisfactory?" Jason smiled as he stood. He always enjoyed talking in a way that left no ambiguity open for interpretation. A vampire could capitalize on that in matters regarding invitation into a residence, so utmost care and precidion was important.

I thank you for your assistence. Would also be able to inform me as to the status of this establishment in curretly possessing said Federal distribution License? And could you give me information on the Desert Eagles regarding the necessary sum of money transfer for such a sale to be staisfactory?"

Jeanette gave him an odd look and her voice went frosty "There are multiple levels of dealership lisense. We only have a class two, for full auto it would require a class three and we really don't want the Federal government having the unlimited right of search and seizure of any of our porperty. My granddad, dad and I worked too hard to let the Feebies lay claim to any of it on a whim."

The way he'd worded his comments had bothered her and unobtrusively she actived the extra security cameras. She flet distinctly uneasy about him now.

"The Desert Eagles in 50AE are priced at fifteen hundred. If you want one with a scope the price will depend on the scope you want. We have Aimpoint, considered the best out there by many to be the best available in the way of hightech sights. They start at five hundred."

My info on federal firearms dealer class limmits and what can be sold at what level / and the right to unlimited search and seizure comes straight from a independant dealers lips - just an fyi -Yes, I know some interesting people

Jason picked up on both her emotion and when she activated the cameras. The hum given off by moving electricity, a sound that was just beyond the human ear, but audible to him, confirmed his thoughts. He smiled, and said "Sorry if my manner of speaking disturbed you. I'm not a criminal, or any other type of person conventional wisdom labels as 'Bad.' Though your instincts to activate your security cameras are well tuned, and just might save your life one day. For that, I tip my hat to you," he mocked the action of tipping his hat, for his head was bare, "Or at least, I would if I had one. Got a firing range? I don't need any type of scope, it doesn't improve my talents noticeably, but I do need to test the gun itself."

Jeanette just blinked at him. She'd seen too many movies where the naieve and soon to be dead shop clerk stupidly gave the killer the gun and the bullets that were used, just moments later, to kill said clerkr. So while yes they had a range, she wsn't going to die like some movie idiot. She kept her voice demure.

"My apologies, my father isn't here, so it's closed right now." She was lieing. her father was in the back office, but she didn't want this strange young man to know that. She'd almost rather lose the sale.

Jerico was barely able to pick up on her displeasure with his topic change, but he hadn't lasted this long by not being able to read people, that subtle hint in their eyes before they went for their guns had saved him on a few occasions, giving him a precious few seconds to tear his from his concealed holster and squeeze off a shot into their face.

His usual fee for a total operation had come to about two-hundred-fifty-thousand dollars, a quarter million. He wasn't exactly sure how much she'd inherited from his former employer's death, but he hoped it would be enough. While he didn't mind doing the occasional favor for old friends, or spouses of old deceased friends, but he had bills to pay and a business to support...

"Don't worry about a starting fee, we'll discuss that after I see what exactly you're putting me up against, which should be some pretty strange shit if you're anything like your husband..."

The 'strange shit' had usually amounted to shootouts with vampires, their minions, the occasional sneak-and-peek operation, and a few assignments as Ben's back-up after he'd aquired that ring on his finger, something Jerico had never seen much need for...

Jason nearly doubled over laughing. "You're lying. I can tell. You're too uncertain, and your heart-beat has been steadily increasing, not to mention the fact that your pupils have dilated. Oh this is funny. You actually think I'm going to kill you. You think you're not naive, but you are more naive then the people in those third-rate movies that always get shot up. You have no idea how hilarious this is for me. Oh, just give me a minute, will you? I have to go tell my aunt. She should get a kick out of this." Jason eyes were nearly watering, his face in a giant grin, unusual for him. He started to walk out to go tell Tabitha, hoping that he could elicit some humorous response from her regarding this manner. "To think that she believed me capable of killing her..." he muttered as he headed for the exit.

"Don't worry about a starting fee, we'll discuss that after I see what exactly you're putting me up against, which should be some pretty strange shit if you're anything like your husband..."


Tabitha hadn't been upset or displeased at all before, she had merely been anxious that Mr. St. Croix accept her job offer. She knew that she and Jason might well be a dangeous hinderance to getting the job done. And she hated the thought of putting some one who ws helping her in hadger just because they were helping her. But... strange shit? of course it is strange shit and you know exactly what Benny did, you helped him do it!

"Jerico," Her voice was Now frosty, but still low "Yes I am doing the same exact strange shit Benny was. Hunting down and destroying vampires. I will have a cool million for you tomorrow. Now if you wouldn't mind perhaps you might be willing to advise my protoge on what hand guns he might handle the best."

Tabitha turned and headed for the front door or Rendellman's with a brisk no nonsense stride, not looking to see if Jerico was going to join her.

Jerico barely resisted the urge to whistle...

'One million dollars? Dr. Evil can kiss my white ass..."

While he wasn't exactly a gun expert, he knew a bit about handguns. Without much hesitation, he followed his new employer into the firearm store. The walls were lined with various firearms of every shape and size, some from manufacturers that he didn't know were legal in the US. The apprentice in question must have been the young man standing in front of the pistol cabinet that doubled as a checkout and display counter...

"You with her?"

His tone was neutral, not exactly friendly, but by no means hostile. His right thumb went over his shoulder in Tabitha's direction as he approached his apparent partner in crime...

You with her?

"Yeah. I'm her uppity nephew, Jason. And what may I call you bay?" Jason liked the guy in front of him. A business tone, one that exuded a sense of self-awareness, not proud, but not meek. Assertive. He liked that.

It appeared that he'd judged correctly...

"Name's Jerico..."

Ben hadn't mentioned having any siblings, but then there was Tabitha...

"Ben never mentioned any nephews..."

His brow furrowed as he caught sight of the Desert Eagle lying on the counter...

"That yours?"

He hoped the clerk was just cleaning the thing. Carrying such a weighty pistol around for any period of time couldn't be comfortable, especially when trying to conceal it. His steel-framed Kimber was the heaviest he was willing to carry, but that was just him. Combined with the knife, it was heavy enough to warrant a custom belt to support the additional weight in the small of his back...

That yours?

"Not yet. I was coming out to tell my aunt that I would need her presence to re-assure this fine lady that my intentions here are completely legal and in her best interests. For reasons unfathomable to both my experience and my intellect, she has developed a sudden anxiety complex triggered by my mere questioning of this establishment's licenses and permits for purposes of understanding what exactly I am allowed to do within all reasonable bounds of the law. I hate it when people fail to realize the obvious, but if my senses serve me, I think that she thinks that I intend to kill her then rip off this store. When all I wanted to do was take that Desert Eagle to their test range to see how it handled." Jason took another look at the display. "Why? Care to offer some advice to a rookie in the field? I assume you do work in the same field as my aunt Tally, right?"

"Ben never mentioned any nephews..."

"From my side by earlier discussion" Tabitha answered in a low tone as they cam up to where Jason, and clerk stood. The strange look on the girls face had her wondering.

And then she listened to Jasons explaination.

Tabitha was very glad she had kept her sun glasses on and that the tinting was dark enough to hide the utter horror blooming in her eyes. What in heaven had Andre veen thinking to turn out a young man who spoke like something out of badly translated Russian fiction. And to call me Tally of all things? Oh we are so going to have a talk and if he can't be cured I am so returning him to Archi Bishop More with no apologies. Hasn't he had any socialization? She thought furiously as Jason and Jerico spoke about the massive and totaly inappropreate Desert Eagle laying atop the display case.

Jerico wasn't sure that Tabitha's apprentice was going to enjoy what he had to say. Then again, he was the one who asked for advice...

"For one, this thing is way too big to be concealed and carried, and the recoil is something to consider, too. A .50 AE is over-kill on most human targets, so why not carry something smaller, size and caliber wise, that's a bit more handy?"

He pointed to one of the Kimbers resting within the glass case...

"I carry one of those, only mine's finished in stainless and has had a few modifications done to it, mostly in the sighting and trigger..."

While Kimber factory triggers were about as clean-breaking as they came, there was still some room for fractional improvements...

"Or you might consider something in a nine-milimeter or forty-cal. It looks like they carry Berettas and Glocks, and those German USP's..."

It wouldn't be a bad idea to take a look at all of them, but it would probably piss off the clerk, which Jerico didn't mind doing...

"Can I see a Beretta 92F or FS, it doesn't matter which, a 96F or FS, as well as a Glock 17, 19, 22, and 23? Then bring out a USP in 9x19mm and one in .40 S&W, compact models of the same calibers, and one of the Tactical models for the Hell of it..."

He prattled off the list of sidearms like he was reading out of a catalog, each chosen to offer the widest array of options avaliable in the frame material, barrel length, caliber, weight, and magazine capacity. If the kid didn't like any of those, there were other options, like the 1911, or they could go with a revolver...

Jason was impressed, but unfortunately, it wasn't much use to him with regards to weight. He walked to the counter, picked up the Desert Eagle, and held it lightly, for him. "Too heavy?" He immediately gave a flick of his wrist, and in a split second, the gun was literally spinning on his middle finger, just above the trigger, the way a basketball player would spin the requisite orange rubber sphere. "Seems light enough to me." He brought it down, holding it in his hand by the barrel, his thumb curling over the back. He turned back to the girl behind the counter. "Now, can I please go try this thing at the firing range?"

Jerico made a note to stand behind something solid when this jackass tried that with a round in the chamber and the safety off. As soon as he'd stopped spinning, the inertia of the weapon would cause it to slide backwards on his finger, and set the thing off. He'd done it himself once...

"Whatever..."

He turned back towards Tabitha, lowering his voice so only Tabitha could hear him...

"He pulls that in the field, I'll kill him myself. I'm not catching a round in the back because some rookie asshole wants to play Silverado..."

"Dude, I can hear that. Case you didn't notice, it was spinning not by the trigger, but on the solid part near the chamber," he said, tapping where his finger had been, an good inch and a half above and behind the trigger. "Besides, thing weighs less than an ounce if you want to compare proportional strength. Inertia is like a feather to you. You didn't tell him, did you?" Jason asked Tabitha.

You didn't tell him, did you?"

That was the straw that broke Tabitha's less than saintly patience. In a flash the Desert Eagle was on the counter, and Her hand was firmly upon Jason's bicept. Without speaking she hustled Jason out of the shop and to the passenger side of the Hummer.

"Get in. I am taking you back to ArchBishop More this isntant. You being my apprentice would be an utter disaster. I can not believe that Andre considered you his star pupil. You are acting like you have absolutely no social skills, and I know for certain that Andre would not have allowed that." Tabitha O'Kane was absolutely furious and while her voice was cold as frozen helium, her eyes were incandescent with rage.

Jason threw his head back and audibly sighed. "The Cardinal tried to restrict how much I got out. He was a good man, and I valued as the closest thing to a father that I ever had, but he still had some fear of what I could become. The others often went out during the day to carouse, but I rarely got that privilege. I have never spent more than a period of two hours away from the Church since I was nine. My 'social skills' are only those learned in an environment where our sole purpose is being trained to destroy vampires. I asked him about it once. He told me it was better to always be cautious and explicit in my speech than to use the slang that any of my peers could use."

He looked over at Tabitha. "I have been a prisoner in the church. I wanted to wait on this, but it looks like you really need to know. When I was nine, the Thirst started. I didn't know what it was. With it, my senses, already heightened, became so acute that I thought nothing could escape me. So one night, I got out. The Cardinal happened to stop by my room, and when he saw that I had fled, he knew what had happened. I nearly killed a man. I was stopped by the Cardinal himself. Garlic tranquilizer, misxed with sedative. I went down, and the man was taken to a hospital. Ever since then, the Cardinal kept me sequestered. He said it would not be permanent, that one day somebody in his confidence would take me, one that could watch over me more than he could. That is you. I have not tasted the air of a free man for nearly eight years. If my personality seems strange to you, understand that I never had much oppurtunity to develop one that the public would appreciate."

Jason turned back to watch the road. "The Cardinal knew what I could become. He said that eventually, I would either be a Holy Avenger, cleansing the unclean, or a monster of the dark. I still feel the thirst. Christ's Blood is enough, and it works extensively, but I still feel the blood-lust, the way a normal male of my age would feel lust for women. Only my desire is much greater. Now you know what I am. You know what I have done. I won't pass judgement on you, but the Cardianl believed in you. Why?"

I won't pass judgement on you, but the Cardianl believed in you. Why?"

Tabitha sighed. "I don't know Jason. I'm nothing special. But finding out that Andre, even though he did what he did with the best of intentions, held you effectively captive reeally chaps my ass. Well even good men, with the best of intentions, make mistakes. And that mistake has left you seriously handicapped."

Tabitha took off her sunglasses and pinched the bridge of her nose hard as she thought furiously. "Okay we need to get you properly prepared to be out in public, and we have to do it in the middle of the first investigation I've ever run solo. You see Jason, I'm the only one in a rather large area left with the skills to this sort of thing. I'm going to give you Benny's weapons when we get home. They are still in good condition."

"However first things first. Lesson number one. Be nosey, get the information, but don't make yourself memorable to people. I'm going to get Mister St. Croix, they we're going to go get our passes and we'll meet him at the remians of the night club."

Tabitha clicked the door open. "I left the hummer running as it's better for diesels. I'll be back shortly." With that she turned and headed back into the shop.

"Jerico, I'm sorry to have bothered you with this. Can I speak to you outside?" She asked Benny's old assisstant before she apologies to the shop clerk for the concern and upset. "He's new in town and not aware of how a lot fo theings are done. I knw he didn't mean to frighten you." She told the Jeanette sincerely.

Jason sat in the car and thought. He had long forgiven the Cardinal, and even knew he was right. Still, being out in public, free, had caused his mind to race. It was not the greatest way to tell Tabitha about his urge to drink human blood, but now at least she knew. The Cardianl had taken care of him, and even had left a wide avenue of escape these last few years, trusting Jason to hold on his word alone. That trust had kept him planted, since DeGrasse put his faith in Jason, as opposed to merely keeping him locked up. Still, it had inhibited his ability to develop social awareness, which had gotten him in this little predicament. "Father Degrasse, I know you're up there somewhere. Please, give me the guidance to go on. Help me be the trustworthy student you always thought me to be. Help me be the instrument of our Lord's work, and to follow the path of the humble. I need this now. You're not talking to me anymore, and I don't know what to do."