Present Day:

John, Chas and Zed found themselves in Dallas Texas. A poltergeist seemed to be making the metropolis its new home, but John had trouble believing it was simply an angry spirit he was dealing with. Somehow, whatever tricks he tried to locate it, the so-called poltergeist wasn't fooled. In truth, John was beginning to wonder if it wasn't some kind of lesser demon someone was keeping on a leash.

He hated to think another human had stumbled into his world and brought something back when they traveled too deeply into the darkness. It happened more often than he cared to think of.

"You sure this bird has the amulet?" John asked with his typical grumble as Chas navigated the downtown streets.

"Yes." He sighed. John had been haranguing him ever since Chas mentioned they had a friend in Dallas that might be able to help. "Like I said, she's a friend."

John scooted forward and propped his arms against the back of Chas's seat. While he sat between Zed and Chas, John's focus was only on one. The large man grumbled under his breath. The 'argument' was about to start all over again.

"But you ain't got any friends." John said for the tenth time since Chas mentioned the mysterious stranger in Dallas.

"John," Zed hissed.

He barely felt the thump of her weak backhand.

"Not any I like." Chas shot back without a break in the conversation.

"Oh ha bloody ha."

A smirk touched both Zed and Chas's lips. His jab was obviously in reference to the Brit who wouldn't stop interrogating him from the backseat of the cab.

"I already told you, we both know her."

"No, we don't." John asserted. "Admittedly, I'm no all that great with names and the like, but I'm fairly certain I'd remember meetin' some girl named…" he hesitated. "What was it again?"

"Cali." Chas replied. "And you'll remember as soon as we get there. Now," Chas shrugged his shoulder and threw his elbow gently back. "Sit down. You're breathing on my neck."

Zed returned to aimlessly sketching when John had slumped into the backseat once again, but smiled to herself as she did. Chas simply shook his head.

"Every time." He sighed. "We go through this every time."

"Who is this chick?"

"Just a friend." Chas replied. With a glance in the mirror, he could see John still sulking or deep in thought. In truth, it was difficult to tell sometimes. "She's not as heavy into this stuff as we are, but she does manage to find some artifacts that end up helping."

"So, John's met her too?" she asked. Chas nodded. "Then how-come he doesn't remember?"

Chas didn't immediately offer an answer. It was a little difficult to explain to someone on the outside, especially someone who'd only just become accustomed to their world of weird.

"You'll see." He eventually said.

~!~

The building meant to be their destination looked like nothing special. It was a three story building reminiscent of the post offices in major cities a hundred years ago.

Its windows were nearly wall length which let in a ridiculous amount of light. The brick was the deepest red possible and bordered closer on blood. There were no real adornments of any kind (any structural detail that made it overly attractive) other than the random cinderblock corners like a few buildings had back then to break up the sea of red brick. It didn't truly look old, but it had the feel of something that had been around since long before anyone inside it.

John cocked a brow to it. He felt something touch the back of his neck, a nagging feeling that wouldn't likely dissipate any time soon, and debated on whether or not he should even enter.

"A bar an' grill." John said in a deadpan voice. It was obviously the building's new purpose. "Really."

Chas sighed, Zed rolled her eyes and with or without John, the pair entered the building. Exhaling the last remnants of smoke in his lungs, John tossed the cigarette away and joined them.

Inside was nothing special. It was as the sign outside suggested, a bar and a grill. The smell of steak and all other manner of common Texan food filled their noses and made their stomachs immediately grumble with hunger. The atmosphere was a bit more laid back than one might expect with a stage in the corner meant for live music, but it was a nice place.

Chas was the one who knew where to go and did so without hesitation. John didn't like having no choice but to follow alongside Zed. He preferred looking like the one in charge.

They followed Chas to the bar and took seats beside him just after the bartender disappeared.

"What's that about?" John asked. His patience with everything was growing thin. Chas said nothing as he turned in his seat to face the man with his back to the room. His expression only helped aggravate the blond. "Seriously, this is pissin' me off, mate."

"You get like this every time we come here." Chas mumbled.

"I've never been here." John snapped. "I don't know a bird named Cali, and I ain't never been in this bar."

During his rant, both Chas and Zed were able to see what John couldn't. Coming through the door that led to the backroom was a woman followed by the bartender. She came towards them with intent which Zed found interesting because she didn't understand half of what was happening.

Whoever she was, she didn't look as though she worked there. While the waiting staff and bartender wore black slacks and button-up shirts, she was nothing but casual. A long white, boho skirt and white Ramones t-shirt cut short enough to show just a bit of her midriff didn't exactly blend in with the surrounding attire. From the clothes to the fact her deep black hair was down in a loose braid, she looked like she belonged on a beach somewhere instead.

As John finished spouting his irritation, she came to a stop behind him and even went so far as to lean on the bar's top. With a smile, she waited until he was done.

"Well," she said when he'd finally stopped talking. "That's not entirely true now, is it?" John spun in his seat to see her smiling at him. A crooked smirk graced his lips, though it wasn't one of recognition. "John Constantine."

His smile faltered slightly, but he didn't let the fact she knew his name detract from the flirting he planned to employ. After all, Chas could have told the bartender who retrieved the young woman.

"Hello there, darling." He greeted. He offered his hand which she took. "You know my name, now what's yours?"

"Cali." She replied simply. It was obvious to everyone but John that Cali was trying to keep from laughing.

"You see, now I know we've never met before."

Cali snorted a laugh under her breath. She was losing the battle to keep form laughing outright.

"Can you just say it," Chas finally interjected. "So we can get this over with?"

"Say what?" Zed asked.

"The trigger words." Chas explained. "When she says the trigger words, he remembers everything like he's supposed to."

John's face went black. He immediately dropped Cali's hand, all the while she continued to grin.

"You took memories." He said in a low, threatening voice. Cali simply nodded as though she didn't care. "Mind control… you bloody used mind control on me."

Cali held up her fingers less than an inch a part.

"A bit." She mused.

He chewed on the inside of his cheek and looked as though he was struggling to keep from bellowing his anger with the situation. Any form of mind manipulation was the purest form of violation John could think of and while he might not have a second thought employing those techniques on others, he felt nothing but violated when they were used on him. But again, Cali enjoyed it.

"It amazes me," she began kindly. "That we go through this every time you come to see me."

John's glare turned dark. He didn't like that everyone around him was in on whatever was happening and his anger towards not only Cali, but Chas was growing to an almost unimaginable degree. Cali seemed to sense it and knew they were seconds from a meltdown. Sure enough, John slid off his stool and stood over her.

"Now you listen to me you bloody strumpet," he growled through his teeth. "I'm not the kind of person you want to be messin' with. You need to be givin' me what you took before I lose my patience." Cali did nothing more than raise a brow. Her smirk remained as well as her arrogance which only continued to irk John. "Alright," he muttered. "Then may whatever God you believe in help you, because I swear I'm going to reign down-"

"Hello sweetheart." Cali interrupted.

John was silenced immediately. His tirade ended and his expression became dumfounded. Zed watched. She expected to see a jolt, a shock or twitch of recognition take hold when Cali uttered what she assumed were the trigger words, but it was nothing more than the creases in his forehead relaxing. Eventually, a grin began to emerge and his entire posture became calm.

"Cali," he uttered her name with nothing but a charming sigh.

Cali raised a single brow. "A strumpet." She said forcing him to cringe mildly. "That's a new one."

"Well what the bloody hell you expect?" he defended. "You toy with me like that every time I come here."

"It's too fun not to." She smiled.

"You can be down right wicked, ya know that don't you?" he asked. She gave him a look that let him know she was more than aware. His smile broadened and to Zed's surprise, he opened his arms to the stranger. "Give us a cuddle then."

Cali stepped into his arms and the pair hugged. Zed either couldn't hide her shock or didn't realize the expression saturated her features. Whatever the reason, it was well on display to anyone who cared to look.

When the pair parted, Cali repeated it with Chas and seemed to finally spot the silent brunette at their sides.

"And who are you?" she asked kindly.

"Zed." John answered for the confused young woman. "And she's a bit psychic so no…" he mimed something neither woman was sure how to interpret. "Touching."

Cali laughed under her breath and shook her head.

"Well, come on then. Chas said you guys have business." Cali waved for the trio to follow her to the back which they did.

They stepped through the black swinging door that led into the kitchen, but they didn't make it that far. Just to the left was a small hallway nestled between the freezer and exterior wall. At the end of the wall was a rusted, decrepit and all together frightening box with a rickety gate as a door. To Zed's horror, they stepped inside.

The four made themselves as comfortable as they could when slipping into a small cubical built to hold barely three bodies. Cali slammed the gate shut and pressed an old brass button with a 3 etched into the surface.

The gears kicked on and the elevator lurched. Zed squeaked at the shock of it, but no one else was bothered.

"By the way," John said from behind Cali's left shoulder with his hands comfortably resting in his pockets. "Nice shirt."

Cali glanced briefly at the Ramones logo on her chest and smiled. The elevator began its climb.