Xander leaned back in his office chair and spun it around to face his team. They were all spaced out in the hotel room, their various tools spread out in front of them. He didn't look at any of them in particular, but instead looked up at the pale gold colored ceiling. He wasn't sure if it looked gaudy or tasteful.
"Alright," Xander said at last. They had stopped the work from the previous night for some rest, wanting to take things up with fresh eyes. The current operation was more an exercise of the mind than anything else. And had to be treated that way. Besides, Kate had to check in at work. "What do we got?"
"It's not the Council," Vi responded from her seat on one of the large couches in the well-furnished room. It was the main room of the large hotel suite. One of the perks at needing so many beds close together. Much better than renting out a bunch of smaller rooms. "None of their slayers are in New York. And, they haven't been here for quite a while."
"And, none of the locals I've talked to have mentioned any independents around town." Cindy looked up from her laptop. She was still tired. She'd spent all of the night and early morning from the time they had broke up running up and down New York City to check up on the people that didn't like to use phones. "It'll take some time to hit all the people that might know, but I've hit up the major ones. No dice so far. And, none of the local hunters would mess with the Underground either. It's someone new. Someone that can get around without anyone noticing. And, isn't particularly interested in making a name. At least, not yet."
"That's pretty much what I have as well," Paul added from his seat next to Jack in the small kitchenette of the hotel suite. "None of our allies, and none of the operatives we have are behind this."
"You sure?" Xander asked, remembering the history of the Church. And how, zealous, they could be at times. And, that was only their public actions concerning humans. The fight they've been involved in for thousands of years was something else entirely. "I know there have been problems with some of your operatives in the past."
Paul shook his head. It was a bitter pill, but a valid criticism. There were things in the past of the Church, and some things ongoing, that he could hardly stomach. And, even his relatively high position did not give him the authority to make the changes he would have liked. "You know things are different now. Besides, there's no one unaccounted for."
Xander shrugged. "If you say so."
"Pax is going to want answers," Cindy interjected. She stood up and stretched her arms behind her. "And, his kin isn't going to stand around doing nothing for long."
"Can you set up a meet?" Xander asked. "If these weren't random kills, then it may be linked to something he was doing. If he was more than just an ideological follower, then Frankal may have been on something big that somebody may not have wanted carried out."
He wondered if that was the case. Though, it either meant that the demon hadn't told his kin. Or if Omic was holding out on him. Both seemed equally plausible.
"It's a thought," Cindy replied. "I'll see what I can do."
"In the meantime?" Curtis asked, as a knock was heard emanating from the door.
Xander got up and started towards the front door of the hotel room. He spoke over his shoulder, "I want you to work with Detective Ruffalo. Start going through the tapes."
Xander reached the door and opened it. It was Kate. He looked at her, nodding his head in greeting. He got see some slight bags under her eyes. They'd get darker before this was up. He had no doubt about that. The man turned around and walked back into the room. He pointed in the general direction of the kitchenette. "There should be some bagels and donuts left. And. whatever the coffee mutated into."
Xander sat back down in his seat. He looked at Curtis again. "I figure you've probably got the most experience out of all of us at that. See what you can see. Anything suspicious."
"Any ideas what?" Curtis glanced at the detective who was now sitting somewhat uncomfortably next to Jack.
"Not a clue. But, I figure if nobody saw anything, the place might have been scoped out beforehand." Xander replied. "Check repeats. It's about all we got to go on right now."
Curtis shook his head. They were going on pretty much nothing, and a long number of years in investigation told him how much that would get them. Still, cases had broken on less. And, miracles did happen. Especially in this line of work. "I can match it against witness reports once they're done. But, it's going to take time."
"So what are you going to do?" Vi asked.
"I don't know. Not much for me to do. Unfortunately, I'm probably going to have to drop names to get anything." Xander clenched his jaw. He really didn't want to do that here. Especially with that reporter checking things out. He had already found more than most had about what happened in Arizona. And, it wasn't unreasonable to imagine the papers being drawn up for something untoward to happen to him and his young protégé. He may have to pay them a visit while he was in the city. The government agent wasn't exactly sure what he would do if it came down to it though. Unsettling for only a moment. He was surprisingly unsurprised at that.
"You going to see Gredanko?" Cindy chuckled dryly. She knew the name even better than Xander. The young witch had never crossed paths with him either, but anyone that stayed in the game that long and moved around as much as she had would have learned it. And, learned to stay as far away as possible. "Think it's worth the risk?"
"Only if you don't get me something to go on before then. Six degrees on this then. Friend of a friend. I don't care if you have to go Kevin Bacon on this, we need a contact." Xander said. He thought about it. "Okay, Curtis, see what you can do about getting Jack and Paul to be able to review the tapes. Also, I want you to get the inbound flights for the last two weeks to New York. Probably nothing, but there could be something suspicious. Run against the watch list, our watch list too. We could get lucky. Shoot it back home if you need to, but let's see if we can't start eliminating at least some of the possibilities."
Xander turned towards the detective and grinned. "That's pretty much all I got. Anything you want to suggest?"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Wow. So this is a genuine cop car." Xander looked at the ceiling of the old model Ford that he was ridding shotgun in. Appropriately, he still had the one from the previous night in his bag. It had been a couple hours of running down leads in the few places he knew. And the respectable number of establishments that catered to the different that she knew. All useless. He felt somewhat annoyed at the unknown subjects that he was tasked to find. Of course it was mixed with respect. The enemy, whomever it was, had a way of blending in that even he couldn't accomplish. "I'm impressed."
"Don't knock the car," Kate said, as she pulled up to a red light. It had been her father's. She had taken it with her when she had left for New York. "So where to?"
Xander's phone rang before he could answer. He put a finger up and answered the cell. There was no need to speak, only listen. "Okay. He wants to meet me? That me. And, he learned this how? The Underground wouldn't talk. Yeah, it's already out then. Check up on if anybody's looking for me then also. If you can. Okay, where?"
Xander took the phone away from his ear to give driving directions the NYPD detective. He put the phone back as soon as he was done. "Now, who talked? Really. Could be any of a hundred people. Okay, New York, hell of a town. Bye."
He shut the phone down and put it back in his pocket.
"We need to be there in there in about an hour. Staten Island." Xander looked out the window as the car weaved through the traffic. "So Bullitt, I guess the Verrazano Narrows Bridge?"
Kate nodded like someone approaching a local. She gunned the engine again, taking a corner hard.
They drove in relative silence for a few blocks, on the way to a highway that would lead them towards the bridge that would take them across the Narrows.
"So how's this work?" Kate asked.
"What do you mean?" Xander replied, still looking out the window.
"The work you do?" Kate responded. "You were pretty quick getting here. Pretty flexible bosses?"
"Something like that," Xander replied non-committaly. "I have flexibility. Though 90 of the time I'm training. Most of the rest of the time, they farm me out wherever they think I'm useful. Or if they just want to throw their weight around. I get to take special projects as they come in. They have to be cleared and approved, of course. So you should be thankful, you're officially important to the Department of Homeland Security."
"Right," Kate said, wryly. She looked in the rear view mirror. "How about you?"
Vi thought about her answer. She knew the limits of what she was allowed to say, even to her, but wasn't sure she wanted to say even that much. "Slayer. Someone has to keep him in line."
The detective knew that was about all she would get from the other woman. "And the others?"
Xander answered that one. "You'll have to ask them."
"I recognize him you know," Kate responded after a moment.
"You saying that as a cop?" Xander didn't bother looking at her. Though he was slightly surprised that the detective was able to recognize the man in question on sight. Her background, especially lineage, did indicate where the knowledge could have come from. "Or, you know."
"Does it matter?" Kate asked.
"Just wondering if it's going to be a problem." Xander glanced at her. "There's an arrangement. As long as he doesn't do anything too outlandish, he's not going to get pinched. You willing to let it go?"
Kate thought about it. "For now."
Kate drove on in silence, glad that the traffic wasn't too bad. She glanced at the man next to her for a moment. She hadn't known Angel for that long. And, she had only a cursory familiarity with some of the members of his group. At least, familiarity not born of rap sheets. In the short references that Xander had made, it was clear that he had a much longer, or at least more intense relationship with the unique vampire than she had. "How did you know him?"
"Jack?" Xander asked, feeling that that wasn't where she was going with thing. He looked at her. "Aw, Angel."
Xander shook his head as he continued to look at the driver. He could feel his girlfriend's gaze on the back of his head. He sniffed before he spoke, "doesn't matter."
"Oh?" Kate remarked. "You clearly have some feelings about the subject."
Xander repressed the urge to chuckle. "It's highly unlikely that you'll see him again, and anything I have to say is probably not going to be anything you'd want to hear anyway. Better to let it drop. So how did you meet him?"
"He tried to pick me up in a bar." Kate remarked lightly, rather different from her usual stance.
"Really?" Xander broke a smile. "As entertaining as the thought of him bar-hopping for hookups is, I find it hard to believe."
"There was a, a demon, that was using local nightclubs as a hunting ground in LA," Kate explained. "We sort of ran into each other during the case."
"I suppose that sounds more his speed." Xander hadn't been interested in Angel's activities once the vampire had left Sunnydale. He had still learned some things, since Angel did pop by a few times and Buffy had visited LA. And, Faith had made some remarks after she had come back to Sunnydale. It seemed the broody vampire had found some type of calling in his life and had made a real effort to do the right thing. Good for him.
Of course, he had rather thrown it all away for a foolish egotistical last stand. Deus ex machinas didn't exactly grow on trees, so hopefully the vampire with a soul had learned from bringing the storm down on top of him. The deaths of two of his people should be enough to get him to learn some humility. At least it should.
Kate kept driving, but she didn't want to let him off that easily. She glanced in the rearview mirror, seeing the eyes of the slayer in the back seat staring back at her. The detective couldn't help but try to figure out what the look meant. A warning, though not about the obvious. "What do you mean I won't see him again?"
She wasn't exactly sure why she had asked that. Though a part of her never wanted to see the vampire again, there was a small part of her that did. If only to tie up the loose ends.
"Where he is right now, I doubt he's thinking about you much." Xander frowned at the way he had phrased that. It was unduly harsh and not at all what he had intended. Different than how he usually said things. He looked out the window. "Well, let's just say he's keeping busy in the same type of work we're on."
"But, you know where he is." Kate stated. She didn't even need to ask.
"What do you think I am?" Xander turned his gaze to look at the profile of her head. "Of course I do."
Xander turned back around. It was clear he wouldn't give up the location.
"What do you know about him?" Kate kept pressing.
"I know that he has a way of attracting women that stay attracted to him," Xander remarked. More dispassionately than he would have thought. He was glad of that. "Despite all sorts of unpleasantness."
"Meaning?" Kate asked.
"Well, he bled you. Yet, you still seem rather concerned." Xander looked out the window at the bridge they were fast approaching. The day was turning out to be pretty clear. Still cold though. The view of the Hudson River was pretty nice. If he was there on vacation. "But, I wouldn't worry about it. He's doing good enough all things considered. I'm sure he'd feel good about knowing your concerns, but honestly, I wouldn't give it much thought. It's not like his past is going to be much use for your right now. And that's pretty much what me and him have of relevance."
Kate tried to suppress her look of surprise. "How…how did you know?"
Xander shrugged, as the slowed to approach the toll booths. "I can read between the lines of your police report. And, you still got a scar."
"He-" Kate started to say.
"I'm sure there was some reason for it." Xander reached into his pocket and pulled out a wallet. He withdrew a ten-dollar bill and passed it to Kate. "Get a receipt."
The detective waited until they had passed through the tolls and were driving along the westbound lanes of the bridge. She passed him the change and the asked for receipt. "You always this evasive?"
"Only when I don't want to talk about myself." Xander shoved both pieces into one of his pockets. It was somewhat annoying, but it was the price of getting reimbursed for petty expenses on the job.
Xander felt a light kick to the back of his seat.
He sighed, and rolled his eye. "Okay, tell me what you want to know."
"What do you have against him?" Kate asked. They had had their problems, but Angel had proved to be an ally. And she wanted to defend him, even though there were things she didn't know about him.
"He's a vampire. Soul or no, he's got the instincts of one and they drive his actions." Xander thought about what he had just said. There were much worse things he could have said. Some worse for a cop than others, but all truthful. "Even when they shouldn't. Anything more than that, well, it wouldn't do you any good."
It wasn't so much that he was a vampire, since there were those without souls that he let live. Of course, they were not so much involved in being evil, but simply more animalistic and less "civilized." They also knew that it was in their best interest not to start feeding on people. And, unlike some, could actually be trusted to stick to it.
"What do you mean?" Kate asked.
Xander thought about how he would answer. "You ever see Dracula 2000?"
Kate glanced at him quizzically. "What does that have to do with anything?"
"Movie wasn't that great, though the whole Dracula origin story was an interesting twist. Even though it was wrong," Xander remarked, on a tangent. "Forget it, it's not important."
"Xander…" Kate said, irritated.
"Whacky fun time blanket or no, it just brought out what was in him. Blood could have come from somewhere else. That's about all you need to know." Xander turned to look at the detective and caught her eye. "Drop it. It doesn't do anyone any good to talk about this. Playtime's over, I'm done with this. You have good memories of Angel, fine. Keep that, cause it's a rare enough thing I imagine. And you know what? I can even respect that he's made something of himself. But, the past is the past, and you really don't want to know anymore than you already obviously do. And if the in the future you run across him and really want to know, then give me a call. But, I don't want to make this working relationship more difficult cause we have this odd triangle thing with Angel."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It hadn't taken much effort to get in to the landfill. More difficult was trying to find the person that they were supposed to be meeting. Even though it had closed down in 2001, and conversion had started to take place, there was still a lot of refuse there. Of course, that included that which had been laid to rest there after the waste lot had officially closed.
Kate looked at the piles as she drove past them and slowed to a stop. She knew well where the source of much of the visible rubble had come from. Hard to forget. Impossible really, even if she hadn't had many connections in the city at the time.
Xander got out of his car and approached the man that was standing next to a mound of twisted metal and concrete rubble. They had parked a fair bit back and in the time it took to approach him, he could tell something about the person.
For one thing, he appeared human, though given his affiliation that was likely an illusion. How it was achieved was an open question. No visible displacement collar, but with the heavy jacket the small man was wearing, it wouldn't be visible. Still it could be a number of things, from innate shapeshifting ability to actual spellcasting.
What that also meant was that the apparent age of 60 or so of the contact could be fake as well. As well as the ethnicity. Xander couldn't exactly tell what it was exactly, but he looked rather American Indian.
The old man turned around to look at the trio of people approaching him. It was hardly a meeting that the man wanted to make. But, under the circumstances it had become necessary. At least they had been willing to meet him on his own territory. It was something at least.
"A mutual acquaintance mentioned that you might have some information for me," Xander spoke without greeting. "X marks the spot."
"Perhaps. Hell of a way to make a living though." The older man held out his hand; not so much a challenge, but when one had assimilated as he had, the niceties become habits. "You can call me, Running Bear."
Xander shook the offered hand, and stared at him quizzically. "Really?"
"No," the older man grinned. "My name's Gary."
"Right," Xander replied, offput by the reaction. Hardly what he would expect from someone that just learned that one of his own had gotten killed under less than determinable circumstances. "Well, I'm Xander. That's Kate and Vi."
False names would have been nice; especially this close to home. However, with the people they were talking to, lies wouldn't be appreciated. He watched as the two women both shook hands with the man. He noticed that Vi was looking around, watching their backs. Probably trying to find where the person that was observing them was hiding.
"That's not your real name though, is it," Gary stated. "Word gets around. Jack."
"Tell me about Frankal." Xander ignored the comment.
Gary shrugged. He scratched his weathered jaw with a strong hand. "I didn't know him that well personally. But, he was doing important work."
"Anything in particular?" Kate broke in, exercising her police skills. "Anything that would have caused someone to go after him? Or something in his past?"
Gary looked off to the side, across the dirt road towards another mound of trash and debris. He appeared to be listening, though they couldn't hear anything. He turned back to Xander and his people after a few moments. "After your rather public display last year, things have gotten a bit heated."
"And, what do you know about that?" Xander asked, not needing to clarify exactly what the event in question was.
Gary looked off to the side again. Then to the detective. He could easily peg her as a cop. The other female was a slayer. Xander, as he called himself, was something else entirely. Altogether too human, for whatever that meant. "What happened. At least enough to know what's going to happen now. You know, at the Congress."
"What's that?" Kate asked, not recognizing the usage. She also wondered what happened last year that she wasn't aware of.
"I'll tell you later," Xander interjected. "Now, like the lady asked, what was he working on?"
"Consolidation. He had ties to many people and demons in all sorts of places. Above and below," Gary explained. "What you did made some of us nervous. Public action like that. With those kinds of resources. It sends a message."
"Not the one that we wanted to send," Xander said, keeping emotion out of his tone of voice. "But, demons and all sorts are getting skittish is that it? Now everyone wants a piece of the pie at the Congress. Funny how I don't see us humans getting an invite. Nice little exclusive club you've got going on up there."
"Just about," Gary shrugged again. "I don't necessarily agree with it though. We aren't nearly on the level of power as who will be at that meeting. I don't think it's going to get us what we want. Not without some type of extreme concession. But, people in the community are worried about the measures you take."
"If we wanted you extinct, you'd be halfway there by now. Surely you know that." Xander stated.
"Perhaps." Gary met him halfway. "Not all of us see it that way."
"So who are you?" Kate asked. Xander had explained the basic structure and purpose of the organization that the victim had been a member of.
The Pax was a group of demons and other assorted supernatural beings dedicated to living in harmony with humans. In public. That was the end goal for them all anyway. The means was something more individualistic. Which meant that they weren't all pacifists.
"Just a warden," Gary said, not explaining what it meant. He looked over to his side again. Listening to unspoken words, then shrugged.
Xander tightened up slightly, ready for action. He had made sure that his coat was unbuttoned when he had gotten out of the vehicle. It meant that he was cold. But, it also meant that he would have easier access to his weapons. An equal tradeoff. "Who's your friend?"
A form suddenly appeared into vision next to the old man. It was a woman, somewhere between Vi and Kate in age. She was wearing a simple white dress that accentuated her curves, but didn't seem to be cold.
She looked rather amused. Her lips curled in a slight smiled. The woman shook her head slightly, long wavy hair moving back in forth. To the less than experienced she would have appeared an angel, or a succubus. In truth, she would be just about as dangerous. The woman looked at the man and women in front of her. She focused on the man. He didn't look all that different than she had seen him last. Physically at least. Interestingly enough, there was less conflict in his aura. Less swirls of darkness and light mixing together. Contradictorily, there was a much deeper shade of death. Like he had killed more, and felt less guilty about it.
The woman wasn't sure if she approved of that or not. "It's been a long time."
Xander shrugged. "I suppose, Eirene. Still, you could have called. I suppose it's good to see you though. Even with circumstances being as they are."
Eirene smiled at that. They had had their share of disagreements in South America. Especially when it came to a particular young and powerful witch. Still, it was hard to stay angry at the young man.
She took a step forward and drew a finger under Xander's jaw. It didn't have the usual effect, though given who it was, she wasn't surprised. Still, one had to keep up appearances. "Yes."
Vi hadn't heard the woman approach. She had sensed some type of presence, but had been unable to pinpoint it. She hadn't liked it. She liked the show of familiarity even less. Though she really needn't had bothered. He may have been a kid, but he wasn't one anymore. He wasn't one to stray.
"So this is about the Dark Congress then." Xander ignored the touch. Its intent wasn't sexual. Not on her part at least. And, he wouldn't let himself be distracted by it. As for the subject, it was safe enough to talk about it with some familiarity. The real danger was if he alluded to his own attempted involvement in the meeting that was a half year or so away. "And, you're helping."
"We're helping you too, remember?" Eirene spoke, a slight accent in her voice pegged her origins somewhere south of the border in the lower of the Americas.
"Not that much. Just that bit of extra juice last year." Xander turned to Gary. "I suppose that's why he knows about it."
The woman simply smirked at that, neither confirming nor denying the truth.
Xander knew that there would be some secrets kept, the important ones anyway, but the group of witches in South America could only be trusted part of the way. At this point, their perspectives were so vastly different from even his own that he couldn't rely on them to have the best interests of the people he cared about in mind. They were good enough for magical backup in a fight, if they chose to fight, and for intelligence if they chose to share it, but that was about it. And they always had their own plans. He had only slightly exaggerated the connection the first time he had told the Council so very long ago.
Kate looked back and forth between them. She knew she was once again out of her depth. She did study the new faces though. Memorizing every detail so that she would be able to come up with their appearances if the need came up. It was the least she could do in her capacity.
"So, if you're all involved, perhaps you could help with why we came out here?" Kate broke in, wanting to get back on the subject. At least, to the subject that she knew about, and was actually concerned about.
"The majority of the deaths that we have learned of have had a few things in common," Gary said. "Frankal and the ones in the Underground were linked to larger organizations. Frankal with actual political movement. That would could be of concern to all sorts of people. Individuals. Groups. Countries."
"There's more," Eirene added. "The targets have not all been what you would consider the innocent. But, all linked to power. This was not accidental."
"Meaning?" Kate said.
Eirene looked towards the detective. "Meaning that the prince of the city is concerned. And will likely take action to get to the bottom of this, especially now that his own people are involved. As it is, he may have more information than we do about the perpetrators of these latest deaths."
Kate knew whom she was likely referring too. And, an agitated mob boss would be not be something to look forward to.
"Do you have anything for me?" Xander asked. He only let some of the annoyance he felt at having to have come out all the way to Staten Island filter into his voice. It was a waste of time that could have easily been handled on the phone.
Nobody said anything. Silence filled the air. If it had been summer, bird cries would have filled the space. Herons most likely. The estuary wasn't too far away from their present location. At least there were no mosquitoes in the marsh given the season. A small blessing.
"I had to see you for myself, Jack," Eirene spoke again at last. "It was done at my request."
"To see what now?" Xander asked, though he had a suspicion that he knew what. Her oddly clear blue eyes saw more than the surface. That much he knew.
Eirene ignored the question.
"There may have been witnesses to one of the deaths. By all appearances, a low rent crime lord of a demon. Word has it he's gone to ground," Gary said, drawing attention away from the witch. "Still in the city of course. Gredanko is currently looking for him with his own sources. But, they have limitations as you might imagine."
Xander nodded. Even though nothing stuck to the man, having his name out meant that most people would try to keep from talking. The usual threats would work. But, only after Gredanko's thugs managed to locate them with everyone running avoidance. So he still had some time. "Let me guess, you have a name?"
"Maugham," Gary replied.
"You have a species?" Xander didn't recognize the name. Of course, there was little possibility that he would have. Cindy or Paul might have something more, but it would be better to get as many concrete details hammered down as possible.
Gary hesitated for less than a moment. Still it was something that didn't escape attention.
"Out with it, man." Xander pressed.
"Strom," Gary replied.
"And the reason you had some second thoughts about giving up that piece of information?" Kate asked, also having picked up on it. "You know where he is."
"No," Gary denied.
Kate shook her head. "Yes you do."
"He's hiding out at an apartment," Gary said quickly.
"And?" Kate took a step closer, crowding the old man. Any sentiment at not trying to intimidate the man left as soon as it was clear that he was holding something back.
"My brother owns the apartment building." Gary glanced over at Xander. "I don't want anything to happen there. I know your reputation. I don't want the building burned down."
"Okay," Xander nodded. "Fair enough. I go in as light as I can, and in return, nobody's tipped off."
Gary gave him the address. It wasn't that impressive of an address. Going in light would be a relative term given that area of town.
Xander turned to leave, but stopped. He nodded towards Kate. "Gary, if nobody's there, and I have to come back here? I sic her on you."
He kept walking; Kate and Vi following him back to the car.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Okay. Strom demon." Cindy turned the tablet PC around so that the gathered group could get a look at the species. "This is the male. Females look, well just about the same."
The demon in the picture had grayish green mottled skin with an exaggerated skull structure. Compared to a human at least. Its head rose to a rather conical shape with large bumps on top. Large ears on the sides and high and pronounced cheekbones. A flat nose with large nostrils set widely apart and a bony chin completed the picture of ugliness. Again, compared to a human. To its own species it may very well have been quite the looker.
"Any special attributes we need to be aware of?" Paul said, as he looked at his printout. It was a dossier on the species, but only a hasty download off their own database cribbed from books and other sources. He'd rather have it from her.
"They have mild regenerative abilities," Cindy replied. "Well, mild in terms of length of time it takes. They'll heal from nearly anything, but it'll take a lot of time if they take significant damage."
"Sure kill?" Jack asked.
"You'll need to completely sever the spinal column between the brain and the rest of the body." Cindy looked at her notes, reviewing it for any other pertinent information. "Even a head shot isn't a guarantee. You need to put this guy down, you'll have to take his head. No specials either so it shouldn't be that difficult."
"Anything else we need to be aware of?" Xander asked, typing on his computer.
"Physiologically speaking not really. He's type one all the way down on anything else. No offensive special abilities. Typical loads are sufficient. At least to keep in him in line," Cindy said. It meant that the demon was roughly baseline human in combat attributes. No super speed or agility. No super strength either. Hand to hand, he'd go down as easy as any human. Training was another manner, but the biology of it was certain at least. "On this one in particular, my sources say he runs with a group of vampires. Muscle. If he's gone to ground, then he's got them with him. He's not going to be easy to talk to. And, I highly doubt that even your charm is going to get him to open the door for you."
Xander glanced over his work and then hit print. The attached portable printer silently printed out the page. He bent over and pulled it from the floor where it sat next to his feet. He placed it on the coffee table before him.
Xander closed his eye and thought about it. He opened them after a few moments. "Okay. I go in with Paul and Vi. Jack covers Cindy on the outside. We take out the vampires if needed, and bring Maugham out for interrogation."
"You really thinks he knows something?" Kate asked, as Xander sketched out a quick plan.
"He ran." Xander looked at the police detective. "I think that means he's scared. Which usually means he knows something dangerous. Cindy, see if you can't get someone to rustle us up the blueprints to the building."
"And, where will I be in this?" Kate asked.
Xander thought about it. They were down Curtis as it was. He was still reviewing the tapes and with Paul and Jack on this, he could do with the help. He looked her up and down as she sat in one of the single chairs in the main room of the suite. "When's the last time you've had to kick down doors?"
"I can hold my own." Kate met his gaze, holding it.
"Okay." Xander nodded. "You're in. You come in last, act as rear guard. Don't mess with the flow. Hmm. You know all this time, you sure you're cleared on your day job? We don't want your bosses asking questions."
"Gordon's covering me. I'm free till tonight." Kate said. As a detective, she didn't have to account for every hour. But, she couldn't just follow them around all day. She still had her share of open cases.
"Let's get situated on weapons. I want to do this quickly." Xander grabbed a pen and thought for a moment, before signing the paper. He folded it and left it on the table as he stood up. "Just in case he gets too antsy and rabbits."
"What's that?" Kate asked as she stood up as well. She pointed towards the piece of paper on the coffee table.
"Warrant." Xander grinned. "There are laws you know."