A/N- Back again with another chapter! Now, on with the chapter!
Chapter 3
Rupert Giles, Watcher, sorcerer, and former librarian, threw his and Buffy Summers's luggage into the back of the rental car. Buffy, the latest Chosen One of the Slayers and the one who brought forth a Slayer army, was in the front passenger seat, messing with the radio. Giles sighed and climbed into the driver's seat.
"You know, I love living in Rome, but I do tend to miss the American radio stations," Buffy commented, sitting back in her seat.
Her Watcher didn't reply as he put the key into the ignition and put the vehicle in "drive." Once they were out on the interstate, Giles handed Buffy a map. She opened it, knowing that she as looking for the quickest way to get to the place they had been called to.
"He said that we were to meet them at the docks, right?" Buffy asked. "This has a very film noir feeling to it."
Just hours before, Giles had received a telephone call from an old friend, Alfred Pennyworth. Alfred had had some very disturbing news. A man here in Gotham City had been killed. The murderer? A vampire, it would seem. So, Alfred wanted a Slayer to come and assist a friend of his, the legendary Batman. However, Giles now raised an eyebrow in Buffy's direction.
"What do you mean by that?" he asked.
Buffy leaned a bit to look out her window up at the night sky. A full moon shined overhead, drowning the city in a pale light. What the moonlight couldn't light up, streetlamps took care of.
"A mysterious meeting at the docks from an old friend at midnight? Has a very mobster feel to it," she said.
Giles smiled. "I never thought of it that way."
Silence ruled the car for a few moments, then Buffy looked back at her Watcher.
"Your friend is trustworthy, isn't he? He's not another Ethan Rayne, right?" she asked.
"Yes. I would trust Alfred with my life…and have in times passed. However, this is the first time he has ever called for the help of a Slayer. He usually just relies on Batman's expertise. It must be serious. We'll have to be on our guard."
Buffy nodded. Giles turned the car onto Dock Road and parked it just a few feet onto it. Locking the car as they left, Giles and Buffy made their way out onto one of the piers. Pier Nine, to be exact. There, they could see two figures waiting for them. One was a stately old man in a tuxedo type of suit. The other was dressed in a black outfit, cape blowing in the wind and his mask daunting in the shadow in which he stood. Giles greeted Alfred with a hug and a handshake, while Buffy and Batman merely exchanged watchful glances.
Giles turned and gestured to Buffy. "This is Buffy Summers."
"Hi," Buffy offered.
Alfred smiled. "A pleasure to meet the Chosen One. Giles, Buffy, this is Batman. However, I trust you could've figure that out."
Both Giles and Buffy simply nodded to acknowledge the presence of the Dark Knight. Somehow, they instinctively knew that he was not the type to shake hands.
"So, a vampire Slayer? Tell me, Miss Summers, how does one your age end up having such a duty?" Batman asked.
"We're chosen. Kind of why we're called "the Chosen One," Buffy said, raising her eyebrow.
"Now, Buffy, an exchange of information is inevitable," Giles reprimanded. "Why don't you tell Batman a bit more about what it is that you do."
"I kill vampires. That's the bottom line. Now, I understand that you have a bit of a vamp problem brewing here. I'm here to help. Now--"
But Buffy didn't get to finish that sentence. Somewhere in the distance, a scream sounded out from the darkness. Without thinking twice, both Buffy and Batman took off on dead runs, heading in the direction of the scream.
Buffy glanced to her left as they both rounded a corner, and a look of mild surprise showed on her face. It was the first time that a non-Slayer had ever been able to keep up with her running speed. However, as she noted this, Batman came skidding to a halt.
"We're too late," he said, staring down at the cement ground.
Buffy followed his gaze and saw that, unfortunately, he was right. A man, who appeared to be in his mid-twenties lay dead at their feet, sprawled out. She bent over him and looked at his neck. She sighed. Two crimson puncture wounds were there, leaking out the very last drops of blood that he had had in him. She stood, crossing her arms.
"Is there a possibility that there is more than one in the city?" Batman asked, coming to stand beside her.
"That's always a possibility. Do you have anyone in the police force that you can trust to clean this up without too many questions?" she asked.
He nodded. She sighed again.
"Good. Call him or her up. After that, you and I have some talking to do."
End Notes: Okay, not much happening. Basically, Buffy and Giles showed up. The next chapter will be a bit of a background chapter for the characters. Well, hoped you enjoyed it. Please review!