Chapter 3

MICK ST. JOHN'S P.O.V.

My first stop was the morgue at LAPD Headquarters. One of the night shift attendants was a fellow vampire named Guillermo Gasol. In addition to his official duties, he also drained the blood from all the unclaimed bodies, and distributed it to all the Kindred in the Greater Los Angeles area. Of course, those of us with...special preferences...had to wait slightly longer for our beverage of choice. As that required him going to other sources.

The upside to that, of course, was the gossip he picked up from those other sources.

"Hola, Miguel!" he called out, as I entered: "Que paso?"

"I need some special info, G. What can you tell me about an Aurelian Order vamp who calls himself...Angel?"

"Santa Mierda! Why're you lookin' for him, Mick? That dude is trouble."

"Big trouble?"

"Frig, yeah! Back in the day, he was called 'The Scourge of Europe.' And, just recently? He helped the current Slayer smoke the Master Aurelian, himself! "

"Really?" I said (half-pretending surprise): "When did that happen?"

"Summer before last, in some hick town up in Santa Barbara County. Sunnyville (or something like that)."

"Thanks, Guillermo. I'll see you around."

"Hey! Don't you want to take your cow's blood, while you're here?"

I shrugged: "Why not?"

When I got back to my car, I checked the Triple-A map in my glove compartment. Sure enough; there was a "Sunnydale" listed in the alpha-numeric section for Santa Barbara County. So, that would be my next stop.

As I drove along, though, I pondered what Guillermo had told me. A member of the Aurelians turning against his own order? To help a Slayer? That bit of information had definitely _not_ been part of the second-hand rumors I had heard floating around for the past two years! So, at the last second, I decided to make a detour.

To a little nightclub called Caritas.

WOLFRAM & HART

(ATTYS-AT-LAW)

LOS ANGELES BRANCH

Lilah Morgan opened the beige folder.

"According to our records, he's done a lot of work for our other offices. Mostly, as a bill collector. He comes highly recommended by the Order of Teraka, itself. And, most importantly? He's an old rival of Angel's. Their last encounter being a fight to the draw, down in Mexico, during the Roaring Twenties."

Holland Manners smiled: "Excellent! It always produces more satisfactory results when one of our employees can mix business with pleasure."

Lindsey McDonald was a little more dubious: "Isn't this a conflict of interest? I mean, our clients want him dead! As in; _completely and permanently_! "

The branch manager shook his head: "Our first loyalty is to the will of the Senior Partners. And, in this case? It's their will that Angel remain _undead_ and kicking."

"Shall I bring him in then?" asked Lilah.

Manners nodded.

"Gentlemen?" began Lilah, standing up: "Allow me to introduce..."

"Skip the formalities!" exclaimed the figure in the black Stetson hat and khaki trench coat, as he entered Manners' office. Doffing the hat, he looked each lawyer straight in the eye. Revealing a humanoid face that was mostly purple in color! That is; except for a vaguely raccoon-like mask around his own eyes.

"Just call me ' Boone.' "

tbc