Chapter 14: New Horizon
2002 L.A.
"So what does this day turned to night thing mean" Gwen asked back at the hotel to the rest of the A.I. team before she got knocked out from behind and dragged outside.
"Well we don't exactly know but….." Gunn looked around for Gwen. "Hey where did Raiden go?"
"She gone? Good riddance" Cordelia bitterly replied.
2003 Santa Cruz
"You want what?" The Russian Demon named Trepkos laughed to the Russian Vampire.
"You to help Gwen get L.I.S.A" Niko just stared at him.
"I don't really need any help." Gwen unsurely chuckled.
"Please not even you can get at this bitch." Eve said coming up from behind Gwen. "He's in there again" She whined to Niko.
"He has lot of skin, has to wash twice as much." Trepkos laughed at Eve as he swings around a vodka bottle, probably the reason he was laughing so much.
"CLEM" Niko shouted towards the upstairs of his condo. "Either move over so you can share with Eve or get out!" Niko smiled to Val and took a swig of his own bottle of vodka.
"There is plenty of room now Eve!" Came a call from upsatirs.
"I'm not sharing a bath with that thing." Eve said looking to Niko who was toasting with Trepkos.
"If I was you I would electrocute him." Gwen smiled sweetly. "But you doubt my abilities to steal and probably my electricity powers." Gwen smile faded as she walked over to the fridge pulling out a bottle of vodka for herself. Eve just slunk up stairs. "So big bad vampire why aren't you in apocalypto town" Gwen sat down taking a swig.
"Yeah, Niko" Harmony came swanning in the front door with liquor store bags filled by vodka bottles in each hand.
"I swear we drink more Vodka than the Kord" Trepkos laughed.
"Angelus is out now I can't risk another confrontation with him."
"Why are you scared of Angel, we can even back you up" Clem called from upstairs.
"If I am responsible for killing the most dangerous vampire alive, do you think that the patrons would just line up to come the Kord." Niko answered seriously. "But with this new group of Vampires who used to serve Balthazar, called El Eliminati, now which are called 'The TrepKord Kruw' they will serve as a new mafia in the city of sin." Niko unveiled his plan.
"Your going to run Las Vegas?" harmony asked.
"Yanks" Trepkos and Niko sighed.
"Amsterdam, Harm, you know capital of the Netherlands" Eve came downstairs in a robe.
"As in peter pan" Harmony was dumbfound.
"What we going Neverland?" Clem came down blow drying his skull. "With out M.J."
"Hey Americans are stupid, At first they embraced him, so he had a couple of facelifts, Now people wanna place him with murderers and rapists for nothing there is no evidence." Gwen put her point in.
"Never new you was a fan of the moonwalker, I taught him that you know" Trepkos drunkenly said.
"No, I just tried to steal from him once he caught me, he let me go…he was nice" she decided to leave Trepkos' comment about the moonwalk alone.
"Holland we're talking about, Harm" Niko looked over to her. "But you can stay here if you want."
"Anyway, what are you going to do about Angelus" Eve asked changing the subject as she came down down stairs.
"I'm going to talk to the watcher"
2003 L.A.
Wesley was killing a group of vampires, who were being hunted Gunn and his truck. "Yo, English a few scattered that way." The truck pulled up with Fred driving, Gunn in the passenger seat armed with his alloy axe, Lorne and Cordy were in a armoured bunker on the bed. "And there was demons throwing human survivors out there houses and auctioning them off to other sorts of nasties." Gunn Reported to Wesley.
"I killed most of the vampires." Connor fell from the sky. "Gunn with me, fred take the car down 7th and Saints, Wes go through 7th and Dine't. Connor ordered as he leapt over a fence.
"Go!" Wesley ordered as Gunn followed after him and the truck squealing away.
"Wyndem-Price" A chilling Russian accented voice came from behind the Britishman.
"I'm sure the last time we met you had an American accent as you stole my car" Wesley turned revealing a shotgun pointing at Niko's throat. "Funny thing is, this will dust you, it's just not the council's preferred way." Wesley was deadpanned.
"Listen Price I'm here to discuss the notion of the greater good." Niko lowered his eyes dead into Wesley's.
"So you know about me stealing Angel's son" Wesley flicked his arm unleashing his retractable sword.
"Or should you say Angelus'" Niko looked between the sword and gun. "Which is
what I came to talk about." Wesley lowered his gun to Niko's knee.
"Go on"
"Word from Sunnydale is that the slayer has her hands full, I haven't got details because Spike isn't answering his phone. But Clem said it's big and nasty, so that slayer is out of the loop." Niko began to circle Wesley who followed him with the gun. "How about the other Slayer?"
"Faith?"
"Angelus has been sighted at a few Orpheus bars through out L.A. trying to get in league with the Beast." Niko stopped where he started.
"Why do you want him dead."
"He wants to end the world, which I don't mind with blocking out the sun but come on no people equals no food, you getting' me here" Niko remembered when him and Spike had a discussion about stopping Acathla.
"So why don't I just kill you?" Before he could react a Cossack Kindjal sword was putting pressure on his throat.
"So why don't I just kill you?" Wesley tossed the shotgun down. "Come in through the 1 - O - 1 I'll have a few vamps there to get rid of her rust." Niko smiled as he walked behind Wesley.
"Wesley"
"Bloody Hell" Wesley turned after a moment of silence to see the Vampire left him standing there. "Connor?"
"You didn't turn up, Fred was injured, Lorne's driving the girls home, Gunn has gone to Dine't fearing you was overwhelmed." Connor said almost roboticly.
"No just had a meeting with my informant who has indicated a few things." Wesley walked towards Dine't.
"Like what?" Connor asked. "Is your informant a Russian vampire?" Wesley gave him a look. "Cause I think I've met him."
2002 Las Vegas
"I'm so lost, I just need another hit man" A wasted woman came onto a well dressed man.
"I got some Orpheus?" The accent was Russian.
"What's that."
"Magical" He smiled as he let his true vampire self show. "Just let me bite you and we will call it even. She went to scream and even before the piercing sound could escape her lips, a hero descended from the sky punching, kicking and finally dusting him.
"Connor?"
"You alright Sandy" Connor smiled to his first friend in L.A. he had been tracking for a while, telling Fred and Gunn that he was following a lead on Cordy and Angel.
"You fight well but you are no Angel, Vampire" A russian voice came from where the dust was. Connor turned to see a big Demon. "Poor Kolya" He looked at the ashes underneath his feet.
"Hombre Asesino" Came another Russian accent from a small figure behind the demon. "But he has a heart beat Val." The Vampire came into view.
"Sandy stay back" Connor ordered as he attacked the Vampire. The fight was spectacular from an outside perspective but it was a bloody battle, in the end When Connor went for a round house kick, Niko ducked tripping over the zealous warrior
"You're a good fighter, Demon" Niko smiled above the downed boy. Connor nipped back up.
"I'm not a Demon." He swung wildly at Nik who dodged as Connors own momentum carried him into Trepkos, Connor turned around when Val just stared at him.
"Well you fight like a Russwari tree clinger" Niko laughed at the savage style of Connor.
"You….you've been to Quortoth?" Connor asked Niko.
"You've been to Quortoth?" Niko asked Connor.
"Niko We're going to be late." Val interuppted.
"Your right, this is for another time." Niko nodded to Connor then to Sandy and leapt into the air. Before Trepkos could Connor elbowed him in the face. He just laughed
and nutted the teenager down before following Niko.
2003 L.A.
"Faith how nice to see you." Val Laughed as the slayer walked into a private meeting between Niko's consortium and Senator Bruckers Vampire campaign party.
"I've seen those vampire before." Faith nodded towards the door which she came in. "one long sword, one short. But they weren't as well dressed as they are now, so I'm guessing Niko?" Faith pulled out a stake which made the senators vampires nervous.
"You brought a slayer here! Scum" The lead vampire shouted to Niko then cautiously walked past Faith the rest followed.
"Val remind me to Kill the troos vampires" Niko said absently to Trepkos. "Faith?"
"Wes said it was your idea to free me" Faith gave a quick scan to his group. The strong demon, a blond ditzy vampire, a saggy skinned demon, a prissy suit girl and quite a nice looking girl with a red streak in her hair. "Why"
"You're a slayer" Niko answered as he stood up.
"I'm not killing him, he never gave up on me so I'm not, I know we had a deal but this is an exception." Faith said matter of factly.
"This isn't my favour, and as far as it was my idea…the watcher must of thought of it before me I just gave him an extra hand." Nik smiled slightly. "I'm going to Amsterdam in a couple of days, so your going to have to make this quick."
"I need Orpheus to do what I want with Angelus." Faith raised her eyebrows.
"Clem, take Harm and Eve to a dealer. Get Faith a good deal." Niko ordered. "Gwen, Val stay in case the cowards return."
"" Later that night ""
"Weren't they Balthazor's boys" Came a cocky voice from the doorway.
"Mrs Senator? Senator? Helen? For…." Niko roared as he slammed the phone down.
"Val remind me to Kill the senator." Niko turned to Angelus. "Do you want a rematch?" Angelus ignored the younger vampire though.
"Trepkos, I haven't seen you in years!" Angelus laughed. "Gwen is that you" Angelus laughed. "Now now Niko, I need your help." Angelus looked serious.
"With what?"
"The Beast or rather the Beast's master."
2003 Amsterdam
Niko flanked by Trepkos and Eve followed by suspicious looking people behind looked around his Dutch office. "Eve get me reports of all the Pimps in the Red light district" Niko ordered as he sat on the desk.
"Sir, if I may?" A stranger said from the balcony of Niko's office.
"No, way!" Val's jaw dropped.
"Vampire?" Niko looked sceptically at the beast as his vampires produced arms.
"It's Willhelm! Deceits right hand man." Trepkos smiled.
"I was informed a vampire headed consortium had muscled in against a mafia member and only Val would do that." Willhelm smiled "So I was wondering if you had any jobs going for myself." Willhelm was now fully in the office.
"Get me a list of suitable sites of drug storage and making plus a list of illegal and legitimate dealers" Niko nodded. "Welcome aboard."
"Val take some men and start making a name for ourselves." Niko turned to Trepkos. "I will start making arrangements with Harmony, Eve, Clem and Gwen for the Kord to expand." Niko went and switched on his computer.
"My god, your going to actually try and own a city." Willhelm gasped.
2003 Amsterdam
"Eve has been located by Wolfram and Hart again, Sir" Willhelm bowed to Niko who was busy typing away.
"Well I knew they would" Niko shrugged.
"Strangely enough so has Harmony." Willhelm confused by this. "Probably why she wanted a reference of you."
"Clem is just picking up the rest of his stuff from sunnydale and will be with us shortly." Willhelm concluded.
"The whores are booming." Gwen said distractedly as she kept touching Val every now and then.
"Stop trying to shock me" Trepkos said annoyed like. "The drugs sales are through the roof." He reported to Niko.
"If I was trying I would it's just that I don't know if it's faulty." Gwen sulked.
"Luke?" Niko stopped and looked at the Apparition in front of him of his old mentor and sire.
"Aah Lieutenant Korrd, Finally we have the pleasure" Luke repeated the first thing he had ever said to Niko.
"I thought Luke died back in the ninety's thanks to a slayer, in Sunnydale?" Willhelm recollected.
"He did" Niko morphed "Gwen, Val"
"So I'm not Luke" it smiled evilly. "But we still need to talk, Nikolai"
"Leave us" Niko stood up and went toe to toe, nose to nose with what appeared to his Sire. "The First" Niko growled as the three left his office.
"I'm surprised you remember me since you was frying on the floor last time we met." He smiled as he turned into Niko's father.
"We've met?" Niko asked.
"eeerm, Rome 1961….the immortal was there" The Russian Colonel asked hopefully.
"With the descendants of Danzalthar?" Niko began but gave up. "I've read about you manier times you come up." Niko walked through it. "the Legend of Lucifer, The Tale of The Three Invincible hell gods, History of Quortoth and Judas and The Vampire History" Niko circled as he rattled the list off.
"Your good" The apparition turned from his father to the Master. "That's why I wanted you, to lead the army of Judas."
"You talk in past tense" Niko sat back down at his desk.
"Now I see why the Immortal chose you" The first smiled.
"Vampire champion?" Niko put his feet up. "I didn't take it"
"It's only a matter of time." What appeared to be the Master shook his head. "But your not going to help the slayers are you?"
"Slayers?"
"oh you don't know, Faith is helping Buffy now." He appeared to sit on the edge of the desk as he changed to The Mayor. "They have pesky potential slayers and other allies in this fight."
"Who is leading Judas' army." Niko asked.
"Caleb Daniels" The mayor smiled "I know ironic or what, but what can I say I'm a fool for the classics"
"She'll beat you she has before." Niko smiled.
"So you have spoken with Angel" The First then stood up and shifted into Adam the phsyco cyborg.
"You know what, stop doing that" Niko took his feet off his desk. "I don't know which balance was disrupted which allowed you to make this jump but I will be dammed if you come to my town and start saying I'm not good enough."
"See that's why you….wasn't a good solider. You are foolish, I will end the world ….. and you should of been good to me. " The first flashed out.
"If you use Judas' army, I suspect he will be angry when he arises to find that out."