Josie's apartment, 0600 hours.
Josie yawned while she pulled the blanket off her and then slowly sat up on her bed. She turned her head to the right where, thought groggy eyes, watched beams of sunlight filter through the curtains that covered on of the two windows in her room.
"Computer," she groaned turning her body before hanging her legs off the edge of the bed, "what is the time?"
"Six in the morning," the computer spoke in a monotonous voice while Josie rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands. She knew that she had two hours before having to leave for Sunnydale High, but before that there was the matter of her regular routine. The young woman going out of bed and stretched her arms over her head and yawned once again before walking into the rest-room to freshen up. After a few minutes, Josie walked out and headed for her closet. Opening the doors, she glanced at the case in the closet that contained the Slayer Scythe before looking up at the clothes hanging off one of the two beams. She then reached in and grabbed what she was looking for, a pair of shorts and a sports bra.
Josie then closed the doors to the closet, took off her pyjama's, and then put on her work-out clothes before she grabbed a rectangular shaped object connected to straps from a table. Josie then wrapped the straps tightly around her left arm. She then grabbed a smaller case before opening it and taking out two small buds. She closed the case, placed it back on the table and then placed the buds in her ear. Josie then reached for, and picked up, a dark brown object that she attached around her wrist before tapping the top of the object. She looked on as a screen activated on the object, a communication device, that showed her the time and weather.
"Nice and warm," she muttered about the weather before pressing down on the side of the object around her wrist. After a few seconds, there was a beeping sound from the earbuds, indicating that the wrist communication device, was connected and she would be able to speak 'hands-free' to anyone whoo contacts her. Taking a deep breath, Josie then looked back up at the mirror.
After tying her hair back into a ponytail, Josie turned on the device on her arm and smiled as music flowed through the wireless earbuds. She then jogged out of her bedroom, and into the living room, and then after grabbing the keys, she ran out the front door. Josie jogged down the stairs before exiting her apartment building. At the landing, just before the stairs that led to the pavement, Josie did some quick stretches before she rushed down the stairs and then started to jog two blocks around her apartment complex.
With the sun just barely out in the sky, Josie felt the warm breeze brush past her as she ran. Her mind was focused on her student's lesson plan for the day, and then she mentally scheduled training for herself later that evening before going out on patrol.
'Ever since Lisa was rescued from the Hellmouth, I've had to deal with about sixty-seven vampires in the past three of the six months since I met Buffy and the others,' Josie thought to herself after the twentieth minute of jogging. 'It's like the rescue kicked up some residual energy from the Hellmouth. And that energy had been attracting these vampires.' Josie then made a turn left on the sidewalk and continued to jog, 'but this many vampires in six months? That's just unheard of, and the most of them were only in the past three nights. The most I ever had was ten in a year… now there's an increase in the number of encounters.' Josie recalled talking to her watcher, Amara Livingston, about it but neither she nor the Devon Coven detected anything strange, 'they said that the seals are still in place. They're the ones who told me about some energy escaping, but it was supposed to be harmless, and... wait, what?'
As she approached the stairs that led up to her apartment complex, Josie saw a yellowish skinned man walking down the stairs with a bald older man, and next to the both of them was a red haired woman. The three of them were reaching the pavement just as Josie slowed down and came to a stop with her heart racing from the jog and her body covered in sweat thanks to the warm weather.
"Miss Charney," Data, the yellowish tinted man that Josie had seen, said after he noticed the woman, "good morning."
"Yeah," Josie whispered as she caught her breath before glancing at the bald man who Data introduced as Captain Picard of the Enterprise and the redhead was the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Beverly Crusher. Josie nodded at them before asking, "and the three of you are here because…..?" Josie's voice trailed off while waiting for an explanation.
"We would like to talk to you," the Captain said with his hands in his pockets, "in fact, my superiors at Starfleet have read Mr Data's reports on your, shall we say, unique gifts."
"Ah," Josie said crossing her arms over her chest, "and….?"
"It is strange that we simply have only the reports of myself and my collegues whom you helped rescue at Starfleet Command," Data said with an innocent smile on his face, "however, all recordings of you have been erased from the Federation and Starfleet network. We wondered how it was that I, who remember everything, Geordie, and several other officers who have seen you in action were unable to find any information on you."
"That's something that…"
"And then we discovered a worm," Picard said as Josie turned back towards him and smirked, "apparently, it permanently removed all information on what you did. And, apparently, the changes it made included records that you were in Sunnydale during that entire incident."
"You helped saved lives," the doctor said, "and with your gifts, you could be an asset with…"
"No," Josie shook her head, "I'm not Starfleet's asset, nor am I the Federation's asset. I'm simply me, a regular human being who…."
"We have reports written by Captain Janeway when she was with General Rosenberg and…" Picard smiled before saying, "ah, yes, Slayers is what I believe she called those girls."
"And that is what you called yourself as well," Data said.
"Miss Charnie.."
"Josie. Just Josie."
"Josie," Dr Crusher said, "I would like for you to come with us to the Enterprise. Starfleet Medical, Starfleet Intelligence, and Starfleet Command wants an entire physical done on you for your own safety. We need to know if these gifts you have are related to the long dead Eugenics program that initiated World War Three. We need to know if you…"
"I'm not," Josie said shaking her head, "there's nothing that is genetically enhanced about me."
"Then come with us," Picard said.
"How come it took you so long to approach me?" asked Josie with a suspicious look on her face as she looked around the street before facing the three Starfleet officers once again.
"It didn't take too long to find out who you were and where you lived," Picard said while a gentle breeze passed the four of them, "As a history teacher, you know about what happened during the third world war. You know what danger the enhanced…"
"I thought we're supposed to have risen over that whole thing?" Josie asked shrugging, "you now, the whole enhanced thing. Not that I'm admitting I'm genetically enhanced or anything."
"Human Genetical Enhancements are still illegal," Data spoke.
"You scanned me using that thing when I saved you and your friends," Josie said looking at Data, "did you find anything weird?"
"That was a simple tricorder, not a medical tricorder, so the readings it took were inaccurate," Data said, "as to your initial question, the reason we did not come to you months ago was due to which branch of Starfleet would have to approach you. We are aware that you and the other women who arrived are Slayers; enough people have heard that word during the battle on Earth for you not to deny that you are a Slayer. However, we do not know what that entails. And given that you are a Slayer, we believe you have a way to contact the others. Which is why we had to be cautious in contacting you… we do not want to make you feel as if you were in danger."
"Listen," Josie said as she narrowed her eyes, still not understanding what the three of them wanted exactly. "I just finished jogging. I'm tired, I'm hungry, I need a shower, and honestly, I stink right now. So, lets simply say that I have no genetic enhancements, and my abilities have nothing to do with Starfleet or the Federation. And that's the answer you have to deal with," Josie raised her eyebrows and waited for an answer.
It was then that Dr Crusher took a step forward and said, "at least let me run a full medical scan on you so that our superiors would be relieved to know that there are no genetic enhancements."
"But then, you'd still like to know why I have these abilities," Josie said.
"Or how it is that you jumped through a breach that we have yet to examine," Data added.
"That too," Josie stared at Dr Crusher while motioning at Data.
"Josie, I can guarantee that Starfleet or the Federation will not bother a private citizen unless it is absolutely necessary," Picard said, "but the abilities you have and how you have them…. Well, there are some within Starfleet that could see you as a threat."
"I'm not a threat," Josie said turning her head at Picard.
"All we're saying is that there are some that could see you as an Augment," Dr Crusher said, "I…"
"Tell your superiors this," Josie said taking a step forward, having lost all patience, "I am a Slayer. That does not mean I am an Augment. I am fully human with no genetic enhancements."
"Our superiors will not take your word for it," Picard said, his voice filled with concern at the rumours he had heard about Section 31 and what they were capable off. If the three of them couldn't convince Josie that she needed to come with them for a medical examination, then it would be Section 31 that some of the higher-ups in Starfleet would be turning to. The only problem was that Section 31 was deeply classified, even Picard himself wasn't supposed to know about it. He simply reached out with one hand and asked again gently, "I'm imploring you to come with us. All we want is a medical examination, that is all."
"It will be non-evasive, and…."
"Look, I get you are concerned, but let's stop going round and round with this," Josie said staring at Crusher, and then at Picard, and then at Data, "I do not consent to a medical examination because I am not an Augment. If there's anyone from Starfleet or the Federation that harasses me again, I will lodge a complaint. And, if someone still comes after me? Believe me when I say that there will be people coming after them," Josie took another step forward, "if anyone does take me? Trust me when I say that nothing technological can hide me anywhere on this planet. And if they take me to another world? Well, my fellow Slayers from Pegasus will have something to say about that." Josie then sighed after seeing the exhausted looks on the three Starfleet officers, and took a step back, "now, if you would excuse me?"
Data stepped to one side as Josie strode past him. They watched her go up the stairs before Picard finally asked about something he remembered one of the Shuttlecraft escorting the Arrows over Sunnydale wrote in their reports after returning to the Enterprise, "why were Slayers beamed under this city?" The three officers watched Josie stop at the third step before turning around with a frown on her face, "General O'Neill said that they lost someone in Sunnydale. We thought that maybe this person was lost on the surface. But now, from the shuttles that escorted the fighters that scanned the city some two hundred meters off the ground, we still found nothing under the waste management system. But when we used a much higher sensor bandwidth and scanned from a range of fifty meters over that same area, we discovered a series of tunnels and…"
"What have you done?" Josie demanded as she rushed down the stairs with eyes wide open, her face reddening in disbelief as she recalled having seen a shuttle flying low near Sunnydale High a few days ago. However, she wasn't aware why the shuttle flew so low, and that incident was pushed out of her mind… until now. "Don't tell me that Starfleet sent anyone down there to…."
'The increase in vampires and demonic forces,' Josie thought to herself, 'don't tell me that they… no, the Hellmouth is sealed via a spell. Nothing sound be able to break through and… no… no… the demons, vampires, monsters can't break out. As for the energy, there would always be a little leak…. But… oh no." Josie's heart started to race while thinking, "the seal is meant to keep things in, and then it was itself sealed by a cave in… but if someone started digging… if someone…."
"Is there someone down there?" Josie demanded to know as she approached the Captain. However, Data stepped in front of her, and the two of them stared at each other for a second. Josie rolled her hands into fists, she didn't have time for any kind of games, not when she thought that it was possible that the Hellmouth could be breached, "don't screw around with me. Is there someone down there?"
Data, Picard, and Dr. Crusher looked at each other before the Captain said that several scientists were beamed down to the edge of the city where the distance from the surface to the entrance of the vast network of caves and tunnels beneath the futuristic foundations of Sunnydale was smaller. Upon hearing that, Josie asked when did they begin their journey underground.
"Four days ago," Data said while Josie's jaw dropped downward in shock.
'So the increase in demonic attacks happened before these guys did whatever they did,' Josie thought to herself, 'so the attacks after the incident on Earth was probably becasue of the rescue. But the sudden surge in Vampire attacks over the past few days was because of them. Damn it, what did they do?'
"Pull them out of there, now," Josie said shaking her head before she stared at Data, and then at Picard, and then at Data once again, "this isn't a joke. This isn't something that I'm saying to… you know… damn it…" Josie turned to Picard who stared at her in confusion, as did Dr. Crusher, "tell me the truth, is there someone there? Do you really have a team down there?"
"Yes," Picard answered as he narrowed his eyes, "Ms Charney, why do you feel we should pull them back?"
"Because if they get into that system of tunnels and caverns," Josie said as she waved her arms animatedly, "then they…. You…. Starfleet… will kill us all."
"Excuse me?" Dr Crusher said while Data and Picard looked at each other, and then back at Josie.
"The Earth… you will kill everyone on this planet", an exaserated Josie said, "You… look you want to know the truth? Fine, but tell them to stop doing what they're doing and get out of there."
"Ms Charney, I can't simply stop a scientific expedition without a reason, that…"
"How's this for a reason?" Josie lowered her voice and hissed so that no one else could hear her, "they get in? Not only are the people in the expedition dead, they will release hell on Earth. And I do not mean a figurative hell…. I mean literal Hell. Do you understand me?" Josie could see that Picard's and Crusher were not believing her, in fact, the way they looked at each other was as it they were silently agreeing that she was crazy. Josie turned to Data staring at her quizzically, "you're an android."
"Yes," Data nodded his head.
"Can you tell if I'm telling you the truth?"
"Yes," Data said as he reached for and held her wrist, "I apologize."
"Doesn't matter," Josie said, "apologies do not matter because if those people are not pulled back, then Hell…. I mean everything that…." Josie shifted her eyes to Picard and Crusher, "everything that you heard about when you were children. Everything that's hiding in the darkness. Demons, vampires, monsters, pure and undiluted evil… you will release all of it. And…"
"Okay," Crusher said as she walked past Picard who just stood rooted to the spot as he stared at Josie, "I think we need to take you to Starfleet Medical." Crusher was about to reach for Josie when Data spoke out, his eyes checking if Josie's pupils dilated, his fingers feeling her heartrate and her body temperature, his programming was checking her facial markers for signs of deception.
"Dr Crusher," Data shook his head while letting go of Josie's wrist, "I believe she is telling the truth, or at least she believes she is telling the truth."
"Data?" Crusher said shaking her head, "you heard what she said. Demons, vampires, monsters, and… look, I just want to take her in for…"
"You need to stop them," Josie said shaking her head, "you.. you need to stop them. Or you bring the end. And… and if that happens… the only thing that's ever remaining of the human race… or anything on this planet? All that would remain are the people serving on the ships in orbit. We are looking at the fall of this world."
Picard didn't know what to say. He heard strange things every day, he saw strange things every day- it was in fact his mission to encounter the strange. But this.. what he just heard from Josie 'out-stranged' them all. Here was a woman talking about the end of the world, she was talking about demons, monsters, vampires… things that this rational mind was saying that it was simply not possible. What his rational mind instead told him was Josie had seen some aliens that she didn't recognize in Sunnydale. It was something understandable.
But then there was Data who said that Josie was telling the truth. And a part of Picard told himself that Data would never lie unless he was expressly ordered to do so. He listened to Crusher who said that the fact that Josie actually believed what she was saying was troubling. Picard then listened to a very worried and fearful Josie saying that she wasn't crazy, that just because there was something that they didn't understand, that she shouldn't be thought of as crazy.
And that's what did it. Picard pressed the badge on his shirt and called up to the Enterprise, "contact the expedition team that's looking into the Sunnydale underground. Have them stop whatever progress they have made. I want them out of those tunnels."
"Understood," Riker said looking confused before relaying the order. In the meantime, Picard then looked up at Josie before he demanded an explanation.
"Come on up to my apartment," Josie sighed while motioning towards herself, "I'm not wearing this sweaty old thing while I explain this whole weird thing. You guys can have some coffee while I shower, and… and you need to keep an open mind."
"For demons?" Crusher said with her eyebrows raised.
"We have alien races living on Earth," Josie deadpanned, "demons are really that unbelievable?"
"Demons could be classified as an alien species that…"
"No," Josie said shaking her head before motioning towards the door, "I'll…."
"Captain," Riker's voice came across the Comm badge on Picard's chest, "we've tried contacting the expedition teams," upon hearing that, Josie stopped talking, "sir, we've lost contact. We're not detecting their life-signs, or their equipment. We can't even contact the main camp on the surface."
Josie stared at Picard as her heart raced. Thoughts went through her head of what could have happened to the expedition- and none of those thoughts were good. Her biggest fear was that the seal was breached from the outside and something broke out, 'or somethings. Some things broke out. Dear God….' Josie turned to PIcard just as her communicator beeped. Josie pressed the button on her earbud, connecting the call, and then spoke, "yeah?"
"Josie," Amara said over her earbuds, "we're getting a sudden surge of energy from the Hellmouth."
"How bad?" Picard stared at the terror on JOsie's face. He saw blood flush away from her face as her hand trembled in Data's hands.
"Miss Charney?" Data asked.
"Get.. get me a portal, five minutes," Josie said, "send everyone we have, MIss AMara. I need a way to..."
"If that seal breaches, Josie" Amara said.
"MAke it three minutes," Josie said, "I need a portal there and..."
"A portal?" Picard asked.
"Send everyone we have, and use the device I gave you to contact the Pegasus Slayers,," Josie said before disconnecting the call and staring at Data, and then at Picard and Crsuher, "you may not believe me. And frankly, I don;t care. Right now, our world is in danger. The Seal beneath this city is protecting us from pure evil. And it could be breached at any time. So either you help me, or stay out of my way."
"We..." Picard said confused.
"Stay out of my way then," Josie said before roughly pulling her hand out of Data's and then running up the stairs. She needed her weapons to save the world. Just as any Slayer would do if they were in the same situation.
TBC.