Forward :
Due to ff.net's downtime I elected to begin using a yahoogroup to post my
stories to. For those of you who wish to catch the latest parts ahead of
the ff.net readers by at least 24 hours then I suggest/ask/beg that you
join up at :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Journeyverse/
I tend to try to post 1-2 parts per day on this group... There also a surprising amount of discussion going on about the verse as well... shrug so if you like that kinda thing then drop by. :)
Now, On to the story
*****
Next Day Giles Apartment Sunnydale, California
"Hey G-Man, what's up?"
Giles looked up as Xander and Jarod entered the room, Faith trailing just behind.
"Don't call me that."
Xander smirked at the ex-watcher, unrepentant.
Giles sighed, "Oh very well. Buffy reported some odd happenings last night during her patrol."
"During?"
Giles glared at Xander, "Yes. Thanks you she can now call me after midnight with vague 'gut feelings'. Remind me to properly repay you."
Xander grinned, "Anytime, G-man."
Giles was about to give him another verbal berating when they heard Buffy's voice coming clear through the door.
"I don't care what it looked like! I had it under control."
"But, Buffy..." Riley was trying to argue.
"Don't 'but Buffy' me!" She said, her voice taking a slightly mocking tone, "You stepped in and almost got yourself killed!"
The two came through the door, Buffy in a huff and Riley looking genuinely confused as to what was going on.
"He was sneaking up on you..."
"Hello?" She said, hands on her hips as she ignored the people in the room. "Slayer here! Vampires don't just 'sneak' up on me!"
"I was just..." Riley tried again.
"Getting in the way... I almost staked you myself before I realized you were there!"
"Come on, Buffy... You're not perfect... I was just trying to..."
"No. Look, Riley, I know you were trying to help but I didn't need it."
Riley looked around the room for help, but no one volunteered so much as a whisper. When his eyes locked with Xander's he saw the younger man lift a finger to his lips and gesture to the couch. Riley took the hint and sat down.
Buffy took that as a sign of capitulation and turned to Giles with her report. "Giles, something is going on around the old high school."
"The Hellmouth?" Giles sat up straight.
Buffy nodded, "I don't know what it is but Vamps and Demons are floating around there like Willy's on half price night."
"Oh dear." Giles pulled out a series of books. "I'll start looking for any portents immediately."
"Cool." Xander grinned, "Research party. Call Willow, and Riley and I'll do a snack run."
Riley looked up at Xander in surprise as the young man volunteered him for a run to the local store. "Uh... sure..."
"Good." Buffy said, "You know what I like Xan?"
"You bet, Buff."
Xander headed out the door with the confused Initiative Soldier in tow.
*****
Riley looked over at Xander from the passenger seat of the Mustang. "You going to start the car?"
"In a minute." Xander said, "Look... I want to talk to you about what happened last night."
Riley held up his hands, "Hey! I get it ok? Slayer doesn't need help."
Xander shook his head, "That's not true, Riley. And you should know that."
Riley shook his head, "I know... but damn it... what is with her?"
Xander was quiet for a bit, "Its about control, Riley. Slayers... they need to feel like they're in control... and if they lose that feeling they need to get it back, anyway they can."
"No one can control a fight... not even Buffy." Riley protested.
Xander nodded, "I know... I know. But she doesn't see it that way, man. When you saved her last night you stole some of her control."
"What!?" Riley looked shocked, "I didn't..."
"Mean to. I know. But you did. Look, I'm not blaming you for it.... I'm just trying to explain why Buffy is reacting like this."
Riley shut up and nodded at Xander to continue.
"Slayers... they can't stand to feel like they're not in control of a situation... and when someone takes that felling from them they have to get it back... anyway they can."
"So... ripping into me is her way of getting control back?" Riley sounded disgusted.
Xander nodded. "There is an up side though..." he said with a grin.
"Huh?"
"Well... right now she's convincing herself that you didn't actually save her... But that's only part of what you took from her. She still has to assure herself that she has control over you as well..."
"How's she gonna do that?"
Xander started the car, thinking back to the 'dance' Buffy had 'thanked' him with. "If she's anything like Faith, your gonna have one hell of a night after the patrol."
Riley looked at Xander in shock. The last thing he wanted to hear from Xander was something about Buffy's sex life. "How the hell would you know? I thought that spell was a one time deal."
"It was." Xander assured him. "But I know Slayers, even if I don't really understand women..."
Riley shot Xander an unbelieving look as the Mustang pulled out of the parking lot. "Why are you telling me this?"
Xander hesitated.
Finally he spoke, "You're seeing a Slayer now, Riley. You have to know what your getting into. And I don't think you do...not yet anyway."
Riley protested, "I understand... She has a destiny...she's stronger, faster..."
"No. You don't get it." Xander cut him off. "You think she's stronger and faster? You haven't seen anything. Buffy and Faith barely run a few degrees above human norm most of the time... You've never seen either of them in top form."
Riley paled slightly, "She's stronger then this?"
"By far." Xander said as he steered the car through the streets. "I've seen her walk through vampires like they literally weren't there... I'm not even sure if she does have a maximum speed. Every time I think I've seen her max out something happens and she surpasses everything I thought I knew."
"How do you keep up?"
"I don't." Xander replied. "I rewrote the rules. She patrols, I hunt. From a military point of view, she's special forces, I'm a Sniper. Different skill set."
Riley nodded. "You said that she needs to feel in control...what happens if she loses that?"
Xander took a deep breath, "A Slayer who feels out of control starts to fall apart. She starts to self destruct..."
"So that's why you told me to shut up and take it?"
Xander nodded, "Slayers are a bunch of contradictions... Strong, yet feminine... Confident... but underneath it they have this hidden inferiority factor..."
"Buffy!?" Riley said in disbelief.
"And faith." Xander confirmed. "It comes from the weight of the world on their shoulders...no matter how many times they save us all... they keep wondering if they are really good enough... if maybe, their being called was a cosmic mistake... and if maybe the next time they won't be enough."
Riley was silent.
"I've known three Slayers in my lifetime... and I hope to never know another." Xander said quietly. "But I will if either of them lose that feeling of control... because then I lose another of my Slayers."
Riley's eyes widened at Xander's declaration of 'his Slayers' but he kept quiet when he looked over and saw that Xander wasn't really listening to what he was saying. he was just speaking from the soul.
*****
Riley and Xander were continuing their conversation as they climbed the stairs to Giles' apartment, arms loaded down with food.
"Slayers are all about saving lives," Xander said as he walked alongside the Commando, "So when they're the ones who get saved it throws their world view for a loop."
"But sometimes you need a hand, that's what a team is for." Riley protested.
"Riley," Xander said patiently, "You have to stop looking at this from the point of view of someone trained by the military. Slayers are teenage girls. Hell, the most dangerous thing Buffy had to deal with before being called was backstabbing cheerleaders."
Riley shook his head in disbelief.
"I think she's doing pretty damned good, all things considered. But learning to trust a teammate is going to be a long road, she's got too much working against her. The Slayer spirit is a loner... a predator that definitely doesn't hunt as part of a pack. If you want to be able to help Buffy in a fight you have to be one of two things."
"What are those?"
"Subtle... or Patient." Xander grinned. "Me, I decided a long time ago to try my hand at both... unfortunately subtlety isn't my strongest attribute."
Riley smiled slightly at that, "No shit."
Xander didn't bother to respond as the two of them topped the stairs and turned down the hallway to Giles' apartment. And ran smack into a shocked looking woman.
"You!" She said, looking at Xander accusingly.
Xander looked surprised for a moment, but quickly covered. "Detective Chen, How nice to see you again."
Grace Chen stared at the kid who had evaded her a few nights earlier, uncertain what to do.
"I ought to arrest you..." She started, her hand inching toward her gun. Xander just grinned, "Riley, I'd like you to meet Detective Grace Chen."
Riley looked between the two, a little confused, "Nice to meet you detective."
Xander MCU for the past three years, She was recently granted an extended work visa and is rumored to be considering applying for citizenship."
Grace felt her face drop as the kid started rattling off her background.
Xander ignored the look on her face and cheerfully continued, leaning over to Riley and whispering loudly, "Immigration has orders to immediately accept her application if she forwards it."
"What?" Grace blurted involuntarily. *She* hadn't known that.
"She been investigated twice for espionage, once allegedly for the Chinese government and the second time for a Chinese criminal organization. Cleared both times, received written apologies for the second investigation, and numerous citations from the city of L.A. and the State of California." Xander grinned.
Chen looked at him in shock, her mouth working but no sounds coming out.
Xander continued cheerfully, "She has three black belts on record in Karate, Judo, and Akido. And is rumored to be at black belt level in at least two other styles, but no official records exist to confirm it. Officially she transferred to Sunnydale, citing that the workload in the MCU was to high for her to handle on a constant basis. Unofficially she was assigned to infiltrate the SPD and determine if and how deep local corruption runs."
"That's enough!" Grace looked around to see if anyone else was in hearing distance, "How do you know all that?" She hissed.
Xander shrugged, "The CIA keeps track of Foreign nationals in the country."
"You're CIA?" She asked incredulously.
Xander smiled, "Not today..."
Grace looked at the young man for a moment, trying to gage how seriously to take him. His face was a blank, telling her nothing. His companion, on the other hand, was staring at him in shock. Which could mean a lot of things... dammit... Who is this brat?"
Xander laughed, "You know Detective, we could probably help you with your investigation... Why don't you join us for the evening? We're checking out some stuff thats going down in town tonight."
Xander watched as the detective considered his offer. Take the offer lady. People die when they look too deep into Sunnydale without proper backup.
She sized him up and shrugged, "What the hell? What's the worst that can happen?"
Xander choked. "Christ, Detective... do NOT ask that question in this town."
*****
When Xander, Riley, and Detective Chen entered the apartment the gang was already deep into the books and waiting for the sun to go down.
"Xander?" Buffy looked at him oddly, "Who's this?"
Xander quirked a smile, "Buffy, I'd like you to meet Detective Chen."
Buffy looked at the Asian woman with a certain amount of distrust. "Detective." She nodded her head at the woman.
Giles looked at Xander as if he were insane. "May I speak with you for a moment, Xander?"
Xander grinned, "Sure thing, G-man. Riley, you want to pass the snacks around?"
Riley nodded and Xander followed Giles into the kitchen.
*****
"Are you mad!?"
Xander chuckled, "Nope. Look, Giles, I checked her file... She's a good cop."
"What difference does that make??" Giles was flabbergasted, "This is not a police matter."
"That's not what I meant, G-Man." Xander said, "I mean, she's been sent to Sunnydale to find out what's going on in the local PD... and She's a tough, *tenacious* cop."
Giles was silent for a moment. "Oh dear."
Xander nodded, "Exactly, and you know what happens to people who dig too deep into weird stuff in Sunnydale... especially without guidance."
Giles winced, "Are you quite certain she won't be diverted?"
Xander laughed, "Giles, this woman spent months undercover in an international terrorist organization in order to bring it down. She's a pitbull when she has an assignment."
"Oh bloody perfect." Giles muttered. "Exactly." Xander agreed, "If she's going to find out anyway, I'd like to make sure that California doesn't lose a damned good cop."
"I hope you know what you're doing."
"So do I, G-Man." Xander said slowly, looking back at the living room, "So do I."
*****
"So, we got anything?" Xander asked as he re-entered the room.
Buffy just shook her head, still watching the 'cop' with distrust.
"Umm... Well... that is to say. No."
Xander chuckled a bit, "So we check out the old school tonight and see if the activity is still going on?"
Everyone except Chen nodded.
"Old School?" She asked.
"The old highschool, well... wreckage of it." Xander explained, "Buffy spotted some odd activity in the ruins last night."
"What kind of activity?"
Xander smiled, "Detective, you wouldn't believe me if I told you."
She frowned at him, her eyes piercing him with a sharp glare, but remained silent.
Xander looked around, "So... Think we need Jarod and Faith on this one?"
Buffy snorted at the mention of Faith's name and Willow glowered.
Xander just nodded, "Just checking. Well, we've got a few hours to dark. You guys want to hang here or do something else?"
Buffy and Willow shifted uncomfortably, neither making suggestions. Riley just shrugged, and Giles looked at little sickened at the thought of having an extended 'research party' minus the research in his home.
Xander shook his head, "Hang here it is I guess..."
He sighed and dropped himself into the couch, "Aww Come ON Giles, can't you even pop for basic cable?" Giles shot him a glare from across the room, but said nothing.
Grace just stared at the group, perplexed at the attitudes she was seeing. None of them seemed terribly concerned that a cop was in the room, with the possible exception of the blond. Not exactly classic criminal behavior, but they certain had an air of a group that was doing something that at least stretched the limits of law.
She finally shook her head and sat down beside the young man, Xander, and watched the broadcast he had put on. No way am I leaving until I figure out what is going on.
*****
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Journeyverse/
I tend to try to post 1-2 parts per day on this group... There also a surprising amount of discussion going on about the verse as well... shrug so if you like that kinda thing then drop by. :)
Now, On to the story
*****
Next Day Giles Apartment Sunnydale, California
"Hey G-Man, what's up?"
Giles looked up as Xander and Jarod entered the room, Faith trailing just behind.
"Don't call me that."
Xander smirked at the ex-watcher, unrepentant.
Giles sighed, "Oh very well. Buffy reported some odd happenings last night during her patrol."
"During?"
Giles glared at Xander, "Yes. Thanks you she can now call me after midnight with vague 'gut feelings'. Remind me to properly repay you."
Xander grinned, "Anytime, G-man."
Giles was about to give him another verbal berating when they heard Buffy's voice coming clear through the door.
"I don't care what it looked like! I had it under control."
"But, Buffy..." Riley was trying to argue.
"Don't 'but Buffy' me!" She said, her voice taking a slightly mocking tone, "You stepped in and almost got yourself killed!"
The two came through the door, Buffy in a huff and Riley looking genuinely confused as to what was going on.
"He was sneaking up on you..."
"Hello?" She said, hands on her hips as she ignored the people in the room. "Slayer here! Vampires don't just 'sneak' up on me!"
"I was just..." Riley tried again.
"Getting in the way... I almost staked you myself before I realized you were there!"
"Come on, Buffy... You're not perfect... I was just trying to..."
"No. Look, Riley, I know you were trying to help but I didn't need it."
Riley looked around the room for help, but no one volunteered so much as a whisper. When his eyes locked with Xander's he saw the younger man lift a finger to his lips and gesture to the couch. Riley took the hint and sat down.
Buffy took that as a sign of capitulation and turned to Giles with her report. "Giles, something is going on around the old high school."
"The Hellmouth?" Giles sat up straight.
Buffy nodded, "I don't know what it is but Vamps and Demons are floating around there like Willy's on half price night."
"Oh dear." Giles pulled out a series of books. "I'll start looking for any portents immediately."
"Cool." Xander grinned, "Research party. Call Willow, and Riley and I'll do a snack run."
Riley looked up at Xander in surprise as the young man volunteered him for a run to the local store. "Uh... sure..."
"Good." Buffy said, "You know what I like Xan?"
"You bet, Buff."
Xander headed out the door with the confused Initiative Soldier in tow.
*****
Riley looked over at Xander from the passenger seat of the Mustang. "You going to start the car?"
"In a minute." Xander said, "Look... I want to talk to you about what happened last night."
Riley held up his hands, "Hey! I get it ok? Slayer doesn't need help."
Xander shook his head, "That's not true, Riley. And you should know that."
Riley shook his head, "I know... but damn it... what is with her?"
Xander was quiet for a bit, "Its about control, Riley. Slayers... they need to feel like they're in control... and if they lose that feeling they need to get it back, anyway they can."
"No one can control a fight... not even Buffy." Riley protested.
Xander nodded, "I know... I know. But she doesn't see it that way, man. When you saved her last night you stole some of her control."
"What!?" Riley looked shocked, "I didn't..."
"Mean to. I know. But you did. Look, I'm not blaming you for it.... I'm just trying to explain why Buffy is reacting like this."
Riley shut up and nodded at Xander to continue.
"Slayers... they can't stand to feel like they're not in control of a situation... and when someone takes that felling from them they have to get it back... anyway they can."
"So... ripping into me is her way of getting control back?" Riley sounded disgusted.
Xander nodded. "There is an up side though..." he said with a grin.
"Huh?"
"Well... right now she's convincing herself that you didn't actually save her... But that's only part of what you took from her. She still has to assure herself that she has control over you as well..."
"How's she gonna do that?"
Xander started the car, thinking back to the 'dance' Buffy had 'thanked' him with. "If she's anything like Faith, your gonna have one hell of a night after the patrol."
Riley looked at Xander in shock. The last thing he wanted to hear from Xander was something about Buffy's sex life. "How the hell would you know? I thought that spell was a one time deal."
"It was." Xander assured him. "But I know Slayers, even if I don't really understand women..."
Riley shot Xander an unbelieving look as the Mustang pulled out of the parking lot. "Why are you telling me this?"
Xander hesitated.
Finally he spoke, "You're seeing a Slayer now, Riley. You have to know what your getting into. And I don't think you do...not yet anyway."
Riley protested, "I understand... She has a destiny...she's stronger, faster..."
"No. You don't get it." Xander cut him off. "You think she's stronger and faster? You haven't seen anything. Buffy and Faith barely run a few degrees above human norm most of the time... You've never seen either of them in top form."
Riley paled slightly, "She's stronger then this?"
"By far." Xander said as he steered the car through the streets. "I've seen her walk through vampires like they literally weren't there... I'm not even sure if she does have a maximum speed. Every time I think I've seen her max out something happens and she surpasses everything I thought I knew."
"How do you keep up?"
"I don't." Xander replied. "I rewrote the rules. She patrols, I hunt. From a military point of view, she's special forces, I'm a Sniper. Different skill set."
Riley nodded. "You said that she needs to feel in control...what happens if she loses that?"
Xander took a deep breath, "A Slayer who feels out of control starts to fall apart. She starts to self destruct..."
"So that's why you told me to shut up and take it?"
Xander nodded, "Slayers are a bunch of contradictions... Strong, yet feminine... Confident... but underneath it they have this hidden inferiority factor..."
"Buffy!?" Riley said in disbelief.
"And faith." Xander confirmed. "It comes from the weight of the world on their shoulders...no matter how many times they save us all... they keep wondering if they are really good enough... if maybe, their being called was a cosmic mistake... and if maybe the next time they won't be enough."
Riley was silent.
"I've known three Slayers in my lifetime... and I hope to never know another." Xander said quietly. "But I will if either of them lose that feeling of control... because then I lose another of my Slayers."
Riley's eyes widened at Xander's declaration of 'his Slayers' but he kept quiet when he looked over and saw that Xander wasn't really listening to what he was saying. he was just speaking from the soul.
*****
Riley and Xander were continuing their conversation as they climbed the stairs to Giles' apartment, arms loaded down with food.
"Slayers are all about saving lives," Xander said as he walked alongside the Commando, "So when they're the ones who get saved it throws their world view for a loop."
"But sometimes you need a hand, that's what a team is for." Riley protested.
"Riley," Xander said patiently, "You have to stop looking at this from the point of view of someone trained by the military. Slayers are teenage girls. Hell, the most dangerous thing Buffy had to deal with before being called was backstabbing cheerleaders."
Riley shook his head in disbelief.
"I think she's doing pretty damned good, all things considered. But learning to trust a teammate is going to be a long road, she's got too much working against her. The Slayer spirit is a loner... a predator that definitely doesn't hunt as part of a pack. If you want to be able to help Buffy in a fight you have to be one of two things."
"What are those?"
"Subtle... or Patient." Xander grinned. "Me, I decided a long time ago to try my hand at both... unfortunately subtlety isn't my strongest attribute."
Riley smiled slightly at that, "No shit."
Xander didn't bother to respond as the two of them topped the stairs and turned down the hallway to Giles' apartment. And ran smack into a shocked looking woman.
"You!" She said, looking at Xander accusingly.
Xander looked surprised for a moment, but quickly covered. "Detective Chen, How nice to see you again."
Grace Chen stared at the kid who had evaded her a few nights earlier, uncertain what to do.
"I ought to arrest you..." She started, her hand inching toward her gun. Xander just grinned, "Riley, I'd like you to meet Detective Grace Chen."
Riley looked between the two, a little confused, "Nice to meet you detective."
Xander MCU for the past three years, She was recently granted an extended work visa and is rumored to be considering applying for citizenship."
Grace felt her face drop as the kid started rattling off her background.
Xander ignored the look on her face and cheerfully continued, leaning over to Riley and whispering loudly, "Immigration has orders to immediately accept her application if she forwards it."
"What?" Grace blurted involuntarily. *She* hadn't known that.
"She been investigated twice for espionage, once allegedly for the Chinese government and the second time for a Chinese criminal organization. Cleared both times, received written apologies for the second investigation, and numerous citations from the city of L.A. and the State of California." Xander grinned.
Chen looked at him in shock, her mouth working but no sounds coming out.
Xander continued cheerfully, "She has three black belts on record in Karate, Judo, and Akido. And is rumored to be at black belt level in at least two other styles, but no official records exist to confirm it. Officially she transferred to Sunnydale, citing that the workload in the MCU was to high for her to handle on a constant basis. Unofficially she was assigned to infiltrate the SPD and determine if and how deep local corruption runs."
"That's enough!" Grace looked around to see if anyone else was in hearing distance, "How do you know all that?" She hissed.
Xander shrugged, "The CIA keeps track of Foreign nationals in the country."
"You're CIA?" She asked incredulously.
Xander smiled, "Not today..."
Grace looked at the young man for a moment, trying to gage how seriously to take him. His face was a blank, telling her nothing. His companion, on the other hand, was staring at him in shock. Which could mean a lot of things... dammit... Who is this brat?"
Xander laughed, "You know Detective, we could probably help you with your investigation... Why don't you join us for the evening? We're checking out some stuff thats going down in town tonight."
Xander watched as the detective considered his offer. Take the offer lady. People die when they look too deep into Sunnydale without proper backup.
She sized him up and shrugged, "What the hell? What's the worst that can happen?"
Xander choked. "Christ, Detective... do NOT ask that question in this town."
*****
When Xander, Riley, and Detective Chen entered the apartment the gang was already deep into the books and waiting for the sun to go down.
"Xander?" Buffy looked at him oddly, "Who's this?"
Xander quirked a smile, "Buffy, I'd like you to meet Detective Chen."
Buffy looked at the Asian woman with a certain amount of distrust. "Detective." She nodded her head at the woman.
Giles looked at Xander as if he were insane. "May I speak with you for a moment, Xander?"
Xander grinned, "Sure thing, G-man. Riley, you want to pass the snacks around?"
Riley nodded and Xander followed Giles into the kitchen.
*****
"Are you mad!?"
Xander chuckled, "Nope. Look, Giles, I checked her file... She's a good cop."
"What difference does that make??" Giles was flabbergasted, "This is not a police matter."
"That's not what I meant, G-Man." Xander said, "I mean, she's been sent to Sunnydale to find out what's going on in the local PD... and She's a tough, *tenacious* cop."
Giles was silent for a moment. "Oh dear."
Xander nodded, "Exactly, and you know what happens to people who dig too deep into weird stuff in Sunnydale... especially without guidance."
Giles winced, "Are you quite certain she won't be diverted?"
Xander laughed, "Giles, this woman spent months undercover in an international terrorist organization in order to bring it down. She's a pitbull when she has an assignment."
"Oh bloody perfect." Giles muttered. "Exactly." Xander agreed, "If she's going to find out anyway, I'd like to make sure that California doesn't lose a damned good cop."
"I hope you know what you're doing."
"So do I, G-Man." Xander said slowly, looking back at the living room, "So do I."
*****
"So, we got anything?" Xander asked as he re-entered the room.
Buffy just shook her head, still watching the 'cop' with distrust.
"Umm... Well... that is to say. No."
Xander chuckled a bit, "So we check out the old school tonight and see if the activity is still going on?"
Everyone except Chen nodded.
"Old School?" She asked.
"The old highschool, well... wreckage of it." Xander explained, "Buffy spotted some odd activity in the ruins last night."
"What kind of activity?"
Xander smiled, "Detective, you wouldn't believe me if I told you."
She frowned at him, her eyes piercing him with a sharp glare, but remained silent.
Xander looked around, "So... Think we need Jarod and Faith on this one?"
Buffy snorted at the mention of Faith's name and Willow glowered.
Xander just nodded, "Just checking. Well, we've got a few hours to dark. You guys want to hang here or do something else?"
Buffy and Willow shifted uncomfortably, neither making suggestions. Riley just shrugged, and Giles looked at little sickened at the thought of having an extended 'research party' minus the research in his home.
Xander shook his head, "Hang here it is I guess..."
He sighed and dropped himself into the couch, "Aww Come ON Giles, can't you even pop for basic cable?" Giles shot him a glare from across the room, but said nothing.
Grace just stared at the group, perplexed at the attitudes she was seeing. None of them seemed terribly concerned that a cop was in the room, with the possible exception of the blond. Not exactly classic criminal behavior, but they certain had an air of a group that was doing something that at least stretched the limits of law.
She finally shook her head and sat down beside the young man, Xander, and watched the broadcast he had put on. No way am I leaving until I figure out what is going on.
*****
