Police cruisers swarmed the warehouse containing Ethan Rayne. Jarod and most of the others watched from a block away.
All of them were exhausted. Several people were sitting on the curb watching Ethan get shoved into the back of a police car.
Hobbes sat down next to Darien. His partner made a point to stay away from the others. He looked pretty shaken up and just blankly stared ahead.
"You okay partner?"
After a few Darien replied. "Nah. No I'm not. I screwed up didn't I?"
"Hey Fawkes don't say that. You kept that psycho busy long enough for us to stop him. And you gave those two kids a chance to escape."
"Yeah well…I don't exactly feel like a hero."
Angel walked up behind him. "Most of the time none of us do. That's just how things are here."
Darien used his good leg to stand up and looked at the souled-vampire. "Hey Angel. Listen about what happened in there…I…uh…I'm sorry."
"Don't be. I'm the last person who should be throwing stones. So does this mean you'll stop with the sarcastic ass attitude?"
The Invisible Man just laughed. "Oh hell no! I still don't like you. But you can fight on my team anytime."
Angel actually laughed with him. "Well it's a start."
----
Buffy was tending to her friends some ways away. "You guys ok?"
Oz nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine."
"Same here." Cordelia said. "Though being tied up isn't exactly my idea of a fun time. Where were you guys? And where's Xander anyways?"
"We had a few…issues at the hospital. He got pretty beat up and stayed behind." Buffy replied.
"So it's over for Ethan, right?" Oz asked.
Jarod nodded. "Oh yeah. With all the evidence I've got on him not even the Sunnydale P.D. can mess this up."
"What about her?" Oz pointed at the still unconscious Miss Parker.
"I don't know. I have this nagging feeling she going to try something again when she wakes up."
"Hey Jarod?" Hobbes walked over with a nasty grin. "Why don't you let me handle her?"
Jarod was curious. "Really? What did you have in mind?"
----
Some time later Miss Parker woke up and found herself sitting on a barstool with a smoking cigarette in one hand and a drink in the other. She almost looked like a stoned prostitute if she hadn't been wearing a business suit.
She was still dazed and her head hurt as she groggily looked up and was face to face with the bartender.
Willy was drooling all over himself. "Hey uh…this bald guy dropped you off and said you had a thing for short men. What'd ya say you and me head back to my penthouse o' love?"
She grabbed Willy by the collar and brought him face to face with her. "You listen to me. You show much as lay a finger on me and they'll have to reattach it. Got it?"
"Uh…uh sure!" The bartender backed off.
She stumbled up and staggered toward the entrance. Her head was still spinning from the blow she took at the warehouse. Miss Parker had no doubt in her mind who had done this. Jarod…and that midget Hobbes. When I get my hands on either of them…
One of the vampires at the bar got up, figuring he had an easy kill. His friend pulled him back down before he could follow her. "Trust me buddy. Don't go after food that bites back.
From a corner booth, Hobbes snickered as he got the entire event on tape.
----
The rest of the group, minus Hobbes and Miss Parker, arrived back at the hospital shortly after Ethan was led away in handcuffs.
As soon as they arrived the others met them in the lobby. Willow ran into Oz's arms. Likewise, Xander and Cordelia shared a slow, deep kiss then she asked about the bruises on his face.
Claire checked on Darien's and to the whereabouts of Hobbes.
Most of the others were content to simply pass out on a chair. However, most didn't include Angel. With everyone in the lobby, that let him go alone to check on an old friend.
Angel found Sydney alone in his room. The older man couldn't sleep and looked pleased to see the vampire. "Angel."
"Hey I…I wanted to see how you felt."
Sydney nodded. "I should be fine. Dr. Keeply says I'm pretty lucky the bullet didn't cause serious damage. Things like this happen quite a bit here don't they?"
Angel chuckled. "Believe me the last three years have been one roller coaster after another."
The psychiatrist looked intrigued. "Mind sharing it with me?"
For a moment Angel was almost tempted to say no. There would only be a few more hours until dawn. But then he figured this was worth it. Oh what the hell. I'll just take the sewers home.
He pulled up a chair and two friends began catching up on old time and going over the wonders of the last four years.
----
The next morning the Pretender and Invisible Man were in the halls of Sunnydale High School. The latter was working on the lock to Principal Snyder's office.
"Now why am I helping you break into this schmuck's office?"
"I need to get in there to fix something I screwed up. Are you sure you can do this?"
Darien fiddled with the lock a little more and the door swung open. He looked up and gave Jarod a big shit-eating grin. "Please! I was a professional thief give me something that's challenging."
"Well in the future I'll keep that in mind. Say where's your friends? I figured they wouldn't let you out of their sight."
"Nah I only do one crazy thing a month. They're waiting outside the high school for me."
"So this is it.
You're leaving?"
"Yeah well this place makes the Agency seem normal. I think I've got just enough energy left to go home and fall on
my mattress."
"Well Darien if I'm ever in San Diego again I'll look you up."
They shook hands. "Take care of yourself Jarod."
"You too."
----
Sometime later Snyder walked in. He wasn't used to somebody sitting at his desk and when he saw Jarod he nearly lost it. Jarod was furiously punching in commands on the computer.
"Mr. Anderson? What are you doing in my office?"
The question was direct and to the point. It had a tone that made you think the Principal was not pleased.
"You know Principal Snyder I love computers." The angry man didn't even faze Jarod. He just kept typing away while talking. "They can tell you all sorts of things you'd want to know about someone. How they act. What their hobbies are. Yours is interesting. It talks about kickbacks and cover-ups of student deaths and all sorts of stuff that would get you some deep trouble if anybody found out it."
Snyder looked like a deer in the headlights just like Jarod knew he would. "What the hell do you want?"
Jarod swiveled his chair around to directly face the other man and smiled. "Well now that you mention it, what I want is very simple."
----
The Agency"I was set to have you all transferred to a field office in Alaska for the next six months over this little fiasco. Then this morning I found three commendations on my desk signed by the assistant director of the F.B.I. for your 'Indispensable aid in capturing one the world's most wanted felons.'"
The Official leaned forward in his chair, clutching the phone tighter. "This should be one hell of a report you three give me."
"It will." Claire replied on the other end.
"It better be! Put Darien on the phone!"
----
Darien had just walked out of the high school. Claire handed him the phone. "He wants to talk to you."
Darien swallowed nervously. "Uh…hey boss! How's it hangin?"
"You listen to me Darien. When you get back here you're coming into my office and you're not leaving until you tell me just how the hell you found out about Marcie Ross. That was top secret information."
Great… "Sure thing boss." Darien groaned and hung up.
"Signed commendations about our work in Sunnydale. Anyone else think Jarod had something to do
with that?"
Hobbes smiled. "Well Keep let's just
say that he and I came to a little agreement."
Claire was letting curiosity get the better of her. "For what exactly?"
"Services already rendered. I show you when we get back." On that note Hobbes brought up a good point. "Say Keep what exactly are we supposed to say in this report? I mean vampires? Magic? I sure as hell wouldn't believe it."
Darien agreed. "Yeah Hobbes does have a point. And who woulda figured this might've been the place they got the idea for the gland? I mean the Official was one step away from admitting the Agency was the one who grabbed Marcie Ross."
"PCP."
"Come again Claire?"
"I read some of the police reports at the hospital. They always wrote 'Killed by Gang Members on PCP' when a vampire attack occurred."
"Think that'll fly?"
"Well we could always tell the Agency the truth?"
"No thanks." Darien replied. "I've been in a straight jacket once in my life already and that's more than enough for me."
"So." Hobbes started. "I guess you made a couple of new friends?"
"Yeah Xander keeps talking about how he wants to go on a 'Journey of Discovery' so I gave him my number and address back in San Diego."
"The little bastard did remind me of you way too much. Figures you two hit it off."
"Little? Hobbes he's a lot taller than you."
The two of them started arguing until a taxi drove up to the curb. Darien looked surprised. "Where's the van?"
"Back at the Agency. Yeah Mister-El-Cheapo actually got us plane tickets. You should go AWOL more often." His partner told him.
"I would advise against that Darien." Claire said. "I overheard him telling Eberts he was taking the money out of your salary."
"Ah crap." Was the Invisible Man said.
The others got in the cab while Darien took one last look at the high school.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm happy I'm leaving this town. I mean there's a lot of bad stuff here: Killers... Demons...Angel. It's a horrible place to visit and I sure as hell wouldn't wanna live here. So with that in mind, I gotta respect the people who do live in this hellhole because if anything it shows the kinda determination these kids have.
----
The CentreLyle was not pleased. The Triumvirate had been demanding results all night and Stiletto hadn't checked in yet.
He was currently hiding in his office. When his phone rang he figured this was his assassin calling in.
"Stiletto please tell me you have good news."
"Oh I'm sorry Lyle. Were you waiting for another call?"
Lyle felt the bile in his stomach beginning to rise. "Jarod. What the hell do you want?"
The Pretender was using his mocking, sarcastic voice. "Oh I thought I'd be the one to tell you that your hired assassin Stiletto a.k.a. Ethan Rayne is in police custody. Now Lyle this is the second time you've made this little problem between us personal." Jarod's gloating was just the beginning. When Lyle didn't respond, an angry Pretender told him. "If you ever do something like this again I promise I'll make sure you never hurt anyone again."
Lyle snorted a laugh. "Ooh tough words Jarod. But I don't think you have what it takes to be a killer."
"Who said anything about killing? Lyle you're so narrow-minded. Oh one more thing I was snooping around last night and I found one of your hidden bank accounts. A big one. I figured since you started this problem you wouldn't mind if I donated the money to the families of the police officers who died in San Diego. Have a nice day."
Lyle didn't move after Jarod hung up. Then suddenly he threw the phone and most of the things on his desk.
----
Sunnydale City HallMayor Wilkins walked around to the front of his desk and leaned on it taking into account the extremely worried vampire sitting in front of him. "Really Davis I'm not upset about last night."
"You're not?"
"No, in fact I'm surprised by the kind of take charge attitude you showed. Let's just say I have a special reward for those who show initiative like you."
The vampire looked like a huge burden had just been lifted off his shoulders. "I…uh…that's great. Thank you sir."
The Mayor laughed. "Excellent. Now why don't you run along, find some of your buddies and celebrate."
The proud vampire walked out of the room leaving the Mayor alone.
Wilkins walked back to desk and sat on his plush chair. He pulled out a mini tape recorder from one of his drawer then pulled the record button. "Note to self: Kill Davis."
He punched the intercom on his desk. "Send in Trick."
The said vampire appeared shortly afterwards. "You called?"
"I just got word that Darien Fawkes has left Sunnydale."
Trick growled. He wanted nothing better than to rip the Invisible Man apart.
"Easy now big fella. It's okay. So that moron Rayne is in custody. Good thing because after last night's screw up he would've been a dead man if he stayed in town one minute longer."
"What about the Ascension?" Trick asked. "If Fawkes told the Slayer…"
The Mayor interrupted him. "No from what I can tell I'm pretty sure Darien didn't have a clue about what he saw."
Wilkins was back in a cheery mood again and laughed. "So everything's pretty much worked out. All for the price of a couple of fledglings."
He got up from his desk, pulled out his racquetball racquet and took a few practice swings as he talked. "The Slayer has no idea about my plans. And the only person who could have isn't even in town anymore. All in all I'd have to say I'm still doing great."
----
Summer's Residence"So I can go back to school?" Buffy looked relieved.
Jarod smiled. "I convinced Principal Snyder to rescind your suspension."
"How?"
"I calmly explained it wouldn't be in his best interested."
Buffy arched an eyebrow. "You mean you blackmailed him?"
"Please blackmail is such a harsh word." Buffy just kept staring at him. "Well if you put it that way…Buffy if you ever need my help don't hesitate to contact me."
They were both in the kitchen along with Buffy's mom. Joyce was reading a paper that had 'Bomber in Custody' in the headline with Ethan's picture beneath it.
She put down the paper and wanted to thank the man who helped her daughter. "Jarod thank you for taking care of Buffy's suspension. If you ever need anything…"
"Miss Summers that's alright. It's me who should be thanking your daughter."
"Still. You'll always be welcomed here."
"Thank you. I appreciate it. Joyce is it alright if I make a private call?"
"No problem."
Buffy looked over. "Hey I wanna listen in!"
"Buffy." The motherly gaze from Joyce indicated she should leave Jarod alone.
"Oh alright." The two women walked out. Jarod pulled out his cell phone and punched in the number.
"Hello?" Came the voice of Jarod's protector on the other end.
"Sydney hi. I wanted to talk to you before I left town."
"Jarod I will be alright. You don't have to worry."
"I still do. I can't
get rid of the feeling that you being in the hospital is my fault."
"Don't. I'll tell you the same thing I
told Angel. We all make our own choices
in life. If anything a lot of people in
Sunnydale owe you their lives."
"That reminds me.
Why didn't you tell me about this place?"
Sydney paused for a long time.
"Sydney?"
He finally came up with an answer. "I
wanted to protect you. When you were at
the Centre you had no idea about the outside world. I made it a point of making sure nothing even remotely resembling
vampires was available to you. With
everything that's happened the last few days do you really think the world is
ready to know about them…or Pretenders for that matter?"
Now it was Jarod's turn to think. "No…not yet." He quietly replied.
"Jarod if anything you've made several friends here. Angel and Buffy, Darien and the Agency…you all might be able to help each other in time."
"Maybe."
Jarod could make out someone yelling on the other end. It sounded like Sydney was arguing with a very angry woman. "Jarod you little bastard!"
"Miss Parker?"
"It may take me a month. It may take me
a year but I promise you *will* pay for that little stunt you pulled at the
bar."
"That wasn't me! It was all Hobbes'
idea!"
"I'll deal with that midget too when I get the chance. You on the other hand are much easier for me to deal with."
"Well I don't think you're going to do that."
"And why's that?"
"Because…" Jarod reached over on the kitchen counter and
grabbed Hobbes' videotape. "…I have
something you want?"
"What now?"
She almost sounds nervous. Jarod thought to himself. "Oh trust me you're gonna love it."
"The hell I won…" Jarod hit the end button and laughed. He picked up his stuff, grabbing the paper along with it.
----
The Centre
2 Days Later
A debriefing was taking place at the Centre between Miss Parker, her father and Raines.
Mr. Parker skimmed over his daughter's report while Raines stood behind him saying nothing. "Well I must say this is a very…interesting report you've given me. Angel are you sure you don't want to have a psych evaluation?"
"Daddy I'm fine. Really."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. Just…maybe for
the next few days don't call me Angel?"
Mr. Parker paused wondering why his daughter wouldn't want her to be called by
his pet name for her entire life. "Well
if that's what you want Ang…Sweetheart.
But why the sudden change?"
"It just brings back some bad memories that's all. I need to get back to my office and check on Sydney. Goodbye Daddy."
She kissed her father on the cheek and walked out.
Her father went back over her report. There were a couple of interesting points he
saw.
"Well now that Lyle's been sufficiently cowed we can get back to work. Raines I want a permanent team in Sunnydale,
California. Have them do only
observation for the time being. And
have the R&D heads come in here. I
have an idea for a new project."
Raines looked over the report. "Invisibility?"
"Exactly."
The old man wheezed as he took a deep breathe through his oxygen tank. "My government contacts mentioned rumors of a black-ops agency that was experimenting in this."
"It looks like they were successful."
"It does. If we could steal or develop it the applications could be very useful."
----
Interstate 8 enroute to San Diego, C.A.
A prison transport was bringing a shackled Ethan Rayne under heavy guard to San Diego. He was to be arraigned on a number of charges from incidents over the last several years.
In fact he was the only prisoner in the truck along with four-armed policeman to make sure nothing went wrong.
The ride went smoothly until a loud popping noise was heard from outside the truck.
One of the guard spoke into his walkie-talkie. "Ed what the hell was that?"
The driver's voice came back. "Looks we got a flat. Hold on."
A few minutes later the back loading doors swung open.
"Finally so Ed how bad is…"
The guard didn't finish because the driver pulled out a gun and quickly shot each of the four guards.
As for Ethan, all the blood drained from his face. "You're from the Centre aren't you?
The driver laughed. "Oh please. They're strictly amateurs and I'm much better looking than one of those sweepers." He noticed Ethan wasn't convinced. "Don't wet yourself Ethan I'm not here to kill you. Your exploits in Sunnydale caught my attention. I could use a resourceful person like yourself."
Ethan looked intrigued. "Who are you?"
"Someone who hates Darien Fawkes just as much as you do. Someone who can help you get even with Jarod and the people in Sunnydale who did this to you."
"That didn't answer my question."
The man laughed. Ethan watched him pull away the skin on his neck and face to reveal nothing there. It was he was invisible like Darien.
"I've have so many names over the years. They're overrated. But I guess you can call me Arnaud De Fehrn." The now headless killer told him. "And you and I are going to be of great help to each other."
Arnaud held up an explosive device. "Now I suggest you get out of there. We want the police to think you're dead not a fugitive."
----
3 Days LaterA woman is running down a deserted street at night with a man pursuing her. She rounds a corner into an alley and realizes she's reached a dead end.
The man following her came into view showing the face of a vampire.
"No! Somebody help! Please!"
The girl's screams weren't heard and the vampire sank his teeth into her neck. After half a minute the girl stopped struggling and her lifeless body was dropped to the ground.
"Cut! That's it for today people!"
The actress got back up. "Yes! Got it in one take!"
The Director got up from his chair and shook hands with the actors and crew on the site.
He finally got around to one specific person. "You have got to be the best make-up artist I have ever worked with! How'd you ever think up that for a vampire?"
Jarod smiled. "I guess you could say an Angel showed me."
"Ah whatever." The Director a little puzzled. "Hey trust me this movie is gonna be great 'cause of you! I'm gonna make sure every studio in town hears the name Jarod Lucas."
"Well thanks I appreciate that."
"No problem. Hey stop by the trailer later we're having food brought in."
"I'll do that." Jarod heard a tone coming from his laptop indicating he had mail. "Just give me a sec."
He walked over to the area his equipment was set up. Jarod had figured this was another message from Willow. They had played several email chess games against over the last few days and the Pretender had to admit she was pretty good.
He brought up the message. That's not Willow.
Jarod noticed not only was the email sent from an anonymous account but carbon copies were also sent to Darien and Willow.
The message contained the picture of a stiletto blade indicating who had sent it even though AP reports claimed he had perished in an explosion.
There were only three words in the message but it made Jarod feel uneasy:
Be Seeing You----
Fin
Author's note: The revised version of this should be up next week. Just to let you guys know there isn't going to be a sequel to this. At least not by myself. I've just got too many things and story ideas to write one at the moment so a sequel would be several months away. If somebody else does want to write a sequel by all means go right ahead. I've already left it open for one for somebody to try or if you want send me an email and I'll tell you what I've come with for a sequel.
Anyways I hope everybody enjoyed this and thanks to all the people who reviewed or sent me email about this, it really helped me finish this.