Chapter Five - Decisions
Buffy and Dawn were spending the day at Guardian's New York office.
"I can't figure this language out," Dawn sounded frustrated.
"What else do you need?" her sister asked.
"Well it would help if I had a bigger sample to work with. At best this is two maybe three words. It also doesn't help that I'm working from memory on what the symbols looked like."
"Keep at it."
Xander walked into the office they were using. "Well it's official. In town for less then three days and the police are already doing background checks on you Buffy."
"How do you know?" Buffy asked.
"Robin just called," Xander replied. "That Captain in the sex crimes unit we've worked with occasionally got the third degree about you from a Detective Munch early this morning. A couple of hours later he got the same from a Captain Cragen. Called Robin to give us a heads up. Good guy, got to add him to the Christmas card list."
"Do you know what he said to Detective Munch and his Captain?"
"Just that you were good people and we've never done anything wrong," Xander said. "Nothing about the stranger side of Cleveland's night life."
"Well they shouldn't be able to get too far," Buffy said. "Most of our records from Sunnydale went bye bye. And Riley took care of the stuff since then. The only big thing still out there is Faith. And Angel's friend Kate left my name out of the file when they arrested her. Besides she got that nice pardon from the Governor so even if they could link her to us there's nothing they can do about it."
"So nice to have friends in high places," Xander said.
"So when are you flying out?" Buffy asked.
"Late this evening around ten," he replied. "When are you two getting out of here?"
"In a few days," Buffy replied.
"Giles is not going to like this," Xander said.
"No he doesn't," Buffy said. "But like it or not we owe it to Emily to find out what happened."
"Ok Buffy, your call," Xander said. "And for what's its worth I agree with you. But be careful. We don't know these cops. Sneaking around behind their backs is not going to be easy."
"Maybe we won't have to," Dawn said.
"And why is that?" Xander said.
"I'm going to try and convince them we can help when we go down there," Dawn replied.
"And they'll be so overwhelmed by your sparkling personality they'll agree," Xander deadpanned.
"Stranger things have happened in our lives," Dawn shot back.
"You know I can't even argue with that statement."
"Speaking of which, if we're going to get down there in time, we should probably leave now," Buffy said. "Unless you want me to drive. I could probably get us down there a lot quicker."
"Not going to happen," Dawn replied. "You're dangerous behind the wheel."
"It's not my fault everyone else's reaction times are too slow," Buffy pouted. "I only got in one accident and that was during the band candy incident."
"You're not driving Buffy," Dawn said closing up her laptop. "We'll leave now."
"What are you thinking letting civilians in on this Captain?" ADA Cabot was not happy. "You even said they might be some kind of vigilante group. This is not going to look good."
"Cabot, Munch is right, we've got nothing," Cragen replied. "I agree it's a risk. But I'd rather have them here where we can keep an eye on them then wandering around New York asking questions on their own. I talked with Captain Freeman in the Cleveland sex crimes unit. He swears they're not vigilantes. He said they've provided a little unofficial information that helped close cases."
"What kind of unofficial information?" Cabot asked.
"He wouldn't say," Cragen answered. "He's says their the good guys. That they have a certain understanding for these types of cases. He wouldn't say anything else. I checked his record. He's a good cop. I gotta take him at his word."
"What does Dr. Wong say?"
"Looks like we're going to find out together," Cragen nodded in the direction of Dr. Wong who was just walking up to Cragen's door. He entered and stood just to the side of ADA Cabot.
"So what have you got for us Doctor?" Cragen asked.
"Apparently this group Buffy Summers belongs too has done work for the FBI on some cult cases over the last four years," he replied.
"What kind of work?" Cabot asked.
"I couldn't find out," Dr. Wong replied. "The only one I could find anything out on was some ritual killings down in Mississippi last year that they were involved in. According the Special Agent in charge of the case Ms Summers along with a couple of other people helped close the case."
"How?"
"Said they found a common link among the crimes that led to the real killers. Nothing more. The case was classified by Homeland Security."
"Classified?" Cragen said. "Just what are these people into?"
"I don't know," Dr. Wong replied. "The Agent said they were a godsend in solving the case."
"So they're helpful," Cragen said.
"I still don't like this," Cabot said. "Just so we understand one another Captain."
"I know Cabot," Cragen nodded his head. "If this goes bad it's on my head. You know I'm starting to get the feeling our perp may have picked the wrong woman to go after and attracted the wrong kind of attention."
