Jack reached Sam's lab finding the blonde Major at the computer table, hunched over the inner workings of some device attaching a pair wires to the circuit board. Then she hit a few keys on the nearby computer. Jack knocked on the open door's frame to get her attention.
"Hey, What's up Sir?" she asked her friend after a quick look his way.
Jack stepped into the room. "Have you read the Tok'ra's latest report on the skirmish between Baal and Anubus?"
"Yes Sir, it doesn't look too good does it." The computer beeped signaling the end of the diagnostic and Sam checked the results with a satisfied smile. She turned off the computer then removed the wires.
Jack, never one for technology, never the less asked anyway. "What do you have there?" He pointed to the device. "Another Carter innovation?"
"No. Teal'c was having a problem with his DVD Player. It's fixed now though." She explained fitting a metal cover back over the device.
"Carter." Jack growled. "Are you sure you're allowed to --- Wait!" he stopped seeming to think about something. "How are you with toasters?"
At that moment, General Hammond came to the door attracting the other two officer's attention and preventing any answer from Sam. "It's ready." Was all he had to say.
Jack And Sam exchanged looks.
*** *** ***
"You built a ship? A real spaceship? Not one you stole from the Goa'uld? How big is it? What does it look like? Does it have lasers a-- and shields and transporters like what Kennedy saw" Willow was a bit excited as she walked along a corridor with Kennedy and Daniel.
"Ah yeah, It's called the Prometheus. It's still got a few bugs in it but it's the best we have. Well that and the F-302's." Daniel elaborated walking with the two women still with a noticeable limp but without needing crutches.
"But it's been stranded on another planet?" Kennedy clarified.
"There was a problem some time ago. They were forced to eject the engine then land on a planet and use their stargate to get home"
"But you've fixed it." Willow guessed.
"They're going to use a hyperdrive we stripped out of an Alkesh we captured to get it home but it's really too small of an engine for the Prometheus to run full time so they have to make several stops along the way to let the hyperdrive cool down between jumps. The General sent Sam along as a troubleshooter just in case there are any more problems"
"So what are the rest of you gon'na do?" Kennedy asked.
"Well, Jack and Teal'c are on a stand down and I'm still on medical restriction for a little while longer. I was hoping that you would be willing to show me more of your part of the world. I didn't get much of a chance before my little Honduras adventure."
"What would you like to see?"
"Everything. But can we start with how the two worlds intermingle?"
"O.K. We'll see what we can do."
*** *** ***
"So this is a, --- whad'ya call it, --- a magic bar?" Jack looked around the elegant lounge. There were dinner tables with white tablecloths scattered around the room, a fully stocked bar against the back wall, a few ferns unobtrusively placed in the corners and soft piano music drifting through the whole place. "It looks just like any other high class joint to me."
"It is just like any other 'high class joint'." Willow half mocked. "But take a closer look around. What do you see?"
Jack, along with Daniel and Teal'c scanned the large room.
Jack's eyes fell on a man, that he would have thought was human except for the row of three horns along either jaw, wearing a nice suit sitting by the large window displaying a wonderful view of the city's night lights, with an attractive thiry-ish brunette woman.
Daniel noticed the piano player was a bald, green-skinned creature with very small ears.
Teal'c spotted a surprisingly alluring waitress with a tail and pointy ears carry a tray of drinks to a table of two humans; or at least he thought they were human. "I have never seen such beings before."
"This is --- out in the open like this?" Daniel wondered out loud.
"I told you, we don't exactly hide." Willow confirmed.
"Which is why you don't need this." Kennedy had to make a quick hop to snag Teal'c's hat that kept his forehead covered. "No one's gon'na make anything of it here." She hung the hat on a rack behind her ignoring the jaffa's surprised look.
"Table for five?" a pleasant sounding twenty something oriental waitress asked.
"Yes please." Willow answered politely.
The waitress pick out a handful of menus from their place in a rack nearby and led them through the room to a table one row away from the window. "How's this?"
"It's fine thank you." Daniel answered as everyone took a seat.
"Great. My name is Gina. Would you like to see our specialty menu?
"I don't think that will be necessary. Thank you." Willow answered before any of the men could ask what she meant by 'specialty menu'.
"In that case, I'll be back in a few minutes to take your order." The waitress passed out the menus.
"What did she mean by specialty menu?" Jack asked a little suspiciously.
"Some demons have unusual tastes." Kennedy explained.
"Trust us. You don't want to order from that menu." Willow elaborated.
The three men looked at each other suspiciously.
*** *** ***
"Well, did you boys enjoy yourselves?" Kennedy asked the group as they stepped out onto the street
"I found the experience quite pleasant." Teal'c almost smiled.
"I'm sure you did." Jack scoffed.
"Awww, are you jealous?" Willow teased the Colonel.
"Yeah Jack, I thought you were going to swallow your tongue when our waitress gave Teal'c her number." Daniel couldn't help but chuckle at the memory of Jack's reaction.
"Hey! I was surprised that's all. I mean how often has something like that happened." Jack argued. "In fact, I think this is the first time something like that has happened."
The sound of metal banging against brick caused everyone to stop and listen. They heard another bang.
Quickly, Kennedy followed the sound around the corner then to an alley behind the restaurant and cautiously entered while the others ran to catch up. At the back of the alley, she found one well-dressed thug holding an elderly oriental man wearing an apron against a dumpster by his collar, a vampire holding a small boy of about ten years old against his chest. The boy struggled uselessly against the vampire's hold while his feet dangled off the ground. Two more vampires flanked their boss. Two spilled metal trashcans littered the alley. "You're late and short what you owe me!" The thug's tone was threatening. "I guess we need to ---."
"Now what do we have here?" Kennedy's voice interrupted the man's threat.
Everyone in the alley looked at the girl then her friends that followed her, but the thug was the one to speak. "This is none of your business! Now get lost if you know what's good for you!"
"See that's where you're wrong. Some two bit gangster using three vampires to harass and old man and a kid is exactly my business." The small brunette stepped closer. "Now let them go!" she ordered continuing her approach.
"Kill her. And her friends." The thug ordered the two vampires closest to him. They both rushed her expecting an easy kill.
Jack and Teal'c started in to help but Willow grabbed each of them by the arm. "Hold up. Just enjoy the show."
Kennedy didn't wait for her attackers to reach her. She charged toward them and leapt into the air with a spinning double kick connecting with the side of the head of the vampire on her left with a right-footed round kick then a left foot back kick to the face of the right vampire.
The first vamp slammed into the side of the building. The second one fell backwards landing on the ground. The first one growled angrily and came back unleashing a haymaker toward the slayer's head.
Kennedy ducked letting the blow go over her head and grabbed him by his pants waistband with one hand and his shirt with the other. She stood up lifting the undead creature over her head and threw him to the ground. "Will!" She called out to her girlfriend and held up her hand.
Willow understood what the slayer was calling for and tossed her a stake none of her three companions had seen her get, for being too focused on the fight.
The second henchman was on his feet and charged from behind.
Kennedy only turned 90 degrees to her right sticking her arm straight out from her side meeting the vampire's charge and plunging the stake deep into its heart.
The vampire looked disbelieving at the brunette before exploding into dust.
"Whoa! Did you see ---? Does that always happen?" Jack asked shocked pointing at the clearing dust cloud.
Kennedy turned back to the remaining vampire who was bent over on one knee in the process of getting up and stomped a foot down on the back on his downed knee causing him to yelp in pain as well as preventing him from rising any further and grabbed a handful of his curly brown hair.
Daniel locked eyes with this vampire whose face showed fear at what he knew was about to happen.
Kennedy yanked back on his head forcing his body upright and plunged the stake into his back.
The thug let go of the old man and stepped back a bit stunned at how easily his muscle had been taken out. "Who the hell are you?"
It was the vampire holding the kid that answered. "She's a slayer, has to be!"
"BINGO! Got it on the first try too. I bet you're the smart one. Well compared to your friends anyway." Kennedy stalked toward the thug since he seemed to be the leader.
"A slayer. Well, well, well, this is interesting." The thug drew her attention. "But you should know that this is business and NOBODY interferes with business." He spat menacingly and quickly reached his right hand in a cross-drawing motion.
Kennedy lashed out a crescent kick with her right leg striking the man's hand as it reappeared holding a gun. The automatic pistol was sent flying to the other side of the alley. Then the slayer grabbed the man with both hands and slammed him against the dumpster holding him there. "I wouldn't say nobody; because I am definitely somebody."
Jack being the soldier he was quickly moved to secure the gun.
"Don't just stand there Randal, Help me!" The captive man hollered at his remaining associate.
Randal tossed the small boy to the side and came at the slayer.
The old man hurried to the child thankful he was free from Randal's hold and held him close.
Kennedy barely gave Randal a glance as, with casual quickness, she flung the stake into the demon's dead heart.
"Are you alright?" Daniel asked as the onlookers approached.
"Yeah, check on them though." She nodded to the old man and child. "I want to have a talk with our bully." As Daniel did just that, Kennedy faced the thug. "Now I want to know what kind of business requires you to rough up an old man and kid?"
"Oooo, Oooo, Oooo, Let me guess." Willow bounced up and down with a raised hand like she used to back in school when she had the answer to the teacher's question. "Bookie? Or maybe loanshark? Or I know, protection."
"Well which is it?" The slayer asked harshly.
"You've just made a big mistake slayer. Mr. Zorichov doesn't tolerate interference."
"Awww, and here I thought you were the big man. You're just a lackey ain'cha. Now tell me why did your boss send you and a those vamps here." Kennedy's voice and expression grew hard and serious.
"It's protection." Daniel answered as he along with the old man, holding the boy close to him as they walked. "Seems like this Zorichov has been extorting Mr. Nyguien for over a year now."
"What's your name?"
The man refused to answer Willow's question.
"His name is Douglass." The boy offered.
"Well Douglass, Tell your boss that these people and any others he's robbing have some new protection now and that if I hear---."
Willow cut her girlfriend off by clearing her throat. "WE." She corrected.
"If WE hear about him causing any more trouble then he'll be the one with more trouble than he can handle. Now somebody search his pockets." Kennedy had a hunch.
Teal'c accepted the task, finding his wallet and three envelopes handing them to Jack.
"Look at this!" Jack looked through the envelopes finding large amounts of cash. "Looks like this wasn't his first stop tonight" He showed the contents to the rest of the group.
"I say we call the local police." Jack recommended while pulling out his cell phone.
"This guy uses vampires to do his dirty work. I doubt that he's afraid of the cops." Willow pointed out. She took the envelopes from Jack and turned to the old man. "I believe one of these is yours. Can you make sure the other two get back to who they belong to?"
The man and boy looked at each other as the boy let out a string of Vietnamese apparently translating what the witch had said.
The man looked at the redhead made a quick but respectful small bow as he answered in his native language. Then the boy translated. "Yes my grandfather would be honored to do this. But he's also afraid that Mr. Zorichov won't listen to your threat."
Willow started looking through her purse. "I don't know if I have anything to write with or not."
"Here." The boy reached into his grandfather's apron pocket retrieving an order pad and pencil offering it to the woman
"Oh good." She took the offering. "I'm writing down our home number as well as both our cell numbers. If this guy shows up again call us. And that goes for anyone else he bothers o.k."
The boy translated. The grandfather nodded.
Willow handed the pad and pencil back to Mr. Nyguien with a pleasant smile then turned back to Douglass and approached, her face became hard. "As for you," She took his wallet and removed a thick wad of bills many of them 50's and 100's. "I think turnabout is fair play." She handed the money to Daniel. "I'm sure you can find a worthy charity to donate this to."
Daniel nodded and smiled at the idea as he counted the money. "Yes I think I can do that."
"You won't get away with this." Douglass threatened.
"Now YOU know how it feels to be bullied and robbed." Kennedy grinned. "Does anyone else have anything to add?"
"Just this," Jack spoke up. "You may not be afraid of the police, but now the Air Force is taking an interest in you and your boss' activities. And we will be watching closely."
Douglass didn't seem to like that but didn't say anything
Kennedy let go and stepped back. "Now go get out of here." She jerked her head to the street.
Douglass fought the urge to run instead calmly straightening his jacket and quickly walked to, then down the street with everyone watching to make sure he really left.
*** *** ***
Douglass burst through a pair of heavy oak double doors into a large study. "Mr. Zorichov! I have ---."
"Ahhh, Douglass." Came from a distinguished middle-aged man on top of a ladder as he perused the floor to ceiling bookshelf that made up three of the rooms four walls "I trust that tonight's collection went well."
"No Sir. It did not. There wa---, Aack!" An invisible force choked the lackey then flung him against the wall.
"That's not what I wanted to hear, Douglass." Mr. Zorichov said angrily from his half turned position on the ladder.
"But Sir, there was interference." Douglass choked out. "A slayer, and her friends, she killed James, Samuel, and Randal. Then they took the money I had collected."
"A slayer? Yes, the world is just teeming with them now." Mr. Zorichov released Douglass, who slid to the floor then picked himself up massaging his throat. "And you say she stole the collections?"
Yes, her and her friends. There were five of them total. They gave them to Mr. Nyguien then they took my money out of my pocket saying that 'turnabout was fair play' and that they were going to give it to charity!"
Mr. Zorichov chuckled out loud at the irony and Douglass' outrage climbing down from the ladder. "That is indeed humorously ironic in a way."
That's not all. One of the men said that the Air Force was now involved and would be watching us closely."
"Is that so? Don't worry about that my dear man. The slayer and her friends will regret sticking her nose into our business." The warlock's eyes filled with darkness.