A.N. Alright, thanks to Bob-from-Accounting for reviewing chapter five! I appreciate it greatly. You'll find out who Mark is in this chapter. He's kinda based on a good friend of mine, techy nerdy but ultimately cool. fo' sho'. And yes, the Powers That Be are cheap, poor Spike didn't get a chance. Bastards. Anywhoo...
A chill ran through the dark tunnels of New York's subways. Ellen still grasped Charlotte's hand, pulling her along steadily. Charlotte began thinking about what had happened. How stupid was I for her to be following this child-like stranger, and how did she know her? What was a Slayer, and why her? Her legs ought to have gotten tired, but she felt as though she had worked out the entire time she was in a coma, her muscles working with ease. She knew something had to have happened, and she numbly followed Ellen, up until a small garbage can sitting a in a lone corner, the shadows concealing it. The platform for the subway was completely empty, yet Ellen peered over her shoulder before she walked up to the can. She stared down at it. Charlotte did as well.
"What's supposed to happ-"
"Shh!" Ellen's hiss echoed slightly in the damp tunnel walls, and Charlotte stood silent. Ellen walked a bit closer to the can, then kicked it. "Mark?" Charlotte waited with baited breath. She didn't know what to expect. Nothing. Ellen gave another kick, harder this time. Just as her foot hit the can, a window slid open from inside of it. The side of the can looked like a mini kiosk desk, and a man's head sat inside. Ellen had kicked a Plexiglas window, and the man inside yelped, his cry muffled slightly. His hair was dark, as were his eyes. He appeared very annoyed, his eyebrows, with a piercing through one of them, scrunched downwards and he scowled. Ellen shrugged and knocked on the glass again. "Mark? Mark let me in. I've got her!"
This Mark character smirked suddenly and cupped a hand to his ear, making an "O" shape with his mouth. Charlotte could barely hear "What? Sorry, can't hear you!" Ellen took in a deep breath and clenched her fists. Charlotte stopped staring at the small window for a second to look at Ellen, who seemed to have grown another inch. Her eyes widened as Ellen quivered slightly. Mark's face went into a worried frown, and he disappeared from sight. Charlotte guessed he was gone, but then heard a loud whooshing sound of hydraulics, and a puff of steam came from inside the garbage can. It rose up into the air, with a long, round elevator beneath it. The garbage can reached the ceiling, its grubby brown outsides turning into sleek metallic. The door suddenly rushed open, and Ellen walked inside. Charlotte stood aghast at this, her mouth opened slightly in surprise. Ellen tapped her foot impatiently.
"Come on, now. We don't have all day." she grabbed Charlotte and pulled her inside. Charlotte stumbled into the small compartment, and she heard the doors whoosh close behind her. A rumbling sound startled her, and she got the feeling like they were moving. Her stomach dropped and she grabbed onto the side of the elevator compartment. Ellen simply grabbed her arm again, and pulled her out into a small, dimly lit room.
Suddenly, the lights turned on around them, to reveal a large room with many computers and electronics, beeping and whirring, and an odd smell. Charlotte rubbed her eyes, adjusting to the bright light. Ellen walked over to a computer chair, which was sitting in front of a blue screen. She kicked it, spinning it around. Mark sat, his feet up onto the seat, in his hands a bowl and spoon. His mouth was full, and he tried to smile, but only got half-way. Ellen peered over his shoulder, as he gulped.
"What's this?" she growled, trying to see over the computer chair. Mark slammed his feet to the floor and rolled the chair in front of the screen.
"Uh…nothing!" he turned quickly, the wheels squeaking, and he jabbed hurriedly at the keys on the keyboard. Ellen grabbed his hand and pulled it away.
"Chatting? You were chatting on the main computer?"
"No! Not chatting…it's a message board…jeez! Get it through your head…oooh ok…I'm sorry Ellen." Mark grinned nervously as Ellen tightened her grip on his wrist. Mark turned swiftly to face Charlotte, who had been watching them, amusement in her eyes. "Is this it?" Mark said, his head turning to the side. Ellen nodded. Charlotte scoffed, her eyes hardening, her smile dropping, and stood akimbo.
"Excuse me…but "it" has a name." She frowned, and Mark rose to his feet, still holding the bowl in front of his face. He walked over, poking her shoulder.
"Oh, dear. I'm so sorry, m'lady. What's your name then?"
"Charlotte." Charlotte stared down at him, a slight look of disgust on her face. Mark munched on his food. Ellen turned and clicked away at the computer.
"We need to tell the boss about this. He'd want to know."
"The boss? Know what? I don't get it." Charlotte looked over to Ellen, while Mark brought a spoonful of orange food to his mouth.
"Want some Kraft Dinner?" he mumbled, looking up at Charlotte. Charlotte had just taken in Mark, and realised he was a bit shorter than her. He had messy black hair, and it stuck up in all directions. Keeping it from falling in his face was an old pair of motorcycle goggles. His jeans were worn and ripped, as well as the jean jacket and white shirt over his back. He shrugged when Charlotte wrinkled her nose, and he walked away. Ellen stood from the computer, and went into a small corner of the large area. Mark busied himself with a small piece of equipment, fiddling with knobs and gears. Charlotte had had enough.
"HELLO? Is anyone here gonna' bother telling me about what the hell is happening!" she balled her hands into fists and looked angrily around the room. Ellen continued to rummage through a large bag, and Mark looked up, his eyes going wide, his mouth full of food so his cheeks were puffed out.
"Uhmmphh Ellphmm oldm yupmh eeyphmnng?" he tried to speak, but the food got in his way. Ellen then looked up, a look of sheer distaste on her face. Charlotte's mouth opened slightly, and she wrinkled her nose again. Mark chewed a bit, holding up one finger as as sign for them to be patient. He then swallowed noisily, taking a breath of air and repeating;
"Oh. Ellen never told you anything?"
"No! Ellen never told me anything! She only told me this far-fetched tale about how she's some sort of demon or something! Gemmy-penny-tree or something--"
"Geminitrium." Mark corrected, but soon flinched as Charlotte flung her arms into the air. She put her hands down, and stared at Mark closely.
"What is that?" she whispered, her voice a low hiss. Mark took her arm and pulled her to the side, out of sight from Ellen, who had gone back to her work.
"Do you want to know everything?" he asked, and Charlotte gave him a furious look. "Oh, of course you do. OK. First, I am Mark. She is Ellen, a Geminitrium demon…" Charlotte bit her bottom lip and rolled her eyes to the ceiling. Mark continued quickly, "…have you noticed anything…er…strange about Ellen?"
"Strange? Oh like, her not being normal? She's not human. She doesn't act the way humans do."
"That's because she's not human."
"She's a demon."
"There we go! Special Ed. gets it!"
"Just…tell me what that means."
"Well, have you noticed that when she gets mad she sorta…well…"
"Expands?" Charlotte furrowed her brow and Mark nodded.
"She expands. Or grows. She has two sides. One is little old Ellen, no more than a child. Usually when she's frightened, or put down. But when she's mad, or feeling powerful, she grows, or morphs into her other self. It's still Ellen, just…meaner."
"Stronger?" Charlotte rubbed her wrist where she had been dragged along by that night.
"Yes. So, just don't get her mad. Same with the boss. He runs the show."
"Is he a demon too?" Charlotte asked nervously. Mark laughed and shook his head.
"Only when you piss him off." He stopped laughing when Charlotte looked at him uncertainly. "No. And no, I'm not either."
"OK. That's one question. The other is, why am I here?" Charlotte put a hand to her hip, and Mark opened his mouth to speak.
"You're here for the same reason we are." A voice boomed out from the darkness of the doorway, and Charlotte jumped almost as high at Mark. Mark quivered slightly, and Charlotte turned to see who had just entered. The speaker was tall, his skin dark. He wore a long brown coat, and sunglasses. He spoke again in a deep voice, "You're here to kick some demon ass."