Dear Jeff,

Hope you're having fun in Stoneybrook. It's too bad I missed you, but I'll probably see you in California later this summer. Which reminds me, does Dad still have that friend who's a lawyer? I'd really appreciate if you could check for me, just in case. BUT BE SUBTLE.

Love,

Dawn

I didn't really think I'd need a lawyer, but as a radical activist I know there's always a chance of coming into contact with the law. I guess I could make a pretty dibble statement by being a prisoner of conscious like Nelson Mandela, but on the other hand, it's hard to carry out revolutionary acts from prison. That's why I wrote to Jeff.

It was still an annoying hoop to jump through, though. I mean, Drusilla has really made me realize how stale our bourgeois legal system is. It's so, like, hegemonic to act like you know what's "right" and "wrong".

That's why, in addition to helping free dozens, maybe even hundreds, of innocent pigs from Angel and Spike's oppression, we're deconstructing the imperialistic Western notion of property rights! Pretty dibble, huh?

Drusilla had been giving me missions almost every day and I was carrying them out with my usual flair, if I do say so myself. In fact, I was getting better each day. Yesterday, I had liberated this ancient Celtic orb from the British Museum, which was distant because the Anglo-Saxon inhabitants of the United Kingdom just have no right to keep spiritual artifacts stolen by the Roman oppressor on display.

I had had some close calls before, but this job turned out to be a piece of cake. The M'Fashnik demons Drusilla hired created a diversion, and while the guards were distracted I was small enough to slip right under the security system lasers and break the glass display case. Drusilla had been really pleased. She never says anything, but when my eyes meet hers, I just know. And I know what the next job she wants me to do is, too. We have a real connection.

The next day, though, I felt a bit wistful. That was because my next job would be my last for Drusilla. Today's acquisition would allow Drusilla to complete her plan, and even though I was totally excited about seeing that, I'd miss all the cool activist work I was doing. Maybe I could start a similar plan back in Stoneybrook. . .there were probably blood drinkers there; God knows, there were certainly meat eaters.

Come to think of it, I realized, I still wasn't entirely sure how Drusilla's plan was going to work. I shrugged. It didn't seem so important. Probably just a magical detox. I hoped it was more effective than the non-magical ones my mom's friends were always disappearing to.

Anyway, we never carried out our missions until after dark, so the day after the Orb was stolen I had a long evening of waiting in Angel's apartment. I picked at my dinner (eggs again), too distracted to comment much. Fortunately, Mary Anne was talking enough for the both of us, although I didn't quite catch what about. Actually, only Jessi seemed to be listening, and thank God for that, because she asked so many questions that I was off the hook entirely.

I was still sleeping on the couch in the living room, so it was easy to sneak out after everyone else was in bed. The night air was cool and my black ski mask was welcome for warmth as well as camouflage. I stuck to the shadows, staying out of view. I didn't have much back-up tonight and it wouldn't do for me to be spotted. It wasn't long before I reached Harrington St. and my target came into view

I had cased the place in the daytime, of course, so I knew exactly my plan of attack and stayed out of sight. Still, I'm very impatient and I always worry while I'm waiting, so I was relieved when I saw the flash of blue light that was our pre-arranged signal. The M'Fashniks had shown up.

When I heard the shatter of glass, I crept forwards. I knew that if anyone was watching I didn't have much time. It only took me a moment to pick the lock - another useful skill Drusilla had taught me. She muttered something about learning it from dinner once (I politely didn't point out that she meant over dinner; it must be a British thing). Meanwhile, the M'Fashnik demons were ravaging the rare coin shop next door. Anyone who was watching would be drawn to them and away from me.

It worked perfectly. I was in and out with the dragon's tooth before the noise from next door had ceased. Curious, I glanced over. It looked like our security precautions had been necessary. The demons were engaged in a fierce battle with a small, slender figure. Had a Slayer caught on to us?

The figure shifted positions and my jaw dropped. The demons were fighting Jessi. And she seemed to be holding her own. Fascinated, I ducked behind a mailbox to watch. Should I interfere? Drusilla wouldn't be very happy if her M'Fashnik's got hurt. But then, she hadn't taught me fighting yet. I didn't think I'd do any good.

As it turned out, it wouldn't have mattered. The element of surprise only got Jessi so far, and after a moment the demons gained the upper hand. As she struggled to reload her crossbow, one of them pushed her to the ground, while the other stood raised his axe.

Before he could swing, two figures emerged from behind and came crashing down, pulling the demons to the floor. Almost simultaneously, they snapped the M'Fashniks' necks, leaving them motionless. They turned to face Jessi, and I saw their faces. Spike and Angel.

It figures those two would have as little respect for demon life as they do for animal. And they were both wearing leather coats. I couldn't wait for Dru to bring her spell off. Talk about heartless.

I should have left then while they were still distracted, but I was as curious about what Jessi was doing as they were. They stared at her for a moment and then all three broke into angry conversation:

"Bloody hell, aren't you one of those girls Angel keeps in his apartment," shouted Spike, "Would you mind telling us what you're doing here."

"Do I need to lock you girls in Nina's cage," yelled Angel, and then to Spike, "I do not keep them in my apartment; you keep them in my apartment."

"I could have taken them, if I had just had a minute," Jessi retorted angrily, and then, suddenly, she burst into tears. Angel and Spike looked slightly taken aback.

"I just wanted to prove I could be a Slayer," she said in between sobs, "but I've been training for a week now and I'm still no good. And Mallory has all these new Slayer friends and they have a club and she says it's wriggle!"

She was sitting up now and Angel patted her shoulder awkwardly, shooting a panicked glance at Spike, who rolled his eyes and took over. "Listen here," he told her sternly, "being a Slayer is definitely not all its cracked up to be. To be honest, most of them are pretty self-righteous. They give these long, melodramatic speeches. And, you know, some of them pulled Angel and I out of a spot of trouble in Los Angeles about a year ago and they've never let us forget it. It's all 'Hey pretty boy, need someone to do your dragon killing today?' and "Watch out! There's forces of darkness behind you! Made you look!'"

Angel glared at him. "What Spike is trying to say is that there are plenty of other important things you can do. Really, lots of other people do good work. I mean, look at your friend Mary Anne."

Jessi had stopped sobbing, but this made her start again. (I couldn't blame her; Mary Anne may be my step-sister, but man has she been boring lately.) "But I don't want to spend all day in a library. I want to do something. . ." her voice trailed off in sobs. Honestly, I had a hard time feeling much sympathy. After all, Jessi had spent years rejecting my advice about an environmentally sustainable diet and she insists on commuting all the way to Stamford for dance lessons by car. And now she wants to do something important?

"Little Bit," Spike broke in wearily, "we'll set you up as an apprentice to the most powerful person at the Academy. Will that work?"

Jessi looked up at him. "Really?"

"Really. Now can we please figure out why the hell those demons robbed a bloody coin shop?" Hmm, I didn't need him speculating about that. Although, really, there was nothing he could do at this point. I suppressed a snicker.

Angel had wandered off, and at this, he kicked open the door of the magic shop. "It's open," he said, "I'll bet anything that coin shop attack was just a diversion."

Spike looked at Jessi. "Still want to do something useful?" he asked. She nodded vigorously. "Come on. You're going to help us comb this store for a dragon's tooth." She struggled to her feet and they followed Angel into the store. I decided this was my cue to leave.

I crept off into the darkness, clasping the dragon's tooth to me. Drusilla would be most pleased.