I don't write a lot of humor so give me a chapter or two to settle into things. . . By the way, forgot to mention, I am Janice Beatrice. No, that is not my real name nor my author name. Why? Because you don't get my real name and my author name wouldn't fit with the story. So yes, I put myself in my story. . .

Chapter Two – Welcome to the Magic Factory!

It was 9:40am at Los Angeles, a bright warm morning, though clouds loomed in the distance signaling the chance of rain later in the day. Not that it bothered the members of Angel Investigations. No, at the moment the group was tearing down the highway to make it to the factory on time.

"Can't you go any faster?" Cordelia attempted to pull her hair back out of her face for the third time.

"If I went any faster I'd get pulled over and then we'd NEVER get there!" Angel yelled back to his friend. I knew I should've put the top up. Angel thought and gritted his teeth, fearing they would be late. Being cursed by a gypsy once was enough.

The stark landscape didn't change much and the large, concrete factory, smoke billowing from the top, looked rather out of place on the flat land. Angel parked the car outside the gate and checked his watch. It was 10:10am. Three minutes to go before they went inside.

Gunn was first to stand at the gate followed quickly by Wesley, Fred, Cordelia and finally Angel. The wind whistled in their ears and Cordelia made a weak attempt to shield her ears. Angel checked his watch again. 10:13am. They stood. And waited. And waited.

They were about to give this up and call it a practical joke when the iron gate creaked open carefully.

"STEP INSIDE!" a voice bellowed from seemingly nowhere. Everyone paused a moment before complying. As soon as Angel stepped inside the gate slammed closed again.

"OKAY! WAIT THERE!" the voice bellowed again, sounding as if it was laughing with glee. The group did as the voice ordered and stopped short a foot or two in front of the steps leading to the door.

Suddenly, the huge front doors banged open with an echoing CRASH, chipping concrete from the walls where the doors hit. Angel raised his eyebrows slightly fearing what kind of thing had the power to open doors that hard.

What jumped down the stairs was not what anybody was expecting, as you could tell by the thump of five jaws smacking the ground. Standing on the top step in front of them was a girl who appeared to be about 15 years old. Her short blonde hair peeked out from her black bowler hat.

She was wearing a baggy pair of dark blue jeans that dragged on the ground. You could just see what shoes she was wearing and they were a pair of sandals that looked like next year, they wouldn't fit. She was also wearing a light brown shirt depicting a squirrel holding a bat, standing in front of a pile of nuts. Above the picture on the shirt read "Protect Your Nuts."

Over her clothes she wore an ankle long black raincoat, a Macintosh raincoat, and a pair of black leather gloves were placed on her hands. The girl pushed up the pair of rectangular red glasses up her nose and smiled at her new friends.

"You're a fifteen year old GIRL!" Cordelia blinked angrily at the sight in front of her.

"Nice guess. I suppose the way I'm dressed didn't give much away. Come along, we don't have all day!" the girl turned to go inside and finally realized the rest of the group wasn't following her. "We really have no time to dilly dally."

"Where's Janice Beatrice?" Wesley called out. The girl closed her eyes and sighed.

"My name is Janice Beatrice and welcome to my Magic Factory!" Janice spread her arms wide and bowed. "Can we go now?" she straightened her back and everyone followed her inside.

The walls were dark purple and the ceiling was dark red. Mahogany hooks hung along the walls and dim lights hung from the ceiling.

"Hang your coats on the hooks please." Janice politely ordered. After that was done, the group headed down the hallway towards a door at the end.

"How did a fifteen year old gain control of a black magic making factory?" Gunn pushed his way up next to Janice. She made not attempt to look up at him and answered.

"Because I did."

"Okay. . . " Gunn scratched his head and backed off. Angel finally made his way up front.

"My name's. . ." Angel began to introduce himself.

"Angel." Janice finished for him. "And the rest of you are Cordelia Chase, Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, Charles Gunn, and the oh-so lovely Winifred Burkle." Janice sighed as they finally reached the door, missing the looks of astonishment on the faces of her guests.

Janice pulled a red sparkling key from her raincoat pocket and waved it in the nearest person's, who happened to be Wesley's, face.

"Oh beautiful." He gasped.

"Oh thank you. . ." Janice paused. "OH! You mean the key! Not. . . me." Janice coughed nervously at the strange looks she was receiving. "Anyway, are you ready for the first stop?"

"Do we have a choice?" Angel shoved his hands in his coat pockets. He was the only one, besides Janice, who had refused to remove their coat.

"There's the spirit!" Janice smiled and shoved the key into the lock. She grinned from ear to ear and pushed the door open. Fred was the first to see inside.

"Oh, Lordy."

I promise not to post the chapters too fast. . .