Disclaimer: don't own anything but Rielle and Lavinia. :P

Note: Finally, a little plot development! Haha. Thanks for the answers about Mary-Sue and her evil friends... I just hope that I avoid the problem with the help of my new beta, Judocat. and thanks again for all the wonderful feedback!

Chapter 7:

Abraham:

Broom walked in a few minutes after Hellboy had explained all, and I half-expected another lecture from him as well. Imagine my surprise when he asked me and Red to come back to his office to meet with the girls again, as per Lavinia's request. Even Hellboy looked a little astonished, a feat not easily achieved considering all he's seen. Broom just shrugged and walked out with Red in tow.

I swam back to the other side of the tank and this time nobody fainted. Lavinia apologized for 'her wussiness', and even said she would have hugged me if she could swim. Rielle didn't come near and I didn't try to read her, but we agreed that if it was ever to happen it would be through mutual agreement. Of course Red had to say something sarcastic and a bit perverted, but Rielle whacked him and he apologized. Now that I've seen them together it should have been obvious they were familiar... Not just anyone can raise a hand to Hellboy, even jokingly.

"What I meant was, no messin' around in there... damn, how do you say it without it sounding bad?"

"You can't. Probing, poking, invading, anything!" Red counted the words off his fingers.

"Children!"

Everyone said "Sorry," but me, I was too busy not laughing and trying to look dignified and offended.

We ended our little meeting on a good note and me and Red left again. Now that he had more material to bug me with I'd never get any peace, already he was rattling off variants of the word 'poke'.

"Ram... ram is another good one."

"Get stuffed."

It bothered me. Not Red's annoying ability to come up with new names for me, The Rammer now his favourite, but Rielle's hesitation to let me read her, and how she knew I was there, and, well, everything about her. It takes a lot of mental training to resist a probe, great, now even I think it sounds perverted, and I found it peculiar that a young woman such as Rielle possessed such knowledge. I was determined now to sate my curiosity, but I didn't want to piss her off further. I had a feeling it wouldn't be a healthy decision. I'd have to find another way.

Lavinia:

Yay! I didn't faint, squeal, scream or anything! I rule! The fish-guy was kind of cool, actually, smart, and patient too. I could tell it took a lot of restraint not to yell at Hellboy.

Speaking of which... Ellie had some explaining to do. The way she was so comfortable with this huge red demony guy it's like they'd already met, well, discounting the whole med-lab freak-out.

After those two left, the place seemed so empty, just us and the Mad Hatter again. He said more people were coming to meet us but made sure we knew they were human. "Unfortunately, they're mostly bureaucrats."

Rielle visibly shuddered and Broom chuckled. "I know, but it's necessary. You'll also get a tour of where you'll be working and all those details will be handled this afternoon."

"Quick question?" Rielle stuck her hand up.

"This isn't a school, Miss Cyr. But go ahead."

Ellie put her hand down. "I'm wondering if there's any way we can get some supplies from home. I love the clothes, really, but..."

Broom interrupted, "Yes, after you're shown around I'll have a guard take you home to stock up for a couple of days."

Oh thank god. The deodorant they supplied was just plain nasty.

We met and talked with the 'suits', as Rielle called them, over a light breakfast of coffee and muffins. Only two of them weren't 'suits' and I ended up talking more with them. One of them was the chef, McCarthy, who was retiring to open his own coffee shop, and I was taking over for. He seemed nice, relieved to be leaving. It made me a little afraid of what I was in for.

The other was the head of the Garage, Sgt. Chan. He didn't seem as pleased to meet Rielle, and didn't hide it very well at all. Broom noticed but he remained silent but watchful. Frankly I wanted to whack him with one of the books lying around but I think it would have made things worse.

Then there was this Tanner guy, who was just plain ridiculous, and not in a fun circus clown way either. Absolutely everything on this guy matched, I think he polished his bald spot and I could small his cheap Avon hand cream. My kokum used the same kind in the winter when her hands got cracked, and the scent was distinctive.

He was also the guy who gave himself whiplash in the hallway this morning trying to get a peek at my jubblies. It looked like he was still trying too, the pervert. I wanted to hide behind Rielle just to get out of his line of sight but I was stuck where I was. Ahh, deal with it.

All these suits wanted to talk about was procedure, and it was really boring. Even McCarthy was yawning, he was retiring so he could afford to. "Just think of them as the teacher in those Snoopy cartoons, and you'll be just fine." He whispered to me as Tanner was ranting about security. I had to stop myself from laughing outright.

Rielle:

Tanner let Vinny off easy. So far all of her security checks came back clean and he only gave her some crap about an alcohol problem. That really pissed her off.

"I don't have an alcohol problem." She said through grated teeth.

"Yes, I'm sure. Now, on to you Miss Sire."

"Cyr. Like 'seeing'."

"Mmm hmmm." He said impatiently, and I imagined me beating the pompous bastard to a pulp with Abe's hard cover of Moby Dick. The image soothed me. "You're an anomaly. We haven't been able to find much of anything on you."

"There's nothing to find." I said in self defence, knowing damn well there was.

"There's a four year period starting 1997 where it seems you just disappeared off the planet. What were you doing?"

Lavinia also looked at me. She didn't know either. I had told her I went through some drug problems and just wasn't around, but I didn't tell her details. We barely saw each other for those years between age 22 and 26. Really, we'd only been hanging out again for two years since.

Broom leaned forward in his chair as well, intent on the answers he sought so readily. I hated lying to him and Lavinia but I had no choice. I made myself appear as pathetic as possible and kept silent, and just as I had hoped, Lavinia spoke for me.

"Leave her alone, man; she had some problems back then."

"What kind of problems?" Tanner snapped.

I sighed in false shame and dropped my eyes. "Cocaine. I went through rehab after my arrest instead of going to jail."

"Can this be substantiated?"

I gave him the name and number of my 'rehab' center. That seemed to be enough answer for now, at least enough to satisfy Tanner. Broom doesn't believe it, I saw him and his disbelief was visible, but thankfully he saved his questions for later. I can deal with that in private, as long as it isn't in front of Tanner.

A while later we were saying goodbye to Broom, who held my hand just a microsecond longer and tighter than Vinny's, and he made sure I saw his doubt of my old 'drug problem'. Damn, I didn't count on his perceptiveness. Damn, Damn, Damn! I kept up my innocent act anyways and left with the group felling like an utter shit. After my big speech about honesty here I was lying to him. I am going straight to hell for this.

Bruttenholm:

I hadn't had the desire to strike a person since 1964, until I beheld Tanner's quite obvious racism towards our newest employees. I'd experienced fear, even hatred directed towards my son and it angered me, but there was something about racism in itself that made me just shake with fury.

Thankfully another mystery presented itself soon enough to distract me from acting out my desire to send my son after Mr. Tanner for a 'visit', and it was young Rielle's well thought out and backed up cover-story. I'd heard e4nough lies in my lifetime, and they had very small signs that became blaring alarms once familiar with them. I was lucky to catch hers, the convincing actress she was.

From all appearances, her friend was ignorant of the truth as well, so questioning Lavinia was out of the question. And despite Rielle's already breaking hour 'honesty vow' as I called it, I didn't not plan on breaking mine by using Abe. Maybe she had a reason for lying, and I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, I really did.

Sigh. Maybe she'll come clean in private. Maybe she didn't want to reveal herself in front of that buffoon Tanner and his band of moronic cronies.

"Broom."

Speaking of which...

Tanner was back already, apparently foregoing the tour with the girls. Hooray for them, boo for me. He shut the doors behind him and wiped his face with his ever-present sweat stained handkerchief.

"How in God's name can you tolerate those two?"

"I've learned a lot about toleration lately." I gazed into Abe's tank and tried to think of something pleasant.

"Yah, well, how you do it is a mystery to me."

Tying your shoes is probably still a mystery to you. I surprised myself with my own rage and tried a few breathing techniques to calm down.

Tanner slapped his suitcase down on my antique table and flopped in a chair. "What I don't understand is why, out of all the economically feasible solutions and in spite of all the security risks, you give these two women jobs within the BRPD! Christ, Trevor!"

Wonderful, now he feels he can use my first name like we're social and intellectual equals. "You don't know them."

"Neither do you! You met them, what, yesterday? And now they're employees? A couple of foreign broads?"

"Well, luckily it's my choice, not yours, who I employ and who I don't." I let a little rage slip and didn't care one bit.

"Yes, unfortunately, you do have veto power there, but I have the power to throw them in prison or deport them when they show up to work drunk or talk to someone they shouldn't."

I suppressed a growl, a regrettable side effect of spending too much time with Hellboy, and snapped, "You seem so sure about that, after only speaking with hem for half an hour."

"I don't have to, I know their type." Tanner was dancing around it but I knew what he was trying not to say aloud.

"Mr. Tanner, I have things to do this morning, so if you don't mind..." I indicated the door with a plate I held. Get out before I say something that will get me court-martialled.

"Yah, alright, I have to go too. But just to give you a head's up, I will be watching their progress, and if they fuck up in any way, any way at all, or the deeper scans turn up something on our little mystery girl, I'll be holding you personally responsible."

"Good day Mr. Tanner."

The doors flew open as Tanner was leaving, almost hitting him in the face as they swung. My son strolled in with a smug grin when he saw Tanner dodge the oak.

"Watch it, monkey-boy!" Tanner spat, pushing roughly past him and out the door, barely missing my son flipping him the bird.

"Hellboy!" I admonished lightly. Really, I loved it, but someone had to be consistently nagging him.

"Sorry, Pop. Did he give you any trouble this time?"

I bent and sat slowly in the chair behind me, feeling my joints ache and mind flutter. Just a moment's rest, please.

"Father?" Hellboy was at my side instantly, golden eyes alight with worry. I did my best to console him, I detested seeing him upset more than anything.

"I'm alright, just tired."

"Come on, why don't' you take a nap or something. Get your strength back." He helped me stand and kept by my side as he led me away towards my bedroom.

"Son, I believe my strength left me when I turned 80." I said with a weak chuckle.

"Not funny." He looked ready to lift and bear me the rest of the way but I never let him before and won't now. "You've had a hard couple of days and don't get enough rest to make up for it."

I didn't mention art of that was his fault last night with the midnight invasion and babble-fest. I enjoyed them still and didn't want him to stop, although they disturbed my sleep. The company of my son was worth the sacrifice of a few hours of sleep.

He left me alone to rest and although I had dozens of projects to complete, I was thankful for the peace. I was physically and mentally exhausted and my trials would only worsen in the next few days, so all the better to rest now and be alert then.

Rielle:

Lavinia and I were separated after the general tour to see where we would be working, Lavinia to the kitchen to find her way around, and me to the hangar where all the vehicles were kept.

It didn't take long on my end, just the where's and the introductions to the 'incompetent' mechanics as Broom deemed them. They actually weren't a bad crowd, nice and normal, military trained and dumb as posts. The most time was spent in awe of all the vehicles and their state of disrepair. There was everything from the usual army jeeps and sleek government sedans to this really weird looking semi like thing that looked a bit like a shiny garbage truck. There was also the usual pile of huge army trucks like the one we were transported here in.

I wasn't sure about myself suddenly; could I handle all these by myself? Sure, I had the others to help but with the schedule Chan gave me and his expectations, I'd either drip dead from exhaustion in a week, or get my ass thrown in the local asylum after using Chan's head for a soup bowl and pulling out all my hair.

Girl, you've seen and done worse than this, you can handle a few sparkplug replacements and engine overhauls.

I was led out of the hanger when the belly grumbles of the soldiers got deafening. Garage, my big brown ass. Chan gave me one last dirty look and told me to report in at 6:30 the next morning for debriefing, and slammed the door in my face, leaving me alone.

"Why yes, thank you, I'd love an escort to take me back to my room." I said to the still shuddering door. "Wanker."

I turned and tried to remember which building I came out of. The crappy thing with army bases is they all looked the same. Hell with it, I thought and tramped to the nearest one. Once inside I remembered where I was. Yes! I rule!

I took about ten steps before I was lost again. A nice calming breath later with eyes closed and I calmed myself to a point where rational thinking was possible. My memory couldn't be this bad! Christ!

I saw a sign that indicated this was where a lot of soldiers slept. If I was feeling playful, woo could I have some fun in here. Unfortunately I was bitchy.

"Where am I and how do I get to the mess hall?" Screw it.

A breathe on my neck, "You don't have to yell, I'm standing right here."

Hellboy:

The girl gets good air!

She must have jumped a good foot or so straight up when I snuck up and whispered right in her ear. She had a good set of lungs on her too. After she screamed four doors opened and the heads of would be gallant knights popped out to see what the problem was. When the dragon only turned out to be little ol' me, they groaned and went back inside.

Rielle wasn't finished with me yet. "You... you... Arg!"

"Hehehe."

"Get stuffed."

"You're the second person to say that to me today."

"Gee I wonder why." She said dryly, "Now I really need a smoke, you big wanker."

"I'd offer you one but all I got is cigars."

"Boo."

We fell in step naturally, her allowing me to lead her to the kitchen, and we just bullshitted the entire way, talking about nothing in particular. It was nice. She smelled a bit like motor oil.

"So..." she started. Oh oh.

"So?"

"So where's Abe?" Oh.

I relaxed, "Afraid he's gonna do a little probin'?" I poked her arm with my right index finger and waggled the brows a bit.

"Oh god. I can't believe you two."

"You think that's bad, now I'm calling him The Rammer."

She bust out laughing and I told her how the name came about. When I was done we were outside the kitchen listening to pots clang as the 'chefs' prepared supper for the troops.

"You're not still mad at him are ya?" It was an honest mistake on Abe's part and the way she avoided going near him earlier, I thought she was still a bit ticked.

She shook her head, "Nah, I'm not mad at him. He seems like a cool guy, just following orders I guess."

She poked her head in the kitchen and narrowly avoided getting run over by McCarthy and his last supper for me. Oooh, burgers! Rielle's big brown eyes bugged a little as tray after tray of food was hauled out and down the hall.

"Please don't tell me all those are yours."

"Okay, I won't."

"Smart ass."

She risked another peep into the kitchen, this time avoiding catastrophe, and I noticed she was leaning a lot more weight on her injured foot.

"She's not in there. Oh shit."

"What?"

"We were supposed to make a quick stop at home o get some shit. Hope the little bitch didn't take off without me."

"You always swear this much?"

She gave me a big smile, "Only when I'm in a good mood." She spun, her dark hair fanning around her, "I'll see you later, Okay?"

"Alright, I'll tell Abe you'll be waiting with baited breath for a great big probing."

She nabbed a burger off one of the passing carts and chucked it at me. I caught it easily and took a big bite.

"Thank you."

"No, no. Thank you." She took another one and stuffed it in her pocket.

"Hey!" She was gone, again, before I could think of a decent rebuke! "Saucy wench."

"I heard that!" Came her laughing voice from down the hallway.

Damn.

Lavinia:

Abe was the easiest to cook for, according to McCarthy. He liked the simple stuff. Only the rotten eggs were a problem, but he showed me where they were kept and a good way to protect myself from the stench, so that was alright.

Hellboy on the other hand... what a picky eater! There was a list of things he liked and a list he hated. McCarthy said he'd always tried to stick something Red hated in the food; just to trying to expand his menu, but it didn't work often. So I was to stick to the basics until I was trusted, Pancakes, burgers, chilli, nachos, and lots of meat. Then maybe try snaking something healthy in. McCarthy winked and smiled, showing me the cupboards where he kept all the healthy food.

"I've managed to sneak hemp seeds into his pancakes without him saying anything."

"Like he needs the extra protein, Chuck."

"Yes, but just to give you the idea."

I wished McCarthy wasn't leaving; I liked the old bugger and would miss his banter. Cooking for Hellboy alone would be like cooking for 6 or 7 guys, and with McCarthy's company it would have been a lot more fun.

After helping him flip a few dozen burgers and stocking the tray up with Red Bull, I was picked up by Broom and Ave. Seeing Abe out of the tank and suited so he could breathe was a surprise, and I gave him an earlier promised hug. He wasn't slimy or anything like I thought he would be. He even hugged back.

"Well, that just made my day, thank you Lavinia."

I embraced Professor Broom as well, as gently as I could because damn he looked brittle today. He smiled and the three of us left the kitchen, saying our goodbye's and good lucks to the retiring McCarthy, who, in a panic, dug out business cards to his new coffee shop and gave them to us.

"You come; I'll give you free coffee."

Walking down the halls with these tow men I couldn't help but laugh as I realized the team was Red, White and Blue. Ha, bloody Americans, I wonder if they did that on purpose.

It was around suppertime now, so again we went to Broom's office to eat. Rielle ran in a few minutes later, finding the note left by Broom on our door. She said something about Hellboy finding her wandering about and led her back.

"Isn't he joining us?"

"Nah, he's got his supper with McCarthy, wanted to say be to him properly."

"He is very attached to his chefs." Broom said, "As long as they feed him well."

I got a pointed look and raised my hands in self-defence. "Hey, I've cooked for pow-wows, family reunions and Rummy tournaments. I can handle him."

Rielle:

Broom kept giving me funny looks throughout our supper so in a way I was glad it was over quickly. A couple of plain-dressed but obviously military guys got us and we left the base in one of those government sedans. On the way out I had to laugh at the base's weak cover. "Waste Management Services." HA!

"So where are we going, Ma'am?" The guy in the driver's seat asked, looking straight forward out the windshield. Me and Lavinia smiled mischievously and silently agreed to mess with them as much as possible.

We lead them to a 7-11, a strip club called 'Spread Em', and our blues pub before we were nice and showed them where we actually lived.

Broom told us during supper that tonight should be our last night of having to stay at the base, so we packed lightly. Well, Lavinia's version of light included to pairs of shoes and a gargantuan suitcase, but still. I just emptied and refilled my backpack.

"Ellie?"

"What?" We were in the bathroom stocking up on toiletries, away from the prying eyes of our guards.

"I have this sudden urge to hop out the window and make a run for the border."

I squeezed her shoulder and passed her mascara. "So do I, but... I don't know. I sort of don't want to just yet."

"Yah. But just in case, bring some pointy things?"

I obliged her and tossed my straight razor in my bag, then arm in arm we left our nice roach infested apartment. Bastard Lying Exterminators.

"Oh shit."

"What?"

"My car's being delivered tomorrow night!" There was no way in hell I was letting those buttheads leave my baby on the street to get stripped or stolen.

"Well, Broom did say we didn't have to stay there tomorrow night, one of us should be here. I'll be leaving right after I give Red his supper."

All the car talk piqued the interest of our driver, who asked make and model, and all the stats and modifications I'd made. I was tempted to keep it a secret but I had such pride in The Big Bastard that I couldn't keep my mouth shut about him. I told our driver all about it and we raved about cars all the way through McDonalds and back to the base.

That night we hung out a little more with out new soldier pals and went to bed early, as we both had to be up around six in the morning for duties. I beat Vinny to the top bunk this time, (actually, I threw all her stuff on the bottom bunk while she was in the shower and claimed the top as my own) and crashed almost immediately.

My dreams were horrible. They were the kind that wakes you up in a cold sweat, shaking, and eyes brimming with tears. And even though I was awake, the sounds and images kept flashing through and I couldn't make them stop, so I tried sleeping again.

Accompanying the gunfire were the screams of children and wails of mourning mothers. Heat and flame and blood and sand. And I was standing in the middle of it all, crimson in the dusk, hair and skin blasted with sand and bits of metal and wood, torn and ashamed and holding my weapon like it burned.

Every time I woke up I cried, pictures of brown eyes and fine cotton and landmines blinking in and out even after I'd washed my face clean of imaginary sand with icy water in the bathroom. I looked at the dark circles under my eyes in the cracked mirror and told myself Never Again.