"You know, if Ah didnah know better Ah would think you wanted t' get yourself killed!" Carson exclaimed in exasperation.
Viktor raised an eyebrow and glanced over at his friend. "Why do you say that?"
"Leavin' a trail a mile wide and stomping about going…" He pulled his coat up into the air with his hands to make it look like a take from a bad Dracula movie. ""Ar! Ah'm a vampire!" Bloody ridiculous!"
"Dead bodies have been found before, I left no marks that could identify that a vampire had done the killing."
Carson rolled his eyes. "Nevermind. Ah do nah know why Ah bother. Where t' next?"
"To the motel for now," he said, looking back towards the way he was going, "to see if there is any mention of a red desert in those books we found."
Carson sighed and followed his friend and partner. "You're the elder."
"That has nothing to do with it," Viktor said softly continuing on to the rather nice looking motel they had booked into.
XXX-XXX
Avani just laughed and hugged her friend. "Let's go get that Chinese food and those movies. I'm starving. Are we calling Aiden over to watch with us?"
"Sure I don't see why not," Niki answered with a shrug, "You two can discuss your conspiracy theories all night long."
"Hey! Half of those are true!" Avani protested, holding her purse tightly, "How do we know that vampires and werewolves don't run about trying to avoid slayers? I happen to think that Samantha Carter's books have a ring of truth to them, thank you. And Aiden agrees with me."
Niki shook her head and laughed. "Fine! I give up. You're right, as usual."
"Oh, naturally." Avani grinned as she stepped out into the lobby, heading for the front doors. "Let's get out of here."
"Yes let's. My feet are killing me." Niki wriggled her toes in the tight black shoes.
Avani pulled out her cell phone and voice-dialed for Aiden. "Answering machine," she said to Niki, then looked at the sky as she waiting for the message to end, which was noted by her beginning to speak, "Aiiiiiideeeeeeeen! Oh Aiiiideeeen! This is your favorite fellow conspiracy theory geek here, pick up! Pick up, pick up, pick uuuuuup! Please? Don't make me cry. You know you can't handle that."
Niki rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips.
In his apartment, Aiden was currently snoozing in front of the computer. He had been up all night role-playing with his Star Trek group, and then had had to do some work, before he had finally collapsed. The sound of Avani's voice however, woke him up. "Huh? Avani? You don't have to yell I'm...Oh...the phone..." he picked up the receiver, "Hey..."
"AIDEN!" Avani squealed, then lowered her voice, "Sorry, hi! So, what're you doing tonight that you can drop to come and have Chinese with Niki and I at my apartment while we watch X-men 2? And Van Helsing," She added quickly, shooting Niki a grin."
Niki rolled her eyes again.
"Sleeping?" he responded, then grinned, even though she couldn't see it, "I'd love to join you ladies."
"Beautiful!" Avani replied to Aiden, "See you at Niki's in half an hour then?"
"Sounds great, see ya then. Oh yeah, and tell Niki that I love her, see what her reaction is for me, okay?"
"Sure, babe." Avani replied with a grin, and then looked over at Niki. "Aiden says he loves you."
Niki blinked and then rolled her eyes. "Tell him, no, he cannot have my mint condition, never been opened Captain Kirk figurine."
Avani grinned as she walked and opened the door to the Chinese restaurant. "She says no, you cannot have her mint condition Kirk figure. Are you still trying to get that from her? I keep telling you, I can just steal it while she sleeps..."
"Do it, and I burn all your files while you sleep," Niki retorted immediately, grinning slightly.
"Hey! It took me a while to get those! Aiden, I have to go, we're getting food. You want your usual?"
Aiden laughed and rolled his eyes. "Yeah yeah my usual's fine. Talk to you in thirty." He hung up, still laughing.
Avani put her phone away, grinning, then turned back to the girl waiting at the counter. "Okay, here's what we'll have..."
XXX-XXX
Liz gritted her teeth. She wasn't sure why she had reacted the way she had, except that even in this day and age women with intelligence were still looked down upon. However, she hadn't taken classes in psychology and communication for nothing, and resolved to be friendlier to the ragged looking man.
"Receiving, exchanging, or giving?" Teyla asked, as if this was common, opening the door to another room and motioning them to proceed ahead of her.
"Exchanging, preferably. We're looking for a particular set of partners at the moment."
"A werewolf and a vampire, if you can believe that," John said, walking into the room.
Liz raised an eyebrow, keeping an otherwise calm exterior. However, inwardly her heart was pounding. They couldn't be talking about them could they?
"That depends who you're looking for. Even we have trouble getting information sometimes," Teyla replied, dropping into a chair behind one of the two desks in the room.
Liz sat on the corner of Teyla's desk and crossed her arms, but kept silent, watching the two.
"We don't know the werewolf's name," Sheppard said, "but the vampire had the name Zelenka..."
Teyla shot Liz a look. "Oh. Them. I should have seen that coming."
"What do you mean "Oh them"?" Rodney asked.
"Let's just say they're… a tad elusive. The werewolf is a recent turn- within the last few years." Teyla opened a drawer and pulled out a file, opening it to look in. "A Scotsman by the name of Carson Beckett. He was a doctor before he was turned, then he just vanished."
"And Zelenka..." Liz shook her head; "He's been sighted in nearly every country in the world since the fifteenth century--when he was purported to have been born." She shrugged. "We've followed up every lead we've come across and they've always seemed to stay one step ahead."
Rodney nodded, accepting the folder Teyla passed to him and looking over the information.
"I will assume that you need this information in order to catch and slay them?"
"Well, yeah," John retorted, "What else would you do with monsters like that? There's no cure and no redemption."
Teyla studied him. "Some say that not all vampires are heartless and werewolves likewise able of being docile."
"Yeah right, and most of them are conspiracy junkies and people who live in their parents basements with romantic ideals that would never apply in the real world," Rodney said, quickly shooting down that theory.
John, in the meantime snorted and shook his head. "As much as I hate agreeing with my partner on things like this, he's right. The only good vampire is a dead one. As cliché as that may sound."
Teyla glanced at Weir and took the folder back from Rodney, storing it away. "What makes you come to us now as opposed to before?"
John shrugged. "Mister genius over here's led us on a merry goose chase of dead lead after dead lead. You ladies were are last hope."
Liz returned Teyla's glance and then smiled slightly. "That's certainly a way of getting our interest."
Rodney glared at John. "Look, I told you..."
"All right!" Teyla interrupted, "We're intrigued. They're in town."
Rodney perked up at that. "What?"
"The ones you're hunting. We've heard tell they're here in town; set up a meeting with a well-known informant of the occult. Sneaky, conniving little thing. It was to take place today, so I'm guessing they're already here."
"Where at?" John asked, sitting up straight, eyes gleaming, "Do you know the location?"
"Not yet, and even when we do, they'll probably already be long gone by the time anyone gets there to check it out." Liz sighed and tapped her fingers on the desk. "It's always that way with them...they show up somewhere, we get a lead...and then they vanish with a couple of dead bodies as the only evidence they've even been around."
"We'll take care of it," Rodney said confidently, shifting as if preparing to leave, "Thank you for your help."
"What? That's it?" Teyla asked, raising her eyebrows.
"Yes, that's it, what more do you want?" Rodney asked, sounding annoyed.
"Well, I don't know, maybe a "we'll fill you in later" or how about a "We'd love to work with you on this case more often since it seems like they may stick around"."
"Yes, I thought this was going to be an exchange of information," Liz said archly.
"Well, from what you've said, we don't have much time to waste on trivial matters. Of course, once we've got our monsters, then we'll give you whatever you need."
Rodney shot John an irritated look, but Teyla smiled thankfully at him.
"Of course. Then we'll be seeing you soon?"
"No." Rodney said acerbically.
John returned Rodney's irritated look. "Just ignore my partner here, he hasn't had his coffee today."
"You're the one who said we couldn't stop at Starbucks." He retorted angrily. "So maybe we should go now, get coffee, and finish this job?"
"Fine," John said, waving his hand impatiently, "Let's get going. Nice meeting you ladies, and we'll be seeing you." He rose to his feet and began walking out."
"Good luck," Teyla said, standing and waiting for them to leave.
Rodney nodded to the two, then stalked after John. They had work to do.
Liz watched them leave and then sat down at her own desk, blowing air out through her lips. "I hate slayers," she muttered.
XXX-XXX
"Movie, movie." Avani chanted, leaping over the back of the couch and plopping down next to Niki, grabbing the remote and her food as she did so. "And Chinese! What better combination is there?"
"Oh I dunno, maybe popcorn?" Aiden said as he sat down on the other side of Niki with his own food in his lap.
Niki wrinkled her nose. "I like popcorn, but not in the theater...because I always get thirsty, and then I have to go pee..." She blinked. "Sorry, did I say that out loud?"
Avani laughed and grabbed her fork. "Aiden, turn off that light please?" She hit play and set it down, settling back. "You know the best part of this movie is when the students have to leave the mansion and you get to see their powers."
Aiden reached over and turned off the lamp before settling back to watching the movie. "My favorite part is the woman Wolverine."
"I like all parts Hugh Jackman," Niki asserted before putting her finger to her lips, "Now hush, so I can watch."
"Rowr," Avani replied with a grin, then stuck chicken in her mouth to silence herself as Wolverine walked in the snow after the wolf on screen.
Niki sucked in her breath as she watched the movie. She'd seen it only once in the Theater, but had wanted to see it again.
Before long, Avani had begun throwing pieces of paper from her straw wrapped at Aiden from across the room, over Niki's head. She always hit him, whether it was where she had aimed or not.
"Okay, that's it," Aiden called out, "this means war!" He took his own straw, pieced up some paper, put it in his mouth then put it in the end of his straw, then blew. It hit Niki on the cheek and stuck there. "Heheh oops..."
Niki growled low in her throat. "You two are sooo immature," she said, then proceeded to slide down so she was sitting on the floor.
Avani grinned, then grimaced at Aiden. "That's sick."
"What? They stick better if they're wet."
Niki groaned. "Why? Why do I even try to watch a movie with you two around?"
XXX-XXX
Viktor stood at the window, one finger spreading a section of the blinds so that he could see out. He was feeling a little dizzy, but could wait a little longer before he had to eat. An hour or so maybe. Shaking his head he stopped staring out the window and returned his attention to the room. So far he had found nothing in the books he'd been perusing about any deserts, red or otherwise. "How is your research coming," he asked Carson.
"Nah so good. "Red desert" was used once t' refer t' Mars, but Ah don't think th' worm ya killed earlier meant we needed t' hop th' next rocket out of here t' find it," he said, looking up and studying his friend's face. "Ya look peckish. Ah keep tellin' ya I'll go buy pigs blood so you'll stop killin' th' mortals..."
"It's not the same," Viktor said softly, "I would need ten times as much to keep me...satisfied...and I would have to eat more often."
Carson sighed, but nodded. "Right. Sorry. So tell me again why it can't be like that show, "Angel"? Then again, tha' would make ya without a soul so... maybe it's better this way."
"Because it is fictional?" Viktor asked, with raised eyebrow. Then he smiled slightly.
Carson smiled back, looking back at his book. "If ya need t' go get a drink, Ah do nah mind sittin' by myself for a time."
He stared at him for a minute and then shrugged. "All right. I'll return shortly."
"Careful for slayers. We don't know this town well enough to be safe and any face could be a bad one."
"I am always careful," Viktor remarked, before giving another small smile, "but I take your warning well." He walked towards the door, pulling his collar up as he went and stepped outside.
XXX-XXX
Rodney watched the motel from the shadow of the parking lot with narrowed eyes. They had to be in there still; the innkeeper had told them so.
John, in the room next to the one the two had supposedly booked, fidgeted with the earpiece to the radio. Damn thing had never been the same after that last werewolf had nearly taken his head off...thank god it had missed totally. "Any signs of activity yet?" he asked his partner, "Because I can't hear a damn thing in there."
"No. Nothing. Wait..." He said softly, noting a subtle shift behind the blinds, "I think someone's moving..."
"Gotcha," John murmured. "I heard the door open...did they both come out or just one?"
"Just one. The vampire maybe, for a little late night snack." Rodney sounded disgusted; his parents had been killed by a vampire, which was why he had become a slayer in the first place.
"Damn," he muttered, "I don't want to split up...look, let him go, and we'll concentrate on the other." He was disgusted himself, but kept his feelings to himself. Slaying was in his blood If they're split up it'll be easier to take them.
Viktor continued walking down the path, every sense at the alert. He had suddenly sensed danger, but couldn't tell where it was coming from...or if it was just his imagination. Still, his gut instinct hadn't failed him before. He paused and raised his hand as though checking a non-existant watch, then turned back around walked casually back to the motel, as though he had forgotten something and was just going back to get it. "I suggest we get out of here now," he said quietly, "I don't like the feel of this place now."
Carson flipped through the book, then paused and sniffed the air. Human was there, as usual, but it was tinted with... something else... "Ah smell Slayer," he said in a low growl, feeling his hands wanting to change as he stood.
"Damn," Viktor muttered, brow creasing in a frown, "They've not been this close in a while. Let's go." He strode back over to the door. "In the open, we're not as easy a target."
"Do nah provoke Fate," Carson counseled, gathering what books he might need and sticking them into the large pockets of his coat, "Ah'm ready."
"Then let's go." He opened the door and sprinted outside, keeping to the shadows as best as he could.
Rodney watched the room closely. "Why do you think he went back?"
"Forgot his napkin?" John asked, "Who knows...look let's get in there now while we've still got the chance." He made as if to move towards the door."
"Wait!" Rodney hissed, "They're moving again."
"Damn it, McKay!" John hissed back, "we might not get another chance at this! You do know how much they're worth, right? As much as slaying the damn things are so much fun, we're doing this to pay the rent too."
"No shit, Sherlock," Rodney hissed back, then watched the blur move, "Shit. Let's go!" He exclaimed, quickly moving along the shadows after the blur himself.
Carson moved along behind Viktor a bit more slowly, sniffing the air for the scent periodically. "Following," he said softly.
"Fuck!" John muttered and ran out of the room to follow as well.
Viktor changed his course abruptly, angling towards a more populated area.
Rodney was running at full-tilt, still having trouble keeping the immortals in sight. He didn't have generations of Slayer blood in him like John, but he had something to have actually been accepted as one. "Looks like they're heading for the center of the city! They want to lose us in the late night crowds!"
John took out a small crossbow and fitted it with a silver tipped arrow as he ran, then raised it and fired, cursing when it missed its target and embedded in a tree instead. He quickly fit another arrow and fired again, this one hitting one of them in the arm...and then he tripped over a rock of all things. "Crap! Mckay, get them!"
Viktor hissed as pain lanced up his arm, but he kept running, dodging between people as the crowd began to grow.
Carson- also sucebtible to silver as one of a werewolves' few weaknesses- hurried so he was right behind his friend. "There's a safe house near-by. Take the next right-hand alley and head to the roof."
Viktor nodded and broke off to the right before climbing quickly up the fire escape. Not for the first time he wished the myth of vampires being able to turn into bats wasn't just that...a myth.
Rodney fairly flew after them, pulling out a pistol with 6 rounds of silver bullets. If he could just get them in range...He cursed and raised the gun; this would have to do. He fired off three rounds, missing as Carson began climbing the wall beside the fire escape as easily as if it were the ladder Viktor was using. "Fuck!" He stopped and aimed, firing again.
Hearing the shots coming, he quickly manuevered away from them and leapt over the roof's edge. "Come on, Vik!"
Viktor was breathing hard as his arm began going numb, but he made it to the top and pulled himself over just as one of the bullets hit the edge, bouncing off. "Damn! They're good." He couldn't keep the tone of admiration from his voice.
John limped over to his partner, crossbow loaded and looked up. "Don't waste your ammo...let's go after them..." He walked over to the fire escape and pulled himself up to the first landing and then sat down. "Crap, on second thought we just screwed up."
"How so?" Rodney asked as he panted for breath, still on the ground- he wasn't climbing any more than he had to.
"Because they're getting away," John growled.
Rodney sighed and looked up, then began climbing. "Maybe we can get a grasp on where they're heading so we at least have a clue."
"And maybe we'll get lucky and they'll remain in town for a while after this," John muttered, then began climbing again, "I can't believe...we had them...and then...argh!"
"Right; think positive. I'm the optomistic cynic, you're just the optomist," he panted out as he reached the roof, then looked all around as he moved further on. "There," he said, pointing at the distant figures.
"Oookay." John let out a long breath. "Can you get a make on them? I'm afraid I don't have enough range."
"Sure." He squinted, "Somewhere down by East Street about and- there they go," he said as Carson fell out of sight, "Now we have a general area to look in."
"Great!" he said, "let's go after them." He began climbing back down the ladder, and practically fell off. "Fuck, I trip over one stupid rock and can't do anything else right!"
Rodney sighed and reached down to pull John back up. "My guess is you sprained something. Let's leave them for tonight; I don't think they got what they came here for, which means we'll have another chance to get them. For now my main concern is my partner. Let's get you home."
He sighed, then acquiesced. "All right, let's go," he limped beside him. "I just hope you're right."
"Who? Me? Never better. Let's go." He said as he led John to the door of the roof so they could take the stairs down
"Come on," Carson said, "It's this way." And he took off over the roofs with agility aided by the nearing of the full moon.
Viktor followed at a slightly slower pace, his wound and having gone without blood for nearly a week beginning to take its toll.
Carson slid to a stop, looking back at Vik, then headed back to his friend. "Ah'll get us there faster if you'll allow."
He nodded. "Yes...they'll probably be following."
Carson scooped up his light friend with ease and began making his way across the rooftops. "Honestly Vik, you need t' gain some weight. Ya feel like ya're dead!" he teased.
"Very amusing," he muttered faintly.
Carson chuckled in that rumbling way of his. "Just a little further and ya can rest at ease as we remove tha' arrow from your arm."
Carson carefully entered the dark room, a few electric lights no where near UV intensity being the lighting along with some candles in holders along the wall, causing conversation to basically stop with the new arrival. "Ah need a room where Ah can tend t' my partner."
The bartender put the glass down and walked out from behind the bar. "This way." Conversation stayed stilled while the two were in the room- respect for their injured brother- "Let me know if you need anything." Then began as the bartender let them in the back room and closed the door behind him.
(tbc…)