His back hit hard against the thick cement of a crypt. He could feel some of the cement crack with age at the impact His body winced in pain. The cammo clad man looked up and opened his eyes in time to see an oncoming fury of fangs, drool, and blood. Weaponless, the well trained man looked around for some asset to counteract the monster's attack.
Normally these demons are easily capable of blending with the human population. But when they feed or get angry, and fight they're appearance changes into monsters. Their eyes turn yellow and forehead forms grotesque bumps. They are the vampires.
The monster's yellow eyes glowed as it swung at the commando's crew cut head. He ducked and put his shoulder into the vampire pushing him back much like a football player, until he hit a tombstone. The vampire screamed in pain, while the man held him there. He could hear flesh sizzle and feel heat starting to form. The commando released his hold and backs away as the demon bursts into flame before quickly becoming a pile of ash. The soilder stopped and leaned on the cross shaped tombstone he has held the creature against, while he caught his breath. Dangling from his neck were dog tags that read 'Miller, Graham' followed by a serial number.
Graham looked around and noticed the artifact he was trying to protect was gone. He needed help to get it back before it found its way to Toronto based hellmouth.
Morning broke, Agent Linnel moved slowly into his office. His body ached and moaned from battles of the past. He'd easily passed up Jackie Chan, with the number of bones he'd had broken over the years. He'd done his best to fight the good fight. Protect people from the demons of the night. He was just a man though. Nothing special. Well he could possibly hold the world record for percentage of scar tissue.
He knew he could keep this up for much longer. The combination of age, and injuries has slowed him down. Only a matter of time before he'd face defeat at the hands of some demon either going after a helpless victim in an alley or trying to wipe half of Canada off the map. He needed Faith. He needed her help. He just needed for her to understand and to trust him.
Annette was already in his office, standing attentively at his desk waiting for him with a pile of folders held comfortably in her arms. This was no surprise. He wondered how early she woke up in the morning to arrive before him everyday. The unusual part was the hint of a smile across her lips.
Linnel sat down behind his desk and took some painkiller from his desk with a glass of water that always seemed to find it way on to his desk every morning. Annette stood at the corner of the desk, opened the first folder and started their morning meeting.
"There's an American who needs help tracking down a demon. I made you an appointment with him this afternoon," Annette stated as if it was a common everyday thing as she handed him the folder on that meeting.
Linnel flipped through the folder, skimming the material, "I think is something Faith can handle. Make sure she attends."
Annette makes a face at this assumption that she would be responsible for that little…
"About Faith, sir," The tall blonde started, but seemed to change what she was going to say when Linnel looked up to her. "er…She tried to escape last night and set off her bracelet."
Linnel kinda smirked amused, "I kinda figured she would. I'll go down to her room and get her."
Annette looked uncharacteristically nervous. "She's not in her room sir. She's on the 3rd floor."
Linnel's face turned deadly serious, "What? I thought we agreed we were NOT going to do that to her! It was just supposed to make her go back to her room, and that was IT!"
Annette took a sheepish step back and stammered for words. Linnel looked as if condemn her more, but didn't have the time.
"I need to get her" he finally simply muttered and left the room.
Light shone in through the lobby windows of Ryland Telecommunications. The lobby had several chairs lined up along the side, and a large Ryland logo up on the back wall. Underneath the company logo sat a large reception desk with a brown haired girl behind it filing some papers. Her hair was perfectly pulled back into a bun, her brown eyes hidden behind a pair of chunky eyeglasses.
She was dress very professionally in a pantsuit as she got up and crossed the room to pick up the mail for her boss and sort it accordingly. She was interrupted when the phone rang. She smiled and answered with a happy voice.
"Ryland Telecommunications. My name is Faith. How may I direct your call?"
Faith concluded the phone call and transferred the line to the desired party. She was about to continue with the mail when two people entered the lobby. One was a man, in his thirties who looked like he just got out of being in an action film, and behind him was a tall blonde who was reluctantly following him.
"Welcome to Ryland Telecommunications. How may I help you? Do you have an appointment?" Faith looked up to the duo and smiled.
The man sternly looked over the woman beside him, "Stop it, Annette."
"But I still-" Annette contradicted.
"Stop it." Linnel made his final say on the matter.
"Fine" Annette took out a small remote and clicked a green button. The red glow from the bracelet faded, as did Faith's smile.
Faith looked around the room confused; then took stock of her self. Perplexed as to why she was wearing glasses. She could at least figure that her current state had something to do with the fact the last thing she remembered was the bracelet flashing. In spite of the rage piling up with in her looking for anyway out, she voiced her complaint as calming as possible, or she figured she'd go back into the mental blackness she was in before.
"Why am I dressed up as Lucy the Librarian again?" Faith said as she removed the glasses with a voice that was soft but clearly got across the point that if she could, she'd rip their spines out through their throats.
"Faith, it's an accident," Linnel tried to apologize for the events that had transpired. Annette remaining behind him looked much less then the least bit regretful about anything that happened to Faith.
"Accident?" Faith said standing up, losing her composure, "No, an accident is misplacing luggage, maybe dropping a gun and having it go off. Look at me! This isn't an accident! Making me black out for hours then waking up in odd places in different clothes, and dressing me up as things, is not an accident! Who knows what else you did to me. Where are we now? China? Maybe next you'll dress me up as some catholic school girl? That fulfill your Canadian fantasies!"
"Faith, Faith, please," Linnel tried to say in a calm, disarming fasion. "Can you calm down enough to let me explain?"
"You damn well better explain," The furious slayer shot back, "or bracelet or not, I'll turn the both of you inside out."
Annette quickly reached for the remote again in fear of the brunette. Linnel could hear her rummaging for it in her purse and glared back to stop her from hitting the button to reactivate it. Annette was stunned. He'd never been mad at her before. It was all because of this annoyance, this girl. She knew she should have programmed Faith to be bimbo.
"Faith, have a seat please." Linnel asked Faith in a calming voice. Faith sat back down behind the desk, staying tense, just in case. Linnel pulled over one of the chairs from the wall, while Annette stood in front, quite annoyed. The agent sat in before Faith and took her hands. She found his touch oddly calming. She could feel he was sincere.
"This is our TRU, Tracking and Retrieval Unit. It's designed mostly for when we are required to work with someone that is a potential hazard, untrustworthy, or has had a…colorful track record. Both governments are requiring you to wear this as part of the deal for you to be here," He sighed and looked up at Faith with his grayish blue eyes, "I can tell I'm already not winning points here."
Linnel turned the bracelet to show the red light that was built into the silver circle before continuing, "How it works is that we can set in certain rules in the band. If the wearer, you, breaks those rules, or it is set off from the main receiver, a spell is activated. Yours was only supposed to make you return to your quarters. Someone, accidentally set it up the spell block you out and make you think you are the receptionist at Ryland Telecommunications. It's our dummy company so people don't know we're here."
Faith looked down and tried to take a calming breath, "Ok, I get the leash. I do. I'm not exactly the model of all that is good and clean and the Canadian way. But can we change the spell so I'm not going all Nerdy Nancy if I'm a few seconds late for curfew?"
"You see Faith," Linnel started. She could already tell this wasn't going to be good. "We can't change the magic on the bracelet, but we can order a new one. It will take a few weeks before we would receive it."
Faith was already thinking prison was better then this. But maybe she deserved it. She was still extreamly agitated, but couldn't really do anything about it at present.
"Faith," Linnel said trying to get her to look up at him again. "Faith?"
Faith stayed still. Looking down, and almost trembling, in either anger or fear of losing her self to some spell. She wasn't even sure.
"I think you broke her" The tall blonde stated in the moment of silence.
"Annette, get out!" snapped the agent briefly taking his attention away from the troubled slayer.
With a look and a huff the French-Canadian turned on her heals and left the room.
The black haired agent turned his attention back to the girl. He didn't know what to say right away and few moments were lost in an awkward silence. Ultimately he came out and told her what he had to tell her straight, from what he read she was not a person that liked things sugar coated, with the exception of breakfast cereals.
"Faith, we have someone coming in this afternoon that needs help tracking down a demon.. I would like for you to be there in the meeting and go out in the field and help with the hunt" Agent Linnel explained as nicely as he could.
Faith raised her head with a spiteful look, "Gee that almost sounds like a request. That mean I have a choice in the matter?" Raising her wrist bringing attention to the device.
"This isn't how I wanted things to go," Linnel stood from his chair slowly, "You can go to your quarters, change into what ever is comfortable. The formal business dress code is only for officers, and well..." trailing off before mentioning receptionists and secretaries. "We took a guess and have a range of items in your closet. Make a list of personal items, clothing you might need and we will see about getting that for you with in a few days. In the mean time you'll have to make due"
The agent adjusted his coat and made for the door, "Annette will come for you when it's time."
"Hey! Question before you go," Faith rose to stop Linnel before he left. "Where the hell is my room? I've only been there in brainwashed mode."