PART FIVE

Los Angeles, around 4am.

The door to her apartment swung slowly open and Kate Lochley stood resting her head against the doorframe for a couple of minutes before entering her small one bedroom abode. Dropping her jacket over a worn overstuffed chair as she walked, Kate tried to process the night's events in her head. Something wasn't right, she knew that at least, and she just didn't mean the robbery at the museum either. She was thinking about Doctor Alyce Hunter and her mind drifted back to several hours earlier.

"Doctor Hunter?" Kate knocked a couple times on the door. She heard a muffled voice say come in. "Doctor I'm sorry to…" She stopped when she saw that Dr. Hunter was on the phone. Alyce Hunter was about her age, Kate had guessed, and roughly the same size. She had short-cropped brownish-black hair and the most amazingly green eyes she'd ever seen.

Alyce Hunter nodded to her. "I'm not entirely certain I'll have to check on that… That's my thought as well, but we can get into that more when I see you… Yes that's right… Goodnight." Alyce smiled brightly at Kate. "Sorry about that. That was one of our patrons who was understandably disturbed by tonight's events." She extended her hand. "Alyce Hunter."

"Detective Lochley, Special Investigations." Kate said as she took the woman's hand.

Alyce smiled again. "Captain O'Connell said that you'd want to speak to me."

"Sorry to keep you here so late Dr. Hunter but I need get your version of what happened earlier tonight while it's still fresh in your mind."

Alyce moved several large books from a chair in front of her desk and motioned for her to sit. "Don't apologize Detective Lochley. I'm usually not out of here until around five or six anyway and please call me Alyce."

"Kate." She took out her notepad. "So why were you here so late this evening?"

"I'm the head of the acquisitions department. I've been cataloging a collection of pre-Colombian pottery that had recently come into our possession."

"Can you tell me what happened?"

"Like I said I was working when I heard the alarm go off and I ran to see what had happened. For a moment I thought that one of the exhibits had perhaps fallen, but when I got to the display room I saw poor George lying on the floor and one of the exhibit cases smashed."

"You didn't see anyone exiting the room?"

"No."

"What can you tell me about the item that was taken?"

"To be honest not much. It's called the 'Blade of Rhamon' and was made during the Middle Ages but beyond that information about it seems to be sorely lacking."

"Any reason why someone would kill to steal it?"

"None. As I'm sure you observed there were far more valuable pieces in the collection that one would suppose a thief would have taken first. I can't honestly say why someone would want it." She paused a moment before continuing. "Unless of course they heard the stories about it."

"Stories?" Kate asked.

"It seems according to legend the Blade of Rhamon is supposed to possess supernatural power." Alyce laughed slightly. "If you believe that sort of thing."

Kate smiled with her. "Well I won't keep you any longer." She said as she rose. "If you could come down to tomorrow we'll take your formal statement then."

"Of course." Alyce said as she rose with Kate. "Will around 8 pm present a problem? As I said I don't usually get out of here until sunrise and during the day I'm dead to the world."

"That'll be fine. I'm something of a night person myself." Kate reached over to shake Alyce's hand again. "Goodnight Dr. Hunter."

"Goodnight Detective."

As Kate was walking out she suddenly turned around. "Doctor Hunter where did you say you were when the alarm went off?"

Alyce looked up from her desk. "I was here in my office working. Why?"

Kate just smiled at her. "Goodnight Doctor."

Supernatural power Kate thought to herself. That could be enough of a reason for a vampire to want it. But what kind of power? A couple of hours net surfing back at the station had given her a headache and little else. She looked over at the clock on the table next to her and reached for the phone.

London.

"I think you'll agree that last week's unfortunate incident proves that we must have some sort of coordination between us. More tea?"

Rupert Giles was sitting at the head of a very large conference table in the newly constructed headquarters of the International Council of Slayers and Watchers. He pressed a button on the table and instructed his assistant to bring in another pot of tea. His guest seated on his right was an old friend.

Sir James Houston was a couple of years older than Giles with salt and pepper hair. Sir James was the head of the Luna Foundation, an international organization remarkably similar to the Council in a great many ways. The Legacy as it was called was almost as old as the Council itself, possibly older, and dedicated to protecting the human race from the threats posed by supernatural evil.

The Legacy and the Council, along with a third group, were once allied together, but while the old Council primarily relied on the Slayer to battle evil, the Legacy and it's people were on the front lines themselves. This caused some enmity between them and many in the Legacy disagreed with the way the Council handled its Slayers. They were appalled at the rate in which the lives of many of those young girls were sacrificed, many in their first year and voiced those concerns. It all came to head over a hundred years ago with the needless death of a Slayer named Amelia Wainwright and that created a schism that broke whatever alliances existed between the groups and created a divide that remained until the old Council's destruction. Now Sir James was sitting with Rupert Giles, his old friend from his days at Oxford trying to rebuild the trust that was lost a century ago.

Giles' assistant returned with a fresh pot of tea and Giles poured James a cup. "How is Mr. Darling by the way?"

James almost laughed. "He's got a broken arm and a rather nice black eye, but I think his pride took the worst of it."

"Yes well, I've spoken to Kennedy about keeping her temper under control." On more than one occasion he muttered under his breath. "With the all of the new Slayers out there and their Watchers taking a more active role in the fight situations like this are going to occur again. We cannot keep stumbling over each other like this."

"I agree Rupert." Sir James said sipping his tea. "This time it was a broken arm and a black eye. The next time…" Even though he didn't finish the thought Giles understood what he meant and nodded in agreement. "At the very least we need to have some sort of liaison. Someone from each group assigned to the other who can facilitate any request for help or aid."

"And more importantly to give us suitable warning when our lines inquiry intersect." Giles added. He was about to continue when the intercom buzzed. "I thought I said I didn't want to be interrupted Bonnie."

"I'm sorry Mr. Giles but you have a call from Los Angeles, California. Kate Lochley is asking to speak to you."

Giles looked at his watch. It must be almost morning in California. He looked over at Sir James. "I'm terribly sorry, do you mind?"

"Not at all." Sir James continued to sip his tea.

"Put her on please Bonnie." It took several seconds to patch Kate through. "Kate good morning… I'm fine and everyone is well… No Kate its no bother…" Sir James saw the expression on Giles' change. "What was that again?" He grabbed his pen. "Could you spell it for me? R-H-A-… the Blade of Rhamond... No I can't say that I've ever heard of it… Yes I agree I think it does warrant some looking into... I'll have Dawn and the research department get on it right away… Dawn should have something in a day or so… There's no need to apologize Kate if you need our assistance all you have to do is ask… No I'm afraid there's been no word… Goodbye." Giles hung up the phone. "Sorry."

"What was that about if you don't mind my asking?"

"That was Kate Lochley, a police detective from Los Angeles she's helped us out on several occasions. There was an incident at the Natural History Museum last night. A guard was killed and one of the exhibits stolen apparently by a vampire."

"What exhibit?"

"Something called the 'Blade of Rhamond'."

"I don't believe I've heard of it."

"Nor have I, but it must have some kind of significance if a vampire wanted to steal it."

Giles was in thought when Sir James rose from his chair. "I hate to leave things up the air." He said looking at his watch. "But I'm afraid I have a meeting at the Ministry of Magic."

Giles nodded and he could tell Sir James was not all that enthused about the meeting and Giles couldn't blame him. The pompousness and superiority that most in the Wizarding World exhibited and the fact the pervasive prejudice they seemed to have against all non-magical peoples made dealings with them difficult. That was one of the many reasons the Old Council broke off official contact with them.

"You have my sympathy."

Sir James laughed. "How did your visit to Hogwart's go?"

Giles should've been surprised that he knew about his and Willow's trip to Hogwart's, but with the resources at Sir James' disposal he probably knew about it the moment they arrived.

"It went rather well I think. We weren't able to meet with Headmaster Dumbledore, the Deputy Headmistress gave us a tour and listened to our proposal. Although to be honest I don't think we'll be getting many seventh years applying to the Council if past experiences mean anything."

"Why did you go then?"

"It was Willow's idea."

Sir James merely nodded. He had met Willow Rosenberg on several occasions and understood that no further explanation was needed. "You might be surprised Rupert. The Legacy has had a few Gryffindors and Ravenclaws over the years."

They had walked together to the reception area and stopped at the receptionist's desk.

"Thank you for coming James. And as for that liaison idea I might have someone who'd be perfect for it."

"I have someone in mind as well." Sir James said smiling. "We can sort out the details at our next meeting. I'll instruct some of my people do some research on that Blade of Rhamond thing as well and send you whatever they find."

"That's very kind of you James."

"You said you wanted to start coordinating our efforts, no time like the present to start."

Sir James and Giles shook hands and the same Slayer who had escorted him in escorted Sir James out. Giles looked over at his assistant. "Bonnie I need you to find Dawn Summers."

The Leaky Cauldron, around the same time.

The door to the pub creaked open and in walked two young women.

"I can't believe you're letting get away with dissing you like this." Dawn Summers said just loud enough for everyone in the pub to look in their direction.

She was wearing very tight hip hugger jeans and a matching jacket over a tank top with the word 'Nibblet' emblazoned on the chest that showed enough midriff to highlight the small silver cross dangling from her new navel ring. Buffy is so going to kill Cassidy when she finds out Willow thought to herself.

"Stare much?" She said noticing the looks she was getting. Everyone went back to what they were doing but still kept a watch on the newcomers out of the corners of their eyes.

Dawn continued. "So you guys aren't dating anymore she still could suck it up and been civil. I mean it's bad enough that she dumps you, but treat you like you don't exist."

Willow snapped at her. "Dawnie!"

Dawn hadn't meant to make her angry and was about to apologize when Willow's cellphone interrupted. The others in the Cauldron looked strangely at them as the theme to the Brady Bunch erupted from Willow's purse. Willow shot Dawn a glare that quickly averted her eyes to the floor.

"Hi Bonnie… Dawn is here with me… Tell Giles will be back in a few hours…."

While Willow was talking the man behind the bar noticed the looks Willow and Dawn were getting. A couple of people in the back, a man and a woman, were already starting to rise from their table and he thought that it might be best if he interceded before something happened.

He had moved from behind the bar and made it over towards them. Willow had just put her phone away when he reached them. "Miss Willow! How nice to see you again!" He said rather loudly while looking at her purse. "I thought those kind of muggle things weren't supposed to work in here."

"Hello Tom." Willow said smiling warmly at him while taking his hand. "And normally they don't. One of my enchantments I hate being out of touch."

Tom glanced around the pub and most seemed to go back to what they were doing although the two in the back were still watching them. "Can I get you ladies a couple of butterbeers?"

"No thank you we're just here to pick up a few things from Diagon Alley."

"Well if you change your mind I'll have a couple on the house waiting for you when you get done." Tom said as he walked back to the bar.

Willow and Dawn walked through the pub and out into the alleyway behind it. Dawn looked around confused. "We're going shopping in an alley."

"Just wait." Willow said.

Dawn had never been to Diagon Alley and the look on her face was something Willow had been dying to see. Willow raised her and muttered and incantation. Dawn gasped when the bricks in the wall started turning and moving, rearranging themselves into an archway. Behind the wall was a city street, but not an ordinary street. There were no cars, but it was full of people. A lot of men in billowing robes, women in pointed hats and lots of young people around her age or younger.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley Dawn."

"Cool."

Willow was about to pass under the archway when Dawn put a hand on her arm. "Willow I'm sorry about back there I didn't mean to make you angry. I just don't get why you're letting Kennedy treat you like this."

Willow sighed. "Sweetie there's a lot more to it than just us breaking up. Things hadn't been right since we got back from Rio and they just came to a head and this is Kennedy's way of dealing with it. I understand it." Willow brushed a strand of Dawn's long hair behind her ear. "So I don't need you to go around defending my honor okay?"

Dawn nodded. "Okay." As they made their way into Diagon Alley, Dawn made a confession. "You know I never really that she was right for you. She just seemed way too bossy. And don't even get me started on her clothes. I mean does the woman even own a dress?" Willow groaned and walked several steps ahead of her. "What?"

Unknown to either Willow or Dawn the man and the woman who were watching them in the Cauldron had followed them outside. As Willow and Dawn started down the street the man spoke to his companion.

"Follow them."

More to come…