CHAPTER TWO
Bethany leaned against the outer wall of the Red Dragon Inn, her arms crossed and her hat low over her eyes. She was half asleep. The youth wasn't much of a morning person. It was two till seven and Mori was nowhere to be seen. Beth thought that maybe she had changed her mind about traveling together. It was a possibility, but she wouldn't think about that till the last stroke of seven.
The clock tower began to toll the hour.
Bong!
No Mori.
Bong!
Still no Mori. Perhaps she really had changed her mind.
Bong!
Bethany couldn't blame her for not showing up. Again, no Mori.
Bong!
Time was almost up. Nevertheless, there was no Mori in sight.
Bong!
Mori had two more bongs to miraculously show up.
Bong!
She wasn't coming.
Bong!
"Morning sunshine."
Bethany jumped about a mile high when Mori was less than a foot away from her. How did she do that? The youth didn't even hear her!
"Where did you come from?" Beth asked.
"Around the corner." Mori replied.
"You have a talent for sneaking around, you know that?"
"Yes. It's what I'm good at." Mori answered. "We'd best hurry. The train leaves in half an hour."
The train ride was long and boring, so Mori read her book. Bethany, after having slept a few extra hours, decided to try and strike up a conversation. It hadn't worked before, but she could try.
"What are you reading?" Beth asked. Mori showed her the cover for a moment and then lowered the book once again. It had read Creatures of the Night.
"So…" Beth said trying to find something to talk about. "How long have you been with the Order?"
"Longer than you." Mori sighed and then turned the page.
"You've been there longer than five years?"
"You've been there since you were eight?" Mori answered with a question.
"After my grandparents died." Beth replied. "Do you know Carl?"
"That's an odd question to ask." Mori replied, her voice flat. Her eyes had never left the page.
"Well, do you?"
Mori sighed sounding aggravated. "Yes."
"I worked with him till I finally qualified for field work." Beth said and continued at Mori's silence. "It's led me to meet some interesting people, field work and Carl."
"Who?"
"Well, I met Van Helsing after Carl electrocuted someone when I was ten. And then there was…"
"You've met Van Helsing?" Mori asked, suddenly showing an interest. Beth just nodded.
"He's definitely a character." Beth said half laughing.
"That's what I've heard." Mori replied.
"So…what kinds of creatures have you gone up against?" Beth asked. Mori shrugged.
"All kinds."
"Like what kinds?"
"Gargoyles, warlocks, werewolves, demons…but the most annoying are vampires." Mori replied.
"You've gone up against vampires?" Beth asked. "The cardinal won't even let me anywhere near a demon, let alone a vampire."
"He will." Mori said returning to her book. "When you're ready."
Beth understood that meant 'stop talking to me'. Bethany took the hint and looked out the window. She was beginning to wonder if she'd ever be ready.
- - - - -
Bethany and Mori arrived at the Vatican on the backs of their horses. The two immediately went to the Cardinal's office to report how their assignments went. He looked up when he heard the door open.
"Hello Mori."
"Cardinal Jinette." Mori replied nodding to him. Bethany then slipped into the room.
"Hello Bethany." He said, a little surprised to see the two together.
"Hi." Was Beth's reply.
"So, how did it go, and (since we are involving Mori) who is dead?" He asked as she placed his hands on his desk.
"A building collapsed on him in flame, so he's been taken care of." Mori replied.
"The werewolf is dead as well." Beth replied. "Mori helped."
"You two have met before?" the Cardinal asked.
"We met in London." The young huntress replied.
"Honestly, you are like a puppy. You follow people everywhere and you won't leave them alone." Mori said crossing her arms and glaring at the girl.
"Van Helsing says I do that a lot." Beth answered.
"Did you two travel together?" the Cardinal asked. He seemed to be getting at something, but the girls didn't know what. Mori just nodded.
"Now if you don't mind," Mori began, sounding a little irritated. "I am going to get some much needed rest."
Mori then turned around and swept out of the room, her black cloak vanishing out the door. The Cardinal was silent for a moment as he looked Bethany over. She had really grown since she arrived when she was eight. Her grandparents had been extremely loyal to the church and left their granddaughter in his care, but only if her father never returned. No one was really certain what happened to him. All they knew was that he just disappeared one night and never returned. Beth had been to young to remember it. On that same note, no one really knew what happened to her mother. Her grandparents always told Beth that her mother had died giving birth. Again, Bethany had been to young to have memories to correct them.
Cardinal Jinette had first met the girl when she was four. One of his agents, Lynn Allan, had found her and brought her in. The Cardinal then located her grandparents because she could remember her mother's name, thank goodness. Coincidentally, they were active members of the church. He then saw her in the crowd every Sunday after that. Her grandmother, Charlotte, had been good friends with the Cardinal in his much younger days. He had been the one to marry Charlotte and her husband, Jean. He knew that they had a daughter, Elise, but she had moved back to France, where her parents grew up.
After Jean and Charlotte had passed away, the Cardinal was shocked to find that they had made him the guardian of their eight year old granddaughter, Bethany. From then on, the child had been giving him grey hairs. Well, if his hair hadn't already been white, Beth would've quickly made it that way. She had been a very curious child and never got along well with a certain older boy, Mikal. To keep her safe and occupied, he made her Carl's apprentice. Well, he wanted her occupied. 'Safe' was something Carl didn't do very well.
"Are you alright?" Bethany asked, cutting into his thoughts. "You've been quiet for a while."
"Yes, I'm fine." He answered. "I'm just a little surprised that Mori left you in one piece. Not many agents have braved working with her."
Beth shrugged. "She's alright. You just have to know when to shut up and how to talk in complete sentences."
Jinette smiled and nodded. "You are dismissed."
Beth nodded to him and then exited the office. The Cardinal leaned back in his chair as he thought. Could things really have worked out this well?
- - - - -
"Will, she's not that bad!" Bethany told her long time friend. They were both hunched over a table of half finished weaponry. Carl was with them. He was far to engrossed in what he was doing to even notice them. The fourteen year old boy looked back at Bethany.
"She has the reputation for being so, Beth." Will replied, his sapphire blue eyes falling on her emerald ones.
"Do you know her?" Beth asked him. Will shook his head, his sandy blonde hair falling onto his eyes again. It was starting to come out of it's ponytail.
"Then you have no room to talk." Beth told him. Will sighed.
"What did you say her name was?" Will asked as she picked up the prototype gun. Bethany picked up another one and the two walked to a testing area.
"Mori." Beth replied. "Her name is Mori."
"Alright then, and you say she's around our age and is handling vampires?" Will asked as he aimed the gun at a dummy. "I don't believe it."
"She's been here longer." Beth said as she watched Will fire the gun. The bullet landed in the shoulder of the straw-stuffed mannequin. The wound then began to ooze out water.
"We thickness right then." Will said.
"Check to see if the barrel is wet." Beth said.
"How…"
Will stopped when Bethany took the gun from his hand and pointed the barrel at the ground. On the floor, drops of water suddenly appeared. The young huntress then raised her eyebrows at the boy.
"Okay, so we don't have it right." He said.
"No." Beth said and handed the gun back to William. "And your aim is off."
"Why don't you do better then?" Will asked.
"Alright, I will." Beth said stepping up to take that challenge. She raised her gun and aimed.
"Don't miss." Will told her as Beth fired the gun, hoping to make her jump. To his surprise, the bullet had landed right where the heart would've been.
"Never do." Beth replied smiling.
The two teenagers then saw a dark figure approaching them. Beth had to smile slightly when she saw them. Who else, besides her, had a hat like that?
"Hi, Van Helsing." Beth told him.
"What havoc are you two reeking?" the seasoned monster hunter asked.
"Just testing some bullets." Will replied.
"Beth, Jinette wants to see you in his office." Van Helsing told her.
"What about?" Beth asked as she handed her gun to Will.
"I don't know. I'm just the messenger." Van Helsing replied.
"See you boys later." Beth said and left them standing there. She walked through the halls to the Cardinal's office. She found the door was closed, so she gently knocked.
"Come in."
Beth opened the door to see Jinette at his desk. In one of the two chairs that were usually empty in front of his desk, sat Mori. Jinette smiled at Beth as she shut the door.
"Sit down, Beth." He suggested. The teenager sat in the empty seat.
"Why do you want us here?" Mori asked. "I was in middle of something."
"There is a demon in Budapest that has to be taken care of." Jinette began. Mori sighed heavily and rolled her eyes. Yet another assignment and she hadn't even been back a full day! This was getting ridiculous!
"A demon?" Beth asked. She had never handled anything other than werewolves. Demons were about three steps above werewolves. Was she even ready for this?
"Yes. He goes by the name of Victor Ridad. He is causing a lot of trouble with his fire. The last place he was seen was Budapest, so I suggest you start there." Jinette finished.
"Why tell both of us this?" Mori demanded.
"Because both of you are going to handle it." The Cardinal replied calmly.
"What?" Beth asked.
"I'm making you two partners." Jinette clarified.
"I don't need a partner." Mori said. "I just need a gun."
Bethany remained silent. A partner? This didn't sound like a good idea.
"It will be good for both of you." Jinette insisted. "Mori, you will get some social interaction, and Bethany, you will get the experience you need."
"What if I don't want any social interaction?" Mori said crossly as she stood up. "Cardinal, with all due respect, you know how I work. I don't need a partner and if she came with me, little Miss Sunshine here would most likely get killed."
"That's why I'm sending her with you." The Cardinal explained. "You are one of the best agents we have, Mori. If anyone can keep her alive, it's you."
"What if I don't want to keep her alive?" Mori demanded.
"Then you will answer to me." Jinette said.
Silence hung in the air for a moment. Mori was glaring evilly at the Cardinal. Beth knew that it was obvious that Mori was not in favor of this plan. She also wasn't sure if she was ready for this. Maybe she should wait a few more years before she even took on a demon. Even with a partner, she wasn't sure if she could do it.
"Jinette," Beth began, breaking the silence that hung in the room. Mori turned to look at the girl. She had been so quiet that the dark girl had almost forgotten that she was in the room still. "If Mori doesn't want me as a partner, then I won't do it."
A shocked silence was the only response from Cardinal Jinette. Mori was surprised as well. This girl was a little smarter than all the others. She was actually respecting what Mori wanted. Mori had to admit that she was alright at fighting. Maybe she could last out in the field. Still, she had along way to go before she got to a demon or vampire assignment on her own. Well, with her there…
"When do we leave?" Mori asked calmly.
"What?" Beth asked turning to her.
"If we are going to kill a demon in Budapest, we have to know when we are going leave." Mori replied.
Bethany just smiled and then turned to the Cardinal.
"And what will we need?"
(A/N: Sorry about the confusion on this one guys. After I proofread it for the millionth time, I realized I still had some things to fix, so I took it off and put it back up again. This time, it's here to stay so enjoy!)