What We Do In The Shadows: "Jen..."
Summary: There are unexpected consequences when Laszlo seeks a new human familiar…
Part XLII…
A stunned Guillermo eyeing the calm-eyed Susan seated next to him, smiling wanly at him.
"Susan? Why would I be lying to you? About what?"
"Gui…This guy the doc came to us in the early am and then hooked up with us for the flight. Now he's not exactly a vampire, he survived daylight in the late afternoon at the airport and I couldn't get a real vamp vibe but there's something about him…"
He frowns at the girl… "So, you came with me to spy on me? What are your orders from Nandor?"
"Gui…" she sighs. "I had no 'orders'. I came to help. I know you're trying to do something about this guy and you didn't want any of us to know. I just…I was afraid you were getting into something dangerous." She shakes head, patting his arm. "I'd never doubt you can handle most things but this looked serious and no one was telling us anything…I couldn't bear it if you got hurt cause no one was around to help."
He regarding her open face…
"I know it's not my place to question the Master but…"
"You think Nandor sent me?"
"I hope he didn't, not without help." She eyes him. "Are you saying you are doing this on your own? Without the Lords and my Lady knowing?"
"They don't know…" he sighs. "This was my idea."
"And this Dr. Acura…How is he connected, Gui? Is he really a friend of your aunt's? Is he dangerous? A threat to our Masters and Lady?" anxious look.
Should I be flattered she was afraid for me? Sad she still thinks I'm doing this for them, 'cause she can't conceive that I might be…An enemy? Embarrassed she didn't think I could handle it?
All of the above?
…
"You wish to know why I've come…Manifested earlier, possessed, for the moment, this lovely young lady…" Van Helsing/Jen smiles at her image in a mirror on the wall.
"Ah, your documentarians…" she eyes the camera crew. "Gentlemen…Ladies…An honor. I trust your work will survive to guide future generations but let me hope it will only be of historical interest to them…"
"Meaning we will be gone…?" Laszlo eyes her.
"The Darkness possessing and tormenting you, yes…I dearly hope so." Jen/Van Helsing nods.
"This young lady is a wife and mother…" Nadja hurriedly notes. "Please don't harm her…Or give her some unique brand of 'help' ala murder with stick or otherwise."
"I've no intention of doing any creature physical harm, Madame Cravensworth." Calm smile. "I am unable to in my current state and have no particular wish to. I will be leaving her quite soon, I promise you. Though if to your credit that you still can show what I see is sincere concern for your minion, I would point out it is you who hold her mind and body in thrall…"
"Well, technically…" Laszlo speaks up…
Wait, is she/he checking Nadja out?
He/she is …Glare.
"Yes, you are the one who enthralled this poor girl…Though as much a victim yourself, Laszlo Cravensworth." Jen/Van Helsing smiled at him.
"And apparently one worthy of intercession by one who…"
"It's about me…" Nadja, forlornly. "Laszlo's soul in the mirror, crying out to be free of me…He hates me. This is the Truth. This is why you are here."
"Lady wife…Dearest…" Laszlo sighs.
"Herr Doctor, you must abandon these efforts…" Erika speaks up from her seat. "We didn't call upon your aid, we are devoted to our friends…"
"My dear child…" Van Helsing/Jennifer sighs with wry smile at her. "You're gone in the head from thrall and don't know what you're saying. And you, and your companions, did indeed call upon my aid. Though it was your 'friends'…The souls of these evil-possessed wretches…"
"Jennifer, really?" Laszlo, hurt tone.
"My apologies…But there is little other way to describe the demons possessing you." She/he shrugs.
"We know what we want, Jen…Dr. Van Helsing…" Ginny insists. "We've never been happier."
"That is doubtless true, dear one." Jen/Van Helsing eyes her. "The happiness and really, ecstasy of the craven addict. It's a powerful draw…So much so even those freed of the curse in the various ways accomplished can never free themselves completely of that occasional longing to return. The happiness of the slave who need not trouble herself about thought or responsibility, merely obey."
"To Hell wid you!" Jacqueline cries, rising… "I never trusted ya, you bitch! I was gonna fire yer ass asap! Spyin' for…" she vaguely looked round. "Gin's ma sister now…Yeah."
Ginny eyeing her…
Uh-huh…Right till the Mistress declares open season…
"Careful with her, poor child." Van Helsing/Jen urges. Carefully placating wave of hand to Jackie who eyes her narrowly again.
"Ms. Williams, please. Leave this to us." Nandor orders. "All will be well."
She eyes him briefly…
Ok…Nodding and sitting down…
"You say you intend no 'physical' harm…" Nadja addresses Jen/Van Helsing. "Meaning you do intend us 'evil-possessed wretches' some form of harm, on the Other Worldly plane."
"Oooh, a battle in the Ether…" Nandor considers.
"I…Myself…Will do no 'battle'. I am here, in fact, to prepare you for your fate." Surprisingly warm smile for Van Helsing at least…
"Our time is nigh, that sort of thing, right?" Laszlo asks.
"Exactly…" nod.
"Seems a bit cruel…Gloating…If you ask me. No offense intended."
"Perhaps, from your demon's point of view. But that demon has made thousands suffer." Van Helsing/Jen notes.
"Really? Now that's a bit unfair…" Laszlo, frowning. "I do my best to always make my victims fairly comfortable."
"Apart from those killed or maimed for life, there is also the suffering of those left behind, Mr. Cravensworth. The loved ones and beloveds of your victims. Though in a few cases…" Jen/Van Helsing eyes him reprovingly.
"Well…They were nasty people." Laszlo frown.
"That doesn't matter. We want you to go…Be gone!" Ginny waves arms at Jen.
"Virginia, please…" Nadja sighs.
"Just what do you intend, Doctor?" Nandor speaks up. "Will you kill us through our own minions?"
"Grab her! She's got a stake!" Jacqueline rose vaguely in her chair, waving arms at Jen.
"Not at all…My poor child…" Van Helsing/Jen holding hands outstretched. "Your Masters and Mistress have nothing to fear from me except what I herald…"
"We should all kill ourselves right now…I mean we humans" Ginny hisses to Nadja. "She's plotting to use us to kill you!"
"No, don't do that, Ginny!" Nadja insists.
"It would be foolish…" Jen/Van Helsing shakes head. "You ladies are not my instruments and would not be even if I could take you from your controllers."
"Does that mean…? Another Slayer is coming?" Nadja, anxiously.
"Indeed…Another is coming to free themselves and you from the Darkness…"
"Indeed? Any chance of a name, in the name of sportsmanship?" Laszlo. "If it's the Cicely, we'd treat her with the utmost respect by avoiding her like the plague, if you could possibly…?"
"This is a holy calling, Master Cravensworth." Van Helsing/Jen. "I'm afraid such rules of conduct cannot apply here."
"Self-righteousness, Doctor?" Laszlo frowns. "I need not point out the unhappy results of merging church and state in the past."
"So whoever is coming is intent on destroying us…Our 'evil-possessed wretches' side? Correct?" Nandor asks.
"Rescuing or reclaiming you, some would call it." Jen/Van Helsing notes.
"Well…They and you would find us the formidable foes." Nandor, proudly.
"Damned straight! All of us!" Ginny cries. Erika agreeing stoutly, Jacqueline rather feebly.
"Should we kill her now, Master?" Erika asks Nandor. "Then the rest of us, like Ginny says, just in case he should be lying?"
"No, no. I believe the Doctor and Jennifer speak the truth, Erika." Nandor waves a hand.
"You would, if you could, only harm a vessel and a friend of yours." Van Helsing/Jen shrugs. "But, just as you, pitiful victims, can now summon all your bodily strength…Hmmn…Adrenalin, yes, she says…Quite right, child…" apologetic look. "Sorry, Jennifer wished to contribute…As you can summon great strength in your Overlords' service, so can this young lady." He/she indicates herself.
Is he checking her out? Nadja eyeing Jen eyeing herself in mirror.
I thought he was religious moral zealot…
"Lovely thing…You're lucky, Mr. Cravensworth to have been so loved and capable of inspiring love…" Jen/Van Helsing smiles at him.
What? What is that supposed to mean? Nadja, glaring now.
"Laszlo, you and Jennifer swore…" she hisses to him, furious.
"Dearest…" He put up hands. "We did. And you know we…Didn't."
"He's quite right, Lady Cravensworth." Van Helsing/Jen smiles at her. "He is faithful to you in his demonic and even his human fashion…"
"Yes, yes…All very fine…" Nandor cuts in, a bit frustrated. "But if you truly mean us no physical harm can we not negotiate? Surely, as creatures of the Night and Shadows, our record is not so bad as many…"
"It is remarkable…In many ways…" Jen/Van Helsing beams. "Though not without considerable harm in its times…"
"They're not really…" Ginny, hesitant… "I mean they don't like to do harm…They've never harmed us or our families…"
Yet…Phew…Laszlo thinks.
"You are slaves, condemned to a life of slavery, perhaps even eternal life if they should take it into their heads to turn you…Ginny." Van Helsing/Jen, with a bit of effort to remember at end.
"We're all slaves in some way…" Erika tries.
"Pap, dear." Jen/Van Helsing frowns. "What is the modern word? Ah, psychobabble…Thank you, Jennifer. You can't allow yourself to contemplate freedom, dear girl. Yet your soul, unbeknownst to you, for the most part, cries out to me for freedom and salvation. As do theirs…" she eyes the vampires, briefly eyeing Colin who returns her stare.
"Please, ladies…" Nandor, firmly. "Van Helsing. You say our record is remarkable…Can we not find a compromise that would keep your agent or friend…"
"The fellow Susan spoke of…!" Erika cries. "The one who visited this morning! He must be her…His agent. I'll call Susan and get his full description! We'll find him and kill him, Master!"
"Wait, please!" Nandor sighs, hand raised. "Erika!"
I used to be so much more commanding…Especially to enthralled minions…
"Sorry, mein Master…" Erika, bowing… "I was overcome with anguish for you. I did not mean to presume, I await your commands."
Sorry…Did not mean to embarrass you, Lord…She mouths to Nandor.
Hmmn…Well…At least they want to seem commanded…
"Doctor? Can we reach an agreement? Could we perhaps vow to not to kill humans? We rarely do nowadays." Nandor notes. "Perhaps we could be of service, killing or arresting evildoers. I understand the current leader of this country is a psychopathic madman…"
"Yes, we three could be dark heroes…" Laszlo nods eagerly. "Like that Batman fellow, Mr. West…"
Hello, still here…Colin eyes him.
"Laszlo…" Nadja sighs. "I've told you again and again. He was the actor on the television, Bruce Wayne was the Batsman."
"Right, well…We could do it, in any case. I feel the call to right injustice stirring in my blood even now."
"Doctor?" Nandor, urging…
"We'd all help!" Ginny nods. Erika also, fervently…Jacqueline, a bit wanly.
Yeah…
"That may be required of you one day…But first the demons must be driven out, destroyed…Your own souls cry out and mine own must find their redemption. Don't be afraid, my friends." Warm smile. "This is liberation not punishment. That is my message to you. Farewell…" she/he raised hand.
"Look to see him no more…" Laszlo intones…As Jen nods her head, as if falling asleep.
"Oh, I may return to speak again as need arises…" Van Helsing/Jen notes, with wry smile. "Farewell, friends, for now…Do not fear."
"Master?" Jen stares at the group…
…
