What We Do In The Shadows: "Jen..."

Summary: There are unexpected consequences when Laszlo seeks a new human familiar…

Part LIX…

"Nice place…" Susan stares about the large ranch as Guillermo knocks at the door. "Nursing really pays I guess…" peering out at the wide vista of the property. Acres upon acres of grassland, about a dozen cows and horses roaming…Several of what appear to be Mexican cowboys riding horses or walking about…

"Cousin…" the tall, burly, heavily muscled, Roderigo, in clearly expensive cowboy shirt and jeans, quite nice yet comfortable looking leather boots, embraces Guillermo at the large, hand-carved door…Guillermo gasping… "So good to see you again." Susan at Guillermo's side, Dracula, and Mrs. Afanas behind him.

"Better be careful there…" Susan, anxiously. As elegant in suit and self-coiffed hair as she could manage. "He just recovered from some broken bones…"

"Oh, sorry…" Roderigo sets him down… "My little cousin…I forget you were always a little breakable." Grin. "Well, well…And who do we have here…?"

"Susan Edgerton…Gui's fiancée…" Susan beams. "I do speak Spanish…"

" 'Gui''s fiancée?" Roderigo, staring. Wide smile… "Guillermo? Dear God…This is wonderful, if amazing. When did you become an American gigilo…With name to match, eh… 'Gui' ? Geesh, now I have to go myself if the Yankees are so chockful of terrific beauties...Who even 'speak Spanish'. Just kidding…" beam at Susan. "The kid's great and it's long overdue a smart girl recognized that." Friendly nod.

"Agreed." Susan, nodding firmly.

"Auntie will really be pleased… 'Gui'…" Roderigo beams. "Mrs. Afanas? Dr. Acura? Thanks so much for coming…" offering hand to the doctor who shook it firmly…My boy…

"She'll be…" catch in the strong voice… "So happy…" wiping at cheek. "Sorry, folks. I was determined to keep this a happy time for her. Guillermo, really…I am so glad you made it." Embracing him again, weeping now…

"Me, too…" Guillermo murmurs…Susan standing by, anxious…

"Come in, come in…She's awake." Roderigo urges.

Laszlo, in transport van…Under rug…

"Quite a time…Though for the moment, our cavalry charge is on hold. Negotiation in progress. It appears it was Dr. Van Helsing, in my dear Jen's body yet again, to the actual rescue this time, no doubt for his own reasons…"

"Ginny should kill her, just in case." Martha insists from her seat now on the driver's side. Nervously considering the controls and trying to figure out the unique viewing arrangements should she have to drive...

"No, Martha…Your zeal is appreciated, dear…" Nandor notes…From under the rug. "…It would be a wasted effort and cost us our very dear Jennifer. Who may even have retained some useful intelligence from this latest encounter with the Doctor."

"I don't think you can trust Ginny or Jen now, Master." She shakes head. "They've been contaminated…"

Unlike me...

"Nonsense…Stop that, Martha!" Nadja, annoyed. "They were possessed but not defiled…And no one is killing any of my minions without my permission…"

The one annoying thing about some devoted enthrallees the way they always try to do each other down...I know the woman feels inadequate but...

"Nadja is right, Martha…" Nandor, hastily. "You will not kill any of our minions without my express permission."

"Yes, Master." Martha sighs. "No offense intended, ma'am. I'm sure it's just I'm not pretty or young enough to interest Dr. Van Helsing that he hasn't taken me."

"Could be…" Laszlo reflects.

"Laszlo!" Nadja, angry. "Be polite…Ms. Martha is a perfectly lovely mature woman and I'm sure Dr. Van Helsing would be honored to use her. When she is at the right places and times."

"Certainly…" Nandor agrees. "He would be honored and most fortunate, Martha."

"Well…Please kill me, just in case, if he ever should, Master." She urges.

"Martha…Certainly not…Unless circumstances required it." Nandor, firmly. "Should he ever take you, your role is one of intelligence-gathering. Try to remember anything you can of his mind and survive to report back. This is my order."

"Yes, sir." She nods.

"Probably best…" Laszlo agrees. "Sorry there, no offense intended, Miss Martha."

"Yes, Master Laszlo. Thank you."

"So…As to the situation…" Laszlo resumes... "It seems Simon learned of Dr. Van Helsing's interest in us and has offered an alliance…Interesting. It also seems he's been playing both sides and used a descendant of Van Helsing's, a Huntress, sent to kill him, to make contact with the Doctor. And to keep the Vampiral Council off our own tails by making them think the Hunters are attacking our people in their usual randomly cruel way…Even destroying a turned baby…Shocking."

"Laszlo…That was the baby you turned." Nadja, frowning… "And a shame the Huntress, so-called, failed."

"Even so…Still shocking…Though I suppose it's nice the child's at peace. Quite a bother, a baby like that. Vampires are not really suited to caregiving and it was always attacking human familiars..." slight sigh...

"And he did it…As one might suspect…Not out of the milk of vampiral fraternity…But to make us suffer. Just in case the Professor really is 'saving' us. Charming…Still, given we want to survive…And we do…Seems we may have to consider accepting his offer. Or eliminate him before he alerts the Council and they do a preemptive strike on us, hoping to drive Van Helsing off by killing us themselves or even lure his people into a battle on their ground using us as lures. And you can be sure if they believe their security depends on it, they won't botch the job with us the next time."

"We can't trust that bastard…" Nadja shakes head. "He wants us dead, just in his own way."

"Well…We do want to remain dead as we are…There may be common ground here." Laszlo notes.

"There is the issue of Van Helsing's descendant…" Nandor points out. "Even now she is hurrying under his control to find other Hunters, perhaps the Slayer…She may lead them to us or give them word that Simon has broken their alliance."

"They must already know where we are, at the Residence, if they have any communication with the Professor…" Nadja, anxiously.

"Yes…It's a question as to why they haven't attacked yet. Building their numbers, perhaps? Awaiting the Slayer's arrival?" Laszlo speculates.

"Simon?" he puts phone to ear…

Back at Ginny's office, Simon fumes… "Yes, I've nothing better to do than sit around while you and your friends pontificate…What is it?" annoyed.

"Any ideas as to why the Hunters haven't attacked yet? At our home…?"

"Van Helsing hasn't confided his battle plans to me. And Lesley…My poor Lesley…Didn't know of them. Say…" Simon glances about room.

"You owe me one minion, Cravensworth. Hows about one of the sheep in the office to seal our deal…?"

"Certainly not…Those ladies, human or enthralled are ours, under our protection…"

"That brunette at the desk is pretty enough…Though I do like redheads…"

"No, Simon!" Nadja cuts in. "They're ours and we're not having a spy in our midst."

"Fine…I'll take her home and have her dance in my club…" Simon shrugs. "She could be our go-between…"

"No, Simon." Laszlo firmly. "You get a reasonable price on our house and possibly an alliance…No minions included."

"They leave your awesome 'protection' every night. I could take one and you'd never know…" sneering…

"Please…One can spot your thrallees a mile away…" Nadja, scornfully. "Even Ginny sensed that girl you brought…"

"And I sensed yours…Though, fine…Good job on Ginny here." Simon eyes Ginny at her desk, nodding…

"She retains a very take-charge attitude and thinks to some extent for herself. Impressive…"

"Thanks you." Nadja, graciously. "And the kudos for taking a Huntress…A descendant of Van Helsing's? How did you manage that?"

"My skills at hypnosis and thrall are unparallel, dear…" Simon beams.

"She deliberately let him sense her…" Ginny corrects. "Van Helsing's people must have arranged it, maybe he even pushed her…Well, he's a good man, the Professor, by his pov...She must have volunteered."

"Excuse me…?" Simon glares.

"He wanted to make contact with you, he sent her and had her fall into your grip. It was deliberate. You're probably lucky she wasn't actually sent to kill you." Ginny notes. "But you knew, she told you...She couldn't keep it back from you."

"Really?" Jen, seated now by Ginny's right, stares.

"That's…" Simon fumes… "How could you know all that?"

"Van Helsing wouldn't risk harming us. He certainly wouldn't throw his people, especially his own flesh and blood away. He wouldn't allow them to send her to you alone, unless he had to and she agreed to risk it. She wasn't out to kill you and you know it, she told you, but you made her lie about that. They don't want you…At least not right now." Ginny shrugs. "They wanted our Overlords safe from you and the Council, to keep you from killing them before they could reach them."

"Very good, Ginny…" Laszlo's voice on phone, eager. "I say, I think you've got it."

"Very nice, my girl." Nadja's, pleased.

"They need to kill the ones they hope to save in their own time, at the right moment…When conditions are right...And that's why they've not yet attacked." Ginny nods. "Something to do with redemption..."

"Really?" Laszlo, rather taken by the notion… "So there's something noble about us, etc? Worthy of Redemption?"

"Of course, Master..." Jen, warmly, from her seat in the office. "I think there must be, Master Laszlo..." Ginny agrees.

"Disgusting...But what I'd expect..." Simon sneers. "Yes...Brilliant…Oh, you go girl!" Simon, mock-cheer. "And I would care how your owners die? I'm jealous of their potential…urgh…Redemption?"

"Of course you are, you prick." Nadja calls, over phone.

"For that I should…!" Simon, tensing…

"Don't…" Colin urges from his chair.

"You worthless dweeb…Your kind ought to be exterminated!" Simon fumes. "You and that old traitor wuss, Dracula. You're nothing but traitors to our kind…All our kind."

Now be fair...Colin smiles at Simon…

Dracula would probably pray over your grave or offer some regret on your damnation...Me, I'll dance on it.

"Dracula?" Nandor's voice…

"Dracula? The guy in the book?" Jen asks, puzzled.

"Dracula? Is he here, really?" Nadja staring.

Knew it all along…Laszlo nods, sagely…

"All for Redemption…And not enough that he shames himself…He would defile all of our people he can…Helping our enemy. What a wuss…" Simon, bitterly.

"Well…There is a certain Romance to it…" Laszlo's voice on phone notes.

"Oh, please…I am the Soul of Romance…" Simon frowns. "But this is just cruelty. Depriving your own mate of her Immortality? Helping our enemies to do the same to others? I don't see Romance, friend…I see…" solemn tone… "Genocide."

"Did he really do it? Finally save his wife?" Najda asks over phone…Trying to seem horrified, but unable to keep the wonder and curiosity down…

"Well, not 'save'…Of course…" she notes.

And a woman...One who truly loved her mate…? Even if cursed, without a soul…?

Perhaps she could...Too? Glance at Laszlo…

No…Lose him forever when his soul rejects me, however grateful for my help.

"The safety of ashes…The security of some fairy tale about Heaven…" Simon rolls eyes. "Of course a lot of hooey about her possible rebirth to join him from time to time while he remains here continuing to 'atone'…For what I ask you? Killing his food like any human? Bestowing Immortality on the best of them or those who've otherwise won his admiration? Stopping evildoers and sending them off to their punishment, fairly often? Hell, our kind deserve the heartiest of thanks from Humanity. And Dracula the curses of all, both his human and his vampiral victims…" solemn tone.

"Oh, please…Simon." Laszlo's voice heavily sarcastic. "Most of us do it out of boredom."

He actually did it?…Redemption. And his wife saved too, at last? Damned show-off…Nandor sighs.

"Oh, Jen..." Laszlo asks over phone… "You suppose you could have Erika and Eloise come in and take over supporting Ginny and you come drive us? Martha's a bit tentative on working this vehicle."

"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph..." the elegant-looking, white-haired woman in her robe and nightdress, propped on pillows to seating position in her large bed, eyes Susan now at her order, seated in chair by her side, holding her hand. "How did you land this beauty, Guillermo? My dear girl...This truly makes my possibly last day..." warm smile. "Though one never knows, no long faces, children." Rosa eyes Guillermo and Roderigo. "Kiss me, dear child..." she smiles to Susan. Who stands and kisses her cheek with smile.

"Philippe, Cicely...I'm so glad you could come. Forgive me if my edge is a tiny bit dull...The drugs are cramping my style."

"Not at all, Rose..." Dracula smiles. "I am glad to find you so well..."

"Illusion, but a good one. I'm in no pain. How are you, old friend?"

"Well, well...Busy in my practice still...But I was so glad to have a chance to meet your nephew here." Dracula notes, smiling at Guillermo. "We flew in together and have stayed at the same hotel, with Cicely here as well."

"Rosa..." Cicely, beaming…Coming closer to bed.

"Cicely..." Rosa put up a hand for her to take, Susan stepping back to Guillermo, taking his hand…He looking down at it... "Sorry to hear about your husband. I know how devoted you were to him."

Seventy-six years, much as his supposed familiar...Guillermo thought...Yeah, pretty devoted.

"You all right, Sue?" he eyes her pale, wan look…

"A lot of stuff in here...I feel a little light-headed." she indicated the crucifixes, candles, and religious paintings, and items about the room.

"Roderigo? Could you take Sue for some air?" he turns to his cousin beside them. "It's a bit close in here for her."

"Sure...Come on, cousin." Roderigo waves her over toward the door. "Auntie? Back in a few..."

"That's fine...But come back in a bit, child..." Rosa calls to Susan. "I have something for you..."

"Yes, sorry...I'm just a little tired." Susan waved a bit, following Roderigo out.

"Poor child..." Rosa eyes Guillermo while holding Cicely's hand. "Enthralled, clearly...Guillermo..." reproving look.

"Auntie...I'm trying to help her. Keep her safe...All of them..."

"Well, you need to do a better job of it..." she frowns. "Cicely? I'm glad to not have to kill you. It's been a long time."

"I don't regret my choices, Rosa." Mrs. Afanas, proudly... "Barren was careful only to take evildoers or minions…And I know his soul is free and pure."

"You were always a wild one...She was always a wild one, Guillermo." Rosa shakes head.

She was…? He eyes Mrs. Afanas in her pink and beige suit...

From parked rental car, Phyllis scanning the ranch grounds of Guillermo's aunt…

Technically, a violation of his order to stay at the hotel and do research via Internet...But after all, he might be the Boss, but he wasn't Mistress Nadja. And it was her duty to protect the Chief Minion, even if he might not wish her protection. And even apart from her duty to the man she loved…. This was a dangerous country even without the Supernatural stuff thrown in…

Highlighted by the two bodies she'd left in their car, now hidden in a ravine down the road...Two punks who'd apparently sought to kidnap a rich tourist they'd assumed defenseless. Though thanks for the assault rifle, boys...She notes, eyeing the rifle in her passenger seat. Hopefully, it won't be needed but always good to have a little extra something, even with the adrenalin rush super-strength...

She briefly pictures her son Sean learning of his mother's badass new streak one day...Hopefully and surely not because she'd have to kill him. But it's all just the power of Love, Seany. She raises binoculars, scanning again...And again thanks for being well-equipped, boys. I didn't have time to find a shop selling these.

"I better see Jen out and explain things to my guys out there, best I can..." Ginny notes to Colin. "You got him for now? No offense, Simon...The Mistress and Masters seem willing to accept you as an ally but till we're solid I need to have you held down a bit and keep you in here..." she indicates her office bathroom. "Just remember, I've opened two of my windows. You'll fry if you try to escape before we finish our negotiations."

"Sure...I've got him." Colin nods. "Windows or no, he's going nowhere."

"In the interests of my people, I'll swallow this humiliation...For now." Simon, calmly. "Tell the guys I hope they pay heed to my efforts to save them and all of us, dearie." he addresses Jen, standing in the bathroom doorway. "The Doctor has good taste, I'll say that..."

Ginny and Jen heading out…

"Anne...Hold all calls." Ginny informs the intern as they pass her, now just recovering from Colin's steady drain…

"Cleanup crew at the Cravensworths..." Jen explains, with grin, to Billie's questioning look...Jen?...At her outfit…

"Erika? You and Eloise can come in now" Ginny tells her phone as they reach the far end of the office, away from the staff cubicles... "Simon Devious is contained for now. No, we can't trust him but the Overlords are considering an alliance and Colin is holding him down, in his way. Just watch him and release him if they say to...Or have Eloise kill him, but not till they approve it. I would too, but we're under orders here. Check with Master Laszlo if you want..."

"Should we trust him, let him live...Or whatever he's doing?" Jen eyes her as Ginny closes phone.

"We have our orders, Jen." Ginny sighs. "But we'll watch him and do whatever's necessary. At least now we have some idea of his relations with Van Helsing and we know he wasn't staging all this himself."

"Actually, Gin...I was thinking about Colin..." Jen eyes her.

...

In Ginny's office bathroom…

Colin pleasantly noting it was the perfect place to talk in private...

"What were you doing?" Simon fumes at Colin. "Draining me? You want me to tear you limb from limb? I thought we had an agreement?!"

"And it included you promising to listen to my advice. You can't take or kill their thrallees or anyone else here."

"I…Can't?" Simon, raising himself erect. Hmmn…He felt himself weakening…

"Don't be a fool. If you press me I'll drain you down to where even the weakest human can kill you or right down to dust…" Colin, calmly. "You promised to let me handle things, let me handle them."

"This is handling them? Your companions get all they want…I get a stinking house full of rats and corpses?! Though, to be sure it is a fine old place…" he notes. "You promised me revenge! And Laszlo's witch skin hat…"

"You were ready to fight them here, now?…Alone except for that idiot of yours and that simpering little human bitch? Who's now firmly in the possession of her great whatever?"

"Hey…Lesley is a wonderful girl." Simon glares. "She was on Broadway, you know. Nominated for a Tony. And the day I can't take on Laszlo Cravensworth, Nandor the Relentless…Nadja…Even alone…" he pauses, weary.

"And me…Well, drained dry by me…"

"You…You're betraying me?!"

"Not at all. Our partnership still stands. Sorry I couldn't support you then but you're the one in violation of the terms we agreed on."

"I'm to sit here…Let that groveling minion of Nadja's…!"

"Let her…Yeah. And let her alone. And the others... She's just gonna sell you a house, after all…Not steal your Unmanhood."

That deed done long ago, buddy…Thin smile.

"And you're supposed to want this alliance..."

"But did you see the price?" Simon, sincerely angry. "She's cheating me…And doing it for them!" he fumes.

"I told you how this would play. This is nothing, you can afford it…And once you own the place you can do what you like…"

"Piss on their graves! Burn their most precious possessions! Stomp on their charred bones! Tear that damned garden of Laszlo's out and put in an ornamental pond, in Japanese style. That will be so elegant…" he enthuses.

"Very feng shui."

"And, cherry on the cake...They'll die...As you promised and we agreed…None of that 'redemption' crap?" Simon eyes the smiling Colin.

"If we don't let them be heroes, rushing to save their human slaves or such pathetic bullcrap. But if you keep this up, Van Helsing's efforts will succeed…They're off to Redemption City…I'm cheated…You're dust and your essence sits alone, in Hell, with me and those idiots of yours for company."

Simon ponders…

No tete-a-tete with Nadja, with all Eternity to win her dark essence from Laszlo?

Rats…I really thought that last time we had a connection going…

"Damn filthy human spirit! Why did he have to get involved here?"

"It's what the smug little so-and-so does…With his pal…"

"Dracula…That asshole traitor!" Simon sighs wearily. "Could you possibly stop that? I need to sit down."

"Please…" Colin lowers toilet seat for him.

Just the throne for you, partner…

"All right. But I want this done, Robinson. Or I swear I will have your ashes. And I will let our good pals know just how you've been betraying them before I kill you all, even if it means letting their souls escape."

"A deal…Is a deal, Devious. Well, actually I don't give a damn about that, I just want what I want." Colin beams. "So long as I get it, we're good."