Chapter 11.

CLOTHES ENCOUNTERS,

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF.

(SEPT. 25, 1999)

To the astounded Kate Lockley, it was as if everything that happened next occurred in slow motion.

The hooded figure in black ran forwards. Yelling at the top of her lungs (the voice was decidedly female!) while springing upward and forward. At the same time, she tried to bring her battleaxes together, head to head, where her opponent's neck met his shoulders! Og-Ra's height, however, worked to his advantage in that he was able to grasp the hooded figure's wrists as she descended. And, then, using her own momentum against her, he threw her over his right shoulder.

The mysterious woman landed on the carpeted office floor, flat on her back. But, much to Kate's surprise, the former did not appear hurt. In fact, she was able to dodge having her nose fatally broken, by the sole of Og-Ra's right shoe with considerable speed and agility!

This was immediately followed up by the mysterious woman lunging forward and grabbing Og-Ra by the front of his black Nehru jacket. She then fell on to the flat of her back a second time. Only to turn it into a backwards somersault at the last second. And, then, using her legs to catapult the seemingly maloccluded Newcomer through the window behind William Harcourt's desk!

Consequently, there was a nearly ear-shattering crash of breaking class, and Venetian blinds scraping against one another, as Og-Ra fell three stories to the staff parking lot below. He was not alone in that descent, however.

The mysterious woman jumped through the window right behind him.

"Stay here with them," ordered George (indicating Harcourt and Rudyard Kipling): "I'll follow those two while you cellphone Matthew."

Whereupon, he became the second one to jump out the office window.

The first thing Vanessa Helsing noticed, upon landing on the tarmac, was that Og-Ra was not disintegrating. Which initially made her think that he might have a small degree of solar-tolerance. But, then, she sensed it. The almost noxious aura of Assamite blood-magic. . .which almost instantly caused her to exclaim: "Mutasharid!*"

Og-Ra grinned: "Very good, Slayer. None of my bloodline has ever crossed paths with one of you. And, I am willing to defer setting that precedent if you will but get out of my way!"

Vanessa naturally shook her head.

"I don't know what he's done to merit the attention of the Banu Haqim. And, I don't care. But, if you wish to kill the Newcomer, you must go through me!"

Og-Ra merely shrugged: "On your own head, be it."

Whereupon, they charged at each other.

MEANWHILE, BACK IN THE L. A. SEWER SYSTEM. . .

Angel had finally given up trying to kick the magic crystals out of alignment. Instead, he assumed a fetal position on the ground, in an effort to think of some alternative way to escape from this piezo-electric trap. His brooding contemplation was soon interrupted, however, by echoes of something he could only describe as "snuffling." The term of derision used by most Kindred for the occasional sniffing of the ground by Garou, on the hunt, in lupine form. Only, it was no Garou that ultimately appeared before him. It was actually something he had heard about, many times, over his long un-life. Yet, which he, personally, had come to regard as an urban legend without any substance.

It was a Ratkin Abomination. . .roughly the size of a grizzly bear.

The term had originally been coined, by a thirteenth-century warlord of Clan Tzimice, to describe something that even vampires and werewolves considered unnatural: a werewolf/vampire hybrid!

Gradually, however, the term had broadened to include any vampirized member of the Changing Breeds who survived to tell about it. And, even though the latter possibility was considered about as likely as a fertile Garou metis, there was no denying what Angel's vampiric senses were now telling him. Specifically, that the giant sewer rat now approaching him was definitely _not_ a pure-blooded Ratkin!

So, he quickly put on his game face and sprang to his feet.

"If you're here to make me your version of a Happy Meal," he snarled in defiance: ". . .I can guarantee you that I won't go down without a fight!"

The telepathic chuckle he got in response was unexpected, to say the least.

"Relax, Angel! I'm not here to harm you. Just the opposite, in fact."

Angel tilted his head in puzzlement.

"What are you?" he demanded: "Some Nosferatu-Embraced Shadow Seer?"

Another telepathic chuckle: "Ha-Hardly! In fact, my true origin could better be described as. . .out of this world."

Angel gasped: "You mean. . .?"

"Enough about me!" snapped the Abomination: "First, let's get you out of that cage."

Whereupon, the Abomination turned itself about, one hundred eighty degrees. It then used its long, whip-like tail to send two of the magic crystals flying against the wall to Angel's right! The force field consequently collapsed. . .and Angel grudgingly offered his thanks.

"But, what do you want me to do in return?" he added: "After all, there's no such thing as pure altruism among my kind. Or yours."

"This is true," it replied: "And, your obligation to me will be fulfilled. . .once you help me break my blood-bond to 'Razor Danny' Verdugo of Las Trimeras."

* * * * *

Meanwhile, back at Clothes Encounters, George Francisco was desperately trying to draw a bead on the taller of the two figures before him. Yet, every time he thought he had his Beretta 92FS properly aimed, either the taller figure moved aside, or the latter's opponent got in the way. In either case, these two were displaying speed and agility like nothing George had ever seen before. For, no sooner had the taller figure weaved out of the way of the short one's battleaxes, than the short one would duck under the clawed hands of the taller one!

In a way, it was like watching some perverse dance. One that was suddenly interrupted by the tell-tale sound of approaching police sirens.

"Hear that?" demanded George: "Those are my fellow police officers coming to reinforce me. So, the two of you had better just surrender right now. As you are both under arrest!"

Whereupon, the two combatants broke off their fight to stare at him, incredulously. The shorter one exclaiming:

"Stengya? Stengya Sorentz'ah?!"

tbc

*Mutasharid: Nosferatu antitribu who have converted to Islam.

Banu Haqim: Zealously Muslim faction of the Assamite Clan (vampiric assassins for hire).

Shadow Seer: the Ratkin equivalent of a Garou theurge.