Tucking into a roll, Xander let the energy of the throw bleed off in a tumble before he scrambled to his feet and launched himself at the man that had fallen deep into the Spark madness. Xander could feel the palpable rage that seemed to radiate off his skin as he hit the Baron in the back. Ignoring the warning bells that told him that facing off against a Spark/Construct that had gone this far off the deep end, he wrapped his arms around the undisputed ruler of Europa and with a grunt flipped himself backwards, suplexing the man into the reinforced lab floor and leaving a spiderweb of cracks across it.

Groaning as his long history told him a grim tale of the pains and injuries he had received already, Xander rolled away from the shell-shocked Baron and slowly forced himself to his feet, "Next time I'm setting you on FIRE BEFORE I DO THAT BITCH!" he screamed before taking a couple steps back and collapsing to his ass and looking around the trashed lab.

In one corner, the party huddled behind a reinforced barricade made out of the remains of the trashed War Clanks the Baron had brought with him to deal with Beetle's 'Invincible Army,' the last of which had been ripped apart by the Baron himself as the Clank had gotten between the two of them during their little disagreement. Still, it looked like everyone was at least alive. As the good doctor Sun said, "It's not really a debate until you have to deal with post revivification madness."

"K-kill you… with… my mind…"

Glancing over, Xander sighed and slumped to his back as the Baron slowly crawled towards him with a look of hate in his eyes. Still, it was better than the madness, so Xander wasn't too concerned. "You didn't take the 'bad fink' upgrade last time we stitched you back up remember? It made your ears look big and you would have had to wear a colander for a hat to make it work." He reminded the most feared man in Europe who finally seemed to run out of steam and just slumped to the floor in the tattered remains of his greatcoat and shirt.

"They stole and hid the daughter of my best friend," he hissed into the floor as he tried to explain where his rage was coming from.

"I know," Xander cut him off as he knew from long experience that Klaus could easily work his way back into the madness again and then Xander would HAVE to hurt him to calm him down. "I know, Klaus, but this isn't something you can go mad spark on. From what she said, Barry was involved in keeping her from you, they knew you had returned and still they hid her away."

Looking away from the pain in his oldest friend's eyes, Xander leveraged himself up to his elbows and sighed as apparently it was time for a couple dark truths to come to light. "Klaus, they probably thought you were, 'The Other'." at his shocked look, Xander sighed again. "The attacks were perfectly prepared for them, from the very start they were on the defensive. The Other had knowledge that only a close associate of the Boys would have, that was clear the longer the attacks went on. Of all of their companions you were the only one unaccounted for, the one that 'left in a mad rage' after Lucrezia chose Bill over you and the only one that had made it clear that he thought Bill and Barry's 'diplomatic' approach was a fool's errand," he explained before scooting back so he could lean against a chunk of broken granite that had been ripped free from one of the pillars. "When you returned to Europe, the only difference between your methods and tactics and that of 'The Other' was that you actually gave people a chance to surrender," Xander explained before slumping slightly as he saw his friend make the connection in his mind.

Carefully pushing himself up to a sitting position, Klaus tried to hide the hurt he felt as he watched Xander carefully. "You were quick to join me on my return," he said before taking a deep breath. "In fact I remember you spending an excessive amount of time within reach of me for the first few months."

Nodding, Xander decided not to even argue the point. "I had to be sure, and if you can look me in the eye and tell me you wouldn't do the same I'll eat my hat!"

Ignoring the sharp gasp from the Jager nearby, Xander watched carefully as Klaus sighed and flopped onto his back.

Taking that as acceptance that he'd won the argument, Xander forced his way to his feet. "I'll be taking my new minions and your Soprano wonder over there to escort her back home. A couple Jagers wouldn't be amiss either in case things escalate. I'll figure out what's going on and no matter what the reasoning, you will get an answer."

Ignoring Gills outburst that he was just a high tenor, Klaus sighed. He really did have too much to deal with at the moment, even ignoring the obvious drama that a Hive Engine would usually generate, he had to deal with Beetleburg, Tarsus, the populace and the University. He just didn't have the time or energy to handle a surprise Heterodyne showing up out of the blue. "Take Grace as well," He ordered before glaring at his last true friend darkly. "I will not negotiate on this, take the blighted thing or I will summon Dupree in and see how she handles the situation."

Klaus actually felt bad about that as Xander and Dupree had a long-standing hatred of each other. The term, 'Bad Blood' didn't do it justice as he was quite sure one or the other would be quite willing to poison themselves if they knew that it would take the other one with them. For a time there had even been a betting pool as to whether or not the two were secretly infatuated with each other and it was all UST or not. That particular gambling pool had mysteriously disappeared soon after it leaked it's existence and Xander had heard about it. He still hadn't found a way to remove the scorched shadow that had been left behind of the airman that had started that particular rumor.

Truthfully, it was usually impossible to get Xander to agree with something that he didn't want to do. Klaus still had nightmares about the one time Bill and Barry had tried to force him to eat some Brussel Sprouts. the great Saint-Josse-ten-Noode clocktower had lost ten minutes during the ensuing fight. Still, the threat of his personal bane being called in caused Xander to growl darkly before nodding once in acceptance. Smiling to himself despite the pain, Klaus slumped to the floor. Sometimes it was good to be king.

With a grunt, Xander forced himself to his feet and dusted his pants off. "In that case, I'll leave you to your politics and paperwork that you love so much, herr Baron," he cheerfully stated before collecting his troop and happily ignored the Baron's glares as he skipped from the building.

Behind him Klaus wondered once more if he could make a colander look distinguished.


"Um, Sir?"

Glancing behind him, Xander raised an eyebrow at the girl that had caused more of a stir than the Hive Engine. "Just call me Xander. What can I do for you?"

Blinking at the polite response after nearly ripping the Baron to pieces, Agatha had to take a moment to collect herself. "Sorry, but I must have been hearing things, did you really tell the Baron that I was related to the Heterodyne boys?"

Reaching out, Xander swiped one of the local Penny Dreadfuls out of the hands of a Wulfenbach air guard that was lazing about. Ignoring the startled yelp from the man as he tried to snap to attention, Xander tossed the book to the startled girl, "You tell me, that's Bill and Barry on the cover, they even have a pretty good likeness of your mother on the back."

As Agatha looked at the cover for what felt like the first time, Xander let her have a moment as he pointed at the guard. "Get me a pair of Jagers and tell the 'Zrak Kralj' to send down the Grace," he ordered and let the man scamper off with a yelp before turning back to the shocked girl.

"Yeah, you definitely got blessed with your moms looks. No offense, but your dad had a face that could sour milk," he said and danced back to avoid the fist she had thrown at his head. "Not sure which side you get that reaction from, though honestly it probably came from both."

He chuckled before glancing over as two Jagers slumped into the room with a look that seemed to be based off the average disgruntled teen.

"Vat's dis den? You have someting for us to fightz boss?" The one on the left asked with a grin as the one on the right glanced at Agatha with a much more intense look on his face. "Perhapz you van't us to watch de gurl?" he leered.

"Actually that's exactly what I want you to do."

Blinking, the two looked at him in shock before glancing at each other and then back at him again. "Vat?"

"Boys, this is Miss Agatha, we have reason to believe that she may well be a Heterodyne."

Behind him, Agatha gave a small wave as the two monsters eyes locked onto her with the focus of a starving dog on a particularly juicy chunk of meat.

"We aren't sure, so we're taking her to her home where we are going to ask her parents some questions. The answer to these questions will be shared with the Baron and the Jagergenerals. Your job is to escort us through town and then guard the house while we talk. Should things go poorly, you are to follow and protect Agatha until we can get a better grip on the situation. You are not to interfere, speak, look at or be seen by her or her family for any reason other than saving their lives," Xander explained with a pleasant smile before leaning in with a much darker look. "Is there any confusion whatsoever about what I just said?"

Xander held their eyes for a minute until both of them nodded before turning away. "Good, because if I even think you idiots are acting out, I will personally dip you in the Barons melting vat and watch as you are rendered down into childrens' toys. You will be a failure to House Heterodyne and I will personally tell Mama Gika that you betrayed the Oath," he snarled darkly before making his way back to the front.

"So where can we take you miss?" he asked as Agatha glanced at the two jagers for a moment before shaking her head and focusing on him once more.

"Umm… Forge Street, my parents own a shop there."

Nodding at that, Xander headed down the street as the two Jagers took up positions behind them and began glaring at the world around them. The chance of an actual Heterodyne being here doing what dozens of years of military structure could not.

"X-Xander? Sir?"

Glancing back at her, Xander raised an eyebrow at her as she worked up the courage to ask what she wanted.

"You don't… seem to like the Jagers, why is that?"

Blinking at the question, Xander took a moment to think about that before pointing to one of the Baron's forces that was climbing over the broken form of the giant clank that had fallen earlier. "Do you see that airman, Miss Clay?" He made sure she actually looked at the purple furred lemur man that had been pressed into an air uniform before he continued, "He is monstrous, he was made as a monster. Since joining the Baron's forces he has served with a distinction that would do anyone proud," Xander explained before pointing at the two Jagers. "THAT is a monster, not because of the fur, or the horn or the sharp teeth. That was a one hundred percent human once that raped and murdered and stole with the old Heterodynes and was so good at it that the old Heterodyne decided to gift them with the strength and speed to be better at it," Xander explained as he ignored the dark look the Jager was giving him.

"If you are a Heterodyne, then they will be YOUR monsters, but that doesn't change what they are, they will serve the House Heterodyne in any way they are asked. For today, that could be 'Dig people out of the broken house' and tomorrow it could be 'beat that same family to death with the corpses of their children' and they will do both, with a smile on their faces and a song in their hearts because their Heterodyne asked them to do it."

Turning back to the road, Xander shrugged, "They can be nice, and funny and easy to get along with, Miss Agatha, but don't ever, not for a single second, forget what they are. The Jagers are monsters, and they are damn proud of that fact."

It was a much subdued Agatha that lead the small team back to her home.

As they approached the shop, Xander pulled the two brothers aside and carefully handed them a small handful of coins and a small sphere. "Grab yourselves something to eat and drink, but keep your wits about you. If you see the Jagers charge the house, pull the cord and throw it up, if anyone other than us leaves with Agatha pull the cord and throw it up, if the noon bell rings?" Xander trailed off as Moloch pocketed the small sphere with a nod.

"Pull the cord and throw it up, Yessir," the sergeant said with a serious look as Omar shifted at his side and glared at the building darkly.

"You sure you won't need us sir? There might be trouble," the more violent prone brother asked.

Xander nodded. "There might be, but if it's trouble that I can't handle then I need to know that I have someone I can trust to call in the big guns."

The brothers glanced between each other before nodding in unison. "And what is the 'Grace' sir?" Moloch asked before giving a shrug. "The Baron was rather insistent that you take... her?" Moloch trailed off as he was a tad unsure of the pronoun he had used, any further questions were stalled as a slim pale hand wrapped itself around his neck.

"Guten Morgen, Je m'appele Grace Oslakasduaggter Tryggvassen" the blonde haired Geisterdamen said with a sinister smile that chilled the blood of the two soldiers.

Sighing at his goddaughter's theatrics, Xander pointed at the hybrid sternly and ordered, "One language at a times, Grace." Then he held his hand up to stop her, "And it has to be a language at least three of us speaks."

Othar's daughter stuck her tongue out at him and pouted for ruining her fun.

"Everybody, this is Grace, the daughter of Othar Tryggvassen and a Geisterdame named Oslaka that Othar met in Paris. Speaking of the specifics of that particular union is currently disturbing enough to get you excommunicated by all twelve of the current Popes and a cease and desist order delivered by over the horizon mortars from The Genetic Knightly Order of Belfast."

As Grace waved happily at the stunned group, Xander sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Apparently his day was going to get a lot more complicated.


(A/n) Geisterdamen are a species of female beings from a mirror dimension that exists without light. They are albino with pale eyes and a disturbing fondness for spiders. They showed up after the fall of The Other and have spent the last fifteen odd years searching for something. It's believed that they steal children, poison crops, bring plagues and a whole host of other things that are commonly blamed on people that are not local. What's known for sure is that you do NOT want to fight them.

Per Othars twitter feed he spent several years as the Common law husband of Oslaka in the warrens beneath Paris.

And yes, Othar has a twitter feed.