The Vampire as Metaphor...Book III of the (Semi) Complete Works of William Soames Walthrop...
PG 13
Summary: A lost work of one William Soames Walthrop (...aka Spike) as it was delivered at one of Cicely Addams' house parties, shortly before Will's demise. See the reference to it in "Drusilla"...
Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...
Contributions to the recovery of the lost works of England's third worst poet are always welcomed...
Part XIV...
Omaha, Nebraska…Eastern terminus of the new transcontinental railroad…Separated from the ever-sprawling Eastern rail network by the great Missouri River, not yet spanned by rail bridge. Freight inspection station for the Union Pacific Railroad…
"That's one fine piece, doc." the railroad conductor noted. Eyeing the fine suit of armor in crate now opened for inspection…
"Yes, a family heirloom…I hope to donate it to the new San Francisco Museum of Art and Natural History once we get it to California." a somewhat wan and well-wrapped against the few remaining stray beams of sunlight but ever polite Heinrich Nast… "Dr. Nast" for purposes of this little jaunt…Smilingly noted.
"That's fine of ya…I imagine the boys out there could use some bullet-proofin'." wink and grin. "Just kiddin' doc…It's a fine town…Little wild but that's the West."
"Indeed, a fine and growing city…I'm always amazed to see the growth each time I come out." Nast nodded. "And the high-spirits appeal to me…"
Indeed, nothing warms the blood more… And nothing like a new and growing metropolis as capital for my new global monarchy. Like New Rome, San Francisco shall benefit from the attention of the One who shall unite the world. Assuming nothing can be done with that little town nearer the Mouth…
Though one may question the benefits to the human inhabitants…
"Well, all looks fine here…" the conductor tapped the suit. "Shall we crate 'er back up?"
"That'll be fine…" Nast nodded. "Thanks for attending to this…" he offered a gloved hand. "Forgive my not removing the gloves…Skin remains sensitive since my accident in the laboratory…"
"That's a shame…" the conductor gingerly shook the proffered hand. "Hope it's improvin'…"
"Better every trip out…" Nast smiled. "But still must watch that sun…"
"I'll fetch the boys to seal it up. When do you head out, doc?"
"A few days…Just a little business here to settle, awaiting my partners. And a few more crates enroute I must see to…Medical equipment, very delicate…"
"Well, the line's been pretty clear…No troubles recently…You should have a pretty smooth trip."
"Excellent, as always …Thank you again." Nast, pleasantly. Watching as the conductor headed out of the inspection room…
"Gregor?..." he hissed to the suit of armor…
"Unnnh…" slight groan…
"You did very well, my boy. Just remain quiet until I contact you again…It won't be long."
"Unnh…"
"I expect the others within a few days. Then we'll all be off to California and the Hellmouth together and I'll be able to let you roam a bit by night. It's really quite an experience, this new railroad line…Across the Great American Desert, seeing the wild men of the plains, and the famous buffalo herds…I'm sure it will be enjoyable and memorable."
"Unnnh…"
"That's the spirit…Remember, no killing unless absolutely necessary until I give the all-clear…"
Enjoyable for some of us, that is…Memorable for all…
Including perhaps some less than utterly faithful minions…
….
Early breakfast at the Germania…Potter having left the table and his blushing…Actually quite red under Smackles' hard stare…Bride to fetch bags and check on their traveling companion, Miss De Russell…
"What you lookin' at, Willie?" she glared…
"You did, didn't you?" he sighed…
"Shut yer trap…I know what I'm doin. Leave limey-boy to me…"
"I thought we'd be leaving him in an early hole in the ground." he noted.
"And now ya think otherwise?"
"No…I think you're thinkin' otherwise."
"When the Slayer wants yer opinion, she'll ask…She ain't askin'." Elizabeth, grimly. Smoothing her traveling skirt and taking a sip of coffee…
"Anyways…He's nobody…I gave him his chance last night…Nothing…" she noted, overly casual…Shrugging…
Well, not 'nothing' in every sense of the word…In fact, kinda impressive…Lil' poet/dentist had more spunk than I thought…
"Yep…" Smackles replied, coolly. "Gave him his chance all night…Right…"
"You want this cup down yer throat, smartass?" she eyed him. Setting her cup down with slam…
"If he's with…Them…This is exactly what he'd be doin'." Smackles noted. "Wormin' his way…"
"I've handled the worst They throw…I can handle Petey Patter." fierce stare. "You just keep your end up, Watcher."
"You're lettin' him read the Book. You're lettin' him get to ya." Smackles, accusing tone.
"Keep it down…" she hissed. "I tole ya ta keep yer end up, Watcher. Or maybe I'll be throwing two idiots to the other side as bait. Time you remembered who's in charge of this operation, Smackles…"
"Right…" Smackles flushed, turning away to look at his newspaper.
Long silence…
"Sides…No better way to check him out then to let him get close…A little…" she tried. "As for the Book, we need to know…"
"Sure…" Willie replied, not looking at her…
"Well, it wouldn't look right…" she insisted. "Get those suspicions goin'…"
"You got otherworlders comin' through your hotel bedroom every night to check?" he looked at her briefly.
"Fine…" he put up a hand at her raging glare. "You got him where you want him…Sure…" he returned to the paper.
She sputtered a moment but eyeing the hotel patrons now starting to come in in greater numbers thought better of it.
"He's not gettin' to me…" she whispered. "And when the time comes I'll throw him to them without a second thought."
"Then I'm sorry for you, Slayer…" Willie said, quietly. Returning to his paper…She eyeing him, sidelong…
…
Temporary warehouse lair near the Germania…
"What now?" Olive stared at Vladimir who seemed a trifle uncertain. Staring at the crates they were to occupy until safely aboard the train for Chicago. Two vampiral minions of Nast's assigned to Olive standing by to seal them.
"You say the crates are connected to the coffins by electrified wire?" he asked. "Isn't that a bit dangerous?"
Visions of a demonstration of arc lighting he'd once seen in Bucharest. Only he and a few of his fast-moving Roma attendants having survived the resultant fire.
"Not now…Once we're aboard, our little friend will give us a rap and connect the wires."
He eyed the patiently waiting former cleaning girl. Now a demurely pretty little middle class girl looking wanly sad over the death of her beloved parents.
Her?...
Granted her diction and bearing have improved under Olive's intensive training but…Somehow I don't see her as an electrical wizard…
"Vladimir, either get in or find a way to board the train on your own. Or stay here and see if you can dodge Heinrich's wrath, not to mention the jeers when I put it round you were quaking over facing the Slayer." Olive noted, bright smile.
He frowned…Still, the Hellmouth and its power…And the likely doom of the Earth…Awaiting…
And prospects for survival in NYC given Nast's well-established position here under his bane not being exactly good.
He reluctantly got in as Olive entered hers. Pulling the wooden cover over…
"Oh…" Olive paused, holding the cover open, addressing the tall, lithe male standing ready to seal her in. "Philip? You did find a suitable couple for the coffins?"
"Fortyish, middle-class, from out of town…" the addressed Philip, a tall, gaunt figure nodded. "Nice folks, actually, passed a pleasant evening showing them the sights of New York. They really liked my poetry, said it smacked of Poe." He noted fondly.
She eyed him a bit sternly…
"But traffic accident, just as you requested. In fact it more or less really was…These streets are deadly by night…" he noted, shaking his head.
"Make sure 'Olivia' gets a good look at them before you seal the coffins." she noted. "Be a good girl, Olivia and do as Philip and Marcus tell you…" addressed the girl.
"Yes, ma'am…" the newly rechristened 'Olivia' nodded. Philip assisting Olive with the crate cover and starting to nail it down.
Lord…Vladimir sighed, carefully adjusting the coverlet in his crate over him. I'm sure she gave me the one with some light leaking through the wood slats…
I do hope my idiots don't screw up the shipment of my own grand old coffin. I mean I enjoy a little travel but I've never had that taste for the new Granduncle Vlad had. "Lets all move to England, the new center of world power." "I'm going to try redemption for your grandaunt's sake."
Please… Well thank the demon gods someone in the family Dracule has a little respect for tradition and the joy and comfort of home and familiar settings.
It may well be the only thing standing in the way of Nast and his mad plans…
Germania chief clerk Miss Ana was in a sourer mood than usual…Given her fiancee's announced intention of following the Potters to California.
"Somethin' not right about them…" he noted.
"Something's not right about you going after them. Since when does the Port send its chief dick across the West to track down a crate bustin'?" she frowned. Narrow-eyed stare…
"Alex…You're not telling Ana everything." she insisted.
"Don't worry…Everything's set with the Port. The boys want this one settled."
Well, at least…The Big Boys do…And they'll see the Port authorities go along.
"They're gonna know something's up when they see you on the train."
"I can handle their kind…" he noted firmly. "'Sides I'm not planning to hide…If it makes 'em sloppy to see me tagging after, all the better."
"Sloppy as in hittin' a certain detective over the head one night in some hick town." she glared.
"All part of the job, An…But they won't get the better of me…"
God…If I'd just told that girl no dice on that twenty to slip Potter in. Still, Alex's got that bloodhound look. He'd be after her and the limey in any case.
Right, better she's hitched…
And speakin' of hitchin'…
"Alex…You know it might look a little better if you was on yer own honeymoon." she suggested.
He eyed her…To CA for a honeymoon? He'd been thinking more a trip to Coney Island, maybe to Jersey or up the Hudson to some nice hotel…
On the other hand…While he doubted it would fool anyone, would be a love jaunt on the Government's nickel.
Assuming Ulys signed off. But though the General was as a rule a stickler on expenses, even now that he sat in Lincoln's chair, in the case of love matters…Particularly the love matters of the young sergeant who'd saved him at Chattanooga…
But what would Ma say? The folks already considered Ana a rather bold piece…
"We got the license. Just find some preacher in some place along the way." she noted.
"Thought you wanted a proper weddin'." he stared.
"Better a fast one on the fly then you runnin' off to CA alone…" she returned. "And the money could go towards a house. A nice boarding place, say… Unless you got more on your mind than your work on this one…" narrow look.
"An…" he frowned.
….