Disclaimer : Hellboy doesn't belong to us *^_^*

Rating : M just to be safe because eventually we'll have some scene of violence and because eventually we'll be dealing with mature subject matter.

Oh! and before I forget, this is "talking", this is 'thinking' and this is talking in foreign language.

Have a pleasant read.

Hellboy - A place to belong

Chapter 3

Awkward is probably the best word to describe the present situation. You know, when you can't pinpoint the correct feeling and when nobody knows really what to say. Peoples keep turning around the subjects ... that was the kind of situation that Hellboy and the others lived last night. Awkward, really. How does one act when peoples come back to the place where they used to both live and work and when how they quit was like : "screw you, sons of bitches ! and sayonara losers !". Especially, when they return with pride and ... a promotion and/or privileges, when they were not expected to return at all. Awkward.

So, how does one act ? Like nothing happened ? Well, that's what many choose to do, awkward ...

The trip to their living quarter was without incident but often punctuated with things like : "Hey, Joe how's it going ?" "Mark, buddy how are ... Mark. Mark! Must not have heard me." "Suzan, my look at you ... The kid in 3rd grade? Great. We're expecting too ... No, not me, Liz." "Hey! Hum, err ... Math? Steve? Larry? Oh ... it's Garry ... sorry." "Gilles! ... Doing great? ... The fifty bucks I owe ya? Err ..."

I suppose you ask yourselves why the heck are there so many peoples around at two in the morning? Well, they ask themselves the same question? They had almost forgotten what it's like to work around the clock. After five month of following your own schedule, returning to the 24/7 routine of the BPRD was going to be hell.

The evening (well morning actually, unless you are one of those who had yet to sleep) was an awkward one and was getting worse by the second as a figure was stomping toward the trio. When they spotted the threat, it was already to late to back paddle. Like a shark that smelt blood, she was onto them.

A small but albeit well built woman in her mid-thirties was zeroing on Hellboy and his group and ... boy did she look pissed. She was probably one of the only people the main team considers a friend amongst the BPRD's staff and they dreaded the confrontation, because Kate Corrigan got a bone to pick with them.

The blond short haired woman is a troll specialist and the BPRD's director of field operations, she got her post after the passing of Professor Broom because she treats everyone without any discrimination.

The main reason why she wasn't around during their dealing with the golden army, was because she was leading a long term mission in Czech Republic concerning the east-European troll population. Not only she hasn't been informed but also she only had reports and second hand telling of the discovery of the troll market.

Did we mentioned that she was a troll specialist. She is literally nuts about them. No, not that way ... Ewww! But she's fascinated by everything about them. Finding the New York troll market would have been the highlight of her career … and she missed it. When our three protagonists realized that they didn't contacted her, they knew for sure that she was going to red … the color not the guy, well him too but later.

And despite being the best of friends, they kind of … never kept in touch after their departure.

Kate is not usually someone who get angry easily. She's a pretty level headed woman actually. But when you start her off …

That's why the trio suddenly found the ground really interesting (the ceiling in this case of Hellboy because starring at the ground right now would have mean looking directly in the eye of Kate who was standing only inches away of Hellboy, glaring successively at the three of them).

Fist on her hips, tapping her foot she ask : "So ?"

Damn those walls are fascinating. Is that concrete gray or cement gray?

"You guys needed to find the troll market, one of the most notorious troll gathering in North America. Of which the locations of the entrances of one those markets happen to be a closely guarded secret. Market that, may I remind you, I have been searching for years ... and you didn't even call me! But no, you had to follow the first new comer with a pretty shiny gizmo, and you had find the damn thing too. You could have waited for me, I was only two hours of plane away … noooo … and to add insult to injury, you did something even more incredible, you ENTER THE TROLL MARKET! Just like that! You could have at least brought me some decent video footage. I don't even have that, just an audio recording and some flimsy reports full of holes, that totally lack all the crucial details that I need for my thesis", she says, really stressing that point.

She was punctuating her speech with wide arms movement. "I understand the situation was precarious and all, but what do you guy do? You quit! Just like that. I only first learn it trough rumors that you've quit. Do you have any idea how worried I was ? You didn't leave me any messages, send me letters or even a call! I tough we had a more deep relationship than that guys, that it wasn't just … just work you see", she exclaimed clearly distraught.

"I had to get the detail from a pompous snobbish Dutch jerk who had the nerve to snatch my discovery before me. Real nice guys, I feel really appreciated here."

She sounded upset again. An uncomfortable silence installed itself as Kate drilled holes in them with her eyes. By now they did not have much wall surfaces left to inspect.

It was Abe that made the mistake to speak first.

"Um … Kate … I ... we um … er…"

"Face or liver?", she said turning toward him.

"Euh… What?"

"Face or liver?", she insisted.

Finally, he catch on. "Ho… liver" he said deflating, knowing there was no escape.

Without any hesitation, before anyone could say anything Kate pounded one an impressive punch in Abe guts for someone her size. Well, Abe's liver wasn't really at the same spot than that of a human but it still hurt enough for him to doubled over.

Turning sharply toward Hellboy, she did not even have to ask.

"Liver." He replied

She put probably as much effort in it than with Abe, but you could not help imagining the squeaking sound, like that of a rubber toy, the tiny punch should have made on the red giant as if it was a cartoon. He still did mimic being hurt thought, to spare her feeling.

And finally, she faced Liz with her mouth shut in such a thin line that you could use as a rulers, clenching her fist at her side (she would never admit it but her hand hurt after punching the boys. Damn them and their rock like abs). Liz began to fidget, uncomfortable under the intense stare, not knowing if she would get punch too or not. She was about to say something when Kate beat her to it.

"You …" Her eyes began to tear up and she suddenly pull Liz in an embrace, surprising the later. "If you weren't pregnant you would get it too, you hear me? Do you know how worried I was about all of you?"

Finally snapping out of it, Liz returned the embrace smiling, tears threatening to spill.

"I missed you, too."

"I really would have like it if you called me, or send a letter at least." she said pulling back a little to check all the change that happened to her friend while she was on 'leave'. "Look at you, how many months are you along?" You could feel that she was eager to embark on the subject.

"Five months now." Liz answered, holding her stomach a smile on her lips.

"You realize that I wont let you go like that, especially with the stunt you pulled, don't you?" She replied. "I've only learn of your pregnancy through second hand rumors, so I won't forgive you until you let me organize your shower." Making Liz even more nervous in dreads of what an excited Kate have in plan.

While the night was ebbing away, reuniting friend under a starry … err … an armed concrete ceiling, two more levels and a bit of dirt who's probably lying under a starry sky filled with the smoke from New Jersey's factories.

Thank you Kate, coming home isn't so awkward anymore.

The weary couple managed to get to their apartment. Nothing seemed to have been touch much, just enough that Manning probably send someone once in a while to dust thing up and clean the mess that a bunch of cats can do. In general, every things seemed to be in order if not for the distinctive odor of ammoniac that tell the cats were mostly left on their own.

Talking of the monsters, they noticed that it wasn't the time when the feeders or the cleaners usually come. When they recognized their old roommates, their reaction varied greatly.

Some ran to Hellboy clearly happy to see him again, asking for petting or food or both. Other came to greet him and then they began sulking, indicating what they thought they were abandon. And the others just ignored them as if they were furniture moving around.

Liz smiled at the sight of Hellboy crouching, trying to pet everyone at the same time, smiling like a kid on Christmas Eve.

Abraham Sapien was back in shorts and was about to dip in his water tank. The cleanest of continuously filtered water. The smell of perfectly oxygenated and stirred H2O. The right temperature… and more importantly…

Abe stretch his limbs as far as he can.

"Hhnngggk … kk … aaah …" he sigh.

Space!

Everybody slept in that morning (not Manning, he can work on coffee and twisted nerves, apparently) and it took a few moment to a still tired Hellboy to remember that he wasn't in England anymore and that he had to get up because Liz and him have a lot of things to do. But not before coffee and breakfast … hum ? Well, maybe lunch instead due to the time it was. As he was stirring to get the will to pass to a vertical position, Liz sprang up and hurried to the bathroom, beating him to it, has usual. She began to develop that peculiar habit when she started to live with him. She said it took him too long to grind horns and the smell of smoking grinded frontal protuberance did not fit well with her in the morning. Plus, she does not want to go while he is there, being kind of shy about it.

As he put his hooves down on the floor, he heard something he did not hear in quite some time. It sounded like something small and cute, something that got woken up at the same time as him, apparently. He bend down and looked under the bed. There they were in the darkness … five little balls of fluff staring at him in wonder. He must have been too tired last night to heard them. Now that he recall it, some of the cats seemed smaller than the others and they're are more of them too … Two new batch of kittens since he was gone… Liz gonna strangle him. She already tough there is to many of them. Better leave them there and act like you don't know anything. And when she'll find them … How could anyone resist such cuteness?

Back in the library Abe woke up. Blinking once or twice, he remembered where he was and smile.

'Oh! And why not, just for the heck of it.' he tough.

Again, he stared to stretch as far as his limbs could reach, until a small cracking sound was heard followed be a discrete 'pop' and a satisfied sigh.

"Hnnggggns" crack, pop "Aaaah!"

More space. Oh! Yeah!

Doctor John Fraiser, has been an obstetrician for about thirty-five years, he was considered one of the best in the country but he's mostly renowned for he's discretion. A few more years and he will be savoring his retirement playing golf and going on cruise in Caribbean with his wife.

So it was with little surprise, when some month ago, two men dressed in black suit with sun glasses turned up suddenly in his office asking if he would take care of a patient for them.

'Probably some celebrity or politician who wants to do things quietly', he thought.

It wasn't the fist time he was ask to deal with cases like these, he knew the routine. But things got a little odder when the strangers said that they didn't know when he would be called.

'Did they loose the mother or what?'

Still, he was paid in advance to be ready anytime and to ensure that their case took priority over the others. When he started to argue about the actual feasibility of ditching his other patients for theirs, more money came to close the debate. Odder still was when they said that they wouldn't bring the patient to his clinic but that he would be taken to the mother where she will be waiting with all the necessary equipments. While all the secrecy began to make him feel nervous, the fat pay check given to him was enough to quell some of inquietudes.

About four months later, on a morning like so many others, Doctor Fraiser received another visit from the two men in black. This time, it was to tell him that he had an hour to pack and to come with them. So after he calmed his wife, packed the bare essentials and canceled his appointments for the next three days, he boarded a plane in direction of New York, once there he was hurried in a black van with tainted windows.

His nervousness started to creep up when they started to approach a none descript governmental building. While he didn't really know where he was, he was sure that it wasn't somewhere you would usually encounter a pregnant woman for a check-up. He had really serious doubts about the hole thing but when the floor lowered and began to unveiled some kind of secret base that he started to panic a little. Who exactly did they want him to examine? The hole thing was getting to complicated to his taste, especially after he saw something big slithering around the corner at the edge of his vision.

When he heard some of the world most bestial scream, he almost turned on his heels and run away. He would have done it too if it weren't for the look in the eyes of the goons surrounding him telling him that such a maneuver would be a very bad idea ... slightly due to the fact that the platform was now making it's way back up and that it was to late to get back on it.

'John, I think you just took a bigger bite that you can chew.'

He was presented to a certain Mr. Manning, a man almost his age that seem to be the one in charge around here. On their way to the medical facilities, Manning explained that due to the nature of the parents they needed all of these precautions and he insisted again over the need for silence about this whole thing. He also expressed the risk of the infants might not be 'normal' due to their father ethnicity.

'What the hell? Now the things are going down strait to bizarre. Wait a minute … didn't I saw a big "51" on the door before? As in "area 51" … oh! my God, they want me to auscultate an alien baby!'

Manning did not notice the panic on Dr. Fraiser's face as he turns to look at the peoples who follow them into the infirmary.

"Ah! Right on time, Dr. Fraiser I would like you to meet Hellboy and … Dr. Fraiser? Dr. Fraiser!"

'Once I regained consciousness, I found myself laying on my back staring at the light fixture. From the familiar smell of a sterilized room and medical supplies I guessed that I was still in the infirmary. Well now, I know that waking from a fainting spell is not quite the same thing as waking from when you're asleep, may be it's due to the fact that everything shut down at the same time. Oh boy, I can't believe I just fainted like a sissy and to say that I was one of the guys who had fun at expense of those who felt queasy at the sight of a corpse in med school. I even saw many new fathers fainted while their spouse was in labor, it made for couples of good jokes at new year eve party. And now, I am the one who turned the eyes, bet I even got more gray hairs because of it. My wife already telling me that they're more salt than pepper, boy I'm getting to old for this. I really should get up and get going …'

Suddenly Dr. Faiser jerked up remembering why he fainted in the first place, startling up a nurse in the process. She called the doctor on duty who check on him, then he made a call, turns out it was to Mr. Manning. The first thing he did as entered the room was offering his most flat apologies as they are more used to deal with disbelief than fear before he began detailing the nature of Hellboy. Dr. Fraiser already knew the rumors about the red devil that work of the government but he dismissed it as sensationalism … and besides it was in New York, far from home so it didn't concern him.

'Wow it's unbelievable, my head is still spinning because of it, they chose me to care for the unborn children of a demon. They said that I'm a perfect man for it and that it's not the first time the BPRD request external help when it come to the health and safety of their peoples. I just need to do my job and keep my mouth shut about something that has never been witnessed or recorded in modern human history. So it's nothing, right? In truth I'm scare out of my mind but it's a once in a life time opportunity, I guess my curiosity is getting the better of me. And now to meet the parents … again. Oh I must be nut, I tell you.'

"And now, we can see … euh … I think it's a tail. Yep, it's a tail …"

I was worried over nothing it seems. Everything went fine and as far as I can tell both the mother and the children are in good health. The twins appear to be human enough : two normal arms, two normal legs unlike their father. It always a pleasure to announce to the expecting parents the gender of their children, they tend to get so excited and get carried way with project and everything. I once got a couple that had planned every little details about their daughter's future up to what degree she was going to get at Stanford … they had quite high expectation for their child, not that most parent don't have great expectations for their children but some tend to go overboard with these things. This must be the third most often approached subject between the parents in my office.

So when I told them than they were going to have a boy and a girl, they got ecstatic and immediately started on the first of the most talked about subject : how are they going to decorate the babies room. I swear it's like this six times out of ten.

As continued with the ultrasound, I glanced at father's face and I realize that no matter what a loving father is always looking in wonder at the first images of his children, whatever species the father is. They may not be the run of the mills Joe and Jane but I think they're going to do just right.

Liz woke up the next day, still tired due to the jet lag. While, it was six in the morning her body kept telling her that it was noon and there's nothing more frustrating then wanting to sleep but being utterly unable too. So she was tired, it is an understatement to say that she's in a bad mood. She looked grumpy, she sounded grumpy, she felt grumpy, heck she probably even smelt grumpy before she took her shower. Now all she had to do was to get to the bathroom before Hellboy because he tend to take forever to finish and beside she likes to have some privacy. Oh that second bathroom … she dreamt of it for months now. Her things, no sharing, she would be able to take all the time in world, not having to hurry because someone had to go. Somewhere clean with no left over beard or horn filling in the sink. Paradise.

Yesterday, after her meeting with Doctor Fraiser, Hellboy and her had lunch then met with the contractor in charge of the renovation. They were showed some plan, express what they wished for, exchange ideas and where told the final plan would be ready the next evening and have a better estimate on the duration of the work but for now they believed that if they work around the clock it should be done in about a week. Ty Pennington, the contractor, said that he never did such an extreme makeover to an apartment before.

So today, they needed to pack and move of their belonging either into storage or to their temporary lodging. It was fun to get back to their possessions. All the things they missed while in England and now to get everything into boxes before the demolishing crew were schedule to begin. The BPRD is effective like that, a mix of readiness and competence with a touch of insanity that made them seem ready for anything. But right now, all Liz wants is to stay in bed and procrastinate a little longer, those five months in England made her lazy, too long of a vacation. Not that she didn't have anything to do, far from it. It is merely that being a housewife for nearly five month made her realized that an entirely 'normal' life wasn't really made for her. She missed the excitement that being a field agent brought to her life, even though she'll never really admit it. Now being in maternity leave meant no work on the terrain, which was not a bad thing in it self since she didn't feel like working today. But she still had a lot to do, in fact she felt it was going to be a long day.

It began with the breakfast with Hellboy fussing over what they were eating. No, more like he's fussing over what she's eating. More than once she had to keep him from running to the kitchen and pester the cook for more fruits or to stop bothering her because she's taking one cup of coffee during the day. She knows he wants to help and appreciate the attention but it's been five months and he still fussing over every little things no matter what Abe and Liz are telling him. And if he hands her over another kiwi, she's going to shove it up his nose, broil it and if he still insist she's gonna make sure that he never going to sees a grapefruit in the same way ... ever.

After breakfast, they went back to their room and began packing, there was a lot to do before the movers came in. She almost regretted the fact that she didn't start last evening, at least then the week worth of clothes and the others necessities would have already been good to go and then, she would only have to worry about the rest. But it didn't matter now, it was something that needed to be done and she knew she couldn't count on HellBOY to do it.

'Men', she thought, 'they shove everything that's still clean in a satchel and "voilà". Hurg.' Even for short term mission she took the time to fold everything nicely and to keep place in her luggage so that her clothes wouldn't come out has a bundle of wrinkles. And also it was the best way to make sure she didn't forget anything.

After the bare necessities were taken care of, she began to pack what was left of her belongings. About three hours later she was done and Hellboy was still at it. She realized that even if they were still living separately, he still would have four time as much things to move than her. Maybe it's due to the fact that Hellboy lived for a long time now and that he have the he accumulated so much stuff but deep down she knew that he's a hoarder, he never throws away anything.

But the real reason behind Hellboy's lack of packing, was that he had to take care of his cats. He didn't like the idea of them spending a week into cages but they needed to be moved too. Those that had accepted his return didn't cause any trouble but for the other, he had to play hide and seek. He found quite a few of them hidden under the bed, behind the sofa or on top of bookshelf, but the real problems came with those who ran away or fought back, not that they could really hurt him.

After she was done with her things, it was time to help Hellboy. So she entered their apartment with a green garbage bag warning him that everything he absolutely wishes to keep should be in boxes by the time she's done picking up the garbage (which give him a few hours to do so). Thing that could have been done a lot faster if Hellboy didn't spend most his time making sure she wouldn't throw away any of his stuff, which she did anyway, like that ratty pair of brief that couldn't even be used as a fishnet.

'Hum, I wonder what Abe's doing right about now? Wasn't he suppose to come help us?' thought Liz.

Ty Pennington decided to send his carpenters to the library first, seeing that's Abe's demand was the simplest to execute. It took them from morning to noon to install the drape and the electric system controlling it. Now, Abe was standing outside of his tank changing the books for his daily reading.

'Oh, the pleasure to contemplate the pages of some of the grand masterpiece of literature. All the books he would never read,' he thought.

During the five months that he was in England, the only things he had to read were the books of the previous owner of the cottage, those that Liz rented for him at the local public library, the news papers and various magazines. For some time, his only intellectual stimulations, beside the books, were the telly with only five channels, the occasional chess game with the others and his sometime unsuccessful try in various arts and craft. Sometime, he believed his brain would rot. And now, because of his peculiar memory, he knows an entire season of Doctor Who, all of the latest gossip concerning Buckingham Palace and how to do fifty knighting projects. The only lessons an intellectual like Abe could really appreciate was how to really enjoy the simplest pleasure that life could offer.

"Open the drape. Close the drape. Open the drape. Close the drape. Open the drape. Close the ..." he kept muttering, smiling dumbly as he used the remote to his new automatic drapes that were install in front of his tank.

Hopefully, the after-effects are not permanent.

Quite later that same evening, everything was packed, most of it was already put into storage and the movers were taking the last of boxes.

The following day, Hellboy, Liz and Abe were joined by Krauss in the library to inspect the extensive piles of files the BPRD have on peoples with paranormal powers, oddities and/or origins. On that you add files on the police, the military, the FBI, other government agency personnel already at there disposition and even files on prisoners.

And there's the historical archive of the BPRD and from all of their branches on the six continents. It's a good thing that the researchers that brought them the files pass through it first to cleansing it a little but was left was still an humongous amount of information to process. They'll need to go over it all, sort it and then decide what they need, how many and how to convince to work for the BPRD.

The thing is that not all of them are BPRD material. Some of the persons suggested were just too odd, too weak, too old, too young, too stupid, too useless or just too plain psycho. They really had to broaden the initial spectrum of their search. They wanted to get out of the ordinary boundaries for there new team members.

Hey! Ordinary. There's nothing ordinary in any of the subjects. Also, 'ordinary' is not a word used often to describe someone qualified to work for the BPRD.

And so, after a few hours of skimming through files it became apparent that they would not see the end of it anytime soon.

"We're not gonna see the end of it, are we?" ask Hellboy hidden behind a mountain of files.

What did we just tell you?

"Well, we did ask for everything they had in the archive." responded Abe ever the mediator.

"Yeah! but some of these are just stupid, I mean look, there's this guy who throws forks at criminals. Will you look at his get-up! He calls himself the Blue Rajah." said a disbelieving Hellboy. "He doesn't have any blue on his costume."

"He throws forks? No powers at all?" ask Liz.

"Nothing.", he answered beck "He's just a vigilante with great accuracy and a lousy fashion sense. I bet he even fakes is English accent."

"That's nothing." replied Krauss, "I've another one here … let me find it … Ah!, there it is, he's another vigilante. I swear you Americans think that you can take the law into your own hands whenever you want. Anyway, this man here, goes around Manhattan hitting criminals with various sport equipments and wearing an ancient model of hockey mask, while yelling 'Goongala'."

"A sort of Wayne Gretzky on steroids and let me guess, he goes by the name of 'Sportman' and his power is to be good at any sports." joked Liz, thinking that if it were true, it would take the cake.

"Hum, it doesn't say." said Krauss, looking further into the files, "We don't have much info on this one. He may just have ended in the piles because of the numerous siting of him in company of some kind of giant green kung-fu lizards roaming around New York and there apparitions often coincide with the siting of ninjas … This is ridiculous, ninjas in New York. It is as if every wack jobs and bozos are attracted to this city."

"That's New York for ya." replied Hellboy not lifting his nose of his pile of work.

"Well, there's some non-powered case that have potential," countered Abe, "look at this one. John McClane, policeman with the NYPD, he almost single-handedly stop four terrorists attack, survived numbers of perilous situations, work great under pressure, ingenious and the character of a Pitbull. Here see for yourself."

Hellboy took the impressive report skimmed through it with Liz that read over his shoulder.

" … wow … he did all that? Bad ass. He's a die hard kind of guy, don't you think? He got the attitude we're searching for but he's getting older. I'm not sure how he would take all the supernatural stuff. No ... I think we should leave him to what he knows … and that way we won't have to worry about terrorists, right?"

"Yes, let's leave counter terrorism to NYPD instead of the CIA." replied a sarcastic Liz. Hellboy did remark that she was in one of her snapping today but he knew better than to point it out. Instead, he asked if she found any prospect amongst the possible non-powered agents.

"Maybe that guy," she proposed, "the name is John Rambo, ex-green-beret, expert in survival, weaponry, hand to hand combat, guerrilla warfare and he's also an helicopter pilot. He received many decorations : one medal of honor, two silver stars, four purple hearts, four bronze stars and the distinguish service cross. He lived in Vietnam after the war, he came back to the country recently."

"Hum, seems OK to me," commented Hellboy.

"Wait," intervened Abe, "did you just say that he was in Vietnam? How old is he?"

"62"

Everyone returned to their work with a displeased groan. Age was a factor for someone's dismissal, again. It was an arch reminder for Hellboy that he didn't age at the same rate as humans.

The search continued, file after file, candidate after candidate. A lot of paper was moved giving little results and the attitude of a certain someone didn't help.

"Psychic," Hellboy drop the file in 'no' basket, "psychic," in the basket too, "psychic," again, "psychic," and again, "PSYCHIC," he shoved it in the now overflowing basket, "pre-cog psychic," in the garbage can beside the table, "re-cog psychic," he paused at that one, it could be useful. He checked the file again, then he made a face before it followed the others in the garbage.

"You know Red," said Abe, "we'll need to pick at least one to satisfy the board. They did insist to have one amongst the new recruits."

"Yeah … but couldn't we just … I don't know, just stay with you and your psychometry ? That's plenty useful not like those two cents fortune teller or those new age aura sniffing dog or something." This last comment made Liz chuckle. "And beside now, we got Krauss too with is … whatchacallit thingy, with the smoke …"

"Ecto-plastic medium," supplied Krauss.

"Yeah, that's the thing, and he can do all those other stuff too, you know useful things."

"Thank you," Krauss said, for he rarely receive compliment from Hellboy.

"Don't mention it," he responds, maybe regretting the compliment he paid to the already full of hot air Krauss. He laughs at his own joke almost missing the comment made by Abe.

"There's a lot of interesting talents out there, we just need to see how we apply them to our cause." said Liz. "Oh ! Do you guys remember, there was this kid who came with us this one time … what was is name … hum … Leach ! Leach something ...", snapping her finger as she tried to recall.

"Sidney Leach, the human metal detector." supplied Hellboy. "he's still at the BPRD, right? He would be better than all those other psychics."

"hum … yes he could do nicely, I think." replied Abe "with a little more training and more time on the terrain he could do just fine. We should see if he would be interested in working with us again. But we really should have a greater selection, so that we can decide later." continued Abe as enthusiastic as ever in order to motivate Hellboy. If he could only convince him to pick one more psychics, it would be a huge victory concerning Abe. So, he did the only thing he knew that would make Hellboy agree to something … no, he did not make him drank enough beer so that he'd sign anything without remembering in the morning. He'd ask Liz to ask him instead.

"Ok, Hellboy, how about this one?" Liz began, "Melinda Irene Gordon, she can see dead peoples."

"And so do we ! Every day of the week with this job."

This was going to be harder than he thought.

Files after files, piles after piles. Our investigators made some progress.

"I think I got one." exclaimed Liz. "Ace Ventura, an ex-policeman who's now working as a private detective, he specializes in case involving animal. He's a member of numerous environmental protection group and animal rights. He's in the right age range and physically fit, he has travel to Asia where he received spiritual training in a Buddhist temple, mark as class 2 on our charts. Hum, impressive, not everyone can do it and he seem to have pass with an excellent mention from the head priest who gave him a prized necklace. He's now back in America where he solved some thorny case for the police and the FBI. And he gets around too, I see here that he solved a case in Africa. He's also, divorced and had one son who's living with his mother. And he has the ability to talk to animals."

"You mean an animal empath?" asked Krauss.

"No, he really talk to animal and they answer back. He can also train just about any animals and used to help him solve cases. Quite original? It could be the new thing we're looking for. That's odd... there's nothing in his psychological file, only a note from the Dr. Brendon saying that he has the perfect psychological profile for the job, a mind set that will fit the BPRD like a glove and he has the full support of the doctor."

"Hey! Hellboy, wasn't he the one you punch at the last psychiatric evaluation?" questioned Abe.

"Nah!, can't be the same guy, he would never recommend us anybody. That guy would cut off his own legs before helping us. Must be someone with the same name, I mean the Bureau use almost eighty of these guys all over the State to compile those files. Liz, you put him in the maybe basket."

"Ok!"

"Ah! ausgeichnet, some progress. We don't have much in that basket except for that ex-military firearms expert. Who found that one?" asked Krauss.

"That was me," answered Abe, "I found him in the police pile. He's a veteran that turned into a cop. Married with one child, he's a man of action and also a very good shot. I thought it would be nice to have another expert with guns, beside Hellboy."

Almost everyone laugh at the inside joke about the absurd lack of talent when it comes to shooting of Hellboy, while he grumble something under his breath about the lessons he received from the Torch of Justice.

"Anyway! At least he's not another trigger happy nut who has a thing for big guns." cut the big guy. "We already have enough of those, what we need are posed guy who are going to think before shooting. So, if the experts think this ... Eugene Tackleberry is good, we should check him out."

"What about the psychics." retort Krauss, pointing out the flaw in Hellboy's logic.

"Ooh ! Leave me alone with the 'psychics'."

"Let's continue, shall we" said Abe to diffuse the situation. "I taught that maybe we could also look for new instructors. If we're going to expend the number of agents we're going to need more peoples to teach them everything they need know about the job while we're on duty."

"You're right, especially since our schedules are going to become full enough ..." said Liz caressing her stomach in a distracted fashion.

"So lets see … the first possible one would be … Oh, dear !" exclaimed Abe.

The files contained a picture of the applicant who in this case Abe had to unfold two times and turned vertically to see the whole tight … I mean thing ! Thing ! Ahem … Abe could feel his cheek turning to a darker shade of blue and for a few moment he became totally oblivious of his surrounding.

Hellboy leaned over the side of the table to see what had captivated his friend so much. The view wasn't disappointing and he was left staring at the poster as well.

Krauss, now intrigued, sent a whiff of ectoplasmic smoke over the table so that he too could have a look without having to move the others. "Mein Got." he exclaimed "Debbie Callahan, Miss Police March 199..." he never had the time to finish reading what was written on the poster for it spontaneously combusted *cough*cough* Liz *cough*cough*

Everybody jerk back to there places feigning innocence and a 'fuming' Elizabeth was giving THE look to Hellboy. 'I may not live in a pool like Abe,' he thought, 'but right now, I'm the one in hot water.'

Files after files, piles after piles. The search went on.

"Ach! I think we have a real winner here, he got everything we're looking for." exclaimed Krauss before continuing in a more professional tone. "He made is military service in the middle east, where he was decorated. He also help Scotland Yard and the British Secret Services solve a mysterious case, all informations about it are classified. Before that he seems to have done a number of odd jobs like camp councilor, taxi driver, janitor, ice cream vendor, etc. It shows that he's multi-purpose individual. He's a tinkerer and an inventor, very skilled when it comes to machineries and electricity. Furthermore he's an ex-star of the NBA."

"Really?" replied Hellboy.

"Yes, he made a spectacular but brief carrier, it doesn't say why he quit after achieving money and fame, but someone who can do that must be physically fit. But it's not the most impressive thing about him, he has power as well."

"No." said Abe incredulous.

"I'm telling you. He's some sort of electric man, he can store electricity and shoot it back in form of lightning, making him virtually immune to electrocution. And depending on the level of electricity stored within his body he can become like a magnet. His ability mysteriously emerged shortly after his duty as a jury. The experts don't seem to understand where it comes from. And the best part is ! He has experience with the supernatural."

"You're kidding me?" Ask Liz.

"No. He saved the children of a small town from a life sucking troll, that the BPRD classed as level 3 in term of threat. He defeated it and his army single handedly, if we believe the testimony of the towns peoples."

"Hum, those are always a load of trouble," mused Hellboy "I'm impress."

"He also saved Christmas once and he seem to have been involved with pirates, but that's left unconfirmed."

"It's too good to be true," said Abe with enthusiasm. "What's his name?"

"Ernest P. Worrell."

"Hmm, the name inspire confidence. He's exactly the kind of guy we're searching for, KnoWhutImean?"

Liz was the next one to have a finding.

"Jax Briggs, member of the Special Force, he had his arms equipped with bionic implants. I thought that maybe more muscles could do us some good." she proclaim while giving a playful wink to Hellboy.

And she's happy, now. 'Her and her mood swing,' thought Hellboy, the usual victim of Liz's mood. He still nod at her suggestion not minding too much the small laugh she had at the expense of his physic. Beside he wouldn't mind someone else to do the heavy lifting from time to time. His chiropractor would agree too.

"It's almost noon." claimed Hellboy, not bothering to check to his watch his stomach telling him everything he needed to know. "We've been at it since morning, some distractions would be good right about now."

"Everyone, there's someone I'd like to meet."

Tom Manning.

Be careful what you wish for, HB.

Manning continue, "She'll be here in about twenty minutes, my secretary is giving her a tour of the Bureau as we speak. She's going to be in charge of the PR for a trial period, she's fresh out of school and was recommended by a friend who works in public relation. So I trust you all know what to do about first impression," he said, eyeing Hellboy in particular.

"Don't worry about anything chief," replied Hellboy all smile. He then turn to the others and began talking like a football captain during a huddle.

"Ok team, we're gonna do the total. I go up front with a war cry looking big. Abe, you cut left, try to snarl and foam at the mouth. Krauss, you go smoky and make things move around do not let her recover. Liz, pick-up the Zulu mask on the wall, you're not scary enough and block her way out with a hot foot."

"Hi! Hi! Captain," said Liz with a mock salute, playing along with him.

"Ok coach, we're ready, send her in," told Hellboy turning toward Manning with all the cheerful disrespect he could muster.

Beyond the frontier of furious, Manning was giving him such a displeasing glare that would make a mistake in a text correct itself.

"You better be on your best behavior, I don't want another incident like with Dr Fraiser. I'll go get her, we'll be here shortly."

After Manning got out of the library, they waited about ten seconds before puffing in laughter. They would never do that, the idea was just ridiculous. They wanted to be accepted like ordinary people, scaring them right off the bat would be counter productive. If the guy was a complete asshole or if they had someone to scare, that was another story. Hellboy and Abe got that good cop bad cop routine down like pros. Which one do you think the big one like to play?

Once serious again, they decided to wrap thing up before the new girl arrived. As they did, Liz found another interesting file.

"Hey! Look, there one here who worked for the BPRD before. His name is Fox William Mulder an ex-agent of the FBI, he's also a 'conspiracy theorist'. That how he found us by the way and the Bureau was so impress that they gave him a job. He didn't last a month, though. When he left the BPRD, he said and I quote : I quit ! This place is just too weird, even for me !."

"I don't remember him", thought Hellboy out loud. "You see so much new staff pass through here that it's hard to believe that it's a top secret place."

As he finish his sentence, the wooden door of the library opened letting through the voice of Manning talking with someone.

"… and finally the library. You're job will be to take care of the image of the bureau and that of our head agents give to the public."

"But Mister Manning, you already told me that", replied soft feminine voice, "what you haven't told me yet, was with who I was going to work with ?"

"Well … them", said Manning with a certain dramatic flare.

She froze in place, as if time stood still. Her eyes widen as she took a deep breath, needing a few moment to take in all that was before her. And she exclaimed in a murmured cry, still unsure if what she saw was true or her eyes were playing tricks on her : "Hellboy …".

For a second panic and fear replaced the wonder on the young woman's face. Only for a second. To her credit, her professionalism took over and put on a stoic face. The perfect neutral-serious face, something earned after hours of practice of never letting anything show. From under her blond dyed bangs, you could see the gear in her head spinning so fast that they were turning red from the heat. The realization dawned in her brown eyes, the opportunity of this encounter was big. Enormous. If she was going to work on what she thought, it could make her career or sink it like the Titanic.

Manning turned toward the African-American woman and announce : "Miss O'Neill, let me introduce you Miss Elizabeth Sherman, Mr. Abraham Sapien, Mr. Johann Krauss and Hellboy."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm …" began O'Neill.

"Miss Danielle O'Neill," cut Abe, putting his opened hand in her direction "graduated recently from the university in publicity and public relation management. You played basketball in high school and through college that won you a scholarship for the university. Your favorite color is green and you hate carrots. You got the bangs on your forehead dyed after receiving an advice from your hair stylist after you broke up with your boyfriend.", finished Abe in one single breath.

"Oh … hum, wow. You're right, indeed," she respond with a nervous laugh. "How did you know all that about me ?" she ask a bit unsettled that he seem to know so much personal things about her.

"Abe, you know that make people nervous," retort Liz as she's getting up to greet the newcomer. "Hi, I'm Elizabeth. Don't mind Abraham, he's a psychometric, he can see thing from touching or hovering his hand over an object. He can also use his power to read people and that's how he gets to know someone, there's nothing to be afraid of." Explained Liz, having herself experience the disturbing first meeting.

"Oh, ok. And what do you do ?" she ask, forgetting that she might not like the answer.

"I burn stuff." respond Liz with sincerity, having come to the conclusion that in some cases you better be out with the truth than to conceal it.

"Euh …" not sure what to answer to that. Definitively, not letting anything shows, was getting harder by the second.

Krauss choose this moment to introduce himself, to cut short the awkward moment that seem to possess miss O'Neill.

"Let me introduce myself, lieb Fräulein. I am Johann Krauss, originally from the European division. I serve as a medium and an investigator for the team. Please to meet you," said Krauss shaking her hand, with clicks and hisses coming from his suits.

This was far from reassuring Danielle, especially since there seems to be nothing else but smoke in the suit.

She now turned toward the last occupant of the room sitting across the table to finish the introductions. She stared at him. He stared back, probably evaluating her, she believed. She continue to stare as she extend her right hand to shake his. He still stares and she stares back with a smile.

Now she was getting uncomfortable, none of them had stop staring at the other. 'Like a contest of will.' she thought. 'He's checking if I can stand up to him.' Her concentration was broken when Manning leaned toward her to whisper : "Don't stare, he hates it."

Believing she made a mistake, she ask : "Stare what ?"

"His horns. He files them to fit in."

To late, she could not stop herself to look up.

Hellboy almost rolled his eyes. That bad joke is played on all the newbies. He didn't like it when people stared at his horns. It only made them even more obvious. But everyone got played once with that trick because everyone look up when they're told not to. He didn't like it, but he followed the script as always.

"What'cha lookin' at ?"

"No-not-nothing." She stuttered, 'well so much professionalism.'

"So, that's the poor 'laddie' you're gonna put to make us look good. You sure pick'em young, eh ?" Hellboy ask Manning.

Offended, Danielle stiffen in her marine suit and with a sudden regain of assurance took a step forward getting closer to table.

"I'm sorry, are you doubting my qualification ?"

Hellboy got up from his chair and it was his turn to be impress, for even from across the table she could almost see eyes to eyes with him.

"Oh, no. it's just that most peoples don't like my mug, if you catch my drift. You save them and they throw rocks at you."

"So, you think your appearance is a problem. Don't worry, if people like me can make Paris Hilton a celebrity, I can make you the next candidate for presidencies." She replied defiantly.

"Republican or Democrat ?"

"Anything you want darling."

Manning had the most horrible daydream just now, Hellboy at the head of the country. Inner Manning cringed at the idea of having his least favorite employee as a boss. He needed to stop her before she could try something like that !

Just then the alarms started blaring, calling the agents for duty. Saved be the bell, thought Manning.

"Hey, that's our song," said Hellboy to O'Neill. "Abe, you're with me. Krauss, you keep the fort and see what Miss O'Neill can do for us. It was your idea, remember," cutting any protestation from Krauss.

He turned toward Liz with a smile. "Got to go to work, honey. And you take care. Be back soon." He said giving a big smooch on the cheek.

And they were gone.

Note from Bookeater :

Hey there reader, sorry about the delay but it was the anime convention season and it took a lot of our time and screwed our working schedules. And if your wondering which convention we're going to are G-Anime in Gatineau, Anime North in Toronto and Otakuthon in Montreal.

The good news is, I got more than half of the next chapter done but in need of revision and also half a chapter for a sidefic for our universe of Hellboy. Also thank you for your review they are really appreciated. We got tons of new material for reference for our fic and it's going to make this story even better. So wait for our next chapter and don't worry we plan to continue this fic for a long time.

About this chapters, there was a lot of cameos and references to other movies but do not panic, none of them are planed to appear in the future beside Leech who is already part of the universe of Hellboy. If you want to see some of the character named in the files that appear in this chapter, make us know, we are open to suggestion.

See you.

Note from Shiroyuki *^_^*

Hey, there sports fan … why do I say that I don't even like sports ?-_-?

As my friend BE told you, the last few months were quite hectic with all the different con. G-Anime in February, Anime North in May, Otakuthon in July and I have FanExpo in August. It wouldn't be so bad if I were just attending the con but I like to cosplay and making the costume tend to take a lot of my time. And too gave myself even less free time, at the last con I was also hosting panels (3 of them).

Today we introduce to the fic our first two OC, Dr John Fraiser and Danielle O'Neill. They are both named after a few characters from a certain tv show. If you can guess both the names of the show and the characters, you'll get a cookie *^_^*

If you wish to see what Danielle look like, I have a drawing of her on my DA site *^_^*

http:/ anael-aensland. deviantart. com/ art/ Danielle-O-Neill-WIP-133180883

And you'll also notice in this chapter, we added a lot of references to movies and tv series. Can you guess them all ? If you do you'll get more cookies *^_^* Hmmmmm coooookiiees !

And now the answer to last chapter's question : What was Manning secret passion ?

The answer is : He's a Trekky !

Yes he is, I'm telling you … what you don't believe me, go check the Weyoun reference in the last chapter.

For those who don't know, Weyoun is character from Star Trek:Deep Space 9 and he shares a position similar to the one of Manning. Just as Weyoun is a Vortha and can never become a Founder nor a Jemhadar either. Manning is stuck as the leader of the BPRD and cannot go higher in the governmental hierarchy and he doesn't have what it takes to be an agent. And so, just like Weyoun he tries to manipulate everybody to do his biding and tries to make himself appear more important than he actually is, to both his bosses and the peoples that works under him.

For more info about Weyoun I suggest to ask trekky … or Wikipedia's good too. *^_^*