Chapter Three

Alec stared at Mara out of the corner of his eye the whole way to her room. They had given her a room in the building on Occidental St. "So a slayer huh?"

"Yep."

Well that got me no where. Now what? Direct approach I guess. "So how many of you are there?"

"Like I said; hundreds. Fully trained there are 226 that I know of. Buffy, Faith, Willow, Xander, Giles and all of them have been very busy since The First."

"Are they all slayers too?"

"What? No! Buffy and Faith are. Only girls can be slayers. Willow is the mega witch I mentioned before. Giles is a watcher and Xander is a friend of Buffy's who has helped her for years and is now helping with the training of the newbie's and helping Giles rebuild the Watchers Council."

Dammit. For every answer I get it just gives me a dozen more questions. I still don't know if I believe her but that might be a pointless thought cause I don't know what Max is going to do with her. "Why only girls?" Might as well get as much intel as I can.

"To that question I don't have an answers. I can only guess. We think it's cause the first slayer was a girl so it's handed down through the females. But it's not something that goes generation to generation either cause most slayers die before they ever get the chance to have kids. Hell most slayers never made it past their first six months. As we always joke becoming a slayer means slapping a short expiration date on yourself. Anyways there has never been a male slayer. Not that we know of anyways." With how much the watchers recorded everything else I would think if something like that ever happened it would have made it into the books.

Shit! Not enough time. Why does TC have to be so small? "Well here we are. I'm sure you saw the DeFac on our way here. They start serving dinner around 1700. Just off of Shankar where you came in is the Last Stop Bar and there's a gym next to it if you get bored."

"So what; you're not confining me to quarters? Max made it sound like you were or that you were at least suppose to shadow me for the time being."

Oh shit that's right! I better call Max and double check before I leave her on her own. "Why don't you go on in? I'll check."

Mara let herself into the room that would be her new home for a while. They didn't bother with locks in TC seeing how everyone there could either pick any lock they could afford or just bust the door open. Might as well make myself comfortable. Mara assessed the room she found herself in. It had a twin size wire cot in one corner, a rickety looking nightstand and dresser and; she was happily surprised to see a decent sized closet with some shelves. Next to the door was a little kitchenette area with a mini fridge, a mini stove and some cupboards. There was a fan with a light hanging in the middle of the ceiling and poking her head into the bathroom she saw it wasn't too bad either. It had a shower stall, probably no hot water though a toilet and a sink with a cabinet underneath. All in all not bad. Could definitely be worse. They even were nice enough to supply a towel, shower curtain, a blanket and fresh sheets for the bed. Oh and a pillow. They're doing better than I thought they were.

Mara dropped her bag on the floor. She pulled out her palm and the speakers for it and plugging it started making her bed and arranging her things while listening to her music.

Alec pulled out his ceil and called Max. "Hey Max got a quick question for you. Did you want to keep Mara in her room or have someone assigned to her at all times?"

"No I wanted you to stay with her. Shadow her and find out what you can about her. I'll call you back later." Max replied distractedly.

"What? Why me? I have a supply raid to plan for tomorrow night."

"Because I can trust you. We don't know what she's capable of. If she's one of White's breeding cult. Take her with you to the planning meeting if you have to. Now I have to go. Don't let her out of your sight."

"Yeah but Max I…" Max hung up before he could finish his sentence. Alec leaned back against the door. So now she decides to trust me. Well I wanted time with her to find some answers. But where to start. I just keep ending up with more questions with every answer. Max thinks she could be a plant from White's breeding cult. It's possible but somehow I don't think that's the case. I think she's on the level. Alec was pulled out of his musings by the sound of music coming from the room. He used his transgenic hearing to hear what was being sung.

"Her name is Noel
I have a dream about her
She rings my bell
I got gym class in half an hour
Oh how she rocks
In Keds and tube socks
But she doesn't know who I am
And she doesn't give a damn about me"

What the… Alec opened the door to find Mara dancing around the room to the music.

"Cause I'm just a teenage dirtbag baby
Yeah I'm just a teenage dirtbag baby
Listen to Iron Maiden baby with me

Her boyfriend's a dick
And he brings a gun to school
And he'd sI'mply kick
My ass if he knew the truth
He lives on my block
And he drives an Iroc
But he doesn't know who I am
And he doesn't give a damn about me

Cause I'm just a teenage dirtbag baby
Yeah I'm just a teenage dirtbag baby
Listen to Iron Maiden baby with me

Yeeah dirtbag, no she doesn't know what she's missin
Yeeah dirtbag, no she doesn't know what she's missin"

"Oh hey. So what's the verdict?" She said putting her change of clothes in the dresser and noticing how little she had. "I'm gonna need to do some definite shopping."

She's walking over to me
This must be fake
My lip starts to shake
How does she know who I am
And why does she give a damn about

I've got two tickets to Iron Maiden baby
Come with me Friday, don't say maybe
I'm just a teenage dirtbag baby like you

Yeeah dirtbag, no she doesn't know what she's missin
Yeeah dirtbag, no she doesn't know what she's missin

Alec just stared at her. Who is this girl? "That might be hard considering where you are."

"Hey I got in and I know you guys got ways out of here. How the hell else are you keeping this place supplied." She stated. "Besides as I've already stated I'm not a transgenic so I can move about freely as long as I don't show my abilities. I don't have a bar code and my body temperature is normal so White's little heat detecting machines won't work on me."

Alec eyed her "How do you know about those?

"Like I previously stated, where I'm from all this:" She waved her hand around indicating her surroundings. "is a TV show. So all that was included. I know quite a bit. I'll tell you now you'd probably be surprised. I know more than you'd expect and some you probably wouldn't like and in some cases more than you do. Like the fact that Lydecker is being held captive by the breeding cult somewhere. Or that Renfro actually died saving Max's life."

Alec found his brain short circuiting on him and leaving him speechless, which for him was unheard of. "Why would Renfro do that?"

"Because she saw Max's blood work up and she was what they had been waiting for. Who they are I don't know cause they never said but I have a feeling the person she called was Sandeman, cause she sounded happy not angry like White when he found out about her."

Alec sat down on the edge of her bed trying to digest what she was saying and figure out which question he wanted to ask next. He had so many swirling around in his head he didn't know which one was more important. If Manticore hadn't blessed him with such a perfect memory he would have been pulling out a pen to take noted with all the information she was passing along. Why do they have Lydecker? Should we get him? I never did like the guy and we don't know where they're keeping him. She doesn't seem to know either. At least she's not all knowing cause than I'd be worried. But how much does she know? Wait in movies and TV shows they also have a lot of personal shit in those things. Shit! How much does she know about Max or me? How far back does this show go? How much did it cover? She said I wouldn't like some of the things she knows. I don't think I want to go there. Alec was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of Mara singing along to her music again.

"Jesse is a friend

Yeah I know he's been a good friend of mine

But lately something's changed

That ain't hard to define

Jesse's got himself a girl

And I wanna make her mine

And she's watching him with those eyes

And she's lovin him with that body

I just know it

And he's holding him in his arms late late at night

You know I wish that I had Jesse's girl

I wish that I had Jesse's girl

Why can't I find a woman like that

Alec decided to take it easy for know and turn the conversation hopefully to a safer topic. "What are you listening to and from what?"

"I'm listening to a mix of music on my palm pilot. It's sitting over there on the dresser." She pointed at it. "Oooh I love this song.

On the day I was born

The nurses gathered round

They gazed in wide wonder

At the joy they had found

The head nurse spoke up

Said leave this one alone

She could tell right away

That I was bad to the bone

Bad to the bone

Bad to the bone

Ba ba ba ba ba bad

Ba ba ba ba ba bad

Ba ba ba ba ba bad

Bad to the bone

I broke a thousand hearts

Before I met you

I'll break a thousand more baby

Before I am through

I wanna be yours pretty baby

Yours and Yours alone"

"I've never heard this song before or any of the other ones so far." Alec interrupted.

"Hold on. Let the song finish.

Ba ba ba ba ba bad

Ba ba ba ba ba bad

Ba ba ba ba ba bad

Bad to the bone

I'll make a rich woman beg

And I'll make a good woman steal

I'll make an old woman blush

And I make a young woman squeal

I wanna be yours pretty baby

Yours and Yours alone

"What were you saying?" She said after she heard her favorite part.

Alec smirked when he heard the lines 'every woman I meet they all stay satisfied'. " I was saying I've never heard this song before or any of the others so far but I like them."

"You've never heard them before? They're classics from the 80s' and 90s'. But than again seeing how you were born in like 2000 and being raised where you were and the pulse I could see that."

"What do you mean being born in 2000. You look the same age as me."

"Yeah but like I said earlier to me this took place in the future. The show was set in the future."

" what do you mean? What year is it for you again? When were you born?"

"I was born in 1987. I'm 21. Though now it would be 32 by your calendar but physically I'm 21 and that's what I'll stick with cause I ain't lived no 32 years yet. Though technically I guess that makes me older than practically all of ya. Probably even Logan. Humph. Oh and for me it was August 22, 2008."

Alec gawked at her. "So your from Pre-Pulse America? Max and the others haven't even escaped yet." The last sentence being more of a statement to himself as he tried to assimilate this new tidbit of information. "I'm going to stop talking to you for now and just sit here."

"Why?"

"Because even when I try to talk to you about something simple it still raises questions. And the answers to those questions lead to more. I'm getting a headache." Alec leaned back massaging his temples.

"Brain going into info overload? I know how that goes. I remember the night I was attacked by my first vamp and Faith shows up saving me and dumping this whole new world and large destiny on me. It was not easy to swallow. I think the only thing that made it easier on me than the previous slayers is unlike Buffy there were others out there like me. She was on her own for a long time till Kendra showed up and Faith when she got killed. Kendra I mean. Though Buffy has died twice from what I'm told. I guess you just can't keep a good slayer down. One of those times she was dead for like three months. Than Willow, Tara, Xander, and Anya worked some mojo and brought her back. Sunnydale needed a slayer. Cause a new one couldn't be chosen till Faith died and she was in prison for murder." When Mara saw Alec staring at her like she had just grown a second head she blushed realizing she had been babbling. "Sorry I was babbling. I have a bad habit of doing that when I get nervous. I didn't mean to talk your ear off it's just I'm really nervous. Nothing in the slayer handbook ever said anything about how to handle being shoved into your favorite TV show. I may know a lot about this world and what's going on it and I may be a super chick ad Faith would say but it's still not my world. It's not like moving to another state or something you know. It's a completely nother world and I don't know anyone or what I'm suppose to do with myself. I mean do I get a job and apartment and set up shop with a full life here? Am I gonna be here permanently or was the spell only temporary? Though I don't think it was from the way it sounded. So do I get comfortable and settle in or do I start lookin for a way to go home? Can I live here? Is someone lookin for me? I sure they are or will be soon but will they be able to find me? And I'm babbling again. I'm sorry." Mara plopped down on the bed in front of him. She had finished putting her few belongings away and didn't now what to do with herself now. She knew she had to do something cause the seriousness of her situation was starting to sink in and she could feel the panic rising, wondering if she was ever going to get home. Wondering if she was ever going to see her friends or family again. Or sleep in her own bed. She could feel the pressure building in her chest and the tightness in her throat as the moisture started welling in her eyes. She tried to take some deep breaths to keep her escalating emotions in check. I am not going to cry. I'm not going to show weakness in front of Alec. I can do this. Just take it one thing at a time. First things first, try to convince them not to throw you out on your duff. Second get some more clothes and things. Third find away to keep the money coming in. Maybe I could get a job at Jam Pony. That would be hilarious. Bip bip bip. Though I think I'd slap Normal the first time he called me missy miss if he ever did. Than I can start tackling the big issues. Now Break!

Alec saw the moisture collecting in her eyes and it snapped him out of his stunned state. "Hey are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine. Five by five as Faith always says. Just had a moment of… something. So no more conversation that leads to questions and headaches.? Got it. So I take since you're still here that I'm not to be left alone?"

"Yeah Max wants me to watch you. Just me. So it looks like I might have plenty of time to ask all my questions."

"I know Max can take a while to make up her mind. I meant it took her a year to get her head in order when it came to Logan but I have a feeling even a year wouldn't even be enough time to answer all you r questions. Though if you're looking for a place to start the beginning always works."

"Where is the beginning though?"

"Think back to earlier today and review our conversations and think of what the first question was that entered your mind from there and see where the conversation goes. We got time to kill."

"Alright. So Max didn't like Logan at first?"

"No she thought he was an idiot getting involved in other people's problems. Max has changed a lot over the last two years though. She use to be so much cooler. Logan changed and in my opinion it was mostly for the worst. And the whole UST thing with them use to aggravate the shit out of me. All the dancing around each other. In my opinion if they had really liked each other that much they would have made time cause that's what you do when you want to be with someone. They had issues before this whole virus bitch came along. I wish they could find the cure so they could finally screw and get it over with. Cause if there's anyone out there that needs to get seriously laid it's those two. Logan needs to learn to chill and Max needs the stick removed from her ass."

"They could get the cure and it'd probably be the same." Alec said smiling at her assessment.

"Fine lock them in a room next time Max goes into heat. Two birds, one stone, problem solved. Though what she sees in him I'll never know. Sure he's not bad on the eyes but he's not great either. He's always stuck on his high and mighty horse, doesn't know how to relax beyond having a fancy dinner, and thinks he's mister know-it-all-can-get-anything. He may help people but he's still a spoiled rich boy that thinks he's better than everyone sometimes. Don't get me wrong I think he's an over all good guy but he's just not right for Max, you know. She needs someone that cannot only except her but can truly understand her and she doesn't have to hold back with. And now I'm ranting. Sorry, this seems to be my day for talking your ear off. So what's your next question?" God can I ever make my mouth shut up? I'm not normally like this. It must be the stress and talking about this shit is keeping my mind off my predicament.

Well she certainly seems to have Max and Logan pegged. I wonder what she knows about me or thinks of me. If only Max and Logan could heart what she's saying. Maybe if they heard it from a stranger it would get through. Nope, too stubborn. What to ask next? "You mentioned Ben earlier. What do you know about him?" Sure it was a touchy subject for him but he still wanted to know anything about his twin that might help him understand better what he had gone through and maybe himself in the process.

"Not much more than what Max told you. The only difference is rather than being told I watched it. Or at least snippets. Like how he loved 'The Blue Lady' which if I'm not mistaken was the Virgin Mother Mary. He had to have answers for everything and when he couldn't get it he would make up stories to explain it. That when he got out into the world there were too many questions for him and not enough answers so he lost it. He resorted back to Manticore had made him, a killer and a hunter. Finally he came to Washington and Max found him. She tried to talk to him. Tried to help him. I think finding Ben to her was more important than any of her other "siblings". Fro what I saw I think she was closer to him than any of the other ones that escaped. I mean Zack was their leader but Ben seemed to be their heart from what the flashbacks showed. His stories gave them answers and hope. When Max had her seizures Ben was the one that would hold her till they went away. He would hold her and tell her stories all night. And when he died I even cried watching what happened. Max had been chasing him through the woods when she caught up to him and tried to once again talk him into coming with her and getting some help. He refused and they ended up fighting. She broke his leg and than they heard the troops moving in." Mara was so lost in her recounting of that episode, seeing clearly in her head she didn't see the slight wetness collecting in Alec's eyes. He was trying to remain unaffected but there were too many emotions connected with his twin. The minute she had started telling her story they all came roaring to the surface but he had to know. And the fact that this stranger was so affected by the memory of his twin made it that much harder to think of Ben as the traitor and loon that he always had. He could see the strain in her features that showed she was not as unaffected by her story either He was getting to know the person that other people had known and it made him sad he had never known his own brother. Even a perfect stranger knew him better than he did. He continued listening, eating every word like a starving man. "Max was down on the ground cradling Ben trying to figure out a way to get them both out of there but she knew it was hopeless and she could see in his eyes that he knew it too. He looked so scared and confused and just terrified. He tried to explain himself, said he was sorry. That he just didn't know how to deal in the civilian world. That he wished they had never runaway. Than he asked Max to kill him. He couldn't go back. He knew what awaited him if he did. Max looked like she was about to argue than realizing it was their only option besides capture she asked him to tell her about the nomlies. He started to tell his story, than without warning in the middle of a sentence she snapped his neck. He died lying in her lap and she cried. She cried for so long I thought she was gonna get captured for a sec and then finally she pulled herself together enough to get up and run. She left his body lying there and ran. I don't think she's ever forgiven herself. Like you guys figured out I think that's one of the reasons she's such a bitch to you. Every time she sees you she sees him but you not him. He's dead and she feels it's her fault that she failed him and you remind her of that failure and the brother she lost."

Alec just nodded in agreement, his throat to tight with emotion for him to speak. Mara just waited patiently for him to collect himself, doing a bit of the same herself. It was a few minutes before he was able to talk again. "Thank you." He said staring her in the eye trying to convey his gratefulness.

"You're welcome. So next question." She plastered on a smile trying to lighten the mood.

She's as bad as me. I can tell she was just as affected but enough with the heavy emotions. Alec plastered on a smile as well and rooted through his brain for the next topic. "Let's see…. What's the Watchers Council that you mentioned earlier?"

"It's this organization of people that was formed from the people that originally made the Slayer line. They were responsible for finding and training the slayers and recording the missions they went on. But The First had the old council blown up. So now Giles, Andrew, and Xander are rebuilding it. Only they're taking a bit of a different approach. They actually help as apposed to just watching and recording and they're also a network of information. Plus they don't just sit back and give orders like the old council treating the slayer like their personal super soldier."

"Oh. So you are a super soldier?" Alec was getting confused.

"I guess we are. Only we aren't beholden to any government. We're not like you in that we're not genetically engineered and we don't have animal DNA in us but we were engineered to be a super human soldier. Our engineering is more on a spiritual, essence level because our essence is fused with that of a pure demon. So I guess you could also say we're not fully human though physically we are, at least when you look at our DNA under a microscope as far as I know. We do have a lot of the same abilities as an X5. Though I don't who is stronger. I know you can move a little faster than us."

"Well…" There was a knock at the door interrupting Alec before he could get his next question out.

Mara looked at him seeing if he was expecting anyone. Alec shrugged his shoulders indicating he was clueless as to who it could be. "Come in." She yelled.

Joshua entered looking for Alec. His eyes came to a rest on Mara when he spotted her. "New fella?" He started sniffing the air in her direction. Alec was about to introduce them when Joshua's face lit up. "Wolf. Wolf in cocktail."

Alec turned to once again eye Mara apprehensively. "You don't say Big Fella?"

TBC…

He he. Yes I'm going to leave it there for now. Hate me if you want but I love a good cliffhanger. Sadly I'm going away on vaca for the next week so it's going to be a while before I get the next installment up. Sorry. Hopefully not longer than two weeks though. So hang in there with me and I won't let you down.

I promise the next chapter will have a lot more action and it will really start getting interesting. Oh and if anyone's wondering: yes this is going to be a long and detailed fic. So if you're not into that I suggest you move on.

Once again thank you everyone for your support.