Disclaimer: I do not own the boys, Lady, or DMC!
Chapter 2: Vegas
Pulling the dark shades out of her carry-on-bag, Lady stepped out of the small private jet into the bright desert sunshine. Looking around the small air strip, Lady's eyes settled on the waiting black limousine just feet away from where the plane had landed.
"I hope you enjoyed your flight." The flight attendant stated politely, from where she stood holding the door open.
Ignoring the irritating woman, Lady started down the short flight of metal stairs to the ground below.
"I hope you enjoyed your flight as well sir." Lady heard the woman repeat with honeyed smoothness.
Pausing, Lady glanced back behind her to see Vergil step up to the plane's exit. Dressed in his typical attire, Lady wondered mildly how he was going to deal with the arid temperatures that she could already feel affecting her fair skin, and she was dressed in shorts.
With his free hand - his other holding easily onto the case that contained Yamato- Vergil reached inside his inner coat pocket and pulled forth a pair of sunglasses. Fitting them neatly over his nose, Vergil paused at the sound of the stewardess's voice. His head moved the barest of inches in the woman's direction to regard her for a moment.
Expecting another scathing comment, the brunette attendant lowered her gaze to study Vergil's knee high tan boots. Both she and Lady were both sent for a loop when Vergil reached within his coat once more to pull a business card from a pocket and not unkindly handed it to the stewardess, his voice even soft and almost kind as he spoke to her. "Should you find your way back to New York, give this number a call. Perhaps something can then be arranged."
Lady fought to not only keep her jaw from dropping, but from climbing the previously descended stairs and telling the woman off as the brunette lifted her face to look at Vergil in astonishment and joy, nearly crying out, "Oh, I will!"
Vergil smiled charmingly at the woman before descending the stairs, his smile quickly turning into a cunning and slightly cruel smirk when the stewardess could no longer see his face.
Seeing the smirk, Lady's eyes narrowed as she tried to deduce his plan. It hit her just as Vergil stopped before her and then turned to face back up to the brunette flight attendant, whom was staring at him with star struck eyes, his smile changing once again. "Oh and ask for Dante."
The woman nodded wordlessly and Vergil looked back down at Lady, who could only shake her head and take the remaining stairs to the ground.
"Dante will live to regret sending me on this foolish trip." Vergil murmured softly, so that only she could hear him.
Lady snorted and glanced back over her shoulder at the more recently rehabilitated son of Sparda. "Regret? Seems like a gift to me."
"Don't be so sure about my brother's taste." Vergil commented sagely. "There is a reason he surrounds himself with such strong women."
Lady could have smiled at that comment, but knowing Vergil all too well and already hearing the intake of breath that would instantly negate his previous complementary comment, Lady stepped from the metal staircase to the hot pavement and turned back to face Vergil. "Stop." she stated, holding her gloved hand up in emphasis.
Vergil frowned, stopping on the stairs and Lady was sure if she could see his eyes past the dark sunglasses that the sun was reflecting off of in just the right way, they would have been glaring at her.
"I don't want to hear it."
"How could you possibly have known what I would have said?" Vergil asked with a slight growl of irritation.
"Hah!" Lady exclaimed, and put her gloved hand on her hip. "We've had more than enough fights over this and I'd really hate to have to make a mess of this little airstrip. So if you really want another battle, then by all means say what you were going to say." Her hand moved from her hip to the weapon's case held in her opposite hand, as she waited for Vergil to make his decision.
"Humph," Vergil grumbled incoherently before joining her on the ground.
"Mr. Vergil Sparda? Miss Mary Arkham?" A young man in a dark blue suit asked, getting out of the limo.
Wincing at the use of her former name, Lady turned toward the young man. "Lady, please." she corrected quickly.
"Sorry." The young man amended nervously. "Ah… welcome to Las Vegas."
"You're from the casino?" Lady questioned, wanting to make sure they were in fact talking to the right person.
"Yes. My name is Danny. My employer sent me to meet you and bring you back to the Alegra." The young man spoke proudly, straightened slightly and held out his hand in greeting.
Lady nodded and shook the offered hand, her eyes drifting to their luggage which was being unloaded from the plane and placed into the trunk of the limo by the driver.
"I have the case file already in the vehicle for you to look over before we reach the Alegra, where my employer will then meet with you." Danny continued speaking formally, but Lady's attention was fully focused on the large weapon's case that the driver was reaching for.
Her fingers twitched as the driver grabbed the heavy case and lugged it toward the car. She had hated stowing Kalina Ann, her prized weapon, away, but in order to keep the normal population of the world from thinking she was a terrorist, such steps were necessary.
With Kalina Ann loaded into the trunk, Lady returned her attention to Danny, finding him looking rather uncomfortable once more.
"Your boss said he'd meet us here." Lady frowned, recalling Danny's last bit of information, she didn't like being stood up.
Danny pulled a hand through this short sandy hair nervously. "There was a problem that required my employer's attention and I was sent in his stead." Danny said, fidgeting once more. Then brightening he added, "But he did say that he was looking forward to meeting with the both of you."
"Hmm…" Lady murmured in dissatisfaction, but allowed the limo driver to take her gun case and carry-on bag from her.
Shifting his weight from one foot to the other, Danny gestured to the limo. "If we could get in out of the sun, I'll be happy to show you the file."
Lady sighed and made to move to the vehicle, but stopped when the limo driver returned, making to grab the weapons case out of Vergil's hand. The poor man quickly stopped his action when Vergil tightened his grip and gave an inhuman snarl.
A quick step brought Lady to Vergil's side. She could well understand the possessiveness and love one could hold for a weapon. Placing her hand gently on his arm, she felt him stiffen and then look down to her. Lady only caught his barely visible eyes with her own bi-coloured eyes, and stared into them meaningfully, hoping that he would understand.
Seemingly he did, for he pressed his thin lips together and the tension that Lady could feel in his arm relaxed. Keeping her gloved hand on Vergil's leather covered arm, she turned her head to the driver and gave a slight nod to him before once again meeting Vergil's intense gaze.
The driver practically snatched Yamato from Vergil's hand before nearly running a safe distance from Vergil and loading Yamato into the trunk. Lady released Vergil's arm, and simultaneously with Vergil looked to the limo to find Danny eyeing them oddly.
"Uhem…" Danny gestured toward the interior of the limo before disappearing into it.
Sighing, Lady followed his example, leaving Vergil to bring up the rear.
Once they were all seated in the luxurious and spacious limousine, Danny pulled a file folder from out of a small magazine holder situated beside the bench seat where he sat directly behind the driver.
Silently impressed by the interior of the limo, Lady glanced to Vergil to find him sitting with his arms folded across his chest and a completely bored expression on his face.
"Here," Danny stretched across the space between his seat and the rear seat on which both she and Vergil sat.
With Vergil making no move to take the offered file, Lady reached her gloved hand out and took the file from Danny's grasp. Leaning back into the comfortable leather seats, Lady pushed her glasses up on top of her head and crossing one leg over the other and then opened the simple manila tang folder.
Numerous pictures and papers filled the folder. Picking up one of the photographs, Lady examined the graphic photo critically. "These are crime scene photos," she announced in surprise, looking to Danny with wide eyes.
"My employer has a contact within the Las Vegas police department." Danny grinned, much more relaxed now that the limo was moving.
"Well that's handy." Lady murmured, returning her attention to the file in her hands. Thereafter Lady paid little attention to either man as she carefully looked over all the gruesome photos and read over each case report.
"So have either of you been to Las Vegas before?" Danny's voice spoke, only slightly interrupting Lady from her study.
"No." she responded, without even glancing up.
Vergil made no sound and Lady returned her full attention to the file once more, trying to sort the reports and place them with the correct photos. Once more Danny's voice interrupted her thoughts and she was forced to look up in annoyance.
"Well… uh… maybe when you're through with your case… and … uh… before you leave of course," Danny started, running a hand through his short cropped hair nervously, his eyes focused on her crossed legs. "Maybe I could take you out and show you the sights?"
Focusing on the young man across from her, Lady had to admit that he wasn't bad looking and if it wasn't for his lack of confidence then maybe she might consider…
"We are leaving the moment we are through." Vergil stated sternly, before Lady could further formulate her thoughts.
Glancing at her white haired companion in surprise, she found him pointedly glaring at the young man across from them. Wondering about his outburst for half a second, Lady shrugged and returned to her work, not even listening as poor Danny attempted to apologize.
The rest of the trip into the city was taken in silence, much to Lady's immense relief. The extreme bustle of the city's main drag, a few minutes later, diverted Lady's attention from her work once again. Putting the folder on the seat next to her, she moved closer to her window and looked out at the towering hotels and casinos that lined the main drag of Las Vegas. Impressed and just a little in awe of the glittering and flashing lights, beautiful fountains and strategically placed palm trees. It was almost like looking at a mirage and Lady decided then and there that regardless of what Vergil said, she was going to enjoy her stay in this city so long as she was here.
Author's Notes: I apologize deeply for taking so long in getting this second chapter. Though I can't say I'll be much more punctual with the next chapter. As it stands, I seem to have lost my beta reader and if anyone of you reading this think you would like the job, please don't hesitate to contact me! Thank you to all of those who have reviewed the last chapter and I hope you enjoyed this one as well!