Disclaimer...not mine in any way...belongs to CBS...WB...for entertainment purposes only...no infringement intended...Just my ida of fun.

Some violence and a little more swearing...

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Several days after his initial trip to Neptune to see about Hanna, Mick is heading down the Pacific Coast Highway once again. The sun is just setting behind him He has his motorcycle out of storage. He'd forgotten how much he loves riding. He smiles when he thinks of the look on Beth's face when he came down stairs.

"Hey, I didn't know you had a bike." She said noticing the helmet under his arm.

"It's been put away for a while. It's down stairs in my extra storage. I use to ride all the time. I thought since I was only going down for a few hours I'd take the Harley."

"No wonder you didn't want me to go. I see how it is." Beth smiles "Don't you be picking up any biker chicks."

Mick takes her in his arms and smiles down at her. "You can be my biker chick."

"What does it look like? I mean is it a chopper or what?" She is teasing him.

"This one is. It's black with extended forks. We'll get you a helmet and leathers and you can scoot up close to me and wrap your arms around me and we can go for nice long rides if you like."

"That sounds nice." Beth steps back from him and circles him looking him over. She notices that he has a small cooler at his feet. "Provisions?"

"Yea, Just in case. You never know what might come up."

He has on a black T-shirt, black jeans, boots and an old well-worn leather jacket. He doesn't really need the extra protection of the leather because he will heal, but there's no use skidding your skin across the pavement if you don't have to. It still hurts like hell. "hhhhmmm You look pretty hot dressed like that."

Mick grabs her and kisses her soundly. "Now, I have to go. I'll call you when I'm on my way back. I'm meeting Weevil at a bar out on the highway far enough out that neither one of us should be noticed."

Mick knows that Josef is getting antsy about seeing Logan. He told Mick that he would wait until they could find a way to meet Logan that was best for everyone, but he also knows that Josef has never been good at waiting. After 400 years he is use to getting his own way. Mick hopes what he hears from Weevil is promising.

Mick opens the front door and Josef is standing there leaning against the wall waiting for him. "Josef what are you doing here?"

He smirks at Mick. "I'm going with you."

Mick shakes his head. "No, your not. Besides I'm taking the bike."

"Yes, I see that. Just don't go all Easy Rider on me again." Josef teases.

Mick shakes his head. "Josef." He has a warning in his voice.

Josef smiles broadly at him.

Mick smiles. "You're going to get me in trouble, if you keep that up."

Beth watches them and decides to find out about that when she has Mick alone.

"Josef, you can't go. The Ferrari is too conspicuous."

"That's why I brought the Charger."

Beth smiles at Josef, "How many cars do you have?"

"I have a few. I almost always drive the Ferrari for appearances, but I have few cars that I've bought over the years. This one is a '69 Charger. Black of course."

Mick smiles. "Don't let him fool you. He could start his own car museum."

"Says the guy with a dozen motorcycles." Josef counters.

"You have a dozen motorcycles?" Beth laughs. "I learn new things about you all the time."

Mick smiles. "I like 'em. What can I say?"

Josef shrugs. "And I like AB negative, beautiful women, fast cars and old scotch. We all have our weaknesses." Josef turns back to Mick. "I'm going."

Beth smiles at the pair. She notices that this is one of the few times she's seen Josef when he's not in a suit. He's wearing black jeans and a black t-shirt and a black leather jacket. She's smiling at Josef and thinking how cute he looks and Mick seemingly reading her mind growls at her. She laughs and gives him a kiss. "What is it with you two and black clothing?"

"Harder to see in the night" Mick replies

He turns back to Josef. I'll be right back. Mick comes back to the door with a dark baseball hat and hands it to Josef. "Fine you can go but just in case put this on. It will help keep your face in shadow. If you're going down there we don't want anyone thinking your Logan."

Josef takes the hat and pulls it down over his head and down the road they go.

The pair pulls in to the parking lot. This place reminds Mick of the night he killed Tejada. Same kind of dump but it should be a safe place to talk things over. People mind their own business in a place like this for fear of ending up on the wrong side of something.

Mick goes to the bar and gets a couple whiskeys and Josef heads over to where he sees Weevil sitting in the corner.

"What no Ferrari?" Weevil asks

"No, no Ferrari. Brought MY Charger instead."

"Shit. That charger should still be mine. If you hadn't pulled that last card on the inside straight you would have lost your Cobra instead of ending up with my Charger. Mick, you riding a bike? I thought I heard a bike about the same time as the Charger."

"Yep. I started missing the ride after we talked to you the other day. I figured this was a good time to get it on the road again."

Weevil looks at Josef. "Let's get down to business. Josef, you probably want to know about the Fitzpatrick's. My contact in the state police said they have confirmation through dental records on everyone but Liam I've seen him. In addition I've actually seen him so their right on the head count. Luckily I know where he should be when it's time to do something about him."

"Dammit. That's not good. He's the one I really wanted taken down. We need to do something about him as soon as possible."

Weevil nods. "We will. Don't worry, just not tonight. He should stay down for a while trying to let everyone think he's dead." Weevil frowns. "I could have told you than on the phone. I didn't expect to see you tonight. I thought it was just going to be Mick. So, what are you doing here?"

"We need some information and I wanted to hear it first hand. How well do you really know Logan and Veronica?" Josef says.

Weevil shrugs. "Pretty well, more her than him. Logan and I had some early issues about Lily and it's kind of colored our dealings."

"The girlfriend that was murdered? What the hell is that about?" Mick asks

Weevil looks a little sheepish. "I didn't know I was going to end up protecting the guy or I probably wouldn't have been doing his girl."

Mick shakes his head in disgust. "Shit. Josef, did you know this?"

"I knew there were some problems but I hadn't realized that was what started it. At the time it seemed more important to have someone watching for trouble than worry about them getting along. I'm surprised either of them trusts you at all." Josef says.

Weevil continues. "Things have gotten better with Logan over time. I play poker with him and his friends once in a while. I let them take enough off me now and then to make it worth their while. For that reason most of my dealings are with Veronica and because most of the time she needs protecting more than he does. Logan and I are never going to be buddy buddy but things aren't all that bad. I think he finally realized that Lily was a train wreck and if it wasn't me it was going to be somebody else."

Josef decides to get to the heart of the matter. "How do you think they would react to finding out that there are Vampires? Better yet, do you think they would keep their mouths shut even if they didn't like the idea?"

Weevil thinks about Logan and Veronica weighing what he knows about them. "It would depend on who they are exposed to. I would say if it were someone that they have accepted as a human, that feeling would probably extend to them as a vampire. Truthfully I wouldn't worry a whole lot about them knowing."

"You don't think they would be horrified?" Mick asks

Weevil turns to Josef. "Did you tell him Logan's history?"

Josef snarls softly. "Some."

Weevil snorts. "That kid had a father who beat him. Aaron Echols broke that kid's arm the first time when he was 6 years old. His medical history is ugly."

Mick is watching Josef. His shoulders are stiff and his eyes are white behind the bill of the cap. He's pissed. Mick clamps on Jose's arm to get his attention. "Josef, not here."

Josef fights to push down his anger and his eyes return to their normal blue. "I didn't tell him all of it. I didn't tell him that Lynn stayed in a drunken oblivion most of the time so she wouldn't have to face her responsibility to protect Logan. What a bitch. I wish I'd known all this before I helped her out."

"Then," Weevil continues, "The old man slept with Lily and killed her and he tried to kill Veronica and from what I understand he almost succeeded." Weevil shakes his head. "Then there's Veronica who has been exposed to the worst of people since she was little because her father was a cop and didn't see anything wrong with her knowing what people are capable of. That one I can't figure out. Her mother is also a drunk who took Veronica's college money and disappeared. These two know enough about monsters of the human variety. I think if the vampire stuff was presented by someone they liked it would be fine."

Weevil downs his drink and orders another round. "So I take it your going to tell the kid his real bloodlines."

Josef nods slowly. "It may get to that, but we think it might be better if they got an idea about vamps from someone they like and then see how it goes. So, what would you think of them finding out about vampires from Mick?"

"V is going to want to know why you are telling them. She's not going to take it at face value. She figures everyone has an angle and she's going to want to know what yours is." Weevil smiles. "You'll like her Josef, she has trust issues."

"Any ideas on how much we can tell her?" Mick asks.

Before Weevil can answer his phone rings. "Hold on its V."

"Hey V."

Weevil looks at his phone and listens again.

"Damn. Damn Damn." Weevil shuts his phone.

"What's the matter?"

"It sounds like Liam has V and Logan at gun point at the Sack n Pack. I think she just dialed and left the phone open." Weevil says as he stands.

Mick throws some money down on the table and they run out the door. They follow Weevil to the Sack n Pack. Weevil pulls up a block behind the Sack n Pack. He gets off his bike. It only takes a moment or Josef and Mick to join him. He points through the wooded area. "Follow me. These woods backup to the back of the store. We won't be seen. I doubt Liam is watching the back door."

"I'm going to circle the building see what I can see." Mick says.

Weevil grabs his arm. "Be careful. The whole front of the store is windows. You don't want to be seen."

Mick smiles grimly. "Not my first rodeo."

Weevil nods. "Yea, okay."

It only takes a moment for Mick to return and the three men walk back into the shadows. "I went past the front glass fast enough I'm sure none of them could track the movement. Moving the fast I just got flashes but there are several people towards the front of the store. It's hard to say who but it's more than three people, I'd guess more like five."

"I know this place." Weevil says. "There is a trap door for roof access that leads back into a stock room. There is a fire door in back, it's only alarmed when it's locked and it's usually the last thing Wallace locks so it should be open, if not I'm sure the lock can be popped. You want the roof or the back door?"

Mick thinks about it for a minute. "Josef and I will take the back door. You know the insides better so you get the stock room. We'll try and be in position when you get down. Try and distract them and we'll see if we can take them before anyone gets hurt."

Mick turns to Josef. "Josef, you don't do anything until you see me move."

Josef nods. "Let's do it."

Weevil nods and jumps for the roof in one leap. Mick and Josef go to the door and sure enough it is unlocked. They quietly walk through the stockroom. There is a kid on the floor. It's not Logan. This must be Wallace. Josef hears the kid's heartbeat and it's strong. He has a bump on his head but he's breathing fine and his pulse is steady. No sign of Logan or Veronica yet. They make their way through the stockroom. Just outside the swinging doors that enter into the store there are beer coolers and one of the guys has his head stuck in the cooler looking for the beer he wants. Mick silently moves through the door and behind him. He taps him on the shoulder. The man straightens up and looks behind him. Before he can react Mick puts him a sleeper hold. It only takes a minute and the man slides to the floor. Mick motions for Josef to go to the other side of the store and make his way up front. Josef nods and they cautiously move forward.

Mick looks around the end of an isle and sees Liam wildly pointing a gun at Logan and Veronica. He's telling his two remaining buddies how he should be able to ransom Logan for enough money to get all the drugs they want. Mick watches Liam. He's sweating and shaking. What ever happens better be soon. Liam could come apart at the seams at any time. Mick sees that all three have handguns. Logan and Veronica look scared but not yet panicked. Logan has his arms around Veronica and is watching the three very closely.

Liam turns to the guy closest to Mick's side of the store. "Hey, you know that pretty blond sure has a great ass." Josef sees Logan stiffen. "We should give her a spin." Veronica moves farther into Logan's arms. Josef thinks Mick better make a move quick. If they go after Veronica it's going to go down hill fast. He can see from the set of Logan's jaw that they will only get the girl over his dead body. Josef knows, the look, he's seen it in the mirror a few times.

Weevil quietly exits the stock room. It leads into the manager's office. The owner has installed cameras all over the store because it's been robbed so many times. Weevil watches the cameras and sees that Mick and Josef are in place. He can also see that if he exits the office to the store area they are going to see him right away and things could get out of hand. Weevil decides that he better come up with a distraction. He goes back to the stock room and slams the roof hatch hoping it will make enough noise to get their attention.

The sudden bang on the roof stops all three and they freeze. Liam points to the door to the office. "Hey Billy go in there and see what's going on." The one called Billy moves towards the door. Liam hops off the counter and moves towards Veronica and Logan. Mick and Josef decide at the same time that there is no more waiting.

Mick goes for the closest one to him and Josef goes for Liam. Mick quickly snatches the gun from the guy in front of him and knocks him to the floor. Mick turns to the kids to tell them to get out the back door but before he can say anything the thug springs up and sticks a knife in Mick's shoulder. Mick lets the vamp out and picks the guy up by the throat and snaps his neck and lets him drop in a heap. Josef has Liam by the throat and doesn't waste any time. He throws Liam against the wall and he crashes to the floor. Josef sees the one called Billy turn and he has a gun in his hand pointing towards the kids. Josef puts himself between them and the gun while he goes after Billy. Billy fires at the kids and Josef takes two bullets before he gets to him. Josef flares his fangs and drops the man before he can fire a third shot. Josef falls to the floor.

Mick watches Veronica and Logan. Both are watching Mick pull the knife out of his shoulder. He still has crystal white eyes and fangs. Once he gets the knife out he watches them watch him as his eyes go back to brown and the fangs disappear. He looks at the wound as it figures they've gone this far he might as well make sure they know what they are seeing.

Mick watches the kids. "Come on let's get you out of here before the cops show up."

Weevil grabs the security tape out of the VCR and comes out of the office. "What happened? Is everybody ok?" Mick looks at Logan and Veronica and gives them a small shake of his head. Logan doesn't say anything but he remembers Wallace. "Hey, has anyone seen Wallace?"

Mick remembers the kid on the floor in back. "There is a kid in back. He's got a bump on his head but he seems to be ok. Weevil why don't you go check on him." Weevil heads for the back.

Mick hears a moan from the floor. He walks over and gives Josef a hand to help him up. As Josef gets up the hat comes off his head and Veronica and Logan just stare at Josef. He smiles at them. "Ah, Hi. Explanations later, right now though, Mick is right, we need to get you out of here."

Logan doesn't know what is more incredible. The fact that these two both have fangs, that one just took two bullets and doesn't have a mark on him except for the holes in his shirt or the fact that it's like looking in a mirror. Nobody is moving. Josef moves to put his hat back on, all the time studying his son.

Weevil walks up with Wallace in tow.

Mick walks over and stands in front of Logan and Veronica and forces them to look at him. Mick tries again. "Hey, explanations are going to have to wait. Please go. Now. We will take care of this. Don't say anything to anyone….please." Logan shakes himself and nods. "Now take Wallace and go. Just make sure if anyone asks he locked up just like always does. That's all he has to say. I'll contact you in a couple days and I'll explain but you have to keep quiet about everything that happened here. Can you both do that? It's really important."

Veronica nods this time.

"Take Wallace out of here. Give me his keys. He's got a bump on his head. He should be ok but you might want to keep an eye on him for at least 12 hours and no aspirin. Wake him every half hour or so and make sure his pupils aren't two different sizes. If he acts out of the ordinary at all get him to a hospital quick. The three of them start to leave and Mick quietly calls to Logan. "Remember what I said, please….." Logan nods not trusting himself to speak and they leave.

Josef goes over and nudges Liam with his foot. "Now what?"

"Weevil you have any contacts we can use to clean this up?" Mick asks.

"Yea, I'll take care of it." Weevil dials a number and explains the situation then he hangs up and turns back to Mick and Josef. "We don't have a regular cleaner like you do in LA, not enough goes on around here but on occasions as this I do have someone to call. She'll be here in a few minutes." Weevil turns the store lights down so it looks like a normal night. They wipe down anywhere they think there will be prints and carry the bodies out the back. Weevil grabs the security tape on his way out. They lock the doors but leave the roof open so the damage can be blamed on a simple breaking and entering. They leave the keys on the manager's desk and out the roof they go. Weevil's part time cleaner shows up and takes the bodies with her, never to be seen again. They head back out of town to the bar they started at. Mick and Josef stay in the dark parking lot for a minute and get some blood out of their vehicles. Both need it to help heal wounds. They go back inside and order a couple more drinks.

"So, I take it you both vamped out for the kids." Weevil asks.

Mick nods. "They both looked shocked but I'm not so sure they weren't more shocked by Josef than the fangs. Shocked is much better than horrified. In this case shocked might be good."

"You really going to let them think about it for 2 whole days?" Weevil says with some surprise.

Mick snorts. "Actually we might go three, if I can keep Josef in check. If they can keep quiet for 3 days without much more prompting than I gave them tonight then it should be safe to tell them more. If not, I'm leaving town in a hurry. They don't know Josef so he should be ok if he stays out of the limelight and I'm pretty sure we covered you. I'm the only one who should be at risk if they talk."

Weevil shakes his head. "Mick, if this backfires you're screwed."

"Your right I am. One thing about it, I've at least been down this road with a human lately." Mick says.

"The pretty blond reporter knows what you are?" Weevil asks with some surprise.

"Beth, yea, she knows." Mick smiles. "And she loves me anyway."

Weevil shakes his head. "What is it with you guys and humans? Too much trouble for anything serious if you ask me."

Josef watches Weevil closely. "You know once we do this your going to have to be extra careful around them. They will know what to look for and if you don't break the pattern they'll know your part of the tribe. I'm afraid that if they know about you they won't trust you as much and the security will be compromised."

Weevil nods. "Yea, I'll be careful."

Mick and Josef stand up. "Well, Weevil, it's been fun. We've set the wheels in motion, now let's see where it takes us."

They walk outside and watch Weevil as he roars out into the night. Mick turns to Josef "You're being uncharacteristically quiet."

Josef smiles at Mick "Good looking kid. I'll say that for him."

Mick smiles and shakes his head.

Josef punches up Ryder's number on his phone. "Well, it's started. Put taps on all their phones, Veronica's dad included. If they start talking I want to hear about it. Mick may have to leave town for a while and we want to give him a head start. Do you have the new papers if he and Beth need them? Good." Josef hangs up and turns to Mick. "Mick Thanks. This means a lot. Ryder has your papers ready if you need them but I'm still betting on the kids keeping quiet."

Mick shakes his head. "Josef don't get your hopes up to high. They still may not accept what we are. We'll give them two maybe three days and then the three of us will come back and see them." Mick straddles his bike. "I'll call you tomorrow night. I'm going home to see Beth. It's been a long night."

Mick calls Beth. He gets the machine. She must be taking a nap so she could be awake when he gets in. He leaves her a message. "So much for quietly sliding in and out of town. On my way home, it's midnight now. I should be at our place in about 90 min. Love you." Mick roars off into the night followed closely by Josef's Charger.

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