Chapter 9

WILLY'S BAR, SUNNYDALE

MICK ST. JOHN'S P.O.V.

The Shrikes I'd set on fire immediately whipped off their helmets, and started rolling around on the ground. Their leader ran for the nearest fire extinguisher with the same immediacy. But, I beat him to it. As a result, I sprayed its contents right into his faceplate. And, when he took off his helmet to see better, I used the bottom of the extinguisher like a battering ram. Breaking his nose, and laying him out, flat on his back!

Of course, he'd only be clinically dead for a minute. So, it was initially my intention to use the distraction, caused by the Slayer, to head back for my car. Unfortunately, the Shrikes I'd set on fire had managed to extinguish the flames on their own. And, their displeasure at having their black leather jackets ruined, in the process, was all-too obvious on their faces. Their ears were becoming pointy, and their jaws were starting to elongate into almost-canine muzzles. In short?

They now resembled maloccluded Vulcans

But, just as my entire extended life started to flash before my eyes, help arrived from an unexpected quarter. Some purple-skinned demon, dressed like a spaghetti-Western cowboy, came rushing up from behind them and shouted for their attention. They turned as one...and two of them wound up getting literally punched through their heads!

Everyone was stunned. And, I almost threw up my Bovine Mary!

The other ten Shrikes regained their senses, and charged the new arrival en masse. Unfortunately for them, they got mowed down by the same pair of armor-plated, purple-knuckled fists. Then, he turned to me and lifted his black Stetson hat in greeting.

"I didn't mean to butt in. But, I hate uneven odds. And, twelve-against-one is downright dishonorable."

"Oh, I don't know about that," replied the Slayer, as she joined us from behind: "I find fighting a dozen vampires at once helps me burn off a lot of calories. Thereby preserving my girlish figure."

I looked at the twelve Shrikes she'd been fighting...and my lower jaw dropped like an anchor. Ten of them had evidently been decapitated by the short broadsword she was now wiping clean. The other two were on the floor. Paralyzed by the wooden stakes she had impaled them with!

"I keep forgetting not all vampires are alike," she explained: "The ones around here are so super-charged with Hellmouth energy, they instantly turn to dust when I stake 'em. Like popping balloons after a New Year's Eve party! But, what was it you were saying about Angel being in trouble?"

"ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!"

I'd almost forgotten about the Shrikes' leader. Acting purely on instinct, I grabbed the Slayer's broadsword, and slashed that Gangrel horizontally across his chest. Then, while he was doubled over in pain, I lopped off his head, And, all in less time than it takes to tell.

I thanked her for the use of her sword, as I handed it back to her. Suggesting she put the last two Shrikes out of our misery, so we could go somewhere else to talk in private.

"Sounds like a plan! I'm Buffy Summers, by the way."

I shook her hand: "Mick St. John. Nice to meet you."

MEANWHILE, UP IN SAN FRANCISCO...

Lee Pow IV was sitting in his office, on the second floor of the Purple Dragon Restaurant, when his cell phone rang. He looked at the caller-ID. Then, he pressed the "talk" button. "Yes?"

"He's consented to the meeting. Tell Angel I'll be stopping by tomorrow night at 8:30 to pick him up."

"Very well, Detective Toussaint. Thank you so much for the prompt notification."

As soon as he had hung up, the tong leader looked at the Japanese woman leaning against the back of his office door.

"You heard?"

She nodded: "You still want to go through with this?"

"Yes! My great-grandfather had no right giving that...that bai-kuei-tzu...our sacred family heirloom. And, I consider his doing so a far worse treason against the tong than anything perpetrated by my great-uncle."

"So be it, then. Until tomorrow night."

And, with that, the Japanese woman left.

tbc