The Night-Hawk - Series 1: 104: Asset – act 2
by Timan
“So he just torched the place?” Brett asked

“Pretty much,” Megan replied as they both sat back at the mansion, “It was so weird, there was nothing magical about the place it was only full of text books.”

Brett thought about this.

“That is weird sounds like that attack Pen told me about this afternoon.”

“Yeah it does. Something’s definitely right. Let’s hope Pen can find out something when she patrols tonight.”

“Oh no not tonight,” Brett replied, “I’m taking Pen out.”

“What? You can’t tonight we have a warlock problem to solve.”

Brett gave Megan a look.

“That’s all this girl does is work and go kill stuff,” he replied forcefully, “She needs a life, stat, an I plan on giving it to her.”

Megan returns Brett’s look with a disgusted one.

“The life, I plan on giving her the life, geez get your mind out of the gutter.” Brett retorted

Just then the door slowly opened and Penny walked into the room. She looked at the both of them anxiously.

“Well?” she asked

Brett looked over to her and his jaw nearly hit the floor. Penny was wearing a pair of simple black pumps and a deep purple strapless dress that came down to her knees. She had put her up into a messy bun and was wearing lipstick two shades darker then her natural hair color. Brett sat there speechless. Penny was definitely showing a lot more of herself then usual. Penny frowned

“Something wrong?” she asked anxiously, “There’s something wrong isn’t there? Is it what I’m wearing?”

“Ah . . .” was all Brett managed to reply

Megan smirked at Brett then looked over to the anxious champion.

“Pen Brett hasn’t said anything since you stepped into the room I think you should take that as a sign.” She commented

Penny smirked. Brett got to his feet and grabbed his jacket

“Alright we’re heading out.”

Penny turned to Megan.

“Is there anything I can check out while I’m in the city?” she asked

Brett looked at her annoyed

“Pen!” he exclaimed

Penny flashed him a serious look then returned to looking at Megan. Megan looked at the both of them for a moment then smiled.

“Nah,” she replied, “I got some stuff to check out here and The Wanderer is following up a lead. You two go have fun.”

Before Penny could ask any more questions Brett dragged her out the door.



Hal worked hard behind the bar. As he served someone a drink he saw a small bird land. He smiled softly and began to pour another one.

“Haven’t seen you here in a while Wanderer.” He said

“I’ve had things,” The Wanderer replied as he sat down, “The usual.”

“Alright one ten year old scotch and a big pile of information.”

Hal handed The Wanderer the drink. The Wanderer picked up the glass and sipped it thoughtfully.

“What do you know about these two attacks?” he asked

“Enough to make me by reinforced doors,” Hal replied

“So their not random?”

“Two attacks in the business district? I wouldn’t call that random.”

“Any idea who’s behind it?”

“There’s been some buzz about a new bad in town but I don’t have anything definite.”

The Wanderer looked up at the bartender.

“How bad are we talking?”

“Try evil law firm bad.”

“Oh god.”

“Sorry I can’t tell you anymore.”

The Wanderer shrugged.

“Least you gave us a head start.”


Megan searched through the Techno-Pagan web boards for any information on the warlock that attacked. As she did so she played with the business card in her hand. Finally after about half an hour of searching she found the warlock she was looking for. Megan frowned. That can’t be right can it? She pulled out her cell and dialed Penny’s number. She waited patiently but the cell just rang out. In frustration she hung up and went back to her laptop.

Just then hope flew in the window and landed on her perch. The door opened and The Wanderer walked in. Megan looked up at him.

“How’d you go?” she asked

“Big brewing evil,” The Wanderer replied, “You?”

“Not good.”

“Why not good? Didn’t you find it?”

“Yeah but . . .”

“But what?”

“But the warlock who attacked the bookstore is from a peaceful Guild. According to this they haven’t initiated any kind of attack in years.”

“So why did this one hit the book store?”

“Isn’t that what we’ve been asking all along?” Megan replied, “We have to find Pen.”



The music pumped as Brett and Penny entered the club. Penny sat down at a table while Brett went to order some drinks. This was very uncomfortable for her since the last time Penny had been anywhere near a nightclub she was surrounded by slayers. Brett returned with the drinks and handed one to Penny.

“Maybe I should check in with Megan.” Penny said as she rummaged around in her purse for her cell.

Brett frowned and put his hand over her bag.

“No,” he replied, “No work remember you’re here to have fun.”

“Right,” Penny replied, “got ya.”

They both sat awkwardly for a moment not saying anything to each other.

“So where are you from?” Brett asked

“What?”

“Where are you from?” Brett continued, “C’mon Pen I hardly know anything about you aside from you do stuff to vampires involving wood.”

Penny gave him a strange look. Brett thought about his last question.

“That sounded a lot less gross in my head.” He remarked

Penny smiled lightly. He did have a point. They were working together and hardly knew each other it was only fair. So for the next hour or so they traded stories about their past, old friends everything about everything. Brett was amazed at how many things this seemingly innocent woman had been through.

“I’m spinning out here,” he said, “your friend was dragged out of this world and into another one?”

Penny nodded as she sipped on her drink.

“I can’t even begin to understand how that works.”

“Worse then that she was replace by and evil her?”

“No way.”

“Ah huh. She destroyed this club in L.A. and nearly killed me except she didn’t”

“The Wanderer and Megan told me something about this. This is Rebecca right?”

Penny nodded again.

“Man the worse thing that happened to me is I was nearly caught during a dumpster dive.”

Penny looked at him strangely.

“It’s when you dig around in a dumpster for any user names and passwords thrown out by big companies.”

“Ewww.”

“Tell me about it,” Brett replied, “But it doesn’t even come close to what happened to you. So what’s it like, you know, being a Slayer?”

Penny put her drink down and sighed.

“It’s exciting and scary at the same time. I didn’t tell anybody this but every night I went patrolling I wondered if I was coming home.”

Brett sensed the touch of sadness in her voice. He knew he could never completely understand the burden and didn’t try. He took Penny’s hand.

“Come on its dancing time.”

“I don’t really dance” Penny replied

“Sure you do, Think of it like fighting but without actually hitting people.”

Penny smirked again as they moved to the dance floor and started to dance. Brett was interacted by the way Penny moved. She was confident and shy at the same time and with the confidence there was a layer of innocence just under the surface. There was definitely something about this woman you couldn’t ignore. Brett moved in closer to her. He felt her energy, her power and it was intoxicating. Penny felt Brett wrap his arms around her waist. She looked into his eyes and felt a spark she hadn’t felt in years. A smile slowly crossed her face as she wrapped her arms around his neck. They spent the next minute or so just looking at each other. Slowly they began to move closer. Penny closed her eyes and waited for the tender . . .

The front doors burst open. Penny turned her head sharply as a sea of vampires entered the club. The crowd screamed as the vamps forced everybody off the dance floor. From the rear of the vampire hoard a senior looking vampire approached he gazed at the crowd dramatically.

“Good evening ladies and gentlemen my name is Magnus you have the honor and privilege to be tonight’s meal.”

Brett looked at penny in concern.

“Did you bring your work with you?” he said

Penny shot him a look then ushered him to move. They navigated their way behind the stage and watched from the wings.

“This is not good.” Brett commented

“When is it ever good to have vampires crash your party?” Penny replied

Penny watched the scene closely. Something seemed off about this attack.

“Why aren’t they feeding?” she remarked

“Maybe they ate before they came.”

“It’s just weird is all. They have a large force but no one’s making a move.”

They both moved backstage.

“What’s the plan?”

Penny looked at Brett confidently. She tapped the bracelet she was wearing on her right hand a couple of times and shook it. Brett watched curiously as it began to glow. The air around penny began to ripple and distort as it swirled around her body. It cleared a moment later revealing a distinct change.

“I start thinning the hoard,” Nighthawk replied

“I wondered how you changed so quickly.” Brett replied as he saw Nighthawk in her outfit

“Yeah,” Nighthawk replied, “The mystic who helped make this outfit said it’s some kind of quantum temporal warp thingy. I like to call it the quick change.”

Nighthawk pulled out her bow and moved close to the edge of the wings. She watched as the owner of the club was dragged to the center of the dance floor.

“Something’s really not right,” she commented, “Okay I’ll distract them you get the people out.”

“How are you going to do that?”

Nighthawk turned back and smiled at him

“By doing stuff to vampires involving wood.”

Penny drew a couple of arrows and loaded them into the bow. She aimed at the vampires flanking Magnus and fired. Magnus looked around in shock as his two guards crumbled into dust. Nighthawk motioned to Brett who made his way back down to the crowd. Putting her bow away she drew one of the stakes from under her jacket. She strode out onto the stage and looked at Magnus while he searched the crowd wilding for their assailant.

“I demand to know who did this!” Magnus yelled

“You know what they say about good help,” Nighthawk replied, “Maybe they did it to themselves.”

Magnus turned and looked Nighthawk up and down.

“A little early for Halloween don’t you think?” he asked

Nighthawk jumped off the stage and walked up to him.

“Maybe but I think my calendar is still open for vamp dusting day.” She replied

Magnus smiled at her and swung out with a punch. Nighthawk blocked and countered with a spinning back kick to the stomach which sent him flying backwards into the wall. The other vamps looked at each other anxiously as Magnus climbed back up onto his feet. Penny readied herself for another brawl but to her surprise Magnus turned and ran closely followed by his hoard. This left the champion confused and a little disappointed. She walked back over to the club owner and helped him up onto his feet.

“Thank you so much.” he said insistently

“What did they want?” Nighthawk asked

“That old one kept insisting that my security needed improving.”

“Security?”

“Yeah that’s all he said.”



Back at the mansion Brett, Nighthawk, Megan and The Wanderer sat around and pondered what happened.

“Alright let’s look at what we have so far,” Nighthawk said, “We have an appliance store attacked by two demons who are enemies, the campus book store attacked by a warlock who was supposed to be good and now the night club that was attacked by vamps who didn’t feed.”

“I think the weirdometer is working overtime on this one.” Brett commented

“There has to be some kind of connection?” The Wanderer commented

“But what? Nothing really links them, well; aside from they are all business.” Megan commented

Nighthawk looked up at her.

“They are aren’t they?”

“Okay, so, demons are working for the mafia now,” Brett replied

“I think it’s something much bigger then that,” The Wanderer commented, “I talked to this guy I trust. He said that there’s forming in this town. Something Big.”

Megan looked down at the card she was holding.

“Hey Brett can you check this out for me?” she asked hading Brett the card

“The chamber?” Brett replied, “That’s got a nice cheerful name.”

Brett stood up and moved to his computer.

“I’m going to hit the streets again.” Nighthawk said seriously, “see what I can dig up.”

She turned to leave but noticed something was missing.

“Where’s hope?” she continued




Rorgia studied the map closely back in the chambers lair. He placed another pin in over the club when the door opened and Magnus entered. He stormed up to the red skinned demon angrily.

“You didn’t tell me a slayer was going to be there!” he yelled

“A slayer?” Rorgia asked, “Was she wearing a mask?”

“Yes.”

“Nighthawk.” Rorgia said angrily

He moved over to Thallon purposefully.

“I want everybody on this! Everybody you can spare,” He announced, “I don’t care how you bring me Nighthawk alive!”

Thallon nodded and walked out of the room. As Rorgia returned to the board he failed to notice that he was being watched. In the rafters the Night-Hawk sat and observed.


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