“We lost the van on the way back to the firm.” Pearl explained
Rebecca sat casually across from Pearl. She put her feet up on her desk and shrugged.
“How is that my fault?” Rebecca replied
“I didn’t say it was Emerald.”
“Then why the third degree?”
“I just thought you’d like to know.”
“Great. Are we done caring?”
Pearl smiled. This was a girl after her own heart.
“Yes the moment has past. Got an easy one for you today.”
“Shoot.” Rebecca replied shifting to an active listening position
Pear slid Rebecca a manila folder. Rebecca picks it up and reads through it.
“We just need you to collect some money from this address.” Pearl commented
Rebecca walked briskly out of the Wolfram and Hart building. A moment later Whistler flanked her.
“Any thrilling adventure today?” he asked her
“Got to collect some Money.” Rebecca replied seriously
Whistler gave a curious look.
“That doesn’t sound like much maybe they’re goin’ soft.”
“Read the address.” Rebecca said handing Whistler the folder.
Whistler started to read. He frowned.
“Oh, now I see.” He replied as he read the name ‘Whitfield Publications’ on the top of the page.
“Anything new on Nighthawk?” Rebecca asked
“She hasn’t left her apartment all night so I figure I’ll swing by here first.”
Rebecca looked at Whistler in concern.
“Keep me updated on her. Please.”
Nighthawk opened her eyes lazily. A thin beam of sunlight streamed on to he face from one of the rips in the curtain. She pulls back the covers of her bed and sits up. Stretching Nighthawk stands and heads to the living room. Nighthawk’s apartment was built for one . . . barely. It’s peeling wallpaper and stained carped tells the story of may unsavory previous tenants. She sighs to herself and trudges slowly into the bathroom. Making sure she doesn’t step on any of the missing tiles she turns on the shower and waits for the brown water to clear.
That usually takes about five minutes so Nighthawk uses that time to get ready. She makes her way to the kitchen and does her daily routine of clearing the rattrap and then resetting it for the next vermin. Nighthawk opened the cupboard and pulls out the cereal. After breakfast the shower is usually ready so on the way back to the bathroom she slips out of her pajamas then, back inside the bathroom, she adjusts the hot water. Today she’s lucky the hot water seems to be working.
After she showers Nighthawk lays down her work clothes unhappily. She hates this uniform with a passion. Nighthawk feels the eyes of every guy checking her out as she walks past. And when she bends down she has to be very careful not to expose anything. With a heavy sigh she unwraps her towel and slips it on.
“Another day in hell.” She says quietly to herself as she leaves for work.
As she locked her apartment and made her way down the hall she failed to notice Whistler standing casually by one of the radiators that lines the hallway. He watched her pass carefully noting down her apartment number.
Whistler knocked on the Supers door. An extremely overweight man with a three-day growth in his chin answered the door. Whistler smiled at him.
“Hi Bernie.” He said causally
Bernie looked at whistler in shock.
“Geez man what are ya doin’! Never talk to me here.”
“Why?” Whistler asked in amused, “is it the baby eating thing?”
“Hey! Us demons need to eat as much as humans do!”
“You do it for fun Bernie.”
“Well . . . that’s . . . what do you want?”
“Need a copy of the key for 218.”
“The red heads apartment? You’ve got taste my friend. Man I love to go two round’s with her in the sack.”
“I guess this is a bad time to mention she’s a slayer.”
Bernie’s face dropped. He looked
“Better get onto those repairs then.” He commented
“Just get me the key Bernie and I’ll make sure she doesn’t bother you.”
Nighthawk stood behind the front counter at Roy’s Pizza. She doubled checked the addresses on the order slips and began to worry if her old car was going to make it.
“Penny wait up!” Roy called from the kitchen, “There’s been a change in the orders.”
Roy walked out of the kitchen. He walked up next to Nighthawk moving aside the original order slips and placing the new ones on the counter. He slipped his right hand under the back of Nighthawk miniskirt and placed it on one of her bare ass cheeks. Nighthawk stiffened up at the touch but tried to ignore it.
“Listen. Frank canceled his order,” Roy explained as he lightly squeezed the cheek of her ass, “it’s okay though. Bill, you know the dry cleaners around the corner right, he ordered the same thing so take it there instead okay?”
Nighthawk looked anxiously at Roy. Roy frowned back at her.
“You don’t have a problem do you?”
“No.” Nighthawk replied in an unbelievable tone.
“Great.” He said slapping her bare ass, “you’re still my number one girl Penny.”
This was no way comporting news to Nighthawk.
Rebecca walked though the plush lobby of the offices of Whitfield Publications. From what she heard Alex and Nighthawk’s father built this company from the ground. It became an overnight success and, after learning about Wolfram and Harts involvement, she now understood why. Rebecca moved up to the front counter.
“I’m here to see the Money Man,” she said calmly.
The security guard nodded and pressed a hidden button under his desk. One of the huge paintings slid open revealing a hidden elevator. Rebecca entered and pressed the down button. The doors opened on a sub basement level. The room was empty except for a small desk in the corner of the room. Sitting at this desk was happy looking man in a blue suit. Rebecca walked up confidently. The man looked up and smiled.
“You got the milk run huh? What you do kill the CEO’s son?”
Rebecca looked at the man curiously.
“No.” she replied.
The man shrugged happily
“My name’s Earl.”
“Emerald.”
Earl looked at Rebecca in awe.
“You mean the Emerald. The chick that stole the slayer blade? Gutsy move. Why do they have you coming to a dirt hole like this?”
“I have one or two ideas.” Rebecca replied suspiciously
“Ah I’m sure they had their reasons. I’ll get the cash for you right now. It’ll take a moment.”
Earl walked over to a wall safe on the other side of the room. Rebecca watched the worker with interest.
“Don’t take this the wrong way,” Rebecca commented, “but you’re a vampire aren’t you?”
“Born and raised,” Earl replied as he entered the combination, “well, sired and raised actually. Been working with the company since it started.”
“Why does a publishing company need a vampire accountant?”
Earl turned to her and smiled.
“They left you in the dark didn’t they?” he replied
Earl returned to the desk and started to count out the large wads of cash.
“Let me ask you something. Do you think this company would be making as much money as it does from all the gardening book publishes? Michael Whitfield was running this company into the ground from the word go so I save it by singing a deal with the devil, the devil being Wolfram and Hart. They keep this company as the top publisher in exchange we offer them a portion of the profits and let them brainwash the young readers.”
“Brainwash?”
“Yeah it’s a really neat process!” Earl replied as he placed the money into the bag Wolfram and Hart gave Rebecca, “They have this witch doctor working for them who developed this special kind of printing ink that they can use to implant subliminal message. Our best selling kids book at the moment as about a Bunny who finds these different things but it actually tell them to steal from their parents and set fire to the house. Isn’t it great?”
“Fantastic.” Rebecca replied
Whistler waited for Nighthawk to leave on her next run. He heard her mumble something about this being the last delivery and noted the anxious sound in her voice. Once out of sight Whistler entered. He cringed as he saw the poor cleaning standards of the restraint. Whistler heard a crunch sound as he stepped on a passing cockroach on his way to the front counter. He was reading the menu when Roy approached.
“What can I get you pal?” he asked
“I’ll have a two slices of the special.”
“You got it.” Roy replied as he disappeared into the kitchen.
Whistler had no intention of eating anything that came out of that fire hazard that Roy called a kitchen he just needed a reason to talk to him. Roy returned moments later with the order.
“Here you go that’ll be $14.50”
As Whistler got out his wallet he eyed Roy carefully.
“I saw the red leaving before I came in,” he commented, “Man, if I knew the staff at this place was that hot I would have eaten here more.”
Roy laughed sleazily.
“Yeah. That’s Penny. Sweet girl and I’m not talking about her personality if you know what I mean.”
“She your girlfriend?”
“Please!” Roy retorted, “You think a body this good should stay with one chick?”
Whistler looked the overweight greasy looking pizza shop owner curiously.
“What was I thinking.” He replied sarcastically
“I mean, come on,” Roy continued, “ you saw the body on her right? And, just between you and me, the tightest ass I have ever felt. It was like holding a peach.”
Whistler laughed. When Roy disappeared into the office to go get some change that laugh disappeared quickly and was replaced with an extremely angry look. Not waiting around for his money Whistler turned and stormed out of the shop. He pulled out his cell phone and speed dialed Rebecca’s number.
Rebecca handed the bag of cash to the Wolfram and Hart financial department when her cell rang. Recognizing the number and answered it.
“Yeah?” she asked
“Meet me at the apartment now!” Whistler said purposefully.
Angel leaned against the bar at Gen S. on the other side Buffy leaned and listened to the update.
“I’ve been going through gunns contacts.” He informed
“And?”
“Nothing. They’ve heard of her but none of them know where she is. It’s like she just disappears into thin air.”
“Great,” Buffy replied in frustration, “Do we know why she wanted the scythe?”
“No. Let’s hope they don’t try a Vampire Willow and shut down the slayer power.”
The closing door caught their attention. Nighthawk trudged up to the bar and sat down. She leaned her head heavily on her hands. Buffy looked at her with a concerned curiosity.
“What are you doing here Nighthawk?” she asked
Nighthawk looked up blurry eyed.
“We had a zone meeting or something didn’t we?” she asked
“That was yesterday.”
Nighthawk pouted. She checked the date on her watch.
“Oh . . . Sorry.”
“What is going on with you? You don’t show up for meetings, you hardly go out on patrol anymore. And, look at you, you can barely function right now.”
“I-I’ll try and make up for it.” Nighthawk yawned.
Buffy and Angel exchanged looks.
“Just make sure you do. We’re all getting worried about you.” Buffy replied
Nighthawk nodded. Angel looked at Nighthawk for a moment the he shifted his gaze back to Buffy.
“I might have a plan to trap Emerald. I’m going to need your help,” he said.
This caught Nighthawk’s attention.
“Alright, what’s the plan?” Buffy asked
“This assassin’s going after slayers. Why don’t we offer her the Slayer General?”
“Not liking this plan so far Angel.”
“You’ll be fine Buffy. We’ll cover the area so she can’t escape.”
Buffy narrowed her eyes and smirked at the vampire.
“If I get kidnapped I’m so not going to talk to you anymore.”
Angel smiled back.
“Sound fair,” he replied, “If we’re lucky we can stop Emerald before she does anymore harm.”
“Maybe we should just leave her alone.” Nighthawk suggested
Buffy and Angel looked at her curiously. Nighthawk looked extremely worried and she started to fidget with her hands.
“What are you talking about?” Buffy asked her
“Maybe she’s not a bad person.” Nighthawk replied
“She stole the scythe Nighthawk I think that put her in the bad category.” Angel commented
“Well, maybe she had a different reason.”
Buffy scrutinized Nighthawk closely.
“Is there something you want to tell us?”
“No,” Nighthawk replied, “I was just, like, you know . . . I have to go.”
She jumped off her stool and made her way out the door. Angel shook his head.
“Is it my imagination or has that girl gotten stranger.”
“You have something for me?” Rebecca asked
Whistler sat tensely on the sofa back at the apartment.
“Yeah.” he replied
“What is it?”
“I don’t think you want to know.”
Rebecca looked at him anxiously
“Bad?” she asked
“Bad barely covers what I know.”
Whistler didn’t like the look on Rebecca’s face. He took a deep breath and prepared himself.
“If somebody doesn’t do something soon. She’s gonna be dead by the end of the year.”
Rebecca’s jaw dropped.
“What do you mean?” she asked
“We’ll let’s start with the apartment she sub-letting from the rat population of Los Angeles. I checked it out after she left and, I have to tell ya, I think the only thing keeping it us is the wall paper.”
“Oh my god!”
“That’s not all,” Whistler continued, “had a chat with our friendly neighborhood pizza man.”
“And?”
“Let’s just say he‘s a little to friendly with the female staff. I did some checking turns out that most his girls call in sick. Either there’s some kind of super flu goin’ around or they are less then appreciative of the bosses busy hands.”
Rebecca leaned back in shock. How did Nighthawk get herself into this mess?
“I can have a demon attack on that pizza place in two minutes.” Whistler said seriously
“I don’t think cutting off her money is a good idea at the moment.”
“So you just gonna let her keep working with Mr. Grabby?”
“If we charge in now Nighthawk’s going to shut us out and she’ll end up in the same position somewhere else. There’s got to be a better way.”
Whistler reached into his pocket. He pulled out the copied key and showed it to Rebecca.
“I have another idea.” He said
Angel returned to the Hyperion. As usual Alex is behind the front counter working on research. Alex leaned back stretching and noticed Angel.
“Did she go for it?” he asked
“We’re set. You got things ready on your end.”
“Almost. I think I have the tranquilizer formula finished we just need something to test it on.”
“I’m sure we could round up a vamp or to so you can . . .”
Angel stopped as a tiny portal opened over the counter. An envelope dropped through and landed heavily. After the portal closed Angel moved cautiously towards it. He picked it up and examined it curiously. He looked over at Alex.
“It’s for you.”
Worried he took the envelope and opened it. A key dropped out onto the counter with a note attached to the back. Angel noticed the scared expression on Alex’s face as he read through it.
“What is it?” he asked him
“Penny’s in trouble.”
Nighthawk trudged up the stairs exhausted. After nearly blowing Rebecca’s cover back at Gen S. she decided that it would be best not to be around any other slayers for a while. Nighthawk unlocked her door and ended up face to face with her furious brother.
“Alex?” she said in shock, “how did you get in?”
“When were you planning on telling me this Penny?” he yelled at her
Nighthawk shut the door.
“I didn’t think it was your business.”
“So I’m not aloud to worry about you is that what your telling me?”
“There’s nothing to tell.”
“Really? I was just supposed to know that you dropped out of UCLA?”
“I was going to tell you that soon.”
“When Penny?” he replied in frustration, “While I was writing you eulogy?”
“It’s not . . .” she attempted.
She bit her lip and collapsed onto the sofa. Alex sighed and sat down next to her. He stroked her hair caringly.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you didn’t have any money?” he asked softly
Nighthawk looked away.
“I wanted to try and do things on my own.”
“That’s why you dropped out?”
Nighthawk dropped her head.
“ I didn’t drop out. My tuition was cut.”
Alex looked at her surprised.
“What?”
“I got called into the administration and they told me my fees weren’t paid.”
Suddenly things became very clear. There was only one person cold enough to do this to her.
“Dad! He’s behind this isn’t he? I should’ve known.”
“I just wanted to show him I could do it.” Nighthawk replied sadly
“You think this would?” Alex asked
Nighthawk turned back to look at her brother. She shrugged hopefully.
“Maybe.” She replied
Alex sighed. He knows how hard she tries to make their father happy. He also knew what little impact it made on him. Alex hugged Nighthawk tightly.
“You know nothing you do is ever going to make him happy.” He said
“Yeah,” Nighthawk replied, “I though that if I tried hard enough . . .”
This was getting too much for Alex. There was only one person who was going to correct this.
Alex stormed angrily through the Whitfield Publications office. He burst into his father’s office and glared at him in a fiery anger. Michael Whitfield stared at his son calmly. His silvery hair and cold expression gave him and uncaring presence.
“I’m going to have to call you back.” Michael said calmly as he hung up his phone, “Alex this is a pleasant . . . “
“Cut the crap I’m not in the mood.” Alex yelled
“I’m sorry to hear that son. What did you want to see me about?”
“Penny.”
Michael Whitfield leaned back in his executive chair.
“I was wondering when you were going to grace me with your presence about this.”
“Why did you cut her off?”
“I told you both before you started college if anything get’s in the way of your studies I’ll be removing the funding.”
Alex looked disgusted at the old man.
“Penny’s your daughter not some business deal.”
“ I understand that Alex. You have to understand how this slayer nonsense reflects on me and my company.”
“This slayer nonsense saves peoples lives.”
Michael looked disappointed.
“This is your mother’s doing isn’t it?”
“At least mom understood the purpose of having slayers,” Alex yelled, “I just found Penny living in a rat infested dive because you refused to help her.”
“I am more then willing to help Penny, Alex, on the proviso that she stops killing things and concentrates on her studies.”
“That’s not gonna happen dad.”
“Then the situation remains the same. Good day.”
“I am not . . .”
“I said good day!”
Alex gritted his teeth.
“This isn’t over.” He yelled
“No I don’t expect it to be.” Michael replied
Alex stormed out of the office. As the double doors swing shut Rebecca steps out of the shadows. She wanted to make sure personally that the plan was running smoothly. What she heard disturbed her even more.
Rebecca arrived at Wolfram and Hart early next morning. Her night was restless due to Nighthawk’s situation.
“ ’Scuse me can I have some fricken’ service!” A woman yelled at the receptionist.
Rebecca looked at her curiously. She was short with long curly Blond hair. Rebecca figured she was some kind of demon since every time she slammed the desk she left large holes. Pear appeared a moment later and approached at the woman.
“That you so much for coming down at short notice.” Pearl said
“Can it Sister!” the woman yelled, “you said you have someone here who could help me.”
Pearl noticed Rebecca standing by the elevators and motioned her to join them.
“This is Emerald she’ll be assisting you.”
“Hi.” Rebecca said calmly
The woman looked her up and down.
“Nice jacket. Did Kermit the frog have a yard sale?”
Rebecca shot the woman an annoyed look. The woman smiled back. Pearl motioned to the woman.
“Emerald I would like you to meet Glorificus. You’ll be helping her track down some monks.”
It took most of Rebecca’s inner strength not to loose her poker face. In the end she just smiled.
“This is gonna be interesting.” She replied
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