Chapter 6 - Tails and Trails

Ann left the room. Spike followed her into the library. She waved the door shut, sat down at her desk and wrote quickly. "Spike," she said, not looking up.

"Don't start."

"What were you thinking?

"Well, I wouldn't do it again, even if I could. Oh, she doesn't know about the Viper, so don't tell her."

"So why help her?"

"Fair's fair," he muttered.

"All right," Ann said.

"Why are you?"

"I can't let Tara run around loose in Sunnydale if wannabe vampire killers or semi-pro assassins are shooting up the Bronze. On the other hand, if I start following Tara around just to watch out for her, she'll get rebellious."

"She doesn't like you if you're imitating Mary's little lamb?"

"What?"

Delighted not only to change the subject, but to find something she didn't know more about than he did, he recited the whole rhyme. Ann laughed, then turned to the large crystal phone, saying: "Kearny Agency." She waited, then: "Hi, who has night duty?"

"Alice," came a voice out of the crystal. "Do you want to come in, or shall she come there?"

"If she comes, she can meet everyone."

"OK. Here she is."

And there she was.

"Hi." Not as pleasant a voice as Ann's, but mellow. She was taller than Buffy, shorter than Ann; hair also in between, sort of dark brown, but nice, though a little short; warm, glowing skin, tanned a soft gold; beautiful eyes, brown with ridiculously long dark lashes. Mid to late twenties; sturdy shoes; pant suit, not Armani, trendy, a dark inconspicuous navy, worn over a really nice body, lusher than Ann's or Buffy's; large shoulder bag. She said nothing more, but glanced quickly at Ann.

"This is William Parker, usually called Spike. This is Alice Kearny, a friend of mine."

"Hi," she said again, and offered her hand.

"A pleasure."

"So why am I here, Ann?"

"Tell her, Spike."

"Tonight went something like this," he started. He began with Eric's death, since that happened first, then he switched to straight reporting, what he saw and did, ending with leaving Harmony in the living room writing down a list of her victims.

When he was done, Alice nodded. "Who do you work for?" she asked.

"He's an amateur," Ann said.

"Indeed. So why am I here, Ann?" Alice asked again.

"I need backgrounds and current locations on various people. Here," she handed Alice the list she had just written. "I expect all these names and the license are false, but see what you can do. There's the body in the morgue here, gunshot victim, he's probably one of these, but I don't know which. The bunch of Stanford students, who may have disappeared from campus. There are three more strangers in town, but I'll tell you more about them when I know myself."

"Sure."

"Let's see how Harmony did. Spike, take Alice into the living room and interpret for her, if need be. I'm going to call Claire."

He opened the door for Alice, then followed her to the foyer and indicated the living room.

"Harm, how'd you do?"

"I may have gotten Zac and Jack confused, and I forgot about Ian until just now, but this is everybody. From Palo Alto, I mean."

"Alice, this is Harmony."

"Hi. Can I see the list?" Alice asked

"Sure. I don't know why she wanted it."

"Her name's Ann," Spike said. "And this is Alice."

"Give me a few minutes with this, please," Alice said, and went over to a chair and sat.

"I'm thirsty, Spike."

"Do you want blood or wine?"

"Wine, I guess."

Ann came in, followed by Claire. "Did you finish, Harmony?"

"Yes."

"Hi, Claire," Alice said.

"Hello, Alice, how are your parents?"

"Hello, Claire," Spike said.

"Spike, how nice to see you."

"Harmony, are you familiar with the saying quid pro quo?" Ann asked.

"No," Harmony said.

"Are you kidding?" Spike muttered.

"Dum spiro, spero," Ann told him. "Harmony, I will help Spike get your possible assassins off your back, if, and only if, you cooperate with Claire, and let her do some simple survey tests."

"I didn't like tests even when I was in school."

"Interesting," Claire said, opening her healer's bag and removing her testing equipment.

"No, not really," Ann murmured.

"Harm, take the damn ball, and answer the damn questions."

"Oh, all right." Harmony held out her hand and Claire put the hollow glass ball in it.

"Now," Claire said. "This changes shape. Don't be startled." She struck the ball with wands of different materials and colors, then took it from Harmony and stowed it and the wands away. She produced a list of questions and began: "Sex, female. Current age? Age when you became a vampire? By whom? Spike? Good, I've wanted to extend the Darla lineage. Roll up your sleeve."

"Why?"

"I'll need some blood."

"Get your own."

"Harm, it doesn't hurt."

"It does, too."

Eventually, Harmony let Claire take a sample of blood. Ann offered her a glass of warm Cambells, which Harmony sniffed at, but drank. Ann seemed to feel she'd had enough of Harmony after that, because the vampire disappeared. "Unless you want her for some more tests?" Ann asked Claire.

"No. What a tedious young woman."

Spike glanced at Claire, but she was speaking to Ann.

"She extended the Darla lineage another generation--you will have several subjects to consider, once we have dealt with the current little problem."

"I'm sure you'll handle it with your customary finesse. Thank you, Ann." Claire picked up her bag, Ann smiled at her, and Claire disappeared.

"Tedious is right," Alice said. "Harmony can't spell and she can barely write."

"I'm going to go check out the Times," Spike said, and disappeared into the library.

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Buffy came downstairs. Her hair was still damp and now was very dark brown. "We went with a temporary rinse, since it was darker than henna. Oh, I beg your pardon."

"Alice, this is Buffy Summers. Buffy, Alice Kearny. She and her sister run a detective agency in San Francisco, specializing in occult problems."

"Hi."

"Hi. I've met Rupert who's spoken of you."

"How did you meet Giles?"

"He and Olivia were staying at Ann's condo."

"After your sudden trip to Seattle, Olivia declined to return to Sunnydale. They've been meeting in San Francisco," Ann said.

"Things do seem to happen when she tries to visit Giles."

"So, tell me, Ann. Is Spike seeing anyone?" Alice asked.

"I believe he's breaking up with Harmony."

"Oh. I was tactless, wasn't I?"

"It's difficult to be tactful about her, unless you say nothing at all. Shall I invite you to dinner if he gets free?"

"I'd like that."

"He's a vampire," Buffy said.

"Yes, I know. I like older men," Alice said. "I'll get on these, and talk to you, oh, late tomorrow afternoon, Ann. Which account?"

"Mine, the personal one."

"Bye," Alice said, and disappeared.

"What is she, a vampire groupie?" Buffy was disgusted.

"She's intelligent, powerful and experienced, and she doesn't think all vampires are the same, anymore than I lump all humans together."

"You don't seem to take this seriously," Buffy said.

"What should I be taking more seriously?"

"She doesn't even know he's got a chip in his head."

"I don't think that matters. Spike," Ann called.

Spike came out of the library and asked: "What?"

"If you didn't have that chip in your head, would you attack a friend of mine?"

"Hell, no," Spike said at once. "Not if I were starving. You get all protective over your friends, all of them; humans, demons, whatever. I'd be safer criticizing your cooking, which I'm not thinking of doing, either."

"Thanks," Ann said. Spike shrugged and went back to the computer in the library.

"That doesn't prove anything."

"I think you're wrong. I'm not sure if it proves that he's developing a conscience, or he's just afraid of me, or if he's finally growing up, but he doesn't sound like the pre-chip Spike that Rupert and Willow tell me about. Even immortals do grow up, you know. I'm going to bed. Do you want to sleep here or at your home?"

"Home. Can you put me up in my room? Giles said he was taking the sofa and I don't want to disturb him."

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(Chapter 7)

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