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"The Phoenix rises from the ashes. Let it be known - we are undead." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ San Francisco Legacy House Angel Island Dr. Derek Rayne, Precept of San Francisco Legacy House, Biological Anthropologist and former University professor looked around his assembled team. To his left sat his head of security and ex-Navy seal, Nicholas Boyle. Next to him, Head Researcher, computer expert and fellow physic Alexandra Moreau. Dr. Rachel Corrigan, Medical physician and Psychiatrist of the demon fighting team, sat on the table twirling a pen in her left hand. It was to her, that the Precept directed his question. "How is her progress?" Rachel shook her head in bewilderment, rather than in dismay. "Astounding; to say the least." She slid off the table and walked around it to her precepts other side, talking as she went. "For a start, her physiological self shows a deep trauma of many attacks. Shooting, fire, drowning and hanging. The X-rays even showed a sliver of wood lodged in her heart." Rachel looked around at the confusion and shrugged. "I know. I know.. It had to be a mistake. But by the time we had another set of the x-rays, the obstruction was gone. In fact, that could be said for the marks and wounds as well. But her body remains free of scars, bruises or even blemishes." "Cool, the teenager got a secret wrinkle cream." Nick quipped. Rachel smiled indulgently, but continued unfazed. "Maybe. But you saw her when Phillip brought her in. Her entire body was scorched from her head to toe. Now; her skin is as smooth and healthy as a babies! The only testament that she was ever in a fire, is that her whole body is devoid of hair, though that will restore later." Rachel came to stand in front of them all, her fingers still nervously playing with the pen. "She's.... remarkable." she uttered breathlessly. "We found traces of dynamite under her nails, which was what probably came from a construction site where the explosion happened.And would explain the broken bones and cartilage. And I'm certain, I haven't even scratched surface." Derek frowned. He didn't like remarkable things that could endanger those he cared for most, and these people were the ones he cared for. "That sounds extremely *unscientific* Doctor," he challenged, curious for what she wasn't saying. Rachel raised her eyes sharply to meet the hazel eyes of her precept. Even after all the supernatural/paranormal events that she has seen and been a part of, Rachel was still very skeptical of believing in such things. She had been at times, openingly antagonistic towards her precepts 'outerwordly/demonic' explanations for everything that went wrong. Until now. Rachel stood her ground. "I haven't come to the tests yet. Her biology is obscure, but always in an unusual flux of repair. Her regenitive ability is unestablished - off the scale on any scientific level." Rachel slumped into a chair resignedly. "I'm completely at a loss. If I wasn't such a skeptic, I'd swear she was someone Mulder would run into." Alex and Nick grinned, much to the chagrin of their Precept. "Where is she now?" he questioned. "We moved her this morning from the infirmary to Phillips old room. Phillip will be staying with Nick tonight. Right?" The security chief nodded. "That's if I can drag him away from playing mother hen." Derek narrowed his gaze. "Make sure you do, Nick. I want him in my office as soon as possible - he has a lot to explain." Phillip's paternal instinct was on speed dial of late. He slept in a chair beside her bed and didn't let anyone but Alex and Rachel near her. The obvious deep bond between them, both a concern and intrigue. Derek had questioned whether Phillip would ever return to the Legacy, after choosing his faith and his sleepy Ireland parish above the demonic war The Legacy fought in obscurity. All that changed when he received a distressed call three nights ago. And frankly, Dereks curiosity to who she was, was peaking every moment. Besides his 'sight' showing him a myriad of confusing and damning images, something he had never felt with others, there was a extraordinary signet on the sleeping Jamaican beauty - almost pious. "What-else do we know about her?" He asked, severing the dark thoughts scrambling into his minds eye. "She doesn't exist," Nick offered helpfully, placing an extensive folder in front of his boss. "Not in any recorded history that we know of anyway. I've dug up Birth, marriage and death records all the way back to the 18th century and nothing. Her fingerprints..." "Whoa!," Alex and Rachel groaned in unison. "How did you get her fingerprints? Phillip would have killed you, if not myself or Alex" Rachel growled disapproving. Nick shrugged in way of apology. "The time when Alex was in the computer room and you needed a hand to lift her up.. her hand touched the stainless steal tray.." Rachel scowled. "The one you were so eager to take out and renew?" "Three guesses who put him up to it," Alex gruffed, turning towards the now sheepish Derek. Both men knew better than to obstruct or hinder either Alex or Rachel when it came to the ones they loved. Instead he met their steamy gazes and kept his voice even and level. "That is no way to speak to your precept, ladies." Letting the last warning sink in, he turned his attention back to the Ex-Seal. "You were saying?" Nick quickly reported his findings, trying to avoid eye contact with both women. "Unfortunately, it's the same results. Police files, CIA, FBI - everything from small towns to Metropolitan abyss. She isn't in any system this side of technology." Derek stood abruptly. "Nick, get Phillip in here now." "Can't this wait, Derek?" Alex asked worriedly, standing before her leader anxiously tumbling a carved silver box in her hands. Derek raised a quizzical eyebrow in her direction. "No, it cannot." he reprimanded gently. "It's been 3 days since he brought her here. I think we're all entitled to hear the full story." He watched the dark Creole young beauty, frown in comprehension. He let his words take affect, before continuing. "And you, of all people, should know better than question my motives, when it comes to the safety of this house." Alex felt the unmistakable sting of a rollicking coming on. All that was missing of that sentence was a "... young lady. Now go to your room." Placing the box back on the shelf, it was her turn to raise an ire, she was as equally as immovable when it came to her friends. Most of all, for the man, Derek had called to his office today. "He is in no physical state for an inquisition," she warned, her eyes darkly menacing, before softening with her next words. "Whoever she is, she has to be really special..." ".. she is." Phillip answered softly, surprising them all, as he came into the office behind them. He looked terrible and very pale, although he made an effort to not show it. Phillip made his way over to Alex and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "Alex," he whispered huskily in greeting, feeling her draw him near for support. "Don't worry," she whispered against his ear, *he's* been warned." Phillip smiled and squeezed her hand in thanks, as he went to the seat opposite Derek, smiling at Nick and Rachel, and wearily sat down. "Derek." he acknowledged the older man behind the desk. "You wanted to see me?" "How is she, this morning?" Phillip and Alex were thrown off kilter. They expected the full inquisition, since this was the first time he managed to get Phillip to stay still to answer his questions. "She's doing a little better," Phillip responded hesitantly, wondering when the other shoe was gonna drop. "Actually, she's on her own at the moment, I was wondering..." Rachel and Nick were both on their feet before he could finish. "Don't worry, we'll take care of her." Rachel smiled warmly at him, as they made their way out. Phillip sighed in relief, turning his attention back to the remaining two. Derek wasn't one to beat around the bush. "It's good to have you home, my friend." Derek began, the obvious tenderness in his voice reflected in his eyes. "I just wish it was on more happier circumstances than the young ladies..." he frowned at his own statement before quickly continuing. "I dislike having to call her 'young lady', does she have a name?" Phillip grinned, there was that shoe. "You're having trouble finding her in the records, Derek?" the young man chuckled. "Kendra... that's all I know her as, so don't press me for another. She never gave it. I never asked." There was only one mystery in this house, and it had always been their unfathomable Precept Mr. Rayne. Now there was another, and they didn't even have a second name? Alex came to sit beside him, her inquisitive nature taking over. "Very 80s. Where did you meet?" He fought with what to tell them. He didn't want to lie, but he couldn't tell them the entire truth either. Slayers and their mentors were sacred. Their lives were secretive and meant to stay that way. But Phillip knew he could trust Alex and Derek. He had to tell them something. Carefully, he chose his words. "I first met Kendra at the Vatican in Italy a few years ago. She was researching Demonology in the original chronicles..." Phillip stalled, his eyes looking deeply into the inky soulful deep of Alex's eyes and knew he didn't have to play this game out to the bitter end. "You know, don't you?" Both mens gazes turned to the Researcher, who nodded in reply. "My grandmother rang me the eve you brought her to the house. She had the same dream I had when I was 10 years old and living in New Orleans. It was if a dark angel who lived in exile and gave the world her light - her life, in order to protect humanity. Her death was too soon - by the hand of an immortal that should have died, but was stalled through a mistake she made due to a friend. In death, she had shamed her mentor and father." Alex's eyes fluttered closed, summoning the memory from long ago "Death did not cease her anger and her shame. Her thirst for revenge became so complete, that the dark cradle could not hold her. She was marked as an immortal and returned to take her revenge. When she could not find him, she sought to die. But she could not. There was far greater things ahead for her, than she could ever hope, dare to imagine." Phillip leaned forward. "What?" "The one that stands between us and the end of the world. The best chance we will ever have." Her eyes opened and met his with strong conviction. "If you leave with her in a few days, like you secretly plan. She'll never find out." The audible gasp of shock was inevitable. Derek was openly skeptical. "Are you telling me some kid is a hybrid Immortal/Arch-angel/Armageddon Slayer?" Phillip made the sign of the cross over his heart. "Honestly Derek. We're dealing with higher powers at work, here." Derek sat back down, the morbid puzzle slowly sliding into place. His own prophecy being fulfilled inside his mind. "I... I can't believe it." Alex mistakenly thought it was for them, and defended Phillips statement, even though she was a little dubious herself. "I don't see why not. We've dealt with more evil than each of us would care to remember. More so lately, that our ranks cannot even hold our own ground let alone defend anyone elses. Why would it seem so fantastical to think that help would be delivered to our door?" "You ever hear of the Trojen Horse, Miss Moreau?" Derek grumbled. "You've seen inside her, my Czar." Alex mockingly cajoled. "Were there hidden armies of darkness inside her mind? Inside her soul?" Derek couldnot see anything inside her but the innocence of a child/woman in the body of a warrior. Alex interrupted Dereks confusion, with another question to Phillip. "You said it was the first time you met her. Were there others?" Phillip nodded, struggling to keep his mind clear. "A few years later, same place, and every day for five years. I was her tutor." His eyes rose up to meet their astonishment. "The last time, was a few days ago in an abandoned church, on the outskirts of a small town called Sunnydale." "Where," he continued sadly, "she died in my arms." ~~~~~~~ Nick watched her sleep, or the facsimile of it. She lay in a tight ball, twisting with the nightmares of some unknown horror. Nick called out to Rachel, who was busily else where. There was something about her that made him feel.. what was the word? *Wiggy* would be a good term. As he came closer, her eyes fluttered. He reached for the 9mm tucked away in his shoulder holster. As security and researcher, he didn't stay alive by being unwary. The dark angel was about to make an appearance. Kendra woke up cold, wrapped in terror as penetrating as the darkness that swallowed her. The memory creeps back as she holds her breath, listening for a heart-beat. "Where am I?" she asked of no one in particular. Nick responded instinctively, gathering his alertness in case of trouble. "It's all right. You're safe. Lie still, you need rest." Her clouded mind, heard something, perhaps a name of her protector? "Who?" "Angel.." Nick was mid response when he was abruptly slammed sideways off his feet and brutally flung across the room. Nicks body was thrown against the wall, his bones slightly crunching on impact. The attack was so fast he never saw it coming. Her initial movement made her head throb like thunder, she tried to get out of bed, her muscles screaming inside her body. With a groan, holding her head together with both her hands, she slowly righted herself to stand. Ready as always, for the next attack. ~~~~~ The noise upstairs alerted the others to the commotion. Alex, Derek and the now wide awake priest bolted toward the foyer steps leading up to the bedrooms. Suddenly Nick came tumbling down the stairs backwards, and Alex ran to him. Rachel followed Nick under her own steam, backing down the stairs hands raised in submission. When Rachel reached the end of the stairs, Derek put a protective arm around her waist and pulled the Doctor into his arms. All eyes turned to her, the familiar dark skinned beauty following in the wake. Her body coiled like a spring, a suddenly dangerous entity. If not for the fact she wore Dereks PJ top, which reached her knees, and made her look like a fragile kid playing dress up, Derek would have shot her down already. Kendra took in the surrounding group. The one she had knocked down the stairs, was about 28years old, lean and mean. The 9mm that he pulled on her, showed he had tactical and assault training. From what little she saw of his moves, she guessed Naval or Army brat. There was also something else.. it was a disagreeable aura around him. Her eyes narrowed pointing in his direction. "Ya got de mark of de Nosferatu.. but ya ain't been taken - yet." Her gaze slid to the dark haired woman kneeling beside him. The shock of meeting the dark angels eyes briefly turning her knees to jelly. She was kindred. Creole or Haiti.. borne of Aeons and the blessed. Early 30s, beautiful, dark mocha skin and around about 6ft. She was also lean, but the aura off her was different, and the same as the man she tended to. Her accusing direction now lay upon Alex "And he got *your* mark on him, huh?" Kendra looked more like a cornered and frightened child, than the leader and exalted Phillip knew her as. She leaned heavily against the railing struggling for breath. "Dis primogen vampire been busy, non? But good dat he not take ya either chere" She breathed heavily. "I didn't want ta kill one of me own." A movement on the stair, made her focus on the next. She heard one of them call her Rachel. She was in her early 40s. Blond and blue? eyed. If Barbie ever grew up, she would probably look like her. There was also something else.. she was good this one. Maternal maybe. A doctor too, if the perfume, on the bandages were anything to go by. Her gaze slid past to the man opposite. The images and feelings she had were intoxicating. The power he held was enough to numb all her senses and throw her off balance. He slowly came forward, hands raised in supplication to show he held nothing in them. Her eyes touched his with confusion, a slight recognition sparking a memory. "Father Callaghan?," she whispered in hope and her own shameful humiliation, before falling heavily onto the stair. He gathered her carefully in his arms, trying not to hurt her as he pulled his coat off and wrapped her up inside it. Her voice was low and defeated, and it tugged at his soul like a Spanish guitar. "Who am I?" Phillip, pulled her closer as her head rested on his shoulder. Alex's premonition and words came back to him, and he understood why he was sent to The Legacy in the first place. Whether by fate, or free will, or prophecy.. he knew where he finally belonged this time. "I don't know, lass." he replied tenderly, soothing her brief sobs away. "But I say we stick around to find out. Aye?" *** End chapter 3 |