Chapter 7--Proper Introductions
This Chapter: Who are these Slayerettes and why are they here in Porto Gordo? And what kind of name is Cadwallader-Timsey, anyway?
Music: El Relato, La Sonora Dinamita
Chapter 7 Proper Introductions
Sundown again, and the Slayerettes and Cadwallader-Timsey were back in the Mermaid. Spike paced over toward them and beckoned the Watcher. “Need to have a little chat, Watcher.”
“I can’t leave my young ladies unattended in the bar. It wouldn’t be proper.”
“Stuff proper. They’d best get used to it.” He grabbed Cadwallader-Timsey’s arm and directed him through the curtained doorway into the office. “Need to talk private-like for a minute and don’t need any of your nosy bints popping around to listen.”
“Now see here.”
“Y’know what? You sound just like a certain other stuffy Englishman of my acquaintance. Do they give you a special course at Watcher University? Already told ya, not gonna take a bite out of your neck. Just want to have a little chat. Now sit.”
Cadwallader-Timsey sat, his feet spread and fingers nervously twitching on the chair arms.
“I’ve got a proposal for you, Caddy, old boy.”
Cadwallader-Timsey’s eyes opened wide and he leaned forward eagerly, “I’m listening.”
“Found something out in the jungle last night, something real interesting.”
“I’m not certain that has anything to do with me. The portents…”
“Bugger that. This is more important.”
“Perhaps to you, but…”
“Will you stop interrupting me, you silly sod!”? His voice rose. Spike ground his teeth and calmed himself before continuing, “Do you know anything about the Mayans?”
A fervent gleam sparkled in the Watcher’s eyes and he leaned forward watching Spike attentively, “After I left London, my prime focus was the Old Gods of the Mayan and earlier peoples of the Yucatan. I studied the excavations in Palenque-in fact, I was on expedition to a remote locale where there was rumor of a new find, when the great tragedy occurred in London. You might say the Mayans saved my life!” He was clearly gearing up for an impassioned lecture on the glories of Pre-Columbian archaeology. “I intended to re-join fellow researchers In San Bartolo to decipher the inscriptions when I was called upon by the New Council and Miss Rosenberg…”
Spike considered the stroke of pure luck that had delivered just the man he needed. What were the odds? He wasn’t going to kick too hard, though. Now, to maneuver Cadwallader-Timsey into helping. A pleasant smile crept across his face, even more disturbing to the befuddled Watcher.
“Seems like I stumbled, literally, into something interestin’ underground. I’m thinkin’ it might belong to your Mayan blokes.”
“How did you find this place?”
“Fell down a hole, if you must know. You’re gonna need some lights and exploring gear because it’s in a cave full of bats, but I did happen on some carvings and what-have-you that look quite a bit like some of these.” He turned the computer screen around and displayed a large color photo of stone carvings illustrating a gruesome ritual sacrifice. “There were some other things down there, too. Statues and stuff like that. You reckon you might be interested in having a look at it?” Spike’s eyes were wide and innocent. Playing dumb had always worked well to disarm his enemies.
Cadwallader-Timsey’s eyes sparkled with a scholar’s acquisitive gleam. “Ah, yes, Xbalanque’s defeat of the Dark Lords. This particular mural depicts a part of the Popul Vul, the sacred book of the Maya.” He gazed dreamily at the screen, his avaricious joy at an unknown excavation site clear to behold before he snapped back to reality.
“Why are you telling me all this? Out of the goodness of your heart?” The Watcher’s suspicions were not far off.
“Let’s just call it a bit of quid pro quo. You help me with this Mayan stuff and I’ll see about helping you with your portent business.” Cadwallader-Timsey was definitely hooked and ready to be landed. His eyes flickered back to the screen and Spike’s smile grew to shark-like proportions.
****************************
There was a loud crash from the bar area. “Un escuincle!” Pepe shouted, “ Hijo Jesu, Spike! These pequenas are un putazo Mikey!!”
Spike was through the doorway in a flash. One of the Slayerettes had a bar patron down on the ground with a dagger to his throat while the other two stood ready with stakes.
“Oi! What’s all this commotion?” Spike snarled, “You, girl! What the bloody hell do you think you’re doing?”
“Demon!” She screamed, “He’s a demon!”
Spike snatched her up by the arm, kicking the dagger across the floor, but not before the carving knife sliced a gash the length of his arm. “Yeah, so what? Mikey bothering you, was he?”
“He’s a demon.” She panted, her curling brown hair in a mad tangle, “You think just because you and Buffy...”
“Shut your mouth, you ignorant little girl.” Spike glared death at her, “Who the hell do you think you are? This is my bar and if there’s any killin’ to do, it’s my job, not yours.”
Mikey staggered to his feet and fled to the rear of the bar, hiding behind Pepe’s angry form.
Pepe muttered loudly and demanded his carving knife back, “Como chingas! You’ve dulled my blade, una pelado!”
Spike continued, “Mikey ain’t hurtin’ no one, ‘less you happen to be a squid or a tub full’o clams. Check your Slayers manual. He’s an Arquillian cephalopod and happens to be the best fish supplier this side of Campeche..”
“You can’t tell me what to do! You tried that before, vampire, and it didn’t work then, either.”
Spike was dumbfounded for a moment, and then turned to the open-mouthed Watcher behind him. “I suggest you give little Miss Stakes-a-Lot a lesson in manners while you’re at it.”
She stomped over to the other Slayers and stood with her arms crossed glaring furiously at him.
“ What is your damage, girl? Am I supposed to know you?”
“Sunnydale ring any bells, vampire?” She rolled her eyes and gave him the cold shoulder, “I’m Kennedy, the Slayer.”
“Ah, Red’s girlfriend. No wonder you fancy yourself in charge, then.”
Red-faced with embarrassment, she turned her back on him completely and tossed her hair.
The younger blonde one patted her shoulder sympathetically and looked toward Spike, “They broke up.”
Spike suppressed a laugh, but let a little smirk crack his angry façade.
“And who might you be, little miss? Are you a Sunnydale cadet as well?”
“Oh, no sir. I’m from Murfreesboro, Tennessee. I’m Daisy Butterworth.” She blushed bright red, “I’m so sorry we made a mess of the bar. We didn’t mean no harm, honest.”
He grinned at her, “No worries, little lady, the Mermaid has seen worse than this any night of the week. Now, since we’re being all polite, who’s this shy and retiring rose here?”
“Ursula, Mr…. Spike, sir.” She was a little beauty, petite and tanned. “I’m from Northern California.”
“Well now ladies, delightful to meet all of you, nice and proper like. What say you all buy poor old Mikey a beer and we’ll call it even?” Ursula and Daisy smiled widely at Spike and went over to give Pepe their orders, while Spike strode back toward the Watcher, avoiding Kennedy’s humiliated stare.
A slim figure in a loose white dress stepped through from the office door. “Oh, Spike. You’re bleeding!”
He stopped in his tracks and went directly to her, “Hello darlin’.”
She examined his arm and raised damp eyes to his in dismay. “Please let me bandage that for you, Spike.”
“Don’t fuss yourself now, dove. See, it’s already stopped. Take more than that little thing to stop old Spike.” Her eyes were sorrowful, but she bravely pasted on a small smile for him.
“Come to join the party, have you?” He smiled down at her and pulled her into a quick embrace. “Glad to see you, luv. I’ve missed you so.”
She smiled shyly, staying close to Spike’s side. “This is my friend, Miss Winifred Burkle of Texas,” he said by way of introduction, “And these delightful ladies are Slayers come down to give us a hand. Reckon somebody figured we’d need a whole bunch of ‘em.”
“Nice to meet you all,” Fred whispered, thrusting out her hand to Daisy.
“I’m glad to meet you, too, Miss Burkle. I’m Daisy and this is Ursula and that’s Kennedy over there. She’s a little sulky, so don’t mind her bad manners, m’am.”
Kennedy snorted inelegantly and stomped off and down the patio steps toward the beach. Daisy led her over to the Watcher who was standing still a bit stunned by the antics of his Slayers.
“And this is our Watcher, Mr. Nathan Cadwallader-Timsey from England. He knows just about everything about magic and stuff to do with Mexico. He was studying magic with a real shaman!” Daisy was quite taken with her Watcher, her eyes wide and earnest. “I think he’s just the nicest and smartest man anywhere.”
Cadwallader-Timsey straightened his jacket and demonstrated his amiability.
“Miss Butterworth exaggerates. Charmed to meet you Miss Burkle. Are you just visiting here?”
“Oh no. I’m here doing research!” She smiled and opened her eyes widely, “I’m using string theory to study the ley lines of this area and how they relate to the Mayan mythology. I have a theory that some of their creation myths have a basis in the pre-human activity of the true demons. The so-called Old Ones. I’m actually a physicist, but the mathematics of the occult continuum fascinates me. See, once I accidentally opened a portal into another dimension and spent a long time as a cow.” Cadwallader-Timsey’s mouth dropped open for a moment before he recalled his manners.
“Good lord! I mean…could you…would you consider showing me your research?”
Her smile was blinding, “Why sure. I was hoping you’d say that.” She laid a hand on his sleeve and directed him toward the stairs. “You don’t mind, do you Spike? You and the girls can hang out here for a little bit.”
Spike’s eyes were narrow as he watched the pair go toward Fred’s research area upstairs. The Watcher was good-looking, if you liked tall, blonde and handsome, he reckoned. Really tall. Dammit. He contemplated his jealousy for a moment and turned again to check the girls. Wouldn’t do to let the silly bints kill any of the payin’ customers.
Previous Chapters may be found in Memories Ashes & Sparks
_
Music: El Relato, La Sonora Dinamita
Chapter 7 Proper Introductions
Sundown again, and the Slayerettes and Cadwallader-Timsey were back in the Mermaid. Spike paced over toward them and beckoned the Watcher. “Need to have a little chat, Watcher.”
“I can’t leave my young ladies unattended in the bar. It wouldn’t be proper.”
“Stuff proper. They’d best get used to it.” He grabbed Cadwallader-Timsey’s arm and directed him through the curtained doorway into the office. “Need to talk private-like for a minute and don’t need any of your nosy bints popping around to listen.”
“Now see here.”
“Y’know what? You sound just like a certain other stuffy Englishman of my acquaintance. Do they give you a special course at Watcher University? Already told ya, not gonna take a bite out of your neck. Just want to have a little chat. Now sit.”
Cadwallader-Timsey sat, his feet spread and fingers nervously twitching on the chair arms.
“I’ve got a proposal for you, Caddy, old boy.”
Cadwallader-Timsey’s eyes opened wide and he leaned forward eagerly, “I’m listening.”
“Found something out in the jungle last night, something real interesting.”
“I’m not certain that has anything to do with me. The portents…”
“Bugger that. This is more important.”
“Perhaps to you, but…”
“Will you stop interrupting me, you silly sod!”? His voice rose. Spike ground his teeth and calmed himself before continuing, “Do you know anything about the Mayans?”
A fervent gleam sparkled in the Watcher’s eyes and he leaned forward watching Spike attentively, “After I left London, my prime focus was the Old Gods of the Mayan and earlier peoples of the Yucatan. I studied the excavations in Palenque-in fact, I was on expedition to a remote locale where there was rumor of a new find, when the great tragedy occurred in London. You might say the Mayans saved my life!” He was clearly gearing up for an impassioned lecture on the glories of Pre-Columbian archaeology. “I intended to re-join fellow researchers In San Bartolo to decipher the inscriptions when I was called upon by the New Council and Miss Rosenberg…”
Spike considered the stroke of pure luck that had delivered just the man he needed. What were the odds? He wasn’t going to kick too hard, though. Now, to maneuver Cadwallader-Timsey into helping. A pleasant smile crept across his face, even more disturbing to the befuddled Watcher.
“Seems like I stumbled, literally, into something interestin’ underground. I’m thinkin’ it might belong to your Mayan blokes.”
“How did you find this place?”
“Fell down a hole, if you must know. You’re gonna need some lights and exploring gear because it’s in a cave full of bats, but I did happen on some carvings and what-have-you that look quite a bit like some of these.” He turned the computer screen around and displayed a large color photo of stone carvings illustrating a gruesome ritual sacrifice. “There were some other things down there, too. Statues and stuff like that. You reckon you might be interested in having a look at it?” Spike’s eyes were wide and innocent. Playing dumb had always worked well to disarm his enemies.
Cadwallader-Timsey’s eyes sparkled with a scholar’s acquisitive gleam. “Ah, yes, Xbalanque’s defeat of the Dark Lords. This particular mural depicts a part of the Popul Vul, the sacred book of the Maya.” He gazed dreamily at the screen, his avaricious joy at an unknown excavation site clear to behold before he snapped back to reality.
“Why are you telling me all this? Out of the goodness of your heart?” The Watcher’s suspicions were not far off.
“Let’s just call it a bit of quid pro quo. You help me with this Mayan stuff and I’ll see about helping you with your portent business.” Cadwallader-Timsey was definitely hooked and ready to be landed. His eyes flickered back to the screen and Spike’s smile grew to shark-like proportions.
****************************
There was a loud crash from the bar area. “Un escuincle!” Pepe shouted, “ Hijo Jesu, Spike! These pequenas are un putazo Mikey!!”
Spike was through the doorway in a flash. One of the Slayerettes had a bar patron down on the ground with a dagger to his throat while the other two stood ready with stakes.
“Oi! What’s all this commotion?” Spike snarled, “You, girl! What the bloody hell do you think you’re doing?”
“Demon!” She screamed, “He’s a demon!”
Spike snatched her up by the arm, kicking the dagger across the floor, but not before the carving knife sliced a gash the length of his arm. “Yeah, so what? Mikey bothering you, was he?”
“He’s a demon.” She panted, her curling brown hair in a mad tangle, “You think just because you and Buffy...”
“Shut your mouth, you ignorant little girl.” Spike glared death at her, “Who the hell do you think you are? This is my bar and if there’s any killin’ to do, it’s my job, not yours.”
Mikey staggered to his feet and fled to the rear of the bar, hiding behind Pepe’s angry form.
Pepe muttered loudly and demanded his carving knife back, “Como chingas! You’ve dulled my blade, una pelado!”
Spike continued, “Mikey ain’t hurtin’ no one, ‘less you happen to be a squid or a tub full’o clams. Check your Slayers manual. He’s an Arquillian cephalopod and happens to be the best fish supplier this side of Campeche..”
“You can’t tell me what to do! You tried that before, vampire, and it didn’t work then, either.”
Spike was dumbfounded for a moment, and then turned to the open-mouthed Watcher behind him. “I suggest you give little Miss Stakes-a-Lot a lesson in manners while you’re at it.”
She stomped over to the other Slayers and stood with her arms crossed glaring furiously at him.
“ What is your damage, girl? Am I supposed to know you?”
“Sunnydale ring any bells, vampire?” She rolled her eyes and gave him the cold shoulder, “I’m Kennedy, the Slayer.”
“Ah, Red’s girlfriend. No wonder you fancy yourself in charge, then.”
Red-faced with embarrassment, she turned her back on him completely and tossed her hair.
The younger blonde one patted her shoulder sympathetically and looked toward Spike, “They broke up.”
Spike suppressed a laugh, but let a little smirk crack his angry façade.
“And who might you be, little miss? Are you a Sunnydale cadet as well?”
“Oh, no sir. I’m from Murfreesboro, Tennessee. I’m Daisy Butterworth.” She blushed bright red, “I’m so sorry we made a mess of the bar. We didn’t mean no harm, honest.”
He grinned at her, “No worries, little lady, the Mermaid has seen worse than this any night of the week. Now, since we’re being all polite, who’s this shy and retiring rose here?”
“Ursula, Mr…. Spike, sir.” She was a little beauty, petite and tanned. “I’m from Northern California.”
“Well now ladies, delightful to meet all of you, nice and proper like. What say you all buy poor old Mikey a beer and we’ll call it even?” Ursula and Daisy smiled widely at Spike and went over to give Pepe their orders, while Spike strode back toward the Watcher, avoiding Kennedy’s humiliated stare.
A slim figure in a loose white dress stepped through from the office door. “Oh, Spike. You’re bleeding!”
He stopped in his tracks and went directly to her, “Hello darlin’.”
She examined his arm and raised damp eyes to his in dismay. “Please let me bandage that for you, Spike.”
“Don’t fuss yourself now, dove. See, it’s already stopped. Take more than that little thing to stop old Spike.” Her eyes were sorrowful, but she bravely pasted on a small smile for him.
“Come to join the party, have you?” He smiled down at her and pulled her into a quick embrace. “Glad to see you, luv. I’ve missed you so.”
She smiled shyly, staying close to Spike’s side. “This is my friend, Miss Winifred Burkle of Texas,” he said by way of introduction, “And these delightful ladies are Slayers come down to give us a hand. Reckon somebody figured we’d need a whole bunch of ‘em.”
“Nice to meet you all,” Fred whispered, thrusting out her hand to Daisy.
“I’m glad to meet you, too, Miss Burkle. I’m Daisy and this is Ursula and that’s Kennedy over there. She’s a little sulky, so don’t mind her bad manners, m’am.”
Kennedy snorted inelegantly and stomped off and down the patio steps toward the beach. Daisy led her over to the Watcher who was standing still a bit stunned by the antics of his Slayers.
“And this is our Watcher, Mr. Nathan Cadwallader-Timsey from England. He knows just about everything about magic and stuff to do with Mexico. He was studying magic with a real shaman!” Daisy was quite taken with her Watcher, her eyes wide and earnest. “I think he’s just the nicest and smartest man anywhere.”
Cadwallader-Timsey straightened his jacket and demonstrated his amiability.
“Miss Butterworth exaggerates. Charmed to meet you Miss Burkle. Are you just visiting here?”
“Oh no. I’m here doing research!” She smiled and opened her eyes widely, “I’m using string theory to study the ley lines of this area and how they relate to the Mayan mythology. I have a theory that some of their creation myths have a basis in the pre-human activity of the true demons. The so-called Old Ones. I’m actually a physicist, but the mathematics of the occult continuum fascinates me. See, once I accidentally opened a portal into another dimension and spent a long time as a cow.” Cadwallader-Timsey’s mouth dropped open for a moment before he recalled his manners.
“Good lord! I mean…could you…would you consider showing me your research?”
Her smile was blinding, “Why sure. I was hoping you’d say that.” She laid a hand on his sleeve and directed him toward the stairs. “You don’t mind, do you Spike? You and the girls can hang out here for a little bit.”
Spike’s eyes were narrow as he watched the pair go toward Fred’s research area upstairs. The Watcher was good-looking, if you liked tall, blonde and handsome, he reckoned. Really tall. Dammit. He contemplated his jealousy for a moment and turned again to check the girls. Wouldn’t do to let the silly bints kill any of the payin’ customers.
Previous Chapters may be found in Memories Ashes & Sparks
_