22 August 2019 - Calling In An Expert
Title: Calling In An Expert
Author: Beriaearwen
Crossover: Buffy the Vampire Slayer / The Magnificent Seven (tv series)
Characters: Vin, Mary, Chris, JD, Buffy, Giles
Rating: Suitable for people over 13
Word Count: 1320
Related Fic: By Moonlight
Disclaimer: The characters of Buffy The Vampire Slayer belong to Mutant Enemy, etc. The characters of the Magnificent Seven belong to Trilogy, etc. All are used here without permission. No copyright infringement is intended.
Note: Not a lot of time today and my muse is not focused at all, so a little underdeveloped.
Summary: “What kind of person does this?” “Just one.”
Calling In An Expert
By Beriaearwen
JD brought his horse to a stop in front of the jail where Chris and Vin were enjoying their morning. Coffee. “We got another one.”
Vin set down his coffee and stood, taking a step closer to JD, he leaned against the nearby post. Chris followed his lead.
Keeping his voice low, JD informed, “Out at the Winston place. I was doing a quick check because they aren't due back for two more weeks. The back door was open, so I went to check it out. When I looked in the window, there was a body that looked like it had been thrown on the floor. Not seeing anyone else I went in and checked. He had two small holes on either side of his neck, just like the others.”
Chris tossed the dregs of his coffee into the street, shaking his head. “What kind of person does this?”
Vin pushed off the post he was leaning against, his eyes drifted toward the railroad depot, stopping at the display window of the seamstress. “Just one,” he said. Turning, he headed down the street.
Chris and JD exchanged a look and followed along.
Vin knew that the others were following him and that what he'd be asking would raise a lot of questions, but it needed to be done. He knew a few things, but not enough to stop this. He knew who did, but had no way to directly contact her. There was another way, if he could convince Mary to help him.
“What's he talking to Mary about?” JD asked, peering through the door to the Clarion where Vin was talking earnestly to Mary about something.
“Don't know,” Chris replied, stepping forward and entering the building.
“Vin, it's just not the sort of thing...” Mary argued.
“Mary, this isn't going to stop unless you do,” Vin argued back, cutting off her sentence.
“What isn't the sort of thing you do and what does it have to do with stopping this?” Chris demanded, breaking up the arguing duo.
When Vin just clenched his jaw and looked away, Mary shook her head and started explaining, “Vin asked me to write and send an article about the deaths to papers in California. I was telling him that's not how things work with newspapers.”
“It has to,” Vin said. “It's the only way to get them here.”
“Who?” Chris demanded. Reaching out, he grasped Vin's arm and turned him so they were face to face.
“Remember a few months ago when the air was heavy and those four strangers came and things got better?” Tanner asked.
Chris' brow furrowed. “Yeah. You thought they might be trouble.”
Vin shook his head. “They stopped the trouble. They can stop this.”
“You've seen this before?” Chris demanded. The flash of pain that crossed his friend's face said everything he needed to know. Turning to Mary he commanded, “Write the article and send it out as soon as you can. One of the papers will pick it up.”
“But...” Mary began protesting
“Do it,” Chris commanded, releasing Vin's arm.
The two peacekeepers stepped out of the newspaper office and onto the boardwalk.
“Thanks,” Vin said simply.
Chris nodded. He turned and met Vin's eyes. “They'll end it?”
Vin bobbed his head in confirmation.
“All right. Let's update the others and figure out what we can do in the meantime.”
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
One Week Later
The train slowed and eventually stopped.
Vin reached the platform and leaned against the corner of a building. He didn't have long to wait before the older man and the woman from a few months before. As soon as her feet hit the platform, their eyes met. He pushed upright and tipped his hat.
He watched as she took the older man's arm as he gave instructions to the porter before heading over to meet him. “Thank you for coming,” he said, sincerity in every word.
“How could we refuse such and invitation?” the older man asked. The young woman cleared her throat and the older man sighed. “Yes, I suppose introductions will make this easier,” he said with obvious exasperation.
Vin's head tipped down and a smile lifted the corners of his mouth. Holding out his hand, he offered, “Vin Tanner.”
“I am Rupert Giles,” the man stated, shaking his hand. “And my associate is Buffy Summers.”
Taking Buffy's hand, Vin held it for a moment, rubbing his thumb across the back while he met her eyes. “Thank you.”
“Perhaps there is somewhere we could meet to discuss the issue after we've had a chance to refresh ourselves,” Buffy asked.
“Of course,” Vin agreed.
“The hotel dining room has a table which is sheltered enough for private conversation and open enough not to draw attention,” Giles suggested. “Shall we meet there in thirty minutes?”
Vin nodded.
“Bring any others you may need,” Giles added.
He started to walk when Buffy stopped him and looked at Vin. “How many?”
“Two when we sent the article. We told people to stay in at night, but there have been four more since then,” Vin informed quietly, making sure no one was listening.
“All with the same markings?” Buffy asked hurriedly.
Vin nodded.
Buffy nodded back and allowed Giles to lead her toward the hotel.
The meeting in the dining room ended up just being four of them, Giles, Buffy, Vin and Chris.
“Do you have a map we could use to mark where the bodies have been found?” Buffy asked after the basic facts had been reviewed.
“It's a smaller version, but we thought it would be less noticeable,” Chris offered as he placed a piece of paper on the table.
The two newcomers studied the map for several minutes.
“Where did the victims live?” Buffy asked.
Vin pointed out the areas and Giles marked them in pencil on the paper. After a few minutes, he turned his eyes toward Buffy. Buffy studied the map a moment longer before nodding and meeting Giles' eyes.
“How long ago was the last body found?” Giles asked.
“Two days,” Vin supplied.
“So most likely tonight or tomorrow,” Buffy observed quietly, almost to herself. Looking up, she smiled at the two peacekeepers. “You keep the streets clear tonight,” she commanded. “We'll handle the rest.”
“Are you sure? We can help,” Chris offered.
“Not with this,” Giles declined. Seeing the doubt in the other man's eyes, he assured, “This is what we do. Let us do it.”
The blond gunslinger slowly nodded in reluctant acceptance.
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
The Next Morning
Vin and Chris were sitting in their usual spot, drinking coffee on the boardwalk when Giles and Buffy walked up to them. Both men straightened and looked concerned at the visible bruise they could see on Buffy's face.
“It's healing,” Buffy assured. “Unfortunately, the bruise is too dark for anything but greasepaint and that's too noticeable on a train.”
“Train? You're leaving?” Chris asked, standing. “What about...?”
“Taken care of. We made sure it was a random occurrence before we ended the threat,” Buffy assured.
“So what do we tell the town?” Chris asked.
Buffy shrugged.
“Tell them the threat has been eliminated and the town is safe,” Giles suggested.
Buffy smiled at them and reached into her reticule only to pull out a calling card which she handed to Vin. “Just in case you need to contact us again,” she offered. “It's a little faster than the newspapers.”
Vin smiled and tipped his hat in thanks.
“Well, we must be off,” Giles said, cutting off any further conversation. “The trains wait for no man, or woman. If you will excuse us, gentlemen.”
The duo walked off toward the hotel leaving the two peacekeepers to their morning.
End
Author: Beriaearwen
Crossover: Buffy the Vampire Slayer / The Magnificent Seven (tv series)
Characters: Vin, Mary, Chris, JD, Buffy, Giles
Rating: Suitable for people over 13
Word Count: 1320
Related Fic: By Moonlight
Disclaimer: The characters of Buffy The Vampire Slayer belong to Mutant Enemy, etc. The characters of the Magnificent Seven belong to Trilogy, etc. All are used here without permission. No copyright infringement is intended.
Note: Not a lot of time today and my muse is not focused at all, so a little underdeveloped.
Summary: “What kind of person does this?” “Just one.”
Calling In An Expert
By Beriaearwen
JD brought his horse to a stop in front of the jail where Chris and Vin were enjoying their morning. Coffee. “We got another one.”
Vin set down his coffee and stood, taking a step closer to JD, he leaned against the nearby post. Chris followed his lead.
Keeping his voice low, JD informed, “Out at the Winston place. I was doing a quick check because they aren't due back for two more weeks. The back door was open, so I went to check it out. When I looked in the window, there was a body that looked like it had been thrown on the floor. Not seeing anyone else I went in and checked. He had two small holes on either side of his neck, just like the others.”
Chris tossed the dregs of his coffee into the street, shaking his head. “What kind of person does this?”
Vin pushed off the post he was leaning against, his eyes drifted toward the railroad depot, stopping at the display window of the seamstress. “Just one,” he said. Turning, he headed down the street.
Chris and JD exchanged a look and followed along.
Vin knew that the others were following him and that what he'd be asking would raise a lot of questions, but it needed to be done. He knew a few things, but not enough to stop this. He knew who did, but had no way to directly contact her. There was another way, if he could convince Mary to help him.
“What's he talking to Mary about?” JD asked, peering through the door to the Clarion where Vin was talking earnestly to Mary about something.
“Don't know,” Chris replied, stepping forward and entering the building.
“Vin, it's just not the sort of thing...” Mary argued.
“Mary, this isn't going to stop unless you do,” Vin argued back, cutting off her sentence.
“What isn't the sort of thing you do and what does it have to do with stopping this?” Chris demanded, breaking up the arguing duo.
When Vin just clenched his jaw and looked away, Mary shook her head and started explaining, “Vin asked me to write and send an article about the deaths to papers in California. I was telling him that's not how things work with newspapers.”
“It has to,” Vin said. “It's the only way to get them here.”
“Who?” Chris demanded. Reaching out, he grasped Vin's arm and turned him so they were face to face.
“Remember a few months ago when the air was heavy and those four strangers came and things got better?” Tanner asked.
Chris' brow furrowed. “Yeah. You thought they might be trouble.”
Vin shook his head. “They stopped the trouble. They can stop this.”
“You've seen this before?” Chris demanded. The flash of pain that crossed his friend's face said everything he needed to know. Turning to Mary he commanded, “Write the article and send it out as soon as you can. One of the papers will pick it up.”
“But...” Mary began protesting
“Do it,” Chris commanded, releasing Vin's arm.
The two peacekeepers stepped out of the newspaper office and onto the boardwalk.
“Thanks,” Vin said simply.
Chris nodded. He turned and met Vin's eyes. “They'll end it?”
Vin bobbed his head in confirmation.
“All right. Let's update the others and figure out what we can do in the meantime.”
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
One Week Later
The train slowed and eventually stopped.
Vin reached the platform and leaned against the corner of a building. He didn't have long to wait before the older man and the woman from a few months before. As soon as her feet hit the platform, their eyes met. He pushed upright and tipped his hat.
He watched as she took the older man's arm as he gave instructions to the porter before heading over to meet him. “Thank you for coming,” he said, sincerity in every word.
“How could we refuse such and invitation?” the older man asked. The young woman cleared her throat and the older man sighed. “Yes, I suppose introductions will make this easier,” he said with obvious exasperation.
Vin's head tipped down and a smile lifted the corners of his mouth. Holding out his hand, he offered, “Vin Tanner.”
“I am Rupert Giles,” the man stated, shaking his hand. “And my associate is Buffy Summers.”
Taking Buffy's hand, Vin held it for a moment, rubbing his thumb across the back while he met her eyes. “Thank you.”
“Perhaps there is somewhere we could meet to discuss the issue after we've had a chance to refresh ourselves,” Buffy asked.
“Of course,” Vin agreed.
“The hotel dining room has a table which is sheltered enough for private conversation and open enough not to draw attention,” Giles suggested. “Shall we meet there in thirty minutes?”
Vin nodded.
“Bring any others you may need,” Giles added.
He started to walk when Buffy stopped him and looked at Vin. “How many?”
“Two when we sent the article. We told people to stay in at night, but there have been four more since then,” Vin informed quietly, making sure no one was listening.
“All with the same markings?” Buffy asked hurriedly.
Vin nodded.
Buffy nodded back and allowed Giles to lead her toward the hotel.
The meeting in the dining room ended up just being four of them, Giles, Buffy, Vin and Chris.
“Do you have a map we could use to mark where the bodies have been found?” Buffy asked after the basic facts had been reviewed.
“It's a smaller version, but we thought it would be less noticeable,” Chris offered as he placed a piece of paper on the table.
The two newcomers studied the map for several minutes.
“Where did the victims live?” Buffy asked.
Vin pointed out the areas and Giles marked them in pencil on the paper. After a few minutes, he turned his eyes toward Buffy. Buffy studied the map a moment longer before nodding and meeting Giles' eyes.
“How long ago was the last body found?” Giles asked.
“Two days,” Vin supplied.
“So most likely tonight or tomorrow,” Buffy observed quietly, almost to herself. Looking up, she smiled at the two peacekeepers. “You keep the streets clear tonight,” she commanded. “We'll handle the rest.”
“Are you sure? We can help,” Chris offered.
“Not with this,” Giles declined. Seeing the doubt in the other man's eyes, he assured, “This is what we do. Let us do it.”
The blond gunslinger slowly nodded in reluctant acceptance.
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
The Next Morning
Vin and Chris were sitting in their usual spot, drinking coffee on the boardwalk when Giles and Buffy walked up to them. Both men straightened and looked concerned at the visible bruise they could see on Buffy's face.
“It's healing,” Buffy assured. “Unfortunately, the bruise is too dark for anything but greasepaint and that's too noticeable on a train.”
“Train? You're leaving?” Chris asked, standing. “What about...?”
“Taken care of. We made sure it was a random occurrence before we ended the threat,” Buffy assured.
“So what do we tell the town?” Chris asked.
Buffy shrugged.
“Tell them the threat has been eliminated and the town is safe,” Giles suggested.
Buffy smiled at them and reached into her reticule only to pull out a calling card which she handed to Vin. “Just in case you need to contact us again,” she offered. “It's a little faster than the newspapers.”
Vin smiled and tipped his hat in thanks.
“Well, we must be off,” Giles said, cutting off any further conversation. “The trains wait for no man, or woman. If you will excuse us, gentlemen.”
The duo walked off toward the hotel leaving the two peacekeepers to their morning.
End