--====================987654321_0==_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hi, DJ: Well, here it is, in all it's glory - "Callie the Vampire Slayer"! Not my best work, but not too bad. I even remembered to get the title in the right format! Hopefully, I made it in time for the latest update to the site. If not, I guess it'll make it next time. Let me know what you think! Take care, -One very sleepy librarian! "It's a cruel, crazy, beautiful world....It's your world, so live in it!" -JC&S Jade F. Callan - Professional Writer / Editorial Services Available --------------------------------------------------------- Get Your *Web-Based* Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com --------------------------------------------------------- --====================987654321_0==_ Content-Type: text/plain; name="slayer.txt" Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="slayer.txt" Callie the Vampire Slayer by Jade F. Callan (Dedicated to all Buffy fans out there - including me!) In every generation, there is a chosen one. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness. She is The Slayer.............. Jake sighed, and leaned back against the seat of the truck. He and Chance had been called out on two emergencies, and it had been a long night. He couldn't wait to get home. "Tired, buddy?" Chance asked as he steered the truck. "And how," Jake replied, "What a night!" I just hope we get home in time for Litterbin. There's supposed to be some really great guests on tonight." "I could take the shortcut," Chance offered. "No way," Jake protested, "I want to make it home with....Chance, look out!!!" Chance slammed the steering wheel hard over as a shadowy figure flitted in front of the truck. As the truck skidded into a ditch, the figure escaped into the graveyard off to the right. Chance straightened up and turned toward his partner, "Jake, are you all right?" "Yeah, I think so," Jake was rubbing his head, thankful they always wore seat belts, "What was that in the road?" "Dunno. It ran off into that graveyard. Wanna go after it?" "It was probably some sort of animal. I'm more concerned about the truck at this point. We better check it out." The two got out of their truck and examined the damage. It was repairable, but it would take them a while. Jake groaned at the thought that not only would they miss Litterbin, but they probably wouldn't get home until the other side of midnight. ********************************************************** Callie Briggs slowly settled into her chair, sipping a rather large cup of coffee. It had been a busy night, and she was not looking forward to an equally busy day. She reached over and picked up her schedule for the day, as well as a book Commander Feral had dropped off last night. Glancing at the schedule, she realized she had a couple of hours until she had to accompany Mayor Manx to a charity brunch. Setting the schedule aside, Callie lay her head down on top of the book and drifted off to sleep. Perhaps she could absorb the contents of the book by osmosis. ********************************************************** Commander Feral checked the duty roster for the day, noting that his niece was scheduled for night duty. All the better to have her on duty tonight, Feral thought as he put on his uniform coat. The Slayer was going to need some help, even if he couldn't tell Felina the truth. He just hoped Callie read that book he had left on her desk. He stalked out of his office and headed up to the landing strip on the roof ********************************************************** Chance leaned against the side of the garage, wiping his brow with his sleeve. It was a scorcher of a day, and the sun beat down unmercifully. Something else was still bothering Chance, and that was the strange creature that had run in front of the tow truck last night. For some reason, it had reminded him of Callie Briggs. "Hey, Chance," Jake called from out in the salvage yard, "What's up? You looked a million miles away." "I was thinking about that thing that jumped in front of the truck last night," Chance answered as he walked out toward his partner, "It was really strange." "Yeah, it was weird. Maybe we should go check it out later tonight." "My thoughts exactly." ********************************************************** Callie was utterly and completely bored. Mayor Manx had tinkered with the speech she had written for him, and now it made absolutely no sense. With a sigh, Callie thought of the book on her desk. She really must read it some day. She gazed out over the group of kats assembled at the charity brunch, when her eyes fell onto the one kat she would never have expected to see at a function like this - and the one who always brought trouble wherever he went. Luckily, the mayor had finally finished his speech. Excusing herself, Callie made her way to the back of the room. "Angel," she greeted the brown kat standing against the back wall, "What are you doing here?" Angel looked down on her sadly, "I came to make sure you are ready." "Ready? For what?" "The rising at midnight." "Huh?" "Callie!" Mayor Manx called from the front of the room, "We need you!" "My sentiments exactly," Angel whispered as Callie turned to glance in the mayor's direction. When she turned back, Angel was gone. "Damn him," Callie muttered as she returned to the front of the room. She made a mental note to call Commander Feral as soon as she got back to her office. ********************************************************** Feral leaned back in the co-pilot's seat of his helicopter and surveyed the city. He had been taking a tour of the new construction down at the waterfront, checking how best to provide security until the buildings were completed. That done, his thoughts had turned toward what the night might have in store. Tonight promised to be a busy night, if his calculations were right. Callie had not yet called, and, frankly, he was worried. That she-kat caused him to fear for the future of katkind, if only from her overuse of hair spray depleting the atmosphere. ********************************************************** Chance again passed the tow truck, for probably the fifteenth time that day, when something caught his eye. He leaned over and looked closer at the underside of the front bumper, "Hey, Jake, come look at this!" "What's up?" Jake asked as he walked over to his partner. "Check this out," Chance pointed to the bumper, "Are these claw marks?" Jake leaned closer, "Sure look like em to me." "How would we get claw marks on the truck there?" "Beats me. Maybe we should send T-Bone and Razor to check out that graveyard tonight." "Maybe you're right." ********************************************************** It was after three o'clock by the time Callie made it back to her office. She sat in her chair and dialed Commander Feral's number, impatiently drumming her fingers as she waited for him to pick up the phone. "Feral here," his voice came over the line. "Commander, it's me," Callie greeted him, "Something's up. I saw Angel again today." "What did he want?" "He warned me about something happening tonight at midnight." "You didn't read the book, did you?" Callie rolled her eyes, "I do have a life, as well as a job, Commander." "What you have, Callie, is a sacred duty to protect katkind from the forces of evil," Feral corrected her, "I gave you that book because it discusses the event I think will take place tonight - the rising of the Great Shadow." "Great Shadow?" "A vampire, and a rather nasty one. I suggest, Ms. Briggs, you spend the rest of the day familiarizing yourself with that book." "Can't you just give me the condensed version?" "No." "Oh." Callie smiled as she hung up the phone. She couldn't help it. Feral was so stubborn. He was also right, at least partially. She reached over and picked up the book he had left that morning, and began to read in earnest, though she found it quite dry. Still, there could be something in there that would save her life, and, if Angel was involved, this could get very nasty. ********************************************************** As the sun set, Feral stacked the papers up on his desk and got ready to leave for his dinner break. Putting on his coat, he was just walking towards the door when his niece came in. "Hello, Uncle," Felina greeted him. "Good evening, Lieutenant," Feral returned. "Off to dinner?" "Yes. Do me a favor, will you, Felina?" "Of course." "Keep an eye on Megakat Bay this evening. I've got a strange feeling something may happen there tonight." "Yes, Sir. Anything else?" "No. Dismissed, Lieutenant." Feral smiled as his niece left the office. Keeping her over Megakat Bay would make sure she saw nothing she shouldn't, but she would be in easy reach if The Slayer and he needed her help. Now, if only Callie had read that book........ ********************************************************** Callie raced through her apartment, locating everything she would need for tonight. When she had gotten home, she had laid down for a little nap, and had overslept by quite a bit. Now she was running late, and Feral would be there momentarily. Flipping up the couch cushions, she finally found the other wooden spike she had been looking for. Snatching up the spike, she patted down the cushions and turned to tuck the spike in her shoulder bag. As she was checking the contents of the bag, a knock came at the door. Tossing the bag aside, Callie went to the door to answered it. "You shouldn't open the door without checking who it is first," Commander Feral advised her when Callie threw open the door to admit him. "Who else had such a loud knock?" Callie answered as she admitted him to the apartment, closing the door behind him. "Did you read the book?" Feral sat down on the couch. "Yes, mother," Callie went back to putting things she thought she might need in her shoulder bag. Feral watched her, approval on his face, "I'm happy you did your homework for once." "Well, that run in with Angel kinda spooked me." "I can tell. Now, here's a few things you have to know about the Great Shadow. One, it is very powerful. Two, it is also very smart. You'll have to move fast to beat it. And three...." "I said I read the book, Commander," Callie reminded him, "I don't need the remedial course. Gee, when I asked for the short version, you refused, if you remember." "This is not a laughing matter, Callie," Feral told her, "I want to be sure you're ready for this." "I'm ready, believe me. Do we have time to eat something, or do I have to fight on an empty stomach?" "We'll get something on the way," Feral growled, "C'mon, I'll brief you more in the car." Callie zipped up her shoulder bag and slung it over her arm. The two kats exited the apartment and headed downstairs to Feral's car. ********************************************************** T-Bone and Razor sped along the back roads of Megakat City, heading towards the large graveyard on the outskirts of town. They had been delayed by another emergency call, and had gotten a late start. It was after eleven already, and they probably wouldn't reach the graveyard until around midnight. "Are you sure you want to do this tonight, buddy?" Razor asked, the wind whipping around the cyclotron as they sped through the night. "I gotta check this out, Razor," T-Bone answered, leaning over the handlebars. "I'm with ya, T-Bone," Razor tightened his grip on the cyclotron. ********************************************************** "So, here we are, Commander," Callie announced the her companion as they walked into the graveyard, "Where's the party?" "Don't be so impatient," Feral growled, "And so impertinent." "What are you looking for?" Callie asked, leaning against a tree, as she watched Feral stomping around the area. "The access hatch the Great Shadow intends to use to arise." "He needs a hatch?" "Are you sure you did your homework?" "Thoroughly." "Are you sure you're ready?" "Yes," Callie brandished one of her wooden spikes, "What is this, twenty questions?" "If necessary." Callie sighed and leaned against the tree once more. Commander Feral continued his search, as the bewitching hour drew nearer. ********************************************************** Razor and T-Bone crept along the side of the road, near the spot where they had seen the creature the night before. The skid marks from the truck were still there, as well as some strange tracks leading off into the graveyard. "Ready for some exploring?" Razor asked his partner, nodding towards the tracks. "Right behind you, bud," T-Bone grinned. The two cautiously entered the graveyard, following the strange tracks. ********************************************************** Callie still was propped up against the tree when Commander Feral finally decided to give up looking for the access hatch. The Great Shadow would be appearing any moment, and they didn't have any more time for searching. Quickly returning to Callie, he reached into his pocket and held something out to her, "Here, put this on." Callie took the little silver cross from him and slipped the chain around her neck, "Does this mean we're going steady, Commander?" Feral snorted at that comment, "According to the papers, we are. We're going to have to be more careful not to be seen together after hours." "So, you're saying I'm a hag you wouldn't be caught dead with?" "That wasn't exactly a good way to put that under the circumstances, Ms. Briggs." Before Callie could reply, the sound of a twig snapping behind her made them both spin in that direction. Callie raised the stake in her paw, and Feral crouched low, taking a phial of holy water out of his pocket. A large shadowy figure came towards them. "Is this a private party?" T-Bone asked, grinning at them. It was clear he thought he had stumbled on a lover's tryst. Razor, however, had a different take on the situation. "Just what we needed," Feral growled. "Why are you trying to attack us with that stake, Ms. Briggs?" Razor wanted to know, "And why do these strange tracks lead up to you and Commander Feral?" "Because they are waiting for me," a husky voice announced. The four turned in unison to see an enormous dark kat-shaped figure advancing on them. It had strange claws sticking out from under its cloak, and T- Bone realized this was what had made the marks on the tow truck. "You're the Great Shadow?" Callie's eyes were wide, and she almost dropped the stake in her paw. She knew it would be big, but not this big. Still, she thought as she tightened her grip on the stake, the bigger they are, the harder they fall. "That's right, little kitten," the figure hissed, "And not even you, The Slayer, will be able to stop me!" "The Slayer?" Razor looked over at Callie. Both he and T-Bone had gone into a defensive stance when the creature had appeared, but its words had startled them both. "Callie! Now!" Feral threw the phial of holy water at the imposing figure, and it howled in pain. Callie tried desperately to remember what that blasted book had said about killing this thing, but her mind was blank. She heard The SWAT Kats fire their weapons at the creature, and curse when they had no effect. This was up to her now. "Hey, ugly," Callie dropped her shoulder bag and prepared to swing into action, "What's the matter, get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning? Or, should I say, this evening?" The creature turned in her direction, "I have waited a long time to face The Slayer. Destroying you will be a pleasure," with that, the creature lunged at Callie, knocking both Razor and T-Bone away as if they were kittens. Callie was thrown backwards, and she landed on the ground with a resounding thump, knocking the wind out of her, "Get up, little kitten! Get up and face the Great Shadow!" Callie knew, if she didn't get up, Feral and The SWAT Kats were doomed. Fighting for breath, she rose to her feet, and prepared to meet this thing head on, "Here I am, Ugly. You don't scare me!" "I should," the thing told her, then lunged for her again. This time, Callie was too quick, and she danced out of the way, making a pass with the stake as the creature shot past her. "Nice try, Ugly, but I'm still here," Callie teased it. "Not for long, Slayer," the figure hissed, and lunged for her again. Razor and T-Bone tried to interfere, but Callie called for them to stay back, and Feral moved to block their path. "What's going on here, Commander?" Razor demanded, his eyes still on the fight in front of them. "Ms. Briggs is doing her job, protecting the city," Feral explained, "Stay out of her way." The Great Shadow, meanwhile, made another lunge for Callie. Again, he missed - but she didn't. Plunging the stake into the vampire with a cry of triumph, Callie watched as the big ugly creature howled in pain, then disappeared in a puff of dust. Brushing herself off, Callie turned back to her friends with a smile, "All in a nights' work!" T-Bone and Razor sat down on the ground in disbelief. Their minds simply wouldn't accept what their eyes had seen. In the silence, Feral's radio squawked to life. It was Felina, checking up on him. He told her everything was fine, that the situation he had been expecting to get out of control had never come to pass, and that she should resume her normal patrol. That done, Feral turned back to the three kats on his left. "Can I depend on you guys to keep my secret?" Callie was asking T- Bone and Razor, as they stared at her. "Who would believe us if we told them?" Razor returned. "Good point," Callie said, smiling. "Come along, Ms. Briggs. I'm sure these two can look after themselves. It's high time you and I returned to our homes. We both have busy jobs awaiting us tomorrow morning." "You had to remind me, didn't you," Callie, with a last smile at T- Bone and Razor, allowed Commander Feral to escort her out of the cemetery, back to his car. As they heard the engine of Feral's car growl to life, the two SWAT Kats turned to one another. "What did you see here tonight, T-Bone?" "Nothing. How about you?" "As far as I'm concerned, we were never even here." "You think Lieutenant Feral knows about this, Razor?" "I hope not. The less known about Ms. Briggs, the better." Slowly, the two got up and started back to the cyclotron, only stopping once to glance back at the pile of ashes and dust that was once a rather large menace to society. The End--====================987654321_0==_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" --====================987654321_0==_--