"What do you think, ma'am?" the slim brown haired woman pushed up her glasses as she lead her client around the rooms of the apartment. Dressed in a business suit she tried to look formal, but the rebellious strands of her curly hair defeated that intention. "Pretty nice," Jackie Lucas admitted, the taller black haired woman looking around with a nod. "First month's rent and deposit?" she asked. "Yes miss," the young woman agreed. She rather akwardly brought her clipboard around, "Sign here?" "Right," Jackie took a moment to read over the papers. 'Thank god for the job at Stane,' she silently mused, 'I'd never be able to afford this on what's left of my savings.' She signed with a flourish, "Here you go." "Thank you," she smiled up at Jackie. A bit hesitantly she added, "Do you need recommendations for a moving company?" "I think I can manage," Jackie said as she took the keys from the young lady, "but thanks for the offer." They both walked out to the hallway, the older building comfortable yet still close to the busy city center. "Well," she said, "I hope you enjoy staying at the Beverly Malibu." "I will," Jackie smiled as they younger woman shook her hand then hurried off, presumedly to another appointment. As Jackie was about to enter her suite she heard a frantic voice call, "Look out!" Spinning around Jackie barely managed to catch the young woman, her, the lady and the lady's basket of clothes spilling out to the ground. "Are you all right?" Jackie asked, finding herself looking up into beautiful blue eyes. "Thank you," the blonde pushed herself up, looking sheepish as she continued, "I'm fine." She brushed one of Jackie's arms, feeling the muscle beneath her jacket as her eyes widened, "Geeze, you're strong." "Not bad," Jackie said as she got to her feet, then offered the young lady her hand. "Jackie Lucas," she introduced herself. "Amy Ray," she smiled charmingly up at Jackie. Brushing her cut offs and tight t-shirt off she smiled, "So you're our new neighbor?" "Yeah, just signed the paperwork this morning," Jackie agreed. She sighed a bit regretfully, "Sorry, I have to get going..." "Nice to meet you," Amy smiled and waved as Jackie headed off down the hall, "I hope I'll see you again sometime." "We'll see," Jackie waved as she disappeared out the front door. Amy waited for a few moments then called out in a much more business-like tone, "Okay, you can have your clothes back." A somewhat more mousy black haired young woman hurried up, her sweat suit much less charming looking. "Why did you want to borrow my clothes basket, miss?" she asked as she took a fifty dollar bill from the pretty woman. "You ever hear of meeting cute?" Amy smiled, "It's a tradition in movies for couples to meet in cute, funny ways. It's memorable, and I want to be memorable to her." "So you're an actress?" the young lady pushed up her glasses. "You could say that," Amy Ray, also known as Amora the Enchantress, smiled slightly. Finding out Thunderstrike was the Lucas woman was easy, and it seemed tailing her here could provide several opportunities. "Now where did that realtor go," she trotted off with a satisfied smile, "I need to get a suite here, too." Unaware of the plotting going on Jackie slipped into a alley and took out the battered mace from her shoulder bag. Raising it up she hammered the handle to the ground as lightning crash, transforming her into the asgardian armored Thunderstrike. Spinning her mace in a circle she flung it into the air as she grabbed the chain attached to the end, the mystical weapon carrying her swiftly into blue sky. 'I'll never get used to this,' Thunderstrike thought to herself as she soared across the city of Los Angeles. In minutes she reached a battered old hotel in the less successful part of town, landing unobserved on the roof. Transforming to normal Jackie descended the stairs to her apartment, unlocking the door and surveying the shabby interior. 'Glad this is over,' Jackie mused as she grabbed her suit case and pulled the few items hanging in the closet down. Packing up only took a few minutes, then after sweeping the room with her eyes for anything left she headed downstairs. "Yeah?" the old man who ran the hotel asked as she neared. "I'm checking out," Jackie said, "what do I owe you?" He looked at her in surprise, a cigarette dangling at the corner of his mouth. His brown eyes narrowed a bit, "Oh really? You make some kinda big score, lady?" Jackie felt herself stiffen as several men lounging in the hallway stood up. "No, not that it's any business of yours," she replied, shifting her feet slightly. "I say it is," he gestured to the men to come over, "especially if I think you can pay a bit more rent, lady... maybe a moving fee?" "You don't want to do this," Jackie warned, seeing the young men bracing themselves for what they probably thought was a easy fight. A teen popped a switchblade, "Oh, I think we do." Jackie cracked her knuckles, "I tried to warn you." A few minutes later the hallway was filled with unconscious men and broken glass, and a police car had pulled up to investigate the ruckus. "So," Officer Sean O'Connel asked, the redhead jotting down notes, "you were checking out, the manager decided to shake you down and you fought back?" "That would be it," Jackie agreed. "Tuh b'tch ish luyin," the manager slurred through a broken jaw. "Give it a rest," Sean gave the man a withering look, "we both know the contents of your rap sheet." She turned back to Jackie, "Sorry for the trouble. Do you intend to press charges against him and his friends? I bet the security cams here caught it all on tape." Jackie had to fight a smile as the crook's face went white. "No harm done to me," Jackie said, "but maybe we can stop him from trying it on someone else." "Good," Sean smiled, "you mind going downtown with me?" She looked apologetic, "We'll need a statement there, too." "Will do," Jackie agreed, knowing that her furniture shopping was going to be delayed for a bit longer. Over an hour later Jackie stood outside the police station, her suitcases sitting at her feet. 'All right,' she thought a little tiredly, 'back to the Malibu where I'll drop these off, then I have to go buy a bed.' "Can I give you a hand?" Sean came up beside her to offer, having changed out of uniform to a simple shirt and jeans. "Just have some errands to run," Jackie smiled slightly. "Need a ride?" Sean offered, looking down at the suitcases. "Otherwise, I can call you a cab," she offered. Jackie considered the offer, liking the look in her green eyes. "I'd like a ride, then," she admitted, "if you don't mind." "Good," Sean grinned, trotting off before returning a few moments later in a older model sports car. She got out and tossed the suitcases into the back seat, "Where to?" "The Beverly Malibu," Jackie said as she climbed in the passenger side. Sean checked both ways then pulled out into traffic as she said, "The Malibu? Did you know there was a famous murder there a few years back?" "No, but with my luck," Jackie smiled wryly, "that's the apartment I just rented." Sean chuckled softly, "Even if it was, it was years ago." They smoothly sped through traffic, "Pardon my asking, but how do you manage in LA without a car?" Jackie chuckled, "I have ways."She looked out the window, the wind sweeping her hair back as she admitted, "I suppose I'll need to get one, though." Sean swept Jackie with her eyes before turning back to the road. "I could make a few suggestions..." she said with a smile. "Why are you being so friendly?" Jackie had to ask, "I'm from New York, this sort of thing doesn't happen very much." That got a laugh from Sean. "Not so much here, too," she admitted, "but you have this... little lost lamb look about you." "You think that after I beat those men up?" Jackie blinked. "Physically you're tough," Sean agreed, though she probably had no idea how tough Jackie really was, "but you do have a oddly helpless side, too." "I'll have to think about it," Jackie conceded. They pulled up in front of the small, old fashioned building as Sean smiled, "Sorry if I was being too intrusive." Jackie grabbed her suitcases and smiled, "Nah, it's all right. You may even have a point." "Well," Sean took one of her cards out, writing her number on it, "if you need a hand, call me. I'd like to help." "I'll keep that in mind," Jackie promised then watched her drive away.
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