Sister Samantha Teresa sat in the park, the brown haired young woman breaking up pieces of bread and tossing them on the sidewalk for the pigeons. Her brown hair fell into tired eyes, her priest's clothes a bit wrinkled from a week of very hectic activity. "Hello, Sam," Aileen said calmly, the casually dressed redhead settling into a seat beside her. Her jacket bulged slightly on one side, indicating she was carrying at least one hidden weapon, and her eyes warily scanned the busy park. Sam watched with faint amusement as the birds fiercely squabbled over the crumbs of bread. "You have no idea how surprised I was to hear from you," she finally said, looking up at her with a kind of wary welcome. "No more than I was hearing you were allied with a demon," Aileen shrugged. She smiled slightly, "Would I regret asking what's going on?" "Descent is a demon with a soul," Sam said to her simply, "she's working to stop the Lady Diana's operations." A faintly nasty smile and she added, "And the Lady tried to manipulate me into doing her dirty work." "Well, I know you didn't take that lying down," Aileen didn't even make it a question, she knew Sam that well. "Yeah," Sam's eyes hardened, "and she corrupted and destroyed a church in baiting me in. I'm going to find the employee that did it and gut her." "What happened to Christian charity?" Aileen mocked. "That is me being charitable, you don't even want to know what I'd like to do to her," Sam answered surprisingly coldly. She looked over at Aileen and asked grimly, "How the hell are you mixed up in this?" "I was out on the west coast playing avenger," Aileen said frankly, "knocking off crime lords for money when Grace contacted me. She told me about the demon and a Templar, but neglected to tell me about it being you until I got here." "Grace obviously doesn't know about our background together," Sam noted. "Her people probably know all about my expulsion from the Order," Aileen said without a quaver in her voice, "but they probably just think that I'm willing to go after the Templars without asking any questions." "I still think the Templar lost a great Knight when you were expelled," Sam said with a scowl, leaning back casually. "I was caught in the act by the Bishop with that cute nun," Aileen answered honestly. She smiled grimly, "But thank you for speaking up for me." "There was no reason you had to give up your calling, we Knights always operated differently than other orders. About half of the Knights messed around," Sam shrugged uncomfortably, "you were just the unlucky one who was caught." "Anyway, that's the past," Aileen waved it off. "The Lady has pulled out all the stops to stop you and organized a band of the best killers in the country," she said, quickly sketching in descriptions of the murderers. Sam raised an eyebrow, "And will you be going out with them?" "Yes," Aileen answered promptly, "what did you expect?" Sam just smiled. "So which of the hitmen are you trying to collect a bounty on?" Sam asked her, tossing more crumbs for the pigeons. "As many of them as I can," Aileen said with a cocky little grin, "but I'm concentrating on Thrill Kill. " Her expression went serious, "She's a multiple murderess, but worse she also doesn't care about bystanders." "Then I wish you good hunting," Sam said with a bold nod. Her voice became oddly tender as she added, "Be careful, you're playing a dangerous game with the Lady. I'd hate to hear that something happened to you." "You, too," Aileen nodded, getting up from her seat. Without a backward glance she strode away, soon disappearing into the crowds. With a sigh Sam shredded the last of the bread and tossed it out, then she got up herself. Keeping a wary eye out she navigated through the crowds, eventually making her way out of the park and over to where a taxi was waiting for a fare. "Where to, mac?" the redhead smiled, looking over her shoulder at Sam. "The Daughters, thanks Amaterasu," Sam said with a sigh, glad that Athena had called this cabbie for her. Otherwise she would have to walk, being unsure if a possible driver was one of the Lady's assassins in disguise. "No problem," Amaterasu answered as she pulled the cab out into traffic. "You been in the city long?" she asked conversationally. "A few weeks," Sam admitted, smiling faintly. 'First I had that business with Jess Drake, now all this,' she thought, 'time's flown by.' "Other than the Daughters you have a chance to see the sights?" Amaterasu looked curious as she weaved them through cars easily. "Not really," Sam conceded, "I'm here on business, more or less." With a wry smile she thought to herself, 'Most of what I've seen of the city has been bars, drug houses and other dens of vice and corruption.' "You should try living a little," Amaterasu looked amused, "all work and no play make Jack a dull boy and all that." "I'll think about it," Sam offered with a laugh. Amaterasu grinned, "I'm so sure." She slipped them through a gap between two cars, "So, you in on the Jess Drake betting pool?" "Huh?" Sam blinked. "There's a betting pool at the bar involving Jess' breakup with Alice," Amaterasu explained cheerfully, "you can put money on their getting back together, splitting, or even how long it'll take for them to hook up again." Sam frowned, "Isn't it just a bit cruel, betting on those women like that?" "Probably," Amaterasu shrugged it off casually. Sam shook her head, smiling faintly as they came to a stop at her temporary home, the Daughters of Artemis. She paid off her fare then said, "Thanks for the ride." "Just call me if you need another one," Amaterasu grinned, "or anything else for that matter. With that she waved before taking off recklessly once again. Sam strode up the walkway, puffing out a relieved sigh only when she crossed over into the bar itself. There was a faint tingle as she crossed the outer and inner defenses, and a feeling of peace within. The magical defenses on the bar weren't unbeatable but it would likely take an act of god to break through them. "Hey," Alex Conner nodded her greeting from where she was sitting with several off duty officers. The redhead excused herself and walked over, "Descent told me to let you know she's on a beer run with Circe, they'll be back soon." "Hopefully there won't be any trouble," Sam frowned. "I don't think the Lady would risk it," Alex answered promptly, "she needs the Daughters around, if only as neutral territory to talk about business with enemies." "I still can't believe that Diana and Circe let the Lady do business here," Sam scowled as they started towards the bar. "It's the price they have to pay for the sort of sanctuary that they're giving you," Alex reminded her gently. Sam winced slightly at that comment. "Okay, true enough," she admitted. She studied Alex a moment, "Could I talk to you a moment? I've got some new information..." "Glad to help," Alex nodded, the two walking up to the bar where, oddly, Athena was slinging the drinks. "Two beers," she ordered, putting the money down. "Thanks," Athena pulled two beers and set the cups down, not spilling any of the foam on the counter top. "Mind if I listen in?" she asked. "Please do," Sam said as she began to fill them in on her day.
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