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Part Five
“ ‘....And if a double Decker bus crashes into us...to die by your side, what a heavenly way to die...’” Tamara sung, as they passed the sign for Tennessee.Giles looked up from the map, he head spinning to the driver, “What the HELL are you singing?!”
Tamara grinned, “It’s ‘The Smiths’. The only group I know that can make a depressing song sound happy.”
“Well,” Kim snickered, “I suppose it’s better than making a happy song sound depressing.”
“That would be ‘The Cure’,” Tamara inform the two, “And I have that here...somewhere.”
Giles sighed and shook his head, “Oh, that’s right, Kimberly....encourage her.”
“Fine,” Tamara sighed, “You’re turn to pick the tunes.”
“Why don’t we just turn on the radio?” Kimberly asked.
“Ew no...” Tamara cringed, “I don’t want to hear anymore songs about, ‘My dog left me’, ‘My mother’s in Jail’, ‘And my Wife died’.”
“Yes,” Giles smirked, “But they sounded so cheerful.”
“And that would be the sarcasm I have learned to love,” Tamara smiled.
Giles rummaged around the floor of the van, and found two fairly large travel cases. Opening the first one, he crinkled his nose and huffed, “ ‘Shriekback’? ‘Nine inch Nails’?”
“No, no,” she shook her head, “Not that one. The other one.”
He took the second case from the floor and opened it. There was a moment of silence before he spoke. “Okay, I take it back,” he grinned, looking through the case, “you do have some taste in music. So ladies, what shall we listen to? ‘The Beatles’? ‘Meatloaf’? ‘Pink Floyd’? You have classical, and swing music here as well?”
“What?” Tamara looked insulted, “Just because I like Alternative Rock, doesn’t mean I don’t like anything else. Sheesh!”
“Yes,” Giles countered, “I understand. It’s just a little un-nerving to see ‘Glenn Miller’ next to ‘Green Day’.”
“Man, everything’s black and white with you, huh? A girl can’t have varied tastes?”
Giles only sighed, and pulled out a CD.
The moment the song began to play, Tamara chuckled, “ ‘Paradise by the Dashboard Lights’? Rupert, you read my mind. I LOVE this song! In fact, in college, this was my driving song.”
Giles shifted nervously, “Ah, what does that mean?”
“ ‘Well, I remember every little thing as if it happened only yesterday...’,” she sang, as they took off down the highway, with ever increasing speed.
****** “Bloody HELL,” Patrick groaned, “My eye still hurts!”
“Well,” Nigel snorted, “you were the one trying to make friends with him.”
“I wasn’t,” he defended, “I just wanted to know where Giles...oh, never mind!”
“How much further to Memphis?” Philip asked, trying to keep his eyes on the road, and off his traveling companions.
“I don’t know!” Nigel snapped, “This country is so damn big...it’s gonna take us forever!”
“Well, look at the bleedin’ map! Ow!” Patrick winced.
“I am! And shut your gob...or I’ll shut it for you!” Nigel bit back, “Right...according to our lovely friends at Triple-A, we have about four more hours to go.”
“Good,” Philip sighed, “ ‘Cause I really have to pee.”
“Bloody figures.” Nigel sighed, as they headed down the highway.
****** After about one hour trying to find a parking spot that wasn’t somewhere in Kentucky, Tamara finally parked the van, and the weary occupants climbed out.
“Man, I’m stiff,” Tamara complained, stretching her body, “And what’s with this humidity? I feel like we’re walking through a wet sponge.”
“Welcome to the Southern United States,” Kimberly sighed, wiping her brow, “Arm pit of America.”
“Gee, and I thought that was the Poconos,” Tamara huffed.
Giles continued to the entrance, glad that he discarded his tweed jacket, and long sleeve shirt. On the way to Memphis, the girls decided to take him shopping for--as Tamara put it---human clothing. So now, he was wearing tight blue jeans, cowboy boots, and a blue denim short sleeved shirt. All he needed was the cowboy hat, and he would have fit in nicely.
He made sure he didn’t mention THAT to them.
“The sooner we get the clue, the sooner we can get to a nice air conditioned building,” Giles suggested.
Kimberly took Giles arm and headed to the ticket window, “You’re not gonna get any argument from me.”
“Or me,” was Tamara’s response, as she eyed her friend taking out the tickets, “Thank god we don’t have to pay for this...man, this is kinda expensive.”
“When are Zoos cheep?” Kimberly pointed out.
“Point taken.”
The three made their way to the primate exhibit, and looked around. There were quite a number of people strolling around the grounds. Monkeys and apes always seemed the favorite among visitors to most zoos, and this one was no exception. As the passerby’s Oooed, and Awwwed at the various simians, Tamara shook her head.
“Monkeys are cute and all,” she sighed, “but you just don’t see the same kind of enthusiasm for the newts and frogs. Or salamanders. Amphibians just don’t get any respect.”
That comment drew a blank response from her two companions.
“Or, it could just be my opinion,” she stopped and noticed three familiar faces, “Hey!” she shouted and headed to greet Harvey and his crew, “You guys always seem to get to this point first. What do you travel at warp, or something?”
“It didn’t help that the two of you decided my attire wasn’t acceptable,” Giles snorted.
“Oh,” Kimberly nudged him, “like you’re complaining. Wanna still be wearing that hot, stuffy jacket, and tie.”
“You’d be the next exhibit,” Tamara chimed in, waving her hands dramatically, “COME ONE, COME ALL....SEE PROTOZOA MAN! You’d be a puddle of goo, with two little eyeballs sticking out,” then making a cute noise, she teased, “Hi, I’m Rupert the Goo, please take me home.”
“Your humor is astounding,” Giles huffed.
“Have you guys been to the contact yet?” Michael smiled.
“No. You know where they are?” Kimberly asked.
“Oh, yeah,” Harvey chuckled, “Come on. Yer gonna love this.”
The three followed Harvey and gang over to the Gorilla section, and noticed what had their friends in hysterics. Standing by the fence was a man dressed in a Gorilla suit. Tamara could see that he was extremely uncomfortable in the heat, and felt bad for him...but anyone who wore hot latex and hair body suit in the middle of summer, got what he asked for.
“So,” Tamara giggled watching the little children poke at him, “is this our....ahem....guy? Monkeyboy?”
The other’s snickered, “Ah, yeah...Grape Ape is our contact.” Harvey laughed.
“Oh, I just can’t resist,” Tamara gave an evil grin.
Giles followed after her, nervously, “Ah...j-just what are you planning on doing?”
Tamara turned around and batted her eyelashes, innocently, “Nothing bad. Honest.”
She skipped up to the totured soul in the monkey suit and tapped him on the shoulder, “Hi!”
“Hi.”
“So...I was wondering...” she started to snicker, “My shoes are all dusty...I could really go for a Monkey Shine. What do ya say? No? Well, I’ll be a Monkey’s Uncle...you’re a mountain gorilla. I should have known!” She turned to her friends and asked, “Hey, does anyone speak....um, what do gorilla’s speak?”
“Oh, that’s right,” the MonkeyMan huffed through the mask, “Everyone has to be a comedian.”
“You’re right,” Kimberly giggled, “Tamara, stop monkeying around, and just get the instructions.”
“Fine,” Tamara laughed, uncontrollably, “you don’t have to go ape over it...”
“Look, kid,” the suit snapped, “if you’re through having fun....can we get on with this!”
Tamara leaned in closer to him and asked, “Giovanni doesn’t pay you much to do this, huh?”
“Not to get picked on and tormented by bratty little kids....no.”
Tamara stopped laughing and grew very serious, “I’m sorry. No one deserves to be humiliated. Especially by a rich snob like him.”
The Monkeyman handed her the instructions and shook his head. No words needed to be said...they both knew who owned their lives.
“Well,” Kimberly asked, hovering over her like a vulture, “what does it say?”
“Please tell me we have to go after the cross,” Giles prayed.
“No,” Tamara shook her head, holding up a flyer for the “Blue Suede Shoe” bar. “How’s kareoke sound to you?”
****** “I still think we should just head to Detroit,” Giles suggested, as he sipped a tall glass of lemonade, “I seriously doubt that the Slayer’s Cross is going to be the prize in a Kareoke contest.”
“ ‘Blue Suede Shoes’,” Kimberly cringed, as they strolled passed the Big cats exhibit, and headed toward a large building, “Any place with a name like that....especially here in Memphis....”
“What?” Laura gave her a look of mock surprise, “You don’t like Elvis?! Elvis is god.”
“Elvis can’t be god,” Michael pointed out, “’Cause he’s still alive.”
“And living in Tuscalussa,” Harvey chimed in.
Giles stopped and looked at Kimberly, as she simmered to a slow boil, “You really don’t like Elvis.”
“Okay, Rupert,” Kimberly began, “remember how Tam said that she breaks out into hives and feels the urge to kill small and fuzzy things when she’s forced to listen to Country Music?...”
“Let me guess,” Giles grinned, “Same reaction?”
“Worse.”
“Well,” Tamara pointed out, “the contest is in two hours and we still have about four more hours of mandatory down time. So, we might as well make the best of it. Besides, I kick ass in Kareoke. And Kim....you can drink yourself to a happy state of unconsciousness.”
“Yeah,” Michael nodded, “like anestesia....you won’t feel a thing.”
“And what if I have to sing?”
As they entered the air conditioned building, Tamara sighed, “We’re doomed.”
****** The “Blue Suede Shoe” was packed when they arrived. Familiar faces mixed with new ones, in a sea of human bodies. Tamara looked around and found the D.J. in charge of the evening’s challenge, while the others somehow managed to find tables. The moment they all sat down, Kimberly quickly ordered drinks for the group...and a double for her. If she had to listen to a night of Elvis, she was going to make sure she was numbed through it.
“Man,” Laura giggled, as she watched Kimberly down her second drink, “you REALLY do hate Elvis. Why?”
“Why?” Kimberly snorted, “I don’t know. I just never liked him. And now that he’s dead, he’s like a....a....”
“God?” Michael finished.
“Yeah...god,” she nodded, “I mean why can’t people just accept the fact that he’s dead and move on. Why do there have to be Elvis sightings everywhere?”
“For the same reason that there are UFO sightings,” Giles smirked, “When you really want to believe something....you tend to see it.”
“Besides,” Harvey said, trying to be serious, “How do you know Elvis isn’t still alive?”
Kimberly put her head in her hands and moaned, “Oh, god...not you too.”
“Well,” Tamara interrupted, “I’ve got some good news and some bad news...”
“And that would be...?” Kimberly sighed.
“The good news is,” Tamara said, looking right at her friend, “You don’t have to sing...it only has to be one member of the group.”
“And the bad news?” Laura asked.
“The songs....have to be Elvis songs.”
“Oh, god.”
****** “ ‘Blue Suede Shoe’,” Earl grinned, as the U-haul pulled up to the bar, “this is so cool! I LOVE Elvis!!!”
“You would,” Marvin grumbled, stretching his legs, “Why would the Watcher bother to stop here? The Cross isn’t here.”
“Well,” Earl suggested, “Maybe he likes Elvis?”
Marvin just gave him a withering look and slipped inside.
****** “Good evening Ladies and Gents!” the announcer said, “And welcome to the “Blue Suede Shoe”! Tonight’s Kareoke contest is a very special one...with a very special prize....” He held up a velvet painting of Elvis, “This is the King’s favorite velvet portrait.” he waited for the hooting and hollering to subside before he continued, “the contestants are from all over the country, taking part in a national treasure hunt!” There was more applause. “Now, without further delay, I want to introduce you to our panel of judges,” he motioned to the five Elvis impersonators siting in front of the stage, “These are five members of the National Elvis Impersonators Association....let’s give them a big old Memphis welcome!”
Tamara shook her head, as she watched Kimberly pale visibly.
“On with the show!!!”
****** Only twelve groups showed up for the contest. One disappeared, four were arrested, leaving three unaccounted four. Giles made a mental count of the groups as one by one, each got up to perform. Some weren’t too bad...others...well, other’s made Xander’s voice sound good, but after each and every act, he applauded with the appropriate amount of enthusiasm.
When it was finally their group’s turn to go, he looked at Tamara and placed his hand on her arm, “Are you sure you want to do this alone?”
Tamara smiled and gave a wink, “No sweat.”
She hoped up on stage and looked out at the darkened crowd. She couldn’t pick out the faces, but she knew all eyes were on her. ‘Breath girl,’ she thought to herself, as the intro to the song began to play, ‘now is not the time for stage fright.’
Tamara began to sing ‘I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You’, not noticing Earl in the corner, watching....and sighing.
“Wow,” Earl sighed again, staring dreamy eyed at the red head on the stage, ‘I didn’t know she could sing. And sing Elvis songs too. I’m in love.”
“Oh, will you stop it!” Marvin hissed, smacking him in the side of the head, “When this whole thing is over, we grab the girl. We can use her as a bargaining chip for the Cross. Got it?”
“Yeah,” Earl agreed, “Hey, maybe she’ll sing to me?”
“Idiot.”
****** When the song was over, Tamara gave a quick bow and headed back to the table, hiding behind her beer. Everyone at the table looked at her with mild surprise.
“What?”
“I didn’t know you could sing that good,” Michael smiled, “You have a really pretty voice.”
“Thanks. I’m not really an Elvis person, but it was the nicest song I could think of,” Tamara said quickly, turning her attentions to the next contestant.
The guy on the stage was fantastic! His voice, his mannerisms...everything about him shouted...winner. Tamara sat and listened to him sing “Love me Tender” and sighed. Now this was the way it should have been sung! He stood up on stage, making love to the audience with song, and capturing their hearts. Even Kimberly sat up and took notice.
“Hey,” Harvey whispered to Kimberly, “I thought you hated all things Elvis?”
“Yeah....well....this guy....wow! Can he sing,” she sighed.
When the contest was finally over, the judges took about ten minutes to make their decision. Tamara knew that she was going to lose. There were a few contestants that actually sang good....but contestant....was outstanding. He was definitely going to be the winner....
“And the winner is....” the D.J. announced, “Well, I’ll be damned....it’s a tie!”
A TIE?
“Between team six and team seventeen!”
“Hey!” Kimberly jumped up, “That’s us...er, ah...you!”
“Well, ya’ll know what that means,” the D.J. played up, “That’s means we’re gonna have to have a tie breaker.”
“A tie breaker?” Tamara moaned, “That’s not what I wanted to hear.”
“Why?” Giles asked.
“Because,” Tamara explained, “I don’t know too many more Elvis songs, to sing well.”
“It’s Kareoke,” Michael pointed out, “you don’t need to know the songs that well, the words are right in front of you.”
“Yeah, I know,” she sighed, “But if I’m going to beat this guy...I need all the ammo I can get. He’s great! I can’t beat that.”
“Um, whatever happened to ‘it’s all for fun’?” Giles asked.
“It’s not all for fun, when a contest is involved,” Tamara bit back, “I take my singing very seriously.”
“You seemed to have fun singing in the car,” Giles added, “So what makes this different?”
“Lot’s of things!” Tamara got up and walked over to the D.J.
“What did I say?” Giles looked after her, confused.
“Nothing,” Kimberly smiled, “stage fright, I guess.”
“Wait!” Giles held his chest, “Tamara...afraid of something?! My god, call the papers. It’s a national crisis!”
“Oh, ha, ha,” Kimberly snickered, “Very funny. Stick to your night job...Mr. Watcher, and let’s show our support.”
Tamara stood up an stage next to contestant number six, who’s name was Bill, and looked around nervously. She hated to be judged...and more importantly...she hated for everything to fall on her shoulders. If she lost, they would have wasted their time...but how would she win? Bill was great...and good looking too, now that she got a better look at him. He stood almost a foot taller than her, with short, black hair and the bluest eyes she had ever seen. He not only could sing...but he was gorgeous!
Great....no pressure...really.
“God, I hate this pressure,” Bill whispered to her, as the announcer droned on, “I mean, why can’t we just both share the prize?”
“Are you kidding?” Tamara said in shock, “You’re nervous? You’re great! And a shoe in for first place. Besides, I can see the value of the painting dropping just slightly, if we sawed it in half.”
Bill smiled warmly, and said, “Well, no matter what happens...I think you have a terrific voice.”
“Wow! Thanks...you too.”
“Okay,” the D.J. boomed, “this is what we are going to do. Each contestant will sing an Elvis song of the Judges’ choice. The winner will get the painting. You both ready?”
Both nodded.
“Then let sudden death begin!”
“I really wish he didn’t say that,” Tamara cringed.
Tamara sang “Treat me Right” as best as she could, even though she had never heard the song before. It wasn’t too bad...not the greatest...but not unpleasant to listen to. but when Bill got up to sing “Jailhouse Rock”, she knew she was sunk. He pranced around stage, getting the crowd to cheer and dance. He was obviously an Elvis fan, and could really relate to the “King”. And in Memphis, in front of Elvis Impersonators, that was a very big bonus.
Yep....she was sunk.
So, it didn’t come as much of a surprise when Bill was announced as winner. But, seeing his happy face, when he held onto the painting, Tamara knew that it was the right thing. She would never have appreciated this piece of history as her opponent did. So, it wasn’t all that bad.
“Hey, Tamara,” Bill caught up to her, gently taking her arm, “I just wanted to say, I’m sorry you didn’t win...I mean, I really like your voice. Did you ever take lessons?”
“No,” she replied, “couldn’t afford it. I always wanted to be a singer...but....oh, well...”
“Well, I was wondering,” he began, “now that we’re not contestants anymore, and the Kareoke equipment is still running....you want to sing a duet? Just one.”
“Yeah, sure,” she grinned, “What do you want to sing?”
“Ummm.....” Bill said, looking through the selection, and stopping on a choice, “Hey, have you ever heard of ‘Phantom of the Opera’?”
“Heard of it?” Tamara’s smile broadened, “I LOVE it! Why? What song did you find?”
“It’s a duet with Michael Crawford and Barbara Streisand...”
“ ‘Music of the Night’.” She stated.
“I take it you know that song?”
“I adore that song,” Tamara smiled, “and I know it well.”
“Cool.”
****** “What is she doing?” Michael snotted.
“I think she made a new friend,” Harvey said, downing another beer, “Aw, aint it cute...their gonna sing together.”
Michael got up in a huff, and grabbed the empty pitchers, “I’ll get us some drinks.”
“You’re going to miss this,” Giles said.
“I know.”
Michael was halfway to the bar, when the music began, stopping him in his tracks. It was beautiful! The music filled the bar, rising and falling with an emotion he hadn’t ever heard from Tamara. Michael was mesmerized, frozen to the ground, unable to take his eyes off of her.
He had heard her sing before...but this....this was different. This was....
****** “Wow,” Earl sighed, listening to the duet, “she’s great! Even better than singing Elvis songs...and that’s hard to do.”
“Look,” Marvin began, “pay attention to the....hey, she is pretty good. One thing I gotta say about humans....they certainly know how to use their emotions.”
“Yeah....” Earl cocked his head, staring jealously at the man singing with her, “she’s....
****** “Terrific!” Michael slipped closer to the stage, watching the two of them sing, and wishing he was up there with her. Then he noticed the looks Tamara exchanged with Bill while they were singing, and squinted his eyes. Why is it that she can show more passion with a total stranger than with him?
****** “Okay,” Kimberly sighed, “this I did not know about her. She really can sing when she wants to.”
“It’s lovely,” Giles sighed, turning to meet Kimberly. He was surprised that she was staring at him, and yet...
“This music is so romantic,” Kimberly sighed, sliding next to him, and slipping her hand in his, “so....passionate.”
“U-um...” Giles stammered, nervously looked down, “Y-yes i-it is. Very r-romantic.”
“And what a beautiful story,” she continued, “A love triangle, like no other....with only music to bind them.”
“Y-yes.”
“Hearts, connected...”
“Pulse racing...” Giles, removed his glasses, their lips were only inches away, “Passion released...” He leaned in and kissed her gently.
As the song continued, their kiss deepened. Their emotions soared with the music.
When the song was over, the entire room was filled with cheers. Giles and Kimberly separated quickly, looking around nervously.
“Y-yes...w-well...” Giles said, trying to catch his breath.
“Wow.” Kimberly sighed, “What was that?”
“A kiss...i-if memory serves me,” Giles smiled shyly, “My question is...what are we thinking?”
“What do you mean?”
“Y-you’re married...”
“And...you’re....” Kimberly stammered, “y-you’re....what are you, anyway?”
“I have no idea.”
****** “That was great!” Bill smiled at Tamara, as they walked off the stage.
“Yeah, I’m so glad we did that. It was fun.”
“You know,” Bill put his arm around her, “We have a little bit of time before we have to head out....do you want to...you, know....get to know each other better?”
“You’re kidding right?” Tamara sighed, scooting away from him, “You want me to sleep with you?”
“Well, if you’re uncomfortable with that...”
“No offense,” Tamara shook her head, “you’re really hot and all...but I don’t even know you. I’m not really into ‘one hour stands’.”
“Why not?”
“Let me give you one word....AIDS.”
“I got protection.”
Tamara rolled her eyes, “Okay...let me give you two more words....SELF RESPECT. It would be fun...and...I’m really....really attracted to you...but...I don’t know I would like myself an hour from now.”
Bill smiled and took out a pen and paper, “That’s cool. Look here’s my name and phone number...call me. Maybe we could get to know each other...when we have more than just one hour.”
Tamara kissed him on the cheek, “Yeah...maybe.”
As she walked away, she met the dark stares of Michael.
“What?” She asked.
“You were great,” he mumbled.
“Okay, then why do I just feel as though I killed your dog?”
Michael paced back and forth, “Is there something wrong with me?”
“Huh?”
“I mean, what does that guy have that I don’t...besides a great set of lungs...nice hair....great eyes....”
“Whoa!” Tamara held up her hand, “Hold on here. Did you see me running to the nearest condom dispenser? If you hadn’t noticed, I didn’t take him up on his offer.”
“Yeah, but you thought about it.”
“So. Oh, like you wouldn’t contemplate sleeping with a drop dead gorgeous woman?” Tamara huffed, heading over to the bar. “Yeah, I thought about it. But that’s not what I want right now.”
“With anyone?”
“I don’t know,” she said, buying a beer, “When I find someone I want to jump, you’ll be the first to know.”
“Dammit Tam!” Michael growled, grabbing her hand, “Is everything a joke with you?!”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Us!!! I’m talking about US!!!”
Tamara stopped and stared at Michael, as though she was looking at him for the first time, “Us? Is there an us, that I’m not aware of? We’re friends Mike...”
Michael gave an angry laugh, “Yeah...friends. And the four years of flirting...?”
“Was just that...flirting. Can’t a person flirt without having to make a commitment?” She drank her beer, and started back to the table.
Michael raced after her, and pushed her against the wall. She looked at him surprised, but didn’t move. “What are you doing?” she said breathlessly.
He leaned in and kissed her hard on the lips. She struggled against him for a moment before settling into a comfortable embrace. When they parted, he looked at her and said, “I’m tired of flirting.” And walked away.
Leaving Tamara to stare at him in wonder.
****** Earl was beside himself. How dare that...that....human take away what’s his!? Marvin looked at his minion and smiled. Good...the little demon was angry. Now, perhaps he will do the job he was assigned to do.
“We’ll take care of them outside,” Marvin announced, “Grab the red head, kill the rest...but leave the Watcher alive. He’s gonna have to get the Cross for us.”
“Um,” Thomas pointed out, “if we kill them all, won’t that disqualify them?”
Marvin thought about it for a moment and growled, “Damn! You’re right...don’t kill them. Just get the girl!”
****** The group left the building to head toward their vehicles. All in all, even though they didn’t win, it was a good day. And with their rest period over, it was shaping up to be a good night as well.
“All right,” Laura announced, to her team mates “since I had the least amount to drink, it’s my turn at the wheel.”
“Yes,” Giles agreed, “As well as it is mine,” He then turned to Laura and asked, “Are you sure you’re awake enough to drive...it’s awfully dark out.”
“Aw,” she smiled, “you’re so sweet,” smacking her brother in the arm, she added, “Pay attention...and take lessons. You’re not going to see this kind of chivalry again.”
Michael was about to answer when Bill and his team mates caught up to them, “Hey, I’m glad I caught you guys before you left.”
“Hey Bill,” Tamara said, coming out of her daze, much to Michael chagrin, “What’s up?”
“You are NOT going to believe this!” he said, “I met this guy, who was one of the judges of the contest...and he was very interested in my singing ability....and yours too.”
“Really?” Tamara perked up.
“Yeah,” he grinned, “He said that he’s looking for some people to be backup in his band, and he wants us! Isn’t that cool!?”
Giles careful moved next to the young man and his two friends, “Is that so? And where is this man?”
“Right here,” the man answered.
Everyone turned around and noticed the newcomer.
“Oh, great,” Kimberly sighed, “An Elvis impersonator.”
“Damn,” Harvey nodded, “You’re the best one I’ve seen so far.”
“Why thank you,” he smiled, “Thank you very much. I would hope I look like him.... ‘cause I am him.”
Then Giles realized what made him edgy, “He’s a vampire!”
At that moment, Elvis, Bill and his two friends showed their true selves to the group.
“I can’t believe it!” Michael cried out, tossing his sister out of harms way, “All of those sightings....all those people who believed that he never died...were right. Elvis isn’t dead after all...he’s undead!”
“And strangely that makes sense,” Kimberly said, ducking out of the way of a charging vampire, and reaching for the stake that Giles insisted on her carrying.
“He must have made Bill and his team mates vampires after the show,” Giles surmised, backhanding the blond vampire friend of Bill’s.
“Great,” Harvey snorted, grabbing hold of a dark skinned vampire which gave Michael a chance to drive a stake into his heart, “Looks like Elvis is trying to get his band back together.”
“Yeah,” Laura said, tripping Bill, and hitting him over the head with a piece of wood that was lying in the parking lot, “He’ll be the hit of the underworld.”
“And I though punning while fighting was just a Buffy thing,” Giles huffed, staking the blond vampire, and moving to help Laura with Bill.
****** “So, you don’t like me,” Vampire-Elvis growled as he circled Kimberly, “How can you not like me? Everyone likes me. Everyone loves me!”
“Well...” she swung around and planted the stake in Elvis’ chest, “I don’t!”
She watched him explode into dust and sighed. Giles taught her well...and of course it helped that, even as a vampire, he was still the out-of-shape-rock-singer she knew and hated.
“Thank god he was in worse shape then me,” she panted, as she joined her friends.
Giles and Laura finished off Bill as Kimberly popped up next to them.
“Are you all right?” Giles asked Kimberly, seeing the small cut on her head, “You’re hurt.”
“Nah,” she shook her head, “Just a scratch.” She paused, “I can’t believe I just staked Elvis. Me....I killed Elvis. And, somehow...it felt right.”
“You didn’t kill Elvis,” Giles explained, taking out a handkerchief, and dabbing her cut, “The vampire that took him...was the one responsible for his death. You just killed the demon inside.”
“But...still....it felt so right...”
“Tam?” Michael looked around frantically, “Tam?! Where’s Tam?!”
“I thought she was with you.” Giles said scanning the parking lot for any sign of their lost team mate.
“Oh my god,” Kimberly gasped, “you don’t think...?”
Just then, the U-haul truck sped out of the parking lot. Giles looked after it with growing dismay, “Oh no...they have her.”
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