New Arrival

[Brehnic Kohnar]

Niks stared at herself in the mirror.? She'd be flying out to Vegas soon, and the idea of it made her want to hide.? It wasn't so much that she was going to Vegas, but she wasn't sure what to expect.? It didn't help matters that her supervisor more or less told her she didn't have a chance of getting back into the swing of things if she left now.? As if she'd never be able to learn again or some such rot.? It slightly upset her.? Her mother and father didn't exactly understand it all either.? Hell, Niks wasn't even sure where she'd live in Vegas.

A week ago, she sent out everything that needed to be packed up and shipped.? Brehn or someone who worked for him was nice enough to let her ship her things rather than actually drive it in some huge truck by herself practically cross country.? NJ to NV was not a trip made for the soft hearted, not that Niks' heart was overly soft.? That same someone had given her enough time to see her parents for a week, so the flight was a little different, flying out of Dallas for a short hop to Vegas - or something like that.

So, there she was staring at the mirror, wondering if she were really going to go through with it.? It wasn't like she had another choice.? Well, not much of one anyway.? She gathered her things and boarded once they called her name.? Her life had been rather easily boxed up and shipped out.? Her parents were happy that their little girl was finding her way in the world, even if it meant that she might be falling in with some strange element who might send her into white slavery.? Her ties with school had been slightly broken, leaving Niks slightly adrift.? So..that was that.

Hours later, or not seeing as she now had an extra hour, Niks walked off the plane to stand in a crowded terminal.? Now what? She supposed she'd have to get her bags first.

Located near the baggage pick up were several limo drivers there, holding up signs for those that they were waiting to pick up. Guess what?? There was even a sign that read ... Niklas Wright!! The driver in question was at least 6 foot 7, and a wall of solid muscle. Dressed in all black, he made that uniform look ... Cool. Dark sunglasses covered his eyes, as he waited patiently. At least the plane was on time. He wouldn't be hard to miss, which was why Brehnic sent him.

Yes, big foot, the missing link, Sasquatch, Niks could think of a few names for the big guy, and she really wasn't sure why he'd been sent.? Why not someone a little less..well..not this guy?? Not that Niks would miss someone, but she really wasn't expecting this.

The much smaller woman approached the big guy and looked up.? There was a hint of a smirk as she looked up at him; well, at least someone was a little amused by this anyway.

"That's me."

Amused, as his smirk seemed to match her own. He felt like Shrek looking down at Puss N Boots. All that was missing was her wee lil hat, and her wee lil boots. Nodding once, his? vocal tones were seriously deep when he spoke.

"Yeah, but I make this look good. Will Smith, Men in Black. Let's get your bags and bounce!!" Flashing her a grin that displayed not pearly whites, but a grill that had to have cost ... cost .... More that what any NORMAL person would spend on a brand new car!!!

"You make what look good?? It's not that mess in your mouth.? Must be hell gettin' it through security.? Why would you do that to your teeth?? I've never understood the fashion.? Not to offend you, but I just don't get it.? Why do it?? Kids hate having all that stuff on their teeth, and yet people pay good money to put it all in there?"? Her tone wasn't accusing, even when she said called his dental plating "mess."

"You know my name.? So, what's yours?"? She didn't give him a chance to grab her bags for her.? She only had the one to pick up other than her carry on.? Neither piece matched.? Even the backpack she'd smuggled aboard was a different color by a different person.? If anyone were to look at her things, they'd noticed her style was certainly mix'n'match.

"Right, lead on, McDuff."

Looking her over, he couldn't help but to smile. She spoke her mind. He respected that. "Yeah, I believe that part. About you not understanding fashion. Name's Omar Derek Boston, or ODB. I won't bore you with the details then. Cute backpack. "

He'd let her carry her belongings, her choice. He was getting paid either way. "So, you hungry? That plane food will clean you out something fierce. We'll hit pretty much every known place along the way."

That was ODB in a nutshell. He wasn't your typical limo driver, which made him one of the best. He had more layers to him than a onion. Offering several nods to security in passing, he would escort her to the Hummer/Limo, black with tinted windows to boot. On the inside?

Best way to describe it was like a small apartment inside there. "And to answer your question, I lost all my teeth in a auto accident. Drunk driver nailed me good. These are for show." Winking at her, as he opened the door.

"Ya know, digs at my sense of fashion don't work so well.? I just don't understand why you would want to do that?? You could put that money on other things.? So why put it in your mouth?? I mean, sure, I guess you could chip it off or yank it out should you need some quick money, but that'd hurt."?

She settled in to step with him as much as she was able, long legs vs short legs aside.? Her backpack was resettled, right beside her on the seat, or in front of her depending on where she sat in whatever vehicle he'd been sent in.

"No, not yet.? But thank you though." Niks stared into the damn thing.

"Fuck me."? She looked up at him, shaking her head.? It was only a nice little expletive. "This is ...He's crazy.? Why would anyone?? I think a nice set of pearly whites would do you better.? And this is a fuckin' ridiculous vehicle. If it's yours, well, I'd still say it.? The only thing these sorts of things do is say 'look I've got money and I'm compensating for something'.? And, mind if I sit up front with you?? Not really into the whole limo thing.? Really was a waste of car."? Niks shrugged, would have been happy with a little economy job.

"You don't know B-3? that well do you? His clients eat this shit up. Makes them feel all special. Sure, if you want." Shutting the door, he'd opening the passenger side. "This is Vegas, Nikki. Ya have to represent out here, or ... You'll stand out."

Once she was settled in, off they went. And hell if he didn't turn on the stereo/cd system which started playing ... Classical music??? "So, you're joining the firm, huh?"

"Yeah, I don't fit in, and this would be the first time I'd stand out."? Niks laughed softly, turning down the music a bit so that it was a nice background.? "B-3?? And who exactly are his clients?? And so you put that in your mouth because you don't want to stand out in the garish and the crazy?"

Niks curled up rather nicely in the plush.? She looked almost as if she belonged in this world, but only because she looked as if she almost belonged to most worlds.? It was just how she was made.? What might make her stand out more than anything was the fact that she was always trying to understand and to learn.

"By the numbers, Nikki. B-3 =Brehnic the 3rd, baby!! His clients are whoever needs something. Rich folk be asking for some silly shit!! And this grill is for my job. The pearly whites be for off duty, feel me?? "

That smile quickly became a snarl, as they were cut off by a impatient driver, who was making a big mistake of getting out of his car, and gesturing to the tinted vehicle, along with throwing about a few choice words.

"Excuse me for a sec, Nikki." ODB placed the Hummer in park, unbuckled the seat belt, opened the door, and stepped out, flashing that metal grin of his. The reaction of the driver? He about pissed his pants, and Nik seen firsthand why he whole that metal in his mouth. Along with his size and girth, it added to his rather imposing image.?

Funny, Niks had missed the whole imposing image thing.? The sparklies had distracted her?? She'd claim that; wouldn't want ODB to think she thought he was some sorta pussy cat - big guys didn't always take very well to that.

She waited until he got back into the car before she started speaking, "Well, that was educational.? And Brehnic the third?? He's a third?? Go figure.? He might have said as much, but I forget things at times."? Niks snuggled a little more into the seat.

"And, I'd like to see the pearly whites.? See if I'm right or wrong, but I've a feeling I'm more right than I am wrong.? So, is that what you do for the company?? The firm as you called it?? Make people piss themselves?"

"This is part time, B-3 .... Made me a deal." That's all he'd say on that particular matter, because he didn't know he that well, or that long to speak of his personal life. He had to laugh at Nikki's continual bluntness. She wasn't nervous at his size at all ...

"I drive his clients where they need to go, show them all the hot spots, and keep an eye out for them. Easy money. And you? No offense Nikki, but you don't look like the Vegas type.'

"I've no idea.? Think he had one too many drinks in Morocco and he popped the question.? I thought why the hell not, plus he offered to pay off my student loans.? Now I've just gotta hope he's not plannin' on doin' something all together inappropriate."?

Niks shrugged, peeking out the window before snuggling back into the seat.? It wasn't that she was overly tiny, but one couldn't exactly snuggle into a seat on a plane.? Okay, they could, but it didn't seem right.

"We'll find out eventually.? Plus, Vegas is more than just flash brilliance; you've gotta have someone in suits and not so brilliance taking care of things behind the scenes.? All that distraction has to be for something, right?"

"Exactly. You sound like you've been talking to B-3 already, cuz that's how he rolls." He'd sigh for a second, before glancing over at her ...

"I ... had a serious drug addiction, when I tried to rob B-3 one day. Son of a bitch took me under his wing, paid for me detox, and therapy, and even paid my way out here. All I gotta do is just keep clean, and I'm going to college. B-3 be my guardian angel. Brother's straight in my book. He could've just let me rot in jail ...." Small smile.

"That or he has some strange angle going.? And, keeping clean is damn hard.? I've never done drugs, but the word addiction can be applied to anything.? Me?? Not makin' light of what you've gone through, but I think I'd rather have one big addiction than a bunch of little ones.? Example?? I've gotta watch what I eat.? If I'm not careful, I'll eat only one thing over and over for every meal.? It's not good for you.? Or I'll sit and watch the same thing, or I'll go a certain way, or...well, okay, maybe it's not the same, but yeah."? Her nose wrinkled, and she blushed a little.? Not many people got her way of thinking, but it all made sense to her.

She shifted a little and finally stretched, her attention on the cars in front of them.

"So, guardian angel.? ODB, you haven't noticed anything odd about him?? He's in the right spot at the right, he happens to be around high amounts of electricity...uhm..anything?"

"Angle? Nah. But he's all about second chances. That's his motto. I think something bad happened to him ... A near death thing or something really serious. You get past all the fast double talk, and catch him at the right time? Um ... No. why?"

Shooting her a look because that came out of no where.

"Just something to throw out there.? Second chances are wonderful, but why give them?? Because you get one?? But why did you get one?? Well, not you, but him.? Why give me a chance for anything - I don't think I've even had my first chance.? So, that's a strange thing to think about."? Niks had more or less wandered off into her own little headspace, a very bad habit to pick up.? Her mind asking questions, and some of them even found their way to her mouth - it really wasn't the best thing at times.

"Anyway.? Where are we going?"

"To see B-3. Then get you set up in your new digs. Well, don't be burning out too many brain cells thinking about stuff like that Nikki, good way to get grey hair. You must be alright with it, it you're here, right?"

Smiling again as they pulled into the front of a rather uber nice looking hotel.

[Brehnic Kohnar]

"Damn. You've started smoking again, bro? That woman has gotten inside your head, and you got nothing to show for it except being shot twice by beaus of hers."

"Three times. The second bugger shot me twice. " A slow lazy drag was taken, savored, then exhaled in the form of three continual smoke rings, before dark eyes settled onto the form of one Tohmas A. Steele. "That's why I called you up here to Vegas. The second one knew too much about me. What I do, and where I've been. He knew about St. Barts, so he has to know about you as well."

Leaning against the railing of the balcony, Steele stirred the ice cubes of his gin and tonic, before gulping down half of it, that trademark smirk lingering. "Okay, so color me wrong, but don't you think dragging me back here MIGHT put me back into the picture again? Not like I'm part of your elite club bro. You could have easily called me about this. What's going on?"

"I dunno man. Until recently, I never gave the whole Immortal thing much thought. Outside of what Wulfsohng taught me anyways. But since the day I crossed paths with Giannini? I'm having trouble figuring out which way is up. It's not .... Fun any more." Crossing his arms over his chest, Brehnic turned around, his stare over looking the view of Sin City, the evening breeze blowing slightly around them, dusk soon taking over.

"Mmmm. You went and got a reality check, huh? Women will do that to you every time. It's been down hill for us, every since Eve got Adam to eat the apple. By the sounds of it, this Dev character was looking for Nova, and used you to confirm some Intel he already had. Weird though, they let you live. Hell, from what you told me, Nova had me dead to rights, but let me go. Still haven't figured that one out yet. Speaking of her ..."

"Last I checked, she was getting hitched to Pistol Pete. Probably getting her groove on with the Immortal honeymoon."

"Hey, with you being all Immortal and all. Does that give you ... More stamina? "

"Okay, you didn't need to go there ... To be truthful, I never thought about that ..."

Mashing the butt into the ash tray, Brehnic gripped the railing, letting the last of the smoke blow through his nostrils. "The whole trip to Morocco was ... Interesting. I swear, Immortals throw off some sort of scent to attract each other. Then there's Niklas Wright. A pre-immie, an Immortal in waiting. Pending some serious trauma and/or sudden loss of life. After the thing with Dev, I convinced her to take a job at the firm, so I could keep a close watch on her."

"Because if they know about you, they know about her?"

"Yeah. Been debating on telling her, but you and I both know how that will come out."

"Yupper. Like you coming off like some insane stalker, with a funky accent. You call the old man?"

Nodding slowly. "I'm meeting with him tomorrow. Sunday mass. Look Steele. You're the closest thing I have to a real family, and I don't want you getting fucked up or worse because of what I am ..."

Holding up his hand, Steele smiled again. "You're not isolating yourself from me either. Hell, I have enough on my plate with establishing this Paranormal branch, so I'll be busy enough. I'll keep my nose clear of any Immortal stuff. Scouts honor. BUT... If shit starts getting crazy ..."

"Any more that it already is?? Yeah. I will."

"You better. Okay. Since you dragged me all the way out here, you're treating me casino style."

"I can do that. But you're on your own for a bit. I have company coming. Ms. Wright should be enroute."