Enquiries

[Maya]

I sat on the edge of the bed in my modest apartment, looking once again at the slip of paper Doc had given me the night before. For the millionth time I wondered why I was helping him, but again I shoved the thought away, and reached for the phone. I dialled the only number I knew.
"Hello...?" Came a groggy reply after several rings. I couldn't help but smile. It was nearly 11 in the morning.
"Hi, Faith, it's Maya."
"Maya?" She became a little more alert, "Hey! How're you doing? You were meant to check in weeks ago!"
"Yeh... sorry... I didn't think there was any point, not much to report, y'know?"
I knew she was rolling her eyes, though all I heard was a yawn,
"Yeh yeh whatever." she then murmured, "So why are you calling at the crack of dawn?"
"Well..." I began, "I actually need to talk to Giles... I'm hoping he can help me with something."
"Well fine then, If I'm no good to you." She snapped in mock hurt. I then heard her yell through the house, "GILES! Phone!"
and after a short pause I heard Giles in the background as he approached,
"There is no need to bellow! I'm not ..." But he stopped short and made some sort of exclamation of shock, and I found myself laughing, imagining the scene. I guessed that Faith was still in bed... and she tended not to wear much, yet had called Giles into her room and the poor guy had probably got an eyefull. I tried to compose myself as I heard the scuffle of the phone being passed over.
"Hello?" The flustered watcher said.
"Hey Giles, it's Maya."
"Maya! It's good to hear from you, you were meant to check in..."
"I know, I know..." I cut him off, "I've already been bollocked by Faith."
"Yes, well... are you doing alright?"
"Yeh, I'm good actually, I'm in LA... Been here a few days and I'm kinda liking it, think I might stay a while..."
"Good, good, I hear it's pretty messy there these days?"
"Yeh sort of... you can barely turn a corner without bumping into someone or something supernatural... thats partly why I'm calling.... I was hoping you could help me with something...?"
"Oh? What's the problem?"
"Well I met this guy..."
"Er..." Giles cut me off immediately, "Isn't that more of the sort of thing Faith could help you with?"
I rolled my eyes,
"No Giles not that sort of guy! Just hear me out!" I paused, "Look... this is pretty... sensitive.... info, ok? This guy isn't a fan of the council and I've given my word that he can trust you. I am right, aren't I?"
"Of course." Giles replied, intrigued now, "Maya I wasn't a fan of the old council, you know that."
"Ok, good." I nodded to myself, I knew I could count on him. "This guy is looking for a girl who was kidnapped by council operatives years ago... she was almost certainly a potential. Her family were killed, and she was taken from Australia to England, where a watcher was assigned to look after her, only they were attacked... he died, and she apparently escaped... and thats all we know so far. He hasn't been able to discover whether the council ever tracked her down, or what else might have happened to her after that... I thought maybe you might be able to get access to those kind of files? Or surely if she was found there would be child service records or something... right?"
There was a pause as Giles considered the onslaught of information.
"They killed her family?" He repeated slowly.
"Yeh." I sighed.
"They must have really wanted her." He said thoughtfully, "Do we know if they spoke to the parents first? At least tried to do it peacefully?"
"I dont know." I replied. He sighed,
"Right... I'll need all the details you have, and I'll do what I can... I can't garuntee anything though, you understand that?"
"Of course I do." I replied, relief flowing through me. I relayed every detail Doc had told me about the girl's last known location, who had contact with her, her physical description... if there was information to be found, I was confident Giles could find it.
"Thank you so much Giles."
"I will do what I can." He repeated, clearly toubled by this case. "I'll get back to you as soon as I have anything. Can I call you on this number?"
"Yeh that's fine." I felt guilty, "Sorry, I should have let you know as soon as I got the phone... I'll check in more regularly."
"Do." He ordered. I smiled to myself,
"Bye Giles."
"Bye."
I waited for him to hang up, and flipped the folding phone closed. I let out a long breath... all there was to do now was wait.

[Maya]

It was a few days before Giles got back to me, but when he did I was fast asleep following a long night of slaying- I had found a large nest in an abandonned building. So my first thought upon waking was that last night was fun! while the second involved a lot of expletives as i realised that my phone was ringing. I tumbled out of bed and wrestled the phone out of the pocket of my jeans which were in a heap on the floor.
"Hello?" I answered, trying to sound more awake than I was.
"Maya? Is this a bad time?"
"Giles!" I cried, "No, no, it's fine..." I mumbled, heaving myself up to sit against the side of the bed, "Whats up?"
"I have some information about that girl?"
"Oh Giles you are amazing I knew I could count on you!"
"Dont get too excited." He warned, "It's not everything but its certainly a start."
"Shoot." I ordered, grabbing a pen and pad from the bedside table."
"Well shortly after she disappeared, they tracked her down in an orphanage in London... St. Francis Childrens Society. She was in the process of being adopted, so they couldn't get at her..."
"You're kidding?" I interupted, "They murdered her whole family, why did this stop them??"
"That was in Australia, Maya... the team that were sent were notorious for their belief that they were above human law, and so far away from the council they went to extremes because they could get away with it. The council turned a blind eye. In the middle of london, only miles from the council headquarters there was no way it would go un noticed. They were ordered to observe only and find out what they could."
"Hm, the council excercising restraint, who woulda guessed?"
"Quite." Giles said dryly. "Anyway, I couldn't access the name of the family, I'm not even sure they did, but the name of the case worker was Sarah Meyer. That's all I could get I'm afraid... but if your friend can prove his connection to the girl he might be able to get further."
"Thats brilliant Giles, thank you so much."
"No problem Maya, I hope it works out."
"Me too." I sighed.
"So, are you alright?" He asked.
"I am actually." I replied truthfully, "I'm liking LA.... I have even seen a little store I might look into..."
"A store?" He asked, clearly suprised.
"Yeh... I'll let you know more if I go through with it. I promise Ill check in more often."
"Good. Take care Maya."
"You too Giles. Thanks again."
We both hung up, and I looked over the notes I had taken. Right, now I had to find Doc again.