FicWad

"Hey Granger!" a blonde head with blue eyes said around the edge of Hermione's office door. "Heard you had some visitors this morning?"

"Hey Jess," Hermione said, looking up and offering a small grin at the blonde bombshell as she motioned her in. "Where've you been all morning?"

Jessica Moore stepped into the office, her long slender legs encased in tight black jeans with a light blue shirt tucked into a narrow waist set above curvy hips. As usual the witch had her blonde hair done in a French braid down her back to keep it out of the way. The TASS member exuded an aura of sexiness that seemed to attract the men of the world like catnip to a kitten. More than once Hermione had pondered the possibility that there may be some Veela ancestry in her friends past. Taking the only free chair in the room, the other covered with files, she got comfortable before stating, "Word has it that you have some new American friends?"

Hermione sighed, setting the report she had been reading down as she knew the inquisitive woman wouldn't leave till she had all the details. "Two Agents from MIB," she confirmed. Hermione and Jessica had joined the agency at the same time and they had risen through the ranks together to be promoted to Inspector on the day, following a distinguished take down of a group of Dark witches. When the opening for the head of TASS came up, Hermione had gotten the position and Jess couldn't have been happier for her. The blonde did not like to be in positions of authority, preferring to be a "working Jack" as she put it.

"Were they wearing black suits?" Jess asked with a grin, having watched the movie Men In Black over at Hermione's apartment one night. The young British witch had an enormous collection of muggle action movies to which she was constantly adding new titles.

"No, brown," Hermione confessed. "Although they did have the sunglasses and emotionless expressions down pat."

Jess tsked in disappointment. "The group down at the hospital were much the same," she said, indicating where she had been that morning. "Tight lipped and straight faced."

"St. Bernadette's? Was one of them hurt?" Hermione asked, not having heard anything from the two Agents while they were here earlier.

"St. Mary's actually and I don't know," the blonde witch replied with a shrug that made her jiggle in all the places most males loved a witch like Jess to jiggle. "They wouldn't let us get close enough to see. Whatever they were doing it seemed to be centered near the children's ward."

Hermione chewed the inside of her lip for a long moment, trying to figure out what they could have possibly wanted at St. Mary's, which was a Muggle hospital. St. Bernadette' was the equivalent of St. Mungo's back in London and was where the majority of Wizarding kind were treated. She knew that there were children from the various attacks currently in residence at St. Mary's, however she couldn't think of why MIB would want to see any of them, being non-magicals.

"So," Jess asked with a cheeky grin, "were either of them cute?"

"How would I know?" Hermione fired back with a creased brow, only half paying attention to her closest friend.

"Oi! You are a young witch are you not?" Jess asked with an arched brow in disbelief. "When's the last time the back of your knees touched your ears, Granger?"

"None of your damn business, Moore," Hermione replied with a bit more venom than she intended at her friend's crude question about the last time she'd gotten laid. The truth was that it had been a good long while, far longer than she cared to recall.

There had been several relationships since she came to Australia, a few even making it to the bedroom. Her first time had been to a fellow cadet while going through training. A night of far too much drinking and not enough thinking. There was a neighbor where she first lived that had been easy on the eyes but had little upstairs. Friends and co-worker were always setting her up on blind dates, or had been till she put a stop to it. Somehow relationships just never seemed to work out for her. There was always something missing in it, something she knew she at least needed. She didn't know what it was exactly, some spark that she just couldn't seem to find. In the end she had concluded that the problem was with her and so had turned her focus on her career instead. It was poor compensation but it helped to keep her mind off the lack of romance in her life.

If love falls into my lap then fine, but if it doesn't then I guess I can live with that as well, she had told herself. That had been over two years ago and the last thing she needed was a reminder of just how long it had been from a woman rumored to have been with half the law enforcement force be they male or female.

"You can always come and spend the weekend at my flat," the blonde bombshell offered with a soft saucy smile. The young unattached witch flew on both sides of the broomstick. She never had problems finding male companions, often having more offers than she wanted. Jess found those of the same gender though to be much more of a challenge to land as well as far softer to the touch with a more pleasant fragrance. Girls always make the cutest noise when making love, she mused appreciatively.

Hermione snorted in amusement, recalling another time when she had felt more adventurous and had taken the girl up on her offer. It had been an enjoyable weekend, relieving a great amount of stress, but she knew that such things were only a momentary fix for a larger problem. As tempting as the offer was, she knew she had to declined, though the blonde's smile didn't keep Hermione from blushing slightly at the pleasant memories the offer invoked. "As wonderful as that sounds, I'll have to pass on it. There's far too much work to do and not nearly enough time to do it in."

"Something big in the works?" Jess asked, realizing that she had hit upon a sore spot. After all the years the two had been friends, she knew when to push and when to back off a subject. Especially when the topic was her friend's near nonexistent love life. Willing to let the matter lie for now she allowed her friend to return the conversation to matters dealing with work.

Hermione quickly recounted what she had learned at the meeting earlier with MIB. As Jess was a member of TASS and would be in on the operation later that night, there wasn't a reason not to tell her. "If this Davis is there, I think they mean to take him out right then and there before he can escape them again."

Jess gave a low whistle. "You sure about that? I mean I know MIB is known for playing it rough and ready, but to off someone like that on foreign soil is a little over the top even for them, no?"

Hermione nodded once in agreement. "They aren't doing it themselves though. They're bringing their hit wizard, Archangel, to do their dirty work."

"You mean the Magus Venator?" Jess asked in utter disbelief.

"Mage Hunter," Hermione confirmed the Latin words. "I tried to talk the Chief out of letting them do that, but the PM of M had already signed off on it. MIB is in charge of the show and we're here to support them," she added, her tone clearly indicating just how not thrilled she was with the current situation.

"We started hearing rumors of MIB's new killer back when we were in training," Jess said, thinking aloud. "No one seemed to know where he came from, or even if he is a he for that matter. If rumors are true, then Archangel has killed more dark witches and wizard than most other countries combined. There's another name he's known by."

"Angel of Death, I know," Hermione said in a voice that was troubled. "I'm not happy with having a killer like that walking around loose here, Jess, but I can't do anything about it with the PM of M giving MIB permission," Hermione stated in a resigned tone. "Meeting at eighteen-hundred hours tonight, pass the word along to the others will ya?"

"Look on the bright side," Jess said as she bounced to her feet, setting her other assets bouncing as well, "maybe he'll be cute." Seeing the other woman's puzzled expression she continued, "Archangel. Maybe he'll be tall, dark and handsome," she said with an impish grin.

"Doesn't matter," Hermione replied dryly, causing Jess to arch a brow in question. "You can't kill that many people without it doing something to you, and if you feel nothing then how can you hope to have any type of relationship? Someone like him is a killing machine, pure and simple. Like a trained dog, he only knows how to bite."

Hermione sighed heavily as the other woman left her office. I have to go see Mom and Dad, she reminded herself as it was card game night at the Wilkins and she wouldn't be able to make it. Something told her that tonight was going to be anything but a normal operation.

-oOo-

"Anyone home?" Hermione called as she let herself in the front door of the small house that she had come to love over the years. She had spent more time here than she had at her own place over the past few years. Her parents were Dental Surgeons with their own practice, and while they could afford a much larger place they preferred the small house calling it comfortable.

"Hermione, Dear!" exclaimed Monica Wilkins as she strode into the living room to welcome the witch. "You're early. Wendell isn't home yet I'm afraid. He had a late surgery to perform today."

"That's alright," Hermione replied with a soft smile as she set her purse down upon a chair and crossed to the older woman to exchange hugs and pecks on the cheeks. "How are you feeling?"

Monica waved off the young woman's concerns with a soft smile, touched that Hermione thought enough to ask. "Oh I'm fine. It was nothing more than a touch of the flu the doctor said. I was just making some tea, would you like some?"

"Thanks, Mum, that would be lovely," Hermione said as she followed the older woman into the kitchen and took a seat at the breakfast nook that sat before a large bay window looking out over the quiet street in front of the house. "What time is Dad due back?"

Monica smiled, her eyes sparkling with happiness. "I can't tell you how much it pleases Wendell every time you call him that," she said as she busied herself readying the tea service for the two of them. "If Wendell and I had ever had a daughter, we both hope she would have turned out like you, Dear."

If you only knew, Hermione thought to herself painfully. "Well, you both look after me like I'm your daughter and Lord knows I love you enough for you to be my parents," she said truthfully.

Monica brought the tea over, sliding the tray onto the table top before pausing the gently caress the young witch's brown hair, moving errant strands behind one ear affectionately. "You know we both love you too, Dear," she said as she caressed Hermione's cheek with the back of her fingers gently before taking a seat across from her adopted daughter. "So what brings you over so early?"

Hermione found it hard to swallow past the lump in her throat. The young woman craved her mother's touch and wished there was some way for the older woman to know just how much she and her husband really meant to her. Hermione cleared her throat before replying, "Well we're supposed to play cards tonight."

"I know," Monica said with a wide grin. "Wendell has been looking forward to finally beating you in Bridge since the last time you played!"

Hearing this made Hermione's next words even harder to say. "I know but he's going to have to wait a little while longer, I fear," she told Monica, her voice heavy with regret.

"Oh no, Dear," Monica said is a sad tone. "Work?" she asked only to see the girl across from nod. "Well then I guess it can't be helped. You know of course that Wendell will just say that you're using this as an excuse to avoid a proper trouncing."

Hermione snorted in humor, "As if he could ever beat me!"

"I know, Dear," Monica agreed with a small chuckle. "He's easier to read then one of those cheap romance novels. Just don't tell him I said that," Monica implored as she dropped a hand upon the other girl's where it rested on top of the table between them.

"It will be our secret, Mom," Hermione assured her clasping the older woman's hand in hers and giving it an affectionate squeeze.

"So Dear," Monica opened with to change the subject, "anyone special in your life?" she asked nonchalantly; as indifferent to the subject as any mother ever could sound when enquiring into their daughter love life.

"MOM!" Hermione gasped loudly.

"What?" Monica replied, the picture of innocence, "I was just asking. Can't a mother worry about her daughter? I mean I was at the store the other day and there was this nice young man behind the counter…"

Hermione couldn't help but roll her eyes as she listened to her Mom describe some random man she had seen at the store as being a Hottie! What is it with everyone being so concerned about my love life?

-oOo-

The meeting that evening had been little more than a formality. Agent Smith had relayed the same information to the other members of the TASS unit as he had to Hermione earlier that day. "Our man will go in first, followed shortly by one of our squads," Agent Smith informed them. "At no time are any of you to enter the area till we've given the all clear."

"So we're just supposed to sit this one out and let you lot take all the credit then?" a Deputy Inspector who was fairly new to the group inquired in disbelief.

"We're not here to take any credit for anything," Smith replied coolly. "In fact it would be better if no mention of our actions tonight are ever spoken of outside these walls. Write your reports however you want. Feel free to give yourselves all the credit if you'd like, just so long as you stay out of our way."

"So that's all we're supposed to do?" Jess asked from the back of the room. "Provide you with surveillance…anything else?"

"Sit back and enjoy the show," Agent Willis replied with a warm smile at the curvy blonde.

Several hours later Hermione found herself walking with Agents Smith and Willis. They had parked their vehicles and were proceeding on foot so as not to give themselves away. Other groups had set out earlier, requiring additional time to get into place as they encircled the location. The sky above was clear with a canopy of stars that lit up the surrounding area with enough light to clearly see the uneven ground they traversed. Hermione glanced up and wished she had time to enjoy it as views such as this were few and far between given the neon lights of Sydney.

"I still don't like this," Hermione stated, giving voice not for the first time, to her disagreement with the way the operation was being handled. "You're just going to send Archangel in there all by himself?"

"He prefers to work alone," Smith replied with a knowing grin having had this conversation on more operations, within more countries, than he could clearly recall. It was always the same disbelief and the same argument.

So it is a he, Hermione thought, filing that piece of information away for later. "Is he as good as the rumors say he is?"

"I've been with him for the last six years and I don't understand how he does half the things he does, Inspector Granger. All I can say is that I'm glad he's on our side because if he ever decided to go Dark I doubt there is any other magical or group of magicals that could take him down," Smith said in that calm assured voice people use when they firmly believed what they are saying.

"If he's as strong as you say he is Agent Smith then I'm surprised your government has allowed him to exist," Hermione stated. "Aren't they afraid that he'll turn on them?" She had heard of more than one hit wizard who had decided that the other side of the law was greener grass. The trouble was that in most cases it was. It was only last year that TASS had to handle such a case.

Smith snorted at her words. "They tried to take him out at first, before he worked for MIB. The higher ups were afraid that he'd go Dark on them and bring the world to its knees."

Hermione wasn't the naive girl she once was and had been working for law enforcement long enough to know how the government could hale you as its defender one day and kill you as the next Dark Lord the next. She'd seen it happen first hand before after all. "What happened?"

"He was living in Miami at the time, apparently had been for several months before they caught wind of him. They hired a group of four hit wizards to go after him. When they didn't return, they hired a larger group," Smith told her. "When that group also failed to return they got scared," he said with a smirk of a smile. "First really smart thing they did. About a week later he showed up in the Oval Office, lounging in the President's chair behind the Resolute Desk as if it was nothing. The White House is the most heavily warded structure in North America," Smith said to clarify. "He waltzed in through everything like it was nothing and no one saw him do it."

"What happened then?" she asked, drawn into the tale despite herself.

Smith shrugged slightly. "Well, after about 15 minutes of panic while half the Secret Service mages in DC whisked the President and his family into a bunker and the other half along with every magical staffer working for the Department of Magic from the Secretary on down surrounded the Oval Office, he said he wanted to work for us just as long as we allowed him to hunt down Dark Wizards. Something had happened at some point in his past that left him with a deep hatred for those who go Dark. Personally I think he lost someone…someone very close to him. I never got the details as the meeting was fairly hush-hush as you can imagine, just the Secretary of Magic and her top aides including the head of MIB, but an agreement was reached apparently. I do know this though, Archangel has his own agenda. He has a list of people he is searching for and when he finds a name on that list it is best to stay out of his way. Trent Davis is one of names on that list."

"Whatever happened to the missing hit wizards that went after him in Miami?" Hermione asked curiously.

"No one has ever seen them since," Smith told her just as they reached their destination. "If you'll excuse me Inspector Granger, I need to see that things are ready."

"Enjoy the walk?" Jess asked from behind Hermione once she was alone. "What's up with tall, dark and unapproachable?" the blonde witch asked as she watched Smith walk over to a group of other MIB agents.

"Professional chatter," Hermione replied turning to face the other woman before relaying what she had learned about Archangel.

Jess let out a low whistle, "A real badass huh?"

"More like a really messed up individual if you ask me," Hermione countered. "Who in their right mind goes asking to hunt Dark witches and wizards?"

"From the sound of it he's uniquely qualified to do it," Jess quipped, only to be glared at by her boss. "I mean given his track record and all."

"I'll just be happy when this is all said and done and we can go back to our usual quiet home grown kind of crime. Speaking of which, any changes at their location or what's going on over there?" the head of TASS enquired.

Jess shook her head after pausing for a moment and leaning her head slightly to one side as if listening to something. "A few more have come in but no one has left as yet. My guess is that there is some big meeting going on probably tomorrow or the next day." The blonde Inspector was magically tied into the surveillance spells and so had nearly instant updates on everything that was happening in the building where the SAS were currently holed up in.

"Let me know if anything changes," Hermione told the blonde witch just as Agent Smith walked back over from the group of MIB agents he had been speaking with.

"We're just about ready," Smith said as Jess stepped away. "Any changes at the location?"

"Some new arrivals," Hermione explained, "but no departures as yet." Looking about in response to a sudden movement from the corner of her eye, the witch saw a figure dressed all in black. Where one second there had been nothing, there was suddenly a person standing there without the usual pop that signified an apparation. "Who the bloody hell is that?" she asked, causing Smith to glance over and suddenly start to swear. Even as they watched, the person started off at a jog towards the place where the SAS members were gathered. The star-light from above sparkled off of something shiny strapped to the persons back that swayed back and forth as he moved.

"Attention all units, pull back. I repeat, pull back! Archangel is armed!" Smith shouted into his communication device. "All units check in when you've reach the extraction points."

"Was that a sword?" Hermione asked in disbelief only to see the MIB agent nod. "Wouldn't his wand be a greater weapon to fear?"

"He doesn't use a wand," Smith replied. "He thinks it's too easy if he does," he added at the look of disbelief on Hermione's face. A shimmering bubble of charcoal colored smoke seemed to spring from no place, cutting them off from the hideout that the SAS were currently residing in. "Damn. Nothing to do now but wait till he's finished," Smith said upon seeing the barrier come into existence. Shortly the Agent excused himself to return to the other group from MIB to issue new orders.

Hermione wasted no time in calling Jess over only to be told that they couldn't see anything through whatever barrier had been thrown up to cover the area. It was a long fifteen minutes before a lone figure, trailing two floating bodies stepped through the barrier. No sooner had all three passed through the magical screen than it vanished. Hermione turned sharply and waited for the blonde witch next to her to report as she watched the man cross the distance to the group from MIB and drop the two bound figures none too gently on the ground.

"It's gone," Jess said in a slightly awed voice.

"What?" Hermione asked only half listening as several vehicles arrived next to the MIB agents. "What's gone?"

"The entire structure. It's like it never existed," Jess clarified. "Everything and everyone in it is just gone."

Inspector Granger fumed, wondering how she was going to explain this to her boss as she marched over towards the man she believed to be Archangel, who was speaking with Smith. "I want answers damn it! What the hell happened in there? There were at least a dozen innocent people in that building!"

As she neared the small group, she noticed Smith glance towards Archangel who gave a slight nearly imperceptible shake of his head. She also noticed that it was, in fact, a sword that was fastened to the man's back, its silver hilt thrusting up just past the man's right shoulder. Without pause she reached out and grasped the man's left shoulder to avoid the sword, unheeding of the fact that it was covered in a wet warmth she would later realize was blood. With a sharp pull she turned MIB's top killer about to face her. "There were innocents in there!"

The hair was the same unruly mass of black strands that she recalled but the face was far older, more worn than it should have been given its twenty-seven years. There was a jagged scar that ran from the hairline directly above his left eye all the way down to his jaw bone, broken only by the black patch that covered the area where his left eye should have been.

The one remaining eye regarded her dispassionately for a long moment before glancing back the way he had come only to return once more, an emerald orb that seemed to shine with a soft inner light all its own. "Not anymore," he said in a whisper of a voice before turning away and slipping into the back seat of a waiting SUV which quickly sped away.

Hermione watched the retreating tail lights of the vehicle, frozen in shock and disbelief. Finally she gave voice to the one thing that kept echoing within her mind, "Harry?"