Imagine: The List
Fic posted by members of Vo's Imaginings YahooGroup

Author's Chapter Notes:
because i like being a huge, mean tease.

***

Tony grimaced at the elder guard that had called him up. "There's been no battles. There was an unconfirmed report that a school blew up but they said that was a static discharge and a gas leak."

The head of NCIS, Tom Morrow, grimaced. "You're sure? Nothing covert?"

"No, nothing. Not even Abby could find anything except that school thing. Though, they would not let her get into the files and the story was pulled after only a few hours."

"That sounds unusual."

"It is and there's no reports from any agency out there."

"Damn it," he muttered. "All right, do what you have to do, DiNozzo."

"I think he's on the move, I can feel him stronger now. So wherever he was somehow shielded him from us."

"There's not supposed to be any way to shield things from the search and calling."

"Yeah but apparently we're wrong. Is there anyone we could ask?"

"One of the Big Brained Ones."

"They're myths."

"No, I've heard from one of my fellow guards that one of your fellow guards found one on his military project."

"Interesting." He considered it. "Very interesting. Why go military?"

"Scientist. Astrophysicist to be exact."

"Do we have a name? Maybe more of their family is down here?"

"I have no idea."

"Damn." He walked off, thinking about it. He was done for the day. Even Gibbs was at home. Tony knew the local area and he might know someone who might have a clue so he went to see him. The club was nice looking, it was loud, but it made the guy money. For being a demon prince, it wasn't a bad gig. Better than his some days. He rubbed gently over his newest scar then put his hand down. "I need to see the Prince," he told the guards.

"He's not taking visitors."

"It's only a simple question and it's for the Search."

They stared at him while one called. That one nodded and they patted him down before letting him in. He walked in. "They're paranoid, did your ex come back?" he joked.

"DiNozzo," he said, sounding tired. "No, my son did."

"Ah." He sat down. "A question. Which you might not have the answer to but someone you know probably does. The heir was in a shielded place. He's out of it right now and we can feel him better but he's on the other coast. Though still slightly blocked from view. We can't get a firm feeling or vision of him."

"Shielded?"

"Yes. And we know he was in a battle recently but there's been none showing up anywhere."

"West coast?"

Tony nodded. "Why? Did you hear about the battle? Was it with one of our kind?"

"No, the kid was probably at the ascension that got stopped a few days back." Tony gaped in horror. "The hellmouth, Tony."

"The what?"

"Hellmouth. Thin spot between dimensions. It sits in this small town called Sunnydale. Has a slayer on it."

"Them I've heard of."

"She had to fight their former mayor the other day when he decided to change to a pure demon." Tony's mouth fell open. "From what I heard, the mayor's people shut down speculation pretty quickly."

"That gas explosion Abby found out about?"

"Yes." He sipped his drink, grinning some. "I'm surprised you guys didn't look for him there first. With that curse, I would've bet all three of his lives would've ended up there because it's likely it'd end really quickly."

"I didn't even know it existed. I can report that though. Thank you. Need help with your son?"

"If you want to arrest him."

"Is he a Marine? Or in the Navy?"

"No. Pity, he went Army." Tony wrote down a name and phone number, sliding it over. "Thanks, DiNozzo."

"No, thank you, that helped a whole hell of a lot." He winked and got up, going back to his car so he could drive home. He called his overseeing guard. "Morrow, DiNozzo. Hellmouth?" He listened to him spill about speculation. "That gas leak the other day was a slayer fighting off an ascending mayor. So he was probably at that." He smirked. "Yeah, the prince did. By the way, his son is in town."

He hung up, deciding to drive a bit faster. The others had to know! It was the first good lead they had! He was just graduated and that would give them better search areas, like colleges and military intakes. Hopefully. He finally parked and got out, heading upstairs to shed his clothes and drop into the meditative sharing state. He got all but Cam, who was closest. "Damn it," he muttered. "Cam!" He flickered but wasn't nearby. He told the others what he now knew. That would help them a lot. One promised to tell Cam once he got back from wherever and John when he got back from whenever. It could only help. They tried to reach out to him but he was still slightly shielded. He was definitely in lower California.

***

John and Cam faced down their sender about a year later. "My lady, it was necessary," John told her. "Or else everyone, including our heir, would have died. It would have spread to our people as well."

Cam nodded. "The gou'ald are an ancient enemy of ours as well as the humans'. The Ori coming are the same."

"The wraith in my section of space can feed on us just as well as they do humans," John agreed, rubbing his chest.

Cam patted him on the arm. "I saw that report."

"I don't want to think about it."

"The heir would appreciate such sentiments but we need you both on the search. You're closest to his area, Cam."

"Yes, ma'am, but he's back to being shielded again. So he's somewhere on the hellmouth or very close to it." She shuddered. "We have the feeling, and this is from rumors, that there's a few out there with unnatural skills, which could be his breaking out, who help the slayer. I can't get close enough to check."

"None of us can be on that dreaded town," she admitted. She considered them. "If we could find a way to confirm it is him I would be happier."

"If we can find out who or what is shielding him beyond that hellmouth, we'd all be happier," John told her. "I know when they found him the first time, he was still so shielded they couldn't get a clear lock on him. That speaks of magic or of the hellmouth trying to claim him."

"Either of which is bad for us," she said. "I can send a few of the younger ones that way. That is not a problem. They have been taking out their frustration by ending the worst of the hell spawn that come after people."

"With our heir's luck, they'd come after him too," John agreed. "Is there any way to get him off the hellmouth? Or is there any way to break that magical shielding on him?"

"I will ask but neither is good for us and our needs." She slumped. "Thank you, boys, and you have done a very good job. Even if Cam did nearly die from his noble deed."

Cam shrugged. "My duty is to protect our people. The gou'ald winning down here is not going to keep us safe."

"No, it will not. Keep us informed, boys." They nodded, bowed, and left. She went to talk to their scholars. That damned curse from his brother was annoying them all and worrying everyone but his brother's people.

***
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