Giles frowned as he drove into town. He had been searching for a job for a couple months now. Ever since his falling out with the council he had been adrift. To be honest there was not a large market for former museum curators/librarians and Watcher of the Chosen One isn't exactly the sort of thing one would put on a resume.
That's what made the phone call he had received yesterday all the more interesting. Lady Lara Croft had called him personally and told him that she might have a job for him. That in itself wasn't so surprising. He had heard rumors that she was a Tomb Raider and that she had managed to piss off the Illuminati. As a former member of a secret society he knew that pissing off any secret society was a bad thing. Pissing off the Illuminati took the meaning of bad to a whole new level.
He had to admit that he was intrigued by anyone who managed to survive after accomplishing that feat. This is why he had agreed to meet with her. 'Well,' he admitted to himself, 'that and the fact that I am currently unemployed.'
But why Oxnard? Lady Croft had said she liked the atmosphere of one of the clubs in town. Giles failed to see what atmosphere that a club entitled "The Fabulous Ladies Night Club" could have.
As he pulled into the parking lot of the club he suddenly realized just exactly what this 'Ladies' club was. 'By God! It's a bloody strip club!' he thought to himself. 'There is no way in hell that I am going to let Buffy find out that I was interviewing for a job at a strip club!'
He walked in and immediately amended his thoughts. Not only was this a strip club. It was a strip club filled with MALE strippers! 'Buffy is either going to kill me when she finds out or she is going to ask why she wasn't invited.'
He forced himself to focus when he saw a beautiful raven haired woman at a table next to the stage gesture towards him.
"Lady Croft. I am pleased to meet your acquaintance."
"Please call me Lara and I am definitely not a Lady. Please have a seat Rupert you are just in time for my favorite act."
Giles immediately sat down and tried to situate himself so that he didn't have to look up onto the stage. While he might be here for an interview, he definitely did not feel the to need to watch the entertainment.
"So Lara, what may I do for you?"
"Well Rupert, I hear you are quite the expert on mythical artifacts."
"I do have a bit of expertise in that area yes"
"Recently, I had a run in with the Triangle of Light. Are you familiar with that particular item?"
At that moment the lights dimmed and music started playing making it virtually impossible for Giles to make himself heard. He took the time to think about where he had heard this term before.
"Well I do believe I have some knowled..."
"Shoosh this is my favorite part!" Lara exclaimed.
Indeed Giles figured that this was most of the ladies favorite part. All eyes were pointed towards the stage as if expecting the second coming of God to occur at any moment.
Suddenly the music lowered and the emcee could be heard.
"All right ladies! This is your lucky night! Here comes the Zeppo!"
'Zeppo?' Giles thought, 'But that sounds like one of ...'
Giles turned around just as the curtains opened and the dancer came out.
"XANDER!"