Game Date: 2001.12.31

New Year's Eve - Chris and Helena

Christmas with Mom and Dad had been great. Family gatherings can be so peaceful especially if they don't know that you're a paranormal. Now he found himself back in San Francisco and his family was a whole country away.

The base was quiet since none of the other Wardens were there, so Chris decided to go out for New Year's Eve. He knew how New York celebrated and he knew how Saint Augustine celebrated. Now he was going to find out how San Francisco celebrated New Year's Eve.

Chris dressed up in a green Sinan Sakic t-shirt, black jeans, a Black Watch cap, black high tops and black jean jacket. It was the t-shirt that was supposed to be the attention getter. Chris wanted to see how much San Franciscans knew about Bosnian singers and Sinan was his mom's favorite.

Chris took one of the tour boats to the mainland. Once at the wharf, he decided to take the bus and get acquainted with the bay area's public transportation system. Besides, maybe there would be an opportunity to fight a little crime as there were crowds everywhere. Easy pickings for the professional criminals. Chris shrugged away his last thoughts. No, tonight was for partying, crime-fighting would have to take a backseat at least for one evening. It was New Year's Eve and there were pretty women out and about. After all, Chris thought, there had to be a law somewhere that said when one of the good guys goes partying incognito, he gets the girl.

The bus was filled with happy people either going out or going home to party. If there was someone that got depressed or was lonely during holidays, he certainty wasn't on this bus. Even the bus driver was in a cheerful mood. It almost seemed like the bus rides on the way to a field trip. Minus all the school kid tricks, of course. Chris reflected on those long ago school days and smiled. Silly string was awesome.

Chris looked up from his reverie just in time to see a quartet of attractive women boarding the bus. The first to board was a petite brunette with shoulder-length hair framing a heart shaped face. She had a small bosom with voluptuous hips and was wearing a red turtleneck sweater, white slacks and high red boots. Next came a slender girl with short blonde hair surrounding a long narrow face with prominent cheekbones. She had nice round breasts with slender hips and was wearing a brown flannel shirt, blue jeans and white sneakers. Third was a tall, raven haired woman with shoulder-length hair and a round face. She had perky breasts with a small waist that flared out into nicely rounded hips and was wearing a blue Cal football jersey, black jeans and green high tops. Last onboard was a brilliant redhead with hair a little past her shoulders with fair skin, high cheekbones and a bow-shaped mouth. She had small breasts and average-sized hips and was wearing a black jacket, brown slacks and wingtips. The quartet sat down together and started talking amongst themselves. Chris quickly decided that whatever club they were headed for would be his destination as well. It didn't occur to him until after he had followed them off the bus that they might not be going to a club.

Fortunately for Chris, they were going to a club. He followed them into the Green Dragon, a small hole-in-the-wall place. It looked like it would normally be a quiet neighborhood pub but tonight it was wall-to-wall people. In the press of humanity, he almost literally ran over the redhead. She was alone. She must have gotten separated from her friends.

"Sorry," he said apologetically.

"No problem," she replied as she turned to face him.

Up close, she was even more attractive that she had appeared on the bus. Her fair skin had no hint of the freckles usually associated with redheads and her sea green eyes were mesmerizing. Chris thought, I could definitely go for this.

"Is it always this crowded in here?" asked Chris.

"I don't know," replied the redhead. "This is the first time I've been here."

"My name is Chris. What's yours?"

"Helena."

Further conversation revealed she worked in a bookstore near the University of San Francisco. She was working there to gain experience and hoped to one day have a bookstore of her own.

This looks promising, thought Chris.

"I can't seem to find my friends," she said.

"Don't worry," said Chris. "This bar is too small for them to have gone too far. I'll stay with you until you find them."

She asked him if he was single and employed. Chris smiled and replied, "Guilty on both counts." His reply brought a smile to Helena's face. "That's not a bad thing," She said. "What do you do?"

"I'm a consultant for the Alcatraz Foundation."

"What do you do exactly?"

"I study criminal patterns and paranormal threats, then I give my analysis so the Wardens can direct an appropriate response."

"Sounds interesting."

"It is."

"So, what do you think about paranormals?" inquired Helena.

"I think that there are good ones and bad ones. If you can feed the good ones the right information, the bad ones can be contained."

"I see. You must have an exciting life."

"I feel good about it. I get to help the good guys help keep the people in this part of the world safe."

As their conversation continued late into the evening, it became apparent to Chris that Helena liked him. He certainly liked her. She seemed like someone he definitely wanted to get to know better.

When the clock struck midnight, Chris gave Helena a deep, passionate New Year's kiss.

Shortly after midnight, Helena and Chris found her friends and introductions were made. The petite brunette was Kevin, the blonde was Bridie and the raven haired girl was named Joey.

After a little small talk, the girls decided it was time to call it a night. When they declined Chris' offer to see them safely to their homes, he called and paid for a cab for the girls.

The night had turned into a truly wonderful evening and the phone number in his pocket was an added bonus. Chris was feeling so good he didn't need a bus home, instead, he ran.

His euphoria was so great that he barely noticed subduing the mugger attacking the older lady. The mugger certainly noticed. When the police arrived, the lady told them about the cheerful young man who saved her. He seemed to be floating on air. She smiled as she remembered the kiss the young man gave her before he ran away into the night.