“This is getting us nowhere,” Anya complained as she leafed through another book. “Angel’s gone all let’s-bring-back-the-iron-maiden on us, Giles and Wesley are god knows where trying to get the Council on the phone, Spike and Faith are missing, and Buffy’s a vampire. And she keeps looking at me.”
“You talk to much,” Buffy told her. “Always did. I’m thinking of all the things I could use when I cut out your tongue. So far I’ve got thirty-three.”
Anya shuddered and turned back to her book.
“I second Anya’s complaint,” Cordelia chimed in. “It’s been hours since they all disappeared and we’ve got nothing to go on. And I’m hungry. Doesn’t this place have a kitchen?”
“I’m still stuck on the idea that there’s a castle in California,” Xander told them, blowing dust off of the fireplace mantle. “I mean, who knew?”
Oz looked around the room. “I like it. It’s rustic. Kinda First Knight meets The Mask of Zorro.”
“Actually, this really isn’t a castle, Angel was right,” Giles said as he and Wesley walked back into the room. “When the Spaniards first settled here they built giant fortresses for homes. This is one of them. And I would imagine that it is preserved under some sort of historical act…though how Laren and Darla came into possession of it I have no idea.”
“Can I still call it a castle?” Xander asked meekly.
The Watcher’s ignored him. “We’ve just gotten off the phone with the Council.”
“And?” Gunn asked.
“It seems that yes, there is a double-agent in the Council and that they have in fact identified her,” Wesley said, cleaning his glasses.
“Damn!” Cordelia exclaimed and slipped Gunn a five-dollar bill. “I bet that Giles would be the first of you two to clean your glasses when you came back. It’s a ‘look at us we’re British and we’ve got news’ thing you two do,” she explained off their curious looks.
The Watchers rolled their eyes. “If I may continue,” Wesley said, his accent becoming just a tad bit thicker, “Rebecca Debrauy has been under watch for sometime now.”
“The Watcher was being watched?” Xander quipped. “How very 10 of you guys.”
“It seems Ms. Debrauy has ended her love affair with the Council, and the side of good, for that matter. She does not yet know that the Council is aware of her actions but we are assured that they will be apprehending her, and dealing with her, this very evening,” Wesley continued.
“You couldn’t be more wrong about that, I’m afraid, Mr. Wyndam-Price,” a voice came from behind them. “She’s quite aware. To the point that she left England and traveled here, as scheduled, to meet with her accomplices. Imagine her disappointment to find that they’d been captured, and that her family’s home is now the stomping ground for…you all,” she said, distaste in her last words.
The group turned to face the newcomer, Gunn, Oz and Xander instinctively moving in front. It was a woman with shoulder length red hair dressed in a navy business pants suit.
“Oh my God it’s Scully!” Xander cried out without thinking.
Giles threw him a look of contempt. “Ms. Debrauy, I presume,” he said through gritted teeth.
The woman smiled. “Very good! And you’d be Mr. Giles,” the rogue Watcher guessed. “My, my…between the two of you it seems you just can’t keep bad things from happening to your Slayers.”
“It’s shameful,” Buffy chimed in, only to be given a withering glance from the female Watcher. “Jeez…I was just sayin’…”
“It was stupid of you to come here,” Wesley told her, “we know who you are and what you’ve been doing. The lives you’ve cost, the spells you’ve performed. We’re not going to let you leave here.”
The redhead cocked an eyebrow saucily. “Really? How…very non-threatening.”
“He—he’s right!” Anya cried. “We know all about you and how to stop you! And we’ve got weapons…and witches! Right, Willow? Witches?” Willow was unresponsive, staring ahead at nothing. “Willow?”
Rebecca ignored her. Holding a hand up she blew a powder that quickly rose and began to thicken, spreading over the room. “Malichi osperus sempate marchoo!” she hissed and the powder began to descend, swirling around the Scoobies. They dropped to the floor, unconscious, one after the other.
Rebecca walked forward after the haze lightened. “Guess you don’t know everything I’ve been up to,” she said, toeing Wesley lightly. Turning she called out, “Take them away.” Guards appeared behind her and began dragging the Scoobies out of the room and down to the dungeon.
***
Spike.
Spike looked up and around him. “You say something?” he asked Faith.
She looked at him strangely and shook her head.
Spike, it’s Willow.
Spike rolled his eyes. “Yeah, right, Red…sorry…I forget. What’s up?” he said out loud.
“Dude, what the hell are you doing?” Faith asked.
“It’s the Wicca. She can talk to you…telepathy type thing. She’s tuning into my frequency. Yeah, go ahead luv, breaker breaker,” he said to the air.
Spike, we found out who the Watcher is. The one who’s helping Darla. She’s here. She’s upstairs with us. I have a bad feeling about this. Get up here. Bring Angel.
Spike’s expression steeled. “On our way,” he told her. “We gotta go, company upstairs.” He pounded on the door to Laren’s cell. “Angel! Chop chop…trouble upstairs!” he called.
A moment later the door opened. “What?”
“Willow…she’s talking to my head,” he said, thumping his skull. “Says that bogus-Watcher’s upstairs…thinks it might be bad. Wants us to come help out,” he told them and they took the stairs two at a time.
Spike…it’s too late. Magic…she’s doing magic…we’re…
“Willow!” he shouted. “What? What’s going on?”
Get out…get out of here…
“Willow?!” he cried.
“What?” Faith asked him, her eyes round and full of worry. “What’s going on?”
Spike banged his head with his fist. “Damn thing’s shorting out. She got real faint…said ‘she’s doing magic, it’s too late.’ Said we need to get out.”
“Who’s doing magic? Willow?” Faith asked.
Spike shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
“I’m not leaving,” Angel told him.
“No way in hell,” Spike agreed.
The sound of footsteps, lots of them, came from the top of the winding stairwell. “Looks like the party’s moving downstairs,” Faith said, apprehensive. “What’s the plan guys?”
Angel paused for a moment, then headed back down the stairs. “We can’t get trapped down here…look for a way out,” he shouted to them. “Up to the main floor.”
“All I see is a window, mate…and it’s looking an awful lot like daylight out there. Not so much a problem for you two, but…” Spike told him, pointing to a window at the far end of the hall.
The three exchanged glances. “I’m not one to run from a fight,” Faith said.
“Faith, listen to those footsteps. There’s more than just a few of them. We need to get out of here before they come down…where we’re trapped…in a dungeon,” Angel stressed.
“Right then, you two, out the window,” Spike decided, dragging Faith by her arm.
“Hey! Get off me!”
“Spike, we can’t just leave you down here,” Angel told him.
“Sure you can. I’m resourceful. You two get out and get upstairs, find out what’s the skinny. Locate the others.”
“Not going to be a problem,” Faith said as the first of the guards appeared dragging an unconscious Gunn with them.
“Go!” Spike ordered, pushing open the wooden plank that covered the window. “It’s no good if we all get dead.”
Faith cast an eye at Angel and boosted herself up and out. Angel hesitated, his eyes on Willow as they drug her body downstairs, but turned and followed Faith out of the dungeon and into the morning light.
Rebecca appeared a moment later as the guards finished chaining up the Scoobies in separate cells. “Well now…let’s see what we’ve got down here.” She walked to Laren’s chamber and opened the door to find the vampiress’ facing the wall, shaking in pain.
“No…no more, Angelus…I know nothing,” she begged.
“Oh my,” Rebecca said, looking down at the burned skin of her cohort. “Someone had a nasty accident.”
Laren tried to shift but in the end only managed to turn her head. “Rebecca?” she asked hopefully.
“Dear cousin…I’m here now. I’ll make everything better.”
“Rebecca…get me out of here…get me Angelus. I need to make him pay.”
“All in good time,” her cousin said lightly, as a guard unshackled the vampire. “Can you walk?”
Laren tested her legs and nodded. “I’m going to kill that bitch of his,” she hissed.
“I suspect that yes, you will.”
“But first I’m going to kill Darla.”
“That, I’m afraid, I can not allow,” Rebecca said, laying a hand on Laren’s arm.
The vampire looked to her in shock. “Why not?”
“She is needed, for the time being. The spell…to change the Slayer and to turn Angelus…the sire is a necessity. But I promise you, she will pay.” Rebecca helped her cousin out of the cell and ordered the guards to take her to rest. “Watch her well. Angelus was not with the others. He will no doubt try a rescue attempt. In fact, I’m counting on it.” The guards nodded and escorted Laren upstairs.
Turning on her heel Rebecca walked to Darla’s cell and opened the door. The broken and battered vampire sat on the floor, legs in front of her, arms held above her head by chains.
“You’ve looked better,” Rebecca remarked, surveying the beautiful blonde.
“I’m sure I have,” Darla said, grimacing.
“Let’s see what we can do to get you out of these chains.” She walked forward and held out a key ring, jangling the metal keys as she went. “Such conditions! And your face…well, you heal quickly.”
“That boy…he’s going to pay for this,” Darla seethed.
Rebecca smiled to herself. “That sentiment is going around.”
“But first…that girl…the other Slayer. I’m going to drink her dry.”
“Other Slay—Faith? Faith is here?” Rebecca gasped.
Darla, now freed, stood up gingerly. “Yes. She came in and took over, knocking Buffy out. I was later used as her personal toy.”
Rebecca looked dismayed. “I hadn’t planned on this. They sent her here to stop me.”
Darla rubbed at her chaffed wrists. “So? We’re together now. The three of us can handle this. Did you manage to kill any of them on your way?”
“The ones we found are in chains now, including Ms. Summers. Faith was not among their group, neither was Angelus.”
Darla cocked an eyebrow. “Show me,” she demanded.
Rebecca complied and the two women walked out of the cell and into the main hall, unaware that a pair of piercing blue eyes was watching them. Darla checked each cell through the window in the door then turned to the Watcher. “Spike is missing. Dear William the Bloody. He must have escaped with Angelus and that other Slayer.”
“Dear me…all these players,” Rebecca tsked. “I must say, I hadn’t anticipated them."
“I told you the Slayer had friends. This was is different. You should know that, Watcher.”
“Don’t get testy, Darla. I’ve had an awfully long flight with equally awful cocktails. No one can mix a proper Manhattan anymore, it’s disgraceful. Well, no matter. So the Slayer has friends. We have most of them in cages now. The ones that are missing will be dealt with. In fact…taking out two Slayers is much better than just one, don’t you agree?”
“You really have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into, Rebecca,” Darla told her as they headed upstairs.
“Guards,” Rebecca snapped. “Six of you, stay. Keep them quiet.”
From his hiding place Spike cursed under his breath.
***
Outside the house Faith and Angel were in the woods, frantically trying to come up with a plan.
“We can’t just storm the gates, we’ll get slaughtered. Even at our best, we can’t possibly rescue all six eight of them, nine if you count Spike, get the cure and turn Buffy back all by ourselves,” Faith told him.
Angel paced. “I know, I know,” he muttered. “I don’t like leaving Spike in there. We can use him.”
Faith looked up at the sun, now high overhead. “Not with this weather we’re having. Bright sunny days take it right outta vamps, if you don’t remember.”
Angel spared her a light-hearted glare and returned to pacing. “There are guards…and Laren, Darla, and that Watcher.”
“And we’re a Slayer down,” Faith reminded him.
“You’re not helping.”
“Sorry, sorry…”
“Obviously the Watcher knows some magic…or has someone with her who does. Spike said Willow told him she was using magic…and then she was out.”
“So not only does she have the backing of the entire vamp army, but she’s also toting witchy firepower. Well…ok, we’ve got a witch on our team. Willow can just do some alacazam stuff and get them all out. Then there’s ten of us.”
Angel didn’t look convinced as he stopped pacing and sat next to her on a log. “Maybe. She was weak before from using powerful magics…being knocked unconscious probably isn’t going to restore her strength like regular rest would.”
They sat in silence for a minute before Faith sighed. “So right now we’re screwed.”
Angel didn’t disagree.
“What do you want to do? If we have no plan, I vote we crash the party again. I’d rather go out fighting for them than just sitting here catching rays and listening to the birds sing.”
He glanced up at the mansion before meeting her eyes. “We’re staying put for now. We’ll think of a plan. Nightfall will be a little while and then we’ll have Spike.”
Faith turned to the mansion, shading her eyes to see it better. “You’re the boss,” she said after a moment.
***
“Damn it, damn it, damn bloody it,” Spike growled to himself as he crouched, hidden for the most part behind some barrels about ninety feet from where the guards stood. There’s no way to get past them and I’m getting a cramp. He shifted a little, letting a stream of curses fly in his mind when the movement made a scraping noise on the stone floor. A guard turned in his direction but quickly decided it was nothing and turned away again.
Just go, Angel, Faith…I’ll be fine…I’m resourceful, he mocked himself. Nothing gets past big bad Spike…of course I can take on six guards by myself, what do you think I am? A pansy?
How long had he been here? Hours? Yeah, way to be a super-hero. Hiding-Man. That’s me.
Spike.
He about jumped out his skin at the intrusion in his head.
Bleedin’ Christ, Willow, you’ve got to get a doorbell on this thing, he hissed back at her.
Sorry. Where are you? I’ve got everyone else…we’re all locked up.
He glanced at the guards. I’m…coming up with a plan.
Oh…good. Where are you? Are you locked up too?
No. I got your message, told Angel and the spitfire. Watched the guards draggin’ your sorry asses down here…I sent Angel and the Slayer outside. Haven’t heard from them since.
Okay. Where are you?
Spike looked around him and his sorry circumstances. Rolling his eyes he answered her. I’m about ninety feet from the guards watchin’ over you, hiding behind some barrels, as I have been for a few hours now. Got numb legs and I don’t even have circulation. You lot got any bright ideas?
Actually, yes. And where you are is perfect. I’m going to cause a distraction. That’s your cue.
My cue to what?
Well…to save us.
Spike groaned inwardly. Great, he thought, forgetting for a second that she could hear his thoughts.
Hey…you can just stay there until they find you, if that’s what you want, Willow chastised him.
He rolled his eyes. No, no. Just make it quick. Hiding isn’t exactly my forte.
Just be ready, she told him.
A moment later Willow walked down the hall, breezing past Spike as she smiled at him, waving. “Hey, you guys! Missed me!” she called, then ran past them up the stairs. Four of the guards looked at each other and took off after her.
What the hell is she doing? Spike thought, before leaping up and charging at the remaining two guards. He took them by surprise at least, as he swung at the first while dancing around the second. With a swift kick he was able to disarm the first one, the large staff the guard had been holding scattering across the floor. Turning on the other guard he took a punch to the gut but came back up with an underneath jab to the jaw that laid the guard out flat. Spinning he ducked another punch from the first guard and kicked out, knocking the guard off his feet. Grabbing the staff off the floor he plunged it into the guard’s chest, dusting him. Turning he dusted the other as well.
“I don’t like hiding,” he told the dust as it settled, then quickly moved to the cell doors, kicking the first one in.
Oz, Gunn and Wesley looked up at him in surprise. “Took you long enough,” Gunn said, holding out his shackled hands.
“I’m tired of springing you already,” Spike told him, looking around for something to break the locks with.
“Where are the others?” Wesley asked.
“Faith and Angel are outside, somewhere. I hid down here until super-wicca did the walkie-talkie thing in my head and then went running down the hall. You’re the first I’ve busted out.” His eyes fell on an ax and he grabbed it off the floor.
“Willow’s out there somewhere?” Oz asked, concerned.
Spike nodded and glanced at the werewolf worriedly before moving to stand before Gunn. “Put your arms up over your head,” he instructed.
Gunn did as he asked and closed his eyes. “I better have ten digits when you get done with this,” he warned.
“Don’t trust me?” Spike smirked.
“Cordy made me watch Titanic years ago,” Gunn told him as Spike swung the ax, cleanly breaking the shackles in two. In a moment he had Wesley and Oz freed and they moved to the next cell to find Cordelia, Anya and Xander. In the last cell they found Willow and Giles.
“Willow!” Oz cried, running into the room. “What…how?”
She smiled. “I projected myself out there. Ghost-me. I ducked in and out of rooms, separating them all and then came back to my body.”
“You can do all that but you couldn’t pick the locks on these chains?” Spike grumbled.
She shot him a look. “Sorry. I’ve got my limitations.”
“Whatever. Let’s just get out of here. There’s a window down the hall we can climb out of. Dark’s almost here,” Spike said, leading them out of the cell.
“But wait…what about Buffy?” Willow asked. “She wasn’t put with us. I don’t know where she is. I can’t get through to her head, she’s blocking me.”
“You can do that?” Xander asked. “Why didn’t someone tell me we could do that! I’ve wasted all these thoughts now…”
Spike stopped dead, ignoring Xander. “Find her,” he ordered and they immediately began opening cell-door windows.
“She’s not down here,” Giles concluded.
“You don’t think they staked her, do you?” Cordy asked, her eyes widening in fear.
Wesley shook his head certainly. “No. They wouldn’t dare. They need her right now, Darla does, to get to Angel. Without her there’s nothing preventing us from just staking the lot of them.”
“What do we do now?” Anya asked.
Spike took charge. “We get out and find Angel and Faith,” he ordered. “Allyoop,” he said, extending a hand to Cordelia.
The ex-cheerleader stepped up and climbed out the window, looking around once she was on her feet, Oz scrambling out behind her. One by one the rest of the group joined them, Spike staying in the shadows of the waning sunlight. Willow handed him a blanket and he promptly wrapped himself up tight.
“This way,” Oz said, sniffing the air. “They’re in the woods.”
“Follow his nose, it always knows,” Xander quipped as they took off running.