Part Ten
The creature, known as ‘Project 314’ made its way through the winding tunnels of the Sunnydale underground. The demon prey had fled quickly, scurrying into the darkness, like a roach from the light.
The creature stopped and took a long, deep breath, taking in all the foul odors of the dank tunnels. Yes. It could smell the prey, and was hungry for the kill. Somewhere in the back of its brain, 314 wondered why it felt the urge to destroy this scent. Why did it need to kill? The creature tried to remember a time in which it didn’t have this urge, and found it couldn’t. From the moment it was (born?), it knew only one thing...
Destroy all demons.
Sounds of movement came from every direction, and the scent many demons wafted from the adjacent corridors. So, they were separating. How fortunate. It would make the hunt that much more enjoyable. 314’s only dilemma was...which scent to follow first.
****** Sharna was the first to hear the light padding of a stalking predator, “Something’s coming,” she whispered, crouching into a defensive posture.
“Where?” Riley asked, looking around, “I can’t hear...” He stopped in mid sentence when he heard a low growl.
They heard a shuffle, and braced for the attack, when a figure jumped out from behind the archway.
“SPIKE?!” Buffy shouted, jumping back a step, “JESUS! Are you trying to get yourself staked?! Don’t answer that. What are you doing here? I thought you would have been far from this as possible.”
“Yeah,” the blond vampire shrugged, “I figure since demons are the only thing I can knock around, I might be useful. If not, getting my head ripped off by a maniacal demon would be better than living like this.” He gave a long hard glare at Riley, who shook his head.
“If you weren’t evil-” the young man began.
“Oh I see,” Spike huffed, “So because I’m evil, I get to be tortured. But it’s not okay for me to torment anyone else. What’s wrong with this?”
“You know,” Buffy scowled at the two men, “I could just as easily stake the both of you. If you hadn’t noticed, we still have a major bad guy to fight, and bickering isn’t going to help matters. Unless you wanted to entertain it.”
Buffy noticed Sharna listening closely to the doorway. The demoness had a concerned look on her face, “What is it?” The Slayer asked.
“I’m not sure,” Sharna answered truthfully, “but I think 314 is moving away.”
“Well lookie that,” Spike smiled, “Looks like the bickering ploy worked. It was so bored, it decided not to kill us.”
“Or,” Buffy whispered, “it’s trying to find easier prey.”
“The others!” Riley shouted.
Buffy motioned to Sharna, who began to move toward the doorway, “You can hear it...lead the way.”
***** “Are you sure we’re going the right way?” Xander whispered to Willow, “All these tunnels look alike.”
“Yeah,” she nodded, “I’m pretty sure. Besides, Frank said he knows the way out.”
“And you’re going to trust a demon named Frank?”
“Well....” Willow paused. Suddenly the hairs on the back of her neck stood up.
“Wills?”
Before anyone could react, a tremendous growl was heard in the back of the group. Xander, Willow and Anya turned around to see 314 tear into several demons that had lagged behind. The cries of agony were deafening. Panic began to overwhelm the group, sending the demons fleeing into the corridors, blindly.
“Come on!” Xander shouted to Willow, as he grabbed a hold of Anya, “We’ve got to get out of here! NOW!”
As they raced down the corridors, Willow could hear the primal growls of the creature, mixing with the terrified screams of the unfortunate victims. Suddenly, she came to a screeching halt.
They hit a dead end!
“Oh my god!” Anya shouted, gripping onto Xander’s arm, “We’re trapped!”
“No!” Willow planted her feet in front of the huddled masses. She closed her eyes and began to chant.
“What is she doing?” Xander asked, hearing the rapidly approaching killer.
“Casting a spell,” Anya replied.
“Are we just going to stand here and let this thing kill us?” a young Commando demanded.
“Give her a chance,” Xander instructed.
“We don’t have a chance!” the Commando pointed to the figure lunging for them.
Just as 314 was about to reach them, a flicker of light illuminated the room in front of them. The creature bounced back from the shield, landing hard on the cold, stone ground.
“A shield of Protection,” Anya nodded with a smile, “Wow, I’m impressed. It takes a lot of magical energy to create a spell like this...not to mention maintaining it.”
“Um...” Xander motioned at the flickering light, “I don’t think this is going to hold.”
Anya noticed Willow straining to keep control over the shield that was their only protection. Without hesitation, she reached out and took Willow’s hand.
“What are you doing?” Xander asked his girlfriend, as the light flickered and grew stronger.
“She needs more magical energy,” Anya said, strained, “We...can’t hold...this for...long. Help!”
314 paced back an forth like a Panther waiting to pounce on it’s prey. It knew if it waited long enough, the beasts will tired. And when they did...
Several demons, of various races, stepped forward and took the two girls’ hands. Suddenly, the weak prey grew stronger, taking away any hopes the creature had for the kill. It would have to look somewhere else.
****** Buffy, Riley, Sharna and Spike followed the trail of demon corpse down the tunnels. A feeling of dread sat in the Slayer’s stomach. For every body they passed, she wondered if she would eventually come across her friends laying there as well. She should have never allowed them to help her. She should have insisted they hide somewhere. Now, they could be dead.
And it would be her fault.
“Wills?” Buffy sighed with relief at the sight of her friend. They were safe, behind a... “What is this?” She said touching the magical field.
“This is cool,” Riley replied.
“Yeah,” Spike said, with less enthusiasm, “real Star Trek like.”
The moment Willow opened her eyes, the energy field dissipated, leaving a very exhausted witch. She fell to the ground, too tired to stand, “We...did...it. 314...is....gone?”
Buffy ran to her aid, kneeling next to her, “We didn’t pass it in the tunnels, so I’m thinking it’s long gone.”
“It’s been about five minutes, I think,” one of the Commandos said, “That was amazing! I never thought magic was real. But now...”
Buffy frowned. If she didn’t pass 314 in the halls, and it wasn’t here...then where did it go? “The children!” Buffy leaped to her feet, “Damnit! It’s after the kids!”
“Well,” Anya reasoned, “all they have to do is create a protection spell...”
Buffy shook her head, “The only one who knows magic is Giles, and he doesn’t have the powers of a witch. They’ll be defenseless!”
****** Giles pushed open the crypt door. Cool, night air filled their lungs, as the emerged from the bowls of the earth. They made it! They made it to the surface! Now, all they had to do is find a place to hunker down and wait out the storm....and hope that Buffy would be victorious.
“We can go back to the compound,” Maggie suggested. Seeing the look of distrust on Giles’ face, she quickly added, “I assure you, just to keep us safe. I won’t let anyone hurt these children.”
“How can you promise that?” Giles countered, “We’ll be going into the lion’s den. And you’ll be leading us there.”
“It’s the safest place I can think of,” she argued, “314 won’t be able to reach us there.”
“TOO LATE!” Forrest shouted, aiming his TAZER at the charging demon.
The three other Commandos followed his lead, taking up a defensive position in front of the children. Not long ago, they would have used the very same weapons on the children they now swore to protect.
The first Commando fell, shortly after the energy streams struck the demon. Forrest knew that their weapons would be pretty much useless against 314, but he had hoped they could slow it down a little more than they did. He and the two remaining Commandos rolled out of the way, taking up new positions, and continuing their attack.
Giles and Maggie ushered the children further away from the battle, trying to keep the demon from spotting them, and knowing that when the last Commando fell, they would be next.
“Where are you going?!” Giles shouted at Professor Walsh, as she raced off to Forrest and 314. He looked at Maggie, then back at the children, and sighed, “Oh, bloody hell.” Pointing to one of the older ones, he instructed, “Watch the younger ones. If things go badly, run....as far and as fast as you can. Okay?”
The older girl nodded, trying not to show her fear, as the brave human ran off to his certain death.
Maggie reached the battle just in time to see only Forrest left standing. He was prepared to die. Die for the Initiative. Die for what he believed in.
Die for her.
“Stop!” she shouted, holding up her hands.
To their amazement, 314 stopped.
“That’s it,” she said in a soothing voice, “That’s good. Do you remember me?” She reached into her coat pocket, and took out a large hypodermic needle. Concealing it next to her, she continued to cautiously approach the creature.
314 cocked its head and looked at the approaching female. Something seemed familiar about her. Her walk. Her voice. Her hair.
Her scent.
“You smell of demon,” the creature spoke, reaching out and striking her down with one powerful swipe.
“NO!!!” Riley shouted, as he and the others finally made it to the surface. He reached the scene just as Professor Maggie Walsh slumped to the ground...dead.
314 looked dispassionately down at the still form of the Professor. He felt better after killing another demon, but he wanted more. Much more. The over powering urge to kill began to take control over the creature, until its only focus was not on the approaching danger of Buffy and her friends, but...
“Giles!” Buffy shouted, waving her arms, “The kids! Get them out of here!”
Giles’ eyes widened, as every muscle in his body tensed. His reaction was instant. The Watcher turned and ran toward the frightened children, trying to out race the rushing demon. He could hear the shouting of Buffy and the others, see the panic on the children’s faces, and fell the ever looming presence of 314, as neared.
“GO!” he shouted to the kids, “Get into that mausoleum!” He pointed to another crypt that was about twenty feet from the huddled children. He watched the small demons turn to run toward their only possible sanctuary, and sighed with a small amount of relief.
But 314 was almost on top of him!
Suddenly, Giles saw Willow race up to him, gabbing his hand. As the two turned around and faced the charging demon, he felt a strong magical energy pass through his body from hers. He shuddered, half from fear, half from the powerful feeling that shook his body. Then, without warning, Willow raised her hand, sending the demon flying backwards onto the ground.
Giles turned in amazement at the young witch, who looked up at him with a weary smile, “I don’t think I want to do anymore magic for a little while,” she sighed, before collapsing in his arms.
314 stood up and shook its head. It didn’t know exactly how it landed on the floor, except for the sensation of invisible hands pushing it away, but it did know that this wasn’t going to happen again.
“Giles! Willow!” Buffy, shouted, kicking the demon in the back, and sending it flying forward, “Get out of the way!”
The large creature stood up again and whirled around to face its attacker, “Unclean.” it said, sniffing the air, “You have the scent of demons.”
Giles scooped an exhausted Willow in his arms, and scrambled over to Xander and Anya, as the final battle begun.
****** Buffy knew that her only element of surprise was with that kick. Now, she had to rely on Sharna, Riley and...Spike, to help her overwhelm the demon.
“Stay away from its claws!” Buffy instructed, holding her bloody arm, as a result of getting too close to the demon.
“We can’t get close to it, period,” Riley puffed, dodging out of the way, “How are we supposed to kill this thing.”
“We need to distract it,” Buffy said, blocking a blow from 314, “If someone can distract it long enough, I might be able to get behind it.”
“We’ve, bloody well tried,” Spike growl, “and I’m not going to commit suicide for anyone.”
“Gee Spike,” Buffy snotted, “And I was so hoping you would commit a selfless act of bravery. JUST KEEP IT BUSY!”
Every time she tried to slip in behind 314, the demon spun around with its claws swinging. “It’s too fast!” Riley said, “It’s like this thing has eyes in the back of its head. We need to do something else.”
Sharna, who had be silently fighting the creature, paused. “I know what to do.”
“What-” was all Buffy managed to get out, when the cat-demon let out a furious growl and leaped at 314.
****** “Sharna, no!” Giles shouted, trying to struggle out of the grasp of his friends, “Let go of me!”
“Giles, don’t,” Xander said, fighting with all his might to hold onto the watcher.
“No!” insisted, “That thing is going to kill her! Let me go!”
“Giles,” Willow soothed, taking his hand and looking into his hazel eyes.
The Watcher stopped struggling and sat down on the cold, damp grass.
****** It was demon against demon, in a battle, Sharna had no chance of winning. She slashed, bit and punched 314, with a raw violence only seen in the wild. But even with all her efforts, she was no match against the demon. She did, however, manage to do one thing...distract the creature.
As the powerful claws ripped into her stomach, lifting her off the ground, Sharna choked out, “Now....finish...this!”
Buffy saw her opportunity. With the demon’s full attention on Sharna, the Slayer was finally able to get in behind it. Leaping onto its back, she drove the long metal pick underneath the head plate, driving it deep into its brain.
The world was going black for the once indestructible creature. It released Sharna from its grasp, and staggered backward. Every thing it knew was fading from its mind, blurring into only one thought...
It was dying.
“Demons....d-”
314’s eyes glazed over, as it tumble face forward onto the ground. Dead, at last.
****** The moment the creature was silent, Giles raced over to Sharna, who was lying where the demon dropped her. “You’ll be fine,” he tried to reassure her, holding her blood soaked body in his arms, “Just hang on.”
“No...” Sharna gasped, through the blood that flowed from the corners of her mouth, “not...this...time.” She struggled to turn her head, and face Buffy, “It...was...an...honor...”
Buffy kneeled down by the fallen demon and took her hand, “The honor was all mine...believe me.”
Sharna gasped in pain, griping onto Giles’ hand for a moment before releasing it. “I...would have...liked to...have known you...better...Rupert...Giles-”
Giles held onto her a few minutes, even after she died, “I would have liked to have known you better, too,” he whispered, hoping that somehow she might hear it, but knowing she didn’t.
The demon warrior died as she had lived...bravely.
And many would mourn her passing.
****** Life had gotten somewhat back to normal in Sunnydale...or at least as normal as it could on the Hellmouth. The many demons that Buffy and the others encountered in the tunnels, once more disappeared into the population of the tiny town; their truce with the Slayer, forgotten.
Now, it was a time to honor the dead...and to rebuild their lives.
Giles sat alone in his apartment, nursing a drink. He thought about everything....and about nothing, trying to dull the pain, and sense of shame he had for his kind. Human kind. If it wasn’t for their fear of the unknown, there would never have been the need to create 314. And so many people wouldn’t have died so needlessly.
He was so wrapped up in his thoughts, he didn’t notice the two figures standing before him.
“Giles?” Willow said, placing her hand on his shoulder.
The Watcher turned around and noticed a small demon next to her. It was Teela, wide eyed, yet no longer afraid. “Willow. Teela. What are you two doing here?”
Willow looked at the sorrow in his eyes and sighed, “I was going to come over anyway to see how you are, and I met Teela on my way. She wanted to talk to you.”
“Talk?” Giles looked at the child, confused, “But I don’t understand-”
“I wanted to thank you,” the tiny demon smiled, placing her small hand on his cheek. Any hint of her native tongue was completely gone. “Don’t be sad. It was Sharna’s destiny to give her life to save the others. She died as she should have.”
“I don’t understand this,” Giles shook his head, “the last time I saw you, you-”
“I could always speak your language,” the demon explained, “I wanted to see if you are the one I dreamed about.”
Giles mind was in a fog, “What are you talking about? You dreamed about me?”
“You still have to fulfill your destiny,” she continued, “You will have many trials and hardships ahead of you....but I think you will do just fine.”
“Hardships?”
“This battle was won,” Teela said, walking over to the door, “But the war is only beginning.”
Before he could ask her anymore questions, Teela slipped out the door into the night.
“What did she mean, the war is only beginning?” Willow asked.
****** They met behind closed doors, and away from prying eyes. Men in Army uniforms. Men of importance. Men with agendas...
“314 was a complete disaster!” Major Thomas Winters shouted at the group, “We lost a project head...and the project! Not to mention the major breach in security-”
“Major,” Colonel McNamara stood up, “That will be enough!”
“But Professor Walsh-”
“Was expendable,” McNamara countered, “She knew that when she took the job.”
“That’s a pretty cold thing to say,” Winters huffed, “Sir.”
“War is hell, Major,” the Colonel said, simply, “and we are waging a war here.”
“But we lost 314,” Winters pointed out, “and even if we didn’t, the creature was uncontrollable...”
“Minor setback,” the Colonel said, “One in which we’ll fix the next time.”
“Next time?”
Colonel McNamara, walked over and handed a file to the Major, “We might have lost 314, but we still have all of Professor Walsh’s files. We will learn from our mistakes, and create a better soldier.”
As the group disbanded, Colonel McNamara stood alone in the “War Room” looking at the field report from the past several days.
Deceased: Nine Initiative solders
Deceased: One Project Leader
Missing: Eight Hostiles
Deceased: Twelve Hostiles
He stood up and walked over to the door. Turning off the light, he smiled, “All in all, I would call this project a success.”
The End....or is it?
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