Part Fourteen

"Giles!"

Rupert turned to the sound of Buffy's voice.

"What'cha doing here? I thought you were over at the docks?" She questioned as she hopped up onto a tombstone.

"There was not the first sign of activity down there." Rupert answered. "But I heard every emergency vehicle in Sunnydale pass with their sirens wailing and thought I would investigate."

"Yeah, I heard them too, about an hour ago. It wasn't nothing around here."

"I don't know where the disaster was, but I ended up a few blocks from here. So I decided.."

Buffy twisted her lip a bit. "So you thought you would come over and help me. You didn't need to because there's nothing here, zippo, natta, nuttin'. You could have just called me on the walkie-talkie."

Giles rolled his eyes slightly. "According to Mr. Conrad-Chaney, the less radio traffic the better." He said as he looked around the graveyard. "Still, this whole patrol seems to be an exercise in futility."

Her lip went a little higher as she looked away from him. "So we're going to call it a night and try again tomorrow? I'm sure you want to hurry back to the house and go to bed... with my mother."

Rupert stiffened and let out an annoyed exhale as the prospect of a replay of that morning reared its head. "I thought we had an understanding?"

"The only thing I understand is that I'm going to be in therapy for the rest of my life." She sniped. "First I catch you sneaking out of mom's room and..."

"I was not 'sneaking'!"

"...and then I find my mom's sweatshirt tossed behind the couch and..."

Giles raised his hand and interrupted her. "If I may quote your mother: 'deal with it'!"

Buffy's jaw dropped at the tone.

In a voice tinged with anger Rupert continued. "I find your mother appealing and I shall continue this relationship with or with your approval. I am not trying to replace your father; I am not deserting you; I am not using her for my own needs. Buffy there is no reason on the face of the earth that you should begrudge your mother and I some companionship. So if you don't mind, would you please tell me why you cannot show some understanding in regard to this and be content and delighted in the knowledge that we care for each other?"

After a moment Buffy turned and walked away. "Right. So let's go." "Answer my question!"

Buffy whirled back around. "Don't snap at me!"

"I believe I'm allowed one 'snap' every four years." Rupert countered. "And the only reason I am so perturbed is that you are damning us both because we are easy, available targets."

"I am not!"

"That is the way it appears to me! You have been in a foul mood since summer." Rupert began to count off the facts on his fingers. "Angel has left you, Xander has joined the Alliance, Oz is on the road and Cordelia is off to find fame and fortune. Things have changed and will never return to their former ways so you lash out at this final transition."

"That's not it!" She shouted as she came back up to him. "It's just you can't see my mom!"

Rupert tossed a hand upward. "Why not?"

Buffy's chin began to quiver as conflicting emotions poured through her. Giles was right in some ways. Yes, she felt deserted. Yes, she felt like her mother should stay unattached. Yes, the fact that they had slept together wigged her out. But her mind always came back to her greatest fear. "Because..." She whispered. "Because, what if something bad happens to her? It's bad enough that she's 'my' mom, but if she's with you too that doubles the chance that something will come after her." A slight tear formed in the corner of her eye. "She could die... like Miss Callander. That was both of our faults."

Rupert wrapped his arms around Buffy and drew her into a hug. A lump formed in his throat as he tried to think of a comforting, reassuring declaration to put her mind at ease. He knew that in Sunnydale one should never say "never" for that seemed to lure ill fate straight through one's door. "Jenny died because events spun out of control. The maelström of the Hellmouth swept her away and neither you or I are guilty."

Buffy slowly pulled a step away and wiped her eyes. "And the Hellmouth is still here."

Hesitantly he dug out his handkerchief and offered it to her. "Yes it is, and it will be for a long time." Giles stared at her for a moment and bowed his head. "Do you want me to stop this before it goes any further? For I cannot allow you to be distracted by unnecessary events or permit any seed of mistrust to be sown."

The lump in Buffy's throat grew even larger. "You mean you would stop seeing mom if I said so?" As he nodded an affirmative she drew in a deep breath and sighed. She could tell that her mom was happy with Giles around and that Giles seemed to calm down and enjoy being around her. They were an okay pair.. not "cute" like Willow said, but "okay". And here he was giving her the option to say the word and squash the whole thing. "That's really rotten, Giles."

"Pardon?" Giles said with a blink.

"Make me the bad guy if this doesn't work out." Buffy pointed at him. "Promise me that I won't find my mom's sweatshirt behind the couch anymore because that was just too much information."

A smile spread across Rupert's face. "That can be arranged."

"And don't get gushy out in public or in front of anybody." She added as sternly as possible. "That would just wig out everybody."

"Without a doubt." Rupert laughed. "Any other ground rules?"

Buffy looked around the cemetery. "Keep her safe, okay?"

Rupert's attitude went to dead serious. "You have my word."

"Good, now you think we can call Wes and his sleazy Uncle to come pick us up?"

"Yes. Go ahead and contact him on your radio. With a sweep of his arm he motioned toward the front gate. "Inform him we will meet him... at... the... main...." Rupert's voice faded out to a whisper. "I believe we have company."

The vampire scurried behind a family crypt and plastered himself up against the side. "Of all the stupid luck." It mumbled. "First vessel I follow is a cop, second one heads straight for the Slayer. Should just go back to the lair, snack on a rat and give it up for the night." Bert's game face flickered for a moment as his pride pinched his ego. "So here I go, running like a ball-less wimp again. I bet I could take her if I tried." He nodded to himself as the thought of the acclaim he would receive in the vampire nation flashed into his head. "Bert the Slayer slayer. I'd get the chicks and the best resting spot and the others would look up to me. Yeah, that's the ticket." Emboldened at the thought he steeled himself and peered around the crypt coming nose to nose with Giles.

"Good evening." Rupert smiled and greeted the creature. Bert reversed course and came up straight into Buffy.

"Hi guy!" Buffy chirped. "Looking for me? I'm touched!"

Bert tried to scramble away but Buffy had him in a headlock before he made it two steps. She slammed the creature up against the side of the crypt and positioned Mr. Pointy over his heart. "Don't leave now, the fun is just starting!"

Bert started to babble. "Leave me alone.. let go... come on I was just leaving... I've never messed with.. I'll leave town..."

Rupert began to clean his glasses. "Where are the others in your pack?"

"Ahhh... what pack?"

Buffy applied a bit of pressure. "Answer the nice man."

"There's only two others I hang with, Gorch and Weasel." Bert sputtered. "And they don't bunk with me much."

"Lyle Gorch has returned to Sunnydale?" Giles asked as he nonchalantly replaced the glasses onto his nose.

"Yeah, and he told me not to mess with you guys." Bert said loudly. "And I'm not! So let me go and we'll just..."

"Where is Aaron?" Rupert interrupted.

The vampire blinked. "Who?"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Aaron with a English accent. Hangs with a dishwater blonde witch and a wigged out vamp."

Bert began to shake his head. "Don't know him."

Rupert removed his cross and began to dust it off with his handkerchief. "You really do not want to be lying to us."

"Never heard of him!" Bert screamed as he realized what was about to happen. "I swear, no Aarons' in Sunnydale and no blonde witches that hang with us." His eyes darted back and forth between the cross and the stake. "I know everybody that's left and there ain't..." He stopped and backpedaled. "...Unless he's that new guy I saw over in the big park; sorta tall, buzz cut, blonde, punk looking guy with a Hawaiian shirt."

"That is not who we are looking for." Giles countered. "This vampire is medium height with dark brown hair. In addition to the witch he is also in league with human accomplices, one of which he attempted to turn into a melded vampire."

A confused look crossed the vampire's face. "Nobody like that around here." He replaced the confusion with a hopeful smile. "But if you want me to go looking around for him I will."

For a second Giles considered the offer. It would be a plus to have an informant on the other side, but he knew that the odds of this creature returning with information were slim to none. "That is not necessary." He said flatly.

Buffy caught the meaning and quickly dispatched Bert before he knew what was coming. "So why didn't you take him up on it?" She questioned.

"He might have eventually come back to us, but in the meantime he would have attacked others. It was not worth it." Giles pursed his lips and pulled out his radio. "He stated that there was an unknown vampire over in the park. I'm going to alert Wesley and Mr. Conrad-Chaney to this fact and tell suggest that we all meet there for a sweep."

"Good idea." Buffy agreed as she brushed the vampire dust off her jeans. "Maybe we're on a roll."

"It would be about time." Rupert said hopefully while keying the radio. He stopped and thought for a second. "Buffy what was your code name?"

"Tigger." She giggled and pointed at herself. "Remember, I'm Tigger and you're..."

"Yes, I know. I'm that donkey. Ridiculous code names for such an..."

Buffy doubled over in a full blown laugh. "You're just mad that Unkie Douggie didn't make you Owl."

Rupert shot her his patented annoyed look and brought the radio up to his mouth. "Eeyore here, Rabbit and Heffalump, come in please."

"Now what?" Douglas mumbled. He took a sip of his Scotch and dug the radio out of his jacket pocket. "Heffalump here. State your location then maintain radio silence."

"That didn't sound good." Buffy observed.

"I'm with... ah, Tigger. Main gate of the 'large dead woods'." Rupert answered with a frown.

Douglas grumbled into the radio. "Stay there for pickup."

"What is he doing at the cemetery?" Wesley questioned.

"Who knows." Douglas snorted in response. "But you are one to talk, hear a bit of noise and you come running away from your position."

Wesley felt his cheeks redden at the reprimand. He slid off his bar stool and headed for the door. "Let's go pick them up."

Douglas tossed down the rest of his drink and followed Wesley out onto the sidewalk. The younger man jerked his head at the flashing glow emitting from a full score of emergency vehicles four blocks away. "That does not constitute a 'bit' of noise. 'That' Uncle Douglas is full scale troubles."

"Full scale trouble with every police officer in Sunnydale swarming about. I barely slipped away before being rounded up with a dozen other bystanders!" Douglas snapped. "You are under enough suspicion as it is! The last thing we needed was for you to be seen down there! We are just lucky I ran into you as you came trotting blindly down the path! For if that had not been the case I'm sure you would have been in handcuffs at this very moment!"

As his Uncle harangued Wesley unlocked the passenger side of his van. "I suppose we'll read about it in the morning paper." He muttered in resignation. "Let's get the others and plan tomorrow night's patrol."

******

The emergency room nurse checked the IV line one last time and left the patient with his visitor.

"You up to talking?"

Marcum slowly turned his face to Lieutenant Colbert and whispered a one word explanation. "Vampire."

Colbert pulled a chair up to the bedside. "Got that. Talk to me Marcum."

"It's a blur." Marcum mumbled. "We had it cornered, it attacked me, Stein... Stein tried to get it off me..." He let out a shuddering exhale. "...and it broke Don's neck." The detective sat bolt upright in bed. "I couldn't stop it! I swear I.. it was too fast it.. oh, God... it was just too Goddamned fast..."

"Lay down!" The Lieutenant ordered as he pressed his hand on Marcum's shoulder and pushed him back onto the bed. "You're halfway in shock. It will come back to you soon enough." Colbert's frown deepened as he watched his Detective border on an odd show of hysteria as he continued with disjointed babble.

"...we were questioning it and... and.. oh, damn.. this was my fault. I shouldn't have done it."

"Done what?" Colbert asked in a controlled voice.

"I burnt it." Marcum gasped out. "I burnt it with a cross and it went ballistic." He bowed his head at the memory. "Then all hell broke loose."

Colbert gave a small nod of understanding. "That will set them off. Now did it say anything abut this?" He reached in his pocket and pulled out a plastic bag containing Ethan's wallet. "It belonged to the victim we found out on Rangeline."

Marcum worked up a confused look as he took the bag from Colbert. "Rayne's? That's Rayne's wallet? Where did..."

"It was laying on the ground over by the Waterworks fence. Uniform found it in the evidence sweep." Colbert scooted his chair a little closer. "Ken, take a deep breath and clear you head, then tell me what went down."

For the next twenty minutes the Lieutenant listened to the report. Occasionally he would give a faint nod, once he interrupted Marcum with a question but besides that his face was a mask. He felt something was wrong. The ability to feel a lie that he had inherited from his father - one of the first demon minions of the late Mayor Wilkins, tweaked at him. But the feeling was faint and confused in his half-demon blood. He felt like he was being told the truth about what happened but something else lay underneath it.

Marcum held up Ethan's wallet. "But now we have proof, we know for sure that this Aaron is the ringleader and that he's left Sunnydale."

Colbert cocked his head to one side and stared at Marcum, for this was pure lie. "We're sure about that now?"

"Yeah Lieu.., that's what the vamp said. And that Pryce told us that this Aaron has it in for the Watcher organization."

"Truth." Colbert thought. He leaned forward and asked. "What about your original suspects?"

Marcum leaned back into the pillow and shut his eyes. "They didn't have anything to do with it."

The feeling that Marcum knew this all along pricked at the Lieutenant. "Get some rest Ken." Colbert said as he stood. "We'll talk more later." He reached down, took the wallet back and gave Marcum one last searching look before heading out the door.

"How is he, Lieutenant?" The uniform at the door asked.

"He's going to be all right." Colbert answered while taking a sidelong glance at the group milling about at the end of the waiting room. He sighed and straightened his suitcoat. "Better go give the press a statement."

******

"Paper." Rupert said as he reached around Joyce and laid the same on the counter beside her. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure that they were sill alone in the kitchen before giving her a small nuzzling kiss on the neck.

"Ummm... trying to make points with the boss on your first day?" She cooed.

"Is it working?" He asked turning her around to face him and pulling her in for a more heated kiss.

Joyce felt her knees get weak in his embrace. "Could be.." She murmured, as their lips parted. "...but you're still cataloging that shipment from Ireland." Joyce took a half step back and gave her head a toss toward the sound of Buffy and Willow coming down the stairs. "Time to act adult."

"How distressing." Rupert sighed. He picked up the newspaper and leaned up against the island.

"Mornin'... mornin'... breakfast." Buffy yawned as she passed them both on her way to the refrigerator.

Willow came in and sat a suitcase on the floor and chirped. "Morning!" Before making a bee-line to a plate of pastries on the counter.

"One 'bright eyed and bushy tailed and one grump." Joyce observed. "So you girls are going back to the dorm today?"

"Ummm-hummm." Willow answered through a muffin.

Buffy pulled a gallon of juice out of the 'fridge. "Yeah Mom, we've been here for a week and it looks like this Aaron is gone." She yawned again. "Time for us to get back to the dorm and Giles to get back to his place."

"Dear God!"

"Don't need to get that..." Buffy began, then stopped as she turned to find Giles staring at the front page in dismay. "What happened?"

Rupert began to read the story. "This morning members of the Sunnydale Homicide unit find themselves in shock over the loss of one of their own. Detective Donald Stein was killed and Detective Kenneth Marcum remains hospitalized as a result of a vicious attack in the city park at approximately 10 PM last night."

"In a tense statement Lieutenant Robert Colbert of the city Homicide unit told reporters that the search is on for the unknown perpetrator of this crime. He described the attacker, last seen running toward the park tennis courts, as a white male, 5' 11", with short blonde hair styled in a overall buzz cut and a blue devil tattoo on his right forearm. Last seen wearing blue jeans and a Hawaiian print shirt with red as the dominant color."

"Lieutenant Colbert stressed that if you see this man do not in any way..." Rupert's voice faded out as he laid the paper down.

"Blonde, buzzed, Hawaiian shirt... that's what that vamp told us last night about the one he saw in the park." Buffy said as she pulled the paper toward herself. "And it killed Detective Stein? Whoa...."

Rupert took off his glasses and rubbed his brow.

"I hate Sunnydale." Joyce whispered. Rupert reached out and tried to take her hand but she pulled away from his touch and went over to stare out the window.

Giving his head a shake as if to clear it Rupert seated himself on a stool. "This explains all the upheaval at the park. Tonight we will patrol again and look for this newcomer in addition to Aaron."

"Someone just pulled in the driveway." Joyce said nervously.

Colbert got out of his car and seeing Joyce in the kitchen window gave her a nod of recognition. He came up the shaded back walk and raised his hand to knock on the door but Rupert opened it before he made contact.

"May I help you?" Giles asked with suspicion.

"Lieutenant Robert Colbert, Homicide." The Lieutenant said as he held up his badge. "May I come in?"

Rupert slowly raised an eyebrow. Colbert replaced his badge on his belt and snorted. "And 'no' you don't have to invite me in. Want me to go stand in the sun to prove it?"

Giles was taken aback by this question. "No... your car windows are not heavily tinted so I have already deduced that you are not a vampire. I was just wondering if I should call Mr. Arbogast before allowing you in."

"You and your friends have been cleared of the Rayne homicide." Colbert announced. "This is about something else."

"Detective Stein?" Buffy asked.

"Yes." Colbert said with his rising annoyance evident in that one word answer.

"Come in." Rupert said with a wave of his hand toward the others. "I believe that you know everybody here."

"I'll go straight to the point." Colbert began as he crossed the threshold. "Detective Stein was murdered by a vampire."

"Did it get away?" Giles asked.

"No." Colbert answered with a staking motion. "Marcum got him." He sat down at the counter and rubbed his chin as he decided whether or not to lay out another card. "This vamp had Rayne's wallet on him."

"Oh that's great!" Willow piped in, then froze as Colbert shot her a hard, questioning look. "Not really great as in 'great'... but more like 'great' that Giles isn't going to get hauled away in cuffs."

Joyce came over and stood by Rupert before she addressed the Lieutenant. "What Willow means is that it is very good news that Rupert is no longer a suspect. Finding Ethan's wallet on this thing proved that he didn't do it."

"That's not what cleared any of you." Colbert responded, then with a shake of his head stifled the question on their lips. "Don't ask."

"Exactly 'why' are you here, Lieutenant?" Rupert asked as he sat down across from him.

Colbert's eyes narrowed as he met Rupert's gaze. "You know what? You 'are' trouble."

A small smile flickered across Rupert's lips. "That goes without saying."

Ignoring the remark Colbert glanced around the room. "You all are. But you won... somewhat fair and square. Wilkins is finally dead now we've got some breathing room until the Hellmouth lures something else in to take his place."

Rupert had to look away as his insides twisted. Here sat the 'law'... the 'law' for God's sake.. admitting that he knew the truth about Sunnydale's hellish actuality. He turned back to Colbert and locked him into a cold stare. "Which you will welcome with open arms." He drew in a hissing breath and allowed his disgust of this truth register on his face. "You're not human, are you?"

"Half."

Buffy sidestepped over toward the stakes which lay piled on the top of the refrigerator.

"My mother had a thing for demons." Colbert added with a shrug. "So what? You can't swing a cat in Sunnydale without hitting someone with demon blood."

"Why are you here?" Rupert growled.

"I'm aware of every vampire in Sunnydale, all fourteen of..." He caught Buffy's motion. "...now down to lucky thirteen since you got Bert last night." Colbert's lip curled. "Leave those stakes alone Miss Summers, because for the moment we are on the same side."

"Riiiiight." Buffy snotted. "One big happy family."

"Buffy!" Joyce snapped. "Please! Don't start..."

Colbert twisted on his stool. "Happy? Hell no. I'm pretty angry at the moment. Whoever did this took one of my own and they all know that's against the rules. Don was a good man." He jerked his head back toward Rupert. "And I mean a 'good' man. He wasn't into this, he brought a glimmer of humanity to the job."

Rupert tensed as Colbert's voice took on a demonic quality.

"Out of the thirteen vampires in town, I talked to four of them last night. They all swore on their own blood that they have never heard of Aaron Smith. And as for the wallet... that just doesn't ring true. Vampires will take the cash but won't risk being caught with a stiff's ID." Colbert took out his own wallet and handed Rupert a business card. "The line was crossed last night and because of it I'm willing to write you a blank check. You and your team can do what you have to as long as you are looking for this Aaron and his minions. I don't care where or when you find him, you just better give me a call when you do."

With a frown Rupert took the card. "Why this spontaneous offer of fraternity? Why this sudden exchange of information? Forgive me for being blunt, but I do 'not' trust you."

"You better." Colbert warned as he stood. "Because I think you and your Slayer are the targets. You're going to need all the help you can get." He headed out the door but stopped halfway thorough. "When you find this bastard I want in on the kill... have a nice day."

As one the four humans just stared in silence at the departing being. Rupert flipped the card back and forth between his fingers and caught Joyce's eye. "I'm going to be a little late for work."

*****

"If you weren't so handsome you would be in a lot of trouble." Joyce said dryly as Rupert finally came through the Gallery door.

"I'm sorry... forgot to set my alarm. I would have still been asleep if the phone had not awakened me." Rupert offered contritely then tossed out another factor. "I was up very late last night, patrolling."

"Was Buffy and Wesley out too?"

Rubbing his face Giles came around the counter. "Buffy was until about 10:30ish, then went back to her dorm. Wesley patrolled until about 12:00 then he packed it in, but I kept on until about 2:00." Joyce's unspoken question was all over her face and Rupert answered it with a shrug and one word. "Nothing."

"Again." Joyce finished. She blew a puff of air upward and thought for a moment. "Well..." She said with a hopeful smile. "...Maybe this means that it really is over. You guys have only found one vampire in the last ten days and she didn't know anything."

"That one was newly risen, still wearing her funeral raiment." Giles mumbled. "She would not have had the chance to know anything. So tonight we will try again."

"I think you're beating a dead horse."

Rupert ignored this comment and began to busy himself with rearranging the group of small statues on the back display. "Perhaps you should move these closer to the register. They are rather diminutive and moving them would allow them to catch the customer's eye."

"A 'dead horse' Rupert." Joyce repeated.

"Mmmmm?"

"You heard me." Joyce said as she crossed her arms.

"Joyce." Rupert sighed. "You are just going to have to bear with me on this because I cannot shake the feeling that the other shoe is about to drop." He took off his glasses and twirled them by the earpiece. "It does not make any sense to me that Aaron would so quickly give up. Vampires are tenacious, it's the nature of the beast."

"That melded 'thing' he tried to make, backfired on him." Joyce pointed out. "And that device that Ethan put on Willow's computer was found within a few days and then the police found him dead. The heat was on and if Aaron wanted to keep us in the dark about his being here in Sunnydale he had to cut his losses and run." She reached over and ran her hand across his shoulders. "Wesley's Uncle decided that and left two days ago. Buffy and Wesley think it's crazy to keep looking. Come on Rupert. It's over, we scared him off, we won."

"Won.... at the price of two dead men."

"I know." Joyce bit her lip and turned away.

For a long minute Giles stood there pushing the same figurine back and forth before replacing the glasses on his nose. "He will try again, someday. Ten hours, ten days.. ten years - it's all the same for a vampire. That is why I have to find him."

"I know that too." Joyce said softly. "But.. but he's not here. You can't find him and neither can that Colbert."

"Colbert." Giles echoed as his face hardened. "In a way it would be poetic justice for that 'being' to find Smith."

Joyce nodded in agreement. "Yeah, because I don't think the Lieutenant will just stake him and go on." She took a quick look-see around for customers and slid up under Rupert's arm. "So, take tonight off and let's go out to eat at that new pizza place." A sly grin flickered onto her face. "I'll get you drunk on pitchers of cheap beer and drag you out onto the dance floor."

"I don't know. This is the last night that..."

"Exactly!" She interrupted. "The last night before we go to Vermont. Face it Rupert, you need to practice your beer drinking and dancing if you want to fit in at the reception."

Despite himself, Giles began to chuckle. "Oh yes. That the phone call that awakened me this morning? It was Matthew calling to tell me that Sam will be at Sunnydale General Airfield at midnight tonight."

"We're leaving at midnight?" Joyce squeaked.

"Oh no..." Rupert reassured her. "... Sam and his copilot, ummm... a Miss Jeanmard will want to rest. We are to be there at 10:00, tomorrow morning."

"This is so exciting, being in a private plane. Did Matt say how long will this take us to get to Vermont?"

Giles shook his head. "No, for then launched into a rather annoyed commentary about how this wedding has taken on a life of its own." He laughed again and lowered his voice as if the truth he was about to reveal could be heard all the way to Vermont. "He told me, in no uncertain terms that between Karen's Aunts, Grandmothers and.. ummm.. 'The Cake Lady', he is ready to kidnap his bride and elope."

Joyce arched an eyebrow. "Cake Lady?"

"Yes, the woman who owns the wedding planning service. It seems that poor Matthew is up against quite a formidable female cadre." Rupert's smile broadened. "I get the feeling that he would have a better chance of growing wings and flying to the moon than crossing any of them."

Joyce joined in his laughter "So it's going to be a blow out?"

"Definitely!" Rupert affirmed. "If I may quote Matthew, 'all that is missing is the dancing bears, and that is only because they have been booked elsewhere for that day'."

"Well, if the dancing bears are not going to be there, I'm not going." Joyce said with a false pout.

Rupert pulled her close. "You have to go Luv, you're already packed." He lowered his head and gave her a soft kiss. "And likewise, so am I."

******

"Yes! The Spirits are all around you! I can feel it!"

"Not really... I'm the only one here." Ethan deadpanned.

"Is one of them Aunt Betty?" The woman asked as she pulled out a picture of her late Aunt. "She looks like this."

Ethan bent over the woman's shoulder and peered at the photo. "Dead or alive, if she was here I would run away, screaming in terror I might add."

The false medium took the photo and placed it within a circle of red powder on the table. "Betty... Beeeettttttyyyy!"

"Now in the movie this is when you hear me." Ethan snotted. "So listen up and sodding hear me. Hello! I'm Ethan and you are a fraudulent confidence man who is about to take this woman's money." The shade came around the table and bent down to shout into the self proclaimed seer's ear. "I know this fact because I've pulled the same game. But at least I 'can' call up spirits." He straightened up and wagged a finger at the woman. "Spirits that would turn your hair that color without the use of bottled dye."

With a snort Ethan flung both hands upward in annoyance. "Spirits! Demons! Imps! Goblins! Whatever I wanted to call up I conjured up in the blink of an eye! Could I interest you in a fine hex? How about a spell to cause an irritating neighbor to break out in oozing sores or an incantation to make the postman desire you." He cocked his head to one side and snotted. "In your case, for that one I would have to double the ingredients."

"Your beloved Aunt Betty is here. Ask what you wish."

"Oh! Aunt Betty! We need to know if you really meant to leave those Certificates of Deposits to your cats!"

"Of course she did!" Ethan snapped as he turned on his heel and disappeared through the wall. "I know I would have... even if I did not have cat I would have written the will to say - 'go buy a damned cat and leave all my possessions to it'."

Rayne stopped stared around the dining room of the small Indian restaurant adjoining the fortuneteller's storefront. "I would love some curry." He said sadly as he tried to pick up the spoon alongside a diner's plate. "Or a pint, or toast and beans or anything... anything to make a connection." With a heavy sigh he shook his head. "But who am I kidding? If Ripper or Willow or Tubby Doug can't see me, then it's useless."

The shade stood for a few moments as the melancholy ebbed though him. Here he was, dead in Sunnydale... Sunnydale for God's sake and he had not been able to find the first person who could communicate with him. Of course he had only found the places with a sign out front... but still, one of them should have been a true medium.

With a hissed curse he banished the feeling and regrouped. "To hell with it man! This really is not too terrible of an existence." A wicked smile crossed his torn face as he headed toward the front of the restaurant. "In the meantime I'll just have to make do with following Ripper around. It's Friday night. Maybe he will decide to stop by Joyce's for an evening's frolic instead of patrolling around the city." His smile became a chuckle as he turned to the unaware cashier. "I was absolutely shocked when Joyce showed up at his door twice this week for a bit of a romp. If I ever can communicate with Ripper I'm going to have to tell him that I was duly impressed by the show. Do you think he will mind if I offer my commentary?" Ethan allowed himself a full laugh at the thought of Rupert's reaction to the revelation that there had been a third party in the room.

"Oh that will be priceless...." The specter crowed as he passed through the storefront. "...I cannot wait."

******

The blood coursed through him setting every nerve aflame with its power. Douglas's hand shook as he lowered the cup to the table, struggling to keep his composure.

"You like?" Aaron asked dryly.

"I.. I went to the butcher while in Sunnydale... but..." Conrad-Chaney began then the words left him as the rush exploded within.

Aaron chuckled and sat back in his chair. "...But the cold blood of a steer just does not satisfy the need. Yes I know that."

With a shudder Douglas lowered his bulk into an overstuffed seat and eyed the empty body in the corner. "Thank you for sharing."

"You're quite welcome. My corpse is your corpse."

Douglas drew a deep breath. "I wonder how many more vampire habits I am going to acquire? Not that I'm complaining, but this lust for blood is getting stronger."

"Just wait until you grow fangs." Aaron offered only half in jest.

"Snort."

Leaning back into his seat, the vampire stretched his legs out and folded his hands across his stomach in a picture of contentment. This entire plan was suddenly going well, very well. During the last ten days Sean McKinley had become quite the killing machine. The corners of Aaron's lips twisted upward into a faint smile at the memory of this creature's blitz like first kill. Yes, thanks to the melding of the three, Sean's alleged soul which had been a blackened cinder during his life, had distilled into the essence of pure, unstoppable demon.

Aaron turned his right hand over and with a finger traced the outline of a red, cross shaped mark on his palm. Douglas was craving blood and his physical strength and senses were like that of a vampire, but Aaron considered his own bounty much greater. He could hold a cross with only a slight burn and likewise the sun's power to harm him was reduced to a mere fraction of what was normal. Holy Water might as well be soda water as it fizzled on his skin without effect.

Without a doubt this was going very well.

The sun had set two hours before and soon the hired truck would be arriving to take them across country. Four days there, four days to do the reconnaissance, then the blood will be ankle deep in the reception hall. Aaron stood, went over to the sideboard and poured two glasses of wine. He brought one over to Douglas and offered a toast. "To the devastation of the Slayer, to the annihilation of the Alliance and to the ruin of Travers."

Conrad-Chaney held his goblet upward and clicked the rim of the glass against Aaron's. "To a very good year." He drained his glass and held it back toward the vampire, motioning for a refill. "I must confess, I could hardly contain myself while giving my report to that fuckwit. Old Travers danced a jig at the revaluation of the Alliance being gutted in addition to our wayward Slayer's misfortune."

"Really?" Aaron said with a sneer as he poured the wine. "Just wait until you see how he dances when I go back to London with you."

Douglas laughed and leaned forward a bit. "I have an idea, we invite him over to watch the carnage and after the dust settles you show yourself and turn him."

"I don't know about that. He could screw the..." Aaron countered.

"Let me finish!" Douglas interjected. "You turn him and then we point him out to both one very brassed off Slayer and the equally vengeful remnants of the Alliance." He emptied his second glass of wine in one long draught and paused to visualize the chase. "Think of it old friend! It was on his orders that this whole game began. Allow me to quote him..." Conrad-Chaney puffed himself up and impersonated Quentin. "'Douglas! I want you to destroy her support system. This way she will either come crawling back to us or will finally make a fatal misstep due to her mental state'."

Aaron shook his head. "And they catch him, and he talks, and we are fingered. I don't like it."

"And who would believe him?! He will be a vampire and vampires' lie. There is not one person on the Council that would come to his defense. He will be posthumously be painted as a power hungry rogue who did this evil deed without anyone's knowledge." Douglas pried himself out of his chair and stretched. "It would be so poetic. You can drain him, I can torture him and then we both can sit back and watch him being hunted down like the mad dog he is."

"It is an tempting scenario." Aaron conceded. "Let me think about it."

Douglas snorted and twirled the end of his mustache. "What's there to 'think' about? The truth will never be known. Besides you and me everyone else in this game is either dead or well paid off. Trust me."

******

Marcum glanced upward at the plane which was coming in low over Sunnydale. A mental diversion which briefly took his mind off his main concern, that curt call from Colbert a half hour before which had caused him no small amount of apprehension.

"We found some information. Meet me at my house in one hour."

Something in the tone had sent alarm bells ringing, this is why Marcum hastily packed the basic necessities and was now gassing up his car on the outskirts of Sunnydale. "Come on... come on." He mumbled as the tank filled much too slowly for his comfort. Finally the "click" which signaled a full tank caused him to puff out a relieved breath as he replaced the gas cap and the nozzle.

He pulled out his wallet and began to dig for the money.

"Don't worry about that, we already took care of it."

From alongside of the station Lieutenant Colbert and two other men came out of the shadows. The Lieutenant arched an eyebrow. "Going somewhere Marcum?"

"Yeah. Your place." Marcum lied. He gave his head a toss toward his car. "I was out of gas."

"My house is on the other side of town." Colbert stated coolly.

"Yeah, I know that. But this place has cheap gas."

Colbert's expression went dark. "You know what? I now realize why you always let Don do the talking. You're a lousy liar Marcum. I saw through that one without having to use my daddy's gift."

The hair went up on Marcum's neck as the three began to surround him. "Okay Lieu., what's going on? Want to introduce me to your friends here?"

"My half-brothers..." Colbert answered with a wave of his finger in the general direction of the other two. "...this is Jack and that is Rob. They are with Infernal Affairs."

"'Internal Affairs?!" Marcum spit. "What the hell are you trying to pull? It's midnight and the by-laws say I can have a union rep. So take this show on the road Colbert, because..."

"You weren't listening, Marcum." Colbert interrupted. "Welcome to Sunnydale, here it's 'Infernal' and when the sun goes down the rules change." His eyes narrowed and his voice went to a demonic hiss. "But one thing is constant no matter where you are, a cop with a bank account like yours has got to be dirty."

Rob and Jack lunged forward and caught Marcum by the upper arms. They lifted the struggling man from his feet and began to drag him toward a panel van. Colbert stepped forward and stopped the motion with a hard punch into Marcum's belly. As the human doubled over Colbert wound his fingers into the captive's hair and yanked his head upward to make eye contact. "Now, if I didn't suspect that you lied to me about what happened to Don, I might have let the money slide. But you didn't come clean and that leads me to believe that you are in this up to your neck. You're in for a long night Marcum. A very long night."