Part One

“Where is it?!” Giles growled, pushing the small demon into the wall, “If you know something, you’d better talk!”

“Hey, easy with the suit,” the little demon, in the hideous, blue leisure suit gasped, “I’ve had this thing for a while.”

“I can tell. Now, where is it?!”

“Okay, okay,” he tried to wriggle out of the angry Watcher’s grasp, but was unable to, “enough with the hurting. I thought you guys left that part up to your Slayers...ouch...all right. The Cross ain’t here.”

“I figured as much.” he said, squeezing his throat.

“No,” the demon squawked out, “that’s not what I mean. Last I heard, the Slayer’s Cross got lost somewhere in Pennsylvania. You know UPS....it ain’t what it used to be...gack!”

“Pennsylvania?!” Giles repeated, his mind was reeling, “Why would it be in Pennsylvania? I thought it had to stop over in New York before switching to a flight here?”

“Yeah, it did...and...well....there where....ah...complications.”

“What kind of complications?” Giles’ eyes narrowed.

“Um,” the little demon’s shifted his glance to the floor, “complications of the undead kind.”

“Meaning?” Giles knew what he meant, he just wanted to hear the creature say it.

“This Vamp, Marvin...”

“Marvin?”

“Yeah, well all the really cool names, like Spike and Angel, and the Judge, were already taken...anyway...this Vamp, learned about the Cross, and decided to try and steal it.” the demon explained, “I guess he wanted to destroy it. Well, a scuffle ensued with a few demons, who are on the side of good...”

Giles just stared.

“Hey, there are some of us out there, ya know,” the demon defended, “So, there was a scuffle and the Cross was accidentally placed on the wrong truck. By the time anyone of us knew what was happening...it was already on it’s way to the Poconos.”

“Why didn’t you retrieve it?” he said, letting go of the badly dressed immortal.

The demon began to pace back and forth, looking around nervously, “Well, you see, that’s a funny story...”

“Is it?”

“Um...yeah,” he stammered, “It took us some time to fight off the vampires and find out exactly where the Cross went. When we did...we ran into another problem...”

“And that would be...?”

“That Council of yours,” he looked a Giles, placing his clawed hands on his hips, “You know, you guys can be real pains in the asses sometimes. We couldn’t just go off to get it...they were watching. So, I came here. It was the only thing I could think of. You mad?”

Giles considered what the demon said for a moment, and sighed, “No. You did the right thing. With Buffy quitting the Council, they won’t be pleased, and can be quite dangerous when they want to be,” Then under his breath he added, “Next time, I’ll know not to trust a demon with a Watcher’s work.” He turned back to the demon and asked, “Do you have the information I need?”

“Yep,” he nodded, taking out a piece of paper, and handing it to Giles, “I got the name, and address of the guy who now has the Cross. He’s some rich guy, who owns a resort or two.” He watched Giles take the paper, and go to leave, “Hey....what about my money?”

Giles turned around, “And why should I give you money for something you failed to retrieve.”

And as the Watcher slipped off into the night, the demon shook his head, and sighed, “Oh, sure...details.”

******

Tamara stood by the phone at the other end of the lounge. The din of the crowds made it difficult for her to hear...but what she did manage to catch, she didn’t like one bit, “What do you mean, you have to drop out?! I don’t care if you’re wife is having the baby now.... I know she couldn’t plan that one...I know. But, we’ve been planning this for a year now, you can’t just back out on us. David?” she paused, “You’re right, I’m being emotional...I’m sorry. Look, don’t worry about it. We’ll find someone else to replace you...in two hours. Congratulations.”

She hung up the receiver and headed back to the bar, where Kimberly was waiting, drink in hand. She didn’t want to tell her that their year long plans and squirreling away of money was for nothing....but she knew she had to. This was not going to be pretty.

“Well?” Kimberly asked, “What did he say?”

“Oh, well,” she hemmed and hawed, hoofing the ground, “He mentioned something about his wife having the baby...early.”

“So, he can’t go?”

“Ah...no.”

“Shit!” Kimberly put her glass down, and rubbed her temples, “What are we going to do now?! We need a third person, or we have to drop out.”

“I know.”

“I don’t know about you, but I put a lot of time and money into this.”

“Me too,” Tamara agreed miserably, “This sucks!”

“How long before check in?”

Tamara looked at her watch, “Two hours.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a handful of coins, “I’ll get on the phone.”

******

Giles arrived at the “Last Exit” resort shortly after nightfall. He was stiff from sitting in a plane for hours, and quite anxious to find the Cross. As soon as he stepped into the lobby of the large resort, he noticed a flurry of activity. The place was packed with all kinds of people, scurrying about. It took him five minutes to make his way through the crowds to the main desk, where he had to endure a long line.

Another ten minute went by before he heard the wonderful sound of... “Can I help you?”

“Um, yes...” Giles began, taking out a piece of paper from his pocket, “Might I speak with a Mr. Salvador Giovanni?”

The girl behind the counter, gave him a blank stare.

“Am, I in the right place?” Giles asked.

“Yeah,” the girl replied, picking up the phone, “It’s just that I’m not a secretary, and Mr. Giovanni is a really busy man...especially with the treasure hunt and all.”

“Treasure hunt?”

“Yeah,” the girl answered him, holding the phone with her shoulder, “it’s this big cross country treasure hunt...with the grand prize being one hundred thousand.” She paused, hearing a voice at the other end, “Hey, Margie. I got this guy here wanting to talk to Mr G. Um...I don’t know. Hold on,” she turned to Giles and asked, “What’s your name?”

“Oh, yes...Rupert Giles.”

She turned her attentions to the phone, “Some English guy, named Rupert Giles. Aha, yeah...okay. Thanks.” She hung up the phone and looked at the tall, handsome man, “You can go in. Let me get someone to show you the way.”

Giles looked at the pretty young girl and smiled. She seemed flustered with the answer on the other end of the phone. But, then again, so was he. He didn’t know the man, and yet it seemed as though he was expected. Well, who was he to argue with fate.

He followed his guide to the elevator, and then to a room at the end of a long, richly decorated hall. This was definitely not a hotel for the working class. He studied the lavish paintings and decor as he approached the large oak door. Everything was authentic, and quite expensive, showing to all those who could see that the owner of this establishment was among the elite. He wondered who exactly would he find behind the gold engraved door. Was he visiting a hotel owner, or the Prince of England?

The porter knocked on the door, and waited for a response. When he heard the grunt of acknowledgment, the young man, gently opened the door, almost as though it would crumble with the slightest push. He quickly ushered Giles in, and closed the door behind him. The inside of the room was just as lavish as the rest of the hotel. More paintings, lined the walls, and off on the right was a brown, leather couch, and several leather chairs. It appeared to be a sitting room, equipped with a well stocked bar. A door jutted out on the left. Giles assumed it was some kind of private bath, or something to that effect. A large Mahogany desk was at its center. And seated at the desk was a man.

Rupert Giles wasn’t a big fan of movies, but even as he stared at this graying, old man, he couldn’t help but imagine himself in one of the Godfather movies, with Mr. Giovanni being the Don. The man, sat there in silence for a few minutes, reading over some papers. He was dressed in a fine cream colored, silk suite, adorned with gold cufflinks, and tie clip. Giles watched the refined man, take a sip of tea, as he carefully perused the documents.

Then, after what seemed like forever, Giovanni, stroked his thin mustache and spoke, “Mr. Giles, it’s good to meet your acquaintance. I’ve been expecting you, although you are a bit late.”

“Ah, well...” Giles began, taken off guard by the man’s candor, “yes. There where a few things that came up, and...do I know you?”

The older man smiled, “No. But I know you. At least by reputation.” He then took out a file and began to read, “Mr. Rupert Giles, born in Camden, England. As a young man, you attended Oxford, but later dropped out. After several years of living on the “wild side”, you returned to Camden, and accepted your destiny as a Watcher...”

This last statement got a surprised look from Giles.

“You’re currently not with the Council of Watchers,” he continued, “and are operating as a free agent with your Slayer, Buffy Summers.” He paused for dramatic effect, “Need I go on?”

“Who are you?” Giles asked, unconsciously taking up a defensive posture, “Are you with the Council?”

“Relax, young man,” he replied, “No, I’m not...but I know about your kind, and the games you play with certain young girl’s lives. I know about vampires, demons, and other things that go bump in the night. I also know about the Slayer’s Cross.”

“Then you know why I’m here.” Giles stated simply.

“You want the Cross.”

“Yes.”

Giovanni stood up and walked over to the bar. He began to mix a drink, keeping silent for several minutes. Then when he was done, he said, “Sorry, I can’t help you. Would you care for a drink?”

“No I wouldn’t,” Giles turned him down in annoyance, “And why can’t you help me? If you know what the Cross is, and what it can do...then you know why I desperately need it.”

The man paused and sat down on the couch. He motioned for Giles to join him. “Let me tell you a little story,” he began, as Giles sat on one of the leather chairs, “When I was a boy, I was poor. Dirt poor. I worked since I was twelve, trying to save enough money to get out of the rat infested neighborhood I grew up in. When I was old enough, I worked for a large hotel that catered to the richest of the rich. I did everything from Porter to matainence, to front desk. I hated it. Oh, not the business itself, that sat well with me. No, I hated having to be a paid servant to people who didn’t know I existed, and who didn’t care. Everyday I endured people treating me as though I was the lowest of low, because I was poor. To them, I was no better than the rats that lived in the sewars.”

Giles listened to the man patiently, wondering when the story would get to it’s point.

“Then, one day,” he continued, “I made it out. I saved enough money to buy myself a little ‘Bed and Breakfast’, right where this hotel is now. It wasn’t much, but I worked hard to make it better, and it paid off. So, with hard work and perseverance, I made it rich.”

“And you have a hotel that caters to the rich,” Giles pointed out, “The very people you hate.”

“Yes,” the old man said, “But, I milk them of their money, and line the pockets of those who need it. Not a bad trade off, eh? My employees are treated like family here. They get higher salaries than what most can expect to make in a resort town. They get benefits, and an opportunity to one day make it on their own. There are some people here who have been with me since the beginning, working right along side their grandchildren.”

“And what does this story have to do with you not giving me the Cross?”

“Everything in this world must be earned, Mr. Giles,” he explained, “if not, it isn’t worth a damn thing. Nothing should be given as a ‘birth right’, not even a Slayer’s Cross.”

“But...”

“Mr. Giles, if you want the Cross,” he continued, “you’re going to have to earn it.”

“How!?”

“The Cross is part of a treasure hunt I’m sponsoring. Enter the hunt, and find it. You have about the same chance as the twenty other groups that will be looking to win.”

“Treasure hunt?!” Giles practically screamed, leaping to his feet, “You placed the Slayer’s Cross, a priceless artifact of great significance, in a bloody treasure hunt?!”

“Yes I did. And if you want to find it,” the old man said smugly, “You best get yourself two team mates. Each team must consist of three people,” he looked at his watch, “And you had better hurry, the dead line is in one hour.”

******

Tamara began to pace the floor of the Lounge, nervously, “I can’t believe this! I called everyone I could think of....and nothing. No one can go with us. Either they can’t get off work, or they don’t have the money. What the hell are we going to do?! We have one hour until registration, and we need a third person.

“I wish I could contact anyone back home...”

“I know,” Tamara sighed, picking up a cold beer, that the bartender had placed in front of her, “It’s a little trek from Ohio, to Eastern Pennsylvania...”

“Things aren’t looking up for our heroes,” a gruff voice came from behind.

Tamara turned around and saw a very large man with a wide grin, “Harvey,” she sighed, “You love to sneak up on people, don’t you?”

“Nah,” he smiled, “only you. What’s up? Where’s Dave?”

“Kathy’s having her baby.”

“Really? Wow, she’s early.”

“No shit.”

Harvey gave a mocked look of surprise, “My, are we a little touchy? Seriously, you don’t have a replacement?”

Tamara looked at him miserably, “No. Where’s Laura and Michael?”

“They should be here soon. I wish I could help ya out, but I don’t know anyone who could go.”

“I know,” she sighed. Then looking at Kimberly she added, “Oh, I’m sorry. Kim, this is Harvey...I work with him.”

“Hi,” He greeted, “So, now that you appear to be out of the race, I might have a better chance. Not like I didn’t before,” He finished with a wicked grin.

Kimberly watched the friendly banter in silence. Even though they would have been competing against each other, they still held a great deal of respect for one another. But now, it looked as though there would be no friendly competition after all. Not unless they could find a team mate in forty minutes.

Two young people walked over to them. They looked as though they were brother and sister, but all similarities ended there. The young man had dark hair, closely cropped to his handsome face. He was tall, standing at least a foot above the girl. He wore dockers, with a tan, form fitted shirt, showing the outline of his muscular chest. His smile was warm and sincere...and his face lit up when he saw Tamara.

“Hey,” he greeted, “what’s up? Where’s Dave?”

“Hey Tam,” the girl said, adjusting her choker collar. She dressed punk...or at least punk, as she knew it. Her head was shaved most of the way up, with only a shock of hair on top to cover it. She was adorned with various jewelry of all kinds, including piercing galore. Laura dressed in a black tee shirt, with black jeans, and a Celtic knot tattooed on her forearm.

Tamara smiled at her friends and said, “Hey, Laura. Hi, Michael,” she exchanged a look with the young man, that was unmistakably a sign a mutual affection, “Kathy’s having a baby...yes, it’s early...and no, we don’t have anyone to replace him yet.”

“Man,” Laura said, shaking her head, “That sucks.”

“Tell me about it.”

“What are you two gonna do?” Michael asked, concerned.

“Don’t know.”

Harvey sighed and looked at the two women, “I hate to have to rub salt in your wound...but we gotta go get ready to sign up. I hope you find someone.”

Tamara watched her friends leave the lounge and head for the large conference room, where the registration would be. This day was not going to be a good one. “Well,” she said to Kimberly, “We could always blow our entrance fee on a spontaneous trip to the city. I haven’t been to the Village in years.”

“City?” Kimberly asked.

“New York City,” Tamara clarified, “Sorry, I keep forgetting, you’re new around here,” she smiled and ordered another drink, “Or we could drink until we pass out.”

Kimberly picked up her half finished beer, “Sounds like a plan.”

******

Giles walked around the resort, looking...hoping to find two people who would go on this ridiculous Treasure Hunt with him, “Put it in a Bloody game! The man’s insane...utterly insane.”

He waded through the sea of people in the lounge with little success. It seemed as though every group he saw was already complete, and that he would be quite out of luck. He supposed he could follow the groups, and try his luck that way, but that would be difficult, and he wasn’t sure he could keep up with the over enthusiastic Hunters.

Giles was about to give up, when he spotted two women sitting by the bar. The older woman, appeared to be in her early forties. She was fairly tall, with short dark hair, graying at the temples. She dressed comfortably, in blue jeans, and a tee shirt, and was nursing a beer. The younger woman, had to be no more than in her mid twenties. She had long reddish/brown hair that was tied in the back with two braids. Unlike her companion, her appearance was slightly more...eccentric. She was dressed in black jeans, a black tee shirt, and a brilliant, green and purple vest....which just so happened to match her Converse high tops.

As Giles approached the women he could hear their conversation, and realized he found what he was looking for. He found his partners! That is, if he could convince them of it. “Um...” he said, tentatively, “excuse me. I couldn’t help over hearing your dilemma...”

“Look,” the older woman said, staring into her drink, “if this is a pick up line...I’ll have you know, that I’m married...”

“And I’m...” the younger woman added, “...well....I’m...oh, hell...I’m too drunk to care.”

Giles stepped back for a moment, “N-no...that’s not what I meant. I...well...I need to enter this contest, but I don’t have two other team mates. And well, I heard the two of you talking about how you don’t have a third. I was wondering...”

The red head turned and looked at him for the first time. Her green eyes lit up, and a smile formed on her lips, “...if we could team up? Great idea!”

“Um...will you excuse me,” she said to Giles, grabbing her friend, and pulling her off the bar stool, “Can I talk to you for a minute, dear?”

“What?”

Kimberly dragged her over to a corner, and looked at her hard for a moment, as though she was evaluating her sanity, “I think you’ve had too much to drink, Tam. You just invited a total stranger with us on this trip. Have you lost all sense of reasoning, or just the one involving hitch hikers and missing persons?”

Tamara looked over at the handsome Englishman, in the tweed suit and smiled, “Oh, yeah,” she said, “Like he looks like Charles Manson. I can see the headlines now... ‘Two women brutally murdered by killer Librarian. Wacked over the head, with Encyclopedia Britannic.’.”

“Tam, I’m serious,” Kimberly said, trying hard not to laugh. She had learned appreciate the cutting sarcasm from her friend, seeing as it was so much like her own. But even now, it was hard to keep from smacking her into next week, “We don’t even know this guy’s name, much less what he does for a living. I mean, you can’t assume he’s harmless, just because he looks harmless.”

Tamara pulled her close and whispered, “The guy’s dressed in tweed. Have you ever heard of a mass murderer who’s dressed in tweed?” When she got a strained look from her friend, Tamara walked back over to Giles, extending her hand, “Hi,” she greeted with a warm smile, “Tamara Healy, and this skeptical woman, is my friend Kimberly Linthicum. Welcome aboard.”

Giles smiled and shook her hand, “Rupert Giles, and I’m glad to be aboard.”

“Cool,” she nodded heading for the conference room, “So, Giles...what do you do for a living?”

“I’m a Librarian.”

The two woman smiled at each other in what Giles could only assume to be a private joke.

******

The three arrived at the conference room to see the line dwindling. They had only ten minutes to register. They made it! Kimberly stepped up to the man sitting behind the long table, and smiled, handing him the entrance fee.

“I think this is everything,” she said triumphantly.

The man looked at her with a small amount of apathy, “I suppose it is. The briefing will begin in the south conference hall, in twenty minutes.”

As Giles, Kimberly and Tamara headed to the south conference hall, they passed three men, unaware of what they represented...

“I can’t believe that crazy old man wouldn’t give us the Cross!” the shorter of the three men huffed.

“Nigel,” the tall man with the gotee said, “there’s not much we can do about it. The Council ordered us to retrieve the Cross, and that’s what we are going to do...even if it means we join in this ridiculous Treasure Hunt. Patrick,” he turned to his last companion, “Do you have the entrance fee?”

“Yes,” he nodded, taking out a bundle of money from his waist coat, “Philip, I don’t understand why we just don’t force the information from the old man. It’s not that he would put up much of a resistance.”

“Yes,” he whispered, “but we are not supposed to attract attention...so this is how we will do it.”

“A Treasure Hunt,” Nigel shook his head, “Who in their right mind would place the Slayer’s Cross in a bloody treasure hunt?!”

******

Gradually, all contestants took their sets, waiting for the briefing to begin. It was difficult to hear over the noise of the crowds, but Giles strained his ears, trying to listen in on some of the conversations going on. A few of the groups talked about using the prize money to go on vacation, or buy expensive gifts, or put a down payment on a house of their dreams. He shook his head, wondering why anyone would want to spend the money to go on a trip, in the hopes of winning yet more money. If they lost, they would be broke. But, none of the contestants thought they would lose...and that was the answer to that.

Even Tamara and Kimberly were chatting about what they were planning on doing with their third of the prize money.

“I’m going to fix up the house, and pay off my over due bills,” Kimberly said wistfully, “And then If I have money left over, Jim and I are going to take a long vacation.”

“I thought you guys went on vacation?” Tamara asked.

“Yes,” Kimberly smiled, “But this time, the demon children are staying at their grandparents house.”

Tamara giggled, “I know how you feel. I had to baby sit my ten year old niece for a week...I was exhausted. And you have three boys. A trip to Sunny Iraq would probably seem like a vacation. Me....I’m going to pay off my bills...and find a job I like. Slowly. Like for about two months.”

“How about you Mr. Giles,” Kimberly asked, “How come you’re in this?”

Giles looked at the older woman and thought for a moment, “Actually, I’m searching for one particular item. A large golden cross. It has been in my family for generations, and somehow it accidentally wound up in this contest.”

“Why didn’t you just talk to the person running this thing, and explain to him the situation?” Kimberly suggested.

“Salvador Giovanni?” Tamara said skeptically, “Are you kidding? He loves to play these types of games with people. Especially if he knows you might have money. And if this golden cross is worth any money, then you have money. Am I right?”

Giles sighed, “Quite right. I asked him, and he told me I had to work for the Cross. So, here I am.”

Kimberly smiled and patted him on the shoulder, “Well, Mr. Giles, I’m glad you’re here anyway.”

“Thank you,” Giles smiled, “and you can call me Rupert.”

“Attention ladies and gentlemen,” an announcer began, “Can I please have your attention? Thank you. First, I would like to welcome all twenty teams to the first annual Cross Country Treasure Hunt,” he waited for the applause to die down before he continued, “Now that all of you have qualified and registered, it’s time to go over with you the rules to this little excursion. And to do this, is Mr. Salvador Giovanni, the owner of "Last Exit Resort", and the creator of this game.”

Again, another round of applause broke out, as the refined Italian man sauntered to the podium. He taped on the speaker a couple of times, and the room fell silent. Giles could see the look of superiority mixed with...something else, on the old man’s face. Perhaps he was truly enjoying the idea that he had created a concept that people would be willing to spend all their hard earned cash to participate in. Or perhaps, it was something else. But either way, once he began to speak, he held the attention of all those in the large conference room.

“As I look out into the crowd, I see all of the hopeful faces of those who are here to win,” applause broke out again, bringing an even larger grin to the old man’s face. All those in the room seemed to be in rapture of this man. All those, except Tamara, who sat on the set, next to Giles, shaking her head in disgust, “But, as with all games, even this one must have rules. You will get a comprehensive list with your game packet, but I will go over some of them with you. First, at each destination, you will be given a course out line for the next destination. You will not know in advance where the next stop will be, until you meet up with one of the referees. This very same referee will also provide you with the clue as to what item you will be looking for at that destination, and where to find the next referee.”

“This guy loves to hear himself talk,” Tamara sneered, “We could be here all night.”

“Next,” Giovanni continued, “There will be a five mile leeway to your course outline. In other words, you must stick to the path chosen for you. Each of your vehicles will be fitted with a tracking devise. This will allow us to monitor you daily progress, and allow us to make sure the zoning rules are being enforced. If you remove the devise, you will be automatically disqualified. If your vehicle is damaged in some way that it will not run, you may transfer the tracking system to another car, as long as we are contacted about the change. There will be a mandatory eight hour rest period, where each group must not be driving. If there is movement for all twenty four hours, then the group will be disqualified.”

Giles was beginning to wonder if Tamara wasn’t correct, in her observation.

“Lastly, the group must stay together in the search. You are responsible for the items you recover. Guard them well, for there are no rules about keeping the items. Other than that, the Guidebook will explain the rest in details. Meet back here at noon tomorrow. The race will begin at one o’clock sharp. Anyone not here, will be disqualified. Have fun, and good luck!”

With that, the room erupted in cheering and applause, as they began to file out of the room, back to where ever they were staying for the night. All contestants knew that they had a big day ahead, and they needed all the rest they could get. Tamara and Kimberly began to head to the wide, oak stairs that lead to the second floor, when Kim stopped and turned to Giles.

“Do you have a place to stay?” she asked.

Giles looked down at his shoes and ran his hand through his hair, “Ah, yes...well...funny you should ask. No, I don’t. I was thinking about getting a room here-”

“No good,” Tamara interrupted, “Booked solid. Not only is it packed with Treasure Hunters, but we’re smack dab in the middle of Tourist Season. And what a wonderful thing tourists are.”

“That would be sarcasm,” Kimberly pointed out.

“Ah, yes...it would.”

“Tam,” Kim asked, “didn’t you get a room here? You live fifteen minutes away. Why would you get a room?”

Tamara looked at her friend and place her hands on her hips, “Hey, I’m on vacation. The last thing I want to see is home. ‘Sides, it takes me forever to get up, then fight the traffic getting here...I don’t want to take any chances. So, which room did you get?”

Kimberly looked at her key, “Two thirty two.”

“Oh my god...I have two thirty one. That’s way too cool! We have joining rooms...aw how cute.”

“Well,” Kimberly suggested, “how about you and I share a room, and Mr....er, Rupert takes your room?”

“I will most certainly reimburse you for the price of your room,” Giles added.

“Sure,” Tamara smiled, “Hey, how about a toast? Come on, it’s early, and the lounge is still open,” When she got no response, she added, “I’m buying.”

“Oh, well...okay.”

“Sure.”

“And they say money doesn’t talk,” she said, heading off to the lounge, unaware that they were being watched.

“Did you hear that, Kyle?” Thomas smiled, his golden eyes reflected an unholy light, “Now we know were that Watcher’s gonna be.”

“Yeah,” Kyle smiled a toothy grin, “Now, all we gotta do is wait for him, and the Cross is ours.”

“The Cross is Marvin’s,” Thomas reminded him, “He hired us to get it, and that’s what we’re gonna do. Besides, he aint got it...”

“But I bet he knows were it is.”

******

The six of them sat at a booth, enjoying beer and each other’s company. Even Giles found himself relaxing in this atmosphere...of course the three glasses of scotch help quite a bit. Kimberly and Harvey were comparing kids. Tamara, Laura and Michael were having a game of guess that movie quote...and Michael was losing pitifully. Giles was glad that they decided against doing it as a stripping game. The young man would have been quite drafty in the air conditioned room.

“Man, I’m glad you guys found a replacement,” Harvey said, taking a large swig of beer, “It would have been a very boring game without you.”

“Gee I feel honored,” Tamara grinned, downing yet another beer.

As it got later, the lounge began to clear out, and the staff was beginning to clean up. Those who remained eventually got the hint and left. The group said their good nights and headed to their rooms. When they got to Tamara’s room, she took the key out of her jeans pocket and unlocked the door. Turning on the light, she went over to the night stand and took out what little belongings she had in the drawer. She threw it into a small overnight bag, and headed for the bathroom.

Inside the bathroom, Thomas and Kyle waited for their prey. When they heard a female voice the tow looked at one another in panic, “I thought you said the Watcher was staying here?”

“He is, you idiot,” Thomas hushed, “She probably has to get her things out. Quick, hide in the shower.”

“You and me?”

“Shut up and do it!”

Kyle looked at his companion and asked, “Why don’t we just kill her?”

“Because,” he replied, pushing him into the shower, and closing the curtain, “we don’t want to attract attention!”

Tamara opened the door and stumbled over to the sink. Damn, she thought, drunker than she would have liked. It’s been a while since last she drank, she realized that, but she didn’t think her tolerance would have dropped so low. Well, at least she was a cheap date.

She gathered her things and closed the door, totally unaware of how close she came to not making the race. “Well, that’s it,” she stated to Giles, “Place is all yours. We’ll meet in the dining hall for breakfast...say around nine?”

“Sounds fine to me,” Giles smiled, “And thank you again for allowing me to join your group.”

“Hey,” Kimberly said, as she dragged Tamara through the connecting doors, “Not a problem. Night.”

“Night.”

******

Giles sat down on the bed and removed his tie and shoes. He had brought his only bag up with him, and began to methodically unpack. He removed his stripped pajamas, and laid them on the bed. He then took out his bath supplies and headed for the bathroom. It was a very long and frustrating day, and all he wanted to do was wash up and go to bed.

When Thomas heard the door open, he sneaked a peek out a crack in the curtain. It was the Watcher! Now was the time to attack!

But Giles looked in the mirror just as Thomas looked out, and both saw each other at the same time. With remarkable speed, Giles quickly dashed out of the room, and raced to his satchel, just as the two vampires burst out of the room. Kyle was the first to reach Giles, but was greeted with a stake in the heart. He hadn’t expected the Watcher to be so adept at fighting back. It was a mistake he would never make again.

Thomas watched his partner burst into dust. He paused for a moment, not sure if pursuing this would be wise. That was when he heard a knocking on the door connecting the two room.

“Hello? Giles?” Tamara said through the door, “Everything okay in there? I thought I heard something weird.”

Thomas and Giles looked at one another, “Um...yes....” Giles said, holding the stake in his hand, “Everything’s just fine.” Then to the vampire he asked quietly, “Right?”

Thomas weighed his options, and began to slowly inch his way to the door, “Yeah, right,” he whispered to him, “No problem here.” The moment he reached the door, he sneered at Giles, “This ain’t over.”

Giles watched the tall vampire leave the room and shuddered, “I’m sure it isn’t.”

******

It was a bright and sunny morning, when all of the teams exited the main building and headed for their cars. Kimberly noticed how quiet Giles was at breakfast and was going to say something, but she decided it would be better not to. He didn’t appear to want to talk much.

Tamara, finished loading the teal and white conversion van, and after everything was set, followed everyone to the starting position. There they were greeted once more by Mr. Giovanni, and several reps, who handed out envelopes to each of the teams.

“Now,” Giovanni began, “within these envelopes is the information you need to get to your first destination, and what the object is, that you’re looking for. All I have to say, is good luck....and may the race begin!”

With that the groups raced to their cars and began their first leg of a very long...very strange journey.