 |
|
|
Part three
"I found it Mr. Giles!"
Rupert came out of the stacks and went over to the counter to join Wesley.
The Watcher pointed at the computer screen. "I believe they deliberately misspelled 'Alliance'. See here, the final two letters are missing from both the address and the page title." Wesley sat back and began to clean his glasses. "And also, the page is quite bland - black type on a white background and their logo. Not the sort of thing which would catch the eye of the casual 'web surfer'." Rubbing his eyes he added. "Especially since there are over 150... thousand much more interesting vampire sites."
"A hundred and fifty thousand?"
Wesley replaced his glasses. "Thanks to that silly television show."
Giles moved closer to the computer, but not too close. "Hummm, would not the word 'Alliance' been the way to go?"
"Tried that first. When you type in the word 'Alliance' and it goes to the millions of possibilities. 'Vampire' and 'Alliance' brings the choices down to only 84 thousand."
"How in God's name did you find it?" Giles asked honestly impressed.
"Elementary... you sit before this bloody thing until your backside is rooted to the chair."
"Which takes a soul how long?"
"Since quarter until three. Could not sleep anyway." Wesley moved the cursor over the Alliance logo and clicked. "But now comes the 'fun'. Without a doubt we will need Willow's assistance to continue."
The next page appeared:
Password: ________________
ID Code: ________________"Secretive little buggers are they not?" Wyndam-Pryce quipped. Glancing at his watch he noted the time. "Seven on the nose, is this too early to call Willow?"
"A bit, I would give her a call about eight'ish." Giles muttered staring at the screen. "This is your kettle of fish. I will take a few hard bound references with me to the motor home."
Wesley stood and stretched. "I'm going to lay down, awaken me when you and Buffy leave."
Giles nodded and returned to the stacks "Roth." He said outloud. "Alliance business." Standing there with a book in his hand he let out a long exhale. "We do not have anything current regarding these people."
And Matthew had offered nothing but rude commentary. He had loaded and left for Albuquerque within a half hour of their confrontation. Blatantly ignoring any questions from Wesley, Angel or Giles, he had only spoken with Xander, and that had been over where he could get some supplies for his journey. Harris had offered to show him where the 24-hour grocery was and had left with him.
The library doors swung open. Giles gave Buffy a nod and went down to the main level to join her. She met him halfway holding up a bag of doughnuts. "Breakfast!" She chirped while plopping down into a chair.
"Hummm, thank you." Giles said while picking through the sack. "Any of those bear claws?"
"Couple in the bottom - just for you."
Rupert found the claw and handed the bag back to Buffy. "Did Angel contact you?"
"Nope" Buffy took the sack and picked out a sweet. "Must not have been any activity overnight. Figured out anything else? Like who, what, where, why? 'Ya know little details about where this one is going?"
"No. Well, perhaps. Wesley did find their web site, but access is blocked." He answered while heading back to his search.
"Well, duh. It's not like they are real keen on 'sharing'." Without turning Giles answered the comment with a shrug. Buffy pursed her lips and brushed the powered sugar off the table. "That's it? You said you guys would explain things this morning."
"Hummm...?"
"Come on spill it." Buffy said following him up the steps.
"Have you spoken with Xander?"
"Huh? What's Xander got to do with it? You guys track me down; say some baddies followed the hunters into town; Angel's watching a bit and maybe undead guy in a RV over at the beach; more of those Alliance clowns are coming in this morning; watch out for vampire cops." She planted herself between Rupert and the shelving. "You'll know more this morning so meet up here at 7:00 AND you never did explain how falling down the stairs left knuckle marks on your face."
"That is all we know at the moment."
"Giiiiless!"
"It's... convoluted to say the least."
The Slayer crossed her arms and tapped her foot. "Try me - just use little words."
Rupert adjusted his glasses. "Xander was involved last night. He somehow teamed up with Matthew in the park and they were attacked by vampires in police uniform...."
Buffy listened to the recap of events interrupting when Rupert got the money.
"Twelve thousand dollars - cash American!? Why?"
"That's a good question, but Matthew refused to comment."
"What a jackass."
"Don't call him that." Giles harshly snapped.
"Whoa... sorry, didn't know we were buds now."
Rupert took a deep breath. "I am sure Xander will inform everyone as soon as he possibly can, so I might as well tell you. Matthew is my illegitimate son and he is the one who beat me." He paused. "I would prefer not to go into the details, so do not ask. Please respect this request."
"Ah, sure Giles. No questions about any of your kids." Buffy said with a blink.
"Kid.. eeeh.. child, son - singular." Giles stumbled over the words. "Ahem.. Back to the events of last night. Matthew conferenced with the Alliance via some sort of instant message service on the Internet. They speculated that someone or something named 'Roth' was responsible for the hunter's murder."
Buffy only half listened to the rest of what Rupert was saying. "Giles has a kid? A kid who's a hunter? She knew he was a wild and crazy guy there for a while, but whoa! Can't wait to tell Willow this one! She's gonna wig."
"Consequently, we decided that I will pose as the un-named confidential informant who they know was with Matthew. You will observe my meeting with this 'T.J.' from a nearby place. I researched some maps and we can expect her between the hours of 8:00 and 10:00. Providing, of course that she left Salt Lake City soon after receiving word of the events here in Sunnydale. We are not sure who she is but believe that she is with the Blanchard group." Giles stopped and cocked his head at the Slayer. "Any questions?"
"Why the cloak and dagger?"
"We are dealing with an organization who prefer to leave one of their own laying dead in his bed rather than treating the body with any decency. And given our ties to the Council of Watchers, Wesley and I are certain that they will not cooperate if they know the truth."
"You don't know that. This 'T.J.' might be a sweet little Southern belle."
****** "Let me close da bodybag."
Teresa Blanchard Jeanmard watched without emotion as two of her crew placed her son's corpse into the heavy plastic bag.
"So... Mike wanted you to run to López with 'ya tail between you legs?" She said to Matt who was leaning against the wall.
"Yes ma'am."
Teresa gave her head a hard shake. "And I was suppose to walk from da airport?"
Matt uncrossed his arms and straightened up. "I'd rather not get in this one.. ma'am. Mike's already threatened to shitcan me."
"He won't, I will not let him." She reached down and smoothed T.Paul's hair, a maternal gesture offset by the stone anger in her features.
Xander had slipped out of the RV. Walking away from the door he went over and sat down where the team's catahoulas were tethered to the back bumper. Absentmindedly he began to scratch one of them behind the ear as he digested the evenings' events. They were a tough bunch, no doubt about it. Their arrival at Sunnydale Community Airfield had been like a clip from a bad spy movie. Two AM; foggy deserted landing strip; Matt flashing his lights twice as a signal for them to deplane - all that had been missing was background music and a beautiful double agent.
In the van the scenario reminded Xander of a Army flick. Matt's report had been bare bones - just the facts ma'am. Brothers Junior and Andy Blanchard had prepped their weapons as they listened, occasionally nodding their heads at the information presented. Harris bit his lip thinking about those two. Their Dad was missing and they were cool as cucumbers. Then that other guy, what was his name? Sam... Sam Landry he was the dog trainer. All he did was sit and puff that cigar looking like he could care less. But it was Teresa Jeanmard who was in charge, this was perfectly clear. Her questions to Matt had been fast and to the point, especially concerning the involvement of the Watchers and a souled vampire. Then she had turned her attention to Xander. Age? Education? Experience? Why do you want to join the Alliance? "Answer up boy... we ain't got all night."
He guessed he had answered everything all right, hope she doesn't find out he had lied about his age. But, except for forgetting to address her as "ma'am" - just one time - it had went okay. Matt had warned him on that one, but rest assured he wasn't going to forget again. Even her nephews, Junior and Andy dared call her nothing but ma'am and they were in their high twenties, maybe thirty.
Arriving at the RV it had changed into a horror movie. Teresa was a sorceress. Not a Wicca, she had told him in no uncertain terms what she thought of Wiccas. "Johnny come lately, new age jackasses." Or something like that, her accent had kicked in about halfway through and he had kinda lost the words - but not the meaning. Then she had traced a sign with her finger onto T.Paul's forehead and raised his ghost. No circles on the floor; none of the herbs and spices he had seen used by Giles or Willow. Not'ta bell, book or candle. Just "boom", the room had gotten freezing cold and there was T.Paul.
But now they knew what had happened. Two men had arrived and identified themselves as Sunnydale Police Detectives. They had claimed that Matt had been killed and they were to come with them to ID the body. T.Paul remembered getting about halfway to the car before he felt a dart go into his back. As he passed out he saw John fighting with the two men - demons of some stripe. He awoke to find John gone and the RV full of gas. He went in, tried to get the gas turned off, two vampires came out of the back room and attacked - as he was overcome by the gas he was bitten - then he died.
But Uncle John was not with him on the other side.
Ring rolled over on his back to get his belly rubbed. Xander half smiled at the animal's actions. "You're just a big baby, ain't you?"
"You should see him on da trail." Sam was standing in front of them puffing on his cigar. "Ring, his voice rings out somethings beautiful when he is on da hunt." Then nodding toward the second dog. "And Peekon, he goes straight to da vampire's ankles and feet." He snapped his fingers for emphasis. "Brings dem down like dat!"
Xander nodded, not sure of what to say.
Waving his cigar toward the only other trailer in the campground Sam asked. "Nobody likes dis place?"
"It's a little early in the season." Xander barely whispered.
Sam noticed Xander's pale complexion. "T.Paul give you the fremeers?"
,P>"If 'fremeers' means the 'heebie-jeebies' - I'd say it's a definite 'Oh yeah'! Sir.""Mais, between you and me and da dogs... he did not give me da fremeers. He scared da hell out of me." Sam flicked a cigar ash and gave Harris a light thump on the side of the head. "But you tell anyone I said dat... I will have your ass as a hat. Understand?"
"Yeah... ah, yes Sir." Xander answered uncomfortably.
Sam smiled and bent down to scratch Peekon on the back. "You don't hav'ta 'Sir' me. I am just da dog man. Forty-six and still da dog man. But I like it dat way."
"And what am I?" Xander asked. "Where do I fit in?"
Sitting down beside Harris, Sam puffed on his smoke for a minute. "Da catahoulas like you." He rubbing his chin. "How about you apprentice with me? Learn you how to handle da dogs and maybe teach you how to fly."
"Apprentice? Dog trainer? Pilot?" Xander was getting interested.
With a nod Sam decided he liked the idea also. "You can live with Joellen and me and da girls when we are not on da road."
"The girls?"
"I have six daughters."
"Really?"
Sam caught Xander's interested expression and quickly added a not to veiled threat. "Rule One: I will turn you to grind meat and feed you to da catahoulas if you even think about it."
Wiping the smile from his face, Xander gulped. "I think that's a very good 'rule'. And believe me I know better than to even think about upsetting someone who needs... dog food."
Sam kept the stern look but inside he was laughing at Xander's nervousness. "Here they are, dis was taken two years ago." He said as he pulled out his wallet and removed a worn photo of his family in front of a sign which read "Landry Catahoula - Grand Isle."
"You got a real nice family." Xander said nodding toward the snapshot.
Tracing his finger over the photo Sam smiled. "Yes, and I am on da road too many days." He pointed at the images. "Anna is da oldest, married but we haven't seen any grandbabies yet. And da same with Marie. Both too busy with other things to make Joellen and me a mamere and papere. That is my beb, we been married twenty-seven years. Dis is Lillian, she is engaged to one of da López boys. Da wedding is dis June." Sam nudged Xander with his elbow. "And then we teach you how to dance."A series of taps on the back window caused them both to rise. Sam replaced the photo into his wallet. "So, California Boy... you want to be a dog man?"
Xander held out his hand to shake on it. "If you think I got it."
With a handshake Xander found his place. "Then it is settled." Sam said with a nod. "But now we have a job to do. You recon dis area. If it be clear give a whistle. Then they will take T.Paul to da van."
"Got it." Xander pulled his stake out and began to search the area for anyone or anything who might be watching. After about two minutes he heard a soft whistle from Sam up near the road. He took a final look around and followed suit.
"What is he doing?" Angel thought from his vantage point beside the campground office. Raising an eyebrow at the handshake he muttered outloud. "He's getting awful damn tight with these Alliance bastards." He watched silently as Xander patrolled then went back to open the van cargo door. The others came out carrying T.Paul's mortal remains and placed him into the vehicle. The vampire observed the woman began to give the group their marching orders. If he strained he could barely make out the words.
"Sam, Andy you take him back home. Have Old Man Meeker do the arraignments. Then you 180 it back here. I will expect you at thirteen hundred. Matt, drop dem off and patrol 'till dawn. Then meet up with us at dat storage place we passed over on da highway. We will hide da coach there." She stopped for a second and patted the side of the van as a final goodbye to her son. "Now.. go!"
The pilots gave a sharp nod and joined Matt in the van. As they pulled away Junior unfolded a map and spread it out over the picnic table. Motioning for Xander to come over he began to question him as to where the known lairs were located.
So intent was Angel in trying to hear that he did not notice the breeze had changed direction - but Ring and Peekon did. The dogs hit the end of their leashes with rumbling growls staring directly at the vampire's hiding place.
Teresa stopped with her hand on the RV door and exchanged a knowing glance with Junior. She went around to the catahoulas and bent down to the release snap on their collars.
Junior folded the map and picked his weapons bag off the ground. Casually dropping it onto the table he unzipped it and retrieved a small crossbow. "Time for da hunt." He muttered to Xander. "Arm yourself, be ready." He loaded a deadly looking bolt into his weapon and gave Teresa a sign.
Jeanmard released the dogs. "Take it!" She commanded as they sprang toward the smell of their prey.
"Damn!" Angel shot out of his hiding place and ran for his existance with the catahoulas hot on his trail. A bolt whizzed by only inches from him and smashed into the side of the office as he rounded the building. He headed for the beach, knowing that his only chance was a series of docks and warehouses about a mile south.
"Look 'chat saleau go." Junior laughed loading a second bolt into the crossbow.
Xander cleared his throat. "Aahh, that was Angel, the one Matt told you guys about."
The humor vanished from Junior's face. "Does dis make a difference? It was spying on us, now we take care of it.."
A man's voice came from the front of the RV. "You are going to need more than that piss ant crossbow, Blanchard."
"Roth."
Figures began to move in the shadows. Four, six, ten creatures of the darkness came into view and began to arc around the humans. Their leader a tall pale figure by the name of Daniel Roth. A warlock in life, a vampire in death, and the sworn enemy of the Alliance.
"Is this as bad as it looks?" Xander whispered as the pack began to circle in.
Junior's reply was not comforting. "No - worse."
Teresa whistled for the dogs.
"Oh, yes Teresa my dear. Call your dogs." Daniel held up his hand allowing them to see a pale yellow glow, the residue of his sorcery. "But they will not respond, they only see and hear and smell what the wind brought them."
"I don't know how you got out of my binding, but I will send you to hell dis time." Teresa began to whisper an incantation.
"Now!" Junior ordered to Xander as he let a bolt fly toward Roth's heart. In a motion too quick for the eye to follow the vampire grabbed one of this minions by the throat and used him as a shield against the missile.
As the unlucky vampire turned to dust Roth swung his arm around and let loose a small dart. "My turn." It hissed as the projectile hit Jeanmard above her collarbone she took a few faltering steps before collapsing.
The pack descended onto Xander and Junior.
The fight did not last long.....
*~*~*~* Rupert shifted on the hard wooden bench and closed his book. Glancing first at his watch and then at the scraggly stand of trees where Buffy was hidden, an uncomfortable thought entered his mind. It was almost 10:00 and still no sign of the expected Alliance team. Was it possible that they had been tricked? The team should have been here by now. He began to go over the math again. "Six-hundred and seventeen miles at sixty miles an hour. It had been nearly twelve and a half hours since they were told that T.J. was on her way... "Blast it!" Giles stood, stretched and stared toward the main road. "They should have been here an hour ago."
Buffy noticed Rupert's movement and came over to join him. "What time is it?" She called out.
"Ten minutes until ten. They are late."
Digging a dollar out of her pocket she shook her head. "Naa." She countered. "They have to come through the mountains. We went to Lake Tahoe when I was a kid and I remember dad having a fit because we couldn't make any time." Giving a nod toward the RV she added. "And we were driving a station wagon not a boxcar."
"I suppose that could be the reason." Giles muttered as Buffy walked away. "Where are you going?"
"To get a soda out of the machine, want one?"
"No. I just want this to be over. I have this nagging feeling that something is amiss" He answered as he followed her past the front of the motor home. He paused then stepped up onto the front bumper and peered in.
Intrigued Buffy joined him on the perch. "What's with the sheet nailed up there?"
"Matt did that before he left, along with closing all the shades. So no one would look in and see the body or the dogs."
"Nice decorator touch. If he ever gets out of the Alliance he should go into interior design." Buffy chuckled.
"I am going to speak to him about that." Giles whispered.
"Interior design?"
"No, please Buffy." Giles stepped down and began to clean his glasses. "Leaving the Alliance. With his field experience and, uh... heritage - he would make a fine Watcher. Especially for an American Slayer." Rupert put his glasses back on and caught Buffy's sour look.
"Like my replacement?"
Giles drew a sharp breath as he realized he had touched on taboo topic number one. "Ah, no... I mean to train a reserve Slayer for years from now."
Buffy's face twisted into a gallows grin. "Yeah, years from now." She blinked a few times and changed the subject. "So... 'ya sure about that soda?"
The crunch of tires on the gravel driveway caught their attention. Giles peeked around the front of the RV and caught sight of a brown van coming down the driveway. He quickly ushered Buffy around to the back of the motor home. "I believe it's Matthew, he's back for some reason."
The van pulled up and stopped with its engine running. Matt let out an exasperated exhale as he saw the RV still parked where it had been. "Change of plans? Thanks a hell of a lot for clueing me in." He muttered as he tapped the steering wheel and stared around the site. "Maybe they all dozed off." He gave the horn a short beep and waited for some sign of movement from the motor home. After about a minute he shut off the engine and got out. He was halfway to the door when Buffy came out from the back of the RV.
"Hi-'ya! Forget something or you just can't stay away?"
"What are you doing here?" The hunter curled his lip. "Can't you jackasses..."
"You will watch your language around Miss Summers." Giles sharply said as he came from around the front of the coach. "And we will be asking the questions from this point on."
Another van pulled into the driveway scattering gravel as it roared up to the campsite.
"Your buddy leave his teapot here or something?" Matt deadpanned as he recognized Wesley's van.
Rupert faced Matt as an wickedly smug expression spread across his face. "No, he must have found something on the Alliance site. Or should I say 'Allian'."
"He'd never get in." Matt punctuated his comment by spitting on the ground.
Buffy wrinkled her nose at the hunter. "Eeeww! You know that's disgusting? Didn't your momma ever teach you any manners?"
"Naa, she was too busy picking up losers." The barbed response accompanied by a nod toward Rupert.
Wesley came to a sliding stop behind Matt's van as Willow jumped out waving a handful of papers. "They're already here... their ETA was 2:00 AM! They have a plane! And this Roth guy..." She shuffled the printouts getting more and more flustered. "... this Roth guy was a hunter who got kicked out for being rotten and sorcery the bad kind not the good kind and then he got turned but before he got turned like when he was still alive he tried to hire this John Blanchard to do a job but John threw the money back at him and then did something really nasty to the money and then after he got bit he..." Willow finally took a breath and shoved the information toward Giles. "Oh hell, you got'ta read it."
"Willow! You just yelled 'oh hell', shame on you!." Buffy said with a laugh.
"Not important." Wesley said with a tremor in his voice. "Matthew, thank God you're here, do you know where Xander is? His mother is trying to find out his whereabouts."
Willow stared openmouthed at Wesley. "Was that the phone call you got as we were leaving? So you weren't just driving crazy because of this Roth vampire?"
With a nod of his head he confirmed her questions. "Mrs. Harris called, absolutely hysterical. Xander's clothes and two suitcases are missing. She found a cryptic note which stated that he would contact the family when he got settled in with his new... job."
Matt shrugged and started toward his van. "Yeah, he signed up. So What? He's eighteen and can do as he damn well..."
BAM!
In a heartbeat Buffy had him in a head lock pinned up against the side of the van. "Try again, he's not eighteen for two more weeks. Where's my friend?"
Matt strained and twisted trying to get out of the Slayer's grip. "Bitch..."
His comment was rewarded with a stomp on his foot that he felt through the steel toed boots. "Potty mouth..." Buffy hissed. "... bad boy, no dessert." She swung him to the ground. "Like you're going to be able to eat anyway with no teeth."
"I'm inclined to agree with her." Giles stood behind the Slayer glaring at Matthew. "Since you have no concept of honor or friendship perhaps I should allow Buffy to thrash the information out of your thick head."
"Where's Xander?" Willow squeaked. "He can't leave us. Xander's always been here, he's still in school and..."
"You two weren't that worried last night at the Bronze. Hell, when he left you both acted like you didn't give a rat's ass. Yeah, just because he was trying to talk some sense into you." Matt shot back as he pulled himself up off the ground.
"Xander won't listen when it comes to Angel. Anyway that's none of your business." Buffy said through clenched teeth. Then her eyes widened. "Angel! He was here too. What did you morons do..."
Matt shook his head in disgust. "Never saw him. But if he's as smart as you think he is he probably bailed when he saw team four. They wouldn't give a damn whose side he was on."
"He's right Buffy." Wesley said with a nod. "Angel knows what these people are capable of. He certainly returned to the mansion as soon as they arrived." He sighed with relief as the Slayer's posture relaxed a touch. Turning his attention back to Matt he asked. "Xander, where is Xander?"
"I can't believe this crap. You know, he told me everything last night while we patrolled." Matt jabbed his finger at the others in turn. "Gave me the scoop on all of 'ya. Got to give him credit, I would have told all of 'ya AND this town to kiss my ass a long... time... ago." The hunter's tone changed as he noticed two dogs sniffing around the beach. "Oh shit."
Giles caught the sudden shift in Matt's attitude. "What's wrong?"
"Something bad." He answered then whistled loudly toward the animals. At the sound the two catahoulas broke into a trot and came toward him. "How long have you been here?" He asked no one in particular.
"I do not see where you are in the position to ask questions." Wesley hurrumped.
"Humor me, man." He whistled again. "Ring! Peekon! Hee-ya dog!"
"Buffy and I arrived at approximately 7:30." Giles answered as the dogs got close enough for him to recognize their breed. "Why are they running loose?"
"That's what I want to know." Matt answered. "I left here about oh four hundred, everything was fine at that point."
"Did Xander go with you?" Buffy asked hearing the concern in the hunter's voice.
"No, he stayed here with Teresa and Junior. He was going to give them the status on this area. We were going to do a day sweep - catch 'em while they were at rest."
"So where is he?" Willow's voice cracked.
Matthew knelt down between the panting dogs and patted them all over checking for signs of injury. "I don't know Red. I took Sam and Andy to the airfield so they could fly T.Paul home. Then I did a fast dawn patrol looking for stragglers and went over to the Storage Place to wait on Teresa. I dozed off at sunrise, woke up about ten... they were suppose to be there at nine." He grabbed each dog by the collar and thought for a moment. "Dogs are fine."
"Well whoopee!" Buffy exclaimed while twirling an index finger. "Who cares about the damn dogs?"
"It means they haven't seen any action." Matt answered in a surprisingly quiet voice as he realized the gravity of the situation. "It means they sent a rabbit."
"Huh?" Buffy and Willow said in unison.
Wesley drew a hissing breath. "Bait, to draw them into an ambush."
"Or draw them away to set one up here." Giles offered.
"Flip a coin, roll the dice - could have been either one." Matt released the hounds. "Ring! Peekon! Go find 'em!"
Nose to the ground the catahoulas began to crisscross the space between the motor home and the driveway. Peekon headed off toward the beach, retracing the path Angel took during his escape. Matt called him back with a sharp whistle. "Here, find 'em here." He told the returning hound.
Wesley was absolutely astounded when Peekon immediately abandoned the beach scent and began to follow a trail between the table and the trees. "Well trained beast." He commented. "Ah, what breed are they?"
"Louisiana catahoula." Matt answered while watching their movements. "T.Paul told me they evolved from the interbreeding of native Indian dogs, red wolfs and Spanish mastiffs."
"Look at that, you can see how something came in from the road behind the trees then swung around the front of the camper and came this way. Smart mutts." Buffy conceded.
Matt smiled at the group's appreciation of the catahoula's skills. "You got that right sister. And they ain't afraid of nut'ten. They were originally used to hunt wild hogs, can't top 'em for winding and baying. Great cattle dog, even a bull ain't got a chance."
"Or a vampire." Giles interjected. "I hate to ask but exactly how are they trained to hunt the undead?"
"Combo platter of bottled human cadaver scent and fresh blood - that's for vamps. Demons... well, some catahoulas have a knack for sniffing them out, some don't..."
Ring was far more interested in the multitude of scents in the immediate area. As he nosed along beside the RV he suddenly froze and let out an almost human cry of terror. So frightened that he momentarily lost his footing, Ring fell onto his haunches before turning and running for the perceived safe space under the van.
In unison everybody shivered a bit.
Peekon wandered over toward the spot where Ring had panicked. Pacing back and forth a few times he began to whine and bolted to join his littermate.
"Thought you said they ain't afraid of nut'ten..." Buffy said breaking the uncomfortable silence.
"Stay here." Matt mumbled as he went toward the RV.
"NO!" Rupert shouted. "You don't know what's in there."
Matt stopped and swallowed hard. Half turning to the others he slowly filled them in. "Yes I do. One especially pissed off ghost."
"You think it is T.Paul?" Wesley asked him hesitantly.
"Yeah, Teresa brought him up last night to talk to him. We had to tie the dogs outside when she did it."
Willow's eyes got as big as saucers. "That's big time."
"Bigger than spinning pencils, huh... Will?" Buffy gave her friend a nudge.
"Way bigger..." Willow gulped. "... That's like Black Magic Ph.D.. Spinning pencils is like.. like.."
"Kindergarten?" Buffy offered.
Willow's eyes flashed. "No, more like freshman year!"
Matt took a couple of more steps toward the RV. "HEY T.PAUL! What'cha doing scaring the hell out'ta Sam's dogs for?"
The door flew open with a bang.
Rupert joined Matthew. "That was, to say the very least, interesting."
The heads of two demons rolled out.
Matt visibly paled. "Ya know, Ol' T.Paul did have a short fuse." He shut his eyes for a moment and steadied himself. "Look, Old man... you wanna get the others out'ta here? I've got'ta go in and see what he wants."
"I’ll go with you."
"No, I don't think so."
"I have experience in dealing with tormented shades."
"And I know T.Paul."
Wesley's voice broke into the argument. "It is not pleased with your delay!"
From within the RV crashes and thumps erupted as the contents began to be flung against the walls. The desk chair came flying through the door like a missile arcing up and over the vans parked twenty yards away.
Rupert gave Wesley a grim nod and strolled into the maelström. Matt flung his hand into the air and followed.
Wesley put his hand out to prevent Buffy from joining the party. "You cannot slay a ghost. Please if you never listen to me again, heed me this one time."
Willow stepped up beside Wyndam-Pryce. "Buffy, he's right! Did you hear what I just said? Wow! Wesley's right."
Buffy opened her mouth to say some snide remark but was stopped by the sudden quite which descended over the campground.
*~*~*~* Rupert could see his breath as the temperature dropped to below freezing in the RV. He hesitated for a moment and stepped over the torn corpse of a demon which lay just inside.
"Shit..." Matt muttered as he closed the door behind him. "...Come on T.Paul how can we help if you're gonna play 'freeze out'?"
"It's a bit better over here." Giles said as he motioned for Matt to join him back by the end of the main living area. "Beside the door must be where he died."
Giles felt his feet leave the ground. He hung midair for a split second before the spirit slammed him up against the wall. The pressure on his chest became unbearable as he struggled to take in air.
Matt grabbed Rupert's arms and pulled. "Let him go T.Paul!"
The icy presence intensified enveloping both men with its anger.
Not spoken with voice or heard with the senses, but as a feeling, a single thought formed in Matt's mind.
"Interloper."
Rupert's lips were turning blue. With every ragged gasp the entity compressed his chest a fraction more. His mind shot to a nature show he had viewed a few nights before. A boa constrictor killing a rodent... his oxygen starved mind found it an oddly humorous comparison.
"T.Paul - he's here to help! Let him go! Damn it! Let him go!" Matt barked as he tried to break Rupert loose from the spirit.
"Damn saleau Watcher."
Matt was flicked aside like an annoying insect landing on his back across the remains of the second demon.
"T.PAUL STOP IT! HE BELONGS HERE! HE'S BLOOD!...." Matthew screamed as he scrambled to his feet and dived back toward the struggle.
"Not with us."
".....MY OLD MAN... MY DAD! LET HIM THE HELL GO, GOD DAMN YOU!!"
Giles landed on the floor with a thud. Matt knelt beside him and began to check vital signs. Drawing an instinctive deep breath Rupert came back from the brink of unconsciousness. Sitting back onto his heels Matthew let out a sigh of genuine relief.
"Old man, I think that might have been a close one." He said trying to sound flip.
Pulling himself into a sitting position Rupert put his head down for a second to clear his brain. "You think so? I thought I had the upper hand." He rubbed his chest and winced. Raising his head he caught Matt's eye. "Thank you... "
"No problem." Matt cut him off before the word "son" could be spoken. "Thought I was going to have to give you New York CPR." He stood and stomped his foot twice on an imaginary person, and blew a puff of air downward. Then with a terrible Bronx accent, "Yo! Get up before youse fouckin' die!" He smiled at his own lame joke and offered Giles a hand up.
But Giles had neither seen or heard the attempt at humor. His body had slumped over his drawn up knees and his head bobbed for a moment before it too fell forward. He raised one hand palm up and whispered a single word, "Enter. "A slight tremor coursed through his body accompanied by a low moan whose genesis was in the depths of his soul.
"Old man?" Matt bent over and put a hand upon Giles' shoulder.
"Pauvre defante Momma. Oo ye yi...."
Matt froze at the sound of T.Paul's voice coming from Rupert. Slowly the panic cleared enough for him to realize both what had happened and what had been said: Teresa was dead and T.Paul was in morning.
"T.Paul?"
"Oo ye yi!" The pain filled voice echoed from the pit of death. The temperature plummeted another dozen degrees and Rupert's body began to shiver uncontrollably.
"T.Paul... Buddy... Compadre..." Matt pulled a blanket from the couch and began to wrap it around Rupert's frame. "...Come on Pal, you're gonna hurt him."
"Will not hurt him... he is family." Rupert raised his head, the possession showing in the glowing whites of his eyes. His hand shot out of the blanket and grabbed Matt by the shirt pulling him close. "Roth killed momma - you destroy him."
"We don't know where he is." Matt tried to pull away, but the corpse cold fingers wound tighter into his shirt.
"In da dark place."
Matt grimaced as he felt chest hairs being pulled out. "Yeah man. Dark places is where we usually find 'em."
"Smart ass rodeč." Pulling Matthew literally nose to nose the spirit growled in anger. "Zeerahb dark place with da sun. Your poppa knows it."
"O..o..k-k-kay.... T-t-Pa...Paul,” Matt's teeth began to chatter from the cold emanating from the shade.
"Slapped a gris gris on us. We can never go on while he walks." Rupert's body stood, dragging Matt upright. "You destroy Roth. Then momma and me can rest."
With a sudden motion he flung Matt onto the couch. "Dark place with da sun. You find dem there."
Then it was gone.
Rupert stood there shivering as the force which kept him upright drained out of his flesh. Matthew wrapped his arm around Giles to steady him as they made their way to the door.
"You okay, Old Man?" He asked as he propped Rupert up beside the doorframe. "No, guess not..." He muttered as Giles began to slide down the wall. Matt kicked the door open. "SOMEBODY GIVE ME A HAND!"
Wesley sprinted to the door. "Oh Dear God!" Was all he could say as he helped Matt get Rupert out of the motor home. They carried him over to the cargo van and laid him down beside it.
"Red..." Matt yelled toward Willow. "There's some Gator-aid beside the driver's seat. Get it." He felt Rupert's neck. 'Pulse is good.... T.Paul rang his bell, big time."
"Now I'm going to ring yours!" Buffy snarled as she yanked Matt up and away from Rupert by his shirt. "You were suppose to keep an eye..."
The hunter twisted around and swept Buffy's legs out from under her, landing her flat on her back. "Sister... I've about had it with you."
Buffy came back up aiming a blow toward his jaw. Matt jerked back and raised his fist momentarily. "No. Forget it." He turned his back on Buffy and took the second hit.
This motion infuriated the Slayer. "Get back here!" Matt's top shirt buttons popped as Buffy whirled him back around.
"Hey Guys!" Willow screamed. "Giles remember? Both of you quit it and, and.. just quit it before I.. I turn you into something."
Wesley pushed between the two antagonists. "Now see here." He began while pushing Matthew back.
Matt held up an index finger in warning to the Watcher. "You... I will kick the shit out of if you ever..."
Taking a step around Willow Buffy pointed to the ground before her. "Bring it over here, I'm the one that's taking you down."
"I won't hit a chick." He snapped while kneeling back down.
Willow rolled her eyes. "Oh that helped..." She muttered.
Buffy's temper ignited. "CHICK? You jackass..."
Wyndam-Pryce held his hands up in irritation. Taking the Gator-Aid from Willow he made an undignified noise as he tried to smooth out the situation. "Please Buffy. I will reprimand him."
The warmth of the sun was helping bring Rupert's strength back. That along with Ring's wet dog "kisses" and the sound of the confrontation brought Giles around by the time Matt had again knelt beside him. "Nice dog." He mumbled as he pushed Ring back.
"Hey, good. Welcome back. Dog spit always helps." Matt said acknowledging Rupert's movements.
"Mr. Giles.. here drink this."
Rupert sat up and took the offered bottle from Wesley. "What happened?"
"That's what we want to know." Buffy crouched down on beside Rupert and glared at Matt. "So, jerk? You wanna fill us in?"
"If you shut up maybe I will." Matt growled at the Slayer.
"Both of you!" Rupert harshly interrupted the two as he stood. He rubbed his hand roughly back through his hair. "Now, what happened?"
"T.Paul possessed you. He said Teresa was dead and we would find the others in the dark place with the sun." Matt answered. "Whatever the hell that means, he said you would know."
"Dark place with sun?" Willow cocked her head.
"Hey! Glad you cleared that up." Buffy snotted. "Knew we could count on you."
"That's it... that's just it. Screw all of 'ya!" Matt got up and pulled the van keys out of his pocket. With a nod to Giles he went to the driver's door. "Later, Old Man - I got shit to do." Opening the door he called to the dogs. "Ring! Peekon! Here!"
"I guess running away is a.... family trait." Rupert said pointedly to Matt.
Buffy gave Willow a "I told you so" nod.
"So do you know where this place is or are you just jerkin' me around?" Matt gritted his teeth. "Which is it Old Man?"
"I am not sure of a location, I will have to give it some thought." Giles answered slowly. "Forgive me, but remember I have been beaten... twice in the past twenty-four hours."
Matt gave the van door a slam. "Okay, here's where I'm comin' from. Two teams gutted. Three friends are MIA - two more confirmed dead. I have to get somewhere to hook up and get online to send a report. Then I have to meet Andy and Sam at the airport at thirteen hundred." The hunter paused as a possibility shot through his mind. "Pick them up if they are still alive. Roth might have sabotaged the plane."
Rupert nodded in understanding. "There is Internet access at the school. You, Willow and I will go there where you 'will' give us any information we deem necessary. Wesley and Buffy can meet the others. If Roth has sent one of his followers to watch the airport they will not recognize his van. We can then combine forces at the library."
Wesley held his glasses up and began to clean them. "Taking into account the animosity between the Alliance and the Council of Watchers and the events of the past night, I can not see them agreeing to come with us."
"You got that right." Matt made a funny "tick" sound. "You'll need the 'all clear' password so they know you're okay."
"Just like a spy movie. Do we have to carry a paper under our left arm and wear a blue flower behind the right ear?" Buffy rolled her eyes skyward. "Come on Giles... they won't listen to us."
"Can you blame 'em? I sure as hell don't want to either." Matt opened the van door and called the dogs back out. "But it's the best plan we got at the moment. We got'ta get to John, Junior and Xander before sunset. Take Ring and Peekon with 'ya, Sam will want to see 'em."
"No, I am allergic to dog hair...." Wesley sputtered.
"And run them through the Wendys drive through. They like doubles with onion only, no cheese or they'll barf." Matt opened his wallet and pulled out a couple of twenties. "Get us all something while you're at it."
"I want a big fry and a diet." Willow said as she got into the cargo van. "Let's go."
Matt led the dogs over to Wesley's van and herded them in. Exasperated at the rapid turn of events Wydam-Pryce followed muttering words he rarely called into play. The hunter tossed the money onto the dashboard and shooed Peekon off the driver's seat. "My 'all clear' is... Limey." He said softly. "Don't spread it around, okay runt?" Matt punctuated the request with a threatening look. Then to Buffy he added a warning. "By the way sister, don't piss off Andy. He ain't as nice of a guy as I am."
If looks could kill, Matt would have been stone cold dead from Wesley and Buffy's gaze.
Joining them, Rupert shook his head at the tension. "There isn't any other way."
"Well, since it the 'only' barely logical plan we have. We will see you at the library." Wesley huffed as he got into his van and started the engine. Buffy did not say a word as she went around and got in the other side. Both gave Matt a last look of disdain as they pulled away.
"I don't think they like me." Matt smirked.
"You must admit, you do not have a talent for endearing yourself to others." Giles began to clean his glasses. "It would do you well to work on your... people skills."
"Fatherly advice? Keep it."
"Human advice... take it." Rupert met Matt's half sneer with a emotionless mask. Replacing his glasses he gave a nod toward the hunter's van. "Stay with Willow, please."
"Where 'ya think you're goin'?" Matt queried as Giles began to walk away.
"I want to examine the heads T.Paul 'gave' us. Then I believe it would be a sparkling idea to replace them into the motor coach away from prying eyes." Giles raised an eyebrow. "Unless, of course, Alliance procedure would be impaling them on spears and displaying the carnage as a warning?"
"That's Texas style, can't do that here in 'La-La-Land'." Matt's sneer became a smile at the conversation. "And by the way Old Man - those were transmutated marplots conjured up just to sit there and nail anyone who came back." He caught up with Giles and slapped him on the shoulder before continuing on to the van. "They will decay back to their original slime ball form as soon as the sun goes down. But if you want to play with them... have at it."
Giles just blinked. "There might be hope, yet." He thought to himself as Matt went over and hopped into the van.
Climbing into the driver's seat Matt noticed Willow admiring his disassembled computer in the cargo net. "Look, don't touch."
Willow ran her finger along the monitor. "Cool!"
"Leave it alone, Red."
"You know, my name's Willow." She looked up and grinned. "And I'm the one who hacked into your Alliance site. Took me twenty-one minutes, seventeen seconds."
"No way..."
"Way!" Willow chirped with a smug grin.
"I'll be damned..." Matt put the keys in the ignition. "I though I had it secure."
"If you want me to I could show you how to fix it. But only if you want me to, if you don't I won't, but you really should." Willow's grin had spread over her entire face at Matt's obvious wounded pride.
"I don't think so."
"Oh come on it would be fun. What's the matter, afraid I'll show you up?"
Matt shook his head. "No, you're too nice of a kid to hang with me. I'm bad news, a real shit magnet."
Willow's smile faded. "Why do you say that? I mean you're Giles' kid - right? And he's okay..."
"Look Red... ah, Willow. Let me put it to you this way. Yesterday at this time he didn't even know I existed. So the fact he's my old Man doesn't mean squat." Matt looked at the teen in the rearview as he reiterated. "Doesn't mean squat to you, me, him - nobody."
Climbing over the supplies, Willow came up to the front of the vehicle and perched in the passenger seat. "So why did you do it? Like.. if it means nothing to you, nothing is nothing. But you went to his house and did that to him." Willow frowned at the hunter. "And that's why... why we really don't like you."
"Can't help it - sorry about your luck." Matt tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. Hearing the RV door slam shut he stuck his head out the window. "Make sure it locked, okay?"
Giles nodded and double-checked. He then held up his hands and indicated that he was going to wash them off down at the beach.
The hunter could almost feel Willow's angry stare burning a hole in the side of his head.
"Now what?"
"Buffy's right, you are a jerk." She gave her head an angry toss toward Xander's suitcases. "And I don't get that... maybe I don't want to get it, but why would he leave with... you?"
Matt suddenly looked much older that his twenty-two years. "You can't get it. You haven't been shit on enough and 'that' is a prerequisite for jumping at the first chance 'ya get to hit the road."
"And who made you the expert?" Willow said with surprising sarcasm. She straightened up in the seat and crossed her arms waiting for a reply. "I asked you a question."
"Hey!" Matt growled as Willow gave him an attention getting shove.
"I asked you a question." She repeated ignoring Matt's building ire.
Slamming a fist down on the dashboard Matt exploded. "Let's see... could be the thirteen years I was told that my Old Man had died in a car wreak in London. Yeah, supposedly he was on his way to the airport to come to the States. Then there was the day I found that damn letter that confirmed I was the little bastard everyone said I was..." He snapped his fingers and pointed at Willow. "Hey, here's one of my favorites. Step-father number four was doing one of his weekly 'beat the shit out of mom' routines and I went after him with a kitchen knife. Guess who's side dear old mom took? Guess who spent their fourteenth birthday locked up?..."
Willow slid back toward the door her eyes wide.
"...That was the big revelation, from that point on my motto was, 'don't trust nobody, don't believe nobody and look out for number one'..."
"But... you have to trust.." Willow stammered.
Matt ignored her words. "...Of course that attitude when you're fourteen gets 'ya hammered. Oh yeah, here's another good one - they couldn't even find a foster home that wanted me - ended up taking two more trips to juvie before they let me out at eighteen. We left that night and swore we would never go back."
"We?" Willow looked confused at the sudden change from singular. "Who went with you?"
"Never mind, Red. Never mind." Matt let out a hissing exhale and turned back around. Debbie's face flashed through his mind, full of life and promise as the Gatlinberg judge pronounced them man and wife. Then the memory of that night in rural North Carolina - flickering images which he tried so hard to suppress. The back road where they had stopped to rest. The trio which had approached them to ask for a ride. The deadly fight against things he never knew existed. Debbie's scream as she was dragged away. The Blanchard work van that appeared out of nowhere. Debbie's return, two nights later. How she had screeched like a wild animal as he had staked her.
Matt jerked like he had been hit as his brain replayed the sound.
"Matt? You okay?" Willow whispered.
The hunter swallowed hard and nodded. Noticing Rupert returning he started the engine. "Here he comes.. we have to get going." He rubbed his hand across his face and stared out the windshield. "You know, you guys have got to quit dissin' Harris. He's put himself on the line enough times for you guys... more than you'll ever know. You're gonna loose him."
Willow bit her lip at the hurtful truth. "Is he really leaving?"
"If you guys don't straighten up he'll be riding with us in two weeks."
Giles climbed into the back of the van. "The area is secure. You were correct in the identification...." He arched an eyebrow at Willow's pained expression and Matt's rigid posture. "What's wrong? What did you say to her?"
"Nothing Giles." Willow gave him a halfhearted smile. "I'm just worried about Xander."
"Let's get moving." Matt added. "We ain't got much time.".
|
|