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Part Five
"I think he wants a bite of your sandwich." Buffy deadpanned.
Wesley scooted toward the driver's door and protectively held his food up and away from Ring. The dog let out a begging whine and laid its head onto the Watcher's lap. "Shoo... go... lay down...." He screwed his face into an expression of disgust as he waved his hand toward the catahoula. "Oh my God... those onions were potent!"
"Dog breath with onions, glad he likes you and not me." The Slayer fidgeted in her seat and impatiently watched the dashboard clock. "It's only three after twelve, we could make it to Angel's place and get back here by one."
"Angel is fine, Buffy." Using his handkerchief, Wyndam-Pryce pushed Ring's head off his lap. "He has taken care of himself for over two hundred years."
"But he was suppose to call if anything happened, and something did."
Wesley let out a long sigh. "Buffy... we can not afford to miss these people. I do not even want to think about the consequences if they should slip past us and go out on their own. I am positive that Angel left soon after they arrived this morning. My theory is that he observed them for a time from a safe vantage point until Matthew departed. At that point it seemed that the others were going to turn in for the night. As far as he was concerned there was nothing worthy of awakening us with, and he had to get back to the mansion, so he left. Unfortunately he then missed whatever confrontation took place." His frowned as his eyes began to water and he pointed toward Ring. "Furthermore, these beasts are trained to attack the undead and we do not have the first foggy notion as to how to control them."
"I can stop them if they go after him." She answered. "I've taken out demons five times their size."
"Ach.. ach.. CHOO!" Wesley sneezed for the umpteenth time.
"Bless 'ya...."
"If we make any diversions, it will be to vacuum the bloody dog hair out of my van."
"There's a car wash on the way to Angel's place...."
"I think it is time you focused on the living." Wesley quietly pointed out.
Buffy's soda whizzed past Wesley's nose and flew out his open window. "Whose side are you on?" She asked with rising anger.
"Currently, on the side of the missing, and do not use that tone of voice with me. I have turned a blind eye to your relationship with Angel since I arrived in Sunnydale. And, forgive me for being blunt, but given the...."
"I'm going...." Buffy got out of the van and slammed the door. Wesley cursed under his breath he fumbled with his seat belt and scrambled out. "As your Watcher, I order you to get back into the vehicle!" He shouted while waving his half eaten sandwich at the departing Slayer.
Wesley wasn't sure what Buffy said in return, but the meaning of the gesture was perfectly clear. "Arrggh.." He literally shook in anger as he raised his eyes to the heavens. "What? What did I ever do to deserve.... arrggh!" Clenching a fist in frustration he started after her. "Buffy! Come back here!" He blared as he tossed his sandwich to the ground.
"Hey buddy! There's a hundred dollar fine for littering."
Over by the hanger, a stranger stood leaning on his open car door. Three other men got out, and as a group they came toward Wesley.
"Yes, yes... so sorry..." Wesley picked up the discarded food and gave them a faint wave of acknowledgment. "...now excuse me." He added as he again started after Buffy.
"That too, pal... it's a C-note per item." The biggest one said with a smile as he pointed toward Buffy's cup.
Wesley hissed between his teeth and stopped as the four drew closer.
"What'ca doing here?" Another one asked.
"Who you waiting on?" The third questioned.
The big one gave his head a toss toward Buffy who was now almost a hundred yards away moving at a fast trot. "Where's she going?"
Needless to say, Wesley was getting a bit uncomfortable as they began to circle. "We are here waiting on... on... 'business' associates to arrive for a... meeting." He stuttered.
"You'll have to wait in the hanger... that's field regulation. No unauthorized people beside the strip." An evil look appeared on the stranger's face. "We'll show you where the waiting room is. So let's go... move it... pal."
"GUUR-R-R-r-r-r-r-r-r-r."
Wesley looked to the side as Ring stalked toward them, head down, teeth bared, stiff legged. Peekon's claws scratched on the metal finish of the van as he came out of the open window, also drawn by the sent of the undead.
"Call off your damn dogs." The vampire closest to Wesley ordered.
"They are not my dogs." Wesley stared in confusion, his eyes darting back and forth between the catahoulas and the four men. Dropping the sandwich, his hand went to the stake in his jacket pocket even though his logic screamed that it could not be.
Instinctively, the dogs went for the weakest one first, lunging for the back of his leg to cut him from the pack. Peekon's fangs found their target and with a jerk of his massive shoulders he pulled the man to the ground. As it hit, true vampire features bloomed onto its face.
The only though that crossed the Watcher's mind as he was attacked was "Vampires out in broad daylight? Only in Sunnydale..." He plunged his stake into the nearest one and used the inertia of his motion to leap out of the path of the second attacked. Foul vampire dust covered his face as he passed through the disintegrating creature. Peekon continued to drag his prey away as his jaws worked his teeth to and through the bone. Ring left his brother and with a loud winding bay went after one who was trying to escape back to the car; cutting it off and forcing it into a small oak tree. The vampire swore and screamed in rage as it pulled its legs out of reach of the leaping catahoula.
"Screaming like a girl ain't gonna help." Buffy thought as she turned around, fully expecting to see Wesley having a temper tantrum. Her jaw dropped at the scene and she stood motionless for a second before racing back.
Wesley came around to meet the last vamp still in the fight. He raised his stake, keeping his eyes on the creature, waiting for his chance. He smiled at the vampire and took a quick glance behind and to the left of it. With a sharp nod of his head he yelled in his best America dialect. "Git 'em dawg!" The vampire whirled around to ward off the assumed attack.
It was the last thing it ever did this side of hell.
With a quick double check to confirm that Ring still had his quarry contained, Wesley went over to the downed vampire.
"CALL HIM OFF ME.... CALL THE SON OF A BITCH OFF ME...!!!!"
Wesley calmly removed his glasses and held them up to examine. "Filthy, absolutely filthy." He muttered upon seeing the coating of vampire dust on the lenses. As he pulled out his handkerchief the vampire howled in agonized terror and began to beg.
"PLEASE, FOR CHRIST'S SAKE... CALL HIM OFF!!!”
"Whoa!" Buffy exclaimed coming onto the scene. "That's a vamp... how?"
"I would assume sorcery of some stripe." Both humans flinched at the sound of the vampire's ankle bone grating against Peekon's teeth.
Buffy wrinkled her nose. "Bet that hurt... think we should?"
Wyndam-Pryce replaced his glasses onto his nose. "Should what?"
"Call off the mutt."
"I'm not sure what command to use." Wesley cleared his throat. "Ah-hum... Peking... heel!"
"SCREECH"
"That didn't work.... but then that mutt's name is Peekon." Buffy pointed out as the vampire was dragged past them. "But, if we want to make him talk we're gonna have to...." She stopped and made a grab for a small cloth pouch the vampire wore around his neck. "What's this? Since when you guys into accessorising?"
As the cord broke the vampire let out a final howl before bursting into flame. Buffy held up the pouch, her eyes darting between it; the charred spot on the grass; her Watcher and one very annoyed looking catahoula. "Okay... so I owe you a new chew toy." She muttered to Peekon.
"Let me see that." Wesley said as he held out his hand. Buffy shrugged and gave the item to him. Rolling the pouch between his fingers he frowned. "Vampires walking in the light of day. Humm... that was touched on briefly during my second year of training."
Buffy rubbed her hand through her hair. "It's different."
"Yes... very rare, thank God. Caribbean... specifically Haitian sorcery. Even there it's uncommon. It takes a genetic talent to bring it into force."
"Voodoo, right?"
Wesley shook his head. "No, voodoo is an Afro-Caribbean religion, I am referring to the black arts." He gave the pouch a last exam and pocketed it. "The religion of the people influences the local sorcerers, but religion and witchcraft are two separate forces."
The vampire in the tree began to rage. "You Alliance sons of bitches ain't got a chance. Roth is going to have all of 'ya screwed and tattooed."
Buffy and Wesley exchanged glances. "It thinks we're with 'them'." She said with a wicked smile.
"Perhaps we can use his misconception to our advantage." Wesley softly noted.
"Yeah! Good cop, bad cop him!"
Wesley frowned. "No. I thinking that we should reveal our association with the Council of Watchers and inform it that we no intention of dealing with the Alliance. Lead this creature to believe this matter is 'their' problem, not 'ours'." He smoothed his tie and nodded in satisfaction at his plan. "Tell him we were here to return their dogs and forcibly ban the Alliance from any further action in Sunnydale. This will give him a window of opportunity to choose to cooperate with 'us' not them."
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Wish I'd thought of that...."
"Don't be upset, I am a trained Watcher." He said smugly and waved his hand toward the oak. "Now... shall we?"
With fangs bared the vampire watched the two approach, Peekon on their heels. It's head bobbed back and forth assessing Ring below him and the rapidly shrinking distance between his tree refuge and the humans.
"Now there's something you don't see every day." Buffy said as they stopped under the tree.
Wesley nodded in agreement and adjusted his glasses as he peered upward. "Hello... ahem... who are you?"
The explosion of profanity caused Wesley to take a step back. "Now see here! There is no reason to use that sort of language in the presence of a young lady... or any lady... or in that matter, anyone's presence." He circled around to get a better view of the vampire. "Introductions are in order, so let me begin."
The vampire just blinked.
"I am Wesley Wyndam-Pryce - Watcher. This is Miss Buffy Summers - Slayer. And you are?"
"Slayer?! Holy Shit!" The creature crawled upward another branch. "Nobody told us this was the Slayer's turf."
"I'm touched... he's heard of me."
"Hummm... So you are not 'local'?" Wesley frowned and threw his hands up in disgust. "Sunlight resistant vampires. Another problem brought in by those interlopers. When? When will it ever end?"
"Yeah!" Buffy shouted upward as she gave the tree a hard kick. "We got enough crap coming down around here. Last thing we need is undead tourists."
"I sure as hell ain't here for the scenery!" It yelled back at her. "And I double sure as hell don't want to mess with you."
"Are you here for the ascension?" Wesley asked.
"The what?"
"Clean the dirt out'ta your ears." Buffy pulled herself up onto a low branch. "Or do 'ya want me to stake it out?"
"I don't know what he's talking about. I'm here with Roth."
Wesley rubbed his chin. "Roth?"
"You got ten seconds to cut the B.S. and tell us what you know about the ascension" Buffy growled.
"No... believe me. I don't know shit about any ascension." It hugged the trunk tighter as Buffy grabbed the next branch. "I'm here... we're here... we were here... to get the pilots."
"Oh yes, and Sunnydale has the 'only' airfield in California and this was just a coincidence. Makes perfect sense." Wesley caught The Slayer's eye. "Buffy, do you realize what's happening?"
"You got it figured out? Lay it on me, Wes."
"This pack of vampires arrived to assist the ascension. Henceforth the Alliance followed them to Sunnydale. Cut and dried, it's the only explanation."
"You're gonna have to report this. They didn't get written permission." Buffy said as severely as possible. "What do you want me to do with this one?"
"Stake it and we'll be on our way." He turned his back as if to leave.
The vampire clutched the trunk tighter as Buffy began to ascend the tree. "No.. NO.. NO!! THAT AIN'T IT!!" It screamed at the departing Watcher. "We're here to get THEM!"
Wesley stopped and halfway turned around. "Them? As in The Alliance."
"No... 'them' as in the Blanchards." It let out a hiss at the approaching Slayer. "We ain't here to bother you so leave me alone." She stopped and glanced at Wesley who motioned for her to come back down.
As if considering the turn of events Wesley slowly came back. He raised a finger, scratched his cheekbone and looked puzzled. "Blanchards? Aren't they an Alliance group?"
"You got it. Now.. Roth hates the Blanchards and the Blanchards hate Roth. He had to get them to Sunnydale because he needed some Hellmouth thing to increase his power so he can get a hunk of some bullshit gift back from 'em. See? Nothing to do with you two."
The drone of an incoming plane cut through the air.
"Where is this Roth? Where can we find him?" Wesley asked.
The vampire opened his mouth to speak but suddenly changed its mind. "Why do you want to know?"
"To confirm what you just stated. We should have him sign a statement for our files."
"And you just happened to find their dogs?" Its eyes glowed yellow even in the sunlight as it began to realize something was off base.
"They were running loose at the beach - breaking every leash law in Sunnydale. So we had to... had to..." Buffy gave Wesley a tight lipped, "you take the ball" look.
The vampire spit at them. "You bastards... good cop, bad copping me."
Wesley gave an out of character wry grin. "It was worth giving it a go. But it does not change the crux of your situation. That is, you have a choice. You can tell us what we want to know. Or..." He gave the approaching plane a sidelong glance. "...You can tell 'them'. And even though the final result will be the same, I can guarantee dealing with us will be much more... humane."
Defiantly the vampire bared his fangs. "I can guarantee something back at you, Watcher. You mess with Roth and you're going down with the Blanchards'."
"Talk to us." Wesley said without emotion.
The request was answered by a hand signal.
"Want me to take him or you want the crossbow out of the van?" Buffy asked while brushing a stray bark chip off of her jeans.
Wesley shrugged. "Neither. I'm going to give him to the Alliance. He has made his own bed, now he must sleep in it." He waved his hand toward her. "You stay here with the dogs while I go meet these two." Then he began to walk to the hanger.
Buffy crossed her arms and looked first into the tree and then back at her Watcher. "Give him to the Alliance, huh? Thanks Wesley, you've never cared enough to give 'meeee' a vampire in an oak tree."
"The next one is yours to keep... should have spoken up sooner." He called back over his shoulder.
*~*~*~* Standing beside the hanger, Wesley nervously rubbed his hands together as he considered the best way to deal with these two. As the plane taxied past the gale from the prop wash blew his jacket straight out behind him. Shielding his eyes with a hand Wesley slowly approached. When plane came to a stop Wyndam-Pryce stood in front of the nose and motioned to indicate he would be waiting at the passenger door.
"Who da hell was dat?" Landry muttered from the copilot's seat.
Andy took a quick glance at the Watcher, then began to click off the control panel switches. "Whoevers he is, it gonna be bad. Never seen a suit waiting on us with good news."
Sam frowned as he caught sight of Buffy and his dogs. "Bad, damn bad." He said in agreement then turned his attention back to the landing checklist.
Finishing as quickly as possible they went into the main area of the plane. Andy opened the supply cabinet and took out a spare 'tool' bag. "Should not left our equipment in da van. Bet monies and my right nut Giles is dead, missing, somet'ings." He muttered darkly as he gave his fellow hunter a nod. Landry opened the latch and jumped down to the ground in front of the Watcher.
Sam's introduction was short, merely a nod toward Andy standing in the doorway and a motion toward his own chest. "Andy Blanchard, Sam Landry, and you?"
Wesley didn't even bother extending his hand. Mimicking Sam's motions he identified both himself and Buffy. "Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, Watcher. Over there by the tree, Buffy Summers, Slayer." He bowed his head slightly and exhaled. "I am sorry say... I have some very bad news to report."
The only sign of emotion from the hunters was a quick tightening of their jaws.
"Teresa.... is dead. The other two in her party are missing." Wesley said quietly.
Andy jumped out of the plane and gave the door a hard slam. Wesley flinched at the noise and pulled a bit on his shirt collar. "Mr. T.Paul gave us a cryptic message that we can find Roth at a 'dark place with the sun."
"T.Paul be dead." Andy said with an icy stare that made the Wesley very uncomfortable.
"Yes... yes he is. His s-s-spirit gave us the information by possessing Mr. Giles."
"Junior and da kid are missing?" Sam asked taking a step toward the Watcher.
"Aaa.. correct. Junior and Xander Harris. The spirit stated that Teresa was dead but did not allude to their demise so..."
Andy circled behind Wyndam-Pryce. "You got a all clear?"
"Yes, ah.. ah... 'Limey'." Wesley answered trying to position himself so there was not a hunter at his back. He let out a sigh of relief as they gave him a nod of approval over the code word. He launched back into the details. "... So it is possible they are still alive. We believe your party was attacked as soon as they retired for the evening, for our informant did not report in. He had quite a distance to cover before sunrise so he would have left no later than five AM."
"Sunrise?" Andy attitude turned menacing as he slowly and deliberately took hold of Wesley's jacket lapel. "Why you L.I. worry about da sunrise?"
"Angel is our ally. Yes, a vampire - but one who has our trust." Wesley glanced down at the grip on his clothing. "Now unhand me, sir."
"Bullshit..." Andy twisted his fingers tighter into the material.
Wesley steeled himself. "I will not argue this point with you. You will simply have to accept it as fact. Just as you will have to accept the fact we have a vampire cornered in that tree."
The hunter's eyes darted toward the tree. "Can't be."
"That is what I thought, until the attack that is. We destroyed three of them, keeping the fourth for questioning. For a while we were able to lead it to believe that Miss Summers and I were unconcerned by any action between the Alliance and his 'employer'."
"And it told you what?" Sam asked.
"That it was a member of Roth's pack here to waylay the both of you. Also it alluded to the vendetta between the Blanchard family and his leader." Wesley pulled back as Andy released him. "And finally it mentioned Roth reclaiming a 'gift'. Then he realized the nature of our interrogation and refused to say anything else."
"A tete dure? Mais, not for long." Andy growled as he quickly left the two, making a straight line for the tree.
"What did he say?"
Sam lit a cigar and followed Andy's path. "He say da hard head bloodsucker going to talk. You better get her in da van."
Wesley fell in beside Sam. "Pardon? Why should Buffy go to the van? Are we leaving?"
"Mais... da vampire will leave, but not in one piece. Not somet'ing for da girl to see."
"Oh dear." Wesley muttered grimly.
"I think he's coming over to see 'ya." Buffy yelled to the vamp as Andy approached.
"Yessssss."
"Ain't you worried?"
The creature stood on his perch with a perverted grin. "Like you friend mentioned, it makes no difference."
The hunter didn't break his momentum as he reached the tree, swinging himself onto a branch and heading straight up like a cat.
"Hey Blanchard, nice to see you. How's the wife, still knocked up? Someone must have had it in for you." It cackled at Andy, waiting on him to get within a few feet. "See you're building yourself a new place out on highway one, South of Golden Meadow. Too bad you'll never live there, well maybe, depends on how you define 'live'."
As Andy made a grab for the creature's ankle it removed the pouch from around its neck and dropped it into the hunter's face. The vampire began to sizzle, small flames appeared on its' exposed flesh. With a screech it dived out of the tree arcing to the ground like a comet.
"Hee-ya! Dogs! Take 'em!" Sam commanded as he saw the vampire coming down.
"Get back!" Wesley shouted to Buffy.
It managed to get onto its hands and knees before the flames turned it into a fireball, consuming its body to ash. Andy shimmied back down holding the pouch.
Landry saw the bag in Andy's hand and waved his cigar toward it. "What dat chouchoot?"
"Obviously a burning vampire. And my name is Wesley Wy..." Wesley began assuming he was being referred to in a rude way.
"Cunja tote." Andy snapped as he tossed it to Sam. "Poo-yee-yi!"
Wesley turned with a puzzled expression. "A what?"
"My eye!" The hunted snorted as he held it in his palm. "Go to bed, Blanchard!"
"Your eye, bed, what?" Wesley's brow furrowed trying to follow the exchange.
"He took da gift." Andy slammed his fist into his palm. "Dat saleau took da gift."
"Shit! Now he got da gumbo. Dis is goning to be bad, bad." Sam clenched his cigar in his teeth and tossed the pouch back to Blanchard.
"Would.. would the two of you please SPEAK ENGLISH!?" Wesley sputtered.
Blanchard ignored the request. "Where's Giles?"
Buffy tossed her head to the South. "At the library with Matt and Willow."
"He means the younger Mr. Giles." Wesley said turning to her. Then back to the hunters. "Yes, he is at the library doing research on this 'dark place' enigma."
"Talk in the van, Watcher." Andy snapped as he headed for the vehicle. Sam called the catahoulas, relit his cigar and followed.
Wesley raised his index finger and hesitantly waved it around. "I would rather you did not smoke in my van."
"Yeah, it could ignite all the dog hair." Buffy commented.
"Oh bloody hell."
*~*~*~* "Junk!" Matt tossed the crossbow bolt back on the counter. "Pure junk!"
Willow retrieved the projectile and examined it for a second before putting it into the bag. "What's wrong with it? I mean it always seemed to work. Like there's a gur-r-r-r vampire, then..."
"Its oak. Too heavy and they cost too much." Matt butted in. "Anyway crossbows are worthless unless you're going for distance points. The old guys still use 'em though." He reached in his bag and pulled out a small aluminum dart tipped with wood. "Here's what 'the next generation' uses. Those crossbows are like using a cannon to squash a fly. Hell... all you got to do is get it through the heart."
Willow picked it up and tested the point. "Cool! You know, Giles has some pretty neat stuff back at his house. The good stuff like his expensive crossbow, and it's kinda small - you might like it, and his grandmother's sword."
"Sword? Thought grannies handed down things like sugar bowls and quilts and crap like that."
"Not for you guys.. duh. But you should ask him to show you his weapons chest stuff. He's even got this really cool knife with an ebony tip." Willow began to nod her head enthusiastically. "Yeah, ask him about it."
"Sure Red." Matt dryly muttered.
Rupert came out of the washroom. "Miss Rosenberg's name is Willow. Show some manners."
"It's okay Giles. I kinda like it." Willow giggled.
"Hurrump." Rupert snorted making his way toward the office. Broken glass crunching beneath his shoes brought him to a stop. "I asked you to at least sweep this into a pile." He snapped.
"No, you 'told' me to tidy up." Matt said with a baiting smile. "And I told you I ain't the frickin' janitor."
For the second time in less than an hour Willow tried to defuse the situation. "You know what? The janitors won't come in here, neither will the security guards. No-sir-ree... not since they saw those El Eliminati vamps in here with their swords....."
BAM!
The double doors of the library flew open from Andy's kick.
"You break it you buy it." Matt deadpanned as the hunter crossed the library.
"What da status Giles? Just sitting around here on you chew rouge?" Andy barked.
Buffy yelled across the library. "Giles! Four vamps out getting some rays jumped Wesley."
"They were protected by this." Wesley added as he pulled a pouch out of his pocket. "Some sort of protective charm."
"Let me see it." Rupert muttered as he actually snatched it out of Wesley's hand.
"We found a bunch of stuff on the demons Roth is using!" Willow piped in. "At sunset they'll get all... ick."
"Great!" Buffy pointed at the pouch in Rupert's hand. "When you yank that thing off 'em they start to burn... Hey! What happened to the window?"
Matt put his finger in his mouth and whistled - loudly. "All of 'ya - Shut the hell UP!"
A half a dozen pairs of eyes turned toward Matt. Taking advantage of the split second of silence Matthew pointed at Andy. "Okay man, listen up. Mike ain't comin', Charlie put me in charge of this one and it's now a joint operation, Alliance and Council. Any questions?"
"My poppa, my brother, my kin dead... you little piss ant ain't..." Blanchard started to spit the words.
Matt got into Andy's face. "Exactly! You're too god damn close to the situation. Now get in line or else."
"Else what? You going go crying to Charlie?"
"Yeah... after I put your coon ass ass in that cage over there." Matt snarled.
Enraged at the slur and the situation Andy took a reckless swing at Matt's face.
Rupert started over toward the two but was stopped by Landry. "Hot head kids, can't tell dem a damn t'ing." He chewed on the stub of his cigar for a moment assessing Rupert's age and attitude. "But you know dat."
"Amen." Rupert muttered as he held his hand out. "Rupert Giles."
Sam returned the handshake. "Sam Landry." He gave the two combatants a look. "Hell.... dat was fast."
"I cannot see where they have reached any understanding." Rupert observed.
Andy continued to circle Matthew, fists clenched, face set, waiting on the chance to land a punch. "You in or out, Hurricane?" Matt whispered. "Gonna sit here, makin' a bahbin and answering the phone or you gonna saddle up, podna?"
Blanchard relaxed his stance a tiny bit. " 'Bout time you started talking right. You ever call me coon ass again..."
"Deal." Matt said confirming the unspoken threat. "I'll just have to go back to calling you 'sweetheart'.. sweetheart."
Andy turned away. "Possedé yankee ravat... got a plan for á la chasse?"
"What did they say? I only caught some of it." Wesley said coming over to Sam and Giles.
Sam chuckled at the Watcher. "Matt say ''Let's quit fighting each and get da vampire, Andy ax if ther is a plan and say da truth - dat Matt has da devil in him."
"There's a revelation." Wesley dryly agreed.
Before Rupert could comment Matt held up a piece of paper and called everyone over. "Yo! Listen up! The Old Man drew us some maps. This place is a deserted commercial bakery sittin' 75 yards off the road. East of it, commercial office building, probably deserted on a Saturday afternoon. Still we have to keep an eye peeled for civilians. West of it - construction site, they just started breakin' ground last Tuesday. To the back good size hill covered with scrub woods, private property but that ain't a problem." He looked up from the map. "Questions?"
"Yeah..." Andy pointed at the woods. "We got vehicle access?"
Matt turned the floor over to Rupert. "Well, Old Man?"
"Ah... yes, somewhat." Rupert took out his pen and began to draw. "There is a road that runs parallel to the main highway on the other side of the woods."
"How far over?" Sam asked while leaning over the counter to get a better view.
"Quarter to a third of a mile, I believe there is some sort of drive into it, but if not we could easily walk it. The terrain is rather steep, but that should work to out benefit, they won't expect up to come from the South." He answered while pulling his second map over. "This is the building. The outlet store was here in the back. Then the customer parking lot, approximately... ah.... 100 feet in width, and here the edge of the woods."
Grinning ear to ear, Willow nudged Buffy. "Cool huh? We have a plan this time."
"Maybe." Buffy answered under her breath the statement accompanied with a shrug. "So what you think about that bag 'o crap, Will? Still Ph.D. black magic?"
"Giles has a book about charms locked up in the cabinet, bet there's something in there."
"Hey you two!" Matt said a bit loudly. "If you got something to add, say it so we can hear it. If not pay attention."
Buffy curled her lip and slowly looked up. "It's business, okay? Was just wondering about those things the vamps were wearing."
"It's a cunja tote." Andy said with a toss of his hand.
"That's what you said out at the airport and it still don't mean anything." Buffy pointed at Rupert. "He's talking about that thing Wesley gave you."
Giles dug it out of his pocket. "I see. Cunja... that is an evil spell cast by a hereditary witch or warlock, correct?"
Andy unbuttoned the top of his shirt and pulled his cross out. "Not always mal." He said while turning it over to reveal a small inlay panel on the back. Great-Grandmere Savory made these."
"Good luck or protection?" Rupert asked.
"Dat Le Bon Dieu forgive us as we die." Andy responded in a soft voice. "Dat is da important one, 'specially today."
"No one else is gonna die." Matt interjected. "Got that Hurricane?"
The hunter kissed the cross and put it back under his shirt. "No, Roth gonna die... again. "
Matt snapped his fingers. "Crosshair 'em... he's yours."
"As I can gather from what has been both reported and experienced and from my 'old-fashioned' training..." Giles paused to half smile at Wesley. "...As opposed to the 'modern', Roth is able to perform this style of sorcery due to the 'relationship' he had with Teresa."
"Dat was years ago. He was never dat strong" Andy countered with a shake of his head. He then turned to Matt with an annoyed look. "You tell you poppa everyt'ing about us?"
"Everything about Roth and that includes Teresa. And, by the way, if you know he's my old man, I'd say we're even in the dirty laundry category." Matt responded with a quick sidelong glare toward Wesley and Buffy. "If there's nothing more, let's go hunting. Sam, you ride with the Council bunch, Old Man you ride with us. That way if anything comes to mind..."
"Da filles ain't going." Sam interrupted.
Matt folded up the maps. "Oh yeah Sam, they are. We can use a kick ass Slayer, and Red can hold the recon post. These two know the program."
"Recon post?" Willow asked.
"Sure Red. You'll hold the high ground, our eyes outside with binoculars and hand radio. When needed you bring the work van down for team pickup."
Willow's eyes got wide. "You mean I drive the van and come and get you guys." She blinked and grinned. "With a radio and binoculars and then drive? Cool!"
"Don like it." Sam muttered. "Slayer... fine, but... leaving dat one alone... no."
Matt pointed at the catahoulas curled up under a table. "She won't be. Ring will stay with her."
"Beware of the onion dog breath, Will." Buffy laughed while picking up the weapons bag.
Willow suddenly remembered. "Hey! Where's my frys?"
"Onion, dog, fry breath." Buffy corrected. "And he got Giles' chicken sandwich too."
"What about my big diet?" Willow whined as she followed Buffy out the door.
Buffy half turned to point at Sam and Andy. "They drank it and the ice tea."
"I will join you in a moment." Rupert told the group as they began to depart. "I am going to retrieve a volume from the cabinet which deals with this type of magic."
Wesley stood in his spot cleaning his glasses. "Amazing."
"What's amazing?" Rupert asked.
"Matthew's style. Withholds or reveals information to suit his needs; ignores the opposing view; takes charge without apology; unmercifully baits his opponent into following the plan; has an answer for everything." Wesley replaced his glasses on his nose and gave Rupert a wry smile. "I would say the apple did not fall far from the tree."
"Et tu, Wesley?"
Wyndam-Pryce arched both eyebrows and left his predecessor fuming in the office doorway.
*~*~*~* Daniel Roth stretched catlike before opening his eyes. The cool metal table on which he lay reminded him of his awaking in the Chattanooga coroner's office. Oh, was that morgue assistant surprised when "Unknown Transient, number 16-1988" came up off the slab.
And Max was with him for a long time after that. Roth smiled at the memory of his right hand man's second death. "Wonder how things are for a eunuch in hell?" He considered outloud. "Too bad he didn't keep his hands off of Kathleen for all those years."
With a yawn and another stretch Roth sat up. Across the room seven demons sat, lined up like birds on a wire. An eighth creature stood at a sink intently staring at the faucet, waiting for the next drop of water. The vampire stroked his goatee and shook his head in distaste at his crew. Sliding off the table he joined the demon at the sink.
"What... are you doing?" He asked more than a bit exasperated.
"Getting water."
"I see that.... very efficient. You have collected almost two inches worth in only four hours." Roth noted, then stood there with his arms crossed watching as a drop fell into the bucket every three or four seconds. "Did you ever try to... maybe this?" He queried while giving the faucet a turn.
Foul, rusty water gushed into the container.
"I don't like 'stupid'." Roth hissed. "Turn around and kneel".
Without hesitation or comment it followed its master's orders. It did not even resist as the knife blade sliced into its throat. As he pulled the demon's head back for a second pass along the wound, Roth gave a second creature a sharp nod. "You! Take the water to the prisoners. And do not kill them, just deliver the water and come back."
Mutely the demon circled around the quivering corpse of its compatriot. Finished with the execution Roth swished his knife in the bucket to clean the residue off the blade. "Now, where are the others? Did they arrive while I was resting"
In unison, six creatures shook their heads "no".
Roth's face turned dark as he checked the time. "Fourteen-hundred hours, forty-one minutes. They should be here by now. What the hell is going on?"
*~*~*~* Xander stopped grinding the metal across the cement to test the edge and point of the knife of the - good enough. Holding the sharpened remnant gingerly in one hand he began to wrap his sock around the butt end, tying it securely with a shoelace to create a hilt. Xander nodded at his handiwork, two knives made from the exit sign and an ax out of a file cabinet divider. He scooped them up to add to Junior's two wicked looking spears.
Only then did he notice Junior was no longer making weapons. The hunter was kneeling beside his father, eyes closed, lips moving in a silent prayer. Xander rose, but could not bring himself to cross the room. "Junior? Is... is?" The unfinished question weighed in the air.
Blanchard stood and motioned for Xander to join him in the far corner. With a barley audible voice he informed Harris. "He still with us, but... hour maybe two, no more."
From the hallway came the sound of something fiddling with the hasp. The two humans scrambled to arm themselves before their visitor entered. Positioning themselves on either side of the door they waited for what seemed like forever as the demon tried to figure out the simple mechanism. Xander raised his ax. "It's gotta be one of those demons." He whispered. Junior nodded in agreement and repositioned himself about eight feet in front of the entryway. "I'm bait. When it comes for me get it."
Xander flattened himself against the wall and took a deep breath. The door finally jerked open and one of the newly made monsters lumbered in. Junior raised his spear in a two handed grasp and lunged toward it. The demon bared its orange teeth and snarled at the hunter's attack. With a quickness that seemed impossible for a creature this size it caught the end of the spear twisting the point off the shaft. Xander brought the ax down on the demon's head. The lightweight metal edge sliced through the skin and shaved off a mass of tissue from the side of its head, but did not a bit of damage to the creature's skull.
Roaring in pain the demon swung the bucket around at Xander with enough force to take the teen's head off. Jumping back a half second before impact Xander felt and heard the mass whiz past his face. Junior let out a "whoop" and drove the broken shaft into the demon's side bending it back opposite the creature's movement causing a long section to break off within it. The bucket went sailing out the open door crashing into the hallway wall. As Xander raised his ax a second time the demon grabbed him under the armpits and lifted him off the ground. Held aloft in a rib crushing grasp Harris managed twice to bring the weapon down into the demon's back before his lost his grip on the handle.
Bloody orange foam dripped from the creature's mouth as the hunk of wooden shaft worked its way deeper into its vitals. Like a catahoula, Junior kept to the rear of his prey jamming the flimsy knife over and over again into its back. Using the last strength of the dying it shook Xander like a terrier shaking a rat and flung him against the wall. It managed a few steps toward the door before going down on its knees then falling face down with a moaning shudder.
The adrenaline coursing through the humans kept the attack going for a full minute after the creature died. As the rush faded Junior stepped back panting, knife still raised to strike again. "Dis ain't right."
Xander gave the corpse a final whack. "What 'ya mean - ain't right? Demon came in and we took it out and the damn door is wide open. Looks right to me."
Junior shook his head deliberately and pointed his weapon at the demon. "Garde donc ca! It could..."
"Say what?" Xander interrupted.
"Ah.. damn..." Junior backed up on his words. "I said, Look at it! It could have killed us both - Thwack!"
"But it didn't." Xander gingerly stepped around the body and peeked into the hallway. "It's clear... not'ta." He pulled back into the room. "Okay... we're outta here. Now what?"
"Help me with poppa."
Xander said nothing but his confused expression said volumes.
"Get you chew over here and help me." Junior repeated. "We will get him out and to the road. You flag down help. Tell 'em dat you found him... a hit-run."
"I don't think that's..." Xander stopped mid-thought at the hunter's wild glance.
Slowly Junior told how it was going to come down. "I take care of Roth - you trust me to take him to hell. You take care of my poppa - I trust you to get him to da 'opital."
"Oh, cripe!" Xander thought to himself as the words sunk in. Not only was he was being charged with saving a life; but he was leaving Junior to undoubtedly die.
Junior handed Xander his wallet. "Make sure ma femme... my wife get dis."
Pocketing the wallet Xander gave a halfhearted smile. "Ah, you'll give it to her yourself."
With an impassive nod to that thought Junior went back to his father. "Let's go."
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