Three Slayers 12a – Choices

“Buffy,” Angel seemed unusually nervous especially considering his status as an emotionless creature of the night.  “I understand you got accepted into UCLA?”

“Yeah,” Buffy nodded her mood dampening.  After looking around the dark graveyard to check for any possible danger she turned her attention back to her boyfriend.  “So did Willow.”

“Oh,” Angel looked surprised for a second before continuing.  “I was thinking of leaving for LA after we’ve dealt with the Mayor,” Buffy’s heart dropped.  “You and Willow could come with me if you wanted.”

“Wow,” Buffy was rocked back on her feet.  This was a major move.  “What about the Hellmouth? We can’t leave it unprotected.”

“Sunnydale would still have Kendra and Faith, LA’s just two hours away so we can be back soon for a major emergency.  You and Willow could do the Slay thing with me while studying.”

“Okay,” Buffy thought for a second, getting back to LA was all she’d dreamed of.  “What about a Watcher?”  She didn’t much care but she suspected the Council would start up a fuss if she just went off lone wolf.

Angel winced.  “I’ve been talking to Wesley-.”

“WESLEY!”

“Well if there were any vampires near-by they’ve started running after that banshee screech,” Angel sighed.  “He’s learning and with Giles here, he’s sort of redundant in Sunnydale.  If nothing else he’s good with the books.”

“I’ll think about it,” Buffy nodded.  Things were better between her, Giles, and Xander, but they’d never be as good as they once where and a fresh start, at a better college than Sunnydale, would be heaven.  Yeah, it could work.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“So boss,” Faith looked down at the steel box on the Mayor’s desk.  “What the fuck’s in there?”

“Faith,” the Mayor looked reprovingly at her, “I’ve told you I don’t appreciate that sort of language from you.  You’re not a potty mouth, you’re a young lady.”

“Yeah sorry,” Faith bowed her head reverently, not allowing the politician to see her anger.  Once she had her emotions under control she looked up, her expression curious.  “Ya gonna tell me what’s in the box?” she pressed.  She reached to open the box’s clasp only for the Mayor to rap her knuckles.

“Look don’t touch young lady.”

Faith gritted her teeth to prevent herself from flinging the pompous prick through the window; it might not kill him but it would fucking hurt.  “Sorry boss, what is it?” she pressed, nodding at the box.

“It is the Box of Gavroc, a receptacle of demonic energy.  Devouring its contents is a vital ritual en-route to my ascension.”

Faith hid a grin as she translated the would-be demon’s words.  In other words if the others got their hands on the Box it was checkmate.  “Pretty wicked,” she put what she judged to be the right amount of amazement in her voice before sitting down opposite the Mayor.  She went to put her feet up on the desk but stopped at a glare from Wilkins.  “So how does it work boss?”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Xander glanced around the deserted motel car park, his eyes scanning the ground for any sign of suspicious characters.  Seeing nobody that appeared out of place he nodded to his companion.  “Let’s get this done.”

 

Wesley nodded.  “Let’s.”

The two of them climbed out of the car and hurried across the car park, their feet slapping on the wet tarmac beneath them.  They’d almost reached the other side of the parking lot when a curvy figure stepped out under the park’s solitary lamplight, the smirk on her beautifully mocking face illuminated by the light.  “Show a girl a good time guys?”

“Yes Faith,” huffed the Watcher.  “Very streetwalker chic.”

Seeing the Slayer’s eyes harden Xander groaned.  He knew it was a mistake to include the pompous Brit but no G-Man had to insist that Wesley be involved more.  “Pull your horns in Wes.  Faith calm down,” he ordered quickly.  “What’s been happening?”

“Yeah,” after a final glare at his companion, Faith turned a beaming gaze on him.  “Good to see you Xan, have I got some fucking news for you.”  Xander listened to Faith excitedly explain what had happened today.  “I figure you guys come in, steal the Box and the Mayor’s ascension is screwed.”

Xander’s smile turned to a grimace as another thought occurred.  “But what happens then?”

The sultry brunette’s forehead furrowed.  “I don’t get ya Xman?”

Wesley spoke up.  “He means the problem of the Mayor remains.  He’s still invincible until he ascends.  And even unascended he’ll be pulling the strings of the town’s demonic population.  I’m sure it would only be a matter of time before he found another way to reach full demonhood. ”

“Aw fuck.” Faith kicked a can across the lot.   “So what do we do?”

“Perhaps I have a solution.”  After a moment Wesley began to speak.

Faith’s mouth dropped open at Wesley’s plan.  “No fucking way!” the brunette hissed, her anger making the Watcher back-off.  “There is no way you’re using him like that!”

Xander stepped between the Bostonian and the Englishman.  “Faith, Wes’ plan makes a sort of sense.  We need someone to read those books of ascension; you don’t understand them enough, right?” Faith nodded reluctantly.  “So that means we have to get someone in who can read the books to see what they say.  G-Man and Wes are out; the Mayor might think they’re too valuable to exchange seeing as they’re our leaders -.”

”Like Wes could lead a horse to water.”

Xander ignored Faith’s mutter.  “Willow,” Xander ignored the pain he felt at the mention of his former best friend. “Isn’t in on the secret agent deal so we can’t use her.  And if we use him, the Mayor will be really impressed with your loyalty, make you more secure.”

“Fine,” Faith’s eyes were cold, chilling him to the bone.  “But he gets hurt and I’ll coming looking for you two.”

 

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“This vamp works for the Mayor right?” Angel nodded, Buffy continued.  “So he’ll know where this box is and if we slay him the Mayor will assume that’s where we got the information from?”

“That’s Xander’s plan,” Angel replied tersely.  Buffy sighed.  She couldn’t see why they couldn’t just let Willow in on the plan but if anything Xander’s opposition to revealing Faith’s double-agent status had hardened after Kendra’s mind-reading episode.  While whatever Kendra had seen in her mind had encouraged her counterpart to get Xander to give her a second chance, both Kendra and Xander were even more distant from Willow.  “Let’s go.”

Angel slid out of the shadows in front of the portly vampire.  Buffy followed suit and winced at the vampire’s greasy skin.  Immortal but the guy still didn’t have time to cleanse?  He could only go out during half the day for crying out loud!

The vampire’s face paled.  “Angelus!  Slayer!”

Buffy beamed, it was good to have a reputation.  “Yep, hello.”  She whipped out the pistol crossbow she’d been concealing behind her back and fired a bolt into the beast’s chest.  “Goodbye.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“Got them,” Giles hurried over to the others.  They’d broken into the city library after closing hours, the security system little obstacle to the combined skills of a Slayer, the memories of a Special Forces veteran, and the small-time criminality of Ripper Giles.

“All of them?” enquired Wesley, his face tense.

“The entire plans for City Hall,” Xander confirmed.

According to our information,” Giles said, careful not to mention Faith, “the box is being kept under guard in a conference room on the top floor.”  He pointed to a map sheet.  “How do you see it Xander?”

For a moment Xander looked surprised to be pushed to the fore, then he began speaking, his tone hushed.  “Buffy and Angel come in through the skylight there,” he pointed to the map.  “Kendra and I provide a distraction at the front of the building.   Jonathan,” Xander gave his fellow youth a significant look, “waits by the fire ladder on the east side of the building to stabilise the box.  Giles will drive getaway for Kendra and I, while Wesley will do the same for Jonathan, Buffy, and Angel who’ll meet him at the back of the building.

“And what of the ritual to destroy the box?”

“Yes,” Giles nodded, he knew that this part of the plan had been insisted by Xander to decoy Willow away from the action.  “Willow, Oz, and Cordelia will set that up back at the library.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“Ready?” Giles looked over his shoulder to the two youngsters sat in the back of his car, his heart clenching in the all too familiar fear that always gripped him before a fight.  They were so young and yet so much rested on their inexperienced shoulders.

“Ready,” Xander confirmed his eyes grim.

“Now remember she has a curfew,” Giles glanced toward Kendra with a tight smile.  His attempt at a joke was met with a chuckle from Xander and a grin from Kendra.  When the car door closed behind he added softly.  “Keep her safe Xander, keep yourself safe son.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Buffy glanced at Jonathan with concern.  “You are sure about this Jonathan?  Because if not you can go back to the van?”

“No I’m fine.”  The terrified-looking youth stared at her.  “That’s a really neat cat-suit Buff; do you think Faith would wear one for me?”

Angel chuckled.  “Oh there’s nothing much wrong with him,” her boyfriend smiled at the diminutive boy. “Be careful.  Buff, we ready?  Let’s go.”

Buffy glanced down through the skylight as Angel fastened her into her harness.  All of a sudden the plan seemed like a bad idea.  “Is this gonna work?” she asked doubtfully.

“Depends.  Have you done your aerobics?”

“Why?”

“Well you look sort of paunchy in this cat suit,” the master vampire teased, “and if you’ve put on too much weight I might struggle..”

“Funny, real funny.” Buffy glared at her boyfriend before pulling out the pouch containing the potion Willow had made to get rid of the Box’s protective shield.  Once the skylight was open she jumped through it and looked at a straining Angel.  “Are you okay?”

“Just get on with it,” her boyfriend replied through gritted teeth.

“Okay.”  Her heart thundering, Buffy allowed herself to be lowered, god she hated the feeling of powerlessness.  It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Angel, it was just part of being a Slayer meant she had to be in control and hanging in mid-air held there by a rope wasn’t her idea of control.  She winced as she banged into the invisible shield surrounding the box.  “Wait!” she called up in a whisper before sprinkling the potion Willow had made onto the shield, there was a flicker.  “Go on.”  Angel lowered her until she was in reaching distance of the box.  A triumphant grin on her face, she grabbed hold of the box.  Suddenly an alarm rang out.  “Oh crap!  Angel, get me out of here!”

“You’re stuck!”

Buffy’s eyes widened as the conference room doors flew open and a trio of vampires swarmed in.  “Angel!  This is no time to start channelling Xander!  Stop messing about and,” her hands occupied by the box she was forced to use her legs to keep the demons at bay. “Get me out of here!”

“I told you to cut down on the calories!”  Finally the rope began to move, slowly dragging her out of the milling vampires’ grasps.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Jonathan stamped his feet nervously, peering anxiously into the inky darkness surrounding him.  He didn’t like Xander and Wesley’s plan at all, no not at all.  He’d only agreed to it not only to do something significant, to actually help,  but also because he missed seeing his Faith smile crookedly at him, run a hand through his hair.  He tensed at a slight footfall behind him.  He started to turn only to catch a clubbing left to the back of his skull knocking him to his knees.  “Oh goody dinner,” he heard the rasping voice of a sixty a day smoker.

“Not,” his heart leapt at the sound of Faith’s voice, “fucking likely.”  There was the sound of a vampire exploding into dust and then Faith was helping him to his feet.  “Good to see you Johnny,” Faith whispered in his ear before pulling him into a hug from behind.  “Missed you babe.”

A smile on his face, he turned to face his beaming girlfriend.  “You too.”

Faith raised an eyebrow.  “So,” his girlfriend pressed her lips to his, her tongue plunging hungrily into his mouth as he enthusiastically returned her interest, pressing his tongue against hers.  With a gasp for air he pulled away.  “You’ve been chasing tail while I’ve been going all 007?” the Slayer chuckled at his headshake.  “Good.  Now,” the brunette turned serious.  “You ready?”

Jonathan sucked in his breath.  “Bring it on.”

“Five by five.”  He gasped as Faith spun him round and grabbed him around the neck.  “Don’t worry I won’t let anything happen to ya.”  Despite the thundering of his heart he nodded before dropping a disk out of his pocket.  “Let’s go.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“Hi guys!” the two vampires stood at the front of City Hall exchanged puzzled glances at Xander’s shout.  “I’ll take the one on the right, you the one on the left,” he muttered to his companion, a fixed grin on his face.  Kendra nodded.  “Five by-,” he shook his head in disgust. “That girl’s a bad influence.  Let’s go.”  Turning his attention back to the vampires he groaned, their rivals had been joined by another three vampires.  Not good.  Palming a stake he widened his smile as he reached the bottom of the steps leading up to the front entrance.  “My girl and I were lost weren’t we honey?” without waiting for Kendra’s reply.  “I thought were to go for directions?  And I thought town hall.  Which way to the nearest sun-bed?”

Growling ferally the vampires charged them.  Xander gritted his teeth.  This was going to be rough.  Blocking a right on his shoulder he replied with an elbow to his attacker’s jaw.  Seeing his chance Xander thrust his stake at the vampire’s chest but his wrist was caught scant inches from the target, grabbed in a grip of iron.

Xander reacted instantly, driving his knee up into the vampire’s groin.  His opponent screeched in pain and released his wrist.  Immediately Xander slammed his stake into the vampire’s heart.

Even before the vampire had exploded into dust another had taken its place, rocking him with a barrage of thunderous punches to the body and culminating with a right to the forehead that knocked him on his ass.  His vision blurred he pulled his knees up into his chest and shot his feet out, his heels crashing into the vampire’s chest, knocking him back.  Feeling a hand grip his collar, pulling him to his feet, he drew back his fist only to stop at a shout from Kendra.  “It’s me you fool!  Giles is on his way, let’s get out of here!”

”Good idea.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Buffy’s heart leapt into her mouth as she saw the disc on the ground, the symbol that Faith and nobody else had grabbed Jonathan.  “It’s started.”

Angel nodded, the Box Of Gavroc under his arm.  “Let’s get back to Wesley and then to the others.  Time to put stage 2 into operation.”

Three Slayers 12b

“You idiots!”  Wilkins raged.  He knew his amiable mask had completely evaporated but didn’t care.  Without the Box he couldn’t ascend.  He glared at his minions taking a sliver of delight from their fear.  They might well be scared, after tonight’s disaster they’d be lucky if he didn’t stake each and every one of them out in the mid-day sun.  “You incompetent nincompoops!”

“Take a chill pill boss.”  The office door swung open to reveal his girl frog-marching a short, frightened-looking teen into the room.  “My dumb bastard of an ex decided to stop by for a visit.  Sweet of him uh?  Back off bozo,” the brunette growled at one of the vampires who’d reached for the youth.  “I figure the white hats will swap him,” his girl back-handed the boy across the back of the head eliciting a pained yelp.  “For the Box.  Unless you don’t want it back, then,” Faith cast a significant glance to the room’s vampiric occupants.  “Well he’ll make someone an afternoon snack.”

“Such unpleasantness is unnecessary,” Wilkins decided.  “Put him in one of the store rooms, Faith.  Nobody,” his gaze impaled every one of the room’s vampires.  “Is to touch him.  Faith.”

The beautiful brunette, he really would have to set her up with someone suitable – perhaps that Lindsey fellow from Wolfram & Hart, oh what a lovely couple they’d make, turned back to him.  “Yeah boss?”

“Well done, you showed commendable initiative.”  Seeing the Slayer’s smirk, he decided she needed taking down a peg or two.  “But Faith, cut out the slang and cussing, nobody likes a gutter mouth.”

He thought he saw the merest flicker of anger in the brunette’s eyes before her dutiful nod.  “Yes boss.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“Nobody likes a gutter mouth!” Faith hissed furiously as she stormed the empty corridor.  “That self-righteous ass.  When he’s dead I’m gonna crap on his -.”

“Faith.”  Jonathan cut off her rant with a gasp.

“WHAT!” 

 

“Can’t breath.”

“Oh,” in her anger she’d tightened her grip around Jonathan’s neck, causing her boyfriend to begin to blue.  “Sorry babe,” she eased up.  “That better?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay,” seeing the storeroom she shoved the door open and pushed Jonathan inside before following him inside.  After closing the door she looked with concern at her boyfriend.  “You got the lock-pick kit?”

“In my sock.”

“Ugh,” she wrinkled her nose.  “Nobody will blame me for not finding it, way your feet smell.”  She grinned at her boyfriend’s glare before turning serious.  Placing her hands on his shoulders she looked deep into his eyes.  “Sweetie,” she heard but didn’t care about the tremble in her voice. “If you don’t want to do this that’s five by five.  We can tell the others you couldn’t break into the office.  It’ll just be our secret.”

Jonathan looked at her for a second before shaking his head.  “N..no, I’ve got to do this.  I've got to make myself useful.”

Faith sighed, god his bravery made her so wet but she got so scared he’d get hurt, only Ken and G were more important to her.  “Five by five,” she hugged Jonathan.  “But be careful.”  She stepped away from her boyfriend and grinned.  “Now,” she began to stroke Johnny’s shoulders and kiss his neck. “Time for your interrogation.  Might get a little rough.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Xander slowed as he entered the library.  The brazier with the potion was sat bubbling in the centre of the floor and the others were all there.  With one exception, casting Kendra and Giles a worried glance he spoke.  ”Where’s Johnny?”

His heart leapt when Buffy raised a computer disk.  Faith and not a vampire had grabbed him.  “He’s missing.  We found this where he should have been.” 

Xander took a breath.  “Someone working for the Mayor must have snatched him.”

Xander turned to Giles.  “What do we do?” the desperation in his voice not completely feigned for the benefit of any possible bugs.

Giles sighed, a look of defeat in his eyes.  “I’ll ring Wilkins, organise an exchange for tomorrow night.”

 

“I’m afraid not,” Wesley rose from his seat.  “I’ve given the matter considerable thought,” Xander judged from the over-acting the younger Watcher had been in his boarding school’s drama society.  Probably playing the women’s parts.  “We simply cannot risk the lives of thousands to save one boy.”

”That’s what the good guys do,” Xander replied.  It’s part of being loyal and honourable, helping your friends.  Besides I seem to remember -.”

“Do you think I bloody want this!” Wesley interrupted his tirade.  “Well I don’t but bloody -.”

Suddenly Angel had his hands around the Englishman’s throat, lifting him into the air.  “He was under our care and we lost him.  So we do whatever it takes to get him back, get it?”

“Put my boyfriend down!”  Xander rolled his eyes back.  Trust Cordy to get involved.  “Kendra!  Buffy!” the head cheerleader’s tone got more strident with every word.  “Kill!” 

Buffy raised an eyebrow.  “We’re not attack dogs Cordy.”

“Uh,” the queen of Sunnydale High snorted.  “Could have fooled me.”

Seeing Kendra and Buffy’s eyes widen at the insult Xander decided to step forward.  “Angel, not helping.”

 

The vampire turned to look at him and, unseen by the others bar him and Wesley winked.  “Fine,” dropping the Watcher to the floor, the vampire turned to Giles.  “Giles?”

The older Watcher nodded.  “I’ll ring the Mayor’s office right now.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Jonathan wiped the sweat out of his eyes.  At first he thought he hadn’t remembered what Giles had taught him but now the door was open.  Peeking through he gasped in relief as he found the coast was clear.  He started to tip-toe down the corridor then, realising how conspicuous he looked he walked normally, keeping his ears and eyes open for any sign of trouble.  Every time he turned a corner he was sure he’d be grabbed by a couple of waiting vampires.

His heart attempting to pound its way out of his ribcage and his mouth drier than a desert, he eventually reached the inner sanctum.  After standing by the door for a couple of minutes, reassuring himself that the room was empty he took a breath and eased the door open.  Taking a breath he stepped through and hurried over to the cabinet where Faith said the Books of Ascension were kept.  Sliding the walnut brown door open, he paled.  “Oh shit!” Jonathan whispered at the sight that greeted him.  He had to force down the vomit that rose in his throat at the macabre collection of arcane objects arrayed on the top and middle shelves, including human and demonic body parts.  Still shuddering, Jonathan rapidly turned his attention to the bottom shelf.  Crouching down, he pulled out the first heavy red leather-bound volume and began reading. 

“What you got there sugah?”

Jonathan jumped at the sound of his girl-friend’s voice, whirling round he glared into her mocking eyes.  “Faith,” he gasped.  “You nearly gave me a heart attack.”

“Ah but look at the side benefits,” the brunette purred.  

“Benefits, what benefits?”

Faith’s shark-like grin widened.  “While you’re ill I’ll have to slip into my nurse’s uniform,” Jonathan’s mind went into overdrive.  “Give you sponge baths and,” Faith moved closer to him, her breath hot on his neck. “Attend to your every need.”  Suddenly the Slayer’s tone turned business-like.  “Found everything you need?”

Still caught up in the images conjured up by his girl-friend’s previously seductive tone it took him a second to answer.  “Yeah.”

Faith beamed, a genuine smile she seemed to save just for him and always made his blood race.  “Well done,” she praised.

Jonathan blushed and stared down at the ground, he always got embarrassed when Faith complimented him.  Suddenly his head exploded in pain and he was lifted off his feet and flung over the office desk and into the far wall.  He stared up in disbelief as his girlfriend advanced on him, what was happening?  “Look what I found boss!” Faith shouted, her lips mouthing ‘sorry’ as she kicked him in the ribs, pulling the blow at the last minute.    “Our canary tried to fly the cage.”  Faith slapped him, this blow more stinging than bruising.  Grabbing him by his collar she lifted him effortlessly upright and drew back her fist.  He cringed.

“STOP!” the Mayor walked into the room, his eyes scanning the wrecked office in distaste.  “Really Faith, must you be melodramatic?  And in my office.  I think your boy-friend has learnt his lesson.  Besides, your former friends have agreed to do an exchange for him tomorrow night.”

 

“Tomorrow boss?”  Faith’s tone was questioning and her face troubled.  “Why not tonight?”

“I have to regain my composure Faith,” Wilkins explained.  “Besides, it’s pushing it to get to the school, affect the exchange and get back here before dawn.  And while sunlight doesn’t bother you and I, we’re going to need our vampires as surety against any underhanded dealings.”

”I’ve got your back boss, I can handle the others.  We don’t need the leeches.”

“Two Slayers and Angelus?  I have no doubt my girl could handle any of them in a fair fight.  But three to one?” the politician shook his head.  “Somehow I doubt even you could handle all three.  And that’s without considering their friends.  No,” the Mayor shook his head.  “We need back-up.”

“Five by five,” Faith nodded before slapping him around the back of his head, a blow that probably looked painful but had little actual force behind it.  “You want I should  take him back to his room?  I’ll stay with needle dick.” Jonathan winced, had she been peeking?  “Make sure none of the vamps try and feed on him and he doesn’t try and make another break for it?”

“An excellent idea,” Wilkins beamed.

“Five by five,” still gripping him by his collar, the Slayer dragged him out into the corridor.  “Sorry about the beating,” Faith whispered.  “Had to make it look convincing for Wilkins.  I’ll make it up to ya, promise.”

“This making it up, does it involve that nurse’s uniform?” he asked hopefully.

Faith’s throaty chuckle was his only answer.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Xander felt his mouth dry as he looked around.  It was eight-fifty in the evening and they were in the school cafeteria awaiting the Mayor’s arrival.  Who was twenty minutes late.  What if he’d found out about the plan and right now both Jonathan and Faith were being tortured to death?  Glancing around the room he saw the same worry reflected in the faces of the two Slayers, the pair of Watchers and the ensoulled vampire. Suddenly the cafeteria doors swung open and Wilkins arrived, together with Faith, Jonathan and an entourage of six vampires. “Budget meeting for the new childcare centre ran late, you know how bureaucrats like to chat.”

“Why bother?” Xander asked, his casual tone hiding his relief at the Mayor’s arrival and Jonathan’s apparent good health.  “After all you’re going to eat all the kiddies.”

 

“True,” Wilkins’ smile didn’t reach his eyes.  “But look on the bright side Mr. Harris.  Think of how much lower taxes will be next year, what with the lessening in day-care demands.”

“That Reganeconmics?” Angel muttered.

“Yes very amusing,” Wilkins laughed.  “As you know I’m a family man.”  The Mayor cast Faith a fond look.  “Now, the exchange.”

Angel stepped forward, box in hand.  Faith did the same, her arm around Jonathan’s neck.  And suddenly the doors swung open.  Xander groaned, Snyder together with two policemen.  “Look what we have here,” the principal sneered.  “The usual suspects, creating trouble.”  Snyder turned his attention to Angel.  “I don’t know which one of these floozies you’re with mister but you’re trespassing.  Give me that box.”

 

“Why,” the vampire’s tone was redolent with menace.  “Don’t you take it?”  He laughed as the two policemen began unholstering their guns.

“Angel,” Giles’ tone was strained.  “There are those without your advantages.”

At the Watcher’s words the vampire relaxed.  “Okay.”

After snatching the box from Angel, Snyder passed the box to one of the policeman.  “Open that for me.”

“NO!” the Mayor bellowed from the shadows he’d slid into at Snyder’s entry.

Too late.  Xander’s eyes widened as a spider the size of a large hand leapt onto the policeman’s face, tearing it off in an instance before leaping onto the next victim, the Mayor who knocked it off with contemptuous ease, his face healing in a second.  Faith dived for the box just as another spider escaped.  Cursing, the brunette slammed the box shut just as Buffy’s dagger flew through the air impaling the spider as it made to leap for Faith’s face.  At the same instant Kendra spun round and threw her knife through the first spider as it readied itself to drop from the ceiling onto Wesley.

”Mr. Mayor,” Snyder practically kissed the politician’s feet.  Xander supposed it made a change from kissing his ass.  “I’m sorry I didn’t know-.”

“No problem Principal,” Wilkins smiled.  “Just make sure this stays between us, okay?”  The politician’s smile widened at Snyder’s nod.  “Good man. Faith, we’re leaving.”    After a last longing glance at Jonathan, Faith followed the Mayor and the vampires out of the room.

“As for you,” Snyder turned towards them, his composure returning.  “I should have know you’d all be involved in dru-.”

”Oh bloody shut up you pillock,” Giles growled.  In an instance Snyder’s mouth clamped shut.  Xander chuckled nervously, well at least the evening had a good ending.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Xander glanced across at a miserable-looking Jonathan.  Motioning to the smaller youth he led them away from the two Englishman excitedly discussing the pages of the Books Jonathan had smuggled out of city hall and to the counter of the coffee shop they’d brought the meeting to.  “How was she?”

Jonathan’s face was strained.  “She was okay Xander.  But there’s a ton of vampires there.  If she gets found out she’s got no chance.”

“Then we’ll have to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Three Slayers 13

The youth shoved a tape into his video before moving his television a few inches for his pet to see it.  Satisfied that the TV was angled right he pressed the play on the remote control.  Instantly the beast began to howl and slaver, its eyes bulging as is strained to escape its restraining cage.  “Soon,” he muttered a slight smile on his face.  “Soon.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Xander’s eyes narrowed as he entered the Bronze.  The place was jumping, filled with wildly writhing and gyrating bodies packed onto the dance floor.  Seeing his friend sat in a booth at the back, his head bowed in contemplation, he hurried over.  “What’s up Johnny?”

His friend turned towards him.  “Nothing.”

“Nothing?” Xander raised a sceptical eyebrow.  “You sure look miserable for nothing.”

“Just leave it.”

The youth made to walk past him but he blocked his path and shook his head.  “No,” he replied.  “I won’t leave it.”

Jonathan looked up at his set face and sighed.  “Fine, you want to know what’s up?  It’s the prom in a few days and my girl-friend’s-.”

Xander felt a surge of rage.  “You’re worried about the prom when Faith’s risking her fucking life?  Jesus, John!”

“No,” his friend shook his head vigorously.  “That’s not it at all.  Well that’s part of it I suppose.  I mean I spent my entire life as a dateless dork and then bang, I end up with the best-looking babe in the school-.”

”Second.”

”Whatever,” Jonathan tried for a half-smile.  “But the  point is she’s not going to be there for the prom.” Jonathan’s face fell.  “What other things isn’t she going to be there for?  Even if she gets through this secret agent deal…  God, I’m so scared for her.”

Ah, Xander nodded in understanding.  That was it, dating a Slayer was hell on a guy’s nerves.  Xander motioned towards the booth.  “Sit down.”  After a second his companion obeyed, Xander sat in the seat opposite.  “The Prom,” he shrugged.  “The Prom’s one night, an important night sure, but you’re gonna have plenty of others together.  We’ve got this sewn up tight, only people we can trust are in the loop, Faith won’t slip up, her cover’s fine.  Everything gonna be,” Xander grinned.  “Five by five, right?”

After a second Jonathan nodded.  “Right.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Xander whistled to himself as he hurried through Sunnydale’s major shopping mall, his gaze darting left and right as he looked for the surprise he wanted to get Kendra for being his prom date.  He chuckled as he remembered Giles’ pained expression when the Englishman had realised that his part in Xander’s plan meant that he’d have to act as a decoy by informing Kendra that her technique was looking sloppy and she’d have to have an extra training session. Oh, the bruises. 

His brow furrowed as he noted somebody examining a dress in April Fools.  “Well even on the weekend I need my fix of Cordy-abuse.  Guess I’m just kinky that way.”  A grin on his face he pushed the shop door open.   “Cordy, always a pleasure.

The cheerleader looked up, an almost frightened look on her face.  “Xander, cross-dressing now?” she snapped.

Stranger and stranger, Xander mused, that insult definitely lacked her usual venom.  “That your prom dress Cordy?” he shot back with a grin.  “Because you should carry it off no problem, definitely screams upper-class slut.”

“Is this a customer or a friend?“

Xander turned to see an imperious looking salesgirl looking at him.  Xander hid a smirk, he wondered if Cordy had taught her that look.  “Neither. Just stopped by for my daily helping of bile. It’s sort of a Harris-Chase tradition.”

The salesgirl glared at him before turning her attention to an unusually quiet Cordelia.  “You better get back to work and quit goofing. Mrs. Finkel so has it in for you.” Her warning delivered, the salesgirl stalked off, nose held firmly in the air.

 

Xander looked from the middle-aged woman by the counter to a downcast Cordelia.  This didn’t make any sense.  “You work here?”

 

“Yes. Yes, I work here.”

 

“But, uh, why?”

 

“I'm trying to buy a dress,” Cordelia muttered.

 
”But don't you already have all the dresses?” Xander was growing increasingly bemused.

 

”I have nothing, okay? No dresses. No cell phone. No car.  Everything's been taken away because Daddy made a little mistake on his taxes. For the last twelve years. Satisfied? Are you a happy Xander now? I'm broke. I can't go to any of the colleges that accepted me. And I can't stay home because we no longer have one.”

 

“Uh, wow.“  Seeing Cordelia like this, surrounded by an aura of hurt and with tears in her eyes didn’t have the appeal it would have had a few years.  He wanted to hug her, tell her things would be alright.  But he and Cordelia didn’t do hugs.

”Yeah, neato. Now you can run along and tell all of your friends how Cordy finally got hers. How she has to work part time just to get a lousy prom dress on layaway. And how she has to wear a name tag. Oh, I'm a name tag person. Don't leave that out. The story just wouldn't have the same punch.”

“Cordy, I’m-.”  He spun round at the sound of the shop front window shattering and a furry beast on four legs barrelling towards them, salvia dripping from its gaping mouth.  “Get down!”   Xander shoulder-charged the monster out of harm's way before leaping towards the creature.  “Slayers are like policemen!” he grunted as he grabbed hold of the monster around its heavily muscled neck, attempting to keep its gnashing teeth from his face and throat, even as its claws ripped at him.  “There’s never one around when you -.”  Suddenly his legs gave way knocking him to the floor, the creature on top of him.

Just as the monster was about to savage him Cordy brought a steel yardstick down across its snout.  The monster let out a howl before turning its baleful eyes on the cheerleader.  “Nice doggy.”

Even laid Xander was unable to prevent a giggle from escaping.  Nice doggy?  Pure Cordy.  Suddenly the beast leapt off him and charged not at Cordy but at a tuxedoed youth at the back of the shop.  Groaning at the effort, Xander struggled to his feet, helped by the shaking cheerleader.  “Thanks Cordy,” he muttered.

“No problem Dweeb Boy,” his companion whispered, her voice shaking and her usually healthily-tanned skin a sickly grey.  “Any idea how we beat this crea-.”

The Queen of Sunnydale High’s voice trailed off when the beast turned its gaze on them.  Suddenly it let out a roar and bounded past them, and out of the window.  Xander sighed with relief.  “Shopping really can be murder eh?”

“Do you think we need to tell Buffy?”

“Well duh,” Xander thought of something and passed the cheerleader his keys.  “You go get the car, I’ll get the video tape.”  He waited until the cheerleader had disappeared out of the shop before approaching the store’s shocked manager.  “How much does Cordelia owe on that dress?”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“But you’re alright?”

Xander rolled his eyes at Kendra’s fussing.  “I’m great, a few bruises but nothing major.  Let’s watch the tape.”  After a second inspecting him, his girlfriend nodded.  “See,” Xander pointed at the tape.  “That’s where things went weird.”

“Xander, hellmouth remember?”

Xander nodded at Buffy’s remark.  “Yeah, but still.  I’ve attacked it, Cordy’s attacked it but it goes for a guy cowering at the back of the shop.”

 

“If I'm not mistaken, this is a hellhound.”  Wesley commented.

 
”Yes.”  Giles agreed.  “ It's particularly vicious. It's sort of a demon foot soldier bred during the Machash Wars. Trained solely to kill. They feed off the brains of their foes.”

 

“Lovely,” Xander muttered.  Why couldn’t there be any nice demons, the sort that were built like Pamela Anderson and wanted to make teenage boys their sex slaves?

Wesley turned to Cordy.  “And what pray tell were you doing this afternoon?”

 

“What? Um, I was... “

 

Xander dived in to the rescue.  “You know what’s she’s like.  Burning a hole in daddy's wallet, as usual. I just bumped into her during my tuxedo hunt.”  He smiled at Cordy’s grateful half-glance.

“Right, these things eat brains right?” Buffy asked.  At Giles’ nod the blonde continued.  “How’s this for a plan.  Giles, you and,” Buffy cast the younger of the two Watchers a distrusting glance “Wes come with me to Willy’s to see if he’s got any information.”

“Oh splendid,” Giles beamed.  “I always enjoy giving that odious little berk a good hiding.”  Everyone stared at the older Watcher for a second.  He shrugged.  “I spar with Slayers and fight with demons, it’s nice to de dishing out the punishment for a change.”

“Okay,” Buffy shook her head before turning to him and Kendra.  “You two go to the local butchers and meat plants, see if anybody’s been buying brains.”

“What about us?”

Buffy nodded at Willow’s question.  “Will, you, Jonathan, and Oz go to the magic shop and see if anyone's been in, buying supplies to raise a hellhound.”

 

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Xander wrinkled at the stench in the meat processing plant, the smell of blood in this place must be enough to drive vampires wild.  Shaking his head he continued to walk down a row of hanging carcasses, Kendra standing at the other side of a guy in a white coat and a hard hat.   Finally the man nodded and turned to Kendra.  “Yeah, yeah. This kid orders cow brains a couple of times a week. Goes to this address,” the man passed his girl-friend a grease-stained note.  “Good luck. He's a weird kid.”

 

Kendra beamed.  “Thanks. Thanks a lot.”  Her expression turned serious as she looked at him.  “Shall we?”

He nodded.  “Let’s.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Cordelia sighed in defeat, her chin held determinedly high as she strode towards the dress shop exit.  She was Cordelia Chase she reminded herself, she didn’t, wouldn’t, cry.  So what if her father had ruined-.  “Hey! Don't forget your dress. Aren't you wearing it tonight?”

 

Cordelia turned to her fellow shop assistant .  “As much as I hate to admit it, I haven't finished paying for it yet.”

 

The other sales girl grinned at her.  “Well somebody did. The hero from earlier on.”

 

Cordelia’s mouth dropped open.  “Harris?”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“Are you sure this is the right house?” Xander muttered as he watched his girlfriend casually break into the house.

“It better be, otherwise you’ll be doing hard time for breaking and entry.”

“Why only me?”

Kendra grinned.  “At my speed they’ll never catch me.”

“You’d leave me?”

“I’m young, gorgeous, with Faith’s help I’ll soon get a new boytoy.”  Kendra chuckled before kissing him lightly on the lips.  Her face turned grim.  “Got the weapons?”

“I’m all equipped.” 

Kendra nodded before looking around.  “Basement?”

“That’s usual.”

Within a couple of minutes they were creeping down the steps to find a male teen, maybe a couple of years their senior, about to release a caged hellhound.  “You're ready to go.”

“Sorry, new plan.”  Kendra blurred across the basement floor to grab hold of the youth and throw him away from the cage.  “The prom's a go and you're pathetic.”

To Xander’s surprise, the older teen smirked.  “Maybe. Maybe not.”  Suddenly the young man grabbed a vase and broke it over Kendra's head - she brushed the shards off her jacket as the man brandished a screwdriver at the dark-skinned warrior, Kendra’s eyes widened as she noticed something towards the back of the room.  “That's how you did it? By getting them to watch teen slasher movies?  That's how you brainwashed the hounds to go psycho on prom?”

“Neat, huh?”

Kendra shook her head.  “I don't get it. What kind of sicko wants to destroy the happiest night of a senior's life?”

“I have my reasons.”

“Whatever.”  Lunging forward Kendra grabbed the hand brandishing the screwdriver and drove it down on her  knee.  The man squawked as his weapon clattered to the floor.  Instantly Kendra pushed the man face-first against the wall and tied his hands behind his back before opening a door and pushing him through. “Now I'm gonna lock you in here and then I'm gonna party like it's ...”

“Kendra,” Xander noticed three empty cages. 

“Gotta have a redundancy system,” the madman gloated.  “Any incompetent knows that.  My three fiercest babies are on their way to the dance right now.  You think formal wear makes them crazy, wait 'til they see the mirror ball.”

Xander swallowed.  Kendra looked at him.  “Oh no,” she croaked.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Buffy walked over to Giles, lowering her voice so not to be overheard by the chattering party-goers around them.   “Any sign of them?”  Willy had come up blank even with Giles holding a broken bottle to his eye, a rather disturbing image that would doubtless stay with her for some considerable time.

“No,” Giles looked as worried as she felt.

“And we haven’t got a clue where they are?” Angel interrupted as the vampire glanced around the filling dancehall.

“We’ll just have to trust Kendra and Xander are capable of dealing with whatever’s out there.”

“Yeah,” Buffy agreed even as she checked the knife strapped to her thigh.  And if they didn’t it would be down to her and Angel.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Xander’s car pulled to a halt outside the school.  Kendra was out of the car even as the vehicle’s screeches were still echoing in her ears.  Seeing the trio of hellhounds loping towards the building she drew her crossbow and dropped the one in the lead with a bolt.  In an instant, the other two turned towards her, their eyes glowing in the dark.  “Xander stay in the car!” she ordered as the remaining beasts charged her . 

The two remaining hellhounds charged her.  Kendra readied herself.  “That’s right come to Kendra,” realising she didn’t have time to re-load her crossbow she threw it aside and drew a dagger.  “Kendra’s got a nice surprise for you both.”

The first hellhound launched itself into the air at her, her dagger flashed up to meet it in mid-flight, ripping through its right haunch.  The hellhound howled in agony, but continued on it s trajectory, knocking her to the ground.  Ignoring the pain caused by the impact she grabbed the beast and forced its snapping jaws away from her even as she wrapped her thighs around it and squeezed, snapping ribs, and plunged her dagger repeatedly into the monster.

Finally it was dead.  Flinging it aside, she rolled onto her knees as the other monster leapt at her only to be hit in mid-air by Xander’s speeding car.  The monster hit the ground, bounced, and struggled to its feet.  And was hit by the car again, Kendra winced as this time its skull was crushed under the back wheel.  After a second, the door opened and Xander looked out .  “Let’s get into the prom.”

Kendra looked down at her muddy clothes.  “I’m not dressed.”

“So?”  Xander winked.  “I’ll still have the best looking date in the entire hall.  You coming?” 

Kendra grinned, she was so lucky.  “Coming,” she agreed.  “I thought I told you to stay out of the way,” she rebuked softly.  She couldn’t bear it if he got hurt protecting her.

“No you didn’t,” her boyfriend corrected.  “You told me to stay in the car which technically I did.”

“You’re an idiot.”

“True but,” Xander grinned.  “You also forgot dashing, ruggedly handsome, and fantastically witty.”

 

”No, no I didn’t.  It’s part of the Slayer Code,” she replied.

“What is?” Xander asked, his face puzzled.

“Never to lie.”

“Ouch,” her boyfriend winced.  “No smooches for you tonight.” 

Kendra snorted.  “Like you could ever resist.  You’re more likely to turn down a Twinkie than me.”

Xander laughed.  “True.  God I’m pathetic.”

“Yeah, but that’s the way I like you.”

Three Slayers 14A

“Have you heard the news?” Xander flew into the library, the news he’d overheard at the water fountain chilling him to the bone.  “Guess who’s commencement speaker on graduation day?  The Mayor!  Dad said I’d never graduate,” he dropped into a chair by the desk before looking around his friends.  “And for once the bum was right.  We are so screwed!”

Xander’s blood chilled at the disapproving voice he heard entering the library doors behind him.  “That’s what’s wrong with America today, no respect for parents or the family.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

The Mayor beamed at his shocked audience.  After savouring their surprise for a few seconds, he spoke.  “So, this is the inner sanctum. Faith tells me this is where you folks like to hang out, concoct your little schemes.” He noticed the texts cluttering the desk.  “I tell you, it's just nice to see that some young people are still interested in reading in this modern era. So, what are kids reading nowadays?”

 
Still smiling, he walked to the table and picked up a book. He was pleased when the older Watcher stood his ground and didn’t flinch, although the younger Englishman kept his distance.  An important man should always have significant enemies – it made things more interesting.   "The beast will walk upon the earth and darkness will follow.  The several races of man will be as one in their terror and destruction." Aw, that's kind of sweet. Different races coming together.   If you think of it like that, it makes me sound like a regular Martin Luther, a great leader bringing people together.”

”You never get even a little tired of hearing yourself speak, do you?“ the blonde Slayer commented sarcastically.

Wilkins tutted and shook his head before smiling at Giles.  “That's one spunky little girl you've raised there Mr Watcher. I’m gonna eat her and I just bet she tastes as good as my dear departed wife’s Sunday roast.” Suddenly the Watcher snatched up an epee from the table and thrust it through his chest. Surprised by the attack, he stumbled backwards only to quickly regain his balance.  ”Whoa! Well now, that was a little thoughtless.”  He smiled at their collective shocked gasp as he pulled the sword out of his chest, shaking his head at the tear in his suit.  He comforted himself with the thought it wasn’t like he’d have much use for clothes soon.  “Violent outbursts like that, in front of the children? You know Mr. Giles, they look to you to see how to behave.  A well-bred Englishman like you should know better.”

 

“Get out,” the mocha-skinned Slayer stepped between him and the defiant Englishman.  “Now.”

 Ignoring the threat in the young girl’s eyes, he took a handkerchief and slowly wiped the blood from the sword before casually tossing it back onto the table.  “I smell fear. That's smart, it won’t help but it’s smart. Some of your deaths will be quick, if that's worth anything, painful but quick. Some of you,” he looked at both Slayers and was impressed when neither flinched, they’d been trained well, good stock too .  “Will die slowly.  Well, see you all at graduation. You don't want to miss my commencement address. It's going to be one heck of a speech, a real killer.”

“You know what I’m thinking?” the Mayor looked down at the Harris boy, his smile faltering at the cold look in the youth’s eyes.  “I’m thinking that maybe you’re invulnerable, but..”  The young man smiled cruelly, suddenly Wilkins realised the teen had the eyes of a much older man.  “What would happen if me and the girls turned up at your place one night, kidnapped you, locked you in the back of an armoured vault, drove it into a mine, and blew the damn place up behind us?  I’m guessing your invincibility wouldn’t mean shit then.  Just a theory.”

Wilkins forced a smile.  “I’ve always admired initiative in the young, gives an old fuddy-duddy like myself hope for the future,” his smile broadened, this time unfeigned.  “Not that any of you have a future.”  His smile faded as he strode away from the library, that Harris boy was rather more formidable than he suspected.  He’d been concentrating his attention on the supernatural warriors and the knowledgeable Watchers as his main dangers.  Obviously he’d made a rare tactical error.  Ah well, he’d have to correct it.  And he knew just the girl to do it.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“You want me to kill Xman?”  Faith swallowed, this was getting way out of hand.  “But he’s nothing, just a loser geek.  He’s not worth the energy.”

“Ah, young Mr. Harris is rather more than that,” the politician corrected.  “There’s something in his eyes that I found quite unsettling.  He could be quite a threat if left alone.”  Faith masked her concern with a non-committal nod, noting that her employer was hiding his own disquiet behind his usual affable mask but something Xan had either said or done had seriously freaked him.  Fucking typical, her bud just couldn’t keep out of trouble. “However, there is something even more urgent.”  The middle-aged man reached into his pocket and pulled out a vial of liquid.  “I want Ms. Summers and her vampire taking out of the game.”

“Yeah,” Faith shifted uneasily.  This was getting heavy.  “And what does the mojo do?  Hope it really makes that uppity bitch suffer.”

The Mayor beamed.  “A willingness to learn, the first sign of a fertile mind.  But remember Faithie,” she resisted the urge to roll her eyes when the Mayor waggled a finger at her.  “Language, you’re a lady now.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“The liquid’s called ‘Killer of the Dead’, even a flesh wound and the vamp’s toast, like dead.”  Xander nodded as he took the slight sample Faith had given her.  His friend continued to talk.  “Wilkins wants -.  Oh fuck!”

“What’s up?”  he glanced in the direction the Slayer was moving but couldn’t see anything.  “Wait up!”

“Two vamps!” the Slayer bellowed before disappearing into the surrounding darkness.

“Shit!” Cursing, he chased after his friend, running around a corner to find her fighting a pair of shell-suited vamps.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“Fuck!  Fuck!  Fuck!”  Faith was terrified, more frightened than she could remember, more scared even than when her and Kendra had accidentally killed Finch.  She’d seen what the Mayor had done to vamps who failed him by just screwing up, her skin crawled at the thought of what the bastard would do to a traitor, especially the one he referred to as ‘his little girl’.

Leaping into the air, she grabbed the vampire in front around the neck and drove him headfirst into the hard concrete.  Leaping up, she twisted round to meet the second vampire, catching a haymaker to the jaw for her trouble.  Dazed, she stumbled backwards, helpless to prevent her foot being grabbed by the vampire she’d just put down.  The vampire pulled on her foot, sending her crashing down to the ground, the back of her head smacking on the cobblestones, dazing her.

Above her she could hear snatches of the vampires talking even as they began kicking and stomping her, every blow reverberating through her limbs and body.  “Who’d have thought it, Wilkins’ little girl a traitor?”  The remark was emphasised by a vision-blurring kick to the kick.  “We’ll get a big reward for this.  Maybe get to do her.”

“Never killed a Slayer before,” a mule-like kick sent blood flying from her mouth to splatter the alley wall.

“Wasn’t thinking of killing her, try turning her,” the other replied with a chuckle, his foot coming down hard on her left arm.  “Then she’d be ours forever.”

“Not fucking likely.”

 Faith’s heart leapt at the sound of Xander’s voice.  Seizing the chance given to her by the two vampires instinctively turning towards the new threat, and ignoring the pain coursing through her body, Faith bounded to her feet and hit one of the vampires with a leg sweep, knocking him to the ground.  The other began to turn towards her but she simply snatched hold of his ponytail and drove him face-first into the wall.

Smirking slightly at the sound of crunching bone and the vampire’s accompanying scream, Faith pulled out a stake and slammed through the demon’s back.  Sensing the other rising behind he, she launched an elbow backwards, crashing into her adversary’s nose, splintering bone, before leaping into a flawless, Olympic-standard, back-flip over her adversary’s head to land behind him and shove her stake towards his back.

Unfortunately the vampire managed to twist away from her attack and slam a right hook into her nose, breaking it at the bridge.  Next he drove a knee into her already battered stomach, tears blurring her vision she stumbled backwards, helpless to prevent the vampire grabbing her around the neck, cutting off her breath.  “You bitch!  You killed my brother-.”

Suddenly the stranglehold disappeared.  Faith snarled as she saw the vampire fling Xander into the wall, and her friend slide down the wall.  Leaping forward she caught her adversary with a trio of lightning right hooks shattering the left side of its face.  Seeing her chance she plunged her stake towards the vampire’s heart only to be grabbed at the wrist.  The vampire smirked.  “Not this time, Sla-, arh!”

Faith’s foot snapped up into the vampire’s groin.  “Don’t count your arteries,” the vampire released her wrist giving her the chance to drive her stake into his heart.  “Before they’re bleeding.”

The instant the vampire exploded into dust, Faith’s legs buckled beneath her, sending her plummeting forward.  She was inches from the ground when Xander caught her.  “Are you okay Faith?”

Faith forced a grin, hating the way her jaw ached at the movement.  “Five by five Xman,” she replied as her friend eased her back to her feet.  “Just been dying to fall for you for weeks.”

“Funny girl,” Xander’s chocolate-brown eyes filled with concern.  God she loved it when the gang looked at her like that, she was finally part of something, she had people who didn’t think she was a worthless bitch like her mom had always said she was.  “Are you okay?” he repeated.

“Five by five,” she lied. In truth she felt like crap, her right shoulder was dislocated again, her entire torso was aching, she was going to have one hell of a black eye, and she felt like her nose and maybe jaw were broken.  But she’d be mostly healed in the morning.  “I better get back, Wilkins might get suspicious.”

“Wait.”

She cursed as Xander grabbed her right shoulder and pain shot through the battered joint.  “Fuck Xand!”  She spun round to face her friend, her eyes spitting black fire.  “That fucking hurt!”

Her companion stepped back, a nervous expression on his face.  “Uh sorry, but you hadn’t finished your report.”

“Yeah,” Faith nodded.  “Just don’t touch me okay?  You’ve got a talent for pissing people off you know.  The Mayor wants me to kill you. ”

“It’s good to be appreciated,” Xander grinned before turning serious.  “So what’s happening?”  Xander listened to her talk.  Finally she’d finished and turned to leave.  “Wait!  You can’t go back!”

“Why not?”

“Vamps remember?” Xander pointed at the dustpiles.  “The Mayor was having you trailed he must be suspicious.”

Ignoring the pain in her shoulder, Faith shrugged.  “They came, saw, and got their asses staked.  Wilkins isn’t suspicious, I’ve got him wrapped around my little finger, he hates me going off on my own, probably sent them to make sure I didn’t get into any trouble.”

“And what if there were more of them?” her companion countered.

“There wasn’t, I know the two assholes, they’re the Mulligan brothers, two bros who were turned in the 1840s, during the California Gold Rush, they always work alone.”

Xander looked doubtful.  “That’s awful risky.”

That was a fucking understatement.  Ignoring her own misgivings she shook her head. 

“We still don’t know what Wilkins’ got planned for graduation remember?”

“And how you’re going to explain your bruises?” her friend pressed

“I’ll tell them I ran into some independents, took a beating.”  Faith nodded at the two dustpiles.  “My problem is explaining them not returning.”

Xander sighed.  “I know what we can do.  One of the bugs is in the library right?” she nodded, her companion grimaced.  “Hit me.”

Three Slayers 14b

“Xander!” upon his limping entry to the library, Kendra hurried over to him.  “What happened?”

He toyed with the idea saying he’d run into a PMT Slayer before forcing a smile.  “I ran into a couple of brother vampires, wearing shell suits for god’s sake,” he smiled gratefully at Buffy as she threw the bags off the couch leaving him room to lie down.  “They were having so much fun hitting me they forgot I had a stake.” Faith said she’d pulled her punches but that girl had anvils for fists.  

“You got them both?”

He smiled at the blonde.  “Sorry Buff, no blood vendetta this time.  They’re dead.”  God he hoped Faith was alright.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“Good lord Faithie!” the Mayor stood, a look of distress on his face as he hurried over and helped her to the office couch.  “Are you alright?

Wilkins was wicked weird.  He was an evil bastard no doubt about it, she’d seen the evidence of the things he’d done, the deals he’d made, and yet he really seemed to give a shit about her.  Did that mean that at her core she was evil too?  Shaking away her fears, Faith replied.  “Ran into a gang of vamps talking about how they reckoned this town was open for the taking.  I showed them they were wrong.”

“Faith,” the Mayor scolded as he wiped at her bottom lip with a tissue.  It was odd, kind of reminded her of G looking after her.  “You shouldn’t take risks, I ascend in a few days.  Then nobody will doubt who runs this town.”  The politician shook his head.  “I appreciate your enthusiasm but this won’t do, oh not at all.  Learn some patience.  Remember haste makes waste.  You’ll have to stay in the next couple of nights.  No, no arguments missy, we’ll get some videos – have you seen ‘High Noon’?  Now, I’ll get you some milk and cookies, that’ll fix you right up.”

Faith grinned.  Better and better, the Mayor’s insistence that she rested gave the others more time to come up with a plan.  Her smile faltered, she just hoped it was a good one.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“What really happened Xander?” Giles asked as he eased the youth into the car, he’d sensed the male Scooby had been lying for the illicit recorders in the library.  “Who beat you up?”  Whoever it was had done a bloody good job, Xander’s bottom lip looked like it had been introduced to a meat grinder, his right eye was hideously swollen, and he was moving like a sodding pensioner, wincing at every turn or twist.

“Faith did.”

“What!”

The young man grinned.  “Relax G-Man.”

He listened to the young man’s explanation with growing amazement.  Once the male Scooby had finished, he exploded.  “You bloody berk!  You actually asked a Slayer to hit you?”

“I do love him for his personality and not his brains Giles.”

“Thanks Kendra, your support’s welcome,” the youth let out a weary sigh.  “It was the best of some extremely bad choices, if Faith wasn’t so pig-headed about going back undercover…”  The teen’s voice trailed off as he slowly turned his head to Kendra.  “How about you and me go out and do something tomorrow night?” the Slayer beamed at the teen and nodded  “We can leave G-Man, Jonathan, and Wes to research the drug Wilkins gave Faith and have some fun.  I’ve got an idea how to deal with graduation.”

Giles shuddered.  It was frightening when Xander came up with a plan, especially so as his plans were usually the best of a very bad bunch.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“Have some fun?” Kendra glared at her boyfriend.  Of all the dates he’d taken her on, this was the most unbelievable.  And that included the time they’d crashed a necromancer’s welcome home party for his deceased wife.  “I’m not helping you break into a military base!”

“Your trouble is you need to loosen up,” Xander retorted.  “Cordy really enjoyed it when we broke into the compound.”

“You told me about that!”  Kendra snarled.  “I’m not acting as bait.”

“Wouldn’t work anyway.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?”

Her boyfriend swallowed loudly.  “That didn’t come out how I meant.  I meant that Cordy was in more revealing clothes.”

“You mean dressed like a hooker?”

“Well I liked it.”

“I just bet you did,” Kendra glared at her boyfriend.  “I could tempt ten times the men Cordelia could.”

“That mean we’re going in?”

Too late she realised she’d been tricked into a corner.  “All right, but you owe me dinner.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Xander grinned as his girlfriend clambered, cat-like, over the wire mesh fence.  “I thought I might.”  Once she was on top of the fence, Kendra threw a rope down to him.  Gritting his teeth against the pain coursing through his body, he struggled up the barricade. 

“Where’s the armoury?”

“Follow me Grasshopper.”  Ignoring his girlfriend’s vaguely threatening mutterings, he hurried through the darkness only to stop when his companion put a hand on his chest.  “What’s up?”

“Someone out there,” Kendra muttered.  “Wait here.”

Xander opened his mouth to protest but the Slayer had already melted into the darkness.  The seconds seemed to stretch off into forever and a sheen of sweat appeared, drenching his forehead as he imagined all manner of terrible things happening to his girlfriend.   He hadn't heard any shots but she could have run into a demon or a master vampire...Just as he was about to rush off in search of Kendra, she reappeared carrying an unconscious guard over a slender shoulder.  “See that’s the difference between Slayers and normal girls, Cordelia dazzled the guard with a smile and a bit of cleavage, you bludgeon him into unconsciousness with your fists.”

“You saying I’m not normal Xander?”

“Moving on,” Xander coughed at the dangerous gleam in his girlfriend’s smouldering black eyes.  Oh yeah, he was definitely looking into a muzzle for himself, anything to keep his mouth from getting him into trouble.  “Shall I help you tie him up?”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“Got it Mr. Giles!”

Giles beamed, the three of them had been researching in Wes’ apartment, hardly ideal but his fellow Watcher had plenty of the most important texts and according to Faith, Wes’ rooms, unlike the Library, Buffy’s home, and his own home, were not bugged.  “And what does it say Jonathan?”

His heart dropped at the drawn look on the youth’s face.  “It says the poison can only be counteracted by the blood of a Slayer.”

“Oh bollocks,” Giles muttered this was bad, very bad.

“What’s the problem guys?” he turned to see a grinning and heavily laden Xander stood beside Kendra in the apartment’s doorway.  “We’ve got three.  I mean it’s not like we can’t spare - ouch!” the teen winced when his girlfriend kicked him in the shin. 

Kendra’s kick saved Xander from a well-earned tongue-lashing from him but not his glare.  “I trust,” he said icily.  “You have a plan?”

“I love it when a plan comes together.”  Xander grinned, apparently unaffected by all the stares he was getting.  “Always wanted to say that.”

Giles shook his head in disbelief.  He just knew he wasn’t going to like this.  “What is it then?”  Ten minutes later he realised he was wrong, he hated it.  “Are you a complete blithering idiot?”

“Hey I come from good -, alright really stupid stock,” Xander protested.  “But think of the advantages?” 

Wesley sighed.  “He has a point Rupert, there are tremendous risks, but if everything goes right….”

“Big if,” finally Giles nodded.  “Very well.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Faith’s heart pounded as she raised her bow and sighted it on the handsome figure walking down Sunnydale’s main street.  It had been three days since she’d slain the Mulligans and this was the first time she’d got some action.  “Fuck,” she muttered, unmindful of the trio of watching vampires lurking behind her.  “I hope this works.”  Finally satisfied she had the target locked she smoothly pulled the bowstring, unleashing her arrow. 

The bolt flew gracefully through the cool night air, gaining speed with every second as it hurtled downwards.  Faith smiled in satisfaction at a job well when the bolt slammed into the rugged man’s shoulder, showering his blonde companion with blood, and sending him tumbling to his knees.  Seeing B glaring up at her, Faith waved and blew a kiss before turning to her companions.  “Let’s hit the road boys, there’s one pissed off Slayer down there.”

“You were meant to kill him!” snarled the oldest of the three vampires.

“I wanted him to suffer first.  Nobody turns me down,” suddenly her right hand lunged forward, grabbing her questioner around the throat, even as her left flew into the back of her quiver and drew an arrow.  A vicious grin on her face, she thrust the arrow into the demon’s heart before turning to his companions.  “And lives.  So,” Faith cocked her head to one side, raised an inquiring eyebrow, and looked at the two remaining vampires.  “Any other questions?”  The demons shook their heads, Faith grinned.  “I just knew you guys weren’t as dumb as you looked.”

Three Slayers 14C

Faith sauntered into the Mayor’s office, her casualness making her anxiety.  “It’s done boss, Fang’s toast.”

“Not quite,” the Mayor’s expression was unreadable.  “I understand you merely winged Angel.”

“Well yeah,” Faith admitted.  This was the tricky part, if Wilkins didn’t like her explanation she was dead meat.  “Thing is I figured, the poison still works not matter how bad the wound right?”  After a second, the black arts mage nodded.  “Then I figured,” she began to pace the floor before the century old man’s desk.  “I kill Fang straight off with one blow, what happens?  B gets pissed, real pissed, and comes straight after me.  If she has to watch the bastard die slowly, painfully,” Faith hid her fear behind a smirk, god he had to buy this.  “Then her spirit will be crushed, for a few days at least.  And then you’ll be all ascended and game over.”

For a long second Wilkins sat in his leather chair, staring at her.  Then, just as she was about to dive out of the second floor window, a beaming smile cracked the politician’s inscrutable mask.  “Why you’re just the complete package aren’t you?” the public servant commented as he stood and made his way around the desk to stand before her.  “Looks, brains, and spirit.”  To her surprise, Faith felt a faint stirring of pride at the man’s compliment.  Suddenly her face exploded in pain as the Mayor backhanded her across the mouth, knocking her back a step.  “But next time I give an order, I expect you to follow it to the letter.  I can’t show favouritism, not even to you, understand?”

Faith dabbed gingerly at her bloodied lip.  “I understand,” she replied dutifully, ignoring the searing urge to launch a futile attack.  The injury would heal in a minute or two but the memory of it would remain.  The last guy to hit her ended up with his face splattered against the wall of a Boston alley.  Wilkins was going to get worse, much worse.

“Good girl, now how about some ice-cream?”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“Help me!” Buffy screamed as she kicked open the mansion doors, her panic not completely faked.  In an instance, the others, called by her frenzied phone call, sprang up. 

“What’s up!” exclaimed Willow.

“Faith shot Angel with some sort of arrow,” she sobbed.  “It missed his heart but did something weird -.”

“Buffy,” her head snapped towards a fraught-looking Giles.  They all had so much riding on Xander’s plan.  “Take him through into his bed room, Kendra you help Buffy with Angel.”  The Watcher turned to the others.  “No, you wait here, in case Faith’s followed Buffy to finish off the job.”

Once in the back room, Buffy placed her boyfriend’s wildly convulsing body down on the bed.  Kendra helped her hold him down as Giles hurried through into the kitchen and returned carrying the six pints of blood her, Kendra, and Faith had all given in the past twenty-four hours.  “Hold his mouth open while I feed him,” the Englishman instructed urgently.  For a second she just gazed at her boyfriend, shocked beyond measure at what Faith had done.  “Buffy!”

“Oh sorry,” immediately she bent over and grabbed Angel’s lower jaw, forcing it open while Xander and Kendra restrained his writhing body.  After nodding at her, her Watcher and surrogate father began pouring into her boyfriend’s mouth.  One bag gone, no change.  Two, still nothing.  Three, the same.  Four, the flickering of something in her love’s eyes or was it just wistful thinking?  Five, Buffy’s heart leapt as some semblance of intelligence returned to her boyfriend’s eyes.  After the sixth, he managed to pull himself upright.  “You’re alright!” she shrieked before grabbing Angel around the neck.

“Thanks to your blood and Xander’s plan,” her boyfriend nodded at Xander before turning back to her.  “Do your stuff Buff.”

Nodding slowly, she made her way downstairs.  After taking a breath, she shoved the door open.  “A…angel’s dead,” the words spoken, she stumbled forward into Wesley’s waiting arms.  After turning from the others to give the younger Watcher a quick wink, she turned back to her friends. “The poison killed him.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“You want me to kill this guy Worth, why boss?”  Faith’s heart was pounding, murder, this was the big leagues, there was no way she could get to Xander and get a new plan, she knew from last night’s report that Xander’s plan for rescuing Angel had worked.  But this time she was on her own.

“He is a paleontologist dear.”

“Uh?”

“He researches dinosaurs and worked on a dig where he believes he found the remains of a new breed of dinosaur.  However, this dinosaur was in fact an ascended demon.  If the papers fell into the hands of your former companions….”

“Five by five,” Faith nodded, she had the beginnings of a plan.  “I’ll get right on it.  Tell me more boss, I’ll need to pick up those papers while I’m there.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

A knock sounded on the door inside the old-fashionally  furnished apartment. Lester Worth looked up in surprise, circumstances and nature had made him a solitary man, he was unused to visitors after college hours.  After a second he hurried over to the door and opened it..

For a moment he just stared at the jaw-dropping beauty stood leaning against the door, smirking slightly.  Then remembering his manners, he found his voice.  “Hello,” he said shyly.  He was well aware of his own lack of looks and was more comfortable with his books and own company.

The girl’s smile widened.  "Hi, I'm looking for Professor Worth."

"Oh, well, that's me, but I should ask you to come back during office hours. Students generally make an appointment."

The girl stode, uninvited, into his apartment.  “I’m not a student. I work for Mayor Wilkins, name’s Faith," she replied.  "The boss is a big fan, Prof."

"Oh, Lester's fine," he replied uncertainly.

"We alone here Lest?" Faith asked.

"Life long bachelor."

The beatuiful brunette grinned at him. "I can dig needing your own space, but how come some lucky lady hasn’t snagged a hunk like you?"

Lester reddened, he sensed the girl was teasing him but there was something off-putting about her that stopped him from reproaching her.  "A hunk, me?"

“Oh I bet you were a wild one back in the day,” the raven-haired beauty’s face turned serious as she laid a hand on his shoulder.  Surprised by the gesture he stepped back.  “Hate to break it to you bud, but the Mayor wants you dead.”

“Young lady, I don’t think I app-,” his voice trailed off when the teen pulled out an evil-looking knife.  It wasn’t a joke.  "He . . . he . . . he wants me dead? Why?"

The sultry teen looked down at her knife and threw it into the wall behind him..  “Don’t worry I’m one of the good guys, working undercover,” she reassured him.  “I’m not going to hurt you.  Something to do with a study you did in New Zealand back in ’81.  Remember that?”

Lester tore his eyes away from the knife jutting out of his wall.  Somehow he guessed his guest was as dangerous with or without her weapon.  “Oh yes, I remember.  I found a new species.”

Faith nodded.  “Got the papers?”

“Um yes,”

“Get them.”

There was something unyielding in the girl’s tone that compelled him to obey her.  Within a few seconds she’d found them.  “Here they are,” his voice quavered and his hand trembled as he offered the papers to the brunette.

Instead of taking them the teen looked behind him.  “That a photocopier?”

“Yes.”

“Photocopy them for me.” 

He obeyed immediately, unnerved by the power he sensed in the intruder.  Once he’d finished he handed the copies over to the girl.  “What’s this about?  Are you going to kill me?”

“It’s complicated,” the teen shook her head.  “As to the killing thing, nah, like I said I’m a white hat.  But I need to store you out of the way.”

“You can’t just kidnap me!”

“See here’s the thing,” the beautiful teen’s eyes chilled, becoming chips of black ice.  “If I leave you around I’m dead.  And if I don’t kill you the Mayor will only send one after you, someone real mean, not nice and cuddly like me.”

Worth swallowed.  “Very well,” he nodded reluctantly.

The girl’s face relaxed, breaking out into a beaming smile.  “Smart guy,” she praised before lifting the phone.  “Now ring the dean’s office and tell them you’ve been called away on a family emergency.”  The brunette’s grin widened.  “You’re gonna love your new roomie.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“Yo Fang!”

Angel came out of his bedroom to see Faith and a short, chubby man in his early-sixties stood in his lounge.  “Faith,” he nodded at the third Slayer.  “Good shot with the bow by the way,” he turned his gaze on the Bostonian’s companion.  “Who’s he?”

“Proffesor Worth, your house guest.”

“What!”

“Wilkins wanted  me to kill him, I have to make sure he’s out of sight, you’ll have to babysit.”

“Kill him, why?”

“Last time a demon ascended,” the man with Faith gasped.  “It left behind a fossil,” the Slayer reached into her jacket and pulled out a sheaf of papers.  “Here’s the report he made.  We got a deal?”

He nodded reluctantly.  “Five by five, thanks Fang.”

 

Once the Bostonian had disappeared, the proffesor turned to him.  “Uh, why did Faith call you Fang?”

Angel forced back the urge to groan.  He guessed the next couple of days were going to be long.

                                                *                                  *                                  *

Faith dropped down into the chair opposite the Mayor.  If he didn’t accept her excuses….  “We’ve got a problem boss.”

The Mayor raised an eyebrow.  “Really?  Do tell.”

“I went round to Worth’s apartment, nobody there.  Went to the dean’s office, turns out there’s been some family shit going down.  He phoned about his sis being ill or some shit.”

“How unfortunate,” Wilkins commented.

“Yeah,” Faith nodded.  “But,” she reached into her jacket and pulled out the original papers.  “I found these.”

The Mayor beamed.  “Ah, splendid, such initative.  That’s the important thing.”

“Thanks boss,” Faith sent out a silent thankful prayer.

“Now, to deal with Mr. Harris.”

Faith hid a smile.  “Tonight boss.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“Hey Xman.”

Xander’s heart stopped as Faith stepped out of the shadows, her slender hips swaying sensually as she stalked towards him.  Suddenly, despite knowing the plan, the alley seemed a lot smaller.  “F..Faith,” his trembling voice wasn’t a complete act.  “The others aren’t far behind,” he warned.

His friend’s full lips parted in a crooked grin he knew so well.  “Shame Xman,” the brunette chuckled throatily.  “I’d have liked to take my time with you.”  She raised an eyebrow, the signal that her attack was about to begin.  “Stay back boys,” she growled to the vampires behind her.

Immediately he let out a shout.  “Gu-ugh!”  He grunted as the Slayer’s heel slammed into his chest, the force of the blow managing to crack the kevlar vest he was wearing beneath his clothes in readiness for the attack and sending him crashing into some stuffed to capacity garbage bags.  Before he had time to rise the raven-haired demon hunter drove the point of her boot into his groin.  Even though the east coast native pulled her kick at the last moment and even though he was wearing a cup, the air exploded from his body, causing him to dry heave. 

“Sorry X,” the Bostonian leaned over him, giving him a wonderful view down her black training top, not that he was in any condition to enjoy it.  The brunette smashed a fist into his jaw, causing him to bite down on the food colouring capsule he’d put in his mouth spraying out a red mist.

Suddenly there was a shout from one of the vampires.  “Slayer!  The other Slayers are here!”

“Fuck!” his friend winked him before straigtening and giving him a light, but still painful, kick in the ribs.  “Been fun Xman, see ya!”

Once the Bostonian had disappeared into the night, Kendra eased him to his feet.  “She didn’t hurt you too much did she?” his girlfriend asked.

“We have got to get some plan which don’t involve me getting beaten up,” he moaned as he looked at Buffy, Kendra, Giles and Wesley.

“You think you’ve got problems,” Kendra complained.  “I’m going for a swim in half a hour.”

Three Slayers 14d

Faith gnawed anxiously on her bottom lip as she slouched on the couch of her dockside apartment and waited for the next, and riskiest, part of Xander’s plan to come to fruition. Suddenly the apartment door crashed open to reveal her crazed-looking sister Slayer.  “You hurt Xander,” she growled

Swallowing her nervousness, Faith leapt up and forced a cocksure grin.  “Hey girlfriend,” Faith winked.  “I did you a favour, Xman’s a zero.  Babes like us need real men.”

Kendra sneered.  “My Xman’s worth any ten of your real men.  And you’re going to pay.”

Faith grinned, even though the fight was gonna be faked it was still enough to get the juices flowing and the blood pumping.  “Let’s see what you’ve got sis,” she taunted.

Immediately Kendra lunged forward, her right foot shooting upwards towards Faith’s jaw.  Instinctively she slid inside the blow, grabbed her opponent’s foot by the ankle and threw her into the wall.  Hearing the sound of running feet and sensing the approach of vampires, she let out a shout.  “Any of you pricks come in here and I’ll stake you myself!”

Her warning delivered, she leapt towards her sister Slayer only to catch a shuddering uppercut to the gut.  “Good punch sis,” she complimented as she staggered away, ducking beneath a follow-up right, before bringing a knee up that her opponent blocked on her thigh.  Grunting slightly with the effort, she landed a knife-edge chop to Kendra’s neck, knocking the older girl off-balance.

Instantly she followed up with a leg-sweep at her rival’s feet that her fellow Slayer leapt over before delivering a flying crescent kick that connected with her jaw, knocking her on her sweet ass.  “Fuck Ken,” she rolled instantly to her feet and moved into a defensive stance.  “You could give a girl the idea you didn’t like her.”

“I don’t.”

Faith raised an eyebrow.  “That case,” she charged forward.  Her sister Slayer leapt to meet her only to sidestep at the last second and slam the point of her elbow into her skull.  “Shit!” Faith stumbled away from a follow-up right, grabbed Kendra’s wrist and yanked her towards her and into a clothesline to the throat, even as she swept Kendra’s legs from beneath her. 

Kendra flew through the air to land with shattering force on her coffee table, breaking the table with her landing.  Faith’s eyes widened, she’d liked that table..  “Now that’s just wasteful!”  Conscious that she had to make it look good for the vampires straining to get in through the mystical barrier, she drove a foot into her sister’s ribs, sending her crashing into the couch.  Faith bounded towards her friend but before she could reach her, Kendra made her feet, her fist snapping out to crash into Faith’s nose, shattering the bridge.  Blood dripping down onto the carpet, and tears blurring her eyes, she stumbled backwards.  Fuck, Kendra had taken her beating of Xander bad.

Ignoring the braying of the vampires who wanted to see blood, anybody’s, spilt, Faith moved into a spin kick that her sister ducked beneath before grabbing her by the ankle and flinging her into the wall.  “Shit!”  Rolling to her feet, she saw her friend charging towards her.  Immediately Faith leapt into the air into a flying hook kick that caught Kendra in the back of the head and sent her crashing face-first into the wall. 

A snarl parting her lips, forgetting it was in fact an act, Faith leapt towards her friend only to catch a back-swung desk lamp in her face.  Dazed by the impact of the lamp shattering against her jaw, she didn’t see Kendra’s foot until it exploded against her head. 

Before she had time to regain her balance, Kendra grabbed her by her shoulders and flung across the room and through the glass balcony doors.  “Shit!”  Glass exploded as she crashed shoulder-first on the concrete balcony floor.  Seeing Kendra clambering through the shattered doorway, she shot out a foot, her heel smashing into the other Slayer’s knee taking her sister face-down down to the ground.

In an instance, she was on top of her sister, pinning her there with a stranglehold that if properly applied would render its victim unconscious in seconds but without pressure would merely restrain its victim.  “It’s been fun Ken,” she whispered.  “But I’m getting kinda pummelled here, so how about we go for the finale.”  Without waiting for an answer, she stood, dragging her friend’s limp body with her before lifting Kendra above her head in an overhead press motion.  With a growl of victory, she flung the body over the balcony wall. “God Ken,” she whispered as the body dropped stone like into the ocean below.  “I hope it works out.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

The instance Kendra’s limp body broke through the ocean’s blue-green surface; Buffy swam over to her and quickly fixed the spare oxygen canister and snorkel Angel had stolen from a local outdoors sport store the previous night.  That accomplished, she hooked an arm around her battered fellow Slayer’s waist and began swimming towards the congregation point where Giles and the others bar Angel would be waiting.  Xander’s plans, she shook her head, she was convinced it was just an excuse to see her and Kendra in wet clothes.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“That was quite a fight at your place last night.”

“Yeah it was wasn’t it,” Faith drawled casually.  “Gonna need the builders in.”  God, she hoped Kendra was five by five.  They’d decided that now they had the information relating to the Mayor’s ascension and her part in the plan to defeat him that for the sake of her safety she wouldn’t contact the others until the ascension began. It made sense, but it also meant she wouldn’t know if her sis was five by five for two days.  Two fucking days, they’d be the longest of her life.

“Why didn’t you allow my other employees to help you?”

“I might be working for you boss, but I’m still a Slayer, no way I was going to let those blood-suckers feed on her,” Faith shrugged.  “Besides I wanted to beat her woman on woman.”

“A sort of job pride.”

“Yeah,” if he tried to hit her….

Instead, the Mayor nodded.  “I suppose I can understand that.  Only Faith, yeah,” he shook his head.  “It’s yes.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“Look,” Jonathan was getting desperate.  He’d been trying for hours to convince the student body about what was happening at the graduation, but as usual as they were deriding him.

“Hey listen you bunch of jack-asses,” Jonathan winced at Cordelia’s voice.  Why bother with diplomacy when you had your own personal atom bomb in Cordelia Chase?  “How many funerals have we all been to growing up?  All the people we went to school with who one morning suddenly weren’t there?  I could list the names but that would take too long.  We all know what goes on in this great town of ours,” the brunette’s voice was laced in sarcasm.  “So are you all going to continue to bury your heads in the sand?  Or are you going to fight back?”

Jonathan blinked in surprise as the others fell silent, momentarily cowed by Cordelia’s impassioned speech, but then Percy spoke up with a snigger.  “And who’s going to lead us, the nerd and the cheerleader? Great, the world is saved.”

“No, we are.”  Jonathan’s  heart leapt at Xander’s voice and the appearance of his friend, Kendra, and Angel at the back of the sports hall.  “And if you’re not part of the solution, then get the hell out because then you’re part of the problem.”  When no one moved or spoke, his friend nodded in satisfaction.  “Good, now this is what’s happening.”

                                                *                                  *                                  *

“It’s a delightful day isn’t it?”

“Great, boss.  Nice and sunny,” Faith replied dutifully. She’d changed into a black trouser suit that was loose fitting enough to allow her ease of movement, and had enough room to conceal her hunting knife and favourite two stakes.  She was stood on the hastily built podium at the front of the sports field turned into graduation ceremony looked around the massed assembly, ignoring Willow’s hate-filled glare.  No Kendra , but then she wouldn’t be here yet, she was part of the surprise attack.  If they were still alive.  “When does it start?”

The Mayor’s chest puffed out.  “After my speech.”

Faith winced.  Wicked, not only had she to fight for her life, she had to sit through another one of the pompous windbag’s speeches first.  “My life sucks.”

“What was that dear?”

“Nothing boss.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

The moment the sky began to cloud over and Wilkins began morphing into his demonic self, Faith leapt out of her seat behind the still pontificating public servant and slammed her dagger deep into his side.  “That’s for the slap the other night you piece of shit,” she whispered into the amazed politician’s ear before leaping off the stage to stand beside her blonde counterpart.  “Long time no see B,” she glanced over her shoulder and grinned to see her Johnny throwing off his robes to lead the students, god she made him so proud.  “Ken and Fang?”

“They’re ok-,” the blonde grinned.  “Five by five.”

“Wicked!” Faith’s smirk faded as she turned to face the now fully changed Mayor.  The Mayor was now a green-scaled snake, perhaps fifty feet in length.  “He’s awful -.”

“Big,” the blonde beside her commented.

“I was going for scary but whatever works,” Faith agreed.

“Want to do your thing?” 

“Not really no,” Faith muttered before stepping forward.  “Hey Wilkins ya prick!”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

As soon as Faith made her move Jonathan nodded to Cordelia beside him, instantly the cheerleader raised her megaphone, as if she needed one, and bellowed her order.  “Retreat to the fall-back point!”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

As soon as the students began to retreat to the back of the field, they were confronted by scores of vampire.  “Remember kill, don’t feed!” exclaimed their leader, a tall, thin vampire in a power suit.

“Actually,” Xander proclaimed as he stepped out from behind the bushes to the left of the field, followed by Kendra and a score of weapon-wielding students, and Angel, Giles, and Wesley did the same with another couple of dozen students at the right of the field.  “We’d prefer it if you did the dying,” raising his pistol crossbow he shot the vamp leader, dropped his crossbow and drew his battle-ax.  “At ‘em!”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Faith grinned as she heard Kendra shouting orders to her troops.  Big sis was five by five.  “See that,” she thumbed over her shoulder.  “Angel, Xander, and Kendra all alive.  So’s Worth by the way.  Played you like a cheap violin you dump fuck!”  The demon let out an enraged roar.  “Think he’s pissed yet B?”

“Oh yeah!  Run!”

“Good idea!”  Heart thundering, Faith hurried inside the school, her long strides eating up the ground as she ran beside her blond counterpart.  “So B,” she panted as she ran around a corridor corner.  “How ya been?  Angel working on that sun-cream thing?”

“Just keep running!”

Gee, Faith mused, B was a lousy conversationalist.  Although it was hard to talk when running for your life from a snarling, noxious-breathing demon. Spinning round a corner, her foot caught on a wet patch.  "Shit!"  Her balance gone, she plunged headfirst into a locker before plummeting to the ground.  The wind knocked out of her and her head reeling from the collision with the dented locker she could do nothing but look up at the huge snakehead swaying above her.  She was fucked.

“Keep up!” Suddenly a strong hand was pulling her to her feet.

“Thanks B!” forcing herself to focus she started to run.

“Don’t mention it!  Next corner!”

Faith nodded in understanding.  “Five by five!”  She just hoped they had enough time to get clear, Wilkins seemed awful close.  As she swung round the next bend, Faith leapt into the air, clearing the four-foot high tripwire by some margin.  Upon landing, she didn’t look back but kept running. 

Suddenly she heard the boss’ voice.  “Well gosh!”

The hall shook and rumbled as the Mayor set off the tripwire set to the thirty claymores Xander and Kendra had stolen from the army base and hidden into the lockers fixed to the tripwire,  bringing masonry tumbling down onto the smouldering demon even as she and B leapt through the window at the end of the corridor.  “Hey B!” she yelled “I wonder how many kids get to blow up their schools at graduation?”

Buffy looked over her shoulder at the raging inferno behind them before grinning.  “Beats just burning your books,” she agreed.

                                    *                                  *                                  *                                             

Kendra exchanged a worried glance with Faith.  Three hours ago, as soon as nightfall had descended, Buffy, Angel, Willow, and Wesley had left for LA.  When they’d left for patrol, Giles had looked maudlin but okay, but now he was sat on the sofa cradling a framed photograph of Buffy in his hands.  “Ask him,” she muttered.

Her sister Slayer elbowed her in her ribs.  “Your idea.  You ask him.”

“Fine,” she muttered through gritted teeth.  “I’ll do it.”  They’d asked Xander to stay over at Jonathan’s tonight so they could ask Giles something, something very important.

At her nervous cough the Watcher looked up, his smile weary and his eyes watery.  “Any trouble on patrol?”

 

“Nothing Mr. Giles, the Mayor’s demise appears to have left the Hellmouth’s resident demons in disarray,” she replied.

“What she said,” Faith echoed.

Kendra rolled her eyes.  “You want me to do this or not?” she muttered.

“Sorry.”

“Giles, Faith and I were thinking.  She never knew who her father was, and my father gave me up to the Council.  We were wondering if,” she paused at the Watcher’s bewildered expression only to continue at Faith’s encouraging whisper.  “If we could change our surnames by deed poll to Giles.”  Seeing the Watcher’s mouth begin to open, she hurried on, her words becoming a babble.  “In the one year we’ve known you you’ve been more of a father and this has been more of a home than either of us have ever had before.”

“What you think G?” Faith broke in anxiously.

The Englishman wiped furtively at his eyes before beaming and nodding.  “I’d like that, I’d like that a lot.”

The END

Tbc in ‘Two Slayers’, featuring:-

The debut of Tara, and Riley Finn.

Anyanka and a new, improved Wishverse.

The return of the Council and Harmony Kendall.

And much, much more!

 Return To The Three Slayers Series