A/N: The song lyrics are of my own invention, so no copyright notices.

"You know mates," Spike drawled as he glanced around the room, revelling in his followers’ rapt attention. "That Slayer’s been a splinter in all our arses for far too bloody long." He smiled at the muttered agreements. "Well, I say bugger to that! I’m sending for the Order Of Taraka!" Clapping followed his announcement. "That’ll put paid to her pretty little hide!"

"All that blood!" Drusilla giggled. "Such pretty colours."

"They all bleed the same colour love," Spike pointed out.

"Such pretty colours."

* * *

"Careers Day! I don’t see why Wes and G are makin’ me go to this crap. I already know my destiny!"

"Lap dancer? I’ve been saving dollar bills-, OWWW!" Xander tried to release the grip Faith had on his ear but to no avail. "Sorry, I meant stripper!"

"And I meant Slayer." Faith gave his ear a final agonising twist before releasing her steel grip. "Jesus, Harris," Faith glared at him, "sometimes."

"Yeah," Xander kicked himself at the hurt in his friend’s soft eyes. Faith was so wild and carefree he sometimes forgot about the east coast native’s hinted at dark past. He didn’t know anything concrete, but he should watch his mouth. "Sorry."

"It’s ‘kay," Faith bumped him with a hip as they saw the others in the distance. "Now Cor, on the other hand, you thinking what I’m thinkin’?"

"Hooters girl?" Xander guessed.

Faith chortled. "I was going with Playboy centrefold, but that works too." Faith’s chortles grew louder. "Jesus! Look at Johnno going red, he must have been listening in."

"What do you think Jonathan’s career is going to be?" Xander asked. "Gigolo to the starlets?"

"Nah," Faith winked at Xander, "I’m thinking of keeping himself for myself." Faith slumped against him, tears of laughter rolling down her face when Jonathan tripped over and fell to the ground, the others running over to help him up. "Ohhhh too funny!"

"You’re evil," Xander reproved with a grin.

"It’s a skill," the Slayer reported.

"You two!" Their amusement died at Snyder’s bark. "You just walked past our flag without saluting. Hit the ground and give me twenty! Now!"

"I swear, ever since Halloween……" Faith shook her head as the principal stalked away. "He’s been even worse than before."

* * *

"You realise whichever clinically insane woman you had under you has got up and left?" Gunn queried as the others pulled up level with them.

"Ha!" Cordy giggled. "I bet she didn’t notice either."

"We forgot to salute the flag," Xander shot the black man a glare as he rose, "and you know what Snyder’s like after being possessed by Captain America."

Faith grinned at Jonathan. "Why did you fall over before J.L.? I thought Wolverine was meant to be graceful an’ all?"

"Aye, um, well-."

"Hey," Faith glanced at her watch. "We better hustle, otherwise we’re gonna be late."

"Wouldn’t that be a shame?" Cordelia sniffed. "I just know what I’m going to be." Xander snorted, memories of his conversation with Faith still fresh in his mind. "What?"

He forced his face to sober at Cordy’s suspicious gaze. "Nothing Cor," he lied.

The entrance hall inside was filled with stalls from all of the major industries and trades, in addition to the forces’, and those from the professions – doctoring, accounting, lawyering, and teaching. Although Xander couldn’t comprehend any child who’d been through Snyder ever wanting to teach.

"I wish a park ranger had come."

Faith’s brow furrowed and the east coast brunette glanced towards him, mouth opening. "Freddy went as Ka-Zar, lord of the jungle for Halloween," Xander explained in a whisper. "Ever since he’s been mad about wildlife."

"Ah," Faith nodded sagely. The beauty’s dark eyes widened. "Hey there’s a guy from the prison service. I figure I’d make a good -."

"Inmate?" Oz shook his head. "You have enough trouble at school, can’t see you in another institution."

"I can, only it would have to have ‘mental’ in its title," Xander cracked.

"Funny fuckers," Faith shot them both a glare in turn. "I meant as a guard, laying the smackdown."

Xander shuddered as the leather-clad temptress started towards the guard. "Remind me never to get pulled over. I don’t want to be doing thirty days in county if she’s the guard."

"Oh I don’t know." Everyone turned towards a reddening Jonathan. "Oops, did I say that aloud?"

* * *

Faith was perhaps a foot from the desk when the guard, a tough-looking broad in her early forties, rose to greet her. "Hey," Faith said. The woman stuck her hand out. After a half-second Faith reached to grasp it.

"Faith! Hit the deck!"

Faith reacted instinctively at Jonathan’s shout, flinging herself to the right just as a spike shot out of the woman’s sleeve and flew right at where she’d been stood. Her eyes widened as someone, she couldn’t see who, grabbed the object and flung it back at the woman. The spike caught the would-be killer under the chin and in the throat, lifted her from her feet, and flung her into the wall behind, blood showering everywhere.

"Jesus!" Faith leapt up as her friends ran up to her. "Thanks guys! But how did-." Her voice trailed off at Xander’s shaking head. "What?"

"It wasn’t one of us." Jonathan said a second before Xander could.

* * *

"This is very grave," Giles said as he paced the floor.

"Darn tootin’ it’s grave," Faith lifted her feet to put them onto the library table only to drop them at her Watcher’s glare.

"No," Giles shook his head. "You don’t understand. If what I saw in your memory is -." The Watcher’s gaze snapped to the door as it swung open, and Wesley strode in.

"Bad news I’m afraid," the younger Englishman scowled. "I managed to get a glimpse of the demon’s body and what Faith saw was correct. It was an Order assassin."

"A what?" Xander asked.

"The Order of Taraka," Wood said. "An order of assassins dating back to the times of King Solomon some three thousand years ago. Once hired they keep going, no matter happens."

"Then," Xander rose from his seat. "We’ve got a problem."

"No witty remarks for us Xander?"

Xander shook his head. "I don’t think it’s appropriate, Giles." The young man stuffed his hands in his pockets, brow furrowing in thought. Faith’s bud looked towards the older of the two Englishmen. "How do we find out who hired the Order?" Xander stared at Giles. "Can you mind-read the town?"

"Close to a hundred thousand people live in Sunnydale," Giles replied. "Can you imagine how long that would take? I’m not even sure I can read demon minds yet. And I’m not comfortable with so casually invading people’s privacy."

"I’m not real comfortable with being dead either," Faith dryly reminded.

Wood shook his head. "It wouldn’t make a difference anyway. The Order are always paid up front. Even if we deal with the Order’s hirer, they’ll keep on coming. It’s a matter of saving face."

"Okay then." Xander pursed his lips together. "Then we make the price of Faith too high."

"If there’s one thing I ain’t it’s cheap," Faith chirped.

"In that midriff top, you’re the very definition dear," Cordy snarked.

"Before you two start," Giles sighed. "Xander, your plan?"

"We find the assassins and kill them," Xander replied.

"They’ll merely send more," Wesley objected.

"You’re super-powered, people." Xander smiled. "Not me though. But one thing Frank Castle knows its war by terror. And that’s what we’re going to give them."

Faith got goose-pimples at Giles’ sudden smile. Damn, her Watcher could be a scary fucker when he wanted to be. "What do you have in mind?"

"First, we need that assassin’s ring." Xander replied. "Then we need to send a message."

* * *

"When Satan comes a callin’.

There’s no point a stallin’.

When he wants to-."

The jukebox crackled off as the bar’s door crashed open, a trio strode in, and something flung by one of its members smashed into it, tearing through its garish front. "When you get that out of the jukebox you’ll find it’s a ring, a Tarakan ring." A shocked mutter ran through the crowded demon bar. The shaven-headed black kid smiled at the reaction. "Someone made the mistake of sending its owner after the Slayer. Now she’s bad-tempered."

"She’s annoying," a blue-haired youth added.

"Has a rather smart mouth," added a youngish Englishman.

"But she’s one of us," the black kid continued. "Spread the word, anyone who comes for her, comes for all of us. And that’s a really bad idea."

With that the trio backed out.

* * *

"You threw the ring through the jukebox?"

Gunn shrugged at Wes’ comment as they strode through the blustery street, the wet wind hitting them. "I’m still getting used to my strength," he admitted.

"I think they got the message," Oz commented.

"Now we have to back it up," Gunn replied, tone grim. "We’re at the bus station."

* * *

Sunnydale Docks

"Oh this weather is murder for my hair, can’t you do anything about the rain, Alana?"

Alana rolled her eyes at Cordy’s moaning. She liked the rich girl far more than she thought she would, the cheerleader had unsuspected depths but that didn’t stop her being a world-class complainer. "I told you," she patiently replied. "My powers don’t extend to that. Besides, the rain’s good for our cover."

"It might make us hard to be seen, but it also makes it hard to see-," the cheerleader squinted. "Wait, someone’s getting off that fishing boat."

Alana peered through the downpour. Sure enough, a stooped, cloaked figure was climbing off a just berthed fishing boat, its crew giving the passenger a wide berth. "Let’s see if they’ve got a ring."

Cordelia nodded before striding out. "I thought you said the club was down here!" the tall brunette trilled as they headed towards the potential demon.

Alana hid a grin, her friend certainly wasn’t an actress. "Look you said you wanted a change!"

"Yeah, but here!" Cordelia shook her head as they passed the figure. "You see it?"

Alana nodded. The creature was tall and spindly, with a sharp-featured face and a mouth that glinted. More importantly was the ring glinting on one of its skeletal fingers. "Excuse me sir," the beast began to turn towards her, eyes gleaming coldly. "Can you give me directions to-."

"Oh forget this," Cordelia stepped past her and uppercutted the monster in the jaw. The demon’s head snapped back, its cowl dropping down, revealing that the bottom of its face, its jaw and teeth were entirely metal. "Owww!"

Her friend fell back, holding her hand. The demon growled and leapt at Cordelia, mouth opening. "No!" Alana yelled, hand shooting out to send a lightning bolt flying at the demon.

Her lightning bolt smashed into the demon’s mouth. "Ahhhhh!" Fire and smoke flew from the demon’s mouth as it fell to the ground, body shuddering.

"Lucky I weakened it for you," Cordelia grinned at her before sobering. "Let’s get out of here."

"Wait!" Alana dropped into a crouch and pulled the ring off the corpse’s finger. "Now, let’s go."

* * *

Sunnydale Bus Station

Gunn yawned as the last bus of the day arrived and its passengers disembarked. He glanced down when his companion stiffened beside him. "What’s up?"

"There’s an assassin here," Jonathan said.

Gunn glanced over the stream of passengers. They were an unimpressive lot, he couldn’t see any that he’d consider an assassin. "Which one?"

"The little old lady." Gunn glanced at Jonathan. The diminutive teen shrugged. "Hey don’t doubt Wolverine’s eyes. She’s wearing a Tarakan ring."

"Fine." Head shaking, waited until the other passengers had dispersed. Gunn started towards the old woman, a bird-like, snowy-haired woman in a flowery dress. "Hello ma’-." Gunn gasped as the woman’s tongue shot out of her mouth and crashed into his chest with a knifelike impact. The woman stared at him in surprise before leaping at him, left hand slashing at Gunn’s chest.

Her nails sliced through his denim jacket but bounced off his chest. The ‘woman’ stared at her hand in stupored surprise. And then Gunn brought his fist down on the top of the demon’s head.

The creature collapsed against the bus’ side, hissed, and leapt back at him again. Gunn leaned back, the creature’s nails slicing air rather than his eyes, then straightened, and punched the demon straight in the throat. The demon purpled and fell against the bus side again. Before the beast had chance to recover Gunn stepped towards it, grabbed its head and twisted.

Its neck broke with an almighty snap. Gunn released the creature’s limp corpse, allowing it to slide to the ground, and turned towards Jonathan. "Thanks for the help."

"I spotted it didn’t I?" Jonathan pointed out. "Don’t forget its ring."

* * *

Faith crouched in the shadows, watching everyone who entered the Sunnydale motel. It bugged her, having to rely on others, she was the Slayer, she should be able to handle this on her own. "See that big man, he’s got two heartbeats."

Faith glanced at her companion. "Well that ain’t normal."

Oz smiled slightly. "Thought I’d point it out."

"Yeah," Faith sighed as she looked towards the man climbing out of a car. The guy had the height of a basketball player and a build of a footballer combined into one ferocious package. "I suppose I should go deal with him," she sighed.

Why couldn’t there be any one-legged, armless assassins, Faith mused as she stalked across the puddled parking lot, eyes narrowing as she noticed the brass ring on her target’s hand. Stepping behind the oblivious man as he bent towards the back door, she grabbed the back of his tree-trunk neck and shoved his head through the closed window.

"Ahhhhh!" Glass shattered as the creature’s head flew through the window, blood splattering the luggage left on the back seat. Faith went to kick the man’s legs from under him only for her foot to bounce off the demon’s limbs.

"Shit!" Faith groaned as the monster turned to her, blood masking its face. She ducked under a straight right before gliding into a spinning thrust kick to the monster’s chest.

"Graaa!" the creature flew through the air to crash into the motel’s wall with enough force to crack it. The monster pulled himself upright and started towards her, swatting Oz out of the air when he attempted a dropkick, the rock guitarist rolling up into a crouch.

Faith charged to meet the monster only to be grabbed around the throat. The moment the creature began to squeeze, Faith looped her arms around one of the beast’s legs, lifted it off the ground, and dropped backwards. The beast hit the ground headfirst, skull shattering like an egg as its brains splattered across the tarmac.

Faith leapt up, tossing her head back. "Well he’s toast. Grab his ring."

* * *

Gunn leapt behind the bus, hitting the ground on his shoulder before rolling up to his feet. Flames scorched the ground where he’d been stood, Gunn grimaced as he risked a look at the advancing demon. The monster was maybe five feet tall with thick shoulders and spindly limbs, its jaw open impossibly wide and forked tongue dancing over his glinting fangs.

Jonathan suddenly dropped off the roof of a bus to the thing’s left, catching it with a double-footed dropkick to the side of its head. The beast crashed into the bus behind it. Flame erupted from its mouth but Jonathan was already leaping to the side, catching the beast with a kick to the belly, before diving under the bus.

Gunn took his chance, charging the distracted demon. The moment the beast began to turn towards him, he leapt towards it, catching the thing with a clothesline to the throat. The monster hit the ground with a thud, Gunn straddling it. Before the demon could react, he grabbed its head and twisted its head off its shoulders.

He looked over his shoulder at the sound of approaching footsteps as he pulled the assassin’s ring off its finger. "Nice interference, Jon."

* * *

Giles gazed at the rings stacked on the centre of the library table. "Including the demon that Faith killed at careers day we’ve killed eight demons in the last three days." He looked up at Xander. "Are you sure this war by terror will wo-."

The door swung open and a short, scholarly man with thinning grey hair and watery eyes strode in. "Hello," the man’s voice had a nasal quality. "I understand you are Faith Lehane’s Watcher?"

"What’s it to you?" Xander demanded suspiciously.

"I represent the Tarakan Order," the man flinched at Xander’s growl. "I’m here to inform you our Order has cancelled the contract on Ms. Lehane and returned the money to the principal. The town of Sunnydale has been declared off-limits to our agents for the foreseeable future."

"Convince us," Xander challenged. "Give us a reason not to kill you."

"W…what w…would s…suffice?" the scholar’s Adam’s Apple bobbled.

"The name of the contractor," Wesley said, his clipped tone carried with it an undercurrent of menace. The man’s mouth opened. "And please, no protests. This isn’t a negotiation."

The Taraka employee’s gaze jumped from each of them in turn. "William the Bloody."

* * *

"You took a risk, Scott," Larry reproved. "I thought we were supposed to be under the radar?"

Scott shrugged. "I couldn’t let her get a second shot off at Faith could I? Besides, we know Faith’s different and everything, but who would send assassins after her? That’s the important question."

Larry’s mouth opened. "What’s done is done," Lance interrupted. "Scott wasn’t noticed, that’s the important point here."

* * *

"Good boy." Oz made to pat his cousin on the head, only to yank his head back when Jody tried to bite him, the four year old’s teeth no match for his enhanced reflexes. Oz smiled down at his cousin. "Nice try, but don’t do that again. Biting’s wrong."

* * *

"They’ve returned my money!" Spike slammed his fist into the table, cracking it down the middle. "Those spineless buggers have backed out!" He spun to Dalton. "Have you got the parts?"

The bespectacled vampire reared back at his anger, "Y…yes."

"Then start putting them together," Spike snarled. It was time to put the back-up plan into operation.

"I have your package." Dalton hurried in carrying a large wooden box.

Spike nodded. "Just put it on the table, near the other gifts." Dalton obeyed before scurrying off. Spike looked towards Drusilla. "Are you dead set on this, pet? Wouldn't you rather have your party in Vienna?"

Drusilla looked like she was about to burst into tears. "But the invitations are sent."

The Seer vampire entered and walked over to the table before inspecting the flower arrangements woven into the chairs. "These flowers are wrong." The decorators looked terrified. "They're all wrong! I can't abide them!" Letting out an insane scream, the vampiress began to tear at the flowers.

In a second Spike was at Dru’s side. "Let's try something different with the flowers then."

After a few seconds, the former convent girl calmed down and began eyeing the boxes on the table, slowly walking around them. "Can I open one? Can I?"

Spike shrugged. "Just the one. They're for the party." Dru let out an excited squeal before flipping the latch on one of the boxes and opening it. "Do you like it, baby?"

Drusilla threw her head back and laughed. "It reeks of death."

Spike smirked. "That’d be a yes then."

Drusilla sank to her knees, clutching the box to her chest. "This will be the best party ever."

"Why is that luv?" Spike asked.

"Because..." Dru giggled. "It will be the last."

* * *

"Have you noticed the drop-off in numbers of vamps to kill?" Faith queried. "Never thought Sunnydale would become boring."

"Faith," Wesley shot her one of the withering looks that the English seemed born with, "one cannot afford to be fool-hardy, after all Spike and Drusilla are still about."

"Wasn’t saying we should take our eye off the prize or nothin’," Faith defended. "Just sayin’ maybe someone else is hunting vamps as well as us."

"Ah," Wesley’s eyes narrowed. "An interesting point, and one perhaps that requires some research." Faith groaned. "Not book research, merely an enquiry to check the veracity of your suspicions."

"Veracity?" Faith sighed. "Jesus, if I’m gonna have to keep hangin’ with you English, I’m gonna have to get me a thesaurus."

Wesley sniffed disdainfully. "Why would you wish to change your idiom? It’s really quite delightful."

Faith glanced at Xander, eyes suspicious. "Is he jerkin’ my chain?" Before Xander had chance to answer, Faith heard Giles’ voice in her head telling her to return to base. "Every one else get that?"

"Yes," Wesley nodded, "we return to the library with all appreciable promptness."

"And there he goes again," Faith muttered.

* * *

"Hello, everyone, please take a seat, it appears we have a new enemy at hand who is of quite overwhelming power and malevolence." Faith sighed. Giles looked at the sultry beauty. " What’s wrong dear?"

"English would be good instead of nerd-speak," the Slayer testily replied. "I get enough of this expand your vocabulary crap from Wes."

Giles bit down on a smile at Wes’ out-raged look at the Slayer’s words. "I’ll attempt with all earnestness." The Slayer groaned. His moment of joviality over, Giles continued. "It appears that Spike and Drusilla are attempting to resurrect the Judge."

"Oh good lord," whispered Wesley.

"Wes?" Faith queried.

His younger country-man shook himself before beginning his explanation. "The Judge was an ancient and legendary demon from the Middle Ages, who was brought forth to rid Earth of the plague of humanity. He was aptly named The Judge for he had come to separate the righteous from the wicked, and burn the righteous down. An army was sent against the Judge, and though most of the warriors died, the army was finally able to dismember the Judge, but not to kill him. The pieces were placed in iron boxes and scattered to be buried "in every corner of the Earth."

"What are his powers?" Wood demanded.

It was Giles who answered. "The Judge's main power was to "burn the humanity" out of a person. In addition, he cannot be slain by any weapon forged by man."

"Well that’s just great!" groaned Cordy.

"Yes, none of the powers we’ve recently gained will be any use against the Judge," Giles said. "We’d have to get close enough to use them, and then he’d burn us al-."

"Wait," Xander interrupted. "You said he was cut to pieces, right?" Giles nodded at the young man. "Well if we can stop the re-assembling part-." Xander paused at his head-shake. "What?"

"The assembling was scheduled to take place at nightfall tonight."

"Oh crap." Faith groaned.

"There’s an earthly accuracy to that," Wesley agreed.

Faith groaned. "I swear if you don’t stop talking like this I am gonna shove a dictionary up your butt."

* * *

Drusilla looked up at the newly-assembled Judge. He stood close to six foot six in height with a build to match and a blue skin and burning eyes. "Goll..."

The Judge stood. He pointed at Drusilla. "You!"

Spike sauntered over to Dru’s side. "What’s up mate?"

"Would you like a party favor?" Drusilla smiled, indicating the suddenly paling guests.

The Judge inspected the guests. His gaze settled on Dalton. "This one is full of feeling. Bring him to me." Dalton turned to run but Spike grabbed him.

"Bloody hell mate," Spike scoffed as he easily restrained the bespectacled demon. "What's with the bringing? I thought you could just zap people."

"My full strength will return in time. Until then... I need contact." The Judge stepped over to Dalton.

Dalton shook his head. "No. No! NO!"

"Be a man for once Dalts," Spike drawled. "Take one for the team."

The Judge put his hand on Dalton's chest. The screaming vampire soon burst into flames. "Do it again! Do it again!" Drusilla screamed. The Judge smiled.

* * *

Xander slammed the book shut. "Nothing! This book mentions the Judge, but nothing useful. Big, scary, no weapon forged can stop him, took an army to take him down. Blah, blah, blah. We need some insight, a weak spot."

"Well, we're not gonna find it here," Jonathan commented.

"What about the Judge? Where do we stand?" Giles asked as he walked in from the inner office.

"On a pile of really boring books that say exactly the same thing," Xander replied.

Giles grimaced. "Allow me to hazard a guess, 'no weapon forged.'"

"Actually, they usually say we are fucked," Faith replied.

"Or my personal favourite," Cordy said. "'It took an army.'."

"Yeah, where's an army when you need one?" Willow glanced at Xander. "What?"

Xander grinned. "Whoa. Whoa! I... I think I'm having a thought. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's a thought. Now I'm having a plan. I have a plan."

"Oh no," Cordelia commented. "As if we needed proof things could always be worse."

He ignored that. "I think I may have a way to deal with this Judge guy."

"What do we do?" Jonathan queried.

Xander looked at his friends. "I think I may need Faith and Alana for this one. And we need wheels."

"You can borrow my truck," Gunn volunteered.

"Care to let me in on the plan I'm a part of?" the Slayer demanded.

"No."

"Why not?" the transplanted Bostonian stood, with hands on her hips.

Xander grinned "Because if I tell you, then you won't be impatient to know what I’m up to. Just meet me at Gunn's house in half an hour. Oh and Alana, wear something trashy..." He stopped and looked at the Slayer, unable to resist dicing with death. "Maybe Faith can lend you something."

"Yeah, no prob-," the Slayer’s ebony eyes hardened. "Harris!"

"Must dash."

"Right face, hu! Double-time, hu! Left, left, left, left..."

Xander glanced at the marching troops through the mesh fence. "Wait here. When you see that window open get out the ladder, come up, we'll pass you the package, okay?" Jesse nodded. Xander leapt out and hurried towards the army base, Faith, dressed in her tightest leathers and tinniest midriff top, and Alana, clad in a pair of denim cut-offs and a low-cut gym vest, followed suit. Once he’d used a pair of bolt-cutters to cut through the fence, Xander squeezed through it, and turned to the girls. "The security here really is a joke. I should, uh, report it."

"Who am I supposed to be again?" Alana pressed him.

"You would be a girl," Xander replied, his voice lecturing as if talking to someone slow. "Think you can handle it?" He winced when Alana stamped on his foot. "That’s a yes then."

They sneaked along the side of the supply building, Xander looked out from behind some crates piled up there. The coast appeared clear, so they continued past a truck. A group of soldiers could be heard quickly marching by. Xander peeked out from behind the truck. He grimaced as he noticed a soldier stood outside the supply building. "Damn it," he turned to the Slayer and Alana. "This is what I want you to do."

Alana’s eyes widened as he talked. "You have gotta be joking!" she hissed. "I’m not doing that!"

"You mean," Faith’s bottom lip quivered and her eyes filled with tears. "You don’t," the brunette sniffed, "feel the same way?"

Alana glanced from him to Faith in disgust. "Fine, I’ll do it. But no inappropriate touching!"

"You lill-joy," Faith accused.

* * *

"Halt!" Faith stopped at the soldier’s shout. "Identify yourself right now."

"Hey," Faith put a note of fear in her voice. "No need for the gun, just me and my girl-friend."

The soldier’s eyes widened as he stepped closer, looking from her to Alana and back again. "Your girl-friend?"

"Yeah," Faith put a breathless note in her voice. Fuck, she was enjoying this, both the look on the soldier’s face and Alana squirming beside her. "Guns get her hot-." She groaned as Xander grabbed the soldier in a stranglehold from behind. Stepping forward she snatched the troop’s assault rifle from him. "Fuck X," she groused. "I was having fun."

"Glad one of us was," Alana muttered as she pulled away.

"He’s out," Xander declared. "Let’s get him inside so I can get the weapons."

* * *

"You stole a rocket launcher?" Giles stared in disbelief at the crate sat on the middle of his inner office desk. "Exactly how many federal laws did you break?"

"No weapon forged by man," Xander explained.

Giles chuckled, delighted by Xander’s resourcefulness. "Ingenious."

"Yeah, now all you have to do is show me how to use it," Faith agreed.

"No." Both he and Faith looked towards Xander. "This is a complex weapon, I can’t just teach you how to use it in a couple of hours."

"Plus school go boom," snarked Cordelia.

His Slayer’s mouth opened in protest but he beat her to it. "Xander, I assume you remember how to use it?" The young man nodded. "In that case you’ll be in charge of it. Don’t let us down."

Xander seemed to grow a foot at his decision. "I won’t, sir."

Giles nodded. "Good, everybody get a move on, and stay together, if you come across the Judge without Xander’s rocket launcher, you’re done for."

* * *

Faith looked around the deserted factory. "Fuck. Too late."

Giles looked around. "And we haven't a clue on where they would go?" Faith shook her head.

"Somewhere crowded! I mean, the Judge needs bodies, right?" Willow suggested. The red-head’s eyes widened. "The Bronze?"

"It's closed tonight," Jonathan put in.

"There's not a lot of choices in Sunnydale. It's not like people are gonna line up to get massacred." Cordelia commented.

Oz raised a hand. "Uh, guys? If I wanted to line up, I know where I'd go."

* * *

Spike smirked as he looked around the mall, noting with relish the long line of people at the refreshment stand in the middle of the mall and the milling crowds of customers moving from shop to shop. How pathetic, how easy to slaughter so you could revel in their screams.

Spike glanced at the Judge, his sire, and their minions. "Ready?" At the others’ nods, Spike shoved the doors open and walked into the mall itself. A man coming up the stairs was grabbed by the Judge, an arc of energy emanating from the blue-skinned demon to the man. The man’s eyes widened even as he exploded into smoke, leaving behind only a sulphurous stench. Spike glanced at his minions. "Lock the exits, boys." He turned to the Judge even as the minions hurried to do his bidding. "It's all yours, Big Blue." The Judge smiled.

* * *

Giles scowled as the elevator open, the panicked screams reaching his ears just before he saw the carnage. "Xander," he ordered. "You stick with Jen, Wood, and Wes. Their job is to make sure you get your shot. Faith, John, Oz, and Alana with me, we’re taking the west side vamps. Gunn, Cordelia, Willow, Tara, and Amy, take the other side." Even as he gave his orders the Judge reached out, his energy arcs enveloping the ten or so people on the steps. "And let’s hurry people, before there’s a massacre."

* * *

Suddenly a crossbow bolt hit square the Judge in the chest, breaking his concentration. The energy attack disappeared, and the people rushed away. The Judge grabbed the bolt and pulled it from his chest. "Who dares?" he boomed.

"Ah, that would be me." Wesley bobbed his head up from behind a hot-dog stand. "Good to see the old aim’s still fine."

"You're a fool." The Judge replied. "No weapon forged can stop me."

Xander stood up from behind the refreshment counter, the rocket launcher on his shoulder.

"That was then. This is now." Xander smiled. "Now you’re just a lego set waiting to be disassembled."

Dru and Spike leapt over the stairs and ran, their minions rushing towards the back of the mall. The Judge just glared imperiously. "What's that do?"

"Why don’t you find out?" Xander pulled the trigger. The rocket flew into the Judge, hitting him in an explosion of flame and smoke. The mall’s customers began to scream and run, bits of charred Judge falling around them. "No weapon forged, huh? Bet he feels really stupid now." Xander chuckled. "He might even be in pieces about it."

* * *

"Come on!" Hacksaw snarled as he led his fellow minions out of the back of the mall. How could things have gone so bad so quick?

He pulled up as he burst out into the underground parking lot to find a group of teenagers stood waiting for them. "Get out of the way," he snarled. He hadn’t fed yet, but getting away from the Slayer had to be the priority.

A weedy kid moved into a karate stance and grinned. "Why don’t you make us?"

* * *

Spike snarled as he saw a group of the Slayer’s friends rushing to block him. The mood he was in, they were making the biggest and last mistakes of their lives. He left his feet, leaping at the cheerleader. And gasped when she bounded off the ground to meet him in mid-air, her harder than possible punch smashing his jaw and sending him careering off course to land in and through a near-by food cart.

He’d barely made his feet when the powerfully built black was on him, jarring his head with a concussing right. Shaking off the pain he lunged forward, fangs reaching for the youth’s neck. "Bollocks!" Pain roared through his mouth as he attempted to sink down on the boy, it was like biting concrete.

He gasped as someone sunk a stake in his back, piercing his heart. He only had time to glance over his shoulder to see a pale-faced honey blonde stood there before bursting into dust.

* * *

"Such disaster, such violence!"

"You want violence?" Dru hissed as the Slayer blocked her path, raised her hand, and beckoned her on. "Bring it on."

"Die blackbird, no more songs from you!" Drusilla shrilled as she charged the nasty girl.

"Oh please." The supernatural warrior somersaulted over her, feet slamming into her shoulders, knocking her to her knees. "I thought you were meant to be something."

Dru hissed as she charged the dirty bitch, claws swinging. Swinging claws that the Slayer easily avoided before jamming an elbow into the side of her head. "Not so easy when they fight back is it bitch?" The Slayer taunted as she kneed Dru in the stomach. Even as she doubled up she felt a stake enter her back.

* * *

Faith glanced at her companions as the demon burst into dust. Already Dru’s companions were ash. "John! Oz! With me, I saw a bunch head out up the stairs and out the back!"

"Faith-."

Ignoring her Watcher’s protests, she and her companions sprinted out into the darkened parking lot. "Damn," she cursed, "they got away."

"No they didn’t," Oz corrected. "There’s ash on the floor."

"How do you-," Faith shook her head. "Forget I asked." Faith pursed her lips. She was right, someone else was killing Sunnydale’s vampires. Question was who and why? To help or to take their place?

* * *

Alana whistled as she strode through Sunnydale’s shadowed streets, the death of Dru, Spike, and their gang, and her new powers giving her a confidence she hadn’t previously had. Of course that didn’t mean she wasn’t nervous about other things. Stopping at her destination, she strolled up the path and knocked on the front door. After a few seconds the front door swung open. "Hello, Ms Gunn."

"Hey Wes," Alana beamed at the Englishman, "Faith about?"

"She’s in her room."

"Thanks," Alana hurried up the stairs and into her best friend’s room, a simple one-bed room complete with Skid Row and Motley Crue posters on the walls, and her school bag cast carelessly under her desk. "Hey."

At her entry, her friend turned off her TV. "Hey," Faith nodded towards the seat by her computer. "Grab a seat."

"Thanks." Alana sat and stared at her best friend.

After about half-a-minute her friend raised a saucy eyebrow. "Damn I know I’m fine and all, but I didn’t have you down as gay. Not that I’ve any objections, but it ain’t me." The Slayer paused. "No matter what Kendall wrote on the school toilet walls ‘fore I put her straight."

"G…gay," Alana stuttered. "I’m not."

"Then stop staring at me like that," Faith shook her head. "Jesus, creepy much."

"Sorry," Alana reddened. "Have you heard? Cor’s going with Gunn to the Christmas dance. Even with him being a senior." Faith nodded. "Have you asked Xander yet?"

"Uh?" Faith stared at her. "Me and Xan?" The Slayer shook her head. "No, and I’m not gonna. Not interested, least ways not that way."

"Well you’re always joking with him?" Alana pointed out.

"Yeah," a rare crimson rose in Faith’s high cheeks. "He’s kinda," Faith shrugged in apparent embarrassment, "my Charles." Alana stared at her best friend. "I never had a big bro, someone I could rely on to have my back no matter what. Xan’s like that, loyal as hell, we have a wicked laugh, but that’s it."

"Oh, so," Alana grinned, "you don’t mind if I ask him?"

"Hell no girl-friend," Faith grinned. "Go for it."

"Great!" Alana enthused.

"You love him," Faith put her arms around herself and began to sway from side to side, eyes sparkling with devilment, "you want to kiss him," Faith’s full lips pouted, "you want to have his babi – Jesus!" Faith started and began to rub her ass. "What the hell!"

Alana grinned as she blew on her finger. "Don’t mess with electro girl," she warned. "Who you gonna take?"

Faith shot her a wary glare before replying. "Jonathan." Faith shrugged at her gape. "Hey, he’s real different from the guys I grew up with, quiet, sweet, and smart. But he’s brave too, and loyal. And he’s cute when he blushes." Faith smirked. "And I make him blush a whole lot."

"So you and Jonathan are dating?" Xander asked as they entered the library.

"Yeah, first date after the dance last night," Faith grinned.

"Where did he take you, up a tree?" Xander asked. "Faith and Jon up a tree, kissing. K-I-S-S-I, ooof."

Xander grunted when she punched him in the gut. "Stop takin’ the piss."

"Wouldn’t dream of it," her bud wheezed.

"Better fuckin’ not," Faith warned before bumping her friend with her hip and grinning. "’Sides you’re just jealous."

"I’ve got Alana," Xander defended.

"Yeah, Alana’s cute, but she’s no sexual dynamo like me," Faith boasted, "I am the goods, and Jonathan got me, not you." She poked Xander in the chest as she opened the inner door to Giles’ office.

"Doesn’t anybody bloody knock?" her Watcher dived over his desk, covering something on his desk with papers.

"Not me, sir," Faith leaned over the desk, tongue rolling slowly over her lips as she fluttered her eye-lashes at the Englishman. "I was born in a barn, sir. I need taking in hand, sir." The moment the Brit was sufficiently distracted her hands dove under the papers and yanked out the mystery object.

Her eyes widened as she read the book’s title. "Un-fucking- believable!"

"What is it?" Xander demanded.

"Give it here." Giles lunged at her.

Faith darted back and threw the book to Xander. Xander’s eyes widened when he caught it. "The Encyclopaedia of Marvel Comics?"

"My life is over," Giles slumped in his seat, head in hands. "If you’d all gone as historical or mythological figures I’d have been fully conversant with your changes, but I have no idea about this Marvel universe, so I thought it was incumbent on me to do some research. Perhaps prepare myself should anyone else turn up with their powers intact."

"Oh boy," Xander glanced from the book to her. "We’ve broken him, turned him to the dark side."

Faith sighed sadly before going into a highly skilled English impersonation. "That Rupert was a jolly good bean, but I knew American culture would snare him in the end. Lose another one of the boys to those bloody colonials, oh bugger!"

Giles stared at her in horror. "That is the worse English impersonation I have ever heard."

"Who can resist the lure of Marvel comics though?" Xander asked.

"You bloody Americans have no idea what real comics are!" the infuriated Watcher snapped. "Now Dan Dare, there’s a real comic!"

"Oooooh, pissy," Faith commented.

"Comic book nerds get very defensive, I should know," Xander agreed.

"As you are one?" Faith guessed.

"Exactly," Xander nodded.

* * *

"The Hellmouth! The Hellmouth!"

Lyle Gorch glanced at his companion and leered. "Oh yeah baby," he drove his muscle car with one hand while scooping his new wife in the other, pulling her towards him and into a passionate kiss, "did I tell you we’d go places or what?" He pulled his car up to the side of the road and leapt out. "I tell you," he looked around, grinning as he saw a bunch of kids heading in their direction, "even the blood-bags taste better here!" His wife giggled inanely before following him towards the kids, her heels clicking on the pavement.

"I’m sorry," one of the boys, a real runt of the litter sort, stepped out from the approaching group and smiled, the confident facial gesture at odds with his weedy physique. "But your kind aren’t welcome here."

"My kind?" Lyle stuck his thumbs in his belt and smirked. "Folks ‘round here don’t like cowboys?"

The boy’s smile widened. "We’re fine with cowboys. Not too keen on vampires though."

Lyle threw a right as the youth surged forward, moving with an inhuman speed. And yet, he smelt so human. He caught the boy’s stake about two inches from his heart. "What the-."

A right from a beefy youth snapped his head to one side, his grip loosened on the stake and then it was crashing into his chest.

* * *

Lance shot Larry a furious look. "I could have managed that on my own."

Larry shrugged. "We’re a team, I wasn’t taking the chance." Larry looked around, grinning as he saw the others had dealt with the female vampire. "Let’s split before some of Faith’s gang turn up."

* * *

"Is it done?"

"Yes sir," Trick nodded respectfully. "Vampires have reported from Buffalo, Rochester, Trenton, Albany, Newark, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Baltimore."

"Excellent," Kakistos caressed the scar, the eye the pretty little Slayer had cost him. Soon he would cost her so much more. "And how many are there in our ungodly army?"

"One hundred and sixty four," Trick replied.

"Good," Kakistos smiled. "We leave tonight, we’ll pick up more as we cross the country. When we arrive in-." He looked towards his second.

"Sunnydale," his childe supplied.

Kakistos nodded. "It will be one night of violence, one night that will be remembered for the blood spilt and the pain caused. Only one person will live."

"Sir?"

He smiled at his subordinate’s confusion. "Why the Slayer of course. That sweet child won’t die. Not for a while anyway."

* * *

"See you’re doing it wrong," Faith put a finger to Jonathan’s lips, "hey don’t be po’d, you ain’t an expert like me. ‘Sides," Faith winked at her conquest, "teaching ya’s real fun."

"Oh good lord," Wesley chirped in, "I’m standing right here!"

Faith shot her Watcher an irritated glance. "I was tryin’ to forget that!" Faith turned back to Jonathan. "Honey, don’t leave your hands just by your sides, a girl likes to be touched when she’s makin’ out-."

"Oh good lord- owww!" Wesley winced as the stake she’d flung at the Watcher bounced off his head. "Faith! Look at that!"

"Oh shit," Faith breathed as she glanced in the direction Wesley was pointing, twenty, no make that thirty cars pulling up in a convoy in the middle of downtown Sunnydale, in the middle of the night. They had to be-.

"Vampires," growled Jonathan, nostrils flaring.

"We have to get out of here," Wesley hissed.

Faith shook her head. "No way, I don’t run-."

"Listen to me girl," she gasped as Wesley grabbed her elbow and spun her to face him, a rare steel in his eyes. "You’re my responsibility and I won’t have you needlessly committing suicide."

"Wanna get your hand off me ‘fore I snap it?" Faith replied.

"You can snap it after we get back to the library," her Watcher insisted.

"He’s right," Faith glared at her treacherous boy-friend. Jonathan gulped but continued. "Take a look Faith, there must a hundred and fifty vampires there."

"Forty-three cars," Wesley pointed out. "There must be a minimum of one hundred and sixty vampires here. I’ve already sent a message to Giles and he’s responded in kind."

"But the people-."

"Anyone out in Sunnydale at night really hasn’t been paying attention," Wesley replied. "Let’s move it."

"One hundred and eighty-three," Faith and her Watcher broke off from arguing to look towards Jonathan. "Even with the dark I can count them. One hundred and eighty-three."

Faith’s shoulders slumped. "Let’s move it."

* * *

"Almost two hundred vampires?" Giles found himself looking towards Xander for guidance. "Any ideas?"

"A few," Xander scowled.

"My first would be we’re screwed," Oz voiced his thoughts.

"No," Xander shook his head. "We have some advantages. They don’t know about our powers and they can only do their stuff during night-time."

"We can’t just hide-."

Xander raised a hand to cut off Faith’s protest. "I wasn’t going to suggest that. Only that we split up-."

"Jeez, are you failing maths too Harris?" Cordy snorted. "The last thing we do is split up."

Xander ignored his arch-rival’s jibe. "We have three decent mages, so we build our teams around them. I take command of one, Wes takes another, and given his tactical know-how, Jonathan takes the third. We’ve got three heavy hitters – Cordy, Faith, and Gunn."

"Was that comment about my weight?"

Again he ignored Cordelia. "The rest of us should be spread out throughout the teams. Each team is given a specific area to operate in, and we utilise hit and run tactics." Xander grimaced. "If only we had guns or some more modern weaponry."

"Quite," Giles looked around. "Xander, your team is Faith, Wood, and Willow Jonathan, take Charles, Alana, and Tara. Wesley, you have Cordelia-."

"Why me?" protested the younger Englishman.

"Hey!"

"Myself, Jenny, Oz, and Amy." Giles looked around. "Let’s move people."

* * *

"Get her! Get her!" Buzz laughed as his gang chased down a shrieking teen. A whole city to destroy in one night of violence. Best of all, a Slayer was to be had at the evening’s conclusion.

His eyes narrowed. The girl thought she was out-stripping his boys. In reality two more were just ahead of her, hiding in the shadows. He couldn’t see them, but he knew they were there, he’d ordered them-.

"What the hell?" he gasped as the girl ran past where his men were supposed to be. "What the hell is going on?"

His confusion increased when two men leapt out of the shadows to attack his two childes. "Hey asshole," he turned to find himself being watched by a coal-eyed temptress, a smirk twisting her full lips, "heard you were lookin’ for me?"

"Slayer?" he snarled as he lunged at the beauty. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be, there were meant to be dozens of them, and just one girl.

Suddenly the Slayer was above him, somehow flying over his head before bending at the waist and crashing a stake into his back.

* * *

Faith landed in a crouch, glancing towards Xander and Wood. "One down, there’s a gang throwing stones through people’s houses, hoping to provoke them out."

Xander nodded. "Willow, do the decoy thing again."

The out-of-breath red-head glared at Xander. "You," she gasped, "suck."

"Yeah," the youth nodded. "I get that a lot."

* * *

"Now!" Jonathan yelled.

Gunn responded by throwing two stakes the length of the street, dusting the first two demons before the vampires were even aware he’d flung them. The other demons charged him only for Alana to step out from behind her brother and use her powers to fling a steel dumpster across the alley, crushing three demons against the wall. The remaining two demons faltered, golden eyes filling with shock.

And then he’d dropped off the roof and was between them. The first threw a right that he caught on his shoulder, the pain discarded as transitory, unimportant, the second tried a boot to the face that he grabbed around the ankle and twisted.

"Jesus!" the demon’s curse was lost in the crack of his ankle. Even as the demon fell, his companion charged Jonathan. He ducked under its rush and then straightened, back-dropping the demon to the concrete. Spinning around, he saw the injured demon being staked by a pale-faced Tara.

The still healthy one leapt up and charged him, Jonathan sidestepped the demon’s attack, ramming his elbow up and into the creature’s throat. The demon stumbled backwards, and was ill-prepared to block a thrust kick to the chest. The moment the monster hit concrete, it was already rolling up, only to catch a sweep-kick that knocked it back down. Before it had chance to try again, Jonathan’s stake was thrusting through its heart.

* * *

Amy’s heart pounded as she raced through Sunnydale’s darkened streets, screaming, crashing, and laughing all around. She leapt over a hedge, wanting to but not daring to look back.

Then she heard Giles’ voice in her head. "Now!"

Spinning around, she saw Jenny appear in the middle of the chasing pack, staking two before they even knew she was there. Then Cordy hit them, her fists and feet everywhere, one unfortunate vampire grabbed around the throat and flung onto a out-jutting tree branch.

Next came Wes and Oz, hitting from the other side, not giving the demons a chance to re-group. The duo worked in tandem, fighting back to back as they sliced a swathe through the demons.

Amy rushed up into the confused mob, slamming a stake into a demon’s back. After all, only fools cared about fair play in a war. A second spun to face her, Amy ducked under a wild right kick and kicked her opponent in his weight-bearing knee. The demon buckled forward, falling onto Amy’s stake.

Amy beamed as she looked around. They’d won, nine vampires down for their group.

Then she heard Giles’ voice in her head. "They’ve attacked the bowling alley on Summerise Avenue, let’s go."

* * *

Kakistos strode the darkened cinema, the screams of the dying not comforting him a bit. With every moment more reports came through of his minions being attacked. From what he could understand there were at least five groups throughout the city doing the attacking, and his people were being massacred. "What is this madness?"

His head snapped towards the entrance when the doors crashed open and a lithe figure ran in only to come to a halt when he stepped out of the shadows. "Hello, Faith."

"No, no, no." The Slayer shook her head, legs buckling as she slumped against the wall, eyes wide as saucers. "Y…you can’t be."

"Oh but I am," Kakistos smiled at the curvy brunette’s terror, savouring it like the finest wine. "I’m here to take you back home, you naughty child."

"No, no, no," the dark-haired beauty shook her head, full lips opened in a moan.

His hand reached for the wildly trembling girl. "Don’t think so." A strong hand grabbed his shoulder and pulled him around to face him.

A black fist smashed into his face. Stunned by his opponent’s power, Kakistos barely managed to duck under his opponent’s follow-up left hook before crashing a foot into his assailant’s chest.

The blow flung the black into the wall a dozen feet behind him. The wall cracked on impact but the man leapt up. "That all ya got, dawg?"

Suddenly he grabbed from behind and swung to face a tall brunette. "I don’t think," his head was snapped by an astonishingly hard right, "you’re going to," a clothesline knocked him back a step, "hurt any-."

"What is going on here!" His patience snapped, he grabbed the beauty around the throat, he flung her into the stalls. The black attempted to slam a stake in him from behind, but the stake splintered on his skin, and his elbow snapped into the young man’s face, knocking him back.

Head aching, he raced for the fire entrance. He had to get away from this madness. "I’ll see you again, Slayer!" he promised.

* * *

"Xander, might I have a minute, in my office."

The young man stared at him for a second before nodding. "Sure, Giles."

Once he’d closed the door behind the youth, he spoke. "Your plan did very well today, as did yours dealing with the Judge. You’re to be commended."

"It didn’t work though, Kakistos is still alive though."

"That was hardly your fault," Giles replied.

"Don’t blame Faith!" Xander snapped. "She didn’t tell us because she was scared what we’d think!"

Such loyalty, how could his parents treat such a remarkable boy with such neglect? After Xander’s almost revelation as regards how he’d discovered his empowerment, he’d done a little research, and what he’d found out had both shocked and disturbed him. "Yes I can understand why Faith was reluctant to admit to a failure, seeing as she has certain unjustified feelings about herself." Hiding a sigh at the world’s injustices, he opened his desk drawer. "However this meeting isn’t about Faith’s mistakes, this is about you," he dropped a key in Xander’s hand. "I’ve got our gym set up; it comes with a loft that is perfectly adequate. I feel the place should have a caretaker; the job and the loft are yours if you want to use them. Only I don’t want you bringing any girls back there, not until they’re old-." Giles coughed. "Of course you’re under no obligation to use the place. It’s entirely up to you."

"H…..he’s going to get me."

Wesley’s heart went out to the trembling teen sat curled up on her bed, lent against the wall’s furtherest corner, her eyes wide with fear. She’d been practically comatose since their departure from the cinema, having to be guided into her room. But no wonder considering what she’d previously suffered at Kaktisos’ callous hands.

"Now you listen here," he forced a confident tone as he strode over and knelt opposite his charge, "he won’t get anywhere near you." Wesley was shocked by the sweat pouring off the shivering beauty as he cupped her face in his hands. "Do you seriously think Giles and I are going to let him hurt you? Do you think your friends are going to allow that?"

"Won’t stop him," Faith mumbled, eyes still glassy. "None of you can."

"You seem to forget just who and what we are now." Wesley comforted. "We’re hardly normal anymore are we?"

"H…he cut her up, sliced her into pieces," Faith stuttered, tears gleaming in her luminous eyes, "t…..then h…he made me-." The Slayer broke down, salty tears streaking down her high cheeks.

"I know dear," he took the sobbing brunette and held her in his arms, "I know, I know. But he’ll never hurt you again, I promise."

Not while he had breath in his body.

* * *

"I think we should go around to Faith’s tonight." Alana broke the moody silence around their table. Every set of eyes turned to her. She shrugged. "What? She’s our friend, we should go and see her. She hasn’t been to school in three days."

"She was such a mess," Cordelia commented. "Like my mom if our house-keeper forgets to pick up her tranquilisers."

"Nice comparison," Xander dryly put in. "If you do come, try not to share it with Faith."

"We should go," Jonathan agreed. "But what do we talk about?"

"You tell her how much you miss her." Everyone turned to Giles stood at the head of the canteen table, the Watcher having just walked in. "That things aren’t the same without her. That she’s a part of you."

"Will you come, Giles?" Willow asked.

"Me?" Giles’ smile had a painful twist to it. "I’m afraid not. I’m not her friend, merely another teacher. This is your responsibility."

* * *

Wesley’s heart dropped when he opened the door to find several of the ‘Scoobies’ loitering nervously on his porch. "Is Faith in?" Xander asked.

"Ah," Wesley stared at the group’s spokesman. "Faith isn’t-." He paused, Faith wasn’t ready for guests, but unless he pushed, she might never be. "You know where her room is, only be gentle with her."

* * *

The Slayer started as her door opened, a whimper escaping her. "Hi Faith," Cordelia cheerfully greeted as she strode in ahead of the others. "School’s been boringly high-cla-," the cheerleader’s voice trailed off, a rare flutter of worry in her luminous eyes, "Faith what’s wrong? Kakistos is -."

Faith shuddered at the mention, her tormentor’s hideous face leering at her.

"Faith what’s-." Jonathan hurried towards her.

"No!" she screamed, rocking back and forth. "Stay away!"

"Cool it bud," Gunn grabbed Jonathan by his arm and pulled him back. "Girl’s in a mess."

"Right," Cordelia spun to face the boys. "This is girl business, get out."

"And you can leave the house," Alana added. "We don’t need you listening in."

"Are you sure -."

"Girl’s stuff Jonathan," Cordelia imperiously interrupted. "Go to the coffee house on the corner, mine’s a latté."

* * *

Wesley looked up as the youngsters strode out of Faith’s room, disappointed they were leaving so quickly. "Oh," his eyes narrowed as he noticed it was just the boys, "are the others-."

"We got sent out for coffee," a moodily-scowling Jonathan explained.

"Ah," he grabbed his coat, "perhaps this for the best. Drinks on me I think. Let’s go."

* * *

"Do you think she’ll be alright?"

Giles put his book down at Jenny’s softly spoken question, the enquiry forcing him to confront what he’d veered away from considering. "She’s strong," he evaded. "And we will of course endeavour to help her in any way we can."

"What did Kakistos do to her?"

Giles grimaced. When he knew Faith was heading towards them he’d took it upon himself to read the Council report of just what had happened. Although the report had concluded with the now obviously false declaration from Faith that Kakistos was dead what facts there were would sicken the stomach of the most hardened policeman and be turned down by any publisher of horror as just too terrible to read. He didn’t need to burden Jenny with the details of what had been inflicted on the already dreadfully damaged girl. "What’s important now," again with the evasion he mused, "is helping Faith through any problems she has."

"Do you think," Jenny licked her lips. "I hate to put it like this, but do you think we have time?"

"Both Gunn and Cordelia are stronger than your average Slayer," Giles replied. "Stronger than Faith was before her change and Buffy ever was. While I’m loathe to admit it, both Xander and Wesley are now far more tactically aware than any Watcher since the last of those who saw service in World War II retired from active duty. Alana, Jonathan, and the others all offer unique skills."

"Yes, but that’s not what I meant," Jenny nodded. "I think Wesley can be relied on, but Wood might feel duty-bound to report Faith’s inaction to the Council."

"If he does," Giles felt a cold fire light in his stomach, "he’ll find out just how little his new powers help him."

* * *

"So," Cordelia decided to take charge of the situation. After all, she was a Chase and that’s what Chases did, take charge. "Are you going to tell us what happened or do we have to guess?" Faith looked at her. "We’re not going anywhere, you might as well talk."

* * *

Xander’s stomach did a somersault as the female half of the gang came out of Faith’s room, Amy, Willow, and Tara had been crying, and although Cordy and Alana were made of sterner stuff, they looked a little grey. "What happened?" Jonathan squeaked.

"We talked," Cordelia said, her voice wavering a little. "Faith will come back to school tomorrow. I’ll be picking her up-."

"But what happened!" Jonathan demanded.

"That’s Faith’s business," Cordelia had evidently recovered enough of her poise to glare down imperiously at the suddenly wilting boy, "and if she wants to tell you, she will. But you won’t ask her and you will support her if she tells you, understand?" Jonathan nodded mutely, his face pale. "Good, then we’re leaving. Charles, you can walk me home."

The black gulped. "Yes dear."

* * *

Kaktisos paced the darkened warehouse, dust scuffling underfoot. The other night shouldn’t, couldn’t have happened. Humans who dared to hunt the children of the night were uncommon but far from unknown. Callahan, Van Helsing, Holtz, and Kane were amongst the names most feared by the rank and file vampires, but for one as old as he, none but the Slayer was a concern. Until he’d encountered the black and the wench, neither were supernatural in any way, and yet they’d managed to withstand his fury to protect the Slayer.

"Ha!" A laugh rumbled out of his chest. It didn’t matter. The little bitch had taken his eye, in return he intended to take her spirit, to break her completely, to make her beg for death’s sweet release. An escape he would withhold under he was bored, and then he would extinguish her.

His happy planning was interrupted when the doors to the back of the warehouse opened. "Is the ritual -." His voice trailed off as a figure strode out, the demons massed in the warehouse respectfully parting to allow him out.

Kaktisos swallowed uncertainly, lips licking as he stared at the newcomer. The demon was only short and slight, yet the aura surrounding it seemed to throb with energy and power. The man was bald, his face taking on a peculiarly feline appearance that seem to match his cat-like stalk, and his pupils blood-red. Kaktisos belatedly realised that the vampire wasn’t slight at all, rather he was wiry, his body chock-full of a warrior’s functional muscle. "And who," while he looked like a cat, the interloper’s voice was all snake’s hiss, "is in charge here?"

Kaktisos stared at the legendary vampire his mages had summonsed from the past, suddenly wondering at the wisdom of bringing the notorious vampire saint to this time and place. "I am."

St. Vigeous smiled. "Wrong answer."

Kaktisos gasped as the demon leapt toward him. Before he had time to react the vampire saint had his legs around his waist, his hands around his head. And then the demon twisted his head off his shoulders.

"Has Miss. Lehane decided not to grace us with her presence?" Wood queried as he strode into the library, the rest of them busy readying their weapons for patrol.

"Robin," Giles shot the African-American Watcher a warning glare, "don’t start."

"A night or two off after the shock could have been considered kind," Wood shook his head, "but four? Surely that’s nothing more than weak. Perhaps the Council should be-."

"Perhaps," Jonathan started forward, a savagely protective look in his eyes, "you should shut your hole."

"Relax Jonathan," Xander joined Gunn in grabbing the angry youth and pulling him back, "hitting Wood won’t solve anything."

"Hit him?" Jonathan looked up at his friend, eyes confused. "I wasn’t going to hit him."

"Oh," Xander looked briefly surprised before spinning around and connecting with a right cross to the jaw that sent the black man reeling, "perhaps it was just me then."

"Oh bloody hell!" Giles jumped up as the black lunged at Xander.

The youth leapt to meet the African-American, then twisted into his opponent’s attack, judo-throwing him to the ground. At least that seemed to have been the plan but Wood landed in a crouch, catching the on-rushing youth with a left jab that opened up his bottom lip. Xander dived under a follow-up right cross before tackling the Watcher around the waist, bundling them both to the floor, Wood somehow twisting so he ended up on top.

And then they were on them, Cordy easily dragging Wood off Xander, while Gunn had the honour of holding down the Sunnydale native. "Enough! Enough!" Giles stepped in the middle of them. "We’re on the same bloody side here!"

"Are we?" Despite his recent brawl, there was a disturbing coldness in Xander’s eyes. "All he ever does is snipe and demoralise. Perhaps he should consider that it goes both ways. Maybe one of us will trip up when going to his aid-."

"THAT IS ENOUGH!" he roared before calming. "Both of you, in my office now!"

The moment he’d closed the door behind him, he spun to face Wood. "As Xander pointed out, we’re supposedly a team. Faith has been through a trauma you can’t even comprehend, so if she needs time to get over it, that’s what she’s going to get, without interference from you or your blessed Council." He turned his glare on Xander. "As for you Xander, I don’t care about Castle being some sort of battle-scarred veteran, WE don’t solve our disagreements by attacking one another, is that understood?" After a second, the Sunnydaler nodded. "Good. Wood, you’re on my team tonight." Xander groaned. "Yes, Xander, you’re with Wesley."

* * *

Xander slouched through the graveyard. He didn’t get why Giles had gone off on him, it wasn’t like he was the one working against the group. Xander stopped as he noticed Oz and Jonathan looking around. "What’s up-." He gulped as a bunch of vampires stepped out of the shadows and surrounded them. "Oh, never mind, I got the memo."

The demons didn’t charge, instead they parted allowing a red-eyed vampire that kinda looked like a cat to walk through their ranks. "You are this time’s defenders?" the vampire laughed. "Ha, let us see what you can do-." The demon caught the crossbow bolts he and Wesley had simultaneously fired before charging them.

Xander had only the briefest second to ready himself, then the demon’s fist was crashing into his jaw, lifting him from his feet and depositing him dazedly on the ground some fifteen feet away, Wesley landing ten feet to his left. Oz and Jonathan didn’t do much better, then Alana and Gunn attacked.

The demon appeared like he could take Gunn on punch for punch and was even faster, sliding inside some of the African-American’s attacks. A luxury that Gunn didn’t have, each of the demon’s blows landing. And then a gust of wind from Alana lifted the vampire off his feet and flung him a dozen feet away, a barely dodged lightning bolt following soon after.

"Interesting!" the vampire cackled. "Inform the Slayer I’ll look forward to seeing her. Soon."

* * *

Faith forced herself to breathe as she approached the school. It was light, no vampires to fear here. "Baby steps," she muttered, "baby steps." She began to smile as she noticed Xander and Gunn heading towards the school, and then scowled as she noticed the pained way Xander was moving and the swellings on Gunn’s head. What the hell could cause that?

Heart churning, she rushed over to the guys. "Hey boys, what’s the sitch?"

"Oh hey Faith." Xander mumbled. "It’s good to see you, unexpected but good."

"Just a fight with the football team-," Gunn began to growl.

"Ah bullshit," she retorted. "You’d lay out those pansies in about a minute, what happened?"

Xander and Gunn exchanged worried glances. "There’s a new vampire in town, a bad one."

Faith swallowed. Her crew, the first people who’d thought she was worth a damn had been attacked doing her job? "Looks like I’m on patrol tonight." ‘Cause that was what friendship was about, bein’ there for those you cared about no matter what.

* * *

Faith checked her jacket, making sure she could draw her stake fast enough if she needed it, ignoring the clamminess of her palms.

"Are you sure about this, Faith?"

"I’m fine damn it!" Faith forced a calming breath before turning to her Watcher. "I gotta do this Wes, ya dig?"

"Otherwise you’ll never be able to?" Wesley squeezed her shoulder when she nodded. "I understand, and think you’re very brave." Faith smiled slightly, more pleased than she’d expected by the Watcher’s praise. "Just don’t do anything foolish, for some confounded reason I feel my life would be somewhat empty without you to plague it."

"Jeez," Faith’s smile broadened into something more genuine, "are we havin’ a Kodak moment, Wes?"

Wesley chuckled. "Perhaps." The Watcher sobered. "Come on, the others will be waiting."

Giles smiled at her as she and Wes arrived at the library. "Faith, it’s wonderful to see you." The elder Watcher paused. "Because of the number of the vampires and this new threat, we’ll go out in one group. I somehow think this gentleman will be looking for us anyway."

Every second in the cold night seemed like a day, a minute like a lifetime. Every snap of a twig, every rustle in the shadows, had her nearly shitting her britches. Every part of her screamed to flee inside, but she couldn’t. She was the Slayer, and being the Slayer had given her a chance to escape a dead-end, nightmarish life, to be someone decent, who helped people. She couldn’t betray her Calling by running.

"They’re here," she started at Oz’s whisper, "I can smell them."

And so they were, perhaps forty vampires left from the earlier battle. Faith licked her lips as their apparent leader appeared stood on a marble crypt. "You must be the Slayer," he purred.

"Who are you?"

"My name dear child, is St. Vigeous," the cat-like vampire smiled. "Slayer of several Slayers and killer of Kaktisos."

Faith felt her shoulders relax and a smirk spread slowly across her face. Her tormenter, the demon who haunted her sleep was dead. "That’s all I needed to know."

The vampire’s eyes widened as she charged in, barely managing to duck under her spinning heel-kick. Then the demon was up, grabbing her around her right hip and leveraging her to the ground. At the last second, she put her hands down under her and pushed off, propelling the suddenly off-balance monster backwards.

Faith landed in a crouch just before the demon, the vampire catching her with a boot on the temple. Dazed, she stumbled onto one knee. The demon laughed before attempting a follow-up right heel to the face that she swayed away from before grabbing his foot and twisting.

The demon grunted as it spun into the air before crashing to the ground. Faith pushed up through her legs, leaping onto the demon only to be greeted by a devastating left to the jaw that knocked her flat on the back.

The demon leapt up and strode over, foot swinging in a kick to the face that Faith only just managed to block on her forearms, crossing them into a protective x. Wincing at the kick’s bruising force, Faith rolled up and then dropped back onto her side under another attempted face-kick.

The moment her shoulder hit grass she was rolling up and into a fighter’s stance. The vampire laughed at her defiance before leaping at her, fangs glinting in the night sky. At the last second Faith sidestepped the attack and overhand-thrust with her stake.

"Fuck!" Faith cursed as the stake tore through the demon’s shoulder rather than its chest. Rather than continue cursing her luck, she side-kicked her opponent in his ribs before flying into a spin-kick that cracked into the back of the demon’s head and knocked him onto his knees. Faith brought her foot down hard on the top of her rival’s head as she descended, the blow’s impact jarring through her leg.

The vampire crashed to the ground soundlessly to the ground, Faith landing in a stood position straddling her downed rival. Faith brought her stake up. "Fuck!" She squealed in pain when the vampire rolled over and kicked her in the crotch.

Her strength suddenly gone, she was helpless to do anything except fall on her ass. Before she had time to even breath the demon was on her. "A good fight," she gasped as the demon grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked her head to the side, "but none can-."

The vampire gasped as her back-up stake entered its chest, eyes widening in shock. The vampire’s dust fell on her. Yet despite the utter grossness, she couldn’t help but smile. It was over, her friends had beaten off the vampires and she’d killed the leader. She didn’t need to cower in the corners any longer.

"A bloody dinner with Snyder and the Mayor," Giles shook his head. "I’ll have to bring my pillow."

"Oh hush," Jenny scolded with a soft laugh. "It’s a great honour to be asked to dinner by the Mayor. And it’ll be a change to go out with some adults rather than those kids."

"I’d take those flaming kids over Snyder any day," Giles retorted. "At least they can manage interesting conversations."

"Can I quote you on that to Xander?" Jenny teased.

Giles shuddered. "Don’t you bloody dare!"

* * *

They were the last to arrive at the restaurant, their companions already sitting at a table on the mezzanine. The eatery was discreetly lit, the smells of fine cuisine mixing in the air with sound of the clientele’s hushed conversation.

"Well it’s about time," Snyder rushed down the mezzanine’s four steps to meet them, the school principal practically bristling with indignation. "The mayor and his deputy are here, as are the police and fire chiefs, and the hospital administrator, but you have to be late!"

Giles turned his withering gaze on his boss. "Just be-," words failed him as something indefinable, yet unmistakably powerful brushed against his mind.

"Are you alright?" By the time his head cleared Jenny was holding him up by his arm, a concerned look on his gypsy princess’ face.

"Huh," Snyder hissed. "You better not be drunk, Rupert Giles! I’m warning you!"

"I’m fine," Giles ignored his boss in favour of smiling reassuringly at Jenny. "Now, where were we?"

* * *

"Last night," Giles stared around his library, the members of his team sat with him. "I had occasion to have a lunch with Snyder and the-."

"Bummer," Faith sympathised. "I’ve spent enough hours in detention with the troll, but having to eat food with his ugly face as company." The Slayer shuddered and made an unbecoming face herself. "Gross!"

"If you’d allow me to finish," Giles shot the brunette beauty an exasperated look. "While I was at this meal, I sensed an alien presence at the table with us."

"Gotta be Snyder!" the Slayer once again interrupted. "Is he part troll? Can I kill him?" the curvy Bostonian pouted, bottom lip sticking out. "Please, Mr. Watcher Man. Can I make chop chop with my axe?"

"Faith," he scowled. "Stop the bloody act. It wasn’t Snyder, it’s never happened before in his presence. It has to be one of the other people at the meal. In fact I think it was the Mayor, the aura was around everyone at the table, but he was the only one whose mind I couldn’t read."

"I say we need to research!" Willow exclaimed before looking around at the other teens’ groans, a guileless look on her face. "What? What did I say?"

"A fine idea," Giles put in before any of other the teens could protest. "Ms. Rosenberg, why don’t you see what you can find out about the Mayor on the comp-." He looked at Xander as the youth rose. "Where are you going?"

"Town records," the youth replied. "See if there’s anything there." Xander looked towards Alana. "Wanna com-."

"Oh no," he shook his head. "I’m splitting you two up, you’ll never get any work done."

"Okay," Xander sighed. "I guess I’ll have to make do with you." Xander looked towards Faith.

"Make do?" Faith scowled. "No one makes do with me. I ain’t no-one’s second-"

"Wanna stay here?" Xander challenged.

"Comin’!" the Slayer hurriedly changed her mind.

"Back in ninety minutes," Giles instructed.

"Sure," Xander waved as he hurried out of the door.

Giles shook his head as he looked towards the remaining group. "Wesley, why don’t you and Tara look for any references to demons that can take human form? The rest of you, see what you can find about the Mayor."

An hour later and Willow shook her head. "There’s nothing here," Willow sighed. "He does all his business in town except for quarterly payments to a law firm in LA called Wolfram & Hart."

"Oh good lord," Giles felt like he’d been punched in the gut. From the looks on Wood and Wes’ faces, they also recognised the nefarious law firm.

"What’s up Giles?" Gunn demanded.

Wesley answered before he had chance. "Wolfram & Hart are an international and inter-dimensional law firm dating back to the dawn of time. According to the Council they were originally just another group of demons, but they gradually gained power and influence, eventually leaving this dimension altogether. From this point onward they became known on Earth as the Senior Partners to their employees, and enacted their will through various puppet organizations. As a law firm, Wolfram & Hart typically defends unscrupulous and detestable clients, including mobsters, drugs lords, arms dealers, corrupt politicians and businessmen, and a number of demonic individuals and groups. While the majority of their clients are rich or powerful, the firm is also known to work some cases pro bono, especially when it has a secondary interest in the client."

"Wow," Willow said, eyes wide open. "These aren’t nice people."

"No, they are not, nor would I suggest the Mayor is," Giles said.

"What if Wilkins is unaware of just who Wolfram & Hart is?" Cordelia objected. "Lord knows, money’s money. I’m sure Wolfram & Hart don’t care if their new client is crooked or not. Wilkins might not have a clue."

Giles paused and grimaced. The cheerleader’s point however mercenary was well-made. The Mayor could well be oblivious to Wolfram & Hart’s true origins.

"Guess who was Mayor a century ago?"

Giles looked towards the library doors, forehead creasing in irritation as he glared at the returning Slayer and Xander. "I hardly see how that is germane to the current conversation, Xander," he tartly replied.

"Germane?" Xander looked puzzled. "I don’t have a disease or anything do I?"

"If only you knew," Faith sniffed before looking towards Giles, "Wilkins was Mayor a hundred years ago!"

"You said I could tell them!" Xander gasped.

"Yeah, I lied." Faith passed around a photocopy. "It says it’s Mayor Richard Wilkins I, but look at him, he’s exactly alike."

"He is a direct descendant," Giles stared doubtfully at the grainy photograph.

"’Kay there’s more then." Faith passed him another sheet dated 1936. "Richard Wilkins II, Sunnydale’s second Mayor. And he’s another freakin’ clone."

"Compelling evidence, and yet we have to be sure," Giles sighed

"How can we be?" Wesley queried.

"Ah yes," Giles looked towards Jenny. "I was thinking our very own Invisible Woman could check out the Mayor."

Jenny gulped. "Oh jeepers."

"Jeepers?" Faith smirked. "That’d be a yes then."

* * *

"Ah, Mr. Finch, you’re sure that’s all my appointments for this week?"

"Yes sir."

Richard Wilkins smiled beatifically. "And I finish today with scouts. Such a fine example of today’s youth, I could just eat them up." He looked around the room. "Don’t you agree, Mr. Trick?"

"Delicious, sir." Mr. Trick smiled sourly, not at all taken in by his employer’s apparently amiable attitude, his only comfort being the deputy mayor was as wary of him as he was of the mayor. It was good to know he scared at least one person around here.

"Oh yes, but remember, good table manners are essential!"

"Yes sir." Trick’s smile became even more forced. This sorcerer with his homey ways and oh shucks manners was the most exasperating man he’d ever met. He’d snap the Mayor’s neck in a second except for the freezing glare in his eyes when he looked at him, however much Wilkins smiled, his eyes never changed.

He’d been fleeing the city after Kaktosis’ shocking demise, and then a limousine had suddenly been barring his path, its passenger climbing out and simply telling him to get in. He could have attacked the man, but his demon deep within recoiled in fear at the very thought. Instead he’d dutifully obeyed, and since that point a month ago served as the man’s bodyguard.

His brow furrowed as he noticed something, the scent of a woman’s perfume. Bemused he glanced over his shoulder, teeth baring slightly at the deputy mayor’s flinch. Well, he supposed he was girly enough to use feminine products. "Mr. Trick?"

He turned back at his boss’ voice. "Yes sir?" he nodded respectfully.

"One doesn’t like repeating himself." Irritation flickered in the politician’s eyes, giving a chilling insight into the true creature behind his folksy manner. "Never mind though," the room’s light reflected off the Mayor’s gleaming grin. "I have a package I need you to take delivery of a package for me at the start of next week. A Box Of Garvock."

"Garvock?" Trick raised an eyebrow. "But that’s-."

"Immensely rare and expensive," his boss interrupted. "Yes, I hardly need reminding of that. It took considerable effort from Wolfram & Hart to find one for me. Which is why I’ll be sending you for it." The Mayor smiled beatifically. "Such a job needs my best man on it!"

"Yes sir," Trick nodded dutifully.

* * *

Giles rose when the library door swung open, heart lifting in relief when a pale-faced Jenny hurried in. He should never have sent her, he’d spent the entire day with his guts churning, snapping at his poor unfortunate assistant and scaring away any American teen brave enough to break with the herd and try to actually read. "Dear, how did it-."

"He’s a demon," Jenny put in. "Or at least he has demons working for him, a black vampire by the name of Mr. Trick." Jenny sunk into a chair. "Oh I need something to drink."

"I’ll make you a tea," Wesley volunteered.

"Oh I need something stronger," Jenny snapped. "Get me some of that whiskey Rupert keeps in his filing cabinet."

"As you wish," Wesley replied before muttering. "Good grief we’re just overwhelmed with goodwill in here today,"

"I’m so relieved you’re alright." When he took his girl-friend’s hands in his, Giles was alarmed to notice how much they were shaking. "Good lord."

Jenny forced a smile at his concern. "He’s a very bad man."

Rupert looked up as Wesley came out of his inner office, chipped mug in hand. "Wesley, write some release notes for the youngsters will you? We’ll have to have a briefing."

His subordinate nodded. "Of course."

* * *

"The Mayor’s definitely the demon Giles sensed," Jenny continued once the others had arrived. "Not only is his true deputy a vampire by the name of Mr. Trick-."

"Fuck," Faith snarled. Everyone looked at her, Faith looking towards the Watcher who’d accompanied her from Boston. "Remember Wes, that’s Kaktosis’ childe. I thought that shit-head had bought it with his boss."

Jenny continued to shot the Slayer uncertain looks as she talked. There was a ferocious side to the young Bostonian that she couldn’t help but find a little unnerving at times. "While there, he opened a cabinet in his office, it was filled with supernatural equipment, including magic books, shrunken heads, and various black arts spell components." Jenny paused for a second. "The way he talked while going through it, he’s definitely either a sorcerer or occultist who knows what he’s doing." Jenny took a deep breath before continuing. "It appears he’s a practicing necromancer whose been alive for one hundred and forty-five years-."

"Damn," Faith whistled. "Cordy you’ll have to get his wrinkle cream."

"So not funny Miss Needs A Butt Lift!" the leggy cheerleader snapped.

"Girls," Giles sighed wearily, "can you at least pretend to be listening?"

"Depends," the Slayer grinned, "how hard do we have to pretend?"

Giles counted to ten before looking towards his paramour. "Please continue Jenny."

Jenny nodded. "Apparently his goals don’t stop at immortality either, next year, at graduation, it appears he intends to use a Box of Gavroc," Giles groaned at the mention of the dreaded receptacle of demonic energy, "to ascend and become an Old One."

"What’s an Old One?" Faith asked.

Giles raised an eyebrow, at least one of the Slayer’s ears appeared to be working. "The Old Ones were a race of fantastically powerful demons who ruled this dimension, this planet, before humankind rose up and rebelled against them tens of thousands of years ago. The Old Ones were giantic beasts of numerous shapes and differing powers. They were worshipped as gods, ruled over vast territories, commanded fearsome armies, and constantly made war against each other. They also did not seem to live and die the way we mortals do, to this day they live but are imprisoned in a magical holding cell. Although no-body is quite sure of where this holding cell is."

"So not good then," Faith muttered.

"Not good at all," Giles agreed before sighing. "The question is what do we do about Mayor Wilkins?"

"I’d have thought that was obvious," everyone turned to look at a stone-faced Xander. "He’s not invulnerable is he?" The youth smiled coldly. "We kill him."

"B…but," Willow’s eyes widened. "H…he’s human!"

"Last time I checked, humans don’t live to be other a hundred," Gunn commented. "’Sides, so what if he is? Black arts mage aren’t exactly choir boys. These people hurt innocents and there ain’t shit the authorities can do to stop ‘em!"

"H…his," Jenny licked her lips as she looked around the room, "security is really intense at his offices, but when he leaves for home, he only has the vampire who drives him for security."

Xander nodded. "In that case I’ll get to making a car-bomb." The young man smiled coldly at their shocked looks. "Frank Castle, remember? Ms. Calendar," Giles was struck by the contrast in the polite deference Xander showed the gypsy compared to his cold-bloodedness towards the Mayor, "if I show you how to attach it, will you sneak it into the Mayor’s underground garage and put it on his limo?"

Jenny nodded, tanned face now ashen-grey. "I suppose so."

* * *

Xander stiffened as the sleek black limo glided out of the underground garage, its engine effortlessly silent as the car purred up the city hall driveway. Xander hastily placed his binoculars down, licked his lips, and picked up the detonator. Sweat slicked his fingers as he thumbed down the bomb’s switch, Jenny having already phoned to say she was clear and the bomb connected.

For a half second there was nothing. Then the sky blazed red and the ground shook as the car roof tore off, a fiery fountain erupting out of the car’s roof as it flipped onto its back, anyone inside incinerated instantly.

Xander took a shuddering breath. It was over with, the Mayor had been dealt with.

Grabbing his equipment, he hurried to Giles’ parked car.

"It’s dealt with?" the Watcher asked as he leant over to open Xander’s door.

"Just drive," he tersely replied.

Hellmouth Heroes