Paladin Project 6 – Building Bridges

“Xman, can I come in?”

“Door’s always open to you Faith.”

She hesitated for a moment before entering.  She’d always known Xander had balls but what he’d done two hours ago seriously freaked her; it seemed totally at odds with the goofy geek she’d known back in the day.  And B had only beaten him up, she’d tried to kill him.  “Thanks,” she took a breath, god this was hard, “and sorry.”

The man nearly fell off the bed in surprise.  “Did I just hear right?  Faith, the baddest of the bad, apologising?  Have I moved into an alternate universe?”

“Funny guy,” Faith smiled, he still had the same goofy sense of humour.  “Call it an insurance policy.”

The man turned serious.  “You have nothing to worry about Faith.  You’ve admitted you were wrong, tried to change, that’s the difference.”

Faith beamed, first Angel, then Wes, Dawn, and Giles, now Xander – all forgiving her.  “Still I wanna say it.  Sorry for being a bitch that night we slept together and sorry for trying to kill you when were trying to help me.  Thanks for saving my life with the Jhe demon, and the Council,” Xander’s eyes widened, “Angel told me.  And thanks for the 10 K and the Presidental pardon, how the fuck did you manage it?”

Xander grinned.  “Well there’s this Air Force General who’s base I helped liberate from aliens.  Then there’s the Assistant Deputy Director of the FBI who I solved a couple of X-Files for.  Then there’s the Vatican cardinal I rescued from demon worshippers, and the Supreme Court Judge who’s grand-daughter I rescued from Russian mobsters.  I called in a few favours and got them all to write letters to the President requesting your pardon.”

Faith’s mouth dropped open.  He’d done all this for her?  “But why?”

Xander shrugged.  “Every couple of months I’d ring Angel, catch up on what he was doing,” there was a fondness when Xander spoke of the vampire that Faith couldn’t believe.  “And ask how you were doing.”    Faith blinked, she wouldn’t have thought Xander would have given that much a shit.  “About six months ago he told me that he thought you were ready for release but would never got it because of your sentence.  So I did what I could.  Of course you’ve screwed it up with escaping but I should be able to smooth it over.”

“Thanks Xand,” Faith darted across the room and engulfed the surprised man in a hug.  Remembering her image as a super-tough, kick-ass bitch she pulled away, cheeks flaming.  “Um, sorry about jumping on you Xand.”

Xander winked at her.  “I’ve never had any complaints about being jumped on by a hot babe.”

Face still red, she sat back down.  “Xand, how the fuck did you manage to beat B?”

Xander’s face turned serious.  “Well first off, you’ve got my teachers – Blade, Ryback, and Angel have taught me all they know about the Martial Arts, Bond and Crow are masters of dirty fighting, and Teal’c taught me stuff that’s never been used on this planet before.  Then you’ve got Buffy,” Xander shook his head in disgust, “whatever your faults you always took your training seriously, you thought it was the only thing that made you special, you were wrong by the way.  To Buffy, Slaying was something to fit in between boys, parties, and gossip, and from what G-Man’s told me she’s only got worse.  After all she’s the great Buffy Summers, the undefeatable,” Faith was rocked by the bitterness in the man’s voice.  “Third, she was surprised, she still thought she was fighting the school geek, if it came to a re-match she’d be prepared and I’d lose.  Fourth,” the man hesitated.  “You heard the story about me being possessed by a hyena?”

“Yeah.”

“Well I met this mage Doctor Strange who gave me back 80% of the hyena’s powers, I’ve got the strength, speed, and stamina equal to a fledging vampire and five senses to match.”

“That include the sense of touch?  ‘Cause with the extra stamina, interesting.”  She winked at the now reddening man before continuing, her tone serious again.  “Why only 80%?.”

“Doc offered to give me the full 100% but he warned that the last 20%  might cause me to lose control when injured or stressed.  I couldn’t take the risk of hurting my friends or innocents.”

Typical Xander.  “Well thanks again,” Faith started to stand only to stop at the man’s voice.

“Wait Faith, I want to ask you something,” the man hesitated before continuing.  “I’m sick of travelling the country I’ve done enough of that over the past few years.  “I’m thinking of settling back down in Sunnydale.”

“What about B and Red?”

The man replied coldly.  “They’ll stay out of my way if they know what’s good for them.”  Xander’s voice suddenly warmed.  “The point is Giles and Wes are going to re-build the Council when this is over and they’re going to need a Slayer, they’re going to need you.”  Faith’s breath caught, they were choosing her over B?  “I’ve talked to Tony,” Faith resisted the urge to shake her head, Xand casually referring to the U.S.’s second richest man as ‘Tony’, wicked weird.  “And he’s agreed to aid Giles and Wes in setting up the new Council, tracking down useful people, books, and bank-rolling Giles while he sorts out the Council accounts.  He’s also  agreed to turn this place over to the Council and allow you to use it as your new base.  Wood, if he agrees, will be your Watcher, Andrew will run the house’s computer and electronics system, Dawn will help with research, and I’ll be the added muscle,” the man winked, “your Angel.”

Faith stared at the man in disbelief.  Three weeks ago she’d been a jail-bird, now she was getting all this offered to her?  The Slayer forced down tears of gratitude, reminding herself she didn’t do crying.  “Why aren’t you doing the Watcher gig Xand?”

Xander shrugged.  “I don’t have the languages, besides Wood’s already trained.  There’s conditions to this through.”

“Conditions?” Faith looked warily at the man, mentally cursing herself for being drawn in by his offer, nobody would offer her something for free.

“First off,” judging from his expression Xander either hadn’t noticed to chose to ignore her tone, “we’re going to keep two or three of the best potentials here on a rotating business to get a feel for the job, it’ll be part of your duties to mentor them.  Second, you’ll be getting a salary of $60,000 pa.  Third,” Xander coloured, “your private life if your own.  Two rules only, whoever you involve yourself with doesn’t know about all this, and second, no missing patrols for dancing or parties.  Four, the salary is conditional on you getting your high school diploma.”

For a long time Faith stared at Xander in disbelief, a place to live and money too?  Then the fourth condition registered.  “Fuck Xand, I’m nearly twenty-one.  There’s no way I’m going back to school to be perved at by a bunch of high school jocks!”

Xander chuckled.    “Don’t think you can handle them?” even as Faith opened her mouth to retort, Xander hurried on.  “Don’t worry, I was thinking more on the lines of correspondence or doing it part-time college.”

“I don’t know Xand,” Faith felt a stab of self-doubt.  “I’m not smart.  Besides it’s not like I’ll ever need it.”

“Faith,” Xander swallowed, the young man looked suddenly nervous.  After a second he continued.  “When I’d got myself a reputation in demon-hunting business, managed to get some money together, and got a few contacts I did investigation into your background.  I know all about your dad being a small-time crook, your mum being a drunk, your stays in juvenile hall, and how you never even started high school.”  Faith shuffled uncomfortably, fuck this was embrassing.  She started as she felt the man wrap his arm around her shoulders.  “The only people who know this are me and Angel, and we’re not going to tell anybody or judge you okay?”  She nodded gratefully, the man continued..  “Faith, you did amazing to drag yourself up from that, to pull yourself back from where you were heading.  Don’t you think getting your high school diploma would prove all those people who said you’d be worthless wrong?  I’ve talked to you enough to know you’re quick-witted and street-smart.  I know you did some literacy and first aid classes in jail so you’re willing to learn.  Wood’s a teacher, Andrew’s a computer whiz, and Dawn will be re-doing her last year at school so there’s plenty of people who’ll help you.”

Faith took a second before nodding.  “I could give it try,” she replied before standing.  “You don’t have to worry about me screwing around.  I’ve learnt I’m better than that and I’ve kinda got an eye on a guy.”

Xander’s eyes widened.  “Ah Woodie’s a lucky guy.”

Faith smiled before walking out of the room.  After she shut the door behind her she shook her head in disbelief.  “God Xand you’re a stupid bastard,” she whispered.  Her smile broadened, well she’d just have to be more obvious.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Faith smiled as she stared at the ceiling of her room.  A fresh start, just a few weeks ago she was looking at the next two decades at least in prison, her youth gone.  She’d still have the nightmares but now she had a chance to make a difference.  To do some good.

She started at a knock on the door.  “Faith,” it was G, “may I come in?”

Faith sat up and swallowed, G always made her nervous - seeing him reminded her what a screw-up she’d made of being a Slayer last time she was in SunnyD.  “Sure G,” she was grateful her voice didn’t tremble.

“Thank you,” the door swung open and the Englishman walked in, smiled uncertainly and sat at the desk by the window.  “Faith, I’d like to apologise.”

“Apologise?”

“For the way I treated you last time you were in Sunnydale.  I know I favoured Buffy over you and I’m sorry,” the Englishman looked down at the floor.  “While you were in your coma, I went to the motel where you’d been staying and I was disgusted at what I saw -.”

“Hey!” Faith snarled, this was so unfair.  “How the fuck was I meant to afford any more?”

“No,” the Watcher shook his head, “you misunderstand.  I was disgusted that I’d allowed an under-age girl to live in that dump when I had room at my apartment.”

“Why G,” Faith fluttered her eyelashes playfully, “I never knew you felt that way.”

“Bloody hell,” the Englishman shook his head and sighed.  “I should have known better than have a serious conversation with you,” G winked at her.  “Why do I bother?  I can’t make up for the mistakes of the past, but if you ever need someone to talk to I hope you’ll think of me.”

“Thanks G.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“Xander, have you got a minute?”

He forced out two more reps before racking the 440 lb weight and sitting up on the bench.  “Dawn, I’m sorry -.”

The girl shook her head.  “You know I visited you every day you were in your coma?”

Xander blinked.  “No I didn’t.  Why didn’t you visit me when I was awake?”

 

“I was afraid.”

“Dawn, you know I’d never hurt -.”

“No,” Dawn shook her head, her brown locks cascading down her shoulders.  Dressed in an outfit of tight-fitting black Lycra shorts and cotton crop-top Xander was left in little doubt that the young girl he’d used to give piggy-backs to was turning into a beautiful young woman.  “I was scared you’d hate me for what Buffy had done.”

“Oh that’s crazy-,” Xander stopped for a second.  Maybe it wasn’t, he remembered how angry he’d been.  The opportunity to lash out at a member of Buffy’s family might have been over-whelming at the time.  “I’m sorry about how things went yesterday.  If you don’t want to be around me anymore that’s fine.  Once this mess is over I’ll set you up any state in the country -.”

“Ever since that day,” the girl interrupted him again, “I’ve been afraid of Buffy, afraid that if I got too smart with her she’d beat me up too.”

 

“She’d never do that,” even hating Buffy as he did he felt compelled to defend her.  “You’re her sister.”

”And you were her best friend, the person who’d saved her life a bunch of times.”  Xander had no answer to that.  “Besides that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about,” the brunette shuffled from foot to foot. “I was wondering if you’d train me.  In self-defence I mean. Buffy always said she would but,” the teen shrugged.  “She’s been too wrapped up in Spike to bother.”

Xander forced back his anger at the dejected look on Dawn’s face.  He opened his mouth to agree when he thought of a better idea.  “Faith, come over here!”

The brunette stopped instructing the potentials, turned at his shout, and nodded before hurrying over.  “What’s the sitch boss?”

Xander bit back a groan.  Ever since she’d realised how irritating he found it Faith had started calling him ‘boss’.  “Dawn wants to be trained,” seeing the glint in the Slayer’s eyes he hurried on, “to fight Faith, nothing more.”

“Tips on boys would be handy.”

Xander sighed, this was going to be a mistake.  “Would it be okay if she joined the potentials?”

Dawn spoke before Faith had a chance.  “Xander,” she whined, “I wanted you to do it.”

 

“Dawnie, you see Syd and Lara who are helping Faith?  They’ve been kicking the asses of guys twice their size for years.  You’ll learn more stuff that’s useful to you from them than me.”

Dawn pouted for a second before nodding.  “Fine I guess.”

Faith winked at him before sliding an arm around the younger girl’s shoulder.  “Hey Dawn it’ll be fun.  Dirty Fighting 101!”  The girls turned away.

“Wait!” the two brunettes turned back to him, their expression quizzical.  “You both left all your stuff at Buffy’s right?” both girls nodded.  Xander reached into his pocket, pulled out his wallet, and fished out his credit cards.  “I assume the other potentials are in the same boat so go and get yourself equipped this afternoon.  Clothes, make-up, whatever you need.”  Tony was going to shit when he saw the cosmetics bill, he’d probably think he’d had gender reassignment surgery.

“Wicked cool”  Faith had snatched the cards out of his hand before he’d finished speaking.  “Straight after training sound good to you Dawn?” the younger girl nodded.  “Five by five.  Thanks Xman.”

Xander hid a smile as the two young women hurried away.  Dawn needed someone to replace her sister, and she and Faith had always got on in the old days, while having someone to guide would do wonders for Faith’s self-esteem.  Faith as a role-model, Xander shuddered, what a terrifying idea.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Xander rubbed his forehead.  The notes Lara had given him together with the information Giles had supplied was a mixture of rumour and speculation, all sadly lacking.  Suddenly his attention was diverted by a knock at the library door.  Xander looked up from the books and leaves of paper.  “Hello?”

“Can I come in?”

“Give me a second Angel.”  Xander quickly closed the blinds.  “It’s safe.”

His friend nodded after entering before sitting opposite him, his expression troubled.  “We need to talk about last night.”

“We’re not going to fall out over Buffy are we?”

“No,” the vampire shook his head.  “I don’t approve of the way you handled things but after what Buffy did to you I don’t blame you.”

“So what’s the problem?”

Angel took a moment before starting to speak.  “Judging from what you said last night you still have some issues with me.”

Xander shook his head.  “No Angel.  Like I said to Buffy last night I’ve learnt to tell the difference between Angel and Angelus.”

Angel relaxed slightly.  “Still, if you’ve got something to say.”

”Fine,” Xander gathered his thoughts.  “Thank you,” seeing Angel’s look of surprise he hurried on, “thanks for saving my life.  Thanks for helping me back to health when I’d done nothing but treat you like shit.  Thanks you for training me and giving me the confidence to strike out on my own.”

The vampire sat for a few seconds before rising and walking to the door.  “Xander,” he turned to see the vampire staring at him.  “Thanks for proving me right.”

The Paladin Project 7 – Lucky Man

“Xander, can I have a minute?”

 

Xander looked up from his notes.  “Anything that gets me away from admin Angel.”

The vampire nodded, Xander noted that his friend looked unusually hesitant.  “Yes it’s about The First.  I think I’ve got a possible source of information.”

Xander looked up.  “Really?  Where?”

Angel’s next words crushed his new-born hope.  “Wolfram & Hart.  When I was considering taking over their office they offered me a file on what was happening here and The First.  Maybe if I bargained -.”

“No, we don’t do deals with the devil, you know that Angel,” Xander interrupted with a shake of his head.  “I’ve got an idea.  Where’s Faith?”

She’s out with Ryback and Crow.”

“That must be interesting,” Xander felt his lips tug up in a smile; somehow he suspected Faith and Crow wouldn’t exactly get on.  “Tell me when they come in.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“So how does a chef end up working for Xman’s team?”

The former Navy SEAL glanced at the beautiful young woman walking beside him as they travelled through one of Sunnydale’s graveyards.  Beneath her tough-talking bravado he sensed there was a very vulnerable, hurt young woman.  “Two years ago my niece Sarah came home from a date crying and with her clothes torn -.”

“Happens.”

Casey wondered at the brunette’s muttered interruption even as he continued.  “I attacked the man who’d brought her home thinking he’d attacked her.  And for the first time I can remember got my ass kicked,” Casey smiled thinly as he recalled his shock at being beaten.  “Then the young man explained who he was, and that he’d rescued Sarah from a trio of vampires.”  He shrugged.  “I’d seen things in ‘Nam and as Sarah confirmed Xander’s story I believed him and apologised.  Then somehow,” he smiled wryly, Xander could certainly talk, “somehow I ended up leading the Project’s team in Colorado.”

“You?”  the brown-haired beauty looked incredulous.  “But you’re a fucking chef, why would Xand pick you?”

Casey chuckled; he was secure enough in his own abilities not to be offended by the woman’s surprise.  “Cooking was always a hobby.  Before that I was a Navy SEAL and a CIA operative.”

“Oh, five by five,” the girl nodded in understanding.

Ryback’s forehead creased at the military term, he’d heard her use it before.  “Where did you pick that up?”

“Five by five?” the girl shrugged casually.   “I was thirteen when I first heard it off this guy I was with, this Marine,” Ryback winced at the girl’s matter-of-fact tone about being with a man so young. “He said I was ‘five by five’.  Hated the prick, liked the phrase.”  The Slayer’s eyes narrowed.  “Two vamps ahead.”

Ryback started after the girl only to stop at a throaty growl from Jack Crow.  “Let her handle it.  I haven’t seen a real Slayer in action before.  I want to see how much truth there is to the legends.”

The ex Navy SEAL stared in disbelief at the demon hunter.  His eight man team of former military and police always worked together and with the most modern weaponry available.  “Are you insane?  We can’t let a kid do our fighting for us!”

“If Harris thinks she’s useful she must be handy.”  Normally people backed off when he got angry but the other man didn’t blink.  “We can cut in if she gets into trouble.  She has to know how to fight for what’s coming anyway.”

Ryback turned back to the girl intending to assist only for his eyes widen at what he saw.  It turned out there were three and not two vampires but it could have been six for all the difference it made.

The first vampire tried to grab the girl by her shoulder only for her to leave the floor in a flawless crescent kick to the jaw that knocked the vampire clean through a near-by tombstone.  Upon landing the brunette slid smoothly under a roundhouse blow from another vampire before slamming an elbow into her assailant’s groin and thrusting her stake upwards into the crumpling vampire’s heart.

As the vampire exploded into dust another grabbed the slight girl from behind only for her to step backwards and slam her head into the demon’s face.  The monster let out a roar and released his grip allowing the Slayer to spin round and thrust a stake into its heart.  The Slayer twisted round and without missing a beat launched herself into a flying drop-kick that smashed into the last vampire’s face knocking him to the ground.  The woman dropped into a crouch beside the vampire and thrust her stake into the vampire’s chest before looking up with them, her eyes glaring.  “Thanks for the help guys, no really.”

Crow let out a laugh that sounded remarkably like the caw of the bird he was named after.  “Oh yeah, the babe can fight.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“Angel’s told me that Wolfram & Hart holds some information on the First,” Xander shuffled uncomfortably behind the podium at the front of the briefing hall.  He hated public speaking, always had.  “So I’m heading a team to try and steal the information.”

“Who’s on the team?”

Xander nodded at the question from James Bond.  “Lady Croft will come with me to tell me what to steal; Wes will come for the same reason, as well as his inside knowledge of W&H.  Syd will come because of her expertise in under-cover operations and Amanda because of her thieving skills.  Oh, and Faith for her muscle,” he didn’t add the other reason.  He wanted the Slayer under his supervision especially with what he had planned for Angel.  “Angel will be in charge while I’m gone, with Colonel O’Neill as his second-in-charge, and G-Man supervising both research and the potentials.”

Xander grinned as the Watcher’s face fell.  “Oh bloody marvellous, from feared dark mage and pub-fighter to childcare supervisor in three easy decades.”

                                    *                                  *                      *

“Xander can I have a minute?”

The young man glanced up from his packing and smiled.  “Sure Jack come in.”

The Air Force Colonel smiled back and entered the room.  “Xander you could call me dad if you wanted.”

The young man shook his head, his face unusually serious.  “I couldn’t do that Jack, you’re nothing like the bastard I grew up calling that, you deserve better than that.”

O’Neill nodded in understanding, his bland face betraying none of the anger he felt to the man who’d served as his boy’s father for the youth’s first eighteen years.  He still remembered the day he’d found out he had another son.  He didn’t know what had surprised him more, seeing a teenage boy calmly tear through the four mercenaries holding him captive or the youth’s declaration that he was the product of a two week furlong liaison he’d had back in 1980, together with a letter from Xander’s mother confirming it.  If only he’d known.  “I can see your point.  Xander, why have you put me second-in-command while you’re gone?  Blade and Crow are both more experienced with this supernatural crap.”

“That the technical term pops?” he chuckled at the younger man’s raised eyebrow.  “Blade’s a lone wolf, unused to working in a team, and Crow’s a maverick.  It came down to you, Ryback, or Bond.  Bond’s a little bit of a wild card -.”

“And I’m not?” he grinned, “you don’t know me at all!”

Xander shook his head.  “Just what I needed, another smart-ass.”  The man turned serious.  “All right then,” the youth sighed, “Bond’s even worse than you, and you out-rank Ryback so you got the job.”

“You’re thinking like a commander,” he nodded proudly before grinning, unable to resist the urge for a jibe.  “And a player, you, Wes, and four gorgeous young ladies – lucky man.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“’Lucky man’ he said,” Xander muttered.  The two hours travelling from Sunnydale to L.A. had been sheer hell.  The duo of Lara and Sydney had spent the journey telling a very interested Faith about his previous encounters with them.  Wesley nodded at him, a relieved expression on the out-numbered man’s face, as he joined the group in the hotel bar.  “Here are the room keys,” he dropped them on the table.  “Take your pick, everybody’s got a room.”

“We not sharing Xand?  ‘Cause after three years in the big house a girl’s got an itch,” Faith winked at him.

Xander chuckled, the offer was tempting but he was too smart to fall for any of Faith’s bullshit.  “Thought you didn’t back-track?”

Her eyes sparkling, the Slayer opened her mouth but Lara cut in.  “I’m sure you must have some interesting stories about our party’s other male.”

“Wes?” Faith snorted.  “Me and B were always looking for the stick up his -.”

The Slayer was interrupted by the sound of the ex-Watcher’s chair scraping back as he rose.  “I don’t need to listen to this.”  His face tight with anger, the Englishman stormed off.

“Who stuck the stick back up his ass?”

“Faith,” Xander rose from his seat, “as usual you had to put both feet in.  I’ll go after him.”

“Wes wait up!” the Watcher had managed to walk two blocks by the time Xander caught up with him.  “You know Faith, speak now, think about it next year.  She didn’t mean -.”

 

“It’s not Faith I’m angry with,” Wesley interrupted heavily, “it’s myself.  Every word she said was true.  If I hadn’t been such an ass -.”

“We all made mistakes.  G-Man favoured Summers over Faith, abandoning her in that crappy motel.  Summers and Rosenberg looked down on her for not having their chances.  Me,” Xander shrugged, “if I hadn’t slept with her maybe she’d have believed that I was a friend and not just another guy on the make.”

“Fuck, you two guys think a lot of yourselves don’t ya?” the two men turned to see Faith stood behind them, leaning on a lamppost its light illuminating her beautiful but sad face.  “Yeah, you were a real prick Wes, but you went into bat for me, got the Council to give me a chance.  And how did I repay your trust?  I betrayed you all to the Mayor and then as a kicker I tortured you.  As for you,” a thin smile worked its way across the raven-haired beauty’s full lips.  “You were a teenage guy, you telling me,” Xander’s cheeks began to burn as the brunette’s hands started to lovingly caress her body.  “That you could have turned this down?”  The brunette chuckled before turning serious.  “Xand, I was the super-hero with all these powers who’d just killed someone but you,” Faith’s voice caught,” you trusted me not to hurt you.  And what did I do?  I nearly fucking killed you!”

Seeing the girl’s eyes begin to glisten Xander broke in.  “Let’s leave the past where it belongs in the past.  Fresh starts all around.”  The others nodded in approval.  “Great, so let’s head back to the bar.”

“Wicked cool,” Faith moved in between them, wrapping her arms around their necks, her denim jacket falling open.  Realising he had a direct view down the girl’s low-cut red training top Xander turned away, his cheeks flaming.  The Slayer continued talking either oblivious to, or uncaring of, his embarrassment.  “Tequila slammers all the way tonight guys, it’s a long time since this girl got smashed.”

“Dear god,” Xander heard Wes mutter, “a drunk Slayer.  Maybe I should have accepted W & H’s offer.”

“Hey Wes, I was wrong you didn’t have a stick up your ass,” the Slayer chuckled, “it was an iron bar and it’s still fucking there!”

Wes sighed long-sufferingly.  “As eleqouant and charming as ever Faith.”

“Damn straight, charm class was the only one I ever passed.”

“Only one you’re bloody likely to too!”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“So where’s this place you taking us Xman?”  Faith asked.  Last night had been wicked cool, she’d had a couple of offers off businessmen looking for some fun, and she’d been real tempted but she wanted Xand now, but the office building he’d brought them was kinda of imposing, everything about it reeked cool efficiency. 

Xander glanced towards her.  “I set Champion Investigations up two years as the intel arm of the Project.  We have an extensive network of contacts of the police and intelligence organisation throughout the country that send news of any suspected cases of supernatural occurrences.  Champion Investigations collates their reports and sends the information onto me and the other field operatives in a weekly digest.  Any emergencies and we’re all contacted.  They also patrol, hitting local vampire dens.”

“I say,” Wes looked pissed, “they’re competition.”

Xander chuckled.  “Two demon-hunting agencies in a city the size of L.A.,” Xander stepped through the opening lift doors, “I think you can stand the competition Wes.”

With that her friend led them to the outside of a small office.   After knocking Xander opened and walked in.  “Xander!” an Oriental babe rose from behind one of the desks and hurried to hug him, a beaming smile on her beautiful face, “it’s good to see you!”

“Damn guy gets more women than a rock star,” Faith muttered as she pushed away the wave of jealousy that hit her.  What the hell had happened to the dopey geek who’s cherry she’d popped?  Faith’s mouth dried as she recognised the other woman in the office.  “oh crap!”

“You!”  Kate Lockley rose, her hand dipping into an open desk drawer.  Faith paled as the blonde came up holding an automatic.  The Slayer swallowed, she might be able to get out of the way of a bullet but if she did one of the others might be hurt.  This was her fault, she’d have to take it.

Suddenly Xander stepped between them.  Faith’s pounding heart began to race even faster, nobody was ever going to get hurt ‘cause of her especially him.  “Get out of the way Xander,” she ordered, her voice trembling.

“Can’t do that Faith,” the man didn’t turn from the blonde.  “Kate, put the gun down.”

“She’s an escaped fugitive!” the woman’s gaze and gun didn’t falter.  “I know how dangerous she is, I arrested her.”

“She’s reformed.”

“Says who?” the blonde looked incredulous.

“I say,” Faith couldn’t believe how calm Xand sounded, as if he was discussing the weather rather than facing a gunwoman.  “And she’s got a presidential pardon to prove it.  Please Kate, if you can’t trust her, trust me okay?”

After a second the cop nodded.  “Fine,” Faith felt the tension leave her body as the woman dropped the gun back into the drawer.  “Just keep her away from me,” the cop ordered.

“Is Ethan in, Grace?” Xander had turned back to the Oriental woman.  The babe nodded.  “I’ll just go through then.”

Wesley broke the silence that followed with a masterpiece of understatement.  “Well that was bracing,” the Watcher turned to Kate.  “Who is the boss Miss Lockley?”

“A former intelligence operative called Ethan Hunt.”

“Ethan Hunt?” Faith turned to a stunned looking Syd.  “He’s a legend, our answer to James Bond and he works for Xander?”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“Hi Ethan,” Xander managed to keep his face expressionless but his heart was still thundering from the confrontation outside.  Stepping in front of a gun-woman was definitely on the list of the ten stupidest things he’d ever done but he couldn’t let Faith die not when she’d just got her life back together, gotten the second chance she deserved.

The diminutive but well-built man nodded at him.  “What was the commotion outside?”

“Just Kate catching up with an old friend,” Xander replied dryly.  “How have things been?”

The former intelligence operative shook his head.  “McClane in N.Y, Bridges in Frisco, Shatter in Chicago, Regis in Washington, Foley in Detroit – every one of the hundred plus contacts we’ve built up are reporting a 3 – 4 times increase in possible supernatural cases over the past six months.  But you’ll know that because you’ve had the updates.  Is that why you’re here?”

“Sort of,  I need your help breaking into Wolfram & Hart’s office.  They’ve got some information on what’s causing all this.”

“Wolfram & Hart?” the man smiled, “I like a challenge.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Lara Croft looked up from her book at the knock of the door.  She reached under her pillow and placed her hand on the Glock 30 there.  “Yes?”

“It’s Faith, can I come in?”

“Be my guest,” the tomb raider’s brow furrowed in puzzlement at the hesitant look on the usually brash Slayer’s face.  “Can I help you Faith?”

“Yeah,” the brunette Slayer paced back and forth on the carpet.  “Something’s been bugging me for ages.  I was wondering, you gotta thing for Xand?”

“Ah,” the Englishwoman hid a smile.  It would appear that the young woman had a crush.  “Xander and I have had relations before,” the girl looked crushed, Lara hurried on.  “Xander is a fine, young man – kind, brave, warm-hearted, and witty, however we have little in common aside from our shared interest in the occult.  I have no designs on Xander.”  The brunette beamed.  “I assume from your question you are interested in him?”

The girl shrugged, a look of embarrassment on her face. “He’s done so much for me, got me my pardon, a new home, and a job.  He’s forgiven me all the bad shit I did to him back in the day.”

“I trust your feelings aren’t merely borne out of gratitude?” when the girl looked confused she sighed.  “You’re not just feeling grateful?”

“I don’t know,” the brunette looked to the floor.  “I just know when I was in town last, he was always a real gentleman, opening doors for me, getting a chair so I could sit at the table, making sure I was included in shit.  I liked that but I also kinda thought it was just his angle to get me in the sack.”  She shrugged.  “But that’s just Xander, I like the way he treats people,  the way he went to all that trouble to get my pardon but it’s more than that.  I kinda get a queasy feeling in my stomach when he smiles at me, I love talking to him -,” Faith shook her head, “fuck I sound like a lovesick puppy.”  The brunette Slayer looked at her, a gleam in her eyes.  “What about our group then, we’ve got some hunks in our group – Bond, Wood, Gunn, there must be one who presses your buttons?”

The aristocrat hesitated.  “Wesley.” 

“Wes?” the girl’s coal-black eyes widened, “Wes gets your panties wet?  No way!”

Lara arched an eyebrow.  “Well I wouldn’t quite put it like that, but yes.”  Of all the languages she knew, American was definitely the most difficult.

Paladin Project 8 – Population Increase

“Whooe!  We’re going to party tonight!” Shark felt on top of the world.  In the one hundred and forty years since he’d been turned he’d never felt this good.  A week ago the traitor William the Bloody had been slain and the Summers Slayer had left town.  There some rumours about new hunters in town but who cared?

Shark grinned as he looked around the twenty vampires who followed him.  As their leader it was his responsibility to provide for them and he’d found a frat house stupid enough to hand out party flyers stating ‘Open House’, and that was enough to get them in.  Oh yes, it was going to be one hell of a night; he could almost smell the blood and hear the screams already.

His smile withered and died when half a dozen cloaked figures stepped out of the shadows to block his group’s way.  Shark glanced behind him to his companions, they had the newcomers out-numbered three to one but there was an aura of power of them that caused the hairs on the back of his neck to prickle uneasily.  After a few tension-filled moments he spoke, his tongue suddenly thick and ungainly.  “Get out of the way.”

“I’m afraid not.”  Shark’s mouth dried as the lead figure threw back his cowl to reveal the coal-black face and elfin features of a Drow.  “Kill them.”

The last syllable of the Drow’s hiss had barely left his mouth when the dark elf’s comrades sprang into action, their pairs of matching scimitars slashing through the cold night air as they glided into action.  Shark watched in terror as the battle raged around him, his gang effortlessly torn to pieces while their attackers remained unharmed.  Finally it was just him and the six Drow and their leader turned his cold eyes on him.  Shark forced his voice to remain steady as he drew his sword.  “You don’t want to do this.  I’d make a good minion, I know things-.”

“I don’t deal with your sort,” the Drow interrupted, his tone disdainful.  The dark elf exploded into action covering the distance separating them in a single bound and swinging his scimitar in a slash that he barely managed to block even as he spun away from the other blade.  He attempted a counter-attacking thrust that his rival slid smoothly away from before retaliating with an overhand slash that ripped a white-hot furrow across his chest.  Letting out a gasp of pain he staggered backwards, blood drenching his shirt.  The Drow followed relentlessly, advancing at a blistering speed.  He attempted a feint that his adversary ignored before replying with a slash at his knees that he just managed to leap over.  He’d barely landed when the Drow thrust one of his blades into his stomach.  He let out a scream of pure pain as the blade tore through him.  Immobilised by agony he was helpless to prevent the Drow’s other blade from entering his throat.

                                    *                                              *                                  *

Sophia watched with interest as the already busy bar was suddenly filled by another hundred or so extra men all bearing the look of men of action, warriors.  “And what would such a group be doing in Sunnydale?” she muttered as she watched the men bully the bar’s patrons into abandoning their tables and spaces by the bar.

She’d arrived in Sunnydale three days ago via private jet.  Since her arrival she’d observed Sunnydale’s underworld denizens finding out who the players were.  What she’d discovered amazed her.  Apparently the vampire William the Bloody was dust, slain by the legendary Blade no less, and the Summers Slayer and the Wicca Rosenberg run out of town leaving the Project as the undisputed rulers of the Hellmouth.

Until now at least.  Sophia stared thoughtfully at the group’s leader, a huge hook-nosed man with an almost visible air of evil, he’d make quite a vampire.  She smiled inwardly as she saw one of the newcomers head towards her, here was a chance to find out who the interlopers were and why there were here – this many of this sort of men in Sunnydale had to impinge on her business.

“Right luv,” the man growled, “want a drink?”

Sophia took a second to inspect the man before replying.  He was a tall hefty man in his late forties with a silver goatee, shaven head and piggy grey eyes who judging from his accent was a cockney.  She smiled winningly.  “A drink?  Why bother, let’s just leave.”

The man’s eyes filled with desire but he shook his head.  “Can’t luv,” the man glanced over is shoulder and towards the hook-nosed man, “boss says we can’t leave.  Got to stick together.”

 

“Oh please,” she pouted even as she turned the full power of her hypnotic gaze on her victim.  “A big strong manly man like you can protect yourself against little me.  Besides,” she fluttered her long eye-lashes at the wavering thug, “what I’d like to you we can’t do in the public.”

The combination of her physical charms and powers of mesmerism were more than enough to snap the man’s resolve.  “Let’s go,” he grunted.  The man grabbed her by the arm, his grip strong enough to bruise a normal woman.  After glancing furtively to the right and left before dragging her outside and pushing her against the club wall, his hand sliding up her mini.  “I’m going to enjoy this.”

“Not as much as me,” she morphed into her vampiric face, after a second savouring her victim’s look of stunned terror, she grabbed him around the throat, spun him round and slammed him into the wall before covering his mouth with her free hand and dragging the struggling man into a near-by alley.  Once there she released her hold on the man’s mouth, grabbed his arm and pulled, yanking his shoulder out of the socket.  The thug opened his mouth to scream but it turned into a moan when she grabbed his jaw and slammed his head into the wall behind.  “Now why are you here?” she demanded.

The man shook his head.  “I can’t tell you.”

“Are you sure?”  Sophia released his grip on the man’s jaw, and grabbed his balls, squeezing until they ruptured.  She let out a laugh as the man’s mouth opened to scream, cutting him off with a fist to the throat that caused him to fall to the ground.  “There’s muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones to break, tear, rip, burn, and cut – I can’t wait to get started.”  Crouching down she grabbed the man’s arm at the wrist and elbow and pulled it backwards, snapping the elbow and tearing the biceps tendon.  “I’m afraid you’re going to die,” she whispered in the sobbing man’s ear.  “The only question is slow and painful or quick and painless.”

Ten minutes later and she’d drained the man.  After dropping the dried out husk to the ground, Sophia rose, a thoughtful expression on her beautiful face.  What the thug had told her was worrying.  He’d claimed to be part of Satan’s Soldiers, a mercenary group that had taken over from the Order as the top soldiers for hire after the Order had been wiped out by Demonsbane.  More troubling still was the addition of Hans Axel as their temporary leader.  The assassin had a terrifying reputation even in the demon world.  She had to inform the Hunt.  On the other hand, she smiled slowly; De Morte was one of the few vampires more favoured by Lucis than her.  If he died in a three-way between the Project, the Hunt, and the mercenaries then her own influence within the Clans would only increase.  “Everything’s got an upside.”

 

                                                *                                  *                                  *

Lance watched as the two vampires strode past his position, oblivious to his presence in the shadows.  He glanced across the sparsely lit street to the hulking warehouse they were guarding.  Just hours earlier he’d watched as a dozen or so vampires had claimed the building as their base.  There was something different about these vampires, they were somehow more organised than others he’d hunted over the centuries.

He stepped out of the shadows and cleared his throat, the two vampires spun round to face him.  He smiled at their surprise that a normal human could get so close to them without being detected – but then he was hardly normal.  “Hello gentlemen.”

His words broke the spell.  Snarling the two vampires sprang towards him even as his hand dropped to his broadsword.  He twisted away from the left vampire even as he drew his sword slamming his right elbow into the other vampire’s face, causing its unfortunate recipient to screech in pain.  Taking advantage of the respite gained by his actions he completed his draw before stepping back and smiling at the two vampires.  “En garde.”

His challenge was met with twin howls and the two vampires leapt forward.  A grin on his face, he raced to meet them, his sword flashing left and right as he bounded between his rivals.  Spinning round to face his two adversaries he smiled at their looks of disbelief at the ugly matching wounds he’d left on their chests.  He could have easily gone for the kill but where was the thrill in that?

The two vampires started towards him, more cautiously than before.  Seeing the one to his left was fractionally ahead of the other he sprang to meet him, his sword flashing.  The vampire ducked beneath his blade and straight into his fist.  Stunned, the vampire staggered backwards.  Lance made to follow his prey only for the other vampire to dart at him from the side.  Without deviating from his course he snapped out a side kick and grinned at the sound of bone cracking and the vampire’s resulting scream before decapitating his target with a mighty swing.

Spinning round he coolly surveyed the vampire lying on the ground, cradling his shattered leg in his hands.  The wound would be healed in a few minutes – it was just a shame the vampire didn’t have that time.  “W..who are you?” the vampire demanded.

Lance smiled, he knew what the vampire was trying to do, buy himself some time to heal.  A smart strategy but one doomed to failure.  “Lance Amore.”

“The Knight Of Death?” the vampire’s face greyed.  “T..that’s impossible, you’re just a legend.”

“And yet,” the vampire screamed as he pressed his gold cross on its face, the demon’s flesh sizzling and burning under his assault, “I’m here,” he paused for a second.  “Now unless you wish for me to continue tell me who you and your companions are.”

Once the vampire had finished his babblings he nodded and stood.  “Thank you.”  After slicing the vampire’s head off, he crouched in the street, his lips pursed in thought.  What the vampire had told him was most troubling.  He was tempted to attack, but fourteen Master vampires on his own was beyond even his capabilities.  Still, he smiled to himself, at least by slaying the two vampires he’d left them a message.  Chuckling softly he slid into the shadows and disappeared into the darkness.

                                                *                                  *                                  *

“They are here?”

Caleb bowed his head in supplication.  “They are here master.”

“Good.  Here is what I want you to do.”  Caleb listened as his master gave him his orders.  “You understand servant?”

“Yes master,” throughout the entire conversation he’d kept his head down.

“Then go and tell the others.”

After standing, Caleb hurried out of the chamber to the larger cavern beyond, grateful to be escaping the First’s over-powering presence.  Once in the outer room he quickly inspected his fellow Fallen members, his eyes first falling on a short, rotund balding man in his late forties with muddy grey eyes and benign features that Caleb knew hid a rare brutality.  The man was Rabbi Moses Cohen, a Polish Jew who’d used the dark magics to battle the Cossacks of Bohdan Khmelnytsky in the 17th Century.

He turned his gaze to the next figure, a tall hawk-featured man with dusky skin and haughty manner.  This man was Mullah Kareem Ackbar, an Islamic holy man who’d ridden by the side of Saladin in the 12^th Century using sorcery to help his lord fight the infidel invaders.

The third and final figure in the room was another tall man, perhaps six and a half feet in height, with a lean face ravaged by pock-marks and staring black eyes.  He was Father Jose Santos, a Roman Catholic priest who had organised mass crucifixions of Aztecs in the 16^th Century.

His inspection completed Caleb gathered his thoughts.  All of his fellow Fallen members were far older, more experienced, and had been chosen by their master for much fouler crimes, his were merely a string of executions of wanton hussies in the southern states during the mid fifties.  Due to his proximity to the Hellmouth he’d been chosen as their leader, but if he failed again.  Finally he began to speak.

Paladin Project 9:  Marshalling Forces

“God Cordy I’m sorry.”

Xander’s whispered apology rang out through the hushed room as he stared guiltily at the bed’s occupant.  His ex looked so peaceful, so beautiful just lying there.  And for all his connections he was helpless to assist her, just like he’d been helpless to make up for the way he’d messed up between them.  “Damn it.”

After he’d helped Angel Investigations defeat Jasmine he’d contacted Leo in the hope that the angel could heal her but Leo said that because of the Ancients pre-dating the Powers That Be as the dominant force on the planet he was powerless to help.  Then he’d considered contacting Tok’ra for help but he was far from certain that even a symbiote could heal the damage done to Cordy, if it ended not only at the physical and mental levels but went onto the spiritual plane too.  Besides Angel was less than enthusiastic at the thought of an alien residing in Cordelia, especially so soon after the demonic possession.  All the people he knew and he was helpless.

“I’m sorry Cordy, I really am.  I’d have come earlier if I could,” he stroked a stray hair off his former girlfriend’s face.  “But I’ve been kinda of busy.  I shouldn’t be here now ‘cept that Ethan, Syd and the others are doing the planning.  You always told me the brain stuff wasn’t my strong point,” he laughed softly.  “You know this is the longest we’ve been in a room together without me hearing the words ‘dweeb’ or ‘geek’.  I’m so sorry for the mess I made of things between us.  We had something really special but I was too dumb to see it.”

He lapsed into an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes before continuing.  “Things have been real wild the last week or so.  Angel Investigations and the Project have both moved to Sunnydale.  Apparently the First has risen.  And here’s the kicker, a couple of days after I arrived, General Summers turned up and started barking orders.  Blade offed Spike, she’d lowered herself to screwing a soulless vampire now, so she attacked me and I kicked her ass.”  He chuckled.  “Bet you’d have paid good money to see that.  But, and here’s the thing, Faith’s out of the big house and working for the good guys now.  She’s changed, on the outside she’s still the kick-ass bitch but deep down she’s different, more in control, more at peace.”  He glanced down at the comatose brunette, hoping for a reaction, a flutter of an eyelid, a twitch of a finger, anything.  He sighed wearily when he didn’t get any.  After rising he bent over the body and kissed the woman’s forehead.  “I’ve got to go and fight the good fight,” he grinned “as a kid I always wanted to be a super-hero.  Maybe I should get a cape with ‘DB’ on it.”  His face sobered.  “I’ll be back as soon I can Cordy.”

“What’s happening here?” Xander’s brow furrowed in puzzlement as he reached the private clinic’s car park.  Half a dozen men were stood around his 4*4, it was a great car but there were far racier models parked around.  “Or maybe not,” he grinned slowly as he realised the reason for the interest in his car.  “Hi Faith.”

The shapely brunette turned from entertaining her new admirers and winked at him.  “Hi boytoy, we off?” he nodded, so that nickname was apparently getting another airing.  The Slayer turned back to her fans and shrugged.  “Sorry boys.  Gotta motor.”

“So Faith,” Xander started up the car as the last of Faith’s groupies had reluctantly departed.  “What are you doing here?”

“Jeez Xman I bet you’re just a killer with ladies with lines like that,” his front seat passenger jibed before turning serious.  “I saw you leaving the hotel with a bunch of flowers and figured you were coming to see Queen C so I rang Fang for the address and hot-footed it over ‘case you needed someone to talk to.”

”Faith offering emotional support?  You have changed!”

His jibe gained him a slight slap to the back of the head.  “You’re talking to the new reformed Faith now boytoy,” the woman let out an amused snort.  “I’d say improved but how do you improve on a face this pretty and a body this hot?”

“Yet still not modest.”

“When you look this fine what the fuck you gotta be modest about?” his passenger’s voice turned serious.  “Xman, you five by five?  Seeing Queen C like that I mean?”

Xander felt his heart tighten.  “It was hard,” he finally replied, “really hard seeing the first girl I ever loved like that and not being able to do anything to help.”

“First girl you ever loved uh?  I thought that was B?”

 

There was an odd note in Faith’s voice that he didn’t recognise.  After a second he spoke.  “No, that was a crush.  I think for feelings to grow into anything resembling love they have to be returned,” Xander replied, “given a chance to grow.”

“Shit Xman’s that’s deep.  So there’s anyone serious since?  Anyone now?”

Xander thought for a second before answering.  He’d certainly been physical with women since then – Paige Matthews, Grace Chen, Lara Croft, Sarah Ryback, and Isabel Evans to name just a few.  But nobody had captured his heart.  “No.”

“Still hankering after C?”

There it was again that, odd note in his companion’s voice.  He glanced across at the Slayer but her beautiful face was unreadable.  “No, it’s just with being a wandering warrior,” he snorted, now that sounded conceited, “you don’t get to put down roots.  But maybe stating in one place I’ll get that chance.”

“Do you want to?”

Xander shrugged.  “I’d like to but it’s a hard life, not really fair to involve innocents.”

“Any chance for C?”

Thrown by the sudden subject change he didn’t answer immediately.  “Maybe.  I’ll ask Doc. Strange when he gets back, but other than that no.”

“Shit Xand I’m sorry.  I didn’t much like her but she had serious balls, gotta respect that.”  The Slayer fell silent for a few minutes.  “What you doing for the rest of the day?”

“I’m meeting some guy Syd thinks can supply us with some useful equipment for tomorrow.”

“Want some company?”

“Thanks but the guy’s a little shy and you’re frightening for us confident, devilishly handsome world saver types – ow!” he rubbed his head where the Slayer had slapped him again.  “Enough with the violence!”  Apparently the reformed Slayer wasn’t all that reformed.

                                    *                                  *                                  *   

“Hi Marshall, it’s good to see you.”

The short man stood beside the door smiled tentatively.  “You too Sydney,” the man’s voice shook slightly.

Sydney returned the man’s smile with one of her own.  “Relax Marshall, Xander’s not with the CIA, he’s here to purchase some of your gadgets.”

“Oh?” the man’s eyes grew wary, obviously his experiences at SD-6 had left deep scars.

“Relax Marshall,” Sydney placed a hand on the man’s forearm, “he’s on the up and up.  I vouch for him personally.”

The man stared at his friend for a few seconds before letting out a breath and nodding.  “Okay, so what do you need?”

Xander glanced across at Sydney, she was the technical one.  He was only here out of interest to meet the genius ‘Marshall’ that Sydney had told him about.  “Something that allows us to control a building’s computer system from a remote location.”

“Not hacking?”

“No,” Sydney shook her head, “we need an electronic piggy-back.”

Marshall pursed his lips in thought for a few seconds before brightening.  “Follow me.”

The scientist\engineer led them into the basement.  Xander whistled between his teeth at the rows of tables covered with pieces of machinery, engineering equipment, and computers.  He chuckled as he noticed something.  “Nice posters.”

Marshall reddened at his mention of the Playmate posters stuck to the walls. Averting his gaze from a smiling Sydney, the inventor hurried over to one of the tables and lifted up a pair of earrings.  “Here they are!”

Xander raised an eyebrow.  “Nice jewellery, not my type though.”

“No, no, no,” the inventor shook his head.  “They’re transmitters, if the wearer’s inside the building I can bounce off their signal into their security system as long as I’m within a mile of the building.”

“How do they work Marshall?”

Xander zoned out as Marshall began to excitedly babble to Sydney.  Science wasn’t his thing and it would be Ethan and Syd’s responsibility to get the transmitters inside.  He started to look through the table’s contents, curious he picked  up a pen and brooch.  “What are these?”

“The brooch,” the inventor beamed, “is a signaller.  If you press the third encrusted diamond,” a beeping went off at the other side of the room, “then the holder of the receiver knows you’re ready for their part of the operation.  And the pen fires a tranquiliser dart strong enough to down a lion at sixty feet.”

Or a vampire, Xander smiled.  “You got any job offers Marshall?”

The inventor shrugged.  “I’ve had offers from Stark Industries, Microsoft, Skynet, and Luther Corp.”

“Well I’d like to add my offer,” the scientist’s eyes gleamed with interest.  “The job would involve you running base security and computer system as well as doing your designer gig.  You’ll have this guy Andrew working for you -.”

“Xander,” Sydney had a forced smile, “can I speak to you upstairs?”

He shrugged.  “Sure.”  What was Syd’s problem?

He’d barely stepped out of the basement when the secret agent launched into him, her eyes flashing.  “What are you playing at?  I won’t let you put Marshall into harm’s way!”

Xander kept his calm in the face of his friend’s anger.  “Marshall reminds me a lot of a kid I went to school with, Jonathan.  John was really smart, probably the smartest gut there, but he was really quiet, even the kids who didn’t bully him just ignored him.  In senior year Buffy had to save him from blowing his head off.  Three years later and he’s so lonely and directionless he ends up working with two other misfits as criminals.  Then this year he’s sacrificed to open up  the hellmouth.”

 

“Marshall’s not like that,” Sydney had paled.

“Isn’t he?” Xander glanced towards the closed basement door.  “You’ve seen all the stuff he’s been inventing, it’s his life.  You told me how proud he was when you used his inventions in operations.”

“He’s already got job offers.”

”True,” Xander conceded the point, “but you know how I operate.  Marshall ends up in any of those organisations he mentioned, he won’t be anything but a cog in a machine.  With us he’ll part of a team, don’t you think that he needs to belong to something?”

“Fine, but if anything happens to him -.”

“I’m dog food, I know.  Shall we go back down?”  Once they’d re-entered Xander spoke to a nervous-looking Marshall.  “Are you interested?”

The inventor glanced at his companion.  “Is he-?”

“He’s on the level Marshall,” Sydney soothed after shooting him a warning glance.

After a second the inventor nodded.  “So what’s the mission brief?  Who are your rivals?”

“Ah,” this was a problem.  Telling Marshall the truth would have him laughing in their faces.  On the other hand he deserved to know the truth.  Finally he smiled.  “Marshall, what are you doing tonight?”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Marshall started at the knock on the door.  Today had been the strangest since the closedown of SD-6.  At first he’d thought that Syd’s companion was CIA, his air of danger was unmistakeable, reminding him of the aura surrounding Syd’s dad.  He’d figured that Syd had been unable to protect him.  But then the man had revealed that not only did he want to buy some equipment but also offered him a job.  After taking a second to compose himself he hurried to the door and opened it.

His mouth dropped open at the sight that greeted him.  Syd, wearing a black mini and sleeveless matching silk blouse, looked as amazing as ever.  But the other woman with Xander was pure molten sex.

The young woman’s raven-dark hair cascaded down onto her shoulders, framing a high-cheeked face containing pouty red lips parted in a cocksure grin and coal black eyes.  The brunette’s black leather pants hugged the curves of her slender yet muscular legs and sinfully-rounded ass while her black midriff top showed off both the impressively developed abs of a workout fanatic and the generous swell of her breasts.

Suddenly he realised Xander was chuckling.  “Looks like you’ve got a new admirer.  Faith, meet Marshall.”

“Just one of many, Xand.  Hi Swampy,” the brunette held out a hand. 

After a second he took the offered hand, surprised by the strength of the woman’s grip, he spoke, his tone tentative.  “Swampy?”

“Don’t worry about it Marsh,” Xander smiled at him, “Faith’s got this annoying habit,” the younger man raised an eyebrow, “one of several actually.  She gives everyone a nickname.”

The woman winked.  “Only those I like, Swampy.”

His face reddening, Marshall glanced down at his feet.  He wasn’t comfortable dealing with people, especially women, machines and electronics were his thing.  He only really felt at ease around Syd. 

The brunette chuckled.  “Aw, he’s sweet.  Can I keep him?”

“Faith play nice,” Xander scolded.  “Ignore her Marsh.  She’s got a good heart, her mouth and head don’t work too well -, oww!”

Marshall looked up to see Xander rubbing his head and the two women grinning.  Faith grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the house.  “I bet you know all the wicked clubs Swampy?”

“Not really no.”

“That case we’ll just have to follow our noses, let’s hit the road Swampy.”

Five hours later and they were leaving their third club.  Marshall was unable to stop grinning, he’d had the night of his life, Faith had taught him to dance and he’d spent the whole time on the dancefloor being passed from Syd to Faith.  But he still hadn’t been found out what organisation Xander and the others worked for did.

Suddenly Faith broke off in mid-laugh.  “Xman, bandits between us.”

“Our sort?” All previous warm had left the man’s voice.

“Uh, huh.”

“How many, how far?”

“Five, maybe six.  Four hundred yards behind.”

“Plenty of time to practice where I’ve been Xman,” the brunette’s tone turned serious.  “What’s the plan boss?”

Xander groaned.  “Now I know how Giles felt when I called him G-Man.  Next alley we come to Syd, you take Marsh into it and act as a diversion.  We’ll take them from behind -.”

“Long time since I’ve been tak-.”

“Don’t Faith,” Xander interrupted.

Marshall blinked.  From what he’d learnt of operations procedure that meant both Faith and Xander were better fighters than Syd, the best fighter he’d ever seen.

“You five by five Swampy?” he nodded, his throat too tight for speech.  “Don’t worry,” Faith punched him lightly on the shoulder, “I look after my buds.  That’s right ain’t it Xand?”

“I’m going to resist the urge make a smart-ass comment.”

“Make a change Xman,” Faith chuckled, “hey Xand you remember how Slaying gets me?”

“We’ll have to stop off at McDonald’s afterwards.”

“That’s not what I meant Xman.”

“Didn’t think it was.  Your stop Syd.”

Marshall followed his friend into the alley.  “What’s happening?” he whispered.

”Relax Marshall, Xander won’t let anything happen to us.” 

Sydney’s confidence was reassuring but any calm he felt was quickly eroded when the mouth of the alley was filled by six thuggish looking men in their mid to late twenties.  “Well you look nice babe,” one of them said in a Texas drawl, “where did the other honey go?”

“Behind you shithead,” Marshall heard Faith call from behind the thugs, “oh and by the way this honey’s name’s Faith and she’s the Slayer.”

The man gulped.  “I heard the Slayer was called Buffy.”

“She’s retired,” replied Xander, “aren’t you going to introduce me to your new friends Faith?”

“Yeah, guys say hello to Xander.”

Marshall heard Xander sigh.  “My work name Faith.”

“Oh yeah, he’s Demonsbane.”

Now the previously arrogant man looked terrified.  “Get them!”

Marshall’s mouth dropped open at what happened next.  The six men charged Faith and Xander and then the two facing them moved.

Faith was first into action.  Her movements quicksilver, the brunette rushed to meet the gang members.  Grabbing hold of the nearest thug’s outstretched arms at the wrists she twisted, somehow flinging the man twice her size head-first into the near-by wall.  Despite the sickening impact of his collision the man leapt to his feet.  Marshall gasped in shock, in the flickering light it almost seemed as if the man’s eyes had changed to yellow.

The man let out a bestial roar before darting at the slight woman only for her to snap out a flawless side kick that caught the man in his throat before twisting round and slamming a piece of wood into the man’s chest.  “Oh my god!” Marshall let out a scream as the man exploded into dust.  What was happening?

Two more of the men leapt at Faith but she leapt into the air, her legs flicking out to catch her attackers square in their faces knocking them into the wall behind.  Upon landing, Faith darted forward thrusting her piece of wood into one of the men’s chests.  The man followed the first in disappearing but as the woman turned to deal with the third she was met by a punch to the jaw that sent her stumbling backwards.  Her attacker let out a growl of victory as he surged forward, his fists flying.  Faith leaned away from the attack, bending her torso like a limbo dancer going under the pole, before grabbing hold of her attacker’s right arm at the wrist and elbow.

The man’s scream almost drowned out the sounds of bones cracking when Faith snapped his wrist down while forcing his elbow upwards.  The man’s bellow only ended when Faith slammed her wooden spike into the man’s chest.

While Faith’s movements were a sort of deadly dance, Xander’s were brutally efficient.  The other trio charged him en masse, Xander shot out a foot smashing his heel into one of the men’s knees, sending him staggering onto Xander’s wooden spike.

Another of Xander’s assailants grabbed him around the shoulders and pulled him towards him.  Xander’s elbow flew up, the point smashing into the man’s chin, knocking the man’s head back, giving Xander the chance to shove his wood into the man’s chest.

The third man turned away from Xander and charged them.  Marshall blood chilled as he saw the man’s glowing eyes, ridged brow, and drooling fangs.  What was it?

Sydney raced to meet the beast; Marshall noted she had a wooden spike like Xander and Faith’s.  His friend’s arm arced up but as quick as the secret agent was the monster facing her was even quicker, grabbing her arm at the wrist and twisting it violently.  Syd let out a gasp of pain and her wooden spike clattered to the ground.  She shot out a kick that smashed into the beast’s side but the beast just let out a hoarse laugh and flung Syd into the wall.  The secret agent staggered away from the wall and dived towards her dropped weapon but the demon intercepted her, grabbed her around the throat, and flung her back into the wall.

Seeing his friend crumple to the ground, Marshall summonsed his courage, snatched up a steel pipe from the top of a skip and swung it at the monster’s back.  His arm shuddered with the blow’s impact but the beast just grunted before turning, snatching the pipe from him, grabbing him round the throat and throwing him into the wall.  He swallowed as the creature advanced on him.  “I’m going to enjoy drinking you dry runt.”

“Not fucking likely.”  Suddenly the beast exploded into dust and Faith was there easing him to his feet.  “That took wicked balls Swampy.”

He reddened at the respect in the raven-haired beauty’s voice.  Then, remembering what he’d seen her do, he retreated from her, his heart pounding with fear.  “W..what were they?  And what are you?”

Hurt flickered across the woman’s face.  “Xand,” there was a begging note in her voice, “tell him I won’t hurt him, please.”

Ten minutes later Xander finished talking.  “S..so you’re demon hunters?” this was crazy but he’d seen the proof.

“Faith and I full-time-.”

“Well between comas and prison stays,” Marshall noted Faith’s swagger had returned.

“Faith, shut up.  Sydney helps out in an emergency.”

“And this is an emergency right?”  Marshall asked.  “The First I mean?”

“It is,” Xander nodded.  “Once the First is dealt with you can move to Sunnydale to work if you’re still interested.”

Marshall decided to gamble.  “No,” he shook his head, “I don’t get to come now I’ll have to take one of the other job offers.”

Xander’s eyes widened.  “You’re trying to blackmail me?”

“Let him come Xand.”

Xander sighed.  “Fine, we leave tomorrow.  After raiding W&H.”

Marshall smiled and nodded.  Working again and this time for the good guys.

Paladin Project 10 – Second Thoughts

“Hey Xand you ready?” the Slayer bellowed through his closed hotel room door.

“I’ll meet you in the lobby in five Faith,” he replied as he checked through his equipment.

“Five by five,” he heard the woman’s footfalls recede into the distance.

Finally satisfied with his preparations he turned to leave.  His blood chilled as he saw the figure stood by the door.  “Jesse.”

“Wow,” his long-dead childhood friend grinned at his croaked gasp.  “You’ve had quite the last few years haven’t you bro?  First you get to date Cordy, my dream girl, sleep with that Faith babe, then leave Sunnydale to become this badass demon hunter while heading a billion dollar corporation.”  Jesse’s face hardened.  “That could have been mine, Cordy, Faith, the respect, but no!  You had to kill me you jealous bastard!”

“That’s not true,” Xander kept his face expressionless and his voice even but his heart tightened with tension and his stomach clenched in pain.  “Jesse was dead before I staked him.  I killed a demon.”

“What about me?”

Xander slumped down on the unmade bed.  “J…Jenny.”

“From you I’d prefer Miss Calendar,” the techno-pagan sneered.  “If you and Rupert had shown a little more backbone and stood up to Buffy, insisted that she did her job, then maybe she’d have slain Angelus and I’d still be alive.”

It was an effort but he managed to force away the heavy guilt pressing down on him.  “And maybe if you’d told us the truth about the curse from the start, dozens of innocents would still be alive,” squaring his shoulders he walked through the apparition and made for the door.

“Now Mr. Harris leaving with permission is very rude.”

His mouth dry, Xander turned back to the spectre.  “Neither’s trying to kill my graduation class so let’s just call it a draw.”

Richard Wilkins smiled.  “Ah feisty, a little bit of spirit I like that.  You’ll make a good match for my Faith once you find the nerve to court her.”

“She’s not your Faith!” for the first time he was truly rattled.

“Ah but she is son,” Wilkins replied, his genial expression not shifting an inch.  “A part of her at least.  There’s a darkness inside her, always will be.  She’ll fight against it but she’ll always sink back down into it, it’s who she is.  She’ll let you down, just as she did Linda Price and myself, you’ll be next.”

“That’s bullshit!” Xander ignored the fact that the First’s words echoed his own doubts.  “Faith’s strong now, we won’t let her fall!”

“You and the vampire,” the First chuckled, “somehow I doubt you two will be enough!”

“You can go to hell!”

“Already there son and you’ll be joining me soon,” Wilkins’ beatific smile widened, “the whole world will.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Faith rose as Xander entered the hotel lobby, her welcoming smile dying as she noticed her friend’s slightly wild-eyed look.  “You five by five boss?”  Faith hid her concern behind a jaunty tone.

“Fine.”  Although she hid it behind a bland expression she was hurt by the man’s cold reply.  Xander glanced around at the others while studiously avoiding her gaze.  “Let’s get this done,” he ordered brusquely.

                                    *                                  *                                  *

Sydney’s heart thumped as she made their way to the law firm’s reception desk.  She wasn’t normally nervous on a mission, she had too much experience for that, but this one was different, this time she was working with the legendary Ethan Hunt.  “Relax,” Hunt muttered in her ear, his voice calm.  “I’ve heard a lot about you, I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

Sydney smiled slightly at the praise, the legendary Ethan Hunt had heard of her, as she approached the desk.  “Hello,” she said.  “Mr Edward Howard and Stella Bristol to see Ms. Angela Doyle.”

“Just a moment please,” the young office worker sat behind the desk flashed them a professionally insincere smile.  “I’ll just ring Ms. Doyle and tell her you’re here.”

As soon as the receptionist lifted the phone and began dialling Sydney reached up and casually adjusted her left earring, turning the transmission on, and sending a signal piggy-backing onto W & H’s internal telecommunications line.  Sydney waited patiently for the receptionist to finish her conversation.  Finally she did and looked up at them, her practiced smile still in place.  “You can go through.  Take the elevator to the sixth floor.  Someone will be waiting for you there.”

“Thank you,” Ethan nodded at the receptionist.  “Miss Bristol, after you.”

“Thank you Mr.  Howard,” as soon as she was out of the receptionist’s earshot she casually raised her right hand to brush her hair behind her neck at the same time whispering into her radio\watch.  “Marshall, we’re a go.”

                                    *                      *                                  *

“Received,” Marshall whispered into his earpiece.  After taking a breath before starting to tap furiously at his lap-top.  With the signal already Wolfram & Hart all he had to do was gain control of the law firm’s internal security system.  Within minutes he’d found and opened a trapdoor and secured control of the system.  A smile on his face he looked up at the two sat in the front of the van.  “I’m in charge of their system; video’s re-playing from this time last week.”

“Already?”  he reddened at the admiration he heard in the Oriental’s voice.  “That was fast; I don’t do my on-line shopping that quickly.  Kate?”

The blonde nodded before lifting her radio.  “Xander you’re a go.”

                                    *                                  *                      *

“Roger that Kate.”

Faith watched as Xander dropped his walkie-talkie back into his pocket.  Ever since they’d left the hotel, Xander had barely looked at, much less spoken, to her.  And she didn’t have a clue what she was supposed to have done.  “We ready XMan?” she tried for a cheerful tone but her humour sounded forced even to her own ears.

“Yeah.” 

There it was again, that coldness.  Shrugging away the hurt, he was far from the first guy to turn on her, she spoke again.  “So I’m up right?”

Xander nodded.  Faith looked up at the ceiling some forty feet above them.   In the distance she could see a ledge just below a trapdoor.  According to plans they’d managed to get the opening led to a ground floor that led to a storeroom.  The cover weighed about fifty pounds, no obstacle to a Slayer even one-handed and off-balance.

Taking a second to gauge the distance and trajectory of the leap, she dropped into a crouch before bouncing upwards, sailing through the air, her hands held above her head.  Her fingers caught on the edge of the rim, slipping for a second and nearly sending her plunging downwards but after a half-second of terror she managed to secure herself.  For a few seconds she just hung there, concentrating her focus and enjoying the slight strain on her muscles, she swung upon onto the narrow landing.  Upon standing, she looked up at the cover above her.

Faith grinned slightly as she bent her knees, god she’d missed this in prison, testing her powers, pushing herself.  She took a second to look through her X-ray goggles for any sign of life in the room above before leaping into the air, her fists smashing into the trapdoor, ripping it out of its position before hitting the floor on her shoulders and rolling to her feet.  “Damn,” she smirked, “I’m good.” After bracing a chair against the door she pulled a nylon rope out of her belt pouch and lowered it through the hole.  Feeling a tug on the other end she started to pull the rope upwards, enjoying the slight burn that soon developed in her shoulders and arms.  Within a few minutes she’d pulled Xander through the hole.  She beamed at the man.  “Told you I could do it!” she hissed.

Her pride faded at the man’s cold words.  “Let’s get the others up before someone tries the door.”

“Five by five,” she hid her hurt by glancing away from the man and down the hole.  Grabbing hold of the rope she began to pull, aided this time the pulling went much quicker.  All the time Faith couldn’t help but wonder what the hell was happening to the warm-hearted, kind man she’d begun to fall for.  What the fuck had she done?

Within minutes all five of them were up in the storeroom.  Xander spoke his voice tight but controlled.  “Remember people we’re on a schedule here.  Marshall figures we’ve got a window of two hours before they realise we’re re-playing CCTV footage from earlier in the week.  Mandy you’re in a command of dealing with any security systems we run into, Lara and Wes, you’re in charge of selecting the useful texts, and Faith and I are muscle.  When we’ve finished we walk out of the front door.”

“Front door Xand?” Faith queried as she pushed the trap-door back in place, this was the part of the plan she wasn’t down with.  “that’s risky.”

“What do you suggest Faith?”  Again Xman’s voice wasn’t exactly giving her a fuzzy feeling.    “You might be able to drop through the hole without breaking both your legs but the rest of us can’t.  You’re a team player now remember.  Unless you’re feeling the urge to go lone wolf again.”

 

Ouch, Faith winced at the hurt Xander’s words caused her.  She opened her mouth to angrily retort only for Wes to break in, his tone matching Xander’s for coldness. ”That’s quite enough Mr. Harris,” she gaped, Wes was taking her side?  “Faith was merely raising a very valid concern.  While I believe your solution is the preferable one, both viewpoints have their pluses and minuses.  Your attitude towards Faith is unnecessary, quite frankly I’ve come to expect better of you.”

Xander stared at the former Watcher for a few seconds before nodding and turning towards her.  “Sorry Faith,” he grunted.

”Oh stop,” she muttered, the sincerity in Xander’s tone was underwhelming, “I’m tearing up.”

Xander turned back to the Watcher.  “Which floor?”

“The top one,” Wes replied, “the library’s hidden in the roof.”

“Let’s go.”

                                    *                                  *                                  *

“Two guards,” Wes let a whispered curse, “the bloody buggers!  They weren’t here last time.”

“Yes, they didn’t leave security arrangements exactly as they were last time you broke in.  How inconsiderate of them.”

“Sarcasm does not befit you Lady Croft,” Wes replied loftily, “Xander?”

“Faith?”  Xander turned to her.  “After all violence is your thing.”

She gritted her teeth as she nodded.  She was getting pretty damn sick of the ‘tude she was copping off Xman, she might owe him big but that didn’t give him licence to piss all over like this.  Old Faith would have already laid the smack down on his ass already.  “Five by five.”  She quickly checked out her black trouser suit she was wearing to fit in with the crowd.  It sure as hell wasn’t as sexy as her usual gear of skin-tight leathers and midriff tops, but, she glanced at the two guards waiting there and smirked, it was more than enough to get her close to a pair of middle-aged fat asses without them raising the alarm.

After a second she turned the corner and started towards the two men, putting a little extra sway into her hips and pouting her lips.  God, she loved the power her looks gave her – even if it was over a couple of douche bags like these.  “Hi boys,” she purred as she approached the two guards, her tongue running slowly across her bottom lip.    “I know why a pair of studs are you are up here in the middle of nowhere.”

”Why’s that?” Asked one of the guards, god he was practically drooling.

“’Cause if you were downstairs none of us girls would get any work done.”  Deciding she was close enough she lunged forward, grabbed the men by their tie knots and pulled, propelling the two guards face-first into the wall opposite.  Spinning round she snapped off a pair of side kicks to the men’s heads sending them crumpling to the ground.  She grinned to herself; damn she’d missed the rush a bit of violence gave her. 

“Get the bodies,” her good humour evaporated as Xander walked up behind her followed by the others, “and dump them in the broom closet.  You and I will take their posts.  Wes, you, and Lara find what books you can.  Many, you go with them, deal with security.”

Once the others had disappeared Faith turned to Xander, intending to confront Xander and the way he’d been treating her.  Her resolve crumbled at the man’s cold mask.  She turned away so he couldn’t see the pain etched on her face.  What her mom had always said was true– she was nothing but a worthless whore.

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