The tweed man paces backwards and forwards waiting for the rest of the Scooby's to arrive. Willow , Tara and Xander were already there. Xander was over by the window looking out through the blinds. "I say we give her five more then we get on with it."
"But this thing could happen again at any time Xander ! It's most important we have people in place before it does!" Giles bemoans .
Xander lets the curtains go and walks back to the rest of the gang. "Okay ! Right let's review the facts. 1 over the past two nights three teenagers from different theatres simply disappeared." He cleans his glasses as he paces. "Each one was with a date and each one simply vanished in front of there respective partners."
Willow looks shocked . "And you want us to go to pictures and hang around till one of us gets grabbed?"
"Well putting it in a nutshell yes." He gives each of them an expensive walkie talkie each. "I will be on channel thirteen so at the first sign of trouble just click away and I will be there pronto."
Xander looks embarrassed. "Um two things Giles. I don't have a date since Anya watched that porno and discovered there were men out there with bigger... attributes..."
Willow sniggers and whispers something to Tara about Speedo's and holds her hands a foot apart. Xander turns and points at her. "I maybe a townie but I'm not deaf! And thank you so much for the compliment !"
"Where was I .. Oh yeah I need to borrow ten bucks for the film." Xander smiles hopefully at Giles who dips into his tips bowl from the coffee shop and slips Xander a twenty.
"Now I'll position myself outside of Xander's theatre seeing as how he'll be flying solo." He leaves a note for Buffy after asking what movie Xander was going to see.
"Well Evil Dead 5 is playing and I kind'a wanted to see that anyway so it'll be like killing two birds with your money." Xander gives him that smile again.
Buffy runs up to Giles's place and lets herself in. "Hey Giles! Anybody?" She moves into the lounge and reads Giles's note.
Xander is sitting down with his popcorn and coke just as Buffy comes running up to him. "Hiya date buddy!" She grabs the popcorn and starts munching away. "So what's this one about?"
"Buff it's an Evil Dead movie not Gone with the Wind! Sit back relax and just go with the experience that is BRUCE CAMPBELL! And whatever nymphet he's helping in this one."
Xander's walkie sparks to life and he pushes the ear piece further in. "Yeah G-Man she just arrived and took point on my popcorn.And uh you aren't going to do this when the movie starts are ya'?"
The movie is half way through and Xander is concentrating that hard on watching it he almost doesn't notice an almost silent sob coming from the Buffster. He looks at her as she tries to smother another sob.
"Okay Buff I know it's not the movie so spill !" Xander has lost all interest in the movie now that the Chosen one was upset over something.
"It's okay Xand watch your movie I'm alright.....*sniff*" Buffy can no longer hold her tears back and she sobs into his shirt.
Xander hugs her thinking * If Riley has dumped her he's a God damn deadman * "Riley's gone back to the army and he took Graham with him."
"I know it hurts right now Buff but give it time and I'm sure ..."
"No Xand you don't get it ! He picked Graham over me !" She starts sobbing again and he makes sympathetic noises but on the inside he's laughing fit to burst.
"Well at least he'll give new meaning to the coming out parade." He thinks his little joke has hit Buffy hard as she starts shaking harder but then he realises she laughing. "I wonder if they'll have married quarters at Fort Dix?"
Buffy hits him on the shoulder causing the popcorn tub to take flight. "Xander ! That's uncalled for.. But funny... I wonder if he'll be a 'Drill' Sergeant?"
The coke Xander was drinking squirts out of his nose and they both brake up laughing. Buffy runs her hand up and down his chest. "I can always count on you to get me laughing again Xand." Suddenly she feels very hot and some force pulls them together there lips almost touch before Buffy pulls back and stands up . "Um ...I'll go get you some more coke 'n' munchies."
She walks out with all the restraint she can muster. * Dear God what was she doing! For gosh sakes she was about to use her best friend as a rebound guy*
She runs into Willow and Tara at the confectionary stand. "Hey guys what's your movie like?"
Willow and Tara stare at Buffy. "What's wrong Buff you look like hell?"
Buffy wipes her eyes. "Oh same old same old ,same old--boyfriend dumped me yadda yadda.... I made a pass at Xander in a theatre."
"Wow ! Has Xander landed yet?" Tara exclaims
"Why ? He has lost that crush he had on me and besides he has Anya." Buffy has a ' little girl lost ' look on her face.
"I don't know where you've been for the past week Buffy but Anya left Xander when the Chippendale's came to town."
Buffy smiles a thousand watt smile and grabs their coke and popcorn. "Sorry girls I have to get these back to Xand before he dies of hunger."
Willow strokes Tara's hair . "Have I told you lately how much I love you?"
Xander is worried. "Great Harris piss the only girl you ever liked... no damnit....loved by trying to jump her bones two seconds after she tells you her boyfriend dumped her"
He watches the movie without thinking and wonders who the jerk is standing in front of it. He looks around but no one else seems to see him. "SHIT!" He keys the transmit button. "Giles I think it's here !"
"Okay Xander I'll inform the others Buffy's on her way back." Giles whispers to him but Xander is concentrating more on the weird guy walking up the isle. "Giles he's on his way ou....OH SHIT!........."
The guy stands in front of him and points to him. "PERFECT ! Welcome to the party pal!!"
Buffy is almost to her seat when she sees some one talking to Xander . She shouts out when both the guy and Xander disappear in a flash of light !
Willow , Tara and Giles rush in to find Buffy frantically searching the rows of seats for any sign of Xander. "Buffy where's Xander." Willow asks praying she'll say he's hiding. Buffy is now crying harder than she did when Riley left her . "This guy dressed all in black was talking to him then he pointed at him and they just vanished."
Willow cries out . "NO!" She starts to look for him as well. They all went back to Giles's where Joyce was waiting for them , after Giles had phoned her to tell her the bad news. She hugs her daughter. "We'll get him back Buffy ! He's to good a friend to just give up with out a fight! "
Buffy's cry of anguish is muffled by Joyce sweater but she heard it all the same. With a confused look she turns to Willow . "Um she has more than 'friendly' thoughts regarding Xander now Mrs Summers. And we all know how he felt about her." Willow stammers.
Buffy stands up straight and wipes her eyes. Everyone is scared by the look she has on . "RIGHT! Giles , Willow --Research, I want to know what freak'o took my... Xander and how to get him back. I also want to know how to kill it ! It's never going to do this in my town again!"
Xander is tapping on a window behind the window is a room full of babies hooked up to machines. He tapes again as Francis 7 walks up to him. Francis- "The comps said you were here what are you doing?"
Logan- "See that one." He points to a dark haired baby. "That's Logan 6 ! The city authorised a new sandman and that's him!" He taps the window again.
Francis- "If you really want to wake him let me!" He takes out his gun and hits the window waking both the babies and the security protocols.
* Unauthorised presence in Nursery please identify*
Logan- "Logan 5 and Francis 7 Sandmen"
* Authority recognised Sandmen resume*
The two Sandmen walk out of nursery and head for carousel. While on the travelator. Francis- "You don't know the seed mother do you ?"
Xander looks sick- "No! Hell that's ..Just sick Francis!"
Computor- *Capricorn 15 year of the city 2274 . Carousel is about to begin*
Xander is looking around at all the pretty women walking into the Carousel dome. People are wearing the colour of their life clock. Yellow for newborn's 7-14 Green for teens 15-22 and red for adults 23-30. Except for Sandmen they all wear black with grey facings and shoulder pads.The life clock is a crystal implanted in the palm of the right hand by the Computer at birth in the nursery.
Xander and Francis take their seats for the show.
Logan- "Now there's a couple that could be the seed mother"
Francis- "Only a couple ! Logan your just not trying hard enough . We're Sandmen for City's sake we can have anyone or anything we want !"
They watch as the first batch of potential renewers move into the ring. They are all wearing robes over the elaborate costume. They hold up their palms as they drop their robes. Everyone can see their life clocks blinking the tell tale sign of some one reaching 30.
* Capricorn 15 year of the city 2244. Be strong and you will be renewed*
A vast crystal moves down from the roof and an energy field envelopes them.The crowd start chanting crazily. "RENEW ! RENEW ! RENEW !"
Xander and Francis are caught up with the chant as the players begin their dance with death. They float upwards towards the crystal acting like they're swimming until the first one hits the energy barrier and disintegrates.
The only plan the gang could come up with was almost the same as the one that had cost them Xander. Buffy was watching the only film showing that day along with the rest of the gang.
Giles - "I can't believe I'm watching Evil Dead 5! What there's not enough death and mayhem in my life I have to see it in a movie ? "
Buffy -Glares at Giles. "It happened about here Giles so you go and see Willow and Tara make sure their okay while I wait and see if 'Blacky ' returns."
Buffy has a special silver knife waiting just for him if he does. She looks around and sees some one appear in front of the screen. She checks and no one else appears to see him but when she looks back he's gone. She stands up and searches for him when she feels him behind her.
MIB- "So if you wanted to join him all you had to was ask !" He points at her just as Giles goes back to his seat . Giles races over and tackles him throwing him over the seats in front and knocking him out.
Giles- "Okay Buffy we have him now we can get Xander and the others back ..Buffy ? AW CHRIST !"
Xander's remote is beeping- "City's sake not now!" He lifts up to his ear then says okay.
Francis is chanting with the others and trying to get on with a couple of greens to his left when he notices Xander is missing. "Sorry ladies I'll be back when I find my friend."
Xander holds his remote out and scans the area when Francis runs into him . He is about to say something smart when Xander puts a finger to his lip and points to the archway while taking out his gun.
Francis- "Closest to it without killing him wins."
Logan- "Your on! Only this time no shooting at me !"
The man is running as fast as a marathon champion. "Just one more turn then into the sewers and..."
Logan- "RUN RUNNER !" Xander is standing in front of him and he turns and runs the other way.
Francis- "You heard the Sandman---RUN!" He fires just in front of him and sets the man off running to the side where Xander is waiting. His shot grazes his leg.
Logan- "I said run not limp runner or are you a limper ?" The man takes off dodging into the shrubbery as Francis and Xander laugh at him. He makes it to level 2 but finds Xander waiting with Francis on the other side of the walkway he backs up to the wall.
Xander and Francis fire round after round of the incendiary energy charges from their guns. Xander's shots ,being the most accurate , creep ever closer some burning the clothes until one of Francis's rounds hits the man in the shoulder.
Francis- "Shit ! " The man staggers around and makes it to the guard rail. "Damn ! He's yours Logan take him out."
Xander steadies his aim and shoots him in the head forcing his body over the edge and onto the side walk.
Logan- "Logan 5 requesting clean up in sector 342." he makes his way down to the ground level and searches the runners pockets coming up with an ID crystal a money crystal and a strange piece of jewellery. He then checks the information on his remote. "Hm something's not right." He checks the picture against the one on his screen. "Request visual check of runner." He watches as the picture appears on his screen followed by a note. Francis arrives just then.
Francis- "He was good...for a runner." He picks up on Xander's worry. "What's up?"
They both move out of the way as a hover cleaner moves over the body and sprays it. The body dissolves and it the cleaner sprays a cleanser over the spot and moves on. Xander-"
That runner had a face change at new you 157 two days before he ran. Some one helped him to run !"
Giles is frantic first he looses Xander and then Buffy now while he was searching for Buffy the man in black escaped. "Damn he was right here Willow !"
"Never mind Giles at least we know who he is."
"Damn right now all we need to do is find Ethan Rayne and make him return Buffy and the rest of the teenagers." If we can ! he thinks.
Xander is in his apartment . After showering and uploading his report he pours himself a large drink and switches on the 'Circuit '. A three dimensional pattern starts up and a woman in red appears . Xander shakes his head and the pattern reappears and is replaced by a man in a thong. Xander spits out his drink and waves his hand dismissing the man. The pattern starts up and is replaced by a beautiful blonde girl almost wearing a green ...Scarf ? It barely covers her and as soon as she appears she looks confused then notices how her dress hardly leaves anything to the imagination. "What they don't have any cloth in this world...HEY XANDER !"
Logan- "Who ? ... Never mind for a girl as pretty as you I'll be anyone you want.What's your name?"
BUFFY- "It's ah... * come on you know your name*... Jessica 6." * Where the hell did that come from?*
Xander grabs her and starts to kiss her . "Please NO !" She cries. Logan laughs and grabs her hand and starts to lead her to the bedroom. Again she cries. "NO!" and pulls away from him. "Why ever not? Oh you prefer women."
Jessica- "No ! And eew !" She looks around the room the memories she had at first are slowly vanishing and are being replaced by new ones. "I just want to talk."
Logan-Laughing again. "Talk! Why did you put yourself on the circuit if all you want to do is talk ?"
Jessica- "I was feeling sorry a friend was on carousel tonight and was murdered with the rest."
Logan- He almost spits his drink out again. "Why do you call it Murder they all had an equal chance to renew it's just no one did tonight."
Jessica- "Or any other night ! Haven't you ever asked yourself why no one knows of any one having been renewed?" She sees , for the first time , his gun on the table and his uniform hanging on the door. "Why do you kill?"
Logan- He snorts his disgust- "I don't kill! You know the rules." He holds his right palm up towards her. "When this goes black you try like 'outside' for renewal. You run." He walks over to table and pulls out his gun and waves it under her nose. "And I hunt you and put you down !"
Jessica- With pity in her voice she says. "Don't you feel anything?"
Logan- Replaces his gun . "Of course we do but if you really want to know the bedrooms just up there." She shakes her head. "How old are you."
Jessica- "I'm a green six I go red next year."
Logan- "Why you've got years to go yet why worry?" She nods her head. "Ah you can say yes then. A pretty girl like you why you've only just come into seeding age." He looks at her again. "I bet the reds are just falling all over themselves just to get you to put their name on your records." She smiles. "It's nice to see you can do that as well."
Just then a drunk Francis walks in the room with two pretty young greens. Buffy uses this opportunity to get out before he seduces her.
Logan- "Damn it Francis I almost had her !" He sees the two girls and all is forgiven.
Francis- "Hey Logan are we going to party or what ?" Throws a drug bomb onto the ceiling and as the erotic drug wafts downwards Logan grabs both girls. "Hey you got my screamer ."
Logan- "No I got my screamer's go get your own!" Xander laughs as the girls start to undress him.
Willow comes running into Joyce's lounge to be confronted by Giles trying to comfort her. "Um Giles I may have found something!" They move into the spare room , now converted into a computer room. "I was searching for anything similar to what's been happening here and I came across this." She shows them a crime website with the records opened to the historical section.A section on disappearances in theatres going back to the Sumerian era.
Willow reads out the bare facts. "It appears the demon Dreacolees has people sacrificed to it by making them re-enact plays or in our case Movies. What he does is to transport them to real life situations based on plays. Everything is real.. Especially your death !"