"The only thing I could track down was this address, 'The Sunset Club', still nothing incriminating." Willow told Xander and Angel as they headed down the alley towards the address for the club.
"No paper trails, no records? I'd call that incriminating enough." Angel replied.
"I'm with Deadboy on this one." Xander agreed
"The records show this used to be an old bomb shelter, but I couldn't find anything else out about this place." Willow replied, "I'm not even sure what kind of club it is."
"Well, we're about to find out." Xander knocked on the door to the club.
A small slot opened in the door and a pair of eyes examined the trio.
"Yes?"
"We're friends of Ford." Xander told the person behind door.
A series of metallic bolts being drawn sounded from behind the door and it slowly slid open. Xander eyed the open doorway for a second, then shrugged. As nonchalantly as he could he walked through the door, followed closely by Willow and Angel.
As they walked down the metal stairwell to the Club below, Xander noticed the odd way most of the people were dressed and realized what 'The Sunset Club' was all about.
"Hey Deadboy."
"Could you not call me that?" Angel asked annoyed.
"Not happening." Xander replied with a grin. "Look, when we start asking questions, someone is going to say something really stupid about Vampires. Do me a favor. Bite your tongue, hell stake yourself for all I care. Just don't tell them how stupid they are. Got it?"
"I'll try," Angel looked dubious.
"This is just a bit creepy." Willow looked around. As they passed one mans actually resting in vertically place coffin, he offered them a cheery, "Hi."
"Tell me about it," Xander nodded, "This whole 'Vampires yay' thing is starting to bug me."
"Are you new here?" A girl asked as she approached them.
"Yeah," Xander nodded, "We just this place as a matter of fact."
"Well, my name is Chantrelle," The girl told them, "So when did you learn about the Lonely Ones?"
"The who?" Willow asked.
"You're going to have to pardon her," Xander stepped as Chantrelle frowned, "The last time she heard bout these guys was as the 'pointy-fanged bitey ones'."
"Vampires," Angel agreed as he joined them.
"So many people have that misconception," Chantrelle smiled, "But those who walk the night aren't interested in hurting anyone. They're a race above us, exalted."
"And you're a fool." Angel glared at her.
"There's no need to be rude," Chatrelle back up, "Views other than yours can be valid you know."
As she walked away, Xander asked Angel. "What did I tell you?"
"Yeah now no one's going to want to talk to us." Willow added.
"I've seen enough." Angel replied, "They're children making up stories about 'nice' vampires to keep back the dark."
"Is that so bad?" Willow asked, "I mean the dark can be a scary place."
"This is like pretending a hungry Grizzly is a cute teddy bear, Will." Xander shook his head, "I just don't get why Ford is..."
"What's the matter?" Willow asked as Xander suddenly stopped.
"I thought of something." Xander said softly. "We'd better go."
After they left the club, Xander asked Willow. "Will, why did Ford leave Hemery?"
"I don't know," Willow answered, "There's no record of him being expelled, and he just didn't re-enroll at the start of the semester."
"Xander?" Willow asked as he kept walking apparently lost in thought. "Will, I need you to find out who Ford's doctor is." Xander told her. "I need to know if he's suffering from anything terminal."
"Why would you want to know that?" Willow asked, then realized why. "You think he wants to become a vampire?"
"Yeah," Xander nodded, "I think so. It's the only thing that fits the evidence we have on him so far."
"Okay," Willow nodded, "I'll check, but what if he isn't... Sick I mean?"
"Then I'll have to figure out another reason why someone who's supposedly buddy buddy with the Slayer is doing hanging out with a bunch of Anne Rice reading, vamp wannabees."
Inside his lair, Spike was busy hammering one of his minions' heads into the wall.
"All I ask is that you bloodly wankers kill one lousy sidekick." He dropped the twitching body of the minion to the ground and turned to face the others. "Is that too much to ask?"
"I swear we've tried, boss." One of the smaller minions a small bookish vampire offered. "The first three groups we send never came back."
Spike started forward to grab him by the throat when a voice interrupted them. "Well this is cool."
Spike and the others turned to see a young man looking around the lair. Spike turned to the others and asked, "Did I miss something? When did we get dinner delivered?"
"Spike," The young man held out his hand. "William the Bloody himself."
"I know who I am mate," Spike replied, "But who the bloody hell are you? Aside from lunch I mean."
"My name is Billy Fordham, Ford." Ford answered, "And I want to be Immortal."
"I spent less than a minute with you." Spike growled, his 'game face' appearing. "And I can't stand you. I'm not about to bloody well try to imagine you around for eternity."
"I've got a deal for you." Ford backed up as Spike closed with him. "I can give you the Slayer."
"Who gives a damn about the bloody Slayer." Spike grabbed Ford by the throat. "I want her bloody sidekick, that Harris punk."
Ford thought fast, "If you get the Slayer, Harris will come to you."
Spike thought about it. "All right mate, You've earned five minutes. Start talking."
After ditching Deadboy and dropping Willow off at her place, Xander made a beeline to a small public storage facility near the industrial area of town. Before entering the 4x4 locker, Xander checked to make sure all of his 'telltales' were still in place.
<Lets see,> Xander checked to see if the small piece of paper he'd jammed into the small space between the door and the jamb was still there. He then pulled out the toothpick that was resting on the bolt itself. <Okay, looks good.>
Xander entered the locker and made sure the door was shut securely before turning on the light. Inside the locker were the results of Xander's new found knowledge. On one wall, alongside bottles of holy water and wooden stakes, were new devices that Xander was in the middle of testing before showing them to Buffy. A set of filing cabinets took up the far wall and the wall opposite the door was a gun rack containing some very odd looking projectile weapons.
Xander picked through the weapons, ignoring the aerosol bombs full of holy water and the homemade flash-bang grenades, and decided on the still untested magnesium flare capsules and a pair of electrically driven cutting disks. A pair of steel-reinforced wooden daggers completed his weapons and a heavy brown leather duster hid them from view.
Turning to the filing cabinets, Xander pulled one completely out and checked the two envelopes he'd taped to the back. Inside was a bundle of bills.
<About six hundred left.> Xander thought as he pulled out a couple of hundred. The last thing he grabbed before leaving the locker was the black mask that he'd kept from The Confessor's costume. <Time to go hunting again.>
Xander relocked the door and reset his 'tell-tales', then headed out to the one of the Cemetery's that Buffy wasn't supposed to patrol that night. His methods were simple and brutally effective. He'd do a quick patrol of the cemetery, clearing out any 'newbie' that just got out of the grave, then he'd take to the roofs keeping an eye out for any older vamps using the alleyways as a hunting ground.
Tonight was slow so far, the patrol of the Cemetery resulted in one new vamp being dusted and a couple of potential nest sites found. The open crypts were empty so far, but sooner or later something would move in. So Xander made a mental note to check now and then.
After a bit, Xander left the graveyard and widened his hunting area. A darkened fire escape gave him access to the rooftops. Moving over the roofs, he kept his ears and eyes open for trouble. It was on slow nights like these that Xander sometimes wondered just how much of this was residual instincts leftover from the merger with thee Confessor. A shrill scream caught his attention and Xander headed straight for the sound.
When he arrived Xander was a bit disappointed by what he saw. There down below him, was a young girl being hassled by Jack O'toole, the resident psycho of Sunnydale high and two of his pet goons. With a sigh, Xander examined the ground twenty-five feet below then jumped. His aim was perfect, he landed slightly behind the largest of the three teens. Most of the force of his landing was absorbed by his slightly bent legs, the remainder Xander utilized to shove the teen into his two compatriots. The impact sent all three teens to the ground, knocking them out cold.
The young teenaged girl started forward to thank her rescuer, grateful for his timely intervention. As the figure straightened and turned to face her, she got a good look at the black mask covering most of his face. She also got a really good look at the silver gleam coming from his eyes and she did the only reasonable thing she could. She fainted dead away.
Xander looked on in surprise as the girl keeled over unconscious. Frowning he said, "Look, I know I haven't had a shower yet but I can't be that bad. I mean I do use deodorant."
As usual Xander met Willow and Bully for recess. "Hey, jilt isn't my two most favorite girls in all the world."
"Hey Xander." Willow looked excited about something. "Did you hear about what happened to Jack O'toole?"
"No, what?" Xander asked as innocently as possible.
"He got arrested last night." Buffy added.
"Nothing new about that." Xander shook his head, "O'toole's been in and out of trouble since before I was in grade school."
"Not like this." Willow shook her head, "The girl they picked on is like the deputy chief of police's daughter or something. I heard someone say the prosecutor's talking about trying him as an adult."
"I thought..." Xander cut himself off before he could say 'I thought she looked familiar'.
"You thought what?" Buffy asked.
"Oh, uhh." Xander cursed himself silently. "I thought O'toole was too smart to get caught."
"Well, I think maybe Angel saved her." Buffy said.
"What?!" Xander stared at Buffy in shock. "Why would you think that?"
"Well, the story is that Monica, the girl that got attacked, only saw her rescuer from behind. But the guy jumped down from the top of the building and that's not something your average person can do. Not to mention he knocked out Jack O'toole and two of his buddies with one blow."
"Do tell," Xander sighed, <Damn, that's what I get for keeping secrets. Deadboy gets the credit again.>
"Oh!" WIllow suddenly remembered, "Xander, the answer to the question you asked last night? The answer is yes."
"What question?" Bully asked as they entered the Library.
"Oh!' Xander shrugged, "Just some homework. I needed to know if there were polar-bears in the Antarctic."
"Umm, Xander." Bully interrupted. "I'm pretty sure, Polar Bears live in the Arctic not the antarctic."
"Oh," XandŠr mocked shock. "I guess I gotta re-write my paper then."
"Xander!" Willow scolded.
"Kidding!" Xander held his hands up. "I meant the arctic of course."
Buffy sighed, "So what did you do last night?"
"Not much," Xander shook his head, then sighed, "Buff, we need to talk. In private."
"I guess this is as good a place as any." Bully replied, not liking the serious looks in Willow and Xander's eyes.
"So" Mayor Richard Wilkins leaned forward in his chair. "Tell me in detail, about this 'incident' last night?"
"Well, sir." Douglas Harcourt, the Mayor's aide, replied nervously. "It's like this. Deputy police chief Henson's daughter was walking home from the movies when a Mr. Jack O'toole and two of his friends, a Bob Cudlitz and a Dickey Torrence accosted her."
"Shameful," The Mayor shook his head, "Absolutely dreadful, what are the youth of today coming to."
"1 totally agree sir," Douglas nodded earnestly, "Uh, did you want me to continue?"
"Oh," The Mayor leaned back, "How rude of me, a thousand apologies, go on."
"Well, as per your orders I've had the official record altered to show that Mr. O'toole and company were arrested in the act by several members of the Sunnydale police department. I believe that Judge Callon intends to put him away for a long time."
"Excellent." The Mayor nodded, "Mr. O'toole always has been a bit of a loose cannon, can't have one of those running around now. Can I?"
"Of course not, sir." Harcourt agreed, "As for the actual record, Miss Henson reported that a 'man wearing a dark leather coat, black shirt, blue jeans and boots, jumped from the top of the building and knocked all three of her attackers out."
"Ah, a hero type." The Mayor smiled, "1 must commend this fellow on his civic mindness, coming to the aid of a lady in distress. Bravo.
Then the Mayor sighed, "Of course I can't condone Vigilante behavior either. Do we have any idea who it might be?"
"No sir." His aide shook his head, "Miss Henson said that the person was wearing a black mask that covered all of his face except his eyes."
"I see," The Mayor frowned slightly, "Could it be this Angel fellow, I've heard so much about?"
"I don't believe so, sir." The aide shook his head, "I think it's the same person that been hunting vampires lately."
"I see," Mayor Wilkins nodded. "Is he an ally of the Slayer?"
"Not that we can determine." The aide shook his head, "He seems to be an independent."
"Well," The Mayor picked up the report. "That does put a crimp in the plans doesn't it? I tell you what, I really want to talk this new hunter. He could be a disruptive influence and that's something I really frown upon."
"I'll put the word out with our people, sir. Let him know that you really want a sit down with him to find out his agenda."
"That's an excellent idea!" The Mayor said enthusiastically. "Just make certain he knows that I won't take no for an answer."
"Certainly, sir." Sweating, Douglas quickly left the Mayor's office.
"I don't believe you!" Buffy said angrily after Willow and Xander told her what they discovered about Ford. "Ford is a friend."
"He's dying, Bully." Xander replied as evenly as possible. "He's got six months to live and he's hooked up with a group of vampire wannabbes. And now, all of a sudden, he's here looking for you. What else fits the facts?"
"I don't..." Buffy faltered, "I can't believe this..."
"Can you believe your friends?" Giles spoke for the first time since Willow and Xander laid down their theory. "Have Willow or Xander ever lied to you about something important?"
"No," Buffy sighed. "I just can't believe Ford is trying to become a vampire."
"Fear..." Giles paused for a second collecting his thoughts. "Fear can make a person do things they wouldn't normally do."
"The only thing I can't figure out is how he intends to keep the vampire from killing him." Xander reported, "I mean vamps are more inclined to just treat you as lunch."
"I don't know either," Buffy replied, "But I'm going to find out."
After school, Buffy was headed straight for the 'Sunset Club' when Xander caught up with her. One look at the leather coat he was wearing and she saw red. "Xander? You're the one that saved Monica Henson?"
"Yeah," Xander nodded, "I guess I'd better explain, huh?"
"Not now," Buffy shook her head, "One piece of insanity at a time."
"Okay," Xander nodded, "I think I figured out what Ford has planned."
"Oh?" Buffy waited, "Well?"
"What's the one thing he could offer a vampire that might make them listen to him?" Xander offered, "Something that only he might be able to deliver?"
"I still don't..." Buffy's voice trailed off at the look Xander was giving her. "Me? Duh! Of course! The Slayer on a silver platter. What vamp could resist that offer?"
"I finally figured it out when I remembered what the club used to be." Xander explained, "Steel door, solid concrete walls. Only one way in or out."
"The perfect trap for a Slayer." Buffy nodded. "So what do we do?"
"You take these." Xander held out two metal canisters about the size of a tomato can and a small black radio."
"And these are?"
Xander pointed to the top of each canister where a small raised plastic button was situated. "Push that and a fine holy water fog will fill the area. Considering the size of the club, two should cover the whole place."
"Cool." Buffy put the two aerosol grenades away. Holding up the radio, "And this?"
"Two way radio." Xander shrugged, "The earpiece and wire are flesh colored and should be hidden behind your hair. That way I can tell what's going on at all times."
"You're not going to try to talk me out of going in there?" Buffy asked.
"I know you too well, to try that. Buff," Xander shook his head. "But Angel, Will and I are going to be there to provide backup."
"Oh yeah," Xander pulled one of his steel core wooden daggers out. "These work for stabbing and cutting."
"Thanks." Buffy nodded as she headed for the Club entrance.
Buffy tried to reason with the Club members even going so far as telling them what Ford really had planned. She didn't really expect them to believe her but she had to try. Ford tried to shut her up with the help of a crowbar but unfortunately for him, Buffy saw this and knocked him cold. Even as Buffy almost managed to get the Club goers to believe her when Xander announced.
"Buffy, Spike and crew just arrived." Xander told her over the radio. "He's brought a lot of friends."
"Oh joy," Buffy replied, "You're sure about these foggers right?"
"Already tested them." Xander replied, "They work."
"That's good to know." Buffy said as Spike and nearly twenty other vampires walked in the room. Behind them the door slid shut, effectively trapping the club goers in with the vamps.
Spike looked around the room and counted head, "All right folks, there's enough to go around so just remember, nobody touches the Slayer till I get my hands on the Harris punk."
<He's after Xander?> Buffy wondered about that.
"Hey Spike," Buffy taunted as the vamps moved down the stairs. "I thought you were after me?"
"Not this time, Slayer." Spike growled, "You're just icing, your friend Harris is the bloody cake. He killed my Dru, now I'm gonna make him bleed."
<Xander killed Drusilla?> Buffy wondered. She reached into her pockets and pulled out the foggers, hiding them behind her back. <When did this happen?>
"If you want these people." Buffy stepped in front of the stairs. "You have to go through me."
Spike thought about it, "You know, it occurs to me that Harris won't know whether you're alive or not until it's too late. So... get her!"
As four of Spike's followers started forward, Buffy pushed down hard on the foggers' triggers and a white mist poured out of both cans. All Buffy felt was a cool wetness, something like walking through a thick fog. But for the Vampires, it was like being sprayed with acid. The more than half of the vamps were caught in the fog and screamed as smoke poured off of them. The ones who were still above the fog scrambled to get back up the stairs, Spike threw two of his people over the railing too get out of the burning mist. He turned to see the Slayer moving through the mist, dusting the vampires as they writhed in pain.
"Bloody hell, who gave her those?" Spike asked as he and the others waited for the mist to dissipate. Of his original twenty followers, Spike had eight left.
"Hey, look." One of his men pointed to the door. "The door's opening."
"What?" Spike's eyes widened as two more foggers rolled into the Club, these stayed on the landing and started to spew the same burning mist.
"Bollocks!" Spike raced out the door, trying to get to the open air as fast as possible. Behind him, four of his followers managed to race through the mist before it got to thick. The others fell over the railing as the mist enveloped them.
"Hey, Spike!" Xander stepped out of the shadows, flanked by Angel and Willow. "I heard you were looking for me."
"HARRIS!" Spike bellowed, "GET HIM!"
The four remaining vampires, seeing the odds at least favored them, rushed forward. One headed straight for Willow and got a seltzer bottle full of holy water right in the face. Two closed with Xander while the last closed with Angel.
Spike waited until Angel was busy with his dusting his opponent then snuck up behind him and blindsided him with a two by four. Spike turned to see one of the vampires facing Xander turn to dust. "HARRISS!!!!"
Xander turned in time to see Spike charging him, two by four still in his hands. He ducked the first swing, which actually knocked the remaining vampire out of the fight. He palmed the cutting blade in his right hand and activated the motor setting the disk spinning at an incredible speed. Centrifugal force popped the blades proper out of their disk housing. He stepped forward intending to cut the two by four, instead he wound up sending the blades right through Spike's left arm.
Spike's cry of agony caused Xander to step back for a second. That was long enough for Spike to start running. Xander snapped his arm forward and released the catch that sent the disk hurtling at Spike. Unfortunately, Xander hadn't had much practice throwing the blade yet and it wound up stuck in the wall instead of Spike's back.
"Damn!" Xander swore as Spike disappeared into the darkness.
"Um, Xander?" Buffy said over the radio.
"Yeah, Buff?"
"The mist is gone, and I've still got three vamps moving down here."
Xander looked around quickly and saw that the other vamp was already gone and Willow was standing guard over a still unconscious Angel.
"On my way," Xander told Buffy as he raced for the Club door.
Xander rushed into the club to see Buffy trying to keep the three vampires separate from the club goers. The three vamps were spread out in a way that meant she couldn't really close with one without leaving an opening for the other two.
Xander pulled a wooden dagger from a sheath on his hip and jumped over the railing to land behind the centermost vampire. The noise of his landing caused the vamp to turn around. Xander took advantage of his surprise to drive the dagger home.
As the vamp dusted, Buffy lunged forward and dusted the vampire closest to her. The last vampire seeing the odds suddenly turn against her, ran for the stairs. She'd almost reached the top of the stairs when two daggers entered her back less than an inch apart.
"Good throw," Xander told Buffy.
"Likewise," Buffy nodded, then turned to the club-goers. "Okay, Spike's likely to be back with reinforcements pretty soon, so anyone who doesn't want to part of a vampire all you can eat buffet. LEAVE NOW!"
The Club-goers were so scared that she didn't have to tell them twice, they ran for the exit as fast as possible. Buffy waited for them to leave then turned to Xander. "You. Me. Library. NOW!"
<Here we go.> Xander sighed.
At the library, Giles was startled by Buffy's door-slamming entrance into the room. As she threw herself into one the chairs she screamed. "Xander... Vampires... Patrol... Spike! AAARRGH!"
"If you'd care to add a few verbs and a preposition or two, I might be able to comprehend your last statement."
"What she's trying to tell you, Giles." Xander said from the doorway. "Is that she's just found out that I've been patrolling on my own."
"What did you just say?" Giles stared dumbfounded at Xander.
"I said..."
"I heard you," Giles acknowledged, "I just find hard to believe that you could engage in such a rash and foolhardy venture."
"Nothing rash about it," Xander shrugged. "I just needed to do something."
"You mean like get yourself killed? Buffy asked, "What were you thinking about Xander? Have you completely lost your mind!?"
"Buffy," Giles interrupted the Slayer's tirade. "Getting upset isn't going to solve anything."
"I'm not upset!" Buffy stood up and started waving her hands in the air, "Do I look upset!?"
"Um..." Willow started to answer then stopped as Buffy glared at her.
"Buffy," Xander sighed, "I know exactly what I'm doing."
"Xander!"
"Buffy!" Xander interrupted her. "What is wrong with what I'm doing?"
"It's too dangerous," Buffy replied. "You could get hurt!"
"I could get hurt crossing the street." Xander's voice started to rise to match Buffy's. "Besides, Spike's got in for me. He's already tried to kill me three times already, four if you count the club."
"FOUR!?" Willow, Buffy and Giles asked simultaneously in shock.
"Why the hell didn't you tell us?" Buffy started shouting again.
"Because I knew this would happen." Xander replied, "I won't stop doing this now."
"Why?" Buffy asked.
"Why didn't you quit?" Xander asked. "You could have just walked last year. You even told Giles that you quit. So why didn't you?"
"Because," Buffy paused, "Because I couldn't just let them..."
"You couldn't let them hurt people and not try to stop them." Xander finished for her. "Don't you get it Buff? Neither can I. I don't think Will can either. That's why we're still in this, because we're you're friends and we want to help."
"Xan."
"Before he broke the bust, the Confessor told me that he was leaving me a gift." Xander sat down as he tried to explain, "He knew Buffy, he understood. I can't not help, I can't turn my back on the darkness and ignore it."
"Xan..." Buffy went silent, "Nothing I say is going to change your mind is it?"
"Nope," Xander smiled ruefully. "Even if you tell me that I'm out of the Scoobies. I have to keep fighting."
Buffy shook head silently for s couple of seconds, then a frown replaced the sad smile on her face.
"Hey, what happened to Spike?"
"I wanted to ask the same thing." Angel said as he finally caught up with group. "The last thing I remember is being hit from behind."
"Spike hit you from behind with a two by four." Willow told Angel, "Then he went after Xander."
"And I 'disarmed' him." Xander said with a smile.
"You got the two by four away from him?" Buffy looked impressed, "Not bad."
"No," Willow looked slightly green at the memory of what happened, "Xander literally dis-armed Spike."
"I... I beg your pardon."
"She means I took Spike's arm off." Xander tapped his upper arm. "Just above his left elbow."
"How did ever you manage that?" Giles asked in shock.
"And... And what was that disk thingy you threw at Spike?" Willow asked.
"This?" Xander held up the cutter. His middle and pinkie fingers pushed the safeties and his index finger hit the trigger. A metallic sound rang out as the blades popped out of the now spinning disk, steady high-pitched buzz sounded throughout the library.
"Whoa," Buffy was impressed, "Where did you get that?"
"Made them," Xander replied, "They're based on weapons used by a Hunter that The Confessor met back in the 1900's. Some guy named Van Helsing."
"Abraham Van Helsing?" Giles asked in stunned shock. "Good Lord." "You know who Xander's talking about?" Buffy asked.
"His name is legend," Giles, told the three teenagers. "A man named Bram Stoker chronicled part of his battle against one of the more famous vampires in history."
"You're talking about Dracula." Xander nodded, "Yeah, The Van Helsing the Confessor knew fought Dracula as well, but this Van Helsing, Gabriel, was a pretty tough guy. The Confessor got a pretty good look at some of his weaponry; I've been trying to modernize them."
"So that's where you got the idea for the daggers and the fogger?" Bully asked.
"Nah," Xander shook his head, "The dagger's are something I was thinking about for a while. The fogger idea is something that the Confessor was working on, only he wanted to use pepper-spray. I just adapted the idea a bit."
Buffy was examining the dagger carefully, she flipped it over threw it at a target Giles kept for practice. The blade hit dead center, going nearly halfway through before stopping.
"I hope you've got spares," Buffy told Xander smiling, "I'm keeping this one."
Xander pulled his blade out and put that one right next to Buffy's. "You can have them both, I've got spares."
"When can I play with that?" Buffy nodded at the disk.
"When I've got all the bugs worked out," Xander shrugged, "This was the first real field test for it."
"Any other toys?" Buffy asked.
"Yep," Xander nodded, "I got one designed especially for Will."
"Me!?" Willow squeaked.
"Yeah," Xander nodded, "I just finished working on it, should be ready to go by tomorrow."
"Uhm," Giles got involved, "This isn't anything illegal is it?"
"You mean, like homemade explosives?" Xander shook his head, "Nah, I'm saving those for real trouble. I put together a directional version of the fogger, uses both pepper spray and a holy water mist. Good coverage, really ruins most attackers day."
"That's..." Willow started.
"I know," Xander smiled, "It's not Roses and tickets to the Ballet. But if you're going to help fight Vampires. You're going to need some kinda active protection."
Rupert Giles, High School Librarian and Watcher was calmly sipping tea as his teenage charge, Buffy Summers sparred with one of her best friends, Xander Harris. In the background, a steady cacophony of sound, what teenagers called music was playing at a near ear-splitting level. Noting the nearly flawless kicks, blocks, and strikes used by the two teens, Giles turned back to his journal and began reading.
Outside, in the schoolyard a harried looking man was running as though his life depended on it. He stopped a Janitor and asked him where he could find Rupert Giles. Getting the directions for the library, he ran as fast his could, yelling for Giles all the way.
Inside the library, Xander held his hand up and took a deep breath. Buffy nodded, and headed over to the tape player. Turning it off, she grabbed one of the towels set near it and tossed it over to Xander.
"Thanks, Buffy." Xander started wiping the sweat off his face.
"No prob," Buffy responded as she grabbed another towel and did the same.
"Do you hear something?" Xander asked as he just barely made out the sounds of pounding.
"Yeah," Buffy nodded, "Giles?... GILES!?"'
"He's still wearing his earplugs." Xander told her, he grabbed a cutter from his coat and headed for the door. "I'll check the outside, you tell tweed-guy we might need the heavy weapons."
"On it," Buffy snuck up behind Giles and carefully reached for one of the earplugs he was wearing.
"GILES!" Buffy shouted as she pulled his earplugs out.
"AAAH!" Giles' teacup went in one direction and his journal in the other. After he recovered from his shock, he asked, "Was there something important? Or were you just trying to give me a coronary?"
"Xander went to check on someone pounding on the outside door." Buffy said between giggles. "I just thought I'd let you know before I got the Crossbow."
"Oh," Giles stood and headed for the 'Cage'. Before he could pull anything from the weapons locker, Xander came barreling back in, half carrying someone else.
"Giles!" Xander shouted, "We've got a problem."
"Good heavens," Giles stammered as he recognized the person Xander was carrying. "Phillp."
"You know this guy?" Xander wrestled the man into a chair. "How about that thing chasing him?"
"Th... thing?" Giles looked nervous.
"Eyghon." Phillip managed to get out. "He's managed to get Diedre and Thomas, you, Ethan and I are all that are left."
"Oh dear lord." Giles sat down heavily. "I thought..."
"Whoa," Buffy interrupted, "Ethan?... Mr. I'm going to turn everyone into their costumes Ethan? You know that freak?"
"Oh dear." Giles took of his glasses.
"Don't even think about trying to evade that question." Buffy growled. "I want some answers... now!"
"Really, Buffy." Giles stammered.
"Look," Xander stepped between them, "Not to get off the subject, but who the hell is Eyghon?"
"Eyghon is a demon," Giles replied, "The... The Sleepwalker, he..."
"Giles," Buffy knelt down to where Giles sat despondently, "He's just another demon. Between me and Xander and Xander's new toys..."
Buffy paused, "Was it me, or did that sound a little obscene?"
"It wasn't you," Xander told her, "But back to the topic of the day, Buffy's right. This isn't any different from any other demon. We research; you tell us how to kill it, and tada!"
"You don't understand," Giles replied, "This is different."
"Because you don't know how to beat it?" Xander asked.
"Because I helped created it."
"Could you repeat that?" Buffy asked, "Cuz, I don't think I heard you right.
Xander and Buffy listened in shock as Giles explained how he and the others used to summon Eyghon and how badly their experiments ended.
"We thought we'd driven him back, but now."
"Now, he's after you." Bully finished, "So how is he tracking you? I mean, he managed to follow this guy across the Atlantic."
"It's the mark," Giles pulled his sleeve up to reveal an odd tattoo on his upper arm. "It's like a beacon to Eyghon. He can track us anywhere with it."
"So why didn't you just get the tattoo removed?" Xander asked.
Phillip and Giles looked at each other in shock, Finally Giles said, "Why the bloody hell didn't we think of that?"
"Senility!" Xander mocked a cough.
"Very funny." Phillip glared at Xander.
"You get used to their sense of humor." Giles told Phillip. "Though it does take some time."
"Hey!" Xander looked affronted, "I'll have you know, I have an excellent sense of humor."
"For an American," Phillip shook his head.
"Uh guys," Buffy broke in, "Getting off the subject again. Giles, How do we beat this thing?"
Giles, sighed. "Eyghon is actually very weak, without a host body he'll cease to exist."
"So he can just jump to a new body?" Xander asked.
"No," Phillip replied, "He can only jump to a dead body or an unconscious one."
"Oh joy, We caught a break." Xander rolled his eyes, "He's going to have a hard time finding a dead body in this town."
Xander double checked his watch as Giles took another turn in his aging car. "You know something G-Man? You've got to get a grown up car."
"It runs and gets me where I want to go." Giles replied, " What more do you want?"
"Something that gets us to the library in time to back Buffy up!"
"What... What exactly did Buffy say again?" Giles asked.
Xander sighed, "Buffy said, that she caught Ethan skulking around the library and decked him. Then Eye-ball showed up and she managed to lock him-her whatever inside the security cage."
"Is there any possibility he can escape?" Phillip asked nervously.
"I don't think so," Xander replied as they took the last turn before the School. "I reinforced the cage to the point where neither Buffy or me could break the door. I'm betting ol' sleep guy can't get out either."
"I certainly hope so." Giles told Xander as he pulled into the High School parking lot.
Once inside, Xander saw Jenny Calender and the others keeping watch over Ethan Rayne. "What happened?"
"I got to kick somebody." Cordelia informed him.
"That's great." Xander's eyes were fixed on Ethan Rayne's tied up form "Hi Ethan, remember me?"
Ethan took one look at Xander's eyes and shrank back into his chair. "Oh, bloody... Keep him away from me!"
"Why?" Buffy asked, "I think anything Xander does, you'll deserve."
"Yeah," Willow added, "I think he was talking about leaving you tied up in one of the cemetary's with a 'Free Lunch' sign hanging around your neck."
"You can't let them do this to me." Ethan tried to appeal to the other two women.
"Hey," Cordelia shook her head, "Don't look at me. Because of you, I got chased by Jojo the dogfaced boy and then spent half of Halloween with Miss whiner over there."
"Hey!" Buffy defended herself, "I was under a spell at the time."
"What ever."
"Xander," Miss Calender stepped between Xander and Ethan, "I don't think that..."
"Relax, Miss Calendef," Xander smiled, and tumed to look at the cage, "I'm not interested in him. At least not now."
"Keeping Giles from becoming Eyghon's next host is what concerns me."
"Deidre." Giles said as he entered the library and caught sight of the 'person' in the cage.
"I can't be one hundred percent sure," Willow told everyone, "But I'd say she's dead."
"I am sorry, Deidre." Ethan sounded sincere as he apologized to the person in the cage.
Everyone jumped a little as Eyghon threw itself at the cage causing it to rattle.
"Xander, are you sure that Eyghon can't get out of there?" Giles asked.
"Nope," Xander replied after a couple of seconds of hard thought. "Everybody but me and Buff, out now!"
"What about?" Willow pointed to Ethan.
"Drag him out of here." Buffy told her, "Just don't untie him for anything."
"What if Eyghon gets past you?" Phillip asked.
"Then leave him as bait." Xander replied.
Giles was about to reprimand Xander when he saw both the panicked look in Ethan's eyes and the Xander's wink.
"Let's go, Ethan." Giles grabbed Ethan's chair and dragged him out the door.
"Are you two going to be all right?" Willow asked as Xander and Buffy pulled out their weapons.
Buffy took a couple of practice cuts with her weapons of choice, a pair of steel cored daggers patterned on the infamous 'Bowie knife'. Turning, she smiled at Willow. "Don't worry about us. You just help keep Giles and his friend safe."
"Yeah," Xander nodded, "Eyghon can't take both of us."
"You had to say that didn't you." Buffy said as Eyghon's next blow bent the cage door slightly.
"Willow, get out of here. NOW!" Xander yelled as the door gave way.
Buffy lunged forward intending to finish the fight fast. Unfortunately for her, desperation lent Eyghon speed and strength. It ducked the first swing and backhanded her hard enough to knock her down. Xander moved in, only to be thrown into the cage by the wildly swinging demon.
Buffy climbed back to her feet and saw Eyghon going for Xander. Throwing the daggers as hard as she could, Buffy put both blades into Eyghon's back. She sighed in relief as Eyghon fell and dissolved into a puddle of slime. Within seconds the slime too was gone.
"You Okay Xander?"
"Oh, yeah," Xander stood up, "Never better."
"Good," Buffy turned to the exit, "Let's go tell Giles the good news then."
"Yeah, sounds good to me."
As they headed out the library, Xander suddenly paused, "Buffy, get out of here."
"Xander?" Willow ran up as she saw her oldest friend stagger and fall against wall.
"Buffy, get Giles out of here!" Xander's face took on the aspects of Eyghon, then shifted again the silver gleam appeared in his eyes. "I don't think I can keep control much longer."
"No." Buffy shook her head as Xander's face turned back the demon for and he ran into the night.
"Buffy, what happened?" Giles asked as everyone came running.
"It's Eyghon." Buffy told them, "He's taken possession of Xander."