"You can't be serious," Xander told the Mayor frightened.
"What you are so afraid of Alexander?" The Mayor asked confused and leaned back in his leather chair. "You have been there before and you did relatively well."
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I want to go back there," he explained. "It's boring, they force you to do things you don't want to do. It's similar to prison."
The Mayor arched an eyebrow. "High school is not that bad, Alexander."
Xander started pacing up and down in the office. "That's easy for you to say. Do you know what it is like to go to school today? It's worse than hell. And lets not forget that Buffy is also there. I bet she is already carving a stake with my name on it."
The Mayor again went through Xander's permanent record. "I really don't see a problem there. Your marks this year are better than ever. You should get into a good college with them. And I don't think Miss Summers will kill you in public."
Xander sat down in front of the desk and started counting with his fingers.
"Okay, let's list the facts. I'm eighteen, I earn more money than my father ever did and I can already know more than high school could teach me.. So tell me, why do I still have to go to school?"
"Because I spent the last hundred years guaranteeing that the public school in Sunnydale is one of the best in the whole state of California," the Mayor explained. "Do you have any idea what people would think of me if one of my employees would quit said school ? They would question my competence regarding our educational system. And I don't want that kind of trouble."
"I don't care. I still won't go back," Xander stated and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Well in that case I have to tell you that I'm no longer in need of your services," the Mayor told him and closed his file.
Xander now stared open mouthed at the man in front of him. "What? You are firing me?" he asked shocked.
The Mayor nodded. "I have to guarantee a certain educational standard regarding my employees. I have no vampire working for me that does not at least have his GED. You were an exception because you were still going to high school, so you weren't finished with your education. But if you drop out of school, well I can't employ someone without the proper qualifications."
At that moment it was not physically possible for Xander's jaw to drop lower.
"You are really serious about this?" he asked.
The Mayor nodded.
Xander shook his head. "In that case I think I have no other choice."
The Mayor now smiled at him. "Don't be that pessimistic," he said and looked at his watch." Now go to school. And after that meet me here," the Mayor told him and wrote an address on a piece of paper.
"I will have a few surprises for you once you arrive there," he said and handed it to Xander.
Xander was still shaking his head while he walked out. "Okay boss. Meet you there after school," he said and closed the door after him.
"Of course, training procedures have been updated quite a bit since your day. Much greater emphasis on field work," Wesley told Giles while he unpacked his belongings.
"Really?"
Their one sided conversation was interrupted by Buffy and Faith, who decided to choose that moment to enter the library.
They looked confused at Wesley. "New watcher?" both exclaimed at the same time.
Giles nodded.
"Wesley Wyndham-Pryce," Wesley introduced himself and held out his hand in greeting.
Faith wickedly smiled at the Watcher " Oh look B, watcher boy has a name," she told the blonde slayer. "You decide "Wes", which of your bones should I break first?"
Wesley immediately backed a few steps away.
"Faith." Giles tried to reason with her.
"What?" she asked. "Maybe I'm not allowed to kill him, but no one said I couldn't damage him a bit."
"Is she serious," Wesley asked Giles afraid.
"I'm afraid so," he told the younger watcher. "Faith it would not have a positive effect on your reputation if the new watcher would return after one day with broken bones"
"Get real G. This slimebag is sure as hell not gonna send me through this fucking Cruciamentum," she stated more serious this time.
This time Wesley interrupted the argument. "That's another reason I'm here. It's my task to inform you that the Council decided abolish this certain test," he told them and sighed. "With the demise of Mr. Quentin Travers the Cruciamentum also lost its strongest supporter."
Faith glared angrily at the watcher. "You got lucky this time."
"Well yes. Shall we start now," Wesley started. "Mr. Giles told me that you are facing a new threat here in Sunnydale?"
"Yes we wanted to talk about that in our meeting," Buffy told him.
Suddenly Cordelia, Oz and Willow stormed into the library.
"You have to see this," Willow addressed the whole group, not even noticing Wesley.
"What's up Will," Buffy asked worried.
"He is here," Willow told her still out of breath.
"Who?" Giles asked.
"Xander," Cordelia answered his question.
In a few seconds everyone left the library, leaving a confused Wesley on his own.
"Who is Xander? he asked no one in particular.
He wanted to follow his two charges, when he spotted a book on the table next to him. The title read 'Watchers Diary'. Wesley quickly took the book and stuffed it one of his pockets before he also left the library.
Xander was putting a few of his books away when he was suddenly turned around and pushed against the locker.
He immediately met the eyes of a seriously pissed off Buffy Summers.
"What do you think you are doing here?" she asked him angrily.
"Going to school," he told her. "What do you think you are doing"
Buffy snorted. " You think you are real cool running around in front of our noses."
"I'm not doing anything. The Mayor forced me to go to school, okay?" he explained. "I wouldn't be here if I had a choice."
Buffy now smiled evilly. "Oh, poor Xander is forced by the big, bad Mayor to go to school."
But Xander matched her expression. "Nice try Buff. Better luck the next time. You see, school is like neutral territory. No one attacks the other here. So watch your step, you don't want to be thrown out of school for the second time."
Xander now noticed Wesley. "Oh please, don't tell me Council sent another watcher. You know, tweed boy, you sure as hell are not gonna leave Sunnydale alive. From the three watchers that came here only one survived and that is Giles," he told Wesley. Then he brought his attention back to Buffy. " I would like to chat about old times, but I have class in a few minutes. So, bye everyone," he said and walked past Buffy.
Finally Oz, Willow and Cordelia noticed Wesley presence.
"Who are you?" the three teens asked at the same time.
"I can't believe it," Buffy said angrily while gang entered the library. "He is here, right in front of us, we can do nothing about it."
"Yes, you can't just start beating him in public," Giles told her. "Saving the world is bit more difficult if you have do it from prison."
Everyone sat down on their respective chairs around the table.
"Mr. Giles already told me everything you know about the Mayor. But what is his relation to this Xander?" Wesley asked.
"The X-Man has been working for the Mayor for the last few months," Faith summed everything up. "We planted a trap for him and he escaped."
Buffy interrupted her. "Giles do you know what these Books of Ascension are about"
"Well, I was just able to get a first impression. But, from what I found out the Ascension is ritual that will transform a human being into a demon," Giles explained to the group.
He was interrupted by Wesley. " Excuse me, what books? And why didn't you tell me about this Xander switching sides."
"I will give you a copy of the books. And for Xander switching sides, that's a recent development I was not able to inform you about that ," Giles told the younger Watcher.
"But how can that be bad? I mean, we faced demons before," Willow asked Giles.
"Most demons on this world are partly human. From what I have read in the books, the Ascension turns someone into a pure demon, a being of power and strength we have never faced before," he explained.
"So, why don't we just storm City Hall and slay the Mayor before he can complete the ritual?" Faith asked.
"That's a good question, Faith. One hundred days before the Ascension he has to undergo another ritual, the dedication. For the next hundred days the participant becomes..invincible. And I fear that the Mayor already completed this step."
Everyone was quiet.
"Do you know at least into which demon the Mayor is going to turn," Oz asked.
"No. There are various demons listed in the books, but for each one you need another kind of preparation. As long as we don't know this we can't say which demon the Mayor has chosen to turn into," Giles told them.
"So, we can't slay the Mayor until the Ascension, and after that he is too powerful to kill?," Buffy asked.
Giles nodded.
"Well that doesn't look good," she summed up.
"I have to look through the rest of the books to see if I find anything that can help us."
"Thank you for your information Mr. Giles," Wesley spoke up. "I think it's my time to take over. Since we can not do anything against the Mayor until we read through the books you two will do your normal slayer duty. You will do your regular patrol and will report to me."
Faith and Buffy first stared at him, then at each other and then back at Wesley.
"Maybe we should check Willy's," Faith told Buffy, both ignoring the command of the younger watcher.
"That's a good idea," Buffy agreed with her. "Maybe Angel also knows anything."
One after one the gang left, leaving a confused watcher and Giles behind them.
"They will get accustomed to me," Wesley tried to reassure himself.
"Well, good luck," Giles told him. "Do you want to help me with the books?"
"No..I'm sorry," Wesley told him and remembered the book in his pocket. "I'm still awaiting a shipment with belongings of mine. I have to take care of that business first," Wesley explained to him while he left the library, leaving Giles alone researching the upcoming Ascension.
After his departure Wesley went straight to his apartment. Most of his stuff was still in boxes. But he had no time for such unimportant matters. He immediately took the book he stole from the library and began reading through it. His search didn't take long, after all he had a specific date he could look for.
When he finally spotted the entry he was searching for his face paled. He took the phone and quickly dialled a long number. Finally someone answered on the other end.
"This is Wesley Wyndham-Pryce speaking. I want to speak to chairman Chamberlain. Please hurry up, the matter is urgent."
He had to wait a few seconds before he was connected to another person.
"Mr. Wyndham-Pryce. Good hearing from you. How are you doing?" asked the voice on the other end of the line.
"I'm fine, thank you sir. But I'm not phoning you because of my status here in Sunnydale," Wesley told him.
"I already realised that, since I gave you this number with the condition to call me only if you found something out. So, what do you have?" he asked.
"I found the responsible person," Wesley finally said.
For a few seconds the chairman was at a loss for words.
"You sure?" he finally asked.
"Absolutely! No doubt."
"Do you know where the target is?" he asked.
"He is here in Sunnydale."
"We have a team in the area. Prepare to await them at Sunnydale airport in three hours. You will be the leader of the team and instruct them on the target."
"The leader?" Wesley asked confused. "Maybe someone else would be more suitable for that job?"
"If you think that you are not qualified for the job, it maybe was a mistake to send you to Sunnydale."
"No.no it will be no problem." Wesley said quickly.
"Fine. I await your report right after the job is finished," the chairman told him.
"Yes sir. I will not disapoint you."
Xander drove directly after school to the address the Mayor had given him. He immediately spotted his Boss leaning against his limousine. He parked his SUV beside the big car and stepped out of it.
"Okay Boss. Why am I here?" he asked.
"And it's also nice seeing you Alexander;" the Mayor greeted him. "How was school?"
"You really want an answer to that?" Xander asked and arched his eyebrow.
"I suppose not," the politician said. "Well, let's start with the surprise, there are a lot of them," he said and opened the door of the limosine and produced a big present.
"For you Alexander," he said and handed the box to Xander.
"Well. I don't know what to say," Xander admitted a bit unsure.
"Just open it," the Mayor told him with a smile.
Xander just shrugged and opened the box.
"Wow," Xander said and took the Katana from the interior of the box. He drew the sword out of its sheath and inspected the black blade.
"You like it?" the Mayor asked.
"Boss. it's great, but.. ," Xander said confused. "You know I'm more a gunman, okay? And a sword is not really my style."
"Alexander, there are a lot of things out there that can not be killed with guns," The Mayor explained. "And if you ever have to face an enemy with a sword, you should have the best one available."
Xander looked puzzled at the black blade.
"What's so special about the sword?" he asked.
"Well it was made in Japan." Xander looked strangely at him.. "Yes I know. That's not that special. But the sword was forged with the blood of a dragon, therefore the black colour."
"Again, what's so special about the sword?" Xander asked again.
"Well, because of the magic potence of the blood the sword is able. to cut through nearly everything. And it is also indestructible."
"It can cut through everything?" Xander asked enthusiastically.
"Yes."
"For example that lamppost over there?" Xander asked with an evil look on his face.
"Yes, but.," the Mayor started.
But before the Mayor could stop him, Xander already walked to up to the streetlight. He stopped in front of it and sliced right through the pillar. The lamppost immediately collapsed and crashed on the street, leaving a shower of sparks at both ends.
Xander turned around and put the Katana back into the sheath. "Nice. I'll keep it,"
"You are going to be the death of me, Alexander," the Mayor exclaimed and sighed.
"Whatever you say boss." Xander said and shrugged. "So what are the other presents?"
The Mayor sighed and walked up to the apartment complex in front of the parking lot.
"Follow me Alexander."
"Wow," was the only thing that came to Xander's mind.
"Seems that you like it," the Mayor exclaimed.
Xander walked around in the big apartment.
"This is fucking unbelievable," he nearly shouted.
The apartment had everything a teen could dream of. A big Tv-set, a high quality stereo system, a big bed and even a small work out area with a punching bag.
"And this is all mine?" he asked.
"Well it's funded by the city, but yes, it's yours."
"Wow," Xander repeated himself.
"Well I'm not finished Alexander," the Mayor said and pointed at various folders on the big bed.
"What's this?" Xander asked and quickly went through one of the folders.
"Well, since you are now working full time for me I thought it would be good if you knew everything about my operations in the city. So I listed all my properties in these files. You should look through them, it could save your live."
"I hope it's an interesting lecture," Xander told him.
"Quite. Warehouses in my possession, vampire safe houses and other interesting things.. But that's not all. You should look through these folders," he told him and pointed at two extremely big ones.
Xander opened the first one and gasped.
"Firearms licences?" he asked.
"I was able to get you the proper papers for every state in the US. So most guns you own are now really your property. Well, the full automatic weapons no, that would even get me in some trouble. But now you don't have to fear if the police catch you outside of Sunnydale with your regular guns."
"Thanks boss. That is really great," Xander thanked him.
"Oh, I'm still not finished. In the other folder you will find a new identity."
"A new identity?" he asked and opened the other folder. He quickly took the ID-card. "Alexander Harrison?"
"Yes. You should always stick to something familiar, makes it easier to adapt," the Mayor explained.
Xander shrugged, but then he noticed something. "Hey, it says that I'm twenty one."
"Yes, I thought if you can kill people for me you should also be allowed to have some fun," the Mayor told him and smiled.
"Boss, this is like my birthday and Christmas on one day," Xander told the older man happily.
"Now enjoy your gifts Alexander and take the night off. I have some business to attend, so I will leave you on your own," the Mayor told him and walked to the door.
"Bye boss and again, thanks."
It was already dark when Wesley arrived at the airport. The retrieval Team already mailed him the cars he should rent for them. So he waited at the airfield with the cars for the arrival of the team.
He was not disappointed. Half an hour later the Lear Jet arrived and stopped about ten meters away from him.
The ramp was lowered and the five members of the team left the plane.
The leader of the team immediately walked up to Wesley and shook his hand.
"Mr. Wyndham-Pryce I presume. Nice meting you," the man greeted him while his other teammates were carrying various boxes from the plane.
"Thank you Mr..?"
"You don't have to know my name Mr. Wyndham-Pryce. It's better this way. But you can call me Joe," the man told him.
"Well I got the cars you ordered, Joe," Wesley told him and pointed at the two black Jeeps.
"Very good. Steve," he shouted in the direction of his team.
"Yeah boss?" one of the ex-soldiers asked.
"Load the equipment into the cars," he told him.
"Aye boss."
"Now Mr. Wyndham-Pryce, who is our target?" he asked Wesley.
"He is a boy, about eighteen years old and he works for the local demon leader," Wesley told him.
"Is he dangerous?"
"I really don't know. The slayer and her friends were not very eager to speak about him, because he was one of their friends. They just recently found out about his work," Wesley explained.
"I think that should be enough. Do you know where he is?"
"I have an idea. Since he is a teenager he eventually will be at the local club, the Bronze."
"We will try that out. If we don't find him there, we will search the whole city till we find him," he told Wesley.
In the meantime the team had loaded the boxes in the two cars and were now waiting for further orders.
"Okay guys, in the cars. We're gonna find this motherfucker and kill him," he told his team.
The first three men stepped into the first car, Joe, Wesley and the last one of the team into the other one.
"By the way, what's the name of this guy," Joe asked Wesley while he started the Jeep.
"Alexander Harris," Wesley told him from the passenger seat.
After Xander looked through half of the folders he decided to take the Mayor's advice and have some fun.
So he drove to the Bronze and parked his car in a nearby alley. By the time he entered the night club was already filled with teens. He ordered himself a bottle of their best scotch and sat down at one of the various tables. He was halfway through his fourth glass when Cordelia sat down on the opposite side of the table.
"Hi Cordy," he greeted her. "How are you doing?"
"Well, except for the fact that one of my best friends turned to the darkside I'm doing okay," she answered sarcastically.
"Good to hear."
"Xander, please be serious for a moment and listen to me," she pleaded.
"I'm all ears," he told her.
"What you are doing is wrong. You keep pushing all the people that care for you away. I mean a small part of me thinks that at least Buffy and Willow somehow deserve it. And I even can understand that you found that kind of acceptance and approval with the Mayor," she told him and paused for a second to let her words sink in.
"Look, I really don't want to know where you got the skills and the training from. Except for me you were always the powerless one in the group. But with that kind of knowledge you could do a lot of good. I don't mean that you have to return to the gang. You could work on you own.. You know that the Mayor is evil and sooner or later it is going to affect you. I've already noticed it. You have been getting colder and more emotionless. Please stop working for him. Stop now, as long as it is possible."
Xander stared at her. The whole time he has known her, he never thought that Cordelia Chase was able to make that kind of a speech.
"Cordy, I. I.," he started, but was interrupted.
"Mr. Harris," Wesley said and made his presence known.
"Oh great it's Tweed boy," Xander groaned. "I'm having a conversation here. Go away and read some old books," he told the watcher and turned his attention back to Cordelia.
But Wesley took a document from his pocket and began reading.
"Alexander Lavelle Harris, the Council of Watchers has decided that you are guilty of the death of the honoured Quentin Travers." Xander now looked at him, clearly shocked. "The Council deems that the only punishment suitable for that kind of crime is death."
Xander now noticed the five men in trenchcoats that were about five meters behind the young watcher. But that was not the only thing he noticed. He could clearly see the Mp5s they were trying to hide under their coats.
"Cordy, I think it would be better if you leave," he told the ex- cheerleader with urgency.
"Xander, what.," she started.
"Cordy, if you think that I have any good part left in me go now, please," he told her, almost pleading.
Cordelia hesitated, but finally she turned around and ran in the direction of the exit.
Xander turned his attention back to Wesley.
"You have no chance Mr. Harris. It would be easier for everyone if you would just leave with us. I promise you that it will be painless," Wesley told him.
Xander took a step closer to the watcher.
"Sorry watcher, I have never been one for the simple solution," Xander explained to the watcher. Before either Wesley or the retrieval team could react he punched the young watcher in the face, knocking him unconscious.
Before the body of the watcher could hit the floor Xander already ran at top speed in the direction of the emergency exit. "Get down," he screamed on top of his lungs.
By now the members of the retrieval team had drawn their submachine guns, aiming at the fleeing form of Xander.
His shouting and the current appearance of weapons were enough that the people in the club crouched to the ground.
The five men opened fire, ripping shreds of plastic and wood out of the wall.
But not one of the bullets hit Xander. He crashed through the door of the emergency exit, and quickly continued running for his life
The retrieval team followed him the moment he left through the door.
"Steve, you and Mickey go and take one of the Jeep. Willis and Jones, you come with me.
"What's with Pryce boss??" asked Jones.
"Let him lie there. Stupid watcher already complicated things enough. I shouldn't have listened to him when he told me about tradition. 'The defendant has to know abou the accusations against him'. What a crap."
The rest of the Scoobie Gang were currently researching the Ascension, until suddenly the phone rang. Giles went into his office and answered it.
"Hello."
"Giles, it's me Cordelia."
"Cordelia. What happened? I thought you wanted to take the night off," he asked her.
"Giles listen to me. Your new watcher got some assassins or so to kill Xander," she explained to him.
"What?" Giles asked shocked.
"You are hearing right. Look, I have no time to explain that to you, they are already hunting him through the whole town. Come to the Bronze, your friend is lying there."
"We will come as soon as possible. Stay there," he told her and ended the phone call.
"Giles, what happened?" Buffy asked.
Giles grabbed his coat before he answered her.
"I think we have a few problems."
Xander ran as fast as possible from the watcher team, trying to looe them in the labyrinth that were the alleys in the Sunnydale industrial district.
Unfortunately the retrieval team still gave chase, coming nearer every second. Xander wanted to exit the alley he was currently in and run into one of the bigger streets when suddenly one of the watcher's jeeps stopped in front of him. Xander immediately jumped to the side, avoiding a stream of bullets with this action. But one of them got lucky and hit him directly in the shoulder.
Not waiting for the watchers to reload he kicked the door next to him open and found himself in a big warehouse.
He immediately ran to the other side of the room and hid behind a few big boxes. That would give him at least a little bit time.
He examined his wound, realising that the bullet went straight through his shoulder. It didn't seem that it damaged something major, but it still hurt like hell.
He quickly checked the entrance, but no sign of the retrieval team. But he could hear them talking outside the door. He drew the Beretta 93 from under his jacket and aimed at the open door.
The retrieval team chose that moment to storm into the warehouse. Xander immediately opened fire hitting the first one with three bullets in the chest. The rest of them were able to escape the bullets from his full automatic pistol and ran directly for the nearest cover.
Xander went back behind his cover and ejected the empty clip, took a full one and slammed it into the butt of his pistol.
He quickly checked on the watchers and realised with fear that the watcher he shot down was not only standing again, but also taking cover behind one of the boxes.
"God, I hate kevlar vest. Especially if I'm not wearing one," he cursed under his breath.
"Mr. Harris, I think it's time to surrender," Joe shouted from his cover.
"And why should I do that?" Xander shouted back.
"Because we are five and you are only one. You only have a pistol and from what I've seen you are also wounded. You stand no chance against us."
Suddenly Xander remembered something he read in one of the Mayor's files. A smile came to his lips.
Time to even the odds, he thought.
"You know, a lot of people told me that. And do you know where they are? Six feet under. Give them my regards once I send your British ass to them."
Joe shock his head.
"If he wants it that way. Steve, its your turn," he told the soldier next to him.
Steve stood up from his cover and aimed at the box Xander was hiding behind. This action didn't go unnoticed rom Xander. However, his eyes widened at the sight of the gun in Steve's hand, a H&K G36c. The 5.56mm bullets of the assault rifle were able to go through nearly everything and the boxes Xander used for cover were no exception.
"O shit," Xander cursed and started running for the nearest exit.
The Scoobie gang met Cordelia outside the Bronze and she informed them on the recent events. After that they went inside the now empty night club to see if Wesley could provide them with further information.
A bucket of water later the watcher was again back in the world of the living.
"What? Where?" the confused watcher asked.
"And also hello to you Wesley," Buffy told the watcher.
"What happened," he asked and started cleaning his glasses.
"Well, it seems like watcher boy got knocked out. One point for the X-Man," Faith cheered happily from the chair she was sitting on.
Wesley stood up, but was still a bit unsure on his legs.
"I'm gonna ask you this one time," Buffy told the watcher angrily and poked him in the chest. "What have you done?"
Wesley straightened his jacket. "I have the order to execute the Council's punishment regarding Alexander Harris."
"Xander? What has he done to the Council?" Buffy asked confused.
Wesley looked strangely at her. "He killed Quentin Travers."
"Oh," was the only thing Buffy could mutter.
"Yes and I must say that I'm pretty disappointed. As a slayer it should have been your duty to inform the council about this," he told her accusingly.
Buffy looked ready to rip the watcher's head off. But before she could harm him Giles laid his hand on her shoulder.
"We did that to protect Xander. We knew that something like this might happen if we told the Council about this," Giles explained.
"Well, this is no longer important. The retrieval team will find and execute Mr. Harris," Wesley informed them.
"They want to kill him?" Buffy shouted at him.
"Yes. For that kind of crime death is the only suitable punishment."
"If they kill him, you can dig a second grave. Because we're gonna fill it with your body watcher," Buffy told him menacingly.
Wesley looked shocked at the young woman. "Didn't you say that he switched sides? As far as I look at this affair I'm doing you a favour."
"Xander is our business, not the Council's. And I would rather see Xander locked away in a prison cell than dead," she told him. "Now, you can either help us or you can pack your things together and return to England. Your choice."
Wesley stared at her, but finally gave in and produce a small GPS communicator from his pocket.
"The retrieval team has a tracking device with them. We should be able to locate them with this," he said.
"Okay, let's go," Buffy said and went to the exit, the rest of the Scoobie Gang following her.
From his position Steve fired at Xander's cover. Each one of the full metal jacket projectiles went right through the boxes. Unfortunately, Xander was no longer behind the boxes, but running to the next door.
Right after he left his cover the other members of the retrieval team also opened fire, but again he got lucky and no one could hit him.
So the chase continued, with Xander as the prey and the five ex-soldiers as his hunters. He knew that he couldn't lose them, these men were trained for situations like this. But he could lead them into an environment that would be really bad for their health.
When he went through the Mayor's file, he was surprised that one of his vamp safehouses was near the Bronze. That was the place he was now heading to. A normal person would think that vampires that close to fresh and young blood would draw attention to his activities. Xander made a mental note to ask the Mayor about that.
Finally he reached the house, out of breath and still with the retrieval team in hot pursuit.
He quickly opened the door on the front of the large warehouse and stepped through it.
"Uh oh," was the only thing that came to his mind as he spotted at least fifteen vampires.
The nearest one immediately noticed him and went in his direction.
"Nice, I like it when they deliver food," he said and put his game face on.
Xander rolled his eyes. "Oh please, can't you come up with something more original?" he asked.
But before the vampire had a chance to respond, Xander had already fired two shots into his head. It was not enough to dust him, but even a vampire couldn't walk if half of his brain was shattered.
The shots attracted the attention of the other fourteen vamps, who angrily looked at him.
"Who is your leader?" he asked them.
A bulky vampire stepped forward. "That's me bloodbag. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't suck you dry"?
"Because I'm the Mayor's right hand?" Xander asked sarcastically back.
Mentioning the Mayor had the desired effect and all the vamps took a step back.
"Look, I've got no time. I have a watcher team behind me and they want to kill me," he explained.
"What do you want us to do?" the lead vampire asked enthusiastically and smiled at him.
"Well.." Xander said and looked around.
The retrieval team followed Xander's trail to a warehouse. That was not hard, since he was bleeding hard. They carefully entered the warehouse, checking if Xander was awaiting them like the last time.
But the only thing they found was a body lying near the entrance. Joe checked him for a pulse, while his teammates secured his position.
"What the fuck," he exclaimed when he noticed the deformed forehead, which identified the body as a vampire.
But before anyone of them could react, the vampires already had surrounded them by jumping from the catwalks above them.
The retrieval team was now back to back, facing what was more than a dozen vampires.
"We have no problem with you," Joe told the vampires. "We are searching for someone."
"We already know that watcher. The problem is, that he is working for our boss. And the boss would be quite pissed if something happened to his favourite assassin."
As one the vampires advanced on the team, ignoring the guns that were aimed at them.
Not waiting to be drained or turned, the team started firing at the approaching vampires. The ones in the first line quickly died, their heads bursting from the combined fire of the soldiers.
About five vamps were dust when the retrieval's teams guns ran dry. The vampires did not wait for them to reload their submachine guns and started killing their enemies. Most of the Council's team were ex-SAS and SBS soldiers, who quit their service to fight the forces of darkness. They were not only trained in weapons and tactics, but also in hand to hand combat. But with that little room, the supernatural strength of the vampires and that they were outnumbered resulted into in a one sided combat. One after one the soldiers were killed by the vampires. They broke their necks, ripped their throats out or drained them.
After their work was done the vampires quickly left the warehouse, knowing that their safe haven was now a little less safe.
Buffy and the rest followed the GPS signal to an old warehouse. At that time Wesley was getting worried, because the signal hadn't moved in the last few minutes.
Carefully they neared the entrance, when Oz suddenly started sniffing.
"Oz, can you smell anything," Willow asked him, turning the gang's attention on the werewolf.
"Blood," was his only answer.
"Xander?" Buffy asked worried.
Oz sniffed again, but shook his head. "No, it's not Xander. But whoever it is, he lost a lot of blood."
They entered the warehouse and immediately spotted the five bodies, lying in a pool of their own blood. Wesley looked like he would throw up any second but the others looked with emotionless eyes at the massacre in front of them.
Finally Wesley was able to get himself back under control.
"He.. he did that to them?" he asked with fear.
"No, vampires," Buffy explained to him while she started to examine the corpses.
"How can you tell?" he asked.
"Well, the dustpiles," she said and pointed at the remains of the vampires, "and the bite wounds on their throats." Buffy looked up and noticed the boarded up windows. "Seems like one of their lairs."
"Are you sure you can't smell the X-man?" Faith asked Oz.
"No, he was here, but he left through the other entrance," the werewolf told her and pointed at the door on the other side of the room.
"But why did they let him live? I mean, they would not let him just run through their warehouse and do nothing," Willow threw in.
"Well it seems that these vampirer are not the unorganized ones we encounter on a daily basis," Giles told them from where he was examining the vamp's living room.
" TV, telephone, even a computer," he told them and opened the large fridge. "And a steady supply of blood," he said and took one of the bloodbags from the interior.
"Which means?" Cordelia asked.
"I think that these vampires were working for the Mayor. And Xander lured the retrieval team directly into their lair," Giles explained to them.
"You think that Xander is responsible for their deaths?" Buffy asked.
"It seems so."
"You were right Giles," Buffy admitted. "Xander is more dangerous than most of our enemies," she said and stood up.
"We should go now and tell the police where they can find the bodies," Giles told them while they left the warehouse.
"Ouch," Xander exclaimed while his wound was stitched up. The vampire that was a doctor before he was turned was doing a good job, but it still hurt.
"I'm sorry Mr. Harris, but if you would stop moving it wouldn't hurt so much," the vamp doctor told him and licked his lips at the sight of the blood.
That move didn't go unnoticed from Xander.
"Watch it pal. You start licking blood from my wound and I will ram a stake through your heart," he told the vamp angrily.
"Alexander would you please stop threatening the nice doctor," the Mayor told him from his position behind his desk. "Let him finish stitching you up, then you can kill him, okay?"
"Whatever you say boss," Xander said but winced again when the needle entered his flesh.
"So, all the watchers are dead?" Xander nodded. "Good, I hope that will teach them a lesson."
"Yeah, hope so too. Don't want to deal with watcher teams every week," Xander told him.
"No, I don't think so. The Council has not that many teams. The loss of this one should be a heavy blow for them. It will take some time before they even consider sending another team. And that time will be enough to complete the Ascension."
The doctor was now finished with his work, gathered his things together nad left the room.
"You still not ready to tell me what you master plan is?" Xander asked him.
"Alexander, I told you that I would tell you everything about my plans once the time is right," the Mayor told him and Xander's shoulders slumped in defeat. " And I think the time has come," he continued his sentence.
Xander's head shot up and he looked at the other man. "I'm all ears."
"Alexander, let's talk about Graduation Day."