Giles looked up from the endless pile of official documents he had been forced to read and then sign by the British Consul representative." Is this necessary Charles?"
The man nodded." If I've learnt nothing in my time here its that ALL paperwork is important. One can't cross the road without the correct i's dotted and T's crossed, let alone get them to open those damned gates." He motioned to the twin wire and wood gated that was all that stood between the democracy of Kenya and the madness that had engulfed Tanzania.
Charles checked the dockets and sighed." You have to realize Rupert that Her Majesty's Government will under no circumstances go to war over the fate of foreign nationals; maybe you should contact the Americans?"
Giles sighed. "If there were oil or the country was of military value then you couldn't keep them away but as it is..."He let the words hang in mid air.
"Yes no nation wants to explain to the bereaved parents that their sons died for some dried up piece of dirt they never heard of." He thought for a moment." I do hear the watchers 'security team' is still kicking around, maybe you could..."
Giles shook his head." Recalled to active service I'm afraid..." Shouting from the gate caught his attention. Just then the distant sound of gunfire could be heard and the refugee camp stirred. Men in uniform ran to the front fence and checked their weapons. Giles stood as Charles was called away and he too made his way to the barbed wire fence line.
The sun was just beginning to set as he saw movement in the dried riverbed. He all but jumped the fence when he saw it was Lucy, the eldest slayer in the new group." Lucy!" He cried out and followed the fence till he was in front of where she would arrive.
"GILES!" The teen shouted and waived her arms; she then motioned for the others to hurry.
"Open the damned gate!" He shouted.
The officer looked from the now silent border and asked." Papers?"
Giles looked at him in disbelief. "Papers...PAPERS!" He snatched them from Charles and shook them in front of the man. "Here, here's your damned paperwork now open the sodding gates!"
The man carefully studied them then motioned to the men at the gate." Open." He looked at Giles and continued." The paperwork says a party of five 'tourists' so I will allow entry for five only."
Giles shook him off and ran to the gate and the people he had spent many a sleepless night waiting for." Lucy." He smiled at her as she entered the compound. Then he saw the trail of others behind her." What..."
Lucy held up her hand." I have to go back, Xander..."
They were both interrupted by a young girl." You will send men back yes?" She told them in broken English. Lucy's shoulder's dropped." Listen you..." She turned her scowl into a grimacing smile." Your highness, I will go back with some men for your things when..."
The girl lifted her off the ground." Forget my things! Go back for him...Go back now if you value your cowardly life!"
Lucy broke the hold and shook her head." It was his choice." She looked into her eyes." You know what he was becoming yes? You know he would have ..."
The ground shook seconds before the area beyond the border was lit up by a massive fireball .The girl turned and began running for the closed gates." NOOOO!!!!"
"Damn!" Charles exclaimed." Some fool's been siphoning off oil from the pipeline again."
Lucy walked over to the gate and as she did she looked at the teen as she slumped to the ground." Happy now!" The teen growled at her." You could have stayed and helped him."
"What does she mean?" The officer demanded." What happened out there?"
Giles stood by her." Yes, please tell us Miss Parnell, what happened and where is Xander?"
Lucy looked at him and all the memories of that short hellish week came flooding back.
Lucy had never liked hot weather even in the days before 'the change', as she liked to call it, she had dreaded the annual Parnell family summer holiday in hell. She had dropped her bags off at the hotel Giles had booked her into and spent the first ten minutes looking for a non existent air-conditioner before deciding on making her way to Harris's room.
She hesitated at his door and began to worry once more that she would not come up to the high standards everyone else had said Buffy had set. She dried her wet hands on her skirt and knocked, the door creaked open of its self and she edged it open with her toe." Hello...anybody here...Mr. Harris?"
She saw a man asleep on the double bed, the slowly revolving ceiling fan ruffled his long black hair. She was about to look at the rest of the room when the tiny hairs on the back of her head stood on end. She turned to look at the sleeping man only to find herself looking down the business end of very lethal looking pistol. She jerked back and the pistol remained centered on her chest.
"Gawk...humph...Name!" Xander demanded after a shaky start.
"Lucy...Parnell." She quieted her nerves." My name's Lucy Parnell and..."
Xander held up a finger and she stopped. "Let me guess Giles sent you?" He watched her nod and he dropped the gun hand to his side before slumping back on the bed." Good girl, you found me ,no go back and tell Giles thanks for finally actually sending some one instead of sending a fax but he's a year too late..."He looked at her." And sending a cute Slayer will not get me to do what he wants."
Lucy frowned." But...but you're Xander Harris right?" She took out the photo Dawn had given her to check." Bit rough round the edges but you are him." She watched the man place the gun back under the pillow before he sprawled out on the bed." There's a girl..."
Xander laughed and moved his hand as if he was directing a choir." A chosen one, one girl in every generation blah, blah blah!" He sat up." Heard the spiel, bought the story watched the film, next!"
Lucy shook her head." Giles said you might be unwilling to do this so he told me to call you Hyena boy and tell you he thought it was time some secrets were told." She looked puzzled." Dawn told us you were once possessed by a Hyena spirit but what that has to do with Giles I..."
Xander glared at her." Yeah he KNEW!" She barely picked up the next words." And yet he sent me here to where the Primalists are every freaking where!" He sighed and rubbed his good eye." Where is she and how much is this going to hurt this time?"
Lucy smiled and his wall almost crumbled. She tucked an errant hair behind her ear and took out a folio." We only found out about her last week." She took the photo from the folder and showed it to him." Her name is Endiko Soswana, her mother contacted a priest about her daughters 'strange' behavior and he in turn contacted his superiors..."
Xander interrupted." Who in turn contacted Giles, who in turn sent you to rattle my chain?" He took off the sweat stained shirt and hunted for a clean one." Get on with it."
Lucy looked at his tanned and well muscled chest." Your picture hardly does you justice..."She blushed as his one eye glared at her and continued." Uhh, she lives in the capitol of Tanzania..."
Xander froze and shook his head." You mean Soswana as in President for life Idi Anoki Saswana?"
Lucy shrugged." Yeah I guess so why?"
Xander sniggered." Do they have cable in. where is it the Scooby's are now?"
"Seattle." She nodded." Yeah we heard about some trouble they're having in Tanzania."
"Some trouble she says." He snuffled." You call a thing like civil war, one in which thousands are being killed everyday, some trouble?" He went to the wardrobe and hefted out a battered suitcase. "I've been in this damn continent for two damn years lady and had my ass handed me too many damn times to not know a lost cause when I see one."
Lucy walked towards him." She needs our help, she's a slayer and you never fail to help a slayer in need. That's what they told me about you."
He paused and then dropped some clothes into the case." That guy died about a year ago, died when his friends only remembered he was alive when there was an African slayer to be brought into the fold."
"They're fighting a war Mr. Harris, a war against evil."
"Hey!" He pointed to the patch over his eye." That freak poked my eye out not my brain KID! I know there's a war going on." He picked up the remote and threw it to her." Pick a channel there's any number of wars going on over here."
Lucy had almost given up." What in God's name is up with you?"
Xander had finished packing his meager belongings and looked deep into her eyes." God? God left Africa a long time ago Miss Parnell." He reached under the pillow and shoved the pistol into its holster under his arm." And now if you have any brains in that pretty little head you'll leave with me."
She shook her head and Xander shrugged." Your loss." He placed the baseball cap on his head and told her." The flight to Jo' burg leaves in an hour, I'll hold a seat for as long as I can."
Lucy watched Xander leave and she suddenly felt very alone. She took a deep breath then walked down to the check in counter." Where would I go to book a flight into Tanzania?"
The man laughed then stilled as he saw the look on her face." You're not joking? Miss if I may be so bold as to tell you there are better, quicker ways of killing yourself if you so wish, but to go there now would be worse than suicide!"
Lucy flustered then held out the card Giles had given her." Have my things taken to the airport, I'll find my way to Tanzania with or without your help!"
Half an hour later Lucy found herself wishing she had taken Xander's advice. She had met a man that said he, and his partner, were just about to leave for Tanzania themselves and they would deem it an honor to escort her there. They had seemed okay a little excited to see her but she put that down to the fact they would have a booking for their plane and left it at that. She watched the man play with a green gem that he said matched the color of her eyes but failed to note the eerie glow it had whenever it came close to her.
All seemed above board until the first taste of the drink they offered hit the back of her throat, then everything was like she was floating in a sea of treacle. They easily swatted away her attempts to defend herself then chained her hands behind her back, her feet were next.
The man's face swam into view and he grinned at her." There's an Arab man paying a fortune for your kind." He held a green gem in front of her and it glowed." There's more and more of you girls every day!"
A noise behind him made him turn." What do you want?" The stranger never answered." She's ours now clear off one eye before ..."
Lucy heard a bag drop and a familiar voice say." Your best bet is to leave now and I promise not to hunt you down for oohh a week?" Lucy started to sit up and she saw both men reach for their sidearm.
Xander put a round at their feet and shook his head as they froze." I'm not going to count to three." He leveled the gun at the man's groin and smiled." Anytime you think you'd like to leave you can, but if you hang around much longer you'll be singing soprano."
The two men eyed each other and then Lucy before he looked back at Xander, the leader gritted his teeth and grimaced at the loss of so much easy money." One day soon you're going to wake up with your throat cut!"
Xander smiled." Unlock the chains and stand clear of her." As the man's partner complied Xander knelt down and checked on the young slayer. He eased open her eye and saw them beginning to focus properly." You should be fine in a short while." Xander stood up and his eye caught sight of a half empty bottle of Evian." I hear you have a plane?"
Xander motioned for the two to walk outside, he turned to Lucy." Back in a bit." He grinned." Try not to get kidnapped while I'm gone." He moved the two men outside, emptying the large bottle as he did.
Lucy sat up and smacked her lips together in an effort to get rid of the foul taste in her mouth. She stood on wobbly legs and then her ears picked up two 'popping' noises followed by drums hitting the ground. She began to get her senses back and walked to the door just as Xander walked in.
"Right then, I'm ready for one more mission and then you can tell Giles to lose my number and forget I exist!" He helped her outside and then towards an old Cessna." Here we are, all aboard the cannonball express."
Lucy glanced back to the ramshackle shack and asked." They just gave you their plane?"
Xander's face seemed to harden." None of you cared as to how I got those girls out, in fact you barely acknowledged that I had anything to do with it, so just don't ask now." He saw Lucy begin to piece together the evidence and watched her eyes go wide. He began running through the take off checks as he told her." You didn't think I'd leave those two guys behind so they could kill me did you? I've lost four girls to them and lord knows what their employer's have done to them but those two were long overdue for an appointment with the devil."
Xander tapped the fuel gage and did a mental count." Should have enough go-go juice to get us there." He grinned at her." Maybe."
Lucy sat back and began to worry as the small plane began to taxi." Uhh, Giles didn't say anything about you being able to fly."
Xander shrugged." I can't." He moved the throttle control to full and turned to her." That's why I need a plane."
Despite her first impression Lucy was beginning to slowly warm to him." So what changed your mind?"
Xander found a pair of sunglasses and put them on." Don't know, but I sure am going to see the local shaman about getting it removed when I get back." He pulled back on the controls as he reached optimum take off speed. He reached over to her as Lucy glanced back at the tin hut at the edge of the dirt runway." We're told never to take human life."
Xander leveled off and glanced at her." There are some humans out there that make the worst demons look like Barney." He thought for a brief second." And some demons that are far better than any human I have met." He looked at her." It's going to be a while before we hit Tanzanian airspace so I suggest you try to sleep off what ever remains of that drug they slipped you."
Lucy nodded then tried to make herself as comfortable as the seat would allow." You are a strange man Mr. Harris, a far cry from what the other's made you out to be."
Xander kept his eye out for anything that could stop their journey and whispered." Stranger than anyone could ever have thought."
Giles handed Lucy a glass of luke warm water and the teen accepted it, her hand shaking as the memories of the past week brought out both recriminations and regrets. She drained the glass and looked at Giles." Shouldn't they be back by now?"
Giles nods." It would have taken them a while to shutdown the line and extinguish the fires." Giles was visibly shaken by the description of Xander's demeanor." I know we should have kept closer ties with Xander but everyone was pushed to their limits from the day we evacuated Sunnydale."
Lucy looked down at her scuffed boots and then asked." I never knew what he meant by you should have known about the Primalists being here?"
Giles glanced at her and began tapping his pen against the table." He was right, I should have known better but as I said we were pushed for manpower and even he had all but forgotten about his possession all those years ago." He stopped tapping and she saw the muscles in his hand tighten, tighten until the pen snapped as the guilt washed over him." I should have sent Willow and Kennedy here but I let them talk me into basically sending them on one long vacation. If they find him alive I swear to the God's I'll..."
The Captain of the border patrol entered the makeshift debriefing room and looked at Lucy before telling Giles." I need to speak to you...outside."
Lucy felt her heart drop." He's dead isn't he..."She threw the glass to the ground." I should have..."She tried to choke back the sobs that were fighting to escape." I should have stayed with him."
The Kenyan looked to Giles." It was not a pretty sight Mr. Giles." He sat down." We had heard stories, stories that we were told by our superiors that were lies, figments of a primitive peoples frightened minds." He looked up and then shook his head" What we found out there makes me believe we should take the spear and torch to the whole damn lot of them!"
Lucy smiled." When the others first told me I didn't believe it either, right up until I saw those monsters..."She spat the word from her mouth as she turned to look at the Captain." Xander was right...God has left Africa."
Charles shook his head." No Miss Parnell he never left, he's just been gathering his strength."
"How can you say that? After all that's been going on here?" Lucy demanded.
"Simple, as long as there's people here to fight against evil, as long as there's one being left here that stands up and says 'No more! Not now or ever again!' Then he has truly never left." He glanced at Giles." Men like Rupert and this Alexander chap, as long as they fight then God will not have abandoned this land or this world."
"But the things that..."
Giles looked at Charles and suddenly remembered." Charles Delaney? I thought the name seemed familiar."
Charles nods." I dropped out of Council training in my first year that would have been when you were recalled to active duty to replace Mr. Merrick." He glanced at Lucy and the African American slayer." I now work for...a different section." He smiled." Different boss same fight." He looked to Giles." You were right to send Alexander here Giles; he was what we needed even though we did not think so at the time."
The Captain nodded." It was as you said, the remains were of Wraiths. The fire incinerated the demon but left the bodies." He relaxed from his stance." We had heard rumors of a band of were-wraiths that took up allegiance with the rebels in Tanzania."
Giles looked to Charles." Were-wraiths? Wraiths I have heard of, demons that drain the life essence of their victims, but were-wraiths."
"You know of the Primalists, these beings pick the 'Alpha' creatures from amongst the Primalists and blend with them, allowing them to walk this world and turn it to their own." He paused." In his last mission Alexander ran into a band of were-wraiths and attracted the 'attention' of its leader."
"Damaresque!" Lucy exclaimed." She was with the group hunting us." She shuddered." And the most violent of them all, she had a 'thing' for Xander. Kept talking to him over the com unit, saying she would let us all go if he staid."
The Cessna hit the runway hard and Xander fought to control the plane, bringing it to a sliding halt at the edge of the runway. He tapped the fuel gauge and grinned at her." See told ya we'd have enough."
Lucy glared at him." For future reference I wish to be let in on these little jokes BEFORE the punch line!"
Xander's grin deepened then he took in the runway for the first time and his grin froze." Uhh since when have there been no planes at an airport? Hell even one as small as this should have some."
Lucy shrugged." Who cares, we go in get the preppie and go." She looked at the gauge." How long will it take to refuel this piece of junk?" She paused as she saw Xander blanche." What is it?"
Xander frantically tried to restart the plane." She's here! How the hell did she get here?" He suddenly gripped his temple." Get the hell out of my head god damn it!"
Lucy's inner radar began pinging like crazy and she reached over to Xander." Xander what is it, what's wro..."Her eyes went wide as he turned to her, his eye was strange, and the iris reflected light like a dog's.
He gave up trying to restart the plane." We have to go! We have to go now before she." He shuddered and collapsed into his seat when he re-opened his eye it was back to normal." She's closer, but not close enough." He opened his door and jumped out." We have to grab this slayer and then get the hell out of dodge!"
Lucy eyed him." Couldn't agree more."
Xander hefted the duffel bag into a better position as they walked into the main street of the capitol." You know I figured there would be a hell of a lot more people in a city this big." Lucy asked.
Xander shrugged." The smart ones are gone, the rich ones would have left before them and the poor that could leave have gone as well."
"So who's left?"
"Only the fools." He grinned at her." And those that banked everything on the present regime." He stopped and looked towards the massive palace before them. " You wanna knock or should I?" He froze at the sound of an automatic rifle being cocked." Never mind."
Xander and Lucy were brought before an elderly man that was currently burning files in a large fireplace. The guard announced his presence and said." Sir we caught these two English at the gates."
Xander snorted." Watch who you're calling English!"
The man never even looked up from his job." Take them out and shoot them, anyone left here is either a spy or a fool."
Lucy cried out." We're here to see Endiko Soswana; we're from the reformed council."
Xander placed a hand over her mouth before she could say anymore."...Of churches, Mrs. Soswana told Father Maputo about the strange afflictions Endiko has and we were dispatched to aid the child."
The man looked up." You don't look like a priest."
Xander shrugged." Even priests have better things to do than die, we were sent because we are..."Xander searched for the word."
The man smiled." Expendable?"
"That's the word." Xander dropped his bag." Now if we could see here and then take her back to Rome?"
A new voice entered the discussion." I will deal with them General." Xander and Lucy turned to see a woman of royal bearing." You say you have come for Endiko? What proof do I have you are from the church." She sneered at the clothing Xander wore." You don't look like clerics."
Lucy curtsied." It was a long and dangerous journey, we needed to blend in or we would have brought unwanted attention to our task." She opened the case she had brought with her and handed the leather bound document case to her." It is all in order your highness; we have the means to transport your daughter out of here."
The General looked up from his efforts." How?"
Lucy turned to him." We have a plane..."
The general sniggered." Had would be a more appropriate term. You landed at the airport yes?" Xander dreaded the answer but nodded." Ah, then by now one or more of our 'loyal' troops would have either destroyed it or flown it out."
Xander exclaimed." It was low on fuel; we were going to refuel it before we left."
"Then it would have been a short trip." The General continued burning files." President for Life used the last of the fuel to get away leaving us to the mercy of his enemies." He spat the last words out.
"Maybe if you hade shown mercy to others it would have been shown to you." Xander remarked.
"We showed mercy, we made sure the enemies of the states ends were quiet painless, even if their lives were not."
Lucy bit the corner of her lip then asked." There must be another way out; you must have some transport left?"
The Mistress glanced at the General then stated." We have two trucks, they are yours but they come at a price."
Xander rolled his eye." Jesus Lady! Now is not the time to try and make a few bucks!"
She looked at him and smirked." American yes? My only price is that you take the other children along with my own Endiko."
"Deal!" Lucy blurted out, she turned to Xander." It's the only way out of here and we have to get Endiko Soswana to...uh Rome."
Two hours later saw Xander crunching the gears of an ancient troop carrier as he tried to negotiate the jungle road." This is not what I signed up for!" He glances at the side mirror to see if the other truck was keeping up." It'll be easy." He mocked his own voice." Nip in grab the preppie and nip out' SHMUCK!"
The radio blared into life as Lucy tells him." Dar Es Salaam has fallen, the General says to hurry, the new regime has sent trackers after the Endiko and all those fleeing from them."
Xander sighed." Man you know things are bad when you start thinking of the old days as good!" He used one hand to unfold the map he was given then thumbed the radio." We've got a pit stop about two miles ahead, we fill up, feed up and move." He threw the mike on the passenger seat and looked back at his passengers." Yeah right! 12 kids, two adults, Lucy high britches and a one eyed loser on the freedom road to Kenya with a pack of rabid revolutionists nipping at our butts! I like long odds but this is insanity."
He saw the dilapidated sheds ahead and began to slow down, his eye scanning the area for any signs of trouble. Xander picked up the mike." Keep your engine running and get ready to book at the first signs of trouble." He almost jumped when Endiko tapped his shoulder.
"I need to use the bathroom before I eat, Hanna will prepare it for me make sure the meal is ready when I come out."
"Oh I don't think we'll be here that long your highness." Xander sniggered." In fact I think the 'little princess's room' is probably the second tree on the left."
A sudden movement to his right caught Xander's attention and he swerved the truck in time to avoid most of the fusillade of bullets .Instead of stopping Xander stepped on the gas and ploughed into the man firing at them. The truck bounced over the body and Xander watched Lucy's truck swerve to avoid it." Looks like we keep going after all." He told her as other men poured from the tin sheds and began firing at them. "How the hell did they know we were coming, and how did they get here so fast?"
He slowed down to make sure he saw Lucy's truck make it through the trap the floored it once more. "Lucy? Is everybody okay?"
Lucy's voice made him relax. "A few ventilation holes and the engine runs a bit funny but other than that....hang on a minute" Lucy asks the driver then continues." The driver says he thinks they hit the motor, he wants to stop."
Xander nods to himself then checks the fuel gauge." Tell him we keep going until the motor stops, no way in hell are we stopping this close to a god damned trap!"
Lucy looks at the driver and he shrugs." We're not going to make it to the border in these unless we either get more go go juice or learn to fly with out a plane."
Xander has a small map spread out beside him." There's a clearing about 5 miles from here tell him to put the peddle to the metal and screw the warranty. We'll regroup there and make do with what we got."
Back at the camp seven warriors gather in front of the damaged building. The exotic female sniffs the air and smiles." It was him." Her iris's elongate and she whispers." Soon you shall be back amongst friends De'longi, among the pack of your ancestors." The tip of her tongue traced her lips." I've never tasted Slayer essence."
One of the men shrugs." Uhh, it tastes like chicken." They all break into laughter that rises until the sounds of their 'yipping' could be heard for miles.
Xander brought his truck to a skidding halt switched off then leapt out grabbing the duffel on his way. He rapped on the back of the truck." Everybody stay put, this is not a rest stop."
He dropped the bag as the other truck limped into the clearing thick black smoke bellowing from its exhaust." Crap!" The truck's engine backfired then seized up all together.
Lucy dropped from the passenger side as Xander told her." Get the hose from the back of the truck and one of the petrol cans." He slapped the side of his truck." We fill this one up with all the petrol from the other truck and pray that it'll be enough."
Endiko was helped from the rear of the truck by her servant and then proceeded to enter the jungle before Xander noticed. "Whoa! Where do you think you're going?"
She paused." My needs do not concern you..."She had a look of disdain. "Mercenary, Hanna can tend to my needs." She then kept walking into the jungle.
Xander looked back the way they had come then cursed and ran to his duffel. "Why is it that along with the super power comes the need to be a super bitch?" He sorted through his things and came up with a remote detonator. "Check and see if the cache has any C4 or if we're lucky, a couple of claymores... err mines?"
Lucy huffed." I know what a Claymore is Harris! My Uncle was in the Marines." She came back with two blocks of C4 and handed it to him." No Claymores, just these and a couple of rifles."
Xander nods then goes to the back of the damaged truck. "Everybody out." The kids hopped down." Get into the other truck, leave everything here we won't have room for belongings." He noticed a small freezer in the back of the truck. "What the hell?"
The driver shrugs." Princess Endeko likes to have ice-cream."
A grin spreads on Xander's features. "Bar or bucket?"
The driver threw down a 4 gallon tin of rocky road. Xander popped the lid and proceeded to empty it onto the ground. "I'll need a metal plate and all the nuts and bolts you can find."
Lucy looked on bewildered until he handed the empty tin to her." I need you to bend the plate into a half U shape then press it into the bottom of the tin until it forms a nice tight fit." When she had done that Xander began pressing the C4 into the empty tins base.
"During the first Gulf war the Brits sent in their SAS teams in under supplied so they had to improvise." He grabbed the nuts and bolts from another teen and pressed them into the soft C4 and filled the tin up with the remainder before replacing the lid.
Xander set it down and then took the other block of C4 and placed it on the fuel tank of the truck." I need you to push the truck till it blocks the road then leave the bonnet up on it."
He finished off the makeshift claymore and then told her." Just there will do fine Lucy." He grinned." I finally found a use for all that 'girl power'." He took the first detonator from the small device and pressed it into the C4 under the truck. He took the second detonator and did the same to the home made claymore. He went to the edge of the road in front of his truck and positioned the claymore against the largest tree facing towards the clearing and covered it with leaves.
The driver came up to him." We have half a tank, enough to get us close to the border."
Xander stood up." It'll have to do." His head turned towards the way they had came as the jungle echoed to the 'yipping' sound, his soul screamed for him to answer but he fought it down. "I'll hang back." He picked up one of the AK47's and told him." Drive down this track for five miles and wait half an hour then go."
Lucy shook her head." Not without you."
Xander shrugged." If I ain't there it'll be because I'm not going anywhere." He handed the gun to Lucy but she shook her head." NO! We cannot harm humans."
Xander sighed." Even if it means capture or a fate worse than death?" She shook her head and then the anger built in him." No of course not, your kind leaves the killing to fools like me!" He slipped the assault rifle on his shoulder and waived her off." Go on then, get the other Princess into the truck and head on out, I'll leave any other demons to your lot."
Lucy hesitated not because the words hit home but because the angrier he got the more her cramps acted up." She glanced over at Endiko and saw her almost double over. She turned to the source of their shared pain and asked Xander." What are you?"
Xander sniggered." Tell me and we'll both know, now go." He slapped her ass as she turned to go earning him a hard glare as she walked off rubbing her, now tender, butt.
Xander found a place where he could watch the road unobserved by anyone traveling up it then took the assault rifle from his shoulder and placed it close to hand. He took out the remote and made sure the toggle was set on the first detonator then settled down to wait for the enemy he knew would come.
Xander was going over his plan when he heard a noise from behind him. Lucy had used every trick her stealth master had taught her but she got no closer than ten yards from Xander when he turned, picked up the rifle and aimed it at her in one fluid motion, pulling his finger from the trigger a micro second before he would have fired.
She saw anger in his face as he hissed at her." What the hell do you think you're doing?"
She held out her hand." You said she get's in your mind right? Give me the detonator then that way we know the job will be done."
Xander looked into her eyes then told her." If you press the switch then humans will die, do you think you can take a mortal life?" He sighed and turned away when she thought to long." Didn't think so."
Lucy stopped herself from pouting at him, she doubted seeing a woman do that held any sway with the man now, and instead she tried another track." So what happens when she stops you from setting off the mines?"
Xander rubbed a hand across the stubble on his chin." Well I guess then we all die." He turned to her." Well you all get to die, me I get to become her new sex toy I guess." He smiled at her blush." Seeing as how I cut her pack down some I suppose she thinks I owe her that much."
Lucy tried to remember the briefing Giles had given her on the man." You wouldn't allow innocent people to die just to save your own hide, not in you to do that Harris."
She saw his shoulder's shrug as he looked back down the trail." Never used to be but then a hell of a lot has changed since my Sunnyhell days..."He suddenly froze." My god their quick!" He pulled her down and placed a finger to his lips. She scanned the trail and then felt a blip on her Slayer senses, a blip that began to grow in size and in intensity.
Lucy saw several men with guns move quickly and quietly past the disabled truck and begin to scan the area their guns following their eyes. Xander flipped the cover off of the switch and waited. Half the men stayed still whilst the remainder began to search the truck.
Lucy poked Xander in the shoulder and he could hear the unasked question forming in her mind but he held up a hand to her. Then she knew these were not the men the trap was set for as the cramps came upon her. She looked into the clearing with slitted eyes as ten people lopped into view. It was then she saw the woman that had become Xander's greatest fear.
The dark skinned woman moved with the grace of a large predator, her eyes quickly moving across the clearing and then into the jungle, searching, scanning for something, and then she turned to where the duo were hidden, a feral smile crossing her features." Hello Alexander, it's been far too long."
Lucy looked across at Xander and his face was covered with a sheen of sweat, the cheek under his damaged eye began twitching. She looked at the hand holding the detonator and noticed the thumb poised over the switch was pale as if it were fighting to press down on the control and set off the charge.
The other members of Damaresque's pack turned, several of them sniffed the air and a deep growl issued from their throats. One of them turned to Damaresque and hissed." Slayers!" His grin widened." And children, hmmm, several children, their essences are so close I can taste them."
At those words Lucy heard another growl, this time it came from Xander. Before she could take it in the truck erupted into a maelstrom of destruction sending men to their death and creating a fireball that whipped through the ranks of Damaresque's pack engulfing several and turning them into human torches.
Xander let the control swing by its loop attached to his belt and stood up, the rifle snapping into place as he swiftly picked off the uninjured members of the rebels with short sharp bursts of controlled fire.
Xander searched for her body and found her as she was using a tree for balance. Lucy saw a dark sneer spread across his face." Now we end this!"
Damaresque smiled as her wounds healed before their eyes, the blood seemed to flow back into her body and she looked at Xander." The more of my pack you kill the quicker you will become." Lucy could see her pure white teeth as she bared them to him." A predatory act! And all for me, how sweet my love."
Xander frowned at her words and Lucy began to ask." What the hell is that about?"
Xander's eyes went wide. "CRAP!"
From the remains of the four pack members Xander had emolliated a ghostly yellow mist began to rise then head towards Damaresque. She held up her hand and waived it towards Xander." To the victor must go the spoils?"
The mist moved so fast even Lucy's enhanced senses found it hard to keep track until they speared into Xander's chest. He screamed in pain as his very soul burned with the raw ancient power that surged through his body. His eyes flashed green four times and his hands let the rifle fall to the ground before they formed claw like fists.
"Xander!" Her Slayer essence was almost overloaded by the demonic energies that she saw pulsing through Xander's body. His eyes flashed a golden yellow before his throat screamed out in an unearthly howl.
Damaresque began to swagger towards him." Now shall begin the true DARK age of man!" She caught sight of Lucy and her eyes narrowed, her teeth were bared as she hissed." Bring me the Slayer!"
The remainder of her pack eagerly moved towards Lucy and she searched for a means of escape. The sound of Xander's pistol made Lucy jump and turn to him. "Leave." Bang! "Her hell." Bang!" Alone." Bang!"You bitch!"
Xander calmly walked towards Damaresque, his pistol punctuating his words. Damaresque was jerked backwards as each shot found its mark but instead of screams of pain she merely laughed until the automatic slid back as it ran out of rounds.
She coughed once and spat out one of the crumpled rounds covered in blood then looked at him." You truly are worthy of reining at my side!" Damaresque saw one of the rebels and he moved to run until she held out her hand. The man froze then zombie like, started walking towards her.
The sight caused Xander to pause and even Lucy had a hard time not to look as Damaresque gripped the man's head and drew his mouth close to hers. Her eyes rolled back as her mouth opened wider than any mortals could and she inhaled. The others began yipping as the man's life essence was drawn into Damaresque's body, his shell seemed to crumple and shrink until there was just skin covered skeleton dressed in a uniform left to mark the remains of the once youthful man.
Damaresque glanced at one of her pack and motioned to Xander with her eyes; she turned to Xander and ran a hand across her healed chest." See, when you ascend to your rightful place nothing, NOTHING can harm you!"
The man charged Xander faster than anything either he, or Lucy, had ever seen. Xander collapsed backwards the man kneeling on his arms as he drew a wicked blade from his belt.
Lucy moved to help but as soon as she moved bullets kicked up the dirt around her. "Nahahah!" Damaresque commanded. "Save your strength little Slayer...Alexander will need it soon."
Xander strained against the power of the creature pinning him to the ground then he felt the tip of the blade press against his side." Shhh...I know." The man grinned at him as he edged the blade deeper, parting clothing then flesh before biting into muscle.
Xander freed one hand and pushed against the knife until a growl rumbled from his chest. The blade hardly entered before the were's eyes went wide." No!" Xander gripped the hand holding the knife and squeezed until the shattering of bone and flesh caused it to release the knife.
Xander held the arm to one side and flipped him over before gripping his throat with his other hand.
"Mistress, help me!" The were demanded.
Damaresque merely grinned and shrugged." There can be only one consort, I will grieve for you."
The scream was cut short by a sickening 'snap' as bone and muscle gave way and his head was separated from his still twitching body.
Xander stood and Lucy could feel the demonic power radiate from him in waves. Xander flipped the knife around then sent it speeding towards Damaresque only to have it snatched from the air by one of her remaining pack.
Two of the rebels shifted their aim and squeezed the triggers of their AK47's.
Both Damaresque and Lucy cried out as Xander's body jerked in a spastic dance of death.
The jungle echoed with the sounds of gunfire as Xander staggered back until his back struck a tree and his body collapsed.
"FOOLS!" Damaresque cried out.
Lucy ran to his side and saw the crumpled form, his hand twitched as it moved to the detonator at his hip then stopped.
Her eyes saw the detonator at Xander's side and she grabbed it, set the function to the second switch and held it to her side waiting for the creatures to move to the position where the blast would do the most damage.
Damaresque looked at her." For a whole year since we became aware of him our every effort has been bent towards bringing him into our presence, bringing him to where he belongs."
Lucy edged herself to one side praying the demons would move likewise and leave themselves open for the blast." There are some people in America that will skin you and nail your hide to a flagpole for what you have done!"
Damaresque snorted." Ha! And yet they let me do what I liked, influencing his dreams, his very soul till it was ripe for this day, for my..."
Xander's voice made Lucy jump so she almost set off the charge." I think I'll pass." He picked at his ruined shirt." This was my favorite shirt too."
Lucy narrowed her eyes as she looked at him. "Xander...How?"
Damaresque smiled. "It is simple, he be wraith."
Xander turned to Lucy and motioned for her to be ready before turning to Damaresque." No, actually I 'be' wearing Kevlar...NOW!"
Lucy pressed the trigger and the makeshift claymore lit up the jungle, Xander gripped her hand and allowed her to pull him away from the hell they had unleashed and towards the rendezvous point.
End of 2
Xander can feel her presence 'tickling' the back of his mind as they run through the jungle and despite his best efforts her whispering is getting to him. He watches Lucy as she runs in front of him and breathes in the very power she emanates.
**See my chosen, do you not taste her life source?* He sees a blurring around her as his eye can now see her life essence.*Take her, use her...drain her so you can heal*
Xander jerks and stumbles his mind fighting his very body for control. "Fuck off!" He whispers through clenched teeth.
Lucy can see the tracks of the truck divert off the main trail and she stops and stumbles forward as Xander runs into her. His hand rests on her shoulder as he gasps for breath." They turned off here; I guess the border must be this way?"
Xander tightens his grip on her as she moves to follow the trail." Wait I..."He feels weekend almost dizzy with pain." I uh...don't think..."He releases the grip and collapses to the jungle floor.
"Xander?" Lucy asks as she kneels down by his side. Her eye catches something on her shirt where Xander had gripped her." Blood?"
She lifts his hand up with little effort noting the blood dripping from it but no sign of a wound. He smiles." Guess I shoulda grabbed a larger size vest huh?"
Lucy rips open the vest and sees five fist sized bruises across his chest and a small hole pulsing blood at his beltline. She looked into his eye as she tore off her shirt and ripped it into strips." I thought I smelt blood, I thought it was theirs."
Xander tried to suppress a giggle but failed." Man I'm glad dead boy's in LA." He winced as she placed a makeshift pressure bandage around the wound." He'll be pissed he missed out on all this A grade..shit!" He hissed at her in pain as she moved him forward to finish wrapping the bandage around him.
Lucy returned the glare." You asshole! I should leave you here to bleed out! You know we need you to get us out and yet you pull a stupid stunt like that?"
Xander shrugged." We could have hardly stopped and fixed me up at the ambush..."He suddenly hit the side of his head with flat of his hand." Shut up shutupshutup!"
Lucy raised an eyebrow and Xander told her." Noisy unwanted guest telling me to do things..."His eye seemed to glow." Telling me how easy it would be." He moved closer to her and Lucy found she couldn't, wouldn't move. He tucked her hair behind one ear and she felt his breath on her face as he exhaled close to her mouth then felt him inhale." Just give in and become the true me...be all I can be..."
He suddenly jerked away from her, screwed his eye shut and grimaced." Not while I can still draw a breath you bitch!"
Lucy shuddered as if a lover had stopped just before she had climaxed." Oh lord!" She licked her lips and moved towards him confused as to why he had stopped and yearning for him to finish.
Xander held her at arms length." Back off hormone girl! I didn't mean to do that, it was her."
Lucy blushed and backed away. "I'm... How..." She stammered." How did you do that?"
Xander shook his head and winced as he began to move forward along the beaten trail." Not me 'IT', I let my guard down for a second and that freaking thing that's inside me decided to come out to play."
She watched him stagger then his hands tightened into fists." Oh if you don't stop Lady I am so going to nail your hide to a barn wall!"
His face flushed in embarrassment." I didn't mean like that..."He turned to her." Why is it only the weird ones seem to want me?" He shook his head as he realized he wasn't talking to any of the Scooby's. "Never mind, lets book before the bitch queen catches up."
Lucy watched him as he ran haltingly to join the rest of the group ,she shook her head and followed." When we get back to the world I am going to have to have a talk with the elders about why we were never told about you."
Xander looked back at her." The elders?"
"Yeah, you know the first ones."
Xander stopped to catch his breath and try to relieve some of the pain arcing through his body. "Vorlons?"
Lucy stopped and seemed as fresh as if she had just started." No. you know as in Buffy, Faith and Kennedy."
Xander winced as he began to chuckle." Oh I'd pay real money to see the look on the Bufster's face if you called her that to her face."
The radio crackled into life." Alexander...I know you can hear me." Xander looked to the radio clipped at Lucy's side and she saw his upper lip tremble.
"We will not harm the Slayers...They are worth far too much in Dar'Esilam to risk the wrath of the Keepers." Lucy could almost see the evil smile on Duquesne's face." They want you to join them, they have seen things Alexander, they have seen the future and it is OURS!"
Xander strode over to Lucy and snatched the radio from her belt and thumbed it into life." My mother calls...called me Alexander, my friends call me Xander, and you...you're neither so you get to call me SIR!" He trembled and Lucy could feel the waves of demonic energy pour from him." And as for your masters, tell them I'll be coming for them soon and the only future they're going to see is from the wrong side of hell!"
He crushed the radio like it was made of paper and let the sparking remains drop to the ground before looking at Lucy." If they're in radio range then they're too damned close already!"
He staggered and lent against a tree for support." We need to delay them long enough for the rest to make it to the safety of the border camp." He wiped the sweat from his forehead and then grinned." I do believe the gas pipe runs close by here." He straightened up and began moving again." I think our 'friends' need a little heat, kinda get them used to what it's going to be like in Hell."
Lucy took a step back as he grinned evilly at her." Did you take lessons in that or did it come naturally?"
Xander shrugged as he moved quickly through the jungle." Nah, 7 years of good ol' Hellmouth high brings out the beast in me." He stops as they near the truck, tucks in his shirt and tries to hide the blood." The others are to know nothing of our little escapade." Lucy glances at his wound." Especially about the neat little wound I picked up, 'kay?"
Lucy nods." So the plan is we set a trap by this gas line and send them to hell?"
Xander pauses and then shrugs." Kinda." Thinks and then sighs." Damn it!"
Lucy stops." What?"
"The reason they know where we are? Is me!" He kicks out at a tree and winces as his side hurts. " Son of a bitch!" He turns to Lucy. "Go to the camp, get as many grenades from the truck as you can then come here."
"Why?"
Xander places a hand on her shoulder." She 'talks' to me right?" Lucy nods." I'm betting she knows exactly where I am, I'm betting she knows because we're linked by this mojo crap!" He realizes that the only way to lead the demons from the girls and into a trap is to use himself as a Judas goat.
He smiles at Lucy." Hurry up and get the gear, I'll set up the trap and lead them into it while you girls get the heck out of Dodge."
Lucy nods and goes for the grenades in the interlude Xander takes out a notebook and begins to add the additional information Duquesne let slip to the scraps he had garnered in his stay in Africa. His hand began to shake as his mind was overcome by the evil emanating from the dense jungle behind them.
He heard Lucy returning and absently tucked the book back into his jacket close to his heart. He looked at the four grenades and sighed as Lucy asked.
"Will they be enough?" And handed them over.
Xander shrugged." Judging by the way they maintain everything else here I think a loud sneeze 'll do the job, but you never can tell." He tucked them into his pockets and looked Lucy in the eyes." Tell Giles...Tell him to look after my girls or I'll pay him a visit one dark and dreary night and make him wish Egohon had taken his soul all those years ago." He grinned.
Lucy nods." You can tell him yourself when you see him again."
Xander moves off and she can barely hear his words. "I hope I don't see any of them for a very long time."
She moves off back to the camp and it isn't until she's being hounded by the newly chosen slayer that she understands his parting words. She cuts off the princesses ranting and turns to look back." I'll never let them forget, Xander, and I'll make sure 'your' girls know what you have done."
Xander threaded the thin nylon wire through the rings of the secured grenades and then checked out his handy work. The grenades were placed at the weakest possible part of the pipe, a rusted out section by the main coupling, and he had covered them with mud and rust. He tied the ends of the wire to his wrist and gave it a gentle tug, grinning as the pins moved slightly." Oh I'm going to love seeing the look on Queen Bitca's face when this goes up! Going up with them will be a bit of a bummer though."
He can sense the other Wraith's getting closer and he takes the .45 from his belt and snicks off the safety." Still as Super chicken used to say 'You knew the job was dangerous when you took it Fred'."
He lost all his emotions as he saw the dark shadows closing in on him." Hello Duquesne I've been waiting for you me lovely."
One of the shadows rushed towards him and he gave it a double tap from the Glock and it fell in a heap at his feet." Sorry chum you're not my type."
Duquesne watched Xander shoot two more of her Wraiths, secure in the knowledge they would rise again, then sighed and nodded to the one remaining human. He hefted the spear and waited for Xander to turn away to face another charge then he let fly.
Xander fired the last bullet in his clip and began to turn back when something struck him like a fullback, lifting him up and slammed him into the pipe. He was about to laugh when a pain the likes of which he had never felt before lance through him. Ever move, every breath was like torture as he slowly looked at the object imbedded in his chest.
He chuckled haltingly." A fucking wooden spear!" He coughed and saw flecks of blood join the red river flowing from him." I bet your laughing your bleached frigging ass off up there Spike."
Xander sagged against the pipe, his body feeling the pulse of oil as it rushed through the rusted pipe behind him. He glanced up at the demons as they gathered closer to him, his gun slipping from his twitching hand as they did.
Duquesne grinned and slinked seductively towards him." Now you will change Alexander, now you have no other choice."
Xander was about to snap back one of his witty replies when his eye beheld the sight of two strange looking creatures just behind her." Enjoying the show are we?" He mumbled at the specters before looking at Duquesne." Yes, okay, already, I'll buy the Watchtower!"
Her eyes glowed." Join us now!"
Xander pulled on the wire and heard the pins tinkle as the hit him. "Okay but can you come over and pull this freaking tree out of me first?"
Duquesne grinned and placed her hands on the spear, the rings from the grenades caught her attention and she glared into his eyes.
"Psyche!" Xander exclaimed.
Duquesne growled and tried to move away her anger increased as Xander began to glow a painful bright green just before her world ended in a blast that was both heard and felt at the relief camp.
The dorm room was like any of the other in the university, bed unmade, books opened at various pages a student asleep at the computer terminal, except the second year student currently snoring through the night was not your average student. Dawn had her head nestled against her arm while the computer still searched the internet for an answer to her question.
Dawn suddenly snorted and jerked awake, she looked down at the small lake of drool that almost covered her assignment and cursed." Damn it!" Her mind then shouted to her body and Dawn froze, gulped down a shot of dorm room air and slowly turned, her eyes catching the glint from the glass picture frame. The picture contained a photo of Xander, big cheesy grin on his face, as he stood between two Masai warriors. She almost smiled, as she did each time she thought of him, but the bright yellow 'Have a nice day' logo eye patch stopped the smile as it always did.
She continued to look at her room for the thing that had ruffled her 'keydar' as she had started to call it. Her eyes traveled past the only other bed then snapped back as she saw a shadow move. Her heart began to race in panic but the figure moved forward into the light and her frown turned into a grin." XANDER! When did you get into town?"
Xander smiled and sat up on the bed." Only just." He motioned with his chin to the computer." Giles'd have a fit if he saw you asleep by that 'infernal machine'."
Dawn stretched and yawned, casting a sly glance to Xander as she did, she knew that dressed the way she was in a pair of old boxer shorts and a 'too tight' T-shirt ,she could make water hard. Hell she had done it often enough to goad some fool into doing her favors in the hope she would bless them with a date. She frowned when she saw it had no effect on Xander She shrugged." So what do I owe the honor of a visit from the great one himself?"
Xander moved closer to her and something seemed off, something was out of place with her childhood crush, something she couldn't quiet put her finger on." I had to stop on my way..."He waived a hand in the general direction of the ceiling." to my next assignment." He reached inside his long black coat and took something out.
It was then that something finally struck home and she jerked back as fast as her bare feet could move until her back was pressed against the computer table." You...your eye!" She choked back a breath." You're the first!" Her mind raced down a trail of thought and a tear appeared in the corner of her eye." If you're the first then Xander..." Her breath caught in her throat and she thought she was going to both throw up and faint at the thought." Xander's dead!"
Xander was scared by the very idea he had somehow upset Dawn." No. no I'm not the first Dawn." He moved close to her and she flinched back." The first could never touch anything, or one." She felt his fingers caress her cheek." He was of a darker plane, a manifestation of pure evil only able to touch the minds of his victim."
She looked into his chocolate eyes and saw the soul of her dearest friend and one time future husband." Xander." She sighed and held him close in a bone jarring hug." Why didn't you tell someone you had an implant?" She felt his hand stroke her hair and heard the phone ring.
She moved to pick it up but Xander's words stopped her." Let it ring for a while Dawn, I have something to give you and I don't want to be disturbed." He closed his eyes and then opened them." I don't have much longer." He held out a notebook, not just any notebook, it was the one she had given him before he had set off for Africa.
"I had meant to give this to Lucy but I was ahh distracted." He pushed it into her hands and she absently held it to her breast.
"Lucy?" For some reason a shard of jealousy thrummed through her body and she asked a question she dreaded the answer to." Uhh girlfriend?"
Xander grinned." Nah! You know you were the only girl for me, a Summers or no one, is my motto."
"I thought it was, give me Twinkies or give me death?" She grinned, suddenly relieved for some reason.
Xander closed his eyes again then opened them." In my youth but now I have put away childish things. The book contains everything I had found out about the Slavers and their masters The Keepers, where the auctions are the whole rotten nightmare that we created."
The phone rang again and Dawn turned to look at it and Xander's voice seemed to echo in her mind." I could have found love with you Dawn Summers. I will always be there for you...you and my girls." She turned back but there was no sign of him. She quickly picked up the phone and held it to her ear.
"Willow...Buffy is that you?"
She heard nothing for a while then a sniff as if someone was trying not to cry." Dawn...Buffy's on her way round to you." Willow choked out." It's... It's Xander."
The phone dropped from her hand and she felt the tears begin to build in her eyes. She hugged the book to her chest as if doing so would bring him back." No...Please NO!" She lifted it slowly to her face and for the first time she noticed it was slick with something, something she realized was blood as she held it in the light. Dawn sank to the floor as she realized it must have been his blood.
She remembered his words about putting aside childish things and how he had called the slayers his 'girls' and how...Her bottom lip trembled at the thought of him finally returning the love she had for him. She stood up and placed the notebook on the desk and brushed away the tears and mucus from her face. She opened the book; the book covered in his blood, and made an oath. "I will finish what you have started Xander, finish it and make them pay for this!"
The sound of her dorm room door banging open as Buffy and Faith ran in didn't distract her from reading the information Xander had passed to her.
Buffy's eyes were red with so many spilled tears and even the hardened heart of Faith had broken when Giles had called to tell them of Xander's sacrifice and final hours. The two surrounded Dawn and the three began to cry for their fallen friend.
Two white specters moved a white knight chess piece on a golden board, the one turned to the other. "The First broke the non-involvement treaty so now we have 'his' permission to rectify the gulf it had created."
The other nods." The unclean creature has been cleansed from our knight by the fires of his sacrifice."
"Our knight shall be given aid in our own way." He snapped his fingers." From one possible timeline the knowledge of Gramatron Cleric Preston shall be ingrained into him as if he was the cleric."
"Only mortal knowledge and the ability to use it shall be his, no demonic powers shall we risk in our new champion."
The second agrees." The mistakes of the past shall be remembered and the Slayer line corrected."
Xander broke the surface of the water and gulped down a lungful of air. He looked around and found he was in a swimming pool of all things! He quickly clambered out and found he was in the grounds of a high end Hotel of some kind. In the distance he could hear what he thought was thunder but the sudden 'burp' of machinegun fire soon dispelled that thought.
"A war zone." He looked up." Well color me surprised!" A page from a newspaper blew against his legs and was trapped there till he lent down and retrieved it. He scanned it and didn't even register he was reading French." Damn! I remember reading about this in history class!"
His hand went to the back of his head as he felt a throbbing there." Okay that means Slay girl is close by and it's my task to make sure she makes it to London this time."
Xander followed his senses towards where they said he'd find his 'girl' and sure enough he found her and her Watcher. The Watcher was a tangle of arms and legs on the ground, the spreading red stain next to him could only mean he was almost too late.
Marie Boneffant was on her back, her watcher lay close by, three small round holes in his chest his reward for trying to stop the mighty Aryan warriors from claiming their spoil. This being her eighteenth birthday the Council had decreed she should be given the trial, the Crucimatrium, and all her powers had been stripped. No one had thought they would have been delayed so long, the drugs should have kicked in when she had reached the relative safety of England but the rapid collapse, and surrender of the much vaunted French army had put paid to that. The over zealous watcher assigned to her had given her the serum regardless of the risk.' Just one more trial for her to pass' he had radioed his superiors.
Now here she was powers, and most of her clothing, stripped and at the scant mercy of the mighty conquerors of Europe.
The officer was unbuckling his trousers and grinned at her "Jetzt haben wir etwas Spaß mit der jüdischen Prinzessin!" (Now we have some fun with the Jewish princess!)
He dropped his trousers as the others laughed and cracked jokes.
Marie closed her eyes and prayed that either death or her powers would come quickly but then suddenly the men stopped laughing and she opened her eyes to see a stranger standing in the middle of ten men. The man was unarmed but she sensed a great power building in him, he was neither demonic nor angelic, just a mortal and she closed her eyes again." Merde."
The men watched the unarmed man walk into their midst and the officer laughed as he dismissed him." Wenn Sie dann leben möchten, laufen Sie weg jetzt," (If you want to live then run away now!)
Xander looked at each man, his armament and possible moves he would have to make to take them out and grinned. Marie heard a man shout, shooting and bodies falling to the ground and she surrendered to the fact she was going to end her life as a rapist's plaything when suddenly she realized there should have been just one body fall. Her eyes sprang open and she took in the scene before her. The stranger was in a stance similar to one her watcher had been trying to teach her. His knees bent his body fluid as he brought his hands up, hands now holding two German Lugers.
The officer was on his knees before him; his men had died in a flurry of hands, feet and by their own weapons. He himself was untouched, his gun still in his holster on his belt that was currently around his ankles. He glared angrily at the stranger who had shamed the master race and demanded in a very scared voice." wer Sie sind?" (Who are you?)
In one swift move Xander imbedded the now empty Luger in the man's skull." Tod incarnate, Ihr Tod!" (Death incarnate, your death!)
Xander moved between each man until he had two pistols and several clips for each, he tucked them under his long black cleric's coat and into his trouser belt. He turned to Marie as she stood and dressed ,she checked her watcher and closed his dead eyes then kicked the body of the officer.
Xander held out a hand." Venez avec moi, il est sûr maintenant." (Come with me, it is safe now.)
Marie knew he was not a demon and yet she could not say he was an angelic force either. She frowned and looked at the death around her then asked." Quelle êtes-vous ?" (What are you?)
Xander sneezed and wished he had a drier set of clothes, he looked down at the clerics coverings and sighed." I sure hope they don't intend me to take this 'cleric' thing too damned serious!" He noticed Marie as she moved away from him and smiled. "un Friend. One qui vous aidera à vivre par ceci et à vous obtenir à la sûreté relative." (A...Friend. One that will help you live through this and get you to relative safety.)
Marie glanced down at the officer and spat out a stream of hatred at him before turning to Xander. " Ils ont tué ma famille ! Je veux la vengeance !"(They killed my family! I want revenge!)
Xander followed after her and turned her around so she faced the sounds of battle and their only hope." I'm désolé je suis ici pour vous et vous vengeance d'alone. Leave à Dieu et à son juge."(I'm sorry I am here for you and you alone. Leave revenge to God and his justice.)
Xander quickly took her by the hand and led her towards a road sign that pointed to Dunkirk, then cricked his neck to one side and prayed the serum would last in this slayer for as long as it took for them to make it to safety.
Xander began to see the remains of a once formidable army as it lay in ruins, equipment abandoned and destroyed so the enemy could not make any use of it as the survivors withdrew to one last stand on the beaches of Dunkirk. Xander had to tell Marie to be quiet as they approached a farm on the outskirts of Dunkirk. He held Marie's hand and raised his high as he sensed men surrounding him. " I am an American! I'm trying to get my niece and myself to safety on board one of the Navy vessels."
Marie shook her head and was about to ask who he was talking to when three men moved forward their Enfield's pointed at them." Wouldn't we all mate?"
An officer carefully approached them." A priest and a child in this hell of a place whatever next?" He nods to Xander then salutes Marie." Her Majesties Navy is currently only taking combatants at the moment." He smiles at her." Those that have the good fortune not to be given the honor of trying to stop the unstoppable that is."
Xander looks at the flash on the Lieutenants shoulder and his mind searches for anything he can use." I see you're with the Royal Norfolk regiment Lieutenant?"
The Lieutenant motions for them to walk towards the farmhouse and the three men on watch go back their positions. As they walk he studies the pair then looks at Marie and smiles. "Giles, Henry Giles, 1st company of her Majesties Royal Norfolk Regiment at your service."
At the mention of his name Xander glances back at him." Giles?" He realizes his mistake when Henry looks at him.
"Yes?"
Xander fumbles with his words." Nothing it's just that I once knew a Giles... Uhh in America that is."
Giles nods." Yes the old family is spread out quite a bit these days." He looks at Xander and asks. " I was told to expect Miss Boneffant here but I was also told her watcher was someone older and more..."He raises an eyebrow at Xander." French?"
Xander nods and remembers Giles had once said his family and the Council were almost inseparable from each other." Yes he met with a German unit unfortunately for him, I came upon the scene too late to help him but I managed to extricate Miss Boneffant from a rather tricky position."
Giles nods." Yes I was informed the fool insisted on that damned trial by fire ritual of theirs, damned thing should have been stopped when man first learned to write!"
"So you know how important it is that Marie gets on one of those ships?"
Giles nods." Yes, there is talk of a flotilla of small craft coming tonight, I can see if we can manage to get her on one of those." He smiles." Hell I think it could be arranged for one of the Council members to send one of his ships here to pick her up." Giles salutes one of the non-coms and walks over to the radio and resets its frequency." Shan't be a tick, please sit, and make yourself at home for the short time you'll be here."
Xander motions for Marie to sit and she glares at the officer." les anglais de "The sont des lâches ! Ils courent la maison partie quand ils devraient rester et fight!" ("The English are cowards! They run away home when they should stay and fight!")
Xander glares angrily at her."" ; Ces 'English' ; les hommes combattent à la dernière balle, se rendent dans l'honneur, puis sont envoyés à la boucherie au last.All mais deux sont murdered!")
Marie pales and crosses herself." "All d'eux ? Cher Dieu pourquoi vous faites ceci à nous ? Sont l'enough?" de démons pas" ( "All of them? Dear God why do you do this to us? Are demons not enough?")
Giles returns to them and he sees a sad smile on Maries face." Don't fear child the Council is sending there best men to pick you up. "He hands Xander a note." Give them this and they will make damned sure Miss Boneffant gets to safety." He glances at his watch as they hear the shooting increase." I'm afraid you need to go now." He takes out his Webley revolver and checks the load." I fear destiny waits for no man." He shifts the gun to his left hand and salutes the pair." Have a safe journey."
Xander nods his thanks and they leave the farmhouse and head towards the beaches of Dunkirk. Marie glances back and shudders. She then looks at Xander and shakes her head.
Xander nods. "Trust je je sais quel I'm doing." ("Trust me I know what I'm doing.")
Xander can feel her shiver with either the cold, which he doubts, or fear of an unknown future. Xander had already changed the future but to what extent he didn't know. He did know that Marie was destined to be raped and murdered back at where he had found her. The Spirit had then been transferred to a child ill prepared for her destiny who would then die and so on until it reached another unprepared teen in L.A. called Buffy.
Xander decided to ease her fear as they saw the sleek craft approach them. He gripped her hand and told her." les Américains de "The obtiennent par la suite outre de la barrière et dans la guerre, trois ans et un enfer de beaucoup de la mort et de destruction plus tard, hé le presto Hitler's brûlant dans l'enfer et l'Europe est again." libre ;"("The Americans eventually get off the fence and into the war, three years and a hell of a lot of death and destruction later, hey presto Hitler's burning in hell and Europe is free again.")
She nods not knowing how he knew but assured by his words.
Xander then hands her the note and tells her." le "Trust les observateurs seulement dans la mesure où vous pouvez les voir, certains sont bon mais certains sont les phénomènes justes de commande, soient tous que vous pouvez être et faire confiance à votre heart." ("Trust the Watchers only as far as you can see them, some are good but some are just control freaks, be all you can be and trust your heart.")
He moves away from her as three men approach with a professional ease that belies their plain clothes .Marie hands the note to them and she is taken away, as she leaves she turns to look at Xander as he begins to glow a bright green." le "I se rappellera vous mon hero américain, et je n'oublierai jamais ce que vous avez done." ("I will remember you my American hero and I will never forget what you have done.")
After fulfilling their duty to hold back the German war machine for as long as they could the survivors of the Royal Norfolk Regiment, trapped in a cowshed and out of ammunition, surrendered to the 2nd Infantry Regiment, SS 'Totenkopf' (Death's Head) Division under the command of 28 year old SS Obersturmfuhrer Fritz Knoechlein. Marched to a group of farm buildings, able and wounded alike were lined up in the meadow along side the barn wall. When the 99 prisoners were in position, two machine guns opened fire killing 97 of them. The bodies were then buried in a mass grave on the farm property. Two managed to escape; Privates Albert Pooley and William O'Callaghan emerged from the slaughter wounded but alive. When the SS troops moved on, the two wounded soldiers were discovered, after having hid in a pig-sty for three days and nights, by Madame Castel of Le Paradis who then cared for them till captured again by another Wehrmacht unit to spend the rest of the war as POW's.
In 1942, the bodies of those executed were exhumed by the French authorities and reburied in the local churchyard now part of the Le Paradis War Cemetery. After the war, the massacre was investigated and Knoechlein was traced and arrested. During the war he had been awarded three Knight's Crosses. Tried before a War Crimes Court in Hamburg, he was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging, and on January 28, 1949, the sentence was carried out.
These are true events as recorded by history only the additions I have made in my story are false.