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thank you to spikeskat for beta'ing for me!!!
16
Once the security door slid opened and Spike and Christine carefully passed through, they were greeted with a small hint of color. Gone was the blinding sterile white of the holding cells; yet Spike neither noticed nor cared. His single-minded purpose to gain the slayer’s side was the only thought that consumed him.

The pair kept to the shadows, Christine taking the lead so that she could point out the numerous security cameras. Spike nodded each time he was shown one, ears attuned for the sound of any approaching footsteps as they made their way towards the passageway that would lead them to Buffy

Halfway down their chosen path, a lone scientist stepped out from one of the many door littering the hallway and began walking in their direction; his identity as the enemy easily established by the white jumpsuit and lab coat. Spike tensed, ready -and eager - to dispose of him the same way he had the others. However, a barely perceptible negative head shake from his new sidekick halted his murderous intent.

 Christine knew this particular scientist and was confident in her assessment of the man. He was an idiot, by far one of the worst offenders, blind to anything but his work and the soldier was sure he bore no threat.

And time proved her correct.

The scientist breezed right by them, not once attempting to make eye contact. Spike had to admit, even though his demon was practically chomping at the bit, that the lack of blood spilled in this instance was far preferable than tipping their hand too early.

Giving the soldier a small nod of acknowledgement, Spike gestured for her to continue on their way. When she noticed him stop abruptly and sniff the air, Christine gave him a quizzical look which he promptly ignored.

Christine shrugged and kept moving, leading him towards the final hall that would reunite him with Buffy; her own unease growing with each step.

When Spike paused once more and turned back towards the long hall they had just left behind, Christine couldn't help but question his distraction.

"Gotta go back that way." He pointed in the direction they had just come.

"But they wouldn’t have taken her that way. The experimentation arena is the most likely place for the birthing," Christine argued, remembering the new additions to the unit that she had seen the day before. An incubator being the most prominent thing that came to mind.

An icy feeling washed over Spike at the term she used and he struggled to contain his rage before it took over. A clear head was needed here and he knew from experience that his demon didn't always react logically. That just wouldn't do in this situation.

Without another word, Spike turned around and quickly made his way back to the other hallway, Christine shadowing him, her confusion continuing to mount as they moved further and further away from Buffy.

Spike did another one of his unexpected halts, this time in front of one of the compound's meeting rooms that doubled as an 'interrogation chamber.'

"You able to open this door?"

Christine nodded and swiped her badge through the electronic keypad. A green light signaled that the door was unlocked and her security clearance hadn't been suspended. Yet.

    Spike watched the heavy door slide open, then made his move.

*****

Apprehension did not even begin to describe what Giles was feeling when he heard the sinister sound of the electronic lock being disengaged. 'This is it,' he thought. The watcher was under no delusions as to why they had been left sitting for so long. Oh, they'd been told that they needed to be involuntarily detained in this room for their own 'protection.' The latest update from their 'escorts' had informed them that they were waiting for some big wig to fly in from Washington to fully 'debrief' them. However, Giles knew that was just a ruse.

They had been locked in here to await their own execution.

Giles peered at Travers and realized that he, too, was aware of this fact as well. Resignation and regret had already done a one-two punch to his increasingly haggard-looking face.

The door slid open and Giles gripped a chair. If he was facing his execution, he would do so fighting.

First came the flash of camouflage, the uniform familiar, and the watcher's body froze with dread.

Then his eyes made it to the lead soldier's face, and Giles suddenly struggled for breath, clutching the chair in earnest now. He had only seen a glimpse of the vampire during the Parent/Teacher night that had gone to hell. At the time, the face before him had been distorted by evil. Still, there was enough similarity that he would have recognized this 'soldier' anywhere, even minus the platinum locks.

Yet, it wasn't fear that was rushing through his body right now. 


It was hope.

"Spike," Giles acknowledged warily, not daring to forget even for a moment that this WAS William the Bloody standing before him. Lethal and deadly, now wearing a mockery of patriotic symbolism.

Spike tipped his head in silent greeting, his intense blue eyes probing. Giles was unprepared for the wealth of emotion that sparked behind the vampire's gaze.

Christine stopped next to Spike, her face tense and silently questioning the vampire’s reason for risking their detection. She looked at the two men who were staring at Spike as if they couldn't figure out if he was their savior or the devil incarnate.

And boy, if she didn't know just how they felt.

"Is... Buffy all right?" Giles broke the silence and dared to ask, his gut clenched in preparation for the answer.

Spike's face clouded with fury, and his eyes sparked amber, causing Giles to take a firmer grip on the chair under his hand.

"She bloody well better be," the vampire snarled before whipping around and disappearing into the hallway with the female soldier not far behind. The door had been purposefully left open.

Giles exchanged a look with Travers before rushing after the vampire and his comrade.

"You're... following him?" Travers asked as Giles reached the door, after having been oddly quiet during the exchange.

Giles paused briefly and turned to give his employer a rueful smile. "Something tells me our chances of survival are far better with William the Bloody than remaining behind here." With that parting comment, the watcher moved out of the room, not at all surprised when Travers hurried to catch up with him.

Once again, the hallway was conspicuously empty and Christine confirmed the direction his thoughts were taking. "It's weird. There is usually more activity around."

Spike had a feeling he knew where everyone could be found.

Watching the birth of his child.

Hearing the quiet approach of the watchers he had set free, Spike turned abruptly to face them, his face set in a hard stare. Not even the sudden jump of their pulse rates and the fear that permeated the hall gave him any satisfaction.

Ignoring the shorter one, Spike focused his attention on the one he knew was Buffy's watcher. "Just wannna get one thing bloody well clear 'ere. When I find Buffy, I'll be killin' anyone who is with her. You got a problem with that, you either sod off or try to stake me right now." The smile that twisted his lips was anything but reassuring, but Giles could see fear lurking behind the menace. "I can assure you, try will be the operative word 'ere."

"I'm quite certain that we can work-" Travers began to respond but was cut off.

"Not talking to you. I'm talking to the girl's watcher."

Giles didn't hesitate. Spike's terms were more than acceptable. "Can we count on our own continued survival?" he felt compelled to ask however, ignoring any input from Travers.

"You won't die by my fangs," Spike remarked sardonically, a look of understanding passing between the two. "S'far as I'm concerned, we both 'ave the same goal 'ere. Not bloody stupid enough to off any potential backup."

Giles nodded, not questioning the vampire's sincerity.

Travers gestured towards Christine, eyeing the bite marks that were still bright and angry on her neck. "And what about her? Can we be assured of her compliance, as well?"

"Huh? Me? You're worried about me?" Christine couldn't help but ask, her eyes searching Spike's in confusion.

"She's human, you git," Spike informed the head watcher, watching as his eyes widened with shock at the realization that William the Bloody had apparently left a victim alive.

Travers was curious to discover the details that had occurred before they had been set free, but had to content himself with watching as Spike once again spun on his heel and headed towards the door at the end of the long walkway, the human in question falling in line right behind him.

Yes, Travers found this vampire quite intriguing. The two watchers fell into line behind the stealthy duo in front of them as they continued to make their way cloaked in the shadows.

With their sight focused solely on the door at the end of the walkway, it was some cause for alarm when the door in question suddenly slid open, allowing several soldiers to pass through it.

Flattening himself against the wall, Spike held up a finger then pointed at himself to communicate that he would take care of the threat.

When there was no argument from Travers, Giles found himself surprised at his employer's willingness to put their safety in the hands of a vampire. Perhaps stepping out of the Council's remote offices for once would go a long way towards changing the head councilman's views.

God knows it had changed his.

If there had been any doubts regarding Spike's competence as a killer, it was put to metaphorical dust when the two men witnessed the speed and pure lethalness that were employed as the vampire easily killed the soldiers when they marched past him.

In any other scenario, witnessing such brutal violence at the hands of the demon would have filled each human with dread.

Now they could only silently thank whatever maker had made him so.


tbc..

a/n- hey! Travers and Giles are loose! what's gonna happen now? :O





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