Chapter V
It wasn't until he got into the hallway that Spike realized how drunk he must be. The narrow hallway seemed endless and the small printed wallpaper with the deep red background made him quite nauseous. So either he was drunk or the horrid floral wallpaper that lined the narrow passageway caused his dizziness.
He also realized he had no idea how to get to Giles' office from here. He hadn't paid any attention to Harris when he had been explaining where to find everything as he led them to their rooms.
Spike wandered down the hall making different turns trying to navigate his way to something familiar. After about 30 minutes of wandering and not seeming to get anywhere he realized he was well and truly lost. He didn't even know how to get back to his suite from here. He tried sniffing the air to see if anything seemed familiar, but there were too many scents in the air to distinguish one from the other. He had been turning in circles for several minutes trying to get his bearings when he heard voices and footsteps coming from farther down the hall.
Spike took off at a run not wanting to lose this chance of finding a way out of this maze. He turned a corner blindly and wound up running headlong into Xander.
"Whoa." Xander tried to steady himself so they both didn't end up on the floor. "Where's the fire, Evil Dead?"
Spike was embarrassed by the way he had lost his cool over the fact that he was lost in the Watcher's Council. "I've been wandering around this bloody place trying to find Rupert's office for almost an hour." He practically muttered.
"Aaaah." Xander said knowingly. "Another victim of the wallpaper, huh?"
Spike looked at him in surprise. "I've been a victim to this god awful stuff before, too. I once accidentally wandered into Rhona's bedroom by mistake. Not something I ever want to happen again." Xander turned and began walking back the way he came. Spike followed after him. "In my defense, though, it was right after Giles took me to a "real" English pub for the first time and I only have the use of one eye."
Spike tried to take more notice of his surroundings this time as he followed behind Xander.
"I take it the Watcher's still up then?" Spike asked. Xander shot him a look that clearly said 'Well, Duh'.
"He's been waiting for a call back from Riley on Mr. Ian and his Rogues. Illyria, Dawn and Will are in there with him.”
The wallpaper finally ended as the hallway opened up into a larger hallway. Dark wood walls lined this area, with large portraits hanging every so many feet.
"Ok Giles' office is the third door on your left. I'll be back in a few, I've been sent on a donut run."
Spike had to laugh at that. "Some things don't change." He said and Xander laughed along with him.
They both stopped abruptly when they remembered how much HAD changed. Not the least of which was the two of them laughing together.
"Harris, what made you change your tune about me?"
"Well it would be sad if I didn't get any wiser as I got older, right?" The other man joked. "Besides its kind of hard to hate the person who saved me from the deranged preacher."
Spike didn't have anything to say to that, but the look that passed between the two spoke volumes and Spike knew the two had come to an understanding.
"I better get moving. Illyria tends to get cranky when she doesn't get her sugar fix." Xander turned and walked away. "Try not to get lost this time." He called back behind him.
Spike headed to the door Xander had indicated, but before he got close enough to turn the knob the door opened up from the other side and Dawn walked out shutting the door behind her. She stopped short when she noticed him in front of her.
Her eyes flashed with their earlier fire before it immediately went out and she looked down sullenly. "I was out of line earlier with SOME of the things I said and for that I apologize. She said stiffly, she never raised her eyes to look at him while she spoke. Spike noticed the emphasis on the word 'some'.
"Look, Dawn, I'm sorry I wasn't there for you and your sister. I thought I was doing the right thing by staying away. I would never want to hurt either one of you. I care about you both too much for that..."
Dawn gave a short bitter laugh and shook her head.
"What?" Spike asked her.
"Are you still telling yourself that lie?" She asked derisively. She finally raised her eyes to meet his and he could clearly see the hurt and bitterness behind her anger.
"You never cared about me," She continued. "You just used me to get to my sister."
"How can you say that?" Spike demanded.
"How can you pretend otherwise?" She demanded back sharply. "When I had a crush on you and used to show up at your crypt you just pumped me for information on Buffy. The only reason you agreed to protect me was to impress Buffy. And then after she died you only stayed because you promised Buffy you would.
You really didn't take care of me then either, for your information, I felt like I was taking care of you all the time, because you were so broken up over the fact that Buffy was gone. And after they brought her back you never came to see me or check on me, you were too wrapped up with her." Spike saw the unshed tears shining in her eyes. "I remember waiting for you to come by so you could sign my cast after Willow broke my arm, but you never came."
"Dawn..." Spike began, but she cut him off before he could get any further.
"Just answer this question for me. In all the years since you left us did you ever think about me or what I was doing?"
Spike couldn't tell her he had because he had tried to shut out all thoughts and memories of Sunnydale and the people there once he decided not to contact Buffy.
His silence deflated her anger. "And maybe you shouldn't have. I mean we didn't exactly finish up on good terms at the end. But please don't stand there and claim that you cared about me, because your actions say differently."
"Dawn, I'm so sorry I didn't mean..."
"Save it. Actually I'm used to it by now. Ask Xander sometime how he got to be the famous demon hunter he is today, its all thanks to me.”
Spike wondered what she meant by that, but he didn't have time to ask because just then Willow opened the door. "Oh!!!" She exclaimed when she saw the two of them standing there. "Is everything out here ok?" She asked looking nervously from one to the other.
"Its about as good as its going to get." Dawn answered her cryptically.
"Ok." Willow said slowly. "I was coming to find you, they are getting Riley on the phone now."
Dawn didn't say anything else, just pushed past Willow to go back into Giles' office. Spike stared after her wishing he could do something to take away all the pain she was holding inside of her. He felt like such an ass. Dawn was right he never tried to see her after Buffy came back, it wasn't because he didn't care about her he was just too caught up in his own things. He didn't even realize how bad things had gotten for her, even after the whole stealing thing. Then when she made that wish on Buffy’s birthday he had been too concerned with Buffy’s date, to really worry about Dawn.
"If it makes you feel any better she treats the rest of us the same and we've been with her for the past 7 years."
Spike tried to get over his maudlin worries about Dawn. He was going to turn into Angel if he kept brooding over things he couldn't change instead of trying to figure out how to make things better now.
"So how have you been, Red?" He asked as he entered Giles' office.
Willow shrugged. "Same old, same old. Working to save the world, again. Still trying to keep my powers under control. Its kind of hard not to get a Goddess complex when you have the powers of one." She joked with him.
Spike admired Giles' large office. Books lined the shelves covering every available wall space. Across the room sat a large mahogany desk with a large leather chair that Giles sat in. On the other side of the desk six chairs were placed facing him. Dawn occupied one of the chairs and she had pulled it up as close as she could get to the phone sitting on the desk. Illyria sat perched on top of the desk; she was looking at Dawn angrily.
"I have told you before not to stand so close to me." Illyria was saying to Dawn. "The acrimonious emotions that come from you give this shell heartburn."
"Bite it, you blue freak." Dawn snapped. Giles glared at both of them and they quieted down.
"I'm sure with Blue there's enough of a Goddess complex around here." Spike commented to Willow.
Willow gave him a knowing grin.
"Are you still seeing the young Slayer?" Spike asked her as they made their way across the room. Giles looked up and nodded in greeting to them. On the speakerphone elevator music could be heard signaling the fact that they were on hold.
"No, the novelty on that ended right after the apocalyptic threat. I'm still trying to find someone as wonderful as Tara."
"I don't know that that's possible. Glinda was definitely a one of a kind."
Their conversation was interrupted by the music coming to an abrupt halt and a nasally sounding voice. "Sir, I'll now connect you to Major Finn."
There were several clicks then Riley's voice came over the phone. "Giles, sorry I kept you waiting. What can I do for you?"
"Good evening Riley. I was hoping you might have some information on some individuals for us." Giles answered.
"I'll see what I can do. Who are these people?"
"We don't know that they are all people. A man named Ian Thorpe came to see us today. He offered his mercenary group to help us. Have you ever heard of him? I believe he and his compatriots go by the name 'the Rogues'."
There was a long pause. "Riley? Are you still there?" Giles finally asked him.
"I'm here." Riley answered. "Look Giles, Thorpe just doesn't offer his services, there has to be more to it than that."
"Well there was the price tag of seven and a half million dollars."
"He's giving you a deal then, usually he charges and even ten million." Riley said dryly.
"So you are familiar with them then." Giles stated.
"I'm familiar enough with them to know that you don't want their help. I've worked with Thorpe before. They aren't the kind of people you are used to dealing with."
"What makes you say that?"
"They do a good job, don't get me wrong. They will complete the mission objective, but the means they use to do it, they have very relaxed morals, human life means nothing to them. I've even heard that they have used children in getting their missions accomplished. Not even our most seasoned veterans are comfortable around them.”
"Well that says something doesn't it?" Spike asked smartly.
There was another pause on Riley's end.
"Giles, is that who I think it is?"
"Ah, Finn I didn't know you missed me." Spike grinned.
"I didn't, but then again I haven't really tried to kill you lately either." Riley answered him.
"I see your wit hasn't improved over the years. Must be a curse of a government job." Spike laughed.
"We have more important things to go over right now. If you two could put this pissing contest on hold for a more appropriate time." Giles told them both.
"Pissing contest?" Illyria asked. "What is a pissing contest? How does that work?”
"That’s a conversation for another time." Willow shushed her before she could ask anymore.
"Look Giles, I don't know why you would even consider using Thorpe. I'm sure you don't have the money and..."
"He claims that Buffy is a member of his team." Giles interrupted him.
"That Son of a Bitch!!!" Riley swore.
"Do you think he's telling the truth, Riley?" Dawn asked anxiously.
"I knew they had a Slayer working with them, but I never actually met her. It makes sense though, based on some of the reports I've received." Riley sighed loudly. "All right, Giles if you are going to do this I will e-mail Willow all the information I have on Ian Thorpe and the Rogues, but you have to remember all of this information is classified. I also have to insist that if you are planning on hiring them you let me send over one of our special ops teams to help you in case they get out of hand."
"Thank you, Riley. Any help is appreciated right now."
"Its no problem." They could hear typing on a keyboard across the phone. "Ok I've sent the files to Willow."
Willow took her laptop off of the desk, sat down and proceeded to begin typing. "Got them. I'm downloading them now."
"Great. Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"Actually yes, Riley. You were right; we can't afford to hire Ian. I was wondering if there was any way the US government would be able to help with that."
"Giles, I would love to be able to help you, but since the end of the last war the American public is very strict about what money comes to the armed forces. I couldn't begin to get access to that kind of cash."
"Gee you would think the American public didn't trust you. Think it has anything to do with all those countries you invaded needlessly?" Spike couldn't resist getting that dig in.
"We were spreading freedom around the globe." Riley snapped at him.
"Is that what you call picking a fight with North Korea, Syria, and Iran after you were getting your arses whipped in Afghanistan and Iraq."
"You have no idea what you were talking about. They were severe threats to the American way of life and to the countries around them. We did what we had to do to ensure peace." Riley was yelling now.
"You did what you had to do to ensure you had control over the oil fields in the Middle East!" Spike yelled back.
"GUYS ENOUGH!!!" Willow yelled before the argument could get completely out of hand. "Focus please. We all know that you two don't agree on anything. So talking politics right now-NOT HELPING!!!"
"Sorry, Red."
"Sorry, Willow."
"Riley," Dawn spoke up. "This may be my only chance to find my sister, isn't there anything you can do?" She pleaded with him.
"I'm sorry Dawn my hands are tied on this one."
"I'll get you your money, Watcher." Spike spoke up suddenly. As much as he wanted to see Buffy, Spike also knew he had to do this for Dawn.
Dawn looked up at him surprised.
"Thank you, Spike." Giles was also surprised. " I wasn't aware you had access to that type of money."
"How do you have access to that much money, Spike?" Riley asked suspiciously.
"I own the most exclusive demon club in this realm, Finn. We tend to turn quite a good profit."
Right about that time the door flew open and Xander entered. "I come bearing donuts." He called into the room. Lorne, Raven and Angel followed him.
"I come bearing information." Lorne called. "And a severe need of a shower after some of the dives we've been in."
Spike noticed the withdrawn look on Raven's face a she entered the room and he was suddenly wracked with guilt. She looked so sad and he knew it was because he had been so caught up with Buffy since they arrived he had been shutting her out and ignoring her. When she got close enough he wrapped his arms around her, pleased to see some of the sadness leave her eyes.
"Hey Xander." Riley greeted him.
"Major Finn. I didn't know you would be here or I would have picked up those chocolate donuts you like so much."
Riley laughed. "Thanks for the thought."
"So how's Sam and the little one?" Xander asked as he opened the box of donuts he sat on the desk. Illyria immediately started pawing through the box. Xander smacked her hand away lightly.
"Sam's fine. Although she's complaining that she's bored having to stay home with the baby all the time."
"You dare..." Illyria began.
Xander held up another bag. "Yours aren't in there. I got you your own bag." He explained to her.
Illyria looked from Xander to the bag in his hand. She reached out and gently took it from him. "You've done well. You would have made an excellent slave in my time."
With that she took her donuts and sat down in a chair halfway across the room to enjoy them.
"And your welcome" Xander called to her, shaking his head.
"I have some things I need to finish up here before I can go home tonight so I need to get going. I'll send the men I promised you by tomorrow." Riley told them.
"We need to meet Thorpe in three days time in Katmandu. I'll have Willow e-mail the address to you they can just meet us there."
"Good night everyone."
"Good night, Riley and thank you again for all your help." Giles said.
"Tell Sam I said 'hi'." Dawn called.
"Later man." Xander added.
"Take care Riley, thank you for the information. I think it will help." Willow said.
"It's been a blast as always Major Cardboard."
There was a click as Riley disconnected from them.
"So you've decided to hire the Rogues then?" Angel asked Giles.
"Yes, I believe we have."
"And how are we going to pay them?" Angel asked.
"Spike offered to pay them." Giles told him.
Raven and Lorne both looked at Spike in shock.
"He did?" Lorne asked alarmed. "And where are you going to get that kind of money?"
"We have the down payment in our bank account." Spike told him.
"And the rest?" Lorne persisted.
"We'll call in all the blokes that owe us." Spike told him.
"Partner, can I talk to you a minute?" Lorne pulled Spike across the room and began talking at a frantic whisper.
Raven wanted to follow and find out what was going on, but she needed to speak to Giles first.
"Mr. Giles, I contacted my Master, Otagi in Japan this evening. He is sending two Hogoshas to meet us in Katmandu."
"You are a Hogosha." Giles asked surprised. "I had no idea. The Watcher's Council has been curious about the Hogoshas for a long time now, but no one has ever been able to meet one."
"I was a Hogosha for ten years before all the Slayers were activated."
"So you were a traditional Hogosha then?" Giles asked.
"What's a Hogosha?" Dawn asked, eyeing Raven up warily.
"Hogosha means protector or guardian in Japanese. It was also the name of a group sworn to protect the Japanese people from demonic threats. They were the ones who guarded the Hellmouth in Kyoto. Before all the Slayers were activated they were just regular girls who trained from birth for their duty. They are reputed to be some of the best fighters in the world.”
"You guarded a Hellmouth for 10 years with no Slayer skills?" Xander asked impressed.
Raven nodded, her cheeks were slightly pink over the attention she was receiving.
"Do you know if your master is sending traditional Hogoshas or Slayers?" Giles asked her.
"I am not sure." Raven answered her.
"Giles you better come look at this." Willow said. "We may want to rethink Riley's offer of sending us men, they may have ulterior motives."
Raven used the distraction to walk over to where Lorne and Spike were still involved in a heated discussion.
"...then we'll sell the bloody club. I don't care. I am not going to let this opportunity pass." Spike was telling Lorne.
"That's great. We'll just sell the club. What are we going to do then if the world doesn't end?" Lorne demanded.
"I don't know. But this is something I have to do."
Lorne looked over at Raven now. "I really hope he knows what he's doing. I don't believe he's thinking clearly." He told her sadly before walking away.
"What was that all about?" She asked Spike.
He gave her a weak smile. "Nothing to worry about, luv." He told her kissing her lightly. "What's say we try and get some more shut eye? I imagine tomorrow is going to be a long day."
Raven didn't let him see the fear in her eyes when he pulled her close.
Copy of e-mail sent from Riley Finn after getting of the phone with Rupert Giles in England:
From: MajRFinn@usa.army.gov
To: DRumsfeld@usa..gov
Mr. Vice President,
I need to requisition the use of 3 members of the Tiger Force for a mission of utmost importance. Objectives and mission parameters as follows:
Primary Objective: Support and aid the Watcher's Council in their effort to prevent an attempted apocalypse originating in the country of Bhutan as the First Evil and Wolfram & Hart try to resurrect an Old One named the Thunder Dragon.
Secondary Objectives:
-Recapture Hostile 8320 aka Simon currently working with Ian Thorpe and the Rogues.
-Neutralize Hostile 17 aka William the Bloody aka Spike
-Determine the level of contamination Buffy Summers aka The Slayer has undergone, if deemed a threat, neutralize her as well.
-Gather as much Intel on both the Rogues and the members from the Watcher's Council for later consideration on how they should be handled.
Mission set to commence in three days time, need immediate approval.
Major Finn
Response:
From: DRumsfeld@usa.gov
To: MajRFinn@usa.army.gov
Major Finn,
Request Granted. Slight changes to objectives per President Cheney. See below.
Primary Objective:
Support and aid the Watcher's Council in their effort to prevent an attempted apocalypse originating in the country of Bhutan. Try to allow resurrection to occur than capture the Thunder Dragon to ensure the safety of this country.
Secondary Objectives:
-Neutralize Hostile 17, Angelus, and Buffy Summers.
-Apprehend the former Old One named Illyria for further study.
-Apprehend Dawn Summers aka The Key for further study.
-Recapture Hostile 8320 aka Simon currently working with Ian Thorpe and the Rogues.
-Gather as much Intel on both the Rogues and the members from the Watcher's Council for later consideration on how they should be handled.
D. Rumsfeld
Vice President
United States of America
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