Previously:
As he left the room with his burden in tow, Dr. Oliver swept a tear from the corner of his eye.
"Oh, Maggie May, what have you done?" Dr. Oliver whispered.
~*~*~*~
No living thing could withstand the punishment Spike's body had taken. Luckily, he'd been dead long before Maggie began her grim interrogation, but it was clear that if she continued Spike's existence would finally end. The vampire was suspended from the ceiling in the examination room like a slab of meat in a butcher's shop. His red flesh was the only spot of color in the white room. Maggie wasn't sure if the vampire still had the capacity for speech. The session had been going on for two hours and in that time she'd removed his fangs, twice. Perhaps they'd stopped growing back. She'd become so frustrated with his silences that she'd stopped using the tools and had beaten him with her fists.
When Lloyd walked in to check on her, she was hiding her face in her hands. At the sound of the door opening, she looked up at him with two, bloody prints staining her cheeks. Lloyd's lower lip gaped for a moment as he drew in a sharp breath. Maggie looked like she was painted for war, cloaked in the effluvia of the enemy. Her light eyes were blank in her sanguine mask, but she was still smiling. Lloyd walked to her and gently cupped her elbows.
"Let me take over the questioning for you," Lloyd said.
"No, it's not necessary. I'm perfectly capable of getting him to cooperate."
"But this might require a different approach."
She wrenched herself away from him, her smirk sharpening to something dangerous.
"You never believed in me for a second."
He followed her, grabbing her upper arm.
"I always did. I still do. That's why I want you to let me fix this. Please."
"You're lying again. The whole reason you signed up for this project was to catch me in a mistake—to relish in my failure."
"Maggie, I'm trying to save you. I know where you've channeled your missing funds. I know about Adam. Unless you can find another way to account for that money, it's your career."
She looked away from him and ran a soiled hand through the blonde lock that had come loose from her stiff mass of hair. Her fingers left a streak of scarlet behind.
"What did you have in mind?" she asked.
Lloyd let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.
"We could use the serum on the vampires, starting with this one. If it works you have something that will change life on this earth."
Professor Walsh forced out an ugly laugh.
"That's lunacy."
"I know, Magpie. But I can't lose you again," he said, hoping the use of her childhood nickname would remind her of what they'd meant to one another and convince her of his sincerity. He could see each side of the argument sniping back and forth behind her eyes. She turned and cast a glance at the ruined form of her prisoner. Her shoulders sagged and she seemed resigned.
"Do it," Maggie said, before flinching out of his grasp. She went to the sink in the corner of the room and began scrubbing her hands and face. When she was free of gore, Maggie stripped off her lab coat. Even though the process took several minutes, neither of them spoke. Lloyd was worried another word would reverse her choice. Before she left the room, Maggie stopped.
"You've got blood on your hands," she said, then swept out into the hallway. He looked down and sure enough, they were stained to his formerly white cuffs. He didn't bother to wash, though. Before the day was through, Lloyd knew he’d just get dirty again before the day was through.
Dr. Oliver went to Spike and wrapped an arm around the creature's slim waist. Lloyd strained to unhook the vampire's bound wrists from the ceiling-mounted ring. Spike was slippery with blood and Lloyd nearly lost his grip. Lloyd finally eased the creature to the floor. He noticed the zip ties had cut down to the bone of the vampire's wrist. Lloyd grabbed a scalpel off of a spattered tray and sliced through the bonds. He dragged Spike to a cot by the wall, leaving bloody streaks along the white floor. Dr. Lloyd left his patient alone long enough to gather the supplies he'd left outside in a cooler by the door. Then he tended to each wound Maggie had made, until Spike looked like a morbid sticker book. The doctor set up an I.V. He slid the needle into Spike's arm and watched the fluid begin dripping.
If Maggie's notes were accurate, her concoction would bring Spike back from the brink of disintegration to full health within the hour. Of course, Adam's organs could not function on their own; he needed a constant injection of the brew to sustain his vitals. The vampire might not respond at all. Then Lloyd knew Professor Walsh's last chance would be so much dust sifting through his fingers. At least he couldn't be charged with murder or torture since William Wesley Pratt had already been dead one hundred and twenty years.
He pulled up a chair beside the prone creature and was heartened to see its eyebrow twitch. Dr. Oliver stared at Spike for a while, musing about the way his life's work had plummeted as of late. Then he shook his head.
"This is not science," Dr. Oliver said.
~*~*~*~
The motor lodge was rather desolate, which was just Ethan's style. He was always a bit cowardly and tended to be lurking under the nearest dank rock. The mackerel tabby apparition was curled up in front of Ethan's hotel room. Giles scattered the ghostly cat with the toe of his shoe. With his gesture he was certain Willow's strength would swiftly return.
The watcher decided he'd start simple with a knock to the door. After two, short raps he heard a shuffle and then Ethan's familiar voice.
"Coming, love," Ethan said, as he opened the door, "I thought your shift didn't end until nine—"
The other Englishman's smile dropped when he saw Giles. Ethan was wearing a quilted, red robe that hung open to show he had on nothing but black boxer shorts decorated to look like the album cover for Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon.
"Bugger. What are you doing here, Ripper?"
"Where's Buffy?"
"I don't know anything about your Slayer. I'm legit this time around. I've got a bloody government contract now," Ethan said, tilting his chin up and crossing his arms over his chest. "You can't touch me."
With the speed of a mousetrap snapping shut, Giles punched Ethan in the face. Ethan yelped as he staggered back and clutched his nose.
"And yet I just did," Giles said, pushing his way inside. Eddie and Andrew followed, exchanging an impressed look. Andrew covered the side of his mouth with his hand like an old time stage actor and whispered to his boyfriend.
"He's like James Bond without the rocket shoes or misogyny," Andrew said, in awe.
"Definitely a Roger Moore quality from back when that meant something, like pre-'Moonraker,'" Eddie agreed.
Andrew looked into Eddie's dark eyes.
"I love you," Andrew said, his voice catching.
"Ow! You filthy wanker!" Ethan shouted, drawing their attention back to their purpose. Ethan sank onto the crummy, brown bedspread that smelled of mothballs. Giles stood over his old friend; Rupert's mouth was a neat line and his eyes appraised the other man coolly. Eddie began looking over the possessions scattered on the dresser in the corner.
"Now let me ask you again. Where is Buffy?" Giles asked.
"I.Don't.Know."
Eddie picked up a shoestring attached to a laminated card. He squinted at it for a moment.
"What's the Initiative?" Eddie asked.
"I'm consulting for them. I do a bit of this and that."
"Including dark magic?" Giles asked.
"Just a little. I slapped together something that could reanimate dead flesh using demon blood and a touch of liquid smoke."
Andrew scrunched up his face.
"Liquid smoke?"
"The hickory flavor has many mystical properties. Plus it's cheaper than brimstone."
Giles shook his head.
"Yes, the way you manage to dupe the unsuspecting is fascinating, but I'm more interested in the breed of demon."
"I don't know what they're called, really. It's sort of like the Mohra demon but instead of a red jewel in the forehead it's more of a purple. Also, most of them go into theater arts instead of assassination. Much easier to kill," Ethan said.
"That's fairly despicable," Giles said.
"And perfectly legal. In fact you three are the ones breaking the law, so if you don't mind. Piss off," Ethan said.
Eddie sauntered over to the group, his ax held with both hands at waist level.
"Do a truth spell on him, baby," Eddie said.
Andrew adjusted the strap on his backpack with a shrug of his shoulder.
"Yeah, I'll get right on binding him in my golden lariat. I just have combat spells in here," Andrew said.
"Quite the crack team you've assembled Ripper. You really are at a loss without that delicious, little blonde," Ethan said.
"I think you ought to choose your words more carefully," Giles said.
"What, she's a hot young thing. I'm sure you're quite lonely without her."
"Eew, gross, she's like his kid you weird old pervert," Andrew said.
"Just tell us what we want to know," Giles said.
"You think I'm scared of a couple nancy cocksuckers and an over the hill librarian?"
Suddenly Ethan's body jerked and he screamed before falling over onto the mattress. Eddie and Giles simultaneously followed the electrodes sticking out of Ethan's chest to the Taser Andrew was holding. Andrew shrugged.
"What? He was being a total tool. I figure I can do a stasis spell on him until we can get all the truth stuff together. It will keep him quiet for about two hours."
Giles and Eddie nodded in agreement.
*~*
Giles felt guilty for adding kidnapping to the list of crimes he'd made Andrew and Eddie partake in, but the boys seemed rather excited. They'd suspended Ethan between them and dumped him in the back seat, apparently very much like characters from a film called "Weekend at Bernie's," that Giles had no urge to see. The return drive to his flat was uneventful, though Giles tensed when they passed by a police car. Once home, they carried their prisoner discreetly to the house.
Eddie unlocked the door and then pushed it open while Andrew and Giles kept Ethan on his feet. As they walked in they saw Willow's head draped over the arm of the couch. Her eyes were squeezed shut, she was moaning softly and she was biting her lower lip. Giles slammed the door shut and her lids popped open. Xander's head darted up from behind the back of the couch. His shoulders were bare and when he saw them, the brunette shrieked. He immediately dove back down and wrestled on his yellow t-shirt. Simultaneously Willow disappeared behind the protection of the couch back.
"Were you guys doin' it?" Andrew asked.
"Geez, babe, state the obvious," Eddie said.
Giles dropped the half of Ethan he'd been holding, leaving Andrew straining with the brunt of the weight. He whipped off his glasses and began rubbing at the lenses with enough force to snap them in half. Xander buckled his belt as he stood.
"Um, would you believe we were practicing some homeopathic medicine?" Xander asked.
"Nope. Did you at least remember to pick up doughnuts?" Eddie asked.
"Nope," Xander said.
"Xander, if you don't leave right now I'm going to do something regrettable," Giles said.
Xander jammed his feet into his sneakers. Willow's tiny hand darted out and snatched up a green, lace bra that had been tossed on the floor.
"Right, I'll be back in like fifteen—" Xander started to say, then realized Giles was shaking his head from side to side stonily at him—"Forty five minutes with an array of doughnutty delights. And extra jellies. With sprinkles. Please don't kill me, Giles." Xander's hands had not stopped moving since he started to speak and his plea ended with them pressed together as if in prayer.
"Yes, that should be sufficient. And while you're out there's an upholstery shop that steam cleans furniture. Make an appointment to have my couch cleaned. I'm sure you and Willow can work out the bill," Giles said.
"Got it G-man," Xander said, as he scrambled toward the exit looking like a jumble of too long arms and legs. When he grabbed the doorknob, it stuck and Xander flailed for a second before he was able to make his escape. Eddie sighed and walked over to Willow, who was cowering in shame.
"How you doing, little tree?"
"Is there a convenient hole where I can curl up and die?"
"Not so much."
"Then I've been better," she said.
"Are you dressed and back to full capacity, dear?" Giles asked, shoving his spectacles back into place.
"Yes."
"Then let's forget this episode and try to make some use of Mr. Rayne. We need to dispatch a truth spell."
"Or I could just go into his brain," Willow said, tugging on her bright, orange, cardigan sweater with the little bunches of purple grapes for buttons. Looking at it no one would guess it and her purple t-shirt concealed such racy underwear.
"That's very advanced magic," Giles said. Andrew sighed loudly then.
"Look, this guy is heavy. I'm just dropping him on the wet spot and moving on," Andrew said.
Willow covered her face as the blond boy dragged his human parcel across the hardwood.
"There's no wet spot! We put a towel down! Please don't kill me, Giles!" Willow said.
Andrew dumped Ethan onto the cushion and Willow jumped to her feet as though the man were a hairy spider. The blond looked at his boyfriend and quirked an eyebrow.
"Hey, would you mind helping me get a glass of water in the kitchen? You know I have trouble working Giles' weird ice cube trays."
Giles glanced at the boy quizzically and mouthed the words ice cube trays. Eddie just smiled.
"Sure, Cap."
Andrew and Eddie left the two of them alone with the very unconscious Ethan, which Giles supposed was their intention. He rubbed the back of his neck and took off his glasses again before putting them back on with nary a wipe.
"I'm not angry at you, Willow, even though your actions were, urm, inconsiderate. I'm concerned because you and Xander are plunging into distraction. Your decisions are splintering the group when Buffy needs us to present a united front."
Willow hugged herself and looked her mentor squarely in the eye.
"I know. I'm messing things up and every time I try to stop there's just more messed-upness."
"I need your strength now, Willow. You are the one I trust the most. Tell me, honestly, can you enter his mind?"
"Yes. I've been practicing on my own and the last time, Xander let me have a look around cabeza de Harris."
"And what did you see?"
"What I expected to find," Willow said. Her eyes were downcast and her voice soft.
"Then begin. We're searching for a way into something called the Initiative, located on the University Campus," Giles said.
Willow knelt down in front of Ethan and set her fingertips on his forehead.
*~*
Ethan's mind was a slippery place. Willow saw images flitting through her own consciousness—Giles as a young man breaking a shop window, Ethan choking a demon with a purple jewel in its forehead, lots and lots and lots of girls. She had to skip through four different Led Zeppelin concerts before she finally found the Initiative.
Willow followed Ethan through silver, metal doors which opened to a long, winding, white corridor. She could hear Professor Walsh's efficient voice fading in before she saw the teacher in step beside Ethan.
"I was very pleased with your results Mr. Rayne, but I need your data if we're to replicate the outcome."
Ethan trailed a finger along the glass walls, a gesture the demons contained within found incredibly irksome. Willow felt the man's pleasure at their distress.
"Can't do it, love, state secret, but I can tell you it's not a pacemaker keeping Mr. Cheney alive."
"Interesting. I might think you were simply boasting if I didn't have privileged information."
Maggie used the key card hanging from a chain around her neck to open a door at the end of the hall. Inside was her office, with a sleek, steel desk and a wall of monitors on the side. Ethan plopped into a chair opposite Maggie's. Ethan glanced around the room until one of the images onscreen caught his eye. It was Buffy, lying naked on top of Spike. Both of them appeared to be asleep, at least, Willow hoped they were asleep. The surprise of seeing them, especially in that state, nearly cost Willow her grasp on the spell. The images began to shimmer, but she recovered her composure and stabilized Ethan's memory.
"Quite a coupe capturing the Slayer and her pet," Ethan said, casting his hand toward the television.
"You know her?" Professor Walsh asked as she sat down in her ergonomically designed office chair.
"She and that vampire are infamous among people who travel in my circles."
"We've contained another slayer, Faith Lehane. I was able to reverse her coma, and she's been much more cooperative than Miss Summers."
"I can imagine. Buffy's not much of a joiner," Ethan said, crossing his legs, "Unless you can get the pet to bite her. Vampires hold incredible sway over their victims."
Maggie smiled.
"I may have to pursue that avenue."
Willow scanned through the rest of the memory looking for what she needed. She saw Ethan using a white key card to access an exit in Maggie's office behind the screens. He stood in an elevator listening to an instrumental version of, "It's the End of the World as We Know it and I Feel Fine," until the doors opened on the student commissary. She'd bought sandwiches from a machine right across from the super-secret initiative entrance and never known.
*~*
Willow's pupils seemed to disappear, making her eyes look like peeled, hardboiled eggs. They only held that eerie countenance for a second. Then she blinked and smiled at Giles.
"We can use Ethan's key card and I can navigate using Tabbytonton," Willow said.
"Tabbytonton?"
"It's my name for the cat manifestation."
"Ah."
Andrew and Eddie walked back into the room, as if on cue.
"I always called it Whiskerella. You know, like Barbarella but with being a kitty cat," Andrew said.
"I called it Miss Mittens because that was my grandma's cat. We could never have pets when I was a kid because my dad's allergic," Eddie said.
Andrew put his arms around Eddie and planted a kiss on his nose.
"When we get a house we'll have two cats in the yard," Andrew said.
Giles went to take his glasses off, gave up the effort halfway and just left his hand poised in mid-air.
"Yes, it will be a very, very, very fine house, now can we all try to concentrate on saving Buffy's life for at least five consecutive minutes," Giles said.
In unison the three young people said, "Sorry."
"Good. Now, the spell is going to leave Willow vulnerable, so I'll need you to stay with her here, Andrew. We can communicate remotely using your and Eddie's mobiles," Giles said.
"Like Mulder and Scully!" Andrew said.
"I don't know what that means," Eddie said.
"My God, the worlds I'll show you before this night is through," Andrew murmured, which made Eddie blush. Willow opened her mouth and then closed it again before she brought her intelligent, green eyes to Giles.
"The people inside were dressed in all camouflage and this black body armor. I recognized some of them—they're students."
"Excellent. Xander has that sort of paraphernalia leftover from the rocket launcher debacle. After we collect him, he and Eddie will dress as military personnel and I'll impersonate Ethan Rayne."
"Were you going to do a spell to make you look like him?" Willow asked.
Giles pursed his lip and tilted his head.
"I was thinking of just wearing a garish shirt. We're middle-aged British men of similar build and hair color. I doubt anyone was paying that close attention the first time," Giles said.
"What are we going to do with Mr. Poopyhead, by the way?" Willow asked, giving the prone warlock a poke on the arm, which caused him to groan.
"I'll return him to his hotel before he regains consciousness while you three wait here for Xander."
"Um, is it really a good idea to let this guy go without, you know, making sure he won't talk? I mean he could have us arrested for kidnapping and assault," Eddie said.
"Ethan wouldn't dare try coming after me. There is a history between us that even he has to respect," Giles said.
"That, and I might have wiped out some of his short term memories while I was futzing around in his head," Willow said.
"Good Lord! You're capable of such a thing? That's—"
"Super convenient! Great job!" Andrew said.
"I was going to say terribly alarming, but yes, convenient is also accurate," Giles said. He resolved to have a serious talk with Willow about her use of magic once they had Buffy back.
~*~
Two Hours Later
~*~
After Riley left and set her free to roam her cell, Buffy had showered. The stall was clear glass and she figured the soldier was probably watching her. Just to spite the guy, she'd worn Spike's t-shirt while she washed up, then changed in a hurry behind her towel so no one else would get to see any more of her body. When she was finished, Buffy hung the damp, black shirt over the top of the glass door. Not knowing what else to do, she cleaned the rest of her lover's clothes. It was oddly domestic—a taste of something they weren't ever going to get. She had to laugh at how he'd react if he could see her keeping house in their cell. Whoever was watching her would've thought she'd finally lost her mind as she giggled maniacally while scrubbing out a pair of socks in the sink.
The magnetism of Spike's blood had started to fade. She could sense him less and less. It was different than the absence she'd felt with Angel, but no less crushing. She felt so distant from Spike and with each second he seemed to drift away. She was trying to contain her panic with her fruitless movement when the sight of a cat sitting on the other side of the glass partition made her stop. The feline tilted its head and Buffy could swear it was almost smiling.
[Reviews - 218]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story |
Chapter or Story | 
Chapter or Story
Has been viewed 2128 times
- Text Size +
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story |
Chapter or Story | Chapter or Story - Text Size +
Author's Chapter Notes:
Thanks to the lovely Sanityfair for all her help on this chapter. All mistakes are my own.
Chapter End Notes:
Hey, let me know what you thought of this chapter, good or bad. Also, I wrote a one shot called, "So Like Candy." It's a bit dark, but if you're enjoying this one you may like it anyway. I'd love some feedback/constructive criticism on that story.