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disclaimer: none of it's mine

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"Buffy?" Willow said as she walked into her friend's room. She saw Buffy's tear stained face and Spike holding her. "My god, what happened? Spike? What're you doing here?"

"Buffy got 'urt and asked me to help 'er. And the whelp came home and pretty much upset her."

"Xander? What'd he do, Buff?"

"Threatened Spike," she whispered. "And then I told him to apologize and he stormed out. He hates me, Will."

"Buffy, I'm sure he doesn't....."

"Will's right," came Xander's voice from the hallway. "I don't hate you. I can't say I'm happy about you and.....him, but--"

"Xander," she interrupted. "Why are you here."

Xander's face fell. She obviously wasn't going to talk to him just yet. "Will....called me. Said she found something."

Buffy wiped her eyes and went into Superhero mode. "What'd you find?"

***

Later, Buffy and Co. were gathered around the table, shifting through the things she had gotten from the Geek Trio's lair.

"How did you get all this, luv?"

"Crashed into their basement. Picked up a bunch of papers then looked at this whiteboard and it said 'Too Late' and then a bunch of buzz saws came out and tried to make some Slice 'n' Dice Buffy. Ripped my coat, too."

"What?!" Spike asked, concerned. "Are you hurt?"

Buffy rolled her eyes and said, "Spike. Do you think I would care about whether or not they ruined my jacket if I got hurt."

"No."

"Exactly." She turned to Tara. "So whadda we got?"


"Well," Willow said, " we were able to decipher pretty much everything except these."

She handed Buffy half a dozen sheets of a parchment inscribed with strange markings.

"It's not written in any ancient language we could identify --" Tara began.

Xander interrupted with a chuckle. "It's Klingon. They're love poems --" He stopped when he realized how much of a geek he was close to sounding. "-- which would have nothing to do with the insidious scheme you're about to describe."

Buffy sifted through the papers. "What do you got that doesn't rhyme?"

Tara held up a data CD. "This."

"It was filled with encoded blueprints and schematics," Willow said.

Willow laid out a stack of computer printouts from the CD.

Buffy eyed them. "To what?"

Tara shuffled through the printouts. "Banks, armored car routes, corporate vaults... This is big."

Handing the printouts to Buffy, Willow said, "They're looking to score some serious dinero. I don't think they're planning just one job."

"Spree, anyone?" Xander quipped.

Buffy frowned as she eyed all the printouts. "I can't cover all of these at once."

"You don't have to," Willow assured. " There's one here we think they'll hit tonight."

Tara offered to the group, "It's time sensitive."

Willow handed Buffy the printout.

Xander rubbed his sore face and said, "Be careful. Warren's gone all Mighty Mouse. Emphasis on the might."

"Good. I won't have to hold back."

"Wait," Spike said. "You're bloody not going alone!"

"You can't come with me, Spike. They're human. How are you going to defend yourself? I am going. Alone."

***

Warren gritted his teeth and heaved, violently slamming the armored car on its side. Steam hissed from the crumpled hood. The Guards were knocked unconscious inside the cab.

Jonathon and Andrew stood off to the side, also in bomber jackets, watching the action from the shadows.

Andrew whispered to himself, "Man, I can't wait to get my hands on his orbs."

Jonathon turned his head slowly to look at him. "You are so gay."


Warren riped off the thick steel door off the back of the armored car and tossed it aside.

"Excuse me," came Buffy's voice. "Is this your bank?"

Warren jerked his head up and saw Buffy standing above him on top of the overturned car.

"'Cause if not, there's gonna be a fee for that."

She dropped down on Warren. He caught her in mid fall and tossed her to the side. She landed hard, twenty feet away

Warren casually strolled towards her, saying, "I was wondering when Super Bitch would show up."

Buffy struggled to her feet. "You really got a problem with strong women, don't you?"

Warren shrugged. "Nothing I can't handle."

He threw a punch, causing her head to reel back from the blow. They exchanged hits, going to toe to toe. No matter how hard she hit him, Warren kept coming. Warren landed a couple of hard blows and Buffy staggered back, still feeling the effects of her run in with the vamp.

"Seem a little off. Bad day?" Warren sneered.

Buffy shrugged. "It's getting better."

She laid into him with a flurry of lightening fast blows. He was strong, but not nearly as fast as she was.

Warren swungs wildly and missed. She flipped over him, grabbed the big steel door he had ripped off the armored car and she parked him in the cheap seats.

Warren sailed back, crashing into the base of the archway. He shook the blow off.

Laughing, he said, "That all you got?" Just then, the stone above him cracked. He whipped his head up in time for a huge part of the arch to break loose fromt he impact he caused. He disappeared under the rubble.

Andrew screamed in anguish. "No!"

Buffy whipped her head around and spotted Jonathan and Andrew. She started towards them, her eyes flashing with anger, saying, "There's two ways this can end. And right about now I'm thinking they're both gonna hurt."

A strange, excited smile split Andrew's lips. "I think you're right."

A rumbling split the air behind Buffy. She turned and saw Warren rising from beneath the rubble. Her face dropped. His clothes were a little worse for wear, but he was unscathed.

What's the matter baby?" he said. " Never fight a real man before?"

He grinned, ready for round two.

Warren attacked, raining blows down. Buffy countered, spun, and caught him with a devastating kick to the back. Warren sailed into the side of the armored car, dented the steel and landed in a heap.

Buffy caught her breath. "That oughta --" She stopped.

Warren got up again. He cracked his neck and laughed, enjoying himself. "Wow. That almost hurt, kitten."

Buffy grit her teeth and attacked. They traded blows, but he began to wear her down. She was quickly forced to go on the defensive.

Meanwhile, Andrew's face was twisted in gleeful bloodlust. Eggin Warren on, he shouted out, "Kill her! Kill her!"

Jonathan looked at him, horrified. This had gotten way out of hand.

Buffy was so exhausted that she could barely defend herself. Warren savored the moment, landing blows at will and toyed with her.

"You know who I am?" Warren asked.

"You're a murderer."

Warren laughed. "That too. But more to the point --"

She tried to hit him but he blocked, and then smacked her hard across the face with an open hand.

Warren continued. "I'm the guy that beat you. And it's not the muscles, baby."

He blocked her again and smacked her across the other side of her face. "It's the brains."

He cracked her hard, sending her reeling back. She glared, bloody and winded but far from giving up.

"I'll remember that when I knock 'em clean out of your --" she began to say, when all of a sudden, Johnathon leapt onto her back, screaming like a crazy person. Warren laughed, amused by the sight.

"Whoa, Sparky! Didn't think you had it in you.

Johnathon hissed in Buffy's ear, "The orbs! Smash his orbs -"

Buffy threw him off. Jonathan landed hard and groaned in pain. Buffy locked eyes him, registering what he just said --with but just a moment too late. Warren was already on her, beating the hell out of her.

Buffy managed to block several blows, then delivered a stunning kick to Warren's crotch -- which had no effect.

Jonathan grimaced amd said to himself, "Not those orbs!"

Warren attacked, the kick to the crotch having infuriated him. Buffy tried to fight back but there wasn't much left in her. Warren landed a blow to her stomach, sending her gasping to her knees. He loomed over her.

He reared his fist back for the deathblow. As he did, his jacket pulled back, revealing the leather pouch containing the Orbs of Nezzla'khan.

"Say good night, bitch," he smirked.

Buffy spotted the pouch just in time. She ripped it off his belt and smashed it to the ground.

The red energy he had absorbed earlier from the orbs is ripped out of him. He grunted in pain as his eyes flashed red for an instant -- then it was gone. Buffy stood, powerful, victorious.

Holding her hands over the orbs, Buffy whispered, "Good night, bitch." She stood up, spun around and kicked him in the chest and sent him flying back. He landed hard, bloodied and bruised.

Buffy advanced slowly, her contempt for Warren blazing. He struggled to his feet, trying to bite back the tears of pain and humiliation.

Buffy continued, "You're nothing but a sad little boy, Warren. But it's time to grow up-and pay for what you've done."

"Get away from me!" Warren screamed. He desperately stripped off his jacket, revealing a harness underneath. He was breathing heavy, furious and unhinged. Sleek little twin rockets clicked into place on a back plate -- yes, kids, it's a jet pack.

"I swear to god I'm gonna take you down," he hissed. "You piece of.."

He hit a thumb ignition switch and rocketed off into the sky on a pillar of jet exhaust. Buffy craned her neck and watched in disbelief. "Oh come on."

"Well played, Slayer!" Andrew hissed, and ripped off his jacket and revealed a jet pack. Jonathan looked upset.

"Why didn't I get one of those?!"

Andrew ignored him. "This round to you. But the game is far from over."

He hit the ignition. He shot up into the air -- and slammed into an overhanging roof structure five feet above him. He crashed back to earth, unconscious, his rockets sputtering out.

Buffy rolled her eyes, and, after calling the cops, limped home.

***

As soon as she walked in the door, Spike was upon her, checking for injuries.

"I'm fine," she said, trying to get upstairs. She noticed the look of hurt on his face, and sighed. "Spike...I'm just tired. Can we go to bed?"

"But Buff," said Willow. "What happened?"

Taking Spike's hand, Buffy said, "I'll tell you tomorrow. Can....can I just get some rest, please?"

Not waiting for an answer, she led Spike up the stairs and found comfort in his arms.

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AN----that was a really long chapter......

and yup, next chap, warren comes round w/ a gun

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