Disclaimer: I own none of these characters so please don't sue me. 

Email: vince92079@yahoo.com

Rating: PG-13.

Category: Buffy x-over, Action-adventure.

Setting: This takes place between Revelations and Lover's Walk in the Buffy Universe (S3).  In the Invisible Man it's post Money for Nothing Part 2 (S1).  In the Pretender series this takes place between Hope and Prey and Once in a Blue Moon (S3).

Author's Notes:  I always wanted to see more Pretender/Buffy x-overs so I guess I'm trying my luck.  For some really good x-overs check out Tenhawk's Journeyverse series on ff.net or the Wanderverse. 

The first chapter's kind of light on Buffy since I need to set up the premise.  They play a much bigger role in ch. 2 and beyond.

Summary: (BtVS/Pretender/Invisible Man) Jarod tracks a killer to Sunnydale, C.A.  Life for the Scoobies is about to get interesting.  *WIP*

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Ch 1 - Agendas

San Diego, C.A.

The Loading Dock was a bar on the east side of San Diego.  It was a popular hangout for most police officers after they finished their shifts. 

Jarod was there with several of them this particular night.  One of the cops raised his bottle of Coors, "Hey Jarod man, thanks to you that bastard Keating will never screw with another cop again!"

Most of the cops at the bar raised their drinks in toast.  Jarod just smiled and basked in the success of his latest pretend.  It was things like this that made everything Jarod work for seem worth it. 

He had come to San Diego as a cop in internal affairs named Jarod Turner.  Someone in the division had been using their access to blackmail other cops with potentially embarrassing or incriminating material.  Jarod had exposed him in his usual fashion and the dirty cop would soon be disappearing for the next ten to twenty years.

He was soon in the corner of the bar, talking with an attractive brunette in what was another of his learning experiences.  "So let me see if I've got this right: You lick the salt off of a girl's neck or some other exposed region, drink the tequila and then eat the lime?"

"Jarod you've never done a tequila body shot before?"  She asked.

"Well Dana I…uh…don't drink very often."

Dana had been Jarod's partner in internal affairs for the time he was here.  Today was her birthday and it was the reason most of the cops were here tonight.

"Ya know Jarod there's rumors going around that you're leaving…"
"Yeah.  I guess I'm getting transferred out.  I kinda figured I wouldn't be staying long."

"Well I'm gonna miss you.  So are most of the others here."

"Thanks.  It means a lot to me."

While this was going on, a man in the corner of the bar was watching Jarod like a hawk.

I've got you.  This is going to be easier than I thought.

With an evil smile he walked out of the bar.

----

About an hour later Jarod and Dana walked back to their apartment complex.  It was called Mahogany Apartments.  The city ran the building and designed it to offer low-rent apartments to police officers.

Dana's apartment was right across from Jarod's.

"I'm surprised you left in such a rush."  Jarod told her when they arrived on their floor.

"Yeah well my cousin's supposed to be stopping by.  He managed to get some time off from work to come see me.  I told him I'd meet him here.  He doesn't seem to like cops."

"How come?"

"He's been to jail a few times but he seems to be doing okay now.  Last time I talked with him he said he's working for the Fish and Game Agency now."

"Well if you need anything by all means just come over."

"Thanks Jarod."  She kissed him on the cheek and left.

Jarod went to unlock his apartment door but it already slightly open.  He cautiously pushed it open.  There was a man in Jarod's apartment wearing all black including a ski mask to hide his identity.  He seemed to working on something in middle of Jarod's living room.

"Hey!"

The masked man in the apartment turned around in surprise, not expecting Jarod to be here.  He quickly pulled out a gun with a silencer on it and started firing at Jarod as he dove for cover.  Neither man could really see each other in the dark.  The gunman just kept firing until his clip was empty. 

As he reloaded, Jarod used the opportunity to rush the man, tackling him to the ground and knocking the gun across the room. 

Whoever this man was, it was obvious he was trying to kill Jarod. 

And Jarod knew this couldn't have been a random attack.

Sensing he lost his chance, the gunman grabbed whatever gear he could and made a mad dash out of the apartment with Jarod in pursuit.  He both raced down the stairwell and out into the street.

Jarod was right behind him as he chased the man down the stairwell and out into the streets of San Diego.

----

A quarter mile down the road, Darien Fawkes was heading toward the apartment building.  He was carrying a gift bag with several balloons that said 'Happy Birthday!' attached to it and a teddy bear sticking out of the bag. 

Darien really wasn't paying attention to what was going on around him.  He was just happy to finally for once get time off.  He hadn't seen his cousin in years.

As Darien made his way toward Dana's apartment, Jarod's attacker, running in the opposite direction, crashed into him and they both fell to the ground.

This gave Jarod a chance to catch up to his mysterious stalker.  The Pretender landed a hard kick to the man's chest as he rolled off Darien.  When Jarod grabbed him the man pulled out a knife hidden under his sweater and slashed Jarod across the forearm.

As Jarod held his arm in pain, his assailant tried to kill him one more time.  He slashed his knife at Jarod a couple of times but his opponent quickly moved out of the way. 

In truth, the man in black had run out of time.  Darien was up not looking pleased and Jarod was still fighting him.  Seeing as he was now surrounded, he took off into the night streets.

Jarod was tempted to go after him even with blood dripping off his arm.  But with the fight now over, the adrenaline started wearing off and Jarod finally felt how painful the cut really was. 

As he staggered backwards, Darien helped steady him. "Who the hell was that?"

Jarod shook his head.  "You got me.  All I know is that bastard was in my apartment building."

"Apartment building?  You live in Mahogany?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I'm headed that way.  My cousin lives there."

Jarod then noticed a black bag a few feet away from them.  "Looks like our friend forgot something."  He picked up the backpack. "I better check out my apartment.  He might've left something in there too."

As if on cue the entire third floor of Mahogany Apartments, Jarod's floor, was engulfed in a massive explosion.

----

Sunnydale, C.A.

Buffy Summers was on her usual nightly patrol.  Angel and Giles were also with her as she checked out the usual hotspots for vampires or other underworld creatures. 

They were in one of the many cemeteries now. At this point though nothing had turned up and she was started to get pretty bored.

"Well this is no fun.  Did all the vampires take the night off and not tell me?"

Her watcher made his over to her. "Buffy you can't expect to always find something every time you go out.  Perhaps we just weren't lucky tonight."

"Uh guys!"  Angel yelled and pointed behind them.  Giles and Buffy turned around and saw a demon about fifty feet away heading toward the three.

"Oh goody!  'Bout time something turned up."  Buffy looked pretty happy. 

The demon was about Angel's height.  It had green scales, solid black eyes and on it's neck seemed to be some sort of sac.  Other than that it looked fairly humanoid in appearance.

It quickly rushed at Buffy.  She sidestepped it and punched it in the face.  The demon didn't even look fazed from the blow and slammed Buffy against the wall of a crypt.  Angel joined the battle at this point and pushed the demon to the ground as Giles went over to help Buffy.

The demon got up and just stood there about ten feet from Angel.  The vampire just waited for it's next move.  The next move was something Angel didn't expect.  The sac on the demon's neck started moving and it spit some sort of green substance at Buffy.

Giles was with Buffy and instinctively shielded her from the shot.  The venom went all over the Watcher, covering him in a thin film of green ooze.  The demon just smiled and then, much to the surprise of his opponents, he took off.
"Giles!"  Angel didn't bother going after it and ran over to Buffy and Giles.

"Giles are you alright?"  Buffy asked him after getting out from underneath him.

"I uh…I think so."  Giles was expecting something to happen as he wiped the ooze off his glasses but he seemed fine.

"Demons don't usually run away like that.  Any idea what that thing was?"  Was Buffy's second question.

"It looked familiar but I don't remember exactly.  I think…I might something about it at the library."  Giles got up and three of them heading back to Sunnydale High School.

----

Sunnydale High School Library

"It's apparently a Kiash Demon.  They're fairly strong.  Their main weapon appears to be…oh dear."

"Oh dear as in this isn't good or Oh dear the world's going to end?"  Buffy wondered.

"The uh…sacs on the Kiash Demon's neck contain a powerful substance that causes the intended victim to become sick with constant vomiting.  It's designed to weaken the Kiash's prey allowing it to kill rather easily."

"Oh God Giles I am *so* sorry!  I didn't mean for that to happen!"

"It's quite alright Buffy.  I think I should worry about if that thing tries something like that to one of us again."

Buffy shook her head.  "We won't let that happen.  I mean…Angel and I can stay with you in case that thing comes back."

Giles looked visibly relived, "Thank you Buffy.  This…uh affliction should hopefully only last a few days at most.  I-I think should go home and prepare for the worst." 

----

San Diego, C.A.

Police and the other emergency services surrounded Mahogany Apartments about an hour after the explosion took place.  Glass and debris covered everything for over a block and the cops who made it out of the building intact were getting medical help. 

After getting his arm bandaged, Jarod was racing all over the crime scene trying to help people.

Darien was doing his best to try to get answers.  "Hey!  Hey wait up!" 

Darien finally got Jarod's attention after a dozen or so tries.

"Uh Darien, right?  What is it?"

"My cousin lives here.  Her name's Dana Tomkins. What happened to her?"

Jarod didn't answer at first.  With closed eyes and a lot of emotion in voice he weakly got out, "She…she was on my floor in the complex.  I'm sorry Darien."

Darien had held out some shred of hope that his cousin was still alive.  That she was somewhere in the sea of injured cops getting help.  It took a few minutes for it to sink in.  Darien looked like he was about to have a breakdown.

He made his way to one of the benches close to the building paying little attention to the world around him.  He had tears streaking down his face as tried to come to terms with what Jarod had just told him. 

In his mind, Darien Fawkes figured the Universe was playing a sick joke on him.  He had been a criminal for most of his life.  A thief who had a unique gift for getting caught.  His brother Kevin, a scientist, had given him a second chance when he offered an opportunity to take part in a secret government experiment.  In order to receive a get out of jail free card, Darien was implanted with a gland in his brain that secreted 'Quicksilver'.  It was a compound that let him or something he touched become invisible when covered in it.

Kevin had gone out on a limb for Darien and it had gotten him killed in the process.  He was a good person. 

And so was Dana.  She never got involved in any trouble and was always close to Darien and his brother growing up.  And now she was dead. 

She didn't deserve this.  I wasn't the scientist or the cop.  I was a criminal.  Why are they dead and I'm not?   Kevin's killer, a man named Arnaud, was free and even after several encounters Darien never made him face justice. 

It won't happen this time.  I'll find who did this.  And if was Arnaud I'll blow his head off.   Darien's mind was made up, it would not happen this time.  He would track down whoever did this and make him pay. 

He quietly made his way over to another bench.  Jarod had left the attacker's bag there.  Darien put his hand on the bag and it turned invisible.  He quickly got out of sight and rummaged through the items inside.

Let's see…Gun, Tools, and a Book.  Not much here.   Darien looked at the book cover and rifled through a few of the pages.  "What the hell is this?  You have got to be kidding me…"

He put the bag back where he found it after reading through the book and the quicksilver fell off of it a second later.

Afterwards, Jarod grabbed the black bag and left the crime scene.  Walking away from the building, he came across Darien's gift lying on the ground. 

Jarod slowly pulled the teddy bear out of the gift bag and looked at it for a while.

"You had people who cared for you.  They loved you and now…now you've been taken away from them."  Jarod had tears coming down his face.  "Dana, I'll find who did this.  I swear."

Jarod walked away with a determined look on his face.  He had work to do.

And about half a block behind Jarod, Darien followed him with the same expression.

----

Sunnydale, C.A.

"And I think you'll find that…Oh Dear God!"  Giles dove for the trashcan in the library and threw up what little of his breakfast he was still holding down.

All of the Scoobies felt sorry for the librarian.  They were all in the library the next day during lunch trying to help Giles as much as possible.

Of course after watching the librarian heaving his guts, the Scoobies had no appetite at all.

"Giles I don't know about England but here usually when you're not feeling good they let you call in sick."  Oz said.

Giles was still on his knees over the trashcan.  "Nonsense.  This is just a…a twenty-four hour affliction.  I'm perfectly capable of being here and…" 

He didn't finish as his gag reflex kicked in again and he buried his head in the trashcan.  Giles was being…well Giles.  He helps the Slayer stop the forces of evil and avert several apocalypses so to him no affliction was going to stop him from carrying out his duties.

Of course to the Scoobies opinions ranged from Willow's 'Poor guy.' To Xander's 'Giles is insane.'

A few minutes later, Principal Snyder walked into the library.  He winced at first after catching wind of the smell coming from Giles' desk. 

"Mr. Giles, I've been getting several complaints from students and faculty about a smell coming from the library."

"I've uh…just had a touch of something.  I'm fine really."

"Well it doesn't look that way.  Go home Mr. Giles.  It's obvious you're not capable of performing your tasks.  And don't come in tomorrow or the day after either."

Giles wasn't about to give up without a fight.  "It's really nothing."

"I'm not asking you. I'm ordering you as your boss."  Snyder then saw what was in the trash.  "And Miss Summers please take care of that mess."

Suddenly Buffy looked as queasy as Giles.

----

Location – Unknown

"This is just a minor setback."

"Minor setback?!?"  Was all a very angry Lyle could get out over the phone.  "Do you know how closely my superiors are watching this?  You can't afford to screw up again!  I hired you to kill Jarod now either you do that or I'll have every bounty hunter in the country looking for you!  Do I make myself clear."

"Of course."  The man who attacked Jarod the night before threw his phone against the wall.  He had to give Jarod credit.  The bastard was smart and he got lucky.

Lyle had called bitching and moaning afterwards about how he messed up.  Lyle wanted Jarod dead plain and simple. 

He assured Lyle it would happen. 

Jarod's attacker thought back to the fight and what went wrong from the bombing.  He wanted to kick himself for leaving his bag behind but now he figured it was a blessing in disguise.  Jarod would look through what was in there and put two and two together.  

It'll lead Jarod right to me.  Next time he won't be so lucky.  

----

Blue Cove, Delaware

Sydney was walking to his office after getting his morning coffee.  When he got there, he found a Fed Ex Overnight Envelope on his desk.  With a confused look he tore it open and a small knife fell out.

Just then his cell phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hello Sydney.  I take it you got my package by now."

"Yes I just opened it.  But a knife?  Why send thi…"

Jarod interrupted him, "It's a Stiletto.  A small blade used for fighting.  You heard about what happened two days ago?"

"Oh…uh yes it's all over the news.  The bombing at the apartment you lived in."

"Well I figured my good friends at the Centre may have had something to do with that.  Sure enough I hack into Lyle's email and come across a message sent to a man he called 'Stiletto'.  It was instructions on where to find me."

"Oh my God…Jarod I had no idea Lyle did this!  I don't think anyone here did!"

"He killed five Police Officers Sydney!  Dozens more are in the Hospital!"  Jarod was letting his emotions get the best of him and was yelling at this point.  "I'll deal with Lyle in due time.  I already know where 'Stiletto' is.  Look at the return address on the envelope."

Sydney visibly paled when he saw the address, "Jarod!  Jarod listen to me!  I know you're upset and I know you want to find who did this but I know this place…hello?"

Jarod had hung up on him.  Sydney hadn't heard Jarod so angry in quite some time.  Whoever had tried to kill Jarod had killed several innocent people as well.  He knew Jarod would not let this go.

As for Lyle, Sydney didn't know whether he was a slow learner or just stupid.  The last time Lyle made this fiasco between the Center and Jarod personal he lost his right thumb. 

People in the Center had agendas within agendas here.  And Sydney's agenda and paramount goal had been to ensure Jarod's survival above all else.  Now Lyle threatened that. 

Worse still, Jarod was in a place that more dangerous than the Center ever could be.  And Jarod had no idea.

If this man kills Jarod so help me Lyle I'll make you pay!

He had to talk with Mr. Parker.  Maybe he could rein-in Lyle before this got even more explosive than it already was.  But before he left, he took a box cutter from his desk and cut out the return address from the envelope Jarod had sent, not wanting anyone to know of his location.

----

Sunnydale, CA

"Giles missing a day of work that's like one of the signs of the Apocalypse, right?"  Xander asked as he walked with Buffy, Willow, Oz and Cordelia down a hallway in Sunnydale High School.

"How is he?"  Willow asked.

Buffy looked a little upset, "He's been throwing up non-stop for the last two days.  I feel so bad for Giles that should be me doing the sick routine not him.  No sign of the demon that did that to him either."

"And yet he still tried coming into work.  Never thought I'd agree with Snyder when he sent him home yesterday."  Xander tried to cheer everyone up.  "Hey Buff I'm sure he'll be alright.  You know we have the whole library to ourselves now!  I'm thinking party!" 

"Yeah that's right!  We can be all 'Cool Party People' now!"  Willow exclaimed.

Just before they walked through the doors to the library, several girls exited giggling and talking amongst themselves.

"Right.  Okay since when have people starting using the library here?"  Xander wondered.

They went through the door and sitting at Giles' desk was Jarod wearing a tweed suit just like Giles.

"Hel-lo."  Cordelia quietly said in complete attraction to the Pretender.

Jarod got up and held out his hand to Buffy.  "Oh hello there."

Buffy was confused to say the least.  "Um…hi.  Who are you?"

"My name is Jarod Anderson.  I'll be Mr. Giles' replacement while he's out sick."

----

Blue Cove, Delaware

"Miss Parker!"  Broots flew into Miss Parker's office with a paper in his hand.

"Broots ever think of drinking decaf?" 

The hacker frantically held up the paper to her, "I-I found this on Sydney's desk.  It's for you!"

Parker,

I've taken some time off to take care of a personal matter.  I've already cleared it with your father.  I should be back in a few days.

Sydney

----

TBC