Hidden
The man looked around him quickly. Sweat was dripping from his forehead, "Is anybody there?" He took out his gun and walked over to the door. He threw the door open en looked into the empty hallway. He sighted with relieve and put the gun away. He closed the door and took a few steps back, "I'm getting just a little to paranoid for this job."
Suddenly something hit him right in the face. His nose bone shot up into his brain. He was dead even before he hit the ground.
"Maybe your not so paranoid after all." The door opened again and soft footsteps moved away from the body.
****************
The man in the small black van watched the doorway carefully. He was wearing a strange gizmo.
His college turned to him from the drivers seat, "Anything yet?"
He shook his head, "No. I don't like this, she should be back by now. Are you sure we got all exits covered?"
"Cybertech said this was the only way out. Old building, build against a cliff under Mussolini. You know how those dictators get."
The man retuned the gizmo for a moment, "They'd better be right, cuz if this one breaks loose we're screwed."
*****************
The halls in the old building seemed deserted. Only the soft footsteps on the old wooden floors gave away that there was someone here, "Losers. Did you really think you could keep me forever?" The door to the men's room opened and closed again. Someone walked over to one of the toilets, "Now lets see if these things still work." Suddenly as if out of no where a small tracker bracelet appeared. It fell in the dirty water in the toilet and was taken away with the flushing water.
*****************
Outside the two men were still waiting in their van. The driver climbed into the back, "I don't trust this, I'm putting on the tracker." His eyes flew open when he saw the small dot moving away from them fast, "What the?!?! She's in the sewers! She's moving fast, get headquarters on the phone. He climbed back in the drivers seat and drove of following the small blip on the screen.
Marcie Ross walked out the front door and watched the van driving of. Without wasting any more time she started running away in the opposite direction. They'd expect her to get out of the country as fast as possible. For a visible that would be the wisest thing to do of course, but they she wasn't a visible. She could hide out where ever she wanted, for as long as it took. and then, she had a score to settle.
****************
General Mc Marren threw the plastic bag with the tracker bracelet in it on the table, "What have you two morons got to say for yourself?!?!"
Agent Woods scraped his throat, "With all do respect sir this isn't our fault. Cybertech assured us that the tracker bracelets couldn't be removed."
Mc Marren rolled his eyes, "The bracelets are still in an experimental face and they are purely mend for backup. You two idiots were assigned to making sure that she came back after the mission! There was only one exit and you had the right equipment! There is no excuse for her escape!"
Agent Micheals frowned, "We will get her back sir. She's just a kid all by herself. What's the worst that can happen?"
"Well, lets see. Our best assassin, well trained, well armed, INVISEBLE! Rooming loose somewhere in Rome if she hasn't left the country yet. The last time she was out she beat up two students and tried to mutilate a third." He leaned down on the table and looked at them angrily, "This girl was highly psychotic even before we recruited her. The fact is, agents, there's no telling what she might do. She knows to much about us. If she decides to find some run to our enemies we are as good as death."
************
Marcy grinned when she saw the little thief steel the wallet. Without making a sound of course. On of the first thing the organisation had thought her was to move completely silent. She had been planning on stealing the guy's wallet herself. The cash was useless to her, but she could use his credit card to buy weapons, or whatever she would need online. Every operative had basic hacking skills and when she got drafted she had set herself out to be the best in everything. She could easily take the wallet from the kid, but she decided against it. He would be telling tales, plus he deserved it. Homeless people were like her. invisible to the world. Instead she robbed a rich looking lady. She slipped the wallet into her pocket, where it turned invisible. She could turn everything that was attached to her invisible, as long as it wasn't alive or more than 30 centimetres from her body. She decided to move again. She hadn't gotten near the centre of town. Odds where she would bump into someone there, and the organization was probably looking for her there. Instead she was bunking in a small room in a practically deserted hotel on the outskirts of town. To bad though. She'd never been to Rome before.
She walked through the small streets, easily avoiding the pedestrians. She sweeped some apples from the local fruit stand and managed to tackle a guy without getting noticed. She smiled vaguely. She had given up on laughing a long time ago.
*************
General Mc Marren rubbed his eyes, "Any word?"
Micheals shook his head, "No sir. We suspect she's gone into hiding."
Mc Marrens fist came hit the table with incredible force. The two agents quickly took a step back, "Of course she's gone into hiding! Did you expect her to storm our headquarters like it was Timbuktu?!?!" He calmed down, "She must have sneaked out of town. Rome is a big city and we are starting to draw unwanted attention."
Micheals nodded, "What are your orders sir?"
"Call our men back, but leave a few just in case."
*************** Marcie watched the men get into the car. She was watching them from a rooftop. It would be stupid to get careless, now that they were leaving. When she was sure the operatives were all gone, she climbed down and ran back into town.
She waited until the tourists had packed up all their luggage. She managed to climb into the cargo hole just before the driver shut the hatch.
The tourist were on their way back to Holland. It was a 2 day trip, but she had enough to eat and drink. She undressed and put on some clean clothes her size she found in one of the suite cases. She had been wearing the same rags for 2 months, not exactly her idea fun.
She made herself comfortable on top of the cases and closed her eyes as the bus started to drive.
*************** Buffy tossed aside her book and turned to Willow, "Agh, I'm so done studying."
Willow frowned, "Come on Buffy, important test! If you don't pass this you'll. uhm. ok, so the test isn't all that important, but I promised your mom I would help you get better grades. You have been slacking of ever since you started training with Giles again."
Buffy sighted, "True, but I've just been so busy with this new training. Its pretty intense you know. Besides, I have studied pretty hard already." Buffy rolled of her bed and elegantly landed on her feet, "You know what! I'm gonna go do a little patrolling to get my mind of thing and then we'll do some more studying."
Willow pouted, "Oh, alright. Want me to come with?"
"Nah, that's ok. I won't be long."
*************** Buffy looked around her carefully. She stopped disappointed, "Man this bites? Its deader than my average kill out here!" Suddenly she heard a soft sound. She spinned around expecting to see an opponent only to find nothing there." She pouted and turned around, "Hmm, I guess I might as well get back to study session with Will. I won't be getting any action tonight." She turned around to walk away when something hit her from behind.
Marcie looked down at the unconscious slayer. A log became visible as it turned the ground. She looked around her quickly before throwing the slayer over her shoulder and moving away. Despite her strength Buffy was still small and not to heavy. Marcie had been training a lot the in the past 3 years.
************* Buffy's eyes flew open when the water hit her face. She coughed and tried to see her attacker and frowned when she realized that there wasn't anybody in the room. Suddenly she noticed a movement in the wind. Her eyes followed it until it reached the table in the centre of the room, where a cup suddenly appeared out of nowhere, "Who is there?" She tried to move, and realized that she was tied up.
"Hello slayer."
Buffy shifted a little and tried to place the voice. It sounded familiar somehow, "Who is there?"
Suddenly soft music drifted through the room.
Buffy pulled her ropes, but they were to tight, "What is that? Is that a flute or some. Marcie is that you?"
Marcie let out a short laughter, "Very good. I'm surprised to see you remember me so well. After all, it didn't take the others much effort to forget me forever."
Buffy looked around quickly. There were no butcher knifes around, so apparently Marcie wanted to play another game this time, "Yeah well invisible girls that try to mutilate people are kind of hard to forget."
A chair moved through the room and stopped in front of Buffy. She could hear Marcie sitting down, "Yeah, well I was pretty out of it back then, but I'm better now."
Buffy snorted, "I see. Well that explains why you attacked me and tied me up in your little lair."
Marcie leaned back in her chair, "Yeah, sorry about that. I needed to talk to you and I didn't want you to go all slayer on me, considering our last encounter wasn't all that friendly."
"So you don't hold a grudge?"
Marcie jumped up and threw her chair on the ground, "Oh, I hold a grudge all right! You ruined my life!" she spit on the ground next to Buffy, "But I need your help..."
Buffy nodded slowly, "Ok, so lets talk. Why don't you start by untying me."
Marcie pulled out a knife and cut the ropes that bound Buffy.
************
Giles rubbed his eyes and stared at the spot where he knew Marcie was sitting. You could see where the couch buckled slightly underneath her weight. The entire Scooby gang was assembled in Giles' store. Buffy had taken Marcie there after she had released her. He put his glasses back on his head uncomfortable, "So uhm, Marcie. What brings you back here?"
Xander let out a nervous laughter, "Yeah, I mean your not here to try and kill us again right?.. Right? .Marcie?"
Marcie growled, "Lets get one thing straight Harris. If I wanted to kill you, you'd be death!"
Anya grabbed Xanders arm, "Hey! I'm they only one that has the right to kill him."
Xander shot her a confused look, "Huh?"
Anya shrugged her shoulders, "Well that is what I was here for in the first place so I think its fair that I have first kill, [small]besides if you consider what I have to put up with."[/small]
Buffy crossed her arms and stared at the chair, "You said you needed my help, so fess up and no funny business, I'm watching you."
"Yeah ok. but uhm. Buffy, I'm on the cough."
Buffy quickly shifted her gaze, "I knew that."
Marcie sat back and began her story, "Do you remember when you kicked my arse a bunch of feds took me of your hands?"
"Yeah sure."
"Well those weren't feds. They work for the government, some kind of unofficial side brand, called The Iniative."
The group gave each other a meaning full look.
*************
Willow turned on her laptop, "I've got everything we have about The Iniative in here." She opened the right file and watched as the information rolled over the screen, "Here we go."
Marcie leaned over her shoulder and quickly read the files, "Is that it? I figured you would have more on them."
Buffy turned around for a second, but then realized that it was pointless, "Really, why is that?"
Marcie crossed her arms and sat down on the table next to the laptop, "They have big files on you guy's. I heard that you had a little disagreement with them last year. Why did you think I came to you in the first place."
"I thought you wanted the slayer to protect you."
Marcie snorted, "Yeah right! Lets get something straight slayer, I'm not the little high schoolgirl who got her arse kicked anymore. I'm a trained assassin. I could kill you with my little pinkie and get it over with before you even knew what hit you."
Buffy squeezed her yes tight, "Oh, really? So what's stopping you."
Marcie looked back at the files, "Like I said, I need your help."
Giles coughed, "Ladies please. this isn't helping. Now Marcie, you said you needed our help. What is it exactly you want us to do?"
Marcie nodded, "Yeah, ok. I bet you think you know what The Iniative is all about."
Xander raised his hand, "Well I'm going with capturing and studying demons."
Marcie gave him a look and continued, "Riiiight. That was just a little project, they're into way bigger things than that. As an operative I had pretty high access to their secrets, but no where near the real action.
My sub-station trained invisibles as assassins, snipers, spy's or whatever they needed. There were about 20 people in my group, mostly teenagers, but there were at least 5 other groups, maybe more."
Willow frowned, "And you want to safe them?"
Marcie clapped her hands, "Give the woman a prize. You always were the school genius, but there's more to the story. They don't only have invisibles, the have all sorts of specials, mostly psychics." Marcie gave them a serious look even though they couldn't see it, "I'm talking little children here. 10 year olds being trained in setting people on fire or frying their brains."
Buffy crossed her arms, "So what's your plan?"
**************
Willow looked in the mirror quickly, she didn't even recognize herself. Tara and her, had been up all night casting a major glamour spell on her. Her appearance hadn't really changed, it just looked like it. She was in a busy mall in LA, her friends were watching her from a safe distance. She sat down for a moment and started focussing her powers. She took a deep breath and let some of the power free. Suddenly all the furniture the diner in front of her started shaking. The shoppers screamed and started to run away. When the terrace was empty she let out the remaining power and watched the furniture fly high in the air to drop a few seconds later. She closed her eyes for a moment and stifled a smile. Her powers had grown a lot ever since she had teamed up with Tara. She stood up, walked a few steps, grabbed her head as if it was hurting and then fell to the floor unconscious.
Buffy looked at her friend impressed, "Wow, drama class is really paying of."
Xanders mouth fell open, "Hello! Willow just levitated a diner and your talking about her acting skills?"
Giles took a bite of his jelly donut, "Both quite impressive actually."
Riley bumped Buffy against the arm, "Check it out. I'm taking a wild guess and say those are Iniative operatives."
The group watched two men throw Willow over their shoulder and quickly moving away.
Buffy smiled, "I guess Marcie was telling the truth after all." She turned to Tara, "Can you follow them?"
Tara nodded, "Y.yes, of course." The young witch closed her eyes and started chanting in some lost language. A small flash of light circled around them and went into a small compass that Marcie was holding. She looked at it for a minute, "Ss. she's moving North."
Buffy got up and looked down on her friends, "Well what are you waiting for, lets go."
**************
Marcie looked down at Willow, who was still playing unconscious. She was sitting next to her on the far end of the prison van. The settings looked awfully familiar to her, only three years ago, she had been transported the same way. She was nervous for the first time since she escaped. The others were following them now and Marcie was here in case Willow got in trouble.
They had planned this a long time. Marcie knew the base was in LA, but she never saw the exact location. That wasn't important anymore though, they had put out the bait and the government had taken it.
***************
Buffy looked at the base from the bushes. They hadn't had any trouble following Willow. She jumped up when a hand touched her shoulder. Marcie sighted and pushed her back down on the ground, "Oh, that's good slayer. Why don't you just jump around in front of the main entrance screaming, here I am! Please come get me!"
Buffy frowned, "Whatever, so you were right about our little soldiers they came after Willow like it was a treat with their name on it."
Marcie nodded, "Yeah they have equipment to track psychics."
Giles looked up disturbed, "Wait a minute. doesn't that mean that they can track you to? After all, they found you 3 years ago."
Marcie shook her head, "No, I'm not psychic, I'm quantum physics." She squeezed her eyes, "But they can track my kind to. They have these little gizmo's in every school in the country."
Tara scraped her voice, "Uhm. you guy's, mm.my powers are slightly psychic."
The group turned spinned around and looked right at a heavily armed security guard.
Buffy looked at her friends and shrugged her shoulders, "Well I guess they got us."
*****************
The group was sitting in a small office inside the army base. Giles leaned over at Buffy, "I don't understand, you could have easily taken him out."
Buffy nodded, "True, but we needed to get inside anyway and the way I see it this is the easiest way. She looked at the guard posted in front of the door, "But we'd better get going, they're checking on us as we speak and when they find out who we really are, we're screwed."
They had told the Colonel that questioned them, that they were Willow's friends and that they had followed them, when they took her away. He seemed to have bought it. Suddenly the door flew open and the colonel walked in with Willow right behind him.
Willow looked up relieved when she saw her friends. Suddenly she realized that everybody was staring at her. She frowned, "What?" That's when she saw her reflection in the window. The spell had worn of and she looked like her self again.
The colonel tried to grab his weapon, only to get knocked out by Marcie who appeared behind him.
Buffy took out the guard before he could hit the alarm, "I'd say its going fine so far. Now lets get those children out of here."
*******************
The Scoobygang quickly moved through the building. Taking out soldiers left and right. Buffy smiled pleased, "Well this is being a lot easier than I had expected.
Riley nodded slowly, "It's a little to simple if you ask me."
Marcie shrugged her shoulders, "Not really, they keep kids here remember. The base crew consists mostly of scientist, teachers and a couple of security guards." She stopped in front of a door, "The cells are in here." She opened the door and walked inside followed by the gang.
Willow looked inside one of the cells, a six year old girl looked back at her through the shield. "Oh my god. This is just like the Iniative cells in Sunnydale. only with little children."
Buffy bit her lip, "Marcie do you know the access codes?. Marcie?" Suddenly she heard a cruel laughter. She slowly turned around, "Riley?"
Riley leaned against the door smiling, "What's wrong lover?"
Buffy frowned and took a step forward, Riley what's going on?"
Riley quickly took out a gun and pointed it directly at Buffy's head, "That's far enough love."
Marcie calmly walked over to Riley and leaned against him comfortably, "Don't act so surprised slayer, I told you I held a grudge."
Marcie played with Riley's hair a little, "Who think told The Iniative that Sunnydale was a demon breeding ground." She kissed him on the cheek and turned to Buffy cruelly, "Oh and of course that you were the slayer. They were quite interested in your capabilities."
Buffy blinked as Marcie became visible, "How did you.?"
Willow closed her eyes and tapped herself on the head, "Of course! Quantum physics works in two directions, you believe people can see you and they will."
Marcie clapped her hands, "And geek girl scores again!" She turned back to Buffy, "I hope you like the place slayer, cuz you'll be staying for a long time."
The door flew open and an complete army of soldier stormed in.
Buffy turned to Riley with tears in her eyes, "You lied to me all along? How could you?"
Riley walked over to her and kissed her hard on the mouth, "Well actually the lying part wasn't that hard, playing sweet little soldier boy for you that was hard! He leaned in close so that no one else would hear, "Tell me freak, was it good for you?"
Marcie took his arm and watched them take the slayer and her friends away, "So tell me sweaty, was she better than me?"
Riley grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close, "I'm not quite sure, I've been under deep cover so long, that I can hardly remember how you were."
"Maybe its time to refresh your memory." Riley smiled and followed Marcie to their room.
Marcie stopped in front of the door and pouted a little, "Didn't you say you'd give me a present when this was all over?"
Riley smiled and pushed the door open, "Turn on the tv honey."
She smiled and ran over to the tv, "Oh my! Did you get that for me?"
Riley smiled and guided her to the bed. They didn't bother turning of the tv. It showed a small beaten up figure sitting tucked away in a corner of an Iniative cell. The figure looked up for a moment directly into the camera. It was Cordelia Chase.
The man looked around him quickly. Sweat was dripping from his forehead, "Is anybody there?" He took out his gun and walked over to the door. He threw the door open en looked into the empty hallway. He sighted with relieve and put the gun away. He closed the door and took a few steps back, "I'm getting just a little to paranoid for this job."
Suddenly something hit him right in the face. His nose bone shot up into his brain. He was dead even before he hit the ground.
"Maybe your not so paranoid after all." The door opened again and soft footsteps moved away from the body.
****************
The man in the small black van watched the doorway carefully. He was wearing a strange gizmo.
His college turned to him from the drivers seat, "Anything yet?"
He shook his head, "No. I don't like this, she should be back by now. Are you sure we got all exits covered?"
"Cybertech said this was the only way out. Old building, build against a cliff under Mussolini. You know how those dictators get."
The man retuned the gizmo for a moment, "They'd better be right, cuz if this one breaks loose we're screwed."
*****************
The halls in the old building seemed deserted. Only the soft footsteps on the old wooden floors gave away that there was someone here, "Losers. Did you really think you could keep me forever?" The door to the men's room opened and closed again. Someone walked over to one of the toilets, "Now lets see if these things still work." Suddenly as if out of no where a small tracker bracelet appeared. It fell in the dirty water in the toilet and was taken away with the flushing water.
*****************
Outside the two men were still waiting in their van. The driver climbed into the back, "I don't trust this, I'm putting on the tracker." His eyes flew open when he saw the small dot moving away from them fast, "What the?!?! She's in the sewers! She's moving fast, get headquarters on the phone. He climbed back in the drivers seat and drove of following the small blip on the screen.
Marcie Ross walked out the front door and watched the van driving of. Without wasting any more time she started running away in the opposite direction. They'd expect her to get out of the country as fast as possible. For a visible that would be the wisest thing to do of course, but they she wasn't a visible. She could hide out where ever she wanted, for as long as it took. and then, she had a score to settle.
****************
General Mc Marren threw the plastic bag with the tracker bracelet in it on the table, "What have you two morons got to say for yourself?!?!"
Agent Woods scraped his throat, "With all do respect sir this isn't our fault. Cybertech assured us that the tracker bracelets couldn't be removed."
Mc Marren rolled his eyes, "The bracelets are still in an experimental face and they are purely mend for backup. You two idiots were assigned to making sure that she came back after the mission! There was only one exit and you had the right equipment! There is no excuse for her escape!"
Agent Micheals frowned, "We will get her back sir. She's just a kid all by herself. What's the worst that can happen?"
"Well, lets see. Our best assassin, well trained, well armed, INVISEBLE! Rooming loose somewhere in Rome if she hasn't left the country yet. The last time she was out she beat up two students and tried to mutilate a third." He leaned down on the table and looked at them angrily, "This girl was highly psychotic even before we recruited her. The fact is, agents, there's no telling what she might do. She knows to much about us. If she decides to find some run to our enemies we are as good as death."
************
Marcy grinned when she saw the little thief steel the wallet. Without making a sound of course. On of the first thing the organisation had thought her was to move completely silent. She had been planning on stealing the guy's wallet herself. The cash was useless to her, but she could use his credit card to buy weapons, or whatever she would need online. Every operative had basic hacking skills and when she got drafted she had set herself out to be the best in everything. She could easily take the wallet from the kid, but she decided against it. He would be telling tales, plus he deserved it. Homeless people were like her. invisible to the world. Instead she robbed a rich looking lady. She slipped the wallet into her pocket, where it turned invisible. She could turn everything that was attached to her invisible, as long as it wasn't alive or more than 30 centimetres from her body. She decided to move again. She hadn't gotten near the centre of town. Odds where she would bump into someone there, and the organization was probably looking for her there. Instead she was bunking in a small room in a practically deserted hotel on the outskirts of town. To bad though. She'd never been to Rome before.
She walked through the small streets, easily avoiding the pedestrians. She sweeped some apples from the local fruit stand and managed to tackle a guy without getting noticed. She smiled vaguely. She had given up on laughing a long time ago.
*************
General Mc Marren rubbed his eyes, "Any word?"
Micheals shook his head, "No sir. We suspect she's gone into hiding."
Mc Marrens fist came hit the table with incredible force. The two agents quickly took a step back, "Of course she's gone into hiding! Did you expect her to storm our headquarters like it was Timbuktu?!?!" He calmed down, "She must have sneaked out of town. Rome is a big city and we are starting to draw unwanted attention."
Micheals nodded, "What are your orders sir?"
"Call our men back, but leave a few just in case."
*************** Marcie watched the men get into the car. She was watching them from a rooftop. It would be stupid to get careless, now that they were leaving. When she was sure the operatives were all gone, she climbed down and ran back into town.
She waited until the tourists had packed up all their luggage. She managed to climb into the cargo hole just before the driver shut the hatch.
The tourist were on their way back to Holland. It was a 2 day trip, but she had enough to eat and drink. She undressed and put on some clean clothes her size she found in one of the suite cases. She had been wearing the same rags for 2 months, not exactly her idea fun.
She made herself comfortable on top of the cases and closed her eyes as the bus started to drive.
*************** Buffy tossed aside her book and turned to Willow, "Agh, I'm so done studying."
Willow frowned, "Come on Buffy, important test! If you don't pass this you'll. uhm. ok, so the test isn't all that important, but I promised your mom I would help you get better grades. You have been slacking of ever since you started training with Giles again."
Buffy sighted, "True, but I've just been so busy with this new training. Its pretty intense you know. Besides, I have studied pretty hard already." Buffy rolled of her bed and elegantly landed on her feet, "You know what! I'm gonna go do a little patrolling to get my mind of thing and then we'll do some more studying."
Willow pouted, "Oh, alright. Want me to come with?"
"Nah, that's ok. I won't be long."
*************** Buffy looked around her carefully. She stopped disappointed, "Man this bites? Its deader than my average kill out here!" Suddenly she heard a soft sound. She spinned around expecting to see an opponent only to find nothing there." She pouted and turned around, "Hmm, I guess I might as well get back to study session with Will. I won't be getting any action tonight." She turned around to walk away when something hit her from behind.
Marcie looked down at the unconscious slayer. A log became visible as it turned the ground. She looked around her quickly before throwing the slayer over her shoulder and moving away. Despite her strength Buffy was still small and not to heavy. Marcie had been training a lot the in the past 3 years.
************* Buffy's eyes flew open when the water hit her face. She coughed and tried to see her attacker and frowned when she realized that there wasn't anybody in the room. Suddenly she noticed a movement in the wind. Her eyes followed it until it reached the table in the centre of the room, where a cup suddenly appeared out of nowhere, "Who is there?" She tried to move, and realized that she was tied up.
"Hello slayer."
Buffy shifted a little and tried to place the voice. It sounded familiar somehow, "Who is there?"
Suddenly soft music drifted through the room.
Buffy pulled her ropes, but they were to tight, "What is that? Is that a flute or some. Marcie is that you?"
Marcie let out a short laughter, "Very good. I'm surprised to see you remember me so well. After all, it didn't take the others much effort to forget me forever."
Buffy looked around quickly. There were no butcher knifes around, so apparently Marcie wanted to play another game this time, "Yeah well invisible girls that try to mutilate people are kind of hard to forget."
A chair moved through the room and stopped in front of Buffy. She could hear Marcie sitting down, "Yeah, well I was pretty out of it back then, but I'm better now."
Buffy snorted, "I see. Well that explains why you attacked me and tied me up in your little lair."
Marcie leaned back in her chair, "Yeah, sorry about that. I needed to talk to you and I didn't want you to go all slayer on me, considering our last encounter wasn't all that friendly."
"So you don't hold a grudge?"
Marcie jumped up and threw her chair on the ground, "Oh, I hold a grudge all right! You ruined my life!" she spit on the ground next to Buffy, "But I need your help..."
Buffy nodded slowly, "Ok, so lets talk. Why don't you start by untying me."
Marcie pulled out a knife and cut the ropes that bound Buffy.
************
Giles rubbed his eyes and stared at the spot where he knew Marcie was sitting. You could see where the couch buckled slightly underneath her weight. The entire Scooby gang was assembled in Giles' store. Buffy had taken Marcie there after she had released her. He put his glasses back on his head uncomfortable, "So uhm, Marcie. What brings you back here?"
Xander let out a nervous laughter, "Yeah, I mean your not here to try and kill us again right?.. Right? .Marcie?"
Marcie growled, "Lets get one thing straight Harris. If I wanted to kill you, you'd be death!"
Anya grabbed Xanders arm, "Hey! I'm they only one that has the right to kill him."
Xander shot her a confused look, "Huh?"
Anya shrugged her shoulders, "Well that is what I was here for in the first place so I think its fair that I have first kill, [small]besides if you consider what I have to put up with."[/small]
Buffy crossed her arms and stared at the chair, "You said you needed my help, so fess up and no funny business, I'm watching you."
"Yeah ok. but uhm. Buffy, I'm on the cough."
Buffy quickly shifted her gaze, "I knew that."
Marcie sat back and began her story, "Do you remember when you kicked my arse a bunch of feds took me of your hands?"
"Yeah sure."
"Well those weren't feds. They work for the government, some kind of unofficial side brand, called The Iniative."
The group gave each other a meaning full look.
*************
Willow turned on her laptop, "I've got everything we have about The Iniative in here." She opened the right file and watched as the information rolled over the screen, "Here we go."
Marcie leaned over her shoulder and quickly read the files, "Is that it? I figured you would have more on them."
Buffy turned around for a second, but then realized that it was pointless, "Really, why is that?"
Marcie crossed her arms and sat down on the table next to the laptop, "They have big files on you guy's. I heard that you had a little disagreement with them last year. Why did you think I came to you in the first place."
"I thought you wanted the slayer to protect you."
Marcie snorted, "Yeah right! Lets get something straight slayer, I'm not the little high schoolgirl who got her arse kicked anymore. I'm a trained assassin. I could kill you with my little pinkie and get it over with before you even knew what hit you."
Buffy squeezed her yes tight, "Oh, really? So what's stopping you."
Marcie looked back at the files, "Like I said, I need your help."
Giles coughed, "Ladies please. this isn't helping. Now Marcie, you said you needed our help. What is it exactly you want us to do?"
Marcie nodded, "Yeah, ok. I bet you think you know what The Iniative is all about."
Xander raised his hand, "Well I'm going with capturing and studying demons."
Marcie gave him a look and continued, "Riiiight. That was just a little project, they're into way bigger things than that. As an operative I had pretty high access to their secrets, but no where near the real action.
My sub-station trained invisibles as assassins, snipers, spy's or whatever they needed. There were about 20 people in my group, mostly teenagers, but there were at least 5 other groups, maybe more."
Willow frowned, "And you want to safe them?"
Marcie clapped her hands, "Give the woman a prize. You always were the school genius, but there's more to the story. They don't only have invisibles, the have all sorts of specials, mostly psychics." Marcie gave them a serious look even though they couldn't see it, "I'm talking little children here. 10 year olds being trained in setting people on fire or frying their brains."
Buffy crossed her arms, "So what's your plan?"
**************
Willow looked in the mirror quickly, she didn't even recognize herself. Tara and her, had been up all night casting a major glamour spell on her. Her appearance hadn't really changed, it just looked like it. She was in a busy mall in LA, her friends were watching her from a safe distance. She sat down for a moment and started focussing her powers. She took a deep breath and let some of the power free. Suddenly all the furniture the diner in front of her started shaking. The shoppers screamed and started to run away. When the terrace was empty she let out the remaining power and watched the furniture fly high in the air to drop a few seconds later. She closed her eyes for a moment and stifled a smile. Her powers had grown a lot ever since she had teamed up with Tara. She stood up, walked a few steps, grabbed her head as if it was hurting and then fell to the floor unconscious.
Buffy looked at her friend impressed, "Wow, drama class is really paying of."
Xanders mouth fell open, "Hello! Willow just levitated a diner and your talking about her acting skills?"
Giles took a bite of his jelly donut, "Both quite impressive actually."
Riley bumped Buffy against the arm, "Check it out. I'm taking a wild guess and say those are Iniative operatives."
The group watched two men throw Willow over their shoulder and quickly moving away.
Buffy smiled, "I guess Marcie was telling the truth after all." She turned to Tara, "Can you follow them?"
Tara nodded, "Y.yes, of course." The young witch closed her eyes and started chanting in some lost language. A small flash of light circled around them and went into a small compass that Marcie was holding. She looked at it for a minute, "Ss. she's moving North."
Buffy got up and looked down on her friends, "Well what are you waiting for, lets go."
**************
Marcie looked down at Willow, who was still playing unconscious. She was sitting next to her on the far end of the prison van. The settings looked awfully familiar to her, only three years ago, she had been transported the same way. She was nervous for the first time since she escaped. The others were following them now and Marcie was here in case Willow got in trouble.
They had planned this a long time. Marcie knew the base was in LA, but she never saw the exact location. That wasn't important anymore though, they had put out the bait and the government had taken it.
***************
Buffy looked at the base from the bushes. They hadn't had any trouble following Willow. She jumped up when a hand touched her shoulder. Marcie sighted and pushed her back down on the ground, "Oh, that's good slayer. Why don't you just jump around in front of the main entrance screaming, here I am! Please come get me!"
Buffy frowned, "Whatever, so you were right about our little soldiers they came after Willow like it was a treat with their name on it."
Marcie nodded, "Yeah they have equipment to track psychics."
Giles looked up disturbed, "Wait a minute. doesn't that mean that they can track you to? After all, they found you 3 years ago."
Marcie shook her head, "No, I'm not psychic, I'm quantum physics." She squeezed her eyes, "But they can track my kind to. They have these little gizmo's in every school in the country."
Tara scraped her voice, "Uhm. you guy's, mm.my powers are slightly psychic."
The group turned spinned around and looked right at a heavily armed security guard.
Buffy looked at her friends and shrugged her shoulders, "Well I guess they got us."
*****************
The group was sitting in a small office inside the army base. Giles leaned over at Buffy, "I don't understand, you could have easily taken him out."
Buffy nodded, "True, but we needed to get inside anyway and the way I see it this is the easiest way. She looked at the guard posted in front of the door, "But we'd better get going, they're checking on us as we speak and when they find out who we really are, we're screwed."
They had told the Colonel that questioned them, that they were Willow's friends and that they had followed them, when they took her away. He seemed to have bought it. Suddenly the door flew open and the colonel walked in with Willow right behind him.
Willow looked up relieved when she saw her friends. Suddenly she realized that everybody was staring at her. She frowned, "What?" That's when she saw her reflection in the window. The spell had worn of and she looked like her self again.
The colonel tried to grab his weapon, only to get knocked out by Marcie who appeared behind him.
Buffy took out the guard before he could hit the alarm, "I'd say its going fine so far. Now lets get those children out of here."
*******************
The Scoobygang quickly moved through the building. Taking out soldiers left and right. Buffy smiled pleased, "Well this is being a lot easier than I had expected.
Riley nodded slowly, "It's a little to simple if you ask me."
Marcie shrugged her shoulders, "Not really, they keep kids here remember. The base crew consists mostly of scientist, teachers and a couple of security guards." She stopped in front of a door, "The cells are in here." She opened the door and walked inside followed by the gang.
Willow looked inside one of the cells, a six year old girl looked back at her through the shield. "Oh my god. This is just like the Iniative cells in Sunnydale. only with little children."
Buffy bit her lip, "Marcie do you know the access codes?. Marcie?" Suddenly she heard a cruel laughter. She slowly turned around, "Riley?"
Riley leaned against the door smiling, "What's wrong lover?"
Buffy frowned and took a step forward, Riley what's going on?"
Riley quickly took out a gun and pointed it directly at Buffy's head, "That's far enough love."
Marcie calmly walked over to Riley and leaned against him comfortably, "Don't act so surprised slayer, I told you I held a grudge."
Marcie played with Riley's hair a little, "Who think told The Iniative that Sunnydale was a demon breeding ground." She kissed him on the cheek and turned to Buffy cruelly, "Oh and of course that you were the slayer. They were quite interested in your capabilities."
Buffy blinked as Marcie became visible, "How did you.?"
Willow closed her eyes and tapped herself on the head, "Of course! Quantum physics works in two directions, you believe people can see you and they will."
Marcie clapped her hands, "And geek girl scores again!" She turned back to Buffy, "I hope you like the place slayer, cuz you'll be staying for a long time."
The door flew open and an complete army of soldier stormed in.
Buffy turned to Riley with tears in her eyes, "You lied to me all along? How could you?"
Riley walked over to her and kissed her hard on the mouth, "Well actually the lying part wasn't that hard, playing sweet little soldier boy for you that was hard! He leaned in close so that no one else would hear, "Tell me freak, was it good for you?"
Marcie took his arm and watched them take the slayer and her friends away, "So tell me sweaty, was she better than me?"
Riley grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close, "I'm not quite sure, I've been under deep cover so long, that I can hardly remember how you were."
"Maybe its time to refresh your memory." Riley smiled and followed Marcie to their room.
Marcie stopped in front of the door and pouted a little, "Didn't you say you'd give me a present when this was all over?"
Riley smiled and pushed the door open, "Turn on the tv honey."
She smiled and ran over to the tv, "Oh my! Did you get that for me?"
Riley smiled and guided her to the bed. They didn't bother turning of the tv. It showed a small beaten up figure sitting tucked away in a corner of an Iniative cell. The figure looked up for a moment directly into the camera. It was Cordelia Chase.