Night came like a silent raven on clawed feet, sneaking up on them with a
setting sun and a rumble of clouds. Xander was driving home and had just
hit the main highway. He was drumming to the song on the radio and the sun
was just vanishing below the horizon. He used to think that he should make
a special trip outside everyday at sunrise and appreciate the warm glow,
because no one knew what would happen. Everyday was a different chance and
a different danger. But now.he laughed slightly. He had all the time he
wanted, short of a beheading.
An hour and a half away, Buffy and Willow were outside patrolling the graveyards.
"Just like the old days." Buffy said.
"Yep. Only without Xander." Willow said.
There was an uncomfortable silence between them.
"Do you think-"? Willow started.
"Yeah?"
Willow stopped and turned to face Buffy. "Do you think there's something Xander's not telling us?"
"Well, he's not a vampire." Buffy said, shrugging. "Got that out of the way. I don't know. He's been sort of distant lately."
They continued to walk. "Do you think it's me?" Buffy asked. "I mean, last week I did get kind of cranky on him, do you think he's mad?"
Willow shook her head. "No, he wouldn't stay mad. What about Anya, you think they're having problems?"
Buffy tucked a strand of her behind her ear. "She looked pretty happy."
"I just don't know what's going on." Willow said to Buffy. "I just get a weird feeling that there's something they're not telling us."
Buffy frowned. Could it be that it was all of them and maybe not just paranoia? She had neglected to say much, but she always had a bit of humming in her head whenever he was around. She thought that it was probably just her or as she learned in her psychology class before Walsh turned into a psycho mad scientist, maybe it was her perception of Xander that day.
"We could ask him tonight." Willow said happily. "What if he gets promoted and has to move to Washington?"
"Is that what he went up for? He was running with the vagueness when we asked."
Willow nodded uncertainly. "I guess that's what he went up with."
Buffy looked up suddenly.
"Vampire!" Buffy said quickly as a tall vampire jumped out from a large mausoleum. Willow leaped out of the way and pulled out a stake. Buffy kicked the vampire and he went down as she drove the stake towards him. His arm shot up and pushed her back. From the corner of her eye she saw Willow sending fireballs to another vampire, who shrieked.
The last puff of dust fell to the ground as ant fodder and the two friends started again on patrol.
"Maybe he's going through a midlife crisis." Buffy commented.
"Is he even at midlife yet?" Willow asked.
"I think everything grows faster on the Hellmouth."
***
"Rae, you've been very loyal." Brad said. "I want you to become one of our leaders."
Rae's eyes lit up as she stepped to the stage. "Do you really mean that?"
Brad nodded and extended a wine glass full of blood.
"The decision has been made." He said. "Rae is my second in command and we have christened the final stage of our ritual. The time has come and we will act upon it. As the great book says--" He lifted a large red leather bound volume. "-the world will fall when the night is covered with the blood of sun-walkers."
The others cheered and drank. The four humans mixed in the crowd only stared in fear at their disfigured faces before lapsing into unconsciousness as they were drained.
***
"Anya!" Xander shouted as he walked inside, bag slung over his shoulder. Upstairs, Anya shoved the book back into its hidden slot and pushed the wood block back into place. Putting the trashcan where it was once before, she stood up and hoped that it was exactly as it was prior to her discovery. She walked downstairs and smiled. She gave Xander a kiss.
"I missed you." She said.
He smiled. "I missed you too."
"So, how was the trip?" She asked as she put plates on the table.
"Uh, not bad. I might have to go back up in a few weeks. " He said. He and Duncan had tried to figure out a way for him to be in Seacouver for a while without needing an excuse that made him look suspicious. In exactly one week, Xander hoped they would be driving up to Washington, to visit an old friend of Xander's relatives, a bartender named Joe.
He hated lying, really, but this wasn't lying. It was his future and his new life. He had to settle it all out with himself before he could tell his friends. He had had two years but it kept getting pushed back, everything little thing telling him that he could put it off until the next day. He just didn't want to confront the idea.
"I'm glad you're back." She said, sitting down with her plate.
"I'm really glad to be back." He said genuinely. He looked at her and at her ring, which he found that she wore whenever she was at home. The jewel glittered on her hand like she was a queen and he wanted to tell everyone of their engagement so much, as she wanted to tell them also. But considering current situations and where they lived and his own problems, it would've been the best for them all if they made no move to speak.
"So who did you have to meet again?" She asked.
"Uh..Mr-" He stammered for the words. "Mr. Daniels." He said. He hoped it was believable.
"What does he do?"
"Well, uh, he's the vice president of the company." Xander said. "Said I was doing a good job and all, nothing much."
"Oh." Anya looked slightly dimmer. "So you're not getting promoted or anything?"
"No, no, not at all." He said. He looked down at his food. "These potatoes are really good."
"Thanks." Anya said quickly.
"Say, Anya, while I was up there I ran into an old friend of my uncle's. He's a bartender up in Seacouver and he invited us to go up there and visit. You want to go?"
Anya's eyes lit up, as Xander and Duncan were hoping. A chance to get away from Sunnydale, Xander had been hoping she still wanted to do so.
"Yes?" Xander asked. "I guess we're going then."
***
"Hey Joe, look at this." Duncan said, walking into the bar. It was day and it looked eerily quiet, with no customers. Duncan put a newspaper on the bar top.
"I just washed that, but I guess twice never hurt." Joe said, putting a beer bottle on the counter top. He raised his eyebrows as he read the front headline of the newspaper. "Eight murders all across town."
"Someone's been busy." Duncan said.
"Beheadings?" Joe asked, a bit worried. He relaxed a little when Duncan shook his head. He hated to be relieved when right people had died, but he didn't like headhunters and neither did MacLeod.
"All of the victims died from neck injuries." Duncan said, frowning. "Do you think that-"
"-That Xander Harris brought these vampires with him from Sunnydale?" Joe asked. He motioned that he didn't know. "Vampires are everywhere, and they could've come from anywhere."
"It looks like a gang of them." Duncan said. "The bodies were all found throughout the night but the coroner's report on four of them says that they died early in the night, at close times all across the city."
"I wish I could say that the police can handle this, but they're severely lacking in their demonology department."
Duncan nodded. "Xander is coming back up next week. He's got his fiancé with him, which might complicate training, but at least he'll get an idea of whether he should tell her first."
"It would certainly make things easier. He wouldn't have to sneak up here with excuses." Joe polished a tall wine glass. "Are you planning on handling this?" He looked at the other man with cautious eyes, warning him to be careful.
Duncan caught the look and nodded. "I'll be careful. If it's really a big group of them, a whole lot more people can die before Xander gets up here. He knows more about them than I do, he has firsthand experience, and he knows where they go. Things I can't find in any books."
Joe nodded. "All right then. Where's Richie, I haven't seen him in a while."
"He went down to the garage to fix his bike. He said something about the back wheel or the front wheel or something."
Duncan got off the stool and nodded. "I'm going to check this out more, maybe call Jim down at the station."
***
"Buffy, look at this." Giles said, giving Buffy the newspaper. "Horrific."
Buffy took the newspaper. "Seven murders shake city of Seacouver." Her eyebrows rose. "They've been busy up there."
"I think we should handle this. Things in Sunnydale aren't really serious at the moment and the police don't have any clue how to handle vampires."
Buffy nodded. "What if things get serious as soon as I leave?" She asked.
"That's why only you're going. The rest of us can handle it together, but you're the only one who can fight this gang." Giles crossed the room and straightened a book that had fallen down on the shelf.
"I'll get on it." She said as the front door opened and the little bell jingled.
"Get on what?" Xander asked. Anya followed him.
"There's a big bad gang of vampires killing people in Seacouver, Washington." Buffy said.
Anya groaned. "We can't get away from them, can we?" She asked loudly, throwing her hands up.
"Seacouver.isn't that where your trip was?" Giles asked Xander, a confused expression on his face.
Xander was taken aback. This was entirely new, unprecedented. "Uh, yeah. Weird coincidence, huh?"
"You know the city better than I do, I guess. Did you see anything?" Buffy asked him. He shook his head. "I spent most of my time meeting the bigwigs and talking to an old family friend." He gestured to Anya. "We're going back up there to visit in a week. Do you need help? We could go with you."
It was a change of strategy, something he was unsure of, but if Buffy went with them, and he really did break the news to Anya, then breaking it to Buffy might be killing two birds with one stone. It would give him an idea of how someone would react or relate, depending on the view. And it would give Duncan a chance to meet the famous slayer. He had never done much research on the Hellmouth.
"Giles needs you here, but this really is a weird coincidence, so if he could spare two-" Sparing two people suddenly sounded like a bad idea. Tara, Willow, and Giles could defend themselves just fine, but who knows how long it would take for them to find these blood-sucking creeps up north?
Giles took off his glasses. "I suppose it would be easier for the three of you to go. It'd be preferable for one of you to stay, although I'd hate to separate you." He looked at Xander and Anya, knowing it was their vacation. But sometimes duty took precedence over pleasure and he hated to draw the slayer's destiny into the lives of people who didn't even need to get involved, but he knew they'd be devoted.
He looked up at the second level where his books where and needed that there was something that he was missing. He looked down at the paper and picked it back up.
"You can handle the plane reservations?" He said blandly, like a statement more than a question. Before Buffy said anything he nodded and started up the stairs to the books.
"He's dive-bombed into his books again." Buffy commented.
Anya nodded. "I'll stay here." She said. "You could run the show without me, I could watch the store."
Anyone could tell she was a bit sad, having to stay in Sunnydale, but it was not a time for stubbornness.
"That's it then." Buffy said. "We're leaving tonight, if possible."
***
"Duncan, Joe, this is Buffy Summers." Xander said.
"Welcome to Seacouver." Duncan said. He was thoroughly briefed by Xander on who she was, but he had to ask to feign innocence. "You're not his fiancé, are you?"
"No, no, I'm not. She couldn't come and I wanted to come up here because I.like to go sightseeing. Have any good suggestions? Local hangouts? Dark, kinda seedy?"
She saw Duncan and Joe's puzzled expressions.
Xander interjected. "Where's Richie?" He asked, remembering the immortal he passed by on his way out. Duncan had told him about Richie a few hours ago, before they left for the airport. The two Immortals had met briefly before Xander returned to Sunnydale.
"He's at the garage, he'll be back soon." Joe said. "Care for a drink?"
Buffy shook her head. "No thanks." She smiled at Xander's friends. She looked out the window. It was almost sundown and she wanted to get out there.
"Well, I'm ready for some sightseeing." She said.
"Yeah, uh, I'll come with." Xander said. "Got any suggestions?"
Duncan glanced at Joe who shrugged behind Buffy and Xander.
"Yeah, sure, a few places I know." He said.
***
"Are you sure you don't want to come?" Buffy asked. She only wanted to be polite, but every time she asked, she sincerely hoped Duncan would say no like he did before. She breathed a sigh of relief when Duncan said no again and smiled politely.
They stepped into the cool air as the door shut behind them. The glow from Duncan's apartment dimmed and Buffy and Xander started to make their way to the local hangouts, the seedier parts of town where they thought the new vampire gang would be looking for takeout.
They knew they had arrived when the smoke mixed with cheap cologne intruded upon their nostrils and stung their eyes and the gaudy glow of "open" signs were partially masked by spray paint and the mix of gaudy lights permeated their line of vision. Many people crowded around small and concrete covered clubs and some were even standing in the street.
"How homey." Buffy commented as a drunk man stumbled past her and fell off the curb.
"It's Santa's naughty list all rolled into one." Xander said, feeling a little uncertain. His hand wrapped around the stake in his coat.
"Let's try this one." Buffy said, walking past the bouncer. He was more concentrated on her than he was on the people he was trying to keep out.
Inside, the rock music blared from huge speakers as a crowd danced in the front. One pool table was in the middle of the room, almost hidden by the crowd inside. Dirty mud stained posters were tacked up on the walls and the bar itself was probably covered with a layer of grime for every year it had been opened.
"Reminds me of the bronze. Only more hole-like." Xander said. Buffy could barely hear him.
She turned and saw a young girl dancing with a tall man, no doubt years older than she was.
She nudged Xander.
"Vampire gang?" He asked.
"I don't know." She looked at the man's eyes as he looked up at someone. A blonde woman at the bar made eye contact and nodded.
"I think so." She said. "Come on."
Buffy pointed to the blonde woman and Xander nodded.
They split up and Buffy stepped in between the man and the girl dancing.
"Excuse me!" The girl hissed at her.
Buffy grabbed her by the arm. "I think I saw your mom outside. If you know what's good for you, then don't come back here, you know it's not a good place."
The girl's eyes widened and she backed away.
"Hi, stranger." She said to the man, who smiled.
"Well, who brought you here?" He asked.
She leaned closer. "Let's go outside." She gave him her most irresistible smile.
"Hi." Xander said to the woman. She might be undead but she still made him nervous. And he felt less than comfortable talking to a woman when Anya was in Sunnydale.
"Hello." She said, feigning shyness.
Buffy looked at Xander and he quickly looked back at the vampire. She smiled and touched his hand. "Want to go outside?" She asked. He nodded.
Outside, Xander caught Buffy walking into the alley as they did the same.
"You know, there's something funny." Buffy said.
"What?" He asked.
Buffy turned. "You're a vampire." She pulled out a stake and reached high to kick him in the chest. He stumbled back as Xander pulled his stake out and kicked the vampire girl in the stomach. She doubled over as he went to stake her. She stood up and blocked his move. Hitting him in the face, Xander reeled back but was not concerned. He blocked her kicks and finally pushed her into a wall. She sprawled down onto the pavement and he drove the stake into her before she could regain footing.
Buffy wiped the dust off her pants and looked back out into the open street.
"This is getting us nowhere." Xander said, catching his breath.
"You're right. There has to be a million vampires in a city like this." Buffy looked around. "Come on, if we've got Willy, you know there's got to be a hundred snitches here."
Buffy started to walk.
"Where are we going?" Xander asked.
"I have no idea."
Xander walked behind her. "Sounds good."
***
"Hey Duncan." Richie said as he shut the door and put his helmet on the table.
"Hey, haven't seen you all day." He said.
"Things got busy." Richie said. He saw the black duffel bag in front of the couch.
"Xander?"
Duncan nodded.
Richie nodded and took a beer from the refrigerator. "Old man hasn't stopped by?"
"Surprisingly not." Duncan replied. "One could only imagine what kinds of problems he's steeped in."
An hour and a half away, Buffy and Willow were outside patrolling the graveyards.
"Just like the old days." Buffy said.
"Yep. Only without Xander." Willow said.
There was an uncomfortable silence between them.
"Do you think-"? Willow started.
"Yeah?"
Willow stopped and turned to face Buffy. "Do you think there's something Xander's not telling us?"
"Well, he's not a vampire." Buffy said, shrugging. "Got that out of the way. I don't know. He's been sort of distant lately."
They continued to walk. "Do you think it's me?" Buffy asked. "I mean, last week I did get kind of cranky on him, do you think he's mad?"
Willow shook her head. "No, he wouldn't stay mad. What about Anya, you think they're having problems?"
Buffy tucked a strand of her behind her ear. "She looked pretty happy."
"I just don't know what's going on." Willow said to Buffy. "I just get a weird feeling that there's something they're not telling us."
Buffy frowned. Could it be that it was all of them and maybe not just paranoia? She had neglected to say much, but she always had a bit of humming in her head whenever he was around. She thought that it was probably just her or as she learned in her psychology class before Walsh turned into a psycho mad scientist, maybe it was her perception of Xander that day.
"We could ask him tonight." Willow said happily. "What if he gets promoted and has to move to Washington?"
"Is that what he went up for? He was running with the vagueness when we asked."
Willow nodded uncertainly. "I guess that's what he went up with."
Buffy looked up suddenly.
"Vampire!" Buffy said quickly as a tall vampire jumped out from a large mausoleum. Willow leaped out of the way and pulled out a stake. Buffy kicked the vampire and he went down as she drove the stake towards him. His arm shot up and pushed her back. From the corner of her eye she saw Willow sending fireballs to another vampire, who shrieked.
The last puff of dust fell to the ground as ant fodder and the two friends started again on patrol.
"Maybe he's going through a midlife crisis." Buffy commented.
"Is he even at midlife yet?" Willow asked.
"I think everything grows faster on the Hellmouth."
***
"Rae, you've been very loyal." Brad said. "I want you to become one of our leaders."
Rae's eyes lit up as she stepped to the stage. "Do you really mean that?"
Brad nodded and extended a wine glass full of blood.
"The decision has been made." He said. "Rae is my second in command and we have christened the final stage of our ritual. The time has come and we will act upon it. As the great book says--" He lifted a large red leather bound volume. "-the world will fall when the night is covered with the blood of sun-walkers."
The others cheered and drank. The four humans mixed in the crowd only stared in fear at their disfigured faces before lapsing into unconsciousness as they were drained.
***
"Anya!" Xander shouted as he walked inside, bag slung over his shoulder. Upstairs, Anya shoved the book back into its hidden slot and pushed the wood block back into place. Putting the trashcan where it was once before, she stood up and hoped that it was exactly as it was prior to her discovery. She walked downstairs and smiled. She gave Xander a kiss.
"I missed you." She said.
He smiled. "I missed you too."
"So, how was the trip?" She asked as she put plates on the table.
"Uh, not bad. I might have to go back up in a few weeks. " He said. He and Duncan had tried to figure out a way for him to be in Seacouver for a while without needing an excuse that made him look suspicious. In exactly one week, Xander hoped they would be driving up to Washington, to visit an old friend of Xander's relatives, a bartender named Joe.
He hated lying, really, but this wasn't lying. It was his future and his new life. He had to settle it all out with himself before he could tell his friends. He had had two years but it kept getting pushed back, everything little thing telling him that he could put it off until the next day. He just didn't want to confront the idea.
"I'm glad you're back." She said, sitting down with her plate.
"I'm really glad to be back." He said genuinely. He looked at her and at her ring, which he found that she wore whenever she was at home. The jewel glittered on her hand like she was a queen and he wanted to tell everyone of their engagement so much, as she wanted to tell them also. But considering current situations and where they lived and his own problems, it would've been the best for them all if they made no move to speak.
"So who did you have to meet again?" She asked.
"Uh..Mr-" He stammered for the words. "Mr. Daniels." He said. He hoped it was believable.
"What does he do?"
"Well, uh, he's the vice president of the company." Xander said. "Said I was doing a good job and all, nothing much."
"Oh." Anya looked slightly dimmer. "So you're not getting promoted or anything?"
"No, no, not at all." He said. He looked down at his food. "These potatoes are really good."
"Thanks." Anya said quickly.
"Say, Anya, while I was up there I ran into an old friend of my uncle's. He's a bartender up in Seacouver and he invited us to go up there and visit. You want to go?"
Anya's eyes lit up, as Xander and Duncan were hoping. A chance to get away from Sunnydale, Xander had been hoping she still wanted to do so.
"Yes?" Xander asked. "I guess we're going then."
***
"Hey Joe, look at this." Duncan said, walking into the bar. It was day and it looked eerily quiet, with no customers. Duncan put a newspaper on the bar top.
"I just washed that, but I guess twice never hurt." Joe said, putting a beer bottle on the counter top. He raised his eyebrows as he read the front headline of the newspaper. "Eight murders all across town."
"Someone's been busy." Duncan said.
"Beheadings?" Joe asked, a bit worried. He relaxed a little when Duncan shook his head. He hated to be relieved when right people had died, but he didn't like headhunters and neither did MacLeod.
"All of the victims died from neck injuries." Duncan said, frowning. "Do you think that-"
"-That Xander Harris brought these vampires with him from Sunnydale?" Joe asked. He motioned that he didn't know. "Vampires are everywhere, and they could've come from anywhere."
"It looks like a gang of them." Duncan said. "The bodies were all found throughout the night but the coroner's report on four of them says that they died early in the night, at close times all across the city."
"I wish I could say that the police can handle this, but they're severely lacking in their demonology department."
Duncan nodded. "Xander is coming back up next week. He's got his fiancé with him, which might complicate training, but at least he'll get an idea of whether he should tell her first."
"It would certainly make things easier. He wouldn't have to sneak up here with excuses." Joe polished a tall wine glass. "Are you planning on handling this?" He looked at the other man with cautious eyes, warning him to be careful.
Duncan caught the look and nodded. "I'll be careful. If it's really a big group of them, a whole lot more people can die before Xander gets up here. He knows more about them than I do, he has firsthand experience, and he knows where they go. Things I can't find in any books."
Joe nodded. "All right then. Where's Richie, I haven't seen him in a while."
"He went down to the garage to fix his bike. He said something about the back wheel or the front wheel or something."
Duncan got off the stool and nodded. "I'm going to check this out more, maybe call Jim down at the station."
***
"Buffy, look at this." Giles said, giving Buffy the newspaper. "Horrific."
Buffy took the newspaper. "Seven murders shake city of Seacouver." Her eyebrows rose. "They've been busy up there."
"I think we should handle this. Things in Sunnydale aren't really serious at the moment and the police don't have any clue how to handle vampires."
Buffy nodded. "What if things get serious as soon as I leave?" She asked.
"That's why only you're going. The rest of us can handle it together, but you're the only one who can fight this gang." Giles crossed the room and straightened a book that had fallen down on the shelf.
"I'll get on it." She said as the front door opened and the little bell jingled.
"Get on what?" Xander asked. Anya followed him.
"There's a big bad gang of vampires killing people in Seacouver, Washington." Buffy said.
Anya groaned. "We can't get away from them, can we?" She asked loudly, throwing her hands up.
"Seacouver.isn't that where your trip was?" Giles asked Xander, a confused expression on his face.
Xander was taken aback. This was entirely new, unprecedented. "Uh, yeah. Weird coincidence, huh?"
"You know the city better than I do, I guess. Did you see anything?" Buffy asked him. He shook his head. "I spent most of my time meeting the bigwigs and talking to an old family friend." He gestured to Anya. "We're going back up there to visit in a week. Do you need help? We could go with you."
It was a change of strategy, something he was unsure of, but if Buffy went with them, and he really did break the news to Anya, then breaking it to Buffy might be killing two birds with one stone. It would give him an idea of how someone would react or relate, depending on the view. And it would give Duncan a chance to meet the famous slayer. He had never done much research on the Hellmouth.
"Giles needs you here, but this really is a weird coincidence, so if he could spare two-" Sparing two people suddenly sounded like a bad idea. Tara, Willow, and Giles could defend themselves just fine, but who knows how long it would take for them to find these blood-sucking creeps up north?
Giles took off his glasses. "I suppose it would be easier for the three of you to go. It'd be preferable for one of you to stay, although I'd hate to separate you." He looked at Xander and Anya, knowing it was their vacation. But sometimes duty took precedence over pleasure and he hated to draw the slayer's destiny into the lives of people who didn't even need to get involved, but he knew they'd be devoted.
He looked up at the second level where his books where and needed that there was something that he was missing. He looked down at the paper and picked it back up.
"You can handle the plane reservations?" He said blandly, like a statement more than a question. Before Buffy said anything he nodded and started up the stairs to the books.
"He's dive-bombed into his books again." Buffy commented.
Anya nodded. "I'll stay here." She said. "You could run the show without me, I could watch the store."
Anyone could tell she was a bit sad, having to stay in Sunnydale, but it was not a time for stubbornness.
"That's it then." Buffy said. "We're leaving tonight, if possible."
***
"Duncan, Joe, this is Buffy Summers." Xander said.
"Welcome to Seacouver." Duncan said. He was thoroughly briefed by Xander on who she was, but he had to ask to feign innocence. "You're not his fiancé, are you?"
"No, no, I'm not. She couldn't come and I wanted to come up here because I.like to go sightseeing. Have any good suggestions? Local hangouts? Dark, kinda seedy?"
She saw Duncan and Joe's puzzled expressions.
Xander interjected. "Where's Richie?" He asked, remembering the immortal he passed by on his way out. Duncan had told him about Richie a few hours ago, before they left for the airport. The two Immortals had met briefly before Xander returned to Sunnydale.
"He's at the garage, he'll be back soon." Joe said. "Care for a drink?"
Buffy shook her head. "No thanks." She smiled at Xander's friends. She looked out the window. It was almost sundown and she wanted to get out there.
"Well, I'm ready for some sightseeing." She said.
"Yeah, uh, I'll come with." Xander said. "Got any suggestions?"
Duncan glanced at Joe who shrugged behind Buffy and Xander.
"Yeah, sure, a few places I know." He said.
***
"Are you sure you don't want to come?" Buffy asked. She only wanted to be polite, but every time she asked, she sincerely hoped Duncan would say no like he did before. She breathed a sigh of relief when Duncan said no again and smiled politely.
They stepped into the cool air as the door shut behind them. The glow from Duncan's apartment dimmed and Buffy and Xander started to make their way to the local hangouts, the seedier parts of town where they thought the new vampire gang would be looking for takeout.
They knew they had arrived when the smoke mixed with cheap cologne intruded upon their nostrils and stung their eyes and the gaudy glow of "open" signs were partially masked by spray paint and the mix of gaudy lights permeated their line of vision. Many people crowded around small and concrete covered clubs and some were even standing in the street.
"How homey." Buffy commented as a drunk man stumbled past her and fell off the curb.
"It's Santa's naughty list all rolled into one." Xander said, feeling a little uncertain. His hand wrapped around the stake in his coat.
"Let's try this one." Buffy said, walking past the bouncer. He was more concentrated on her than he was on the people he was trying to keep out.
Inside, the rock music blared from huge speakers as a crowd danced in the front. One pool table was in the middle of the room, almost hidden by the crowd inside. Dirty mud stained posters were tacked up on the walls and the bar itself was probably covered with a layer of grime for every year it had been opened.
"Reminds me of the bronze. Only more hole-like." Xander said. Buffy could barely hear him.
She turned and saw a young girl dancing with a tall man, no doubt years older than she was.
She nudged Xander.
"Vampire gang?" He asked.
"I don't know." She looked at the man's eyes as he looked up at someone. A blonde woman at the bar made eye contact and nodded.
"I think so." She said. "Come on."
Buffy pointed to the blonde woman and Xander nodded.
They split up and Buffy stepped in between the man and the girl dancing.
"Excuse me!" The girl hissed at her.
Buffy grabbed her by the arm. "I think I saw your mom outside. If you know what's good for you, then don't come back here, you know it's not a good place."
The girl's eyes widened and she backed away.
"Hi, stranger." She said to the man, who smiled.
"Well, who brought you here?" He asked.
She leaned closer. "Let's go outside." She gave him her most irresistible smile.
"Hi." Xander said to the woman. She might be undead but she still made him nervous. And he felt less than comfortable talking to a woman when Anya was in Sunnydale.
"Hello." She said, feigning shyness.
Buffy looked at Xander and he quickly looked back at the vampire. She smiled and touched his hand. "Want to go outside?" She asked. He nodded.
Outside, Xander caught Buffy walking into the alley as they did the same.
"You know, there's something funny." Buffy said.
"What?" He asked.
Buffy turned. "You're a vampire." She pulled out a stake and reached high to kick him in the chest. He stumbled back as Xander pulled his stake out and kicked the vampire girl in the stomach. She doubled over as he went to stake her. She stood up and blocked his move. Hitting him in the face, Xander reeled back but was not concerned. He blocked her kicks and finally pushed her into a wall. She sprawled down onto the pavement and he drove the stake into her before she could regain footing.
Buffy wiped the dust off her pants and looked back out into the open street.
"This is getting us nowhere." Xander said, catching his breath.
"You're right. There has to be a million vampires in a city like this." Buffy looked around. "Come on, if we've got Willy, you know there's got to be a hundred snitches here."
Buffy started to walk.
"Where are we going?" Xander asked.
"I have no idea."
Xander walked behind her. "Sounds good."
***
"Hey Duncan." Richie said as he shut the door and put his helmet on the table.
"Hey, haven't seen you all day." He said.
"Things got busy." Richie said. He saw the black duffel bag in front of the couch.
"Xander?"
Duncan nodded.
Richie nodded and took a beer from the refrigerator. "Old man hasn't stopped by?"
"Surprisingly not." Duncan replied. "One could only imagine what kinds of problems he's steeped in."