Search and Destroy 4: Careers.
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Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Hellsing are not owned by me. I'm just mutating them for this story. (Or was that mutilating?)
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"Huh. Angel seemed kind of stand-offish," Buffy mumbled to herself as she crept into her bed. She had been looking forward to some 'smoochies' as she called it.
'I may be the cause of that,' Integra mused absently.
Buffy could feel a low level feeling of antipathy coming from the vampire hunter. "What did you do to my boyfriend?" she asked, suddenly harsh. She started to strip down for bed.
'He was a vampire. I attempted to destroy him. Willow stopped me, explaining that he was a good vampire.' Buffy could hear the derision from the vampire hunter. 'Be glad that I stopped. I very nearly broke some very sacred oaths to do so.'
Buffy was quite chilled. What had happened?
'He entered the your living room on that night and I shot him. The silver bullets hurt him, but did not destroy him. If he had actually been attempting to kill us, he probably would have succeeded.' A feeling of self-condemnation was exuded from the extra presence to Buffy.
She was upset that she failed to kill her boyfriend that night? Buffy started to feel outraged, when Integra cut her off mentally. 'I had no idea he had been ensouled. My training is thorough and direct; to destroy the inhuman and innately evil demonic monsters. To run into a vampire that is not a monster is incredibly unlikely. There is only one vampire in my London that falls in that small domain. I will not destroy this Angel now that I know his history and circumstance.'
"Gee, thank!" Buffy said aloud.
'I do understand your situation. More than you can imagine.' Integra's tone of voice was very pensive, thoughtful.
Buffy blinked in surprise, but Integra ignored her from that point on that night.
-
At the career fair, Willow was expounding upon important things. "I came down on the side of shrubs."
Buffy nodded. "Go with shrubs! Okay!"
Integra interjected, 'You do realize that is to see if you like to do gardening and horticulture?'
Buffy
frowned at that. "Maybe not. I was never too patient with
gardening. I think I got that from my mother. Gaaaaah! I shouldn't
even be
bothering with this. It's all mootsville for me. No matter
what my aptitude test says, we already know my deal."
"Yup, high risk, sub-minimum wage..." Xander said in the seat across from Buffy.
'Buffy! Are you trying to give up already?' Integra demanded. 'This gloominess is unbecoming.'
"Yeah, whatever," she groused back at both of them.
"Why are you even bothering to take the test then?" Willows asked curiously.
"It's Principal Snyder's hoop of the week. He's not happy unless I'm jumping. Believe me, I would not be here otherwise," Buffy almost snapped back. She buried her terror deep inside, where only Integra would feel it. Damn her and sharing her head-space.
"You're not even a teensy, weensy bit curious about what kinda career you could have had? I mean, if you weren't already the Slayer and all?" she asked, still very curious.
'I think you should be more interested in adapting yourself to this situation. These tests can not interpret your real aptitudes and future training skills that you need to absorb.' Integra was thinking deeply, unsettling Buffy. 'I think it comes down to a simple question.'
Buffy frowned at Integra, even as she shrugged at Willow.
"Let's see, surly and untalkitive. That doesn't really leave a lot of choices," Xander noted. He suddenly cracked a smile. "You could always become a hermit!"
"Xander, I really don't need this right now," Buffy warned. She doodled on the page, not seeing the question.
'Buffy, are you a weapon... or a warrior?' Integra finally asked intently.
That finally surprised her. Willow and Xander shared a quick worried look, even as Buffy exclaimed, "What do you mean?" She blinked as she realized that she had said that aloud. "Oh, sorry. I remembered a question... from Angel. He was being all cryptic-like again."
"You know, when people make with the mysterious, that means problems are on there way," Xander noted sagely.
"Don't jinx us, Xander!" Willow snapped out worriedly.
-
Later that night, Buffy was patrolling while thinking very hard. After she had left the others at school, she had tried to get Integra to explain what she had asked. Her only response was that it was more important to discover the answer herself.
She had deduced that she did not want to be a weapon. And she was a warrior, she thought. She was pretty sure that Integra had a reason to ask. A small clink caught her attention. Someone was doing something in that crypt. The light of a flashlight was flickering within.
'Careful. Let's make sure this is not a trap. Or, better yet, let us spring a trap upon what is within,' Integra said, focusing Buffy on the moment. She had been working on Buffy to think more tactically and be more aware of the area at all times. 'Is that someone hiding over there?'
Buffy grinned as she felt the vampire. She crept up on it, even as Dalton exited the crypt. "Found it! It's exactly what we were needing!" he called out to his compatriot.
The hidden vampire took a step out, just as Buffy dashed from her concealment and staked him. Smoothly, she turned to Dalton with her stake at the ready. "How about you just hand that over now?"
Dalton's eyes widened as he stared at the stake that had just ended the other vampire's unlife. He hadn't even felt her near. "Um, I suppose. You'll let me go?" He tensed in preparation to run.
She flicked her off hand with a second stake, unexpectedly attacking from a direction he was not prepared for. Dalton had just a moment to realize he'd been suckered before he dusted.
"Nope, Tweedledumb. Though I wonder why the vampires wanted this?" Buffy asked as she picked up the cross and examined it closely.
'It's a cypher. Which means these vampires are decoding something. We should check out the crypt carefully and then speak to your Watcher.'
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Buffy narrowed her eyes at Angel in her bedroom. She started to heft her bag through the windows, when Integra halted her with, 'Wait. We should watch what he is doing.'
The Slayer rolled her eyes, but decided it wouldn't hurt to watch him for a minute. He poked at Mr. Gordo, her plush piggy and then looked over her photographs.
'Good. He doesn't seem interested in your locker. He is not actually searching your room,' Integra noted.
No duh, Buffy thought back. She hefted her bag and tossed it in.
Angel nearly jumped, as the loud thud of the bag hitting the ground surprised him. "Buffy! You frightened me!"
"Now you know what it is like, Mr. Stealthy-pants!" she groused back.
"Are you all right?" he asked, suddenly worried.
Buffy ignored the disapproving feelings from Integra. She fleetingly wondered why she was not more vocal in her dislike of Angel. She seemed to hate all other vampires with a deep and abiding passion. "It's just this whole week... hasn't gone so good."
Angel sat on the bed to listen to her complaints about Career Week. He promised later to take her someplace special, just his treat.
But she could almost feel him flinch away when she tried to touch him. "Are you all right? I... heard that you were hurt on Halloween."
Angel tensed, then nodded. "Those bullets that lady used... I've never felt pain like that. It was like crosses embedded in my flesh." He went to the window in preparation to leave.
"I'm so sorry, Angel. I heard you were nearly killed. I don't think I could have lived with myself if I had done that," she said softly. She carefully wrapped her arms around him from behind and laid her forehead on his shoulder.
"It wasn't you. I can't even really blame her. She was just protecting herself." He grinned slightly. "I do have to admit, she's probably the scariest lady I've heard of."
"What? More scary than me?" Buffy mock growled.
He laid his hands on her arms that were wrapped around him. "You are very scary, but in a good way," her replied good-naturedly. "I better go so you can get some sleep."
As soon as he was gone, Buffy finished getting ready for bed. She was just laying down when Integra intruded.
'Loving a vampire is pain. Even with your Angel, there are so many bad things that can happen,' she mused to Buffy. 'He is only good because of his human soul. Imagine if someone cast a spell to allow his demon to overtake him? Even if he appears to be good, it could possibly be a trick. Vampires think in plots and treachery over years and decades.'
He's not tricking me! she snapped back mentally.
'No, I do not think he is. But it is always a possibility you have to be aware of. He is a vampire. And you are a vampire hunter; destined even.'
Buffy could feel a slightly wistful feeling from Integra. What was that for? she asked.
'At least your vampire can truly love you,' she replied cryptically.
"My God," Buffy exclaimed. "You're in love with a vampire?"
'No, not really. I have never had time for love. It is mere attraction, the desire to be loved.' Integra paused, gathering her thoughts. 'Alucard saved me certain murder, but only because I interested him and the magics that bound him to my family. And I was a silly, young girl.'
"Wow, we are more alike than I would have thought possible."
'Perhaps. I know you find my presence in your privacy unsettling. I hope sharing this makes you feel a bit better,' the Master of Monsters replied softly.
Buffy frowned, then sighed. She nodded in appreciation to the gesture.
-
"So they think I should be a cop or be in the military?" Buffy asked curiously the next day to Xander.
He nodded.
"At least they don't think you should be a Correctional Officer," Willow said brightly.
Buffy saw Giles walk past with a pile of books. "Hey, guys? I've got to talk to Giles really quick." She followed him into the library where he set down a stack of books carefully. They wobbled, but stayed up.
"Buffy!" he said with a small smile. "I've been, uh, indexing the Watcher chronicles covering the last few centuries. You would be amazed at how mind-numbingly pompous and long-winded some of these Watchers were."
"Ha! Wanna bet?" she retorted.
"How was last night's patrol?" he asked even as he opened another diary.
"That's what I needed to talk to you. I ran into a pair of vampires that were robbing a tomb," she started.
"That doesn't sound good!" He looked quite worried suddenly.
"Nah, they were no problem. And I got the trinket." Buffy held up the intricate gold cross. "It looks like it's a cypher key, right? I think it was found in the tomb of a du Lac."
Giles raised an eyebrow at that. How had she known it was a cypher? Then the name hit him. "Yes. Many ancient books were written in codes, so that only the intended could understand it. Josephus du Lac belonged to a religious sect that was excommunicated by the Vatican at the turn of the century."
"And exiled here? Sounds like a very, very bad boy. Should we destroy it? That way no one can ever use it?" she asked. She mentally crossed her fingers at Integra's soft snort at her humor. They had already taken a casting in soft clay and were in the process of duplicating the cross. Just in case. Wheels within wheels, lies and deceptions.
"Actually, that is a good idea. Let me get a rubbing of one-half of the cross, then smash it with the sledgehammer from the weapon cage," he said.
"Right-O, Boy-O!" she sing-song-ed.
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"The Slayer is spinning a web and planning to pounce. Don't let her swallow you whole, not even an ounce!" Drusilla said, even as she shuddered at her visions.
"Dalton isn't back yet, love! We need that cross if we want to cure you. Damn bloody code!" Spike snapped back.
Two vampires walked in to his lair, swinging the crypt open. "Spike? We didn't find Dalton or Pete. The crypt was opened and the cross was missing, but-"
"Dalton wouldn't run!" the master vampire complained.
"We are all dust in the wind!" Drusilla sing-song-ed.
"Is Dalton dead, love?" Spike said, suddenly turning.
"It's all coming apart. The Master of Monsters is turning the Slayer into a warrior-general that will turn the world upside down! Dalton is not coming home to his prom-de-plume!" she said even as she staggered and twirled around the room. Her cards were sent scattering on the ground.
"Just great," he groused. "What can we do? Look up a replacement for him in the Yellow Pages?" Spike groused, even as he stood up and then snagged Drusilla and pulled her close. "I think I'm done playing games with the Slayer. She's becoming more dangerous by the day. What say you, love?"
"It's time to change the dance and our partners. Say your wicked words and call-"
"The Order of Taraka. You knew my plan!" he interrupted.
"But it has to be your party!" she replied with a laugh. She then drew him in a kiss, even as her eyes went blank.
"Spike?" one of his two remaining flunkies called out. He had his nose in a big, floppy book.
"What?" he snapped out as he broke off his kiss.
"All the cryptologists in the yellow pages work for computer companies in L.A. So are we road tripping?" the vampire named Martin asked.
Spike opened his mouth to berate Martin, when his brain suddenly engaged. "Why does a bloody computer company need someone that can decipher codes?"
The two flunkies just looked at each other and shook their heads with a shrug.
-
Buffy was walking back to school later on during the next day after an early supper, following a path through a small park. From the shadows followed a scarred man in a duster. His one blind, scarred eye seemed to follow as well as his uninjured eye.
He turned a corner after having lost view of his target for just a second. His good eye scanned, even as his nose flared. He suddenly spun, lashing out with a punishing jab that was adroitly blocked.
"What's the four-one-one, Obiwan?" Buffy asked with a raised eyebrow. That was definitely more than human strength there.
The scarred bounty hunter just smirked even as he charged her. He lashed out with a punishing knife-hand from the right, then tried to grab her with his left hand when she blocked.
'He wants to grapple where he feels his size and strength well be better suited,' Integra noted idly.
Buffy smiled, even as she hopped back a foot to avoid his grab. "Big, silent and menacing. Not much with the information, huh?" she bantered, even as she snapped out a kick at him. He took the kick on his thigh without flinching. He suddenly lowered his shoulders and held out his arms when he charged.
The Slayer had thought he would try something like that and had already planned how to avoid it... by jumping straight up and snagging a branch above her. Acting like it was a gymnastic bar, she pulled herself up while getting her feet under her on the branch, something that would have taken a normal human several swings and rotations.
The Bounty hunter grunted as he slammed into the tree with his shoulder. He spun around and looked up, just in time for Buffy to flip backwards in a twist, her arm wrapped around his throat. She arched her whole body, flinging the hunter up against a tree with a thud. She landed cat-like on her feet, charging forward to snap a punch at his nose.
He tilted his head on pure instinct, the fist grazing his ear. The bounty hunter's hands caught her outstretched arm. With a snap-pop, he broke her arm with superhuman strength.
Buffy just stared at her arm that was bent backwards at her fore-arm in shock for too long, as the bounty hunter's hands reached out and snagged her neck. With a grim smile, he started to squeeze the life out of her even as he stared intently in her eyes.
'KNIFE! Slash elbows!' Integra snapped out, goading Buffy into pulling the knife hidden in a back sheathe. Clumsily, but with Slayer strength, she sliced the inside of his elbows, breaking the crushing grip. 'HEART!' her extra, inner voice yelled overwhelmingly loud.
A Slayer's instinct was to always go for the heart. The five inch blade hit with unerring accuracy, even with her left hand. The bounty hunted had just a moment to look surprised, even as his life blood was spilled, soaking his shirt.
"Oh, god. My arm-" Buffy started to babble.
'BUFFY! You can't go into shock now! STOP! Take a look around. Did anyone see you?' Integra ordered.
At that, Buffy looked around. It didn't appear that anyone was looking at this little copse of trees.
'Don't look at it. Ignore it! Now we need to search him for why he was looking for you.' The Master of Monsters could feel Buffy starting to lag, which would cause her to lapse into shock. 'Buffy! Focus on my voice now. That ring has a demon mark.'
"Demons are after me?" Buffy blurted out in surprise.
'Most likely. Check his pockets now.' The pockets disgorged a laden wallet with old war bonds. 'Ah, that means an immortal creature hired him. It is common for them to buy or steal something like this in payment. Take it and put it in your wallet, leave the ordinary money.'
"Great, now I'm robbing people," she groused, even as she followed the order. Buffy was trying to think, but the throbbing pain (don't think about it) from her arm was robbing her of most of her mental acuity. Should she go to police?
'Yes," Integra immediately replied. 'Lose Mr. Pointy and head to the nearest street.' To herself, she hoped that Buffy was up to the acting that this would require. But, covered in blood and her knife in a body, they had to improvise. The body was not decomposing.
Buffy stumbled to her feet and started gingerly walking, holding her right arm as still as possible. Tears streaked her face, even as her face was twisted in pain. As soon as she hit the street, she started calling out, "Help! Help me please!"
From the shadows behind her, a dark-haired girl crept up to the body and looked at it closely.
"Vampire Slayer? Haa, she's not'in but a little girl," the young woman said in derision. Kendra stared at the cooling corpse for second, before grudgingly admitting to herself that searching a dead body with a shattered arm was not the work of a frantic girl running away in fear. Her eyes narrowed in deep thought. She would have to contact the local Watcher.
