Chapter 7(Old friends, new enemies)

She settled in comfy seat remembering the last time she'd been in a mobile home. That time they'd been on the run from Glory and the knights of whatever. Strange how it seemed so long ago now. This was mission control on the trip to Sunnydale. Behind them were lorryfuls of slayers and watchers plus the odd respected independent demon hunter. Maps were pinned to the wall, which precisely showed Sunnydale in all its geographical glory. This was going to be a proper war and that meant there would be proper casualties. Next to her the immortal sat looking badly out of place. His sophisticated dress really at odds with the tacky mobile home décor. Maybe she should have refused his help but that would have been stupid. Just because it felt odd having her ex here wasn't a reason to deprive them of a good warrior. Giles was sitting reading, as was Willow while Kennedy sharpened a sword. Faith was chatting with Robin while several other veteran watchers were bigging up their respective slayers in what might as well have been a game of top trumps.

Dawn's friends had driven home after spending twenty minutes begging Dawn to come with her. She wouldn't go, that stubborn Summers streak was well and truly dominant at this moment. So they'd left and she was in this little corrugated iron cabin pacing up and down. She was even more annoyed because her mobile phone wasn't working. Her signal seemed to be fine but it just wouldn't connect. So she couldn't call and argue with Buffy so it would have to be these guys instead.

"And nobody was going to tell me. You were all just going to go and die without me."

The bit was well and truly a looped tape at the moment. He was having trouble keeping his mind off the fact that Buffy was going to be here soon with her boyfriend. God he'd prefer to take on the entire demon horde on his own now than have to continue waiting around just so he could see the one girl he loved with that wanker.

Xander once again tried explaining and failed miserably.

"Just apologise and wait for her to take it out on Buffy."

Spike finally said his impatience getting better of him. And he did. Someone had taken his advice and it worked too. Unfortunately that meant the focus was on him and Angel. So he had to explain what had happened waiting for Angel to chip in when necessary.

"So what you're saying is that you were in a fake world where everything was bad. Like what?"

Dawn said getting the concept slightly better than Xander who seemed to be trying to chew at it with his mind like a dog chews with a bone.

"Well Spike was evil, Buffy was a vamp and I was chained to a wall."

Angel said casting a sheepish glance at Spike who quickly replied.

"While in mine I was in a wheelchair and Peaches here was married to Buffy with brats. Next time I'm so going to remember to make you evil."

He added at the end getting annoyed again at Angel's low opinion of him while Dawn snickered uncontrollably. In the corner the kettle whistled as it came to the boil as if in warning as to events unfolding.

Sunnydale's building work had ceased. Now the emphasis had swung to blockading the town and the mountains nearby from the highway. The demon corpses of the scouting party had been found in the early hours of the morning. Stelios the sand demon was champing at the bit to go after his brother's killers but the Boss's ghouls would mete out supreme punishment to anyone disobeying orders. He'd been promised a chance to follow the killers' trail when the route was secured. His eyes kept slipping to the tracks leading back to the hills nearby where the killers lay. The ghoul overseeing this operation stared at him with hollow eyes and he returned to building the barricades.

He didn't technically exist anymore but he was here bound by hellish contract to serve his evil masters. He felt the wind gust through him but it felt distant, as did all things in this place. The trenches and barricades were nearly complete which was handy as he could see dust clouds where vehicles were approaching. The forces of right converging on this place to stand up to the well of evil that was attempting to spurt forth. Once upon a time he'd have been in those vehicles but life, death and even post death are all about the choices you make.

The lorries pulled up a distance away and the lead vehicle, a mobile home spewed forth its contents. He walked forward to meet them passing through the barricades as though they were insubstantial. War was an honourable enterprise. There were rules of etiquette that must be observed. So he'd give them the chance to quit the field and turn away. They wouldn't do it. The likes of Buffy and Giles and the rest weren't afraid of this fight and certainly wouldn't give in to fear of superior numbers.

They watched as he approached, shock evident in their faces.

"Wesley! You're dead. I saw your body"

A familiar voice called out in horror. Wesley Windham Price made eye contact with his father. The man who'd brought him up, driven him to follow in his footsteps in the watcher's academy. He should feel a well of emotion at seeing him. Those feelings were lost to him in his current state and all he felt a distant sense of recognition.

"Father. I come to parley on behalf of my employers. To offer you the chance to leave before we head down the path of conflict."

The words came out evenly without emotion. His father's face twisted with disgust. It made him look old but then he was old. Stubbornness was all that was probably keeping him away from his country home and its roaring fireplace. Inside his head the Boss whispered that the frail old man was no threat.

"How can you be working for them? Betraying your family's honour."

Bitter words spewing out of his father's face that was now red with anger.

"We thought we could fight evil in the belly of the beast. We signed contracts not realising that death would not release us from them. In fact it would bind us to their will."

His words seemed to shock the group more than his presence. Rupert Giles stepped forward. Inside his head the Boss' presence intensified as it craned to take him in.

"Tell your employer he can go to hell and if he doesn't we'll send him there."

Giles's words had an impact on the rest of the white hats. Bucking them up like a leader's words are supposed to. He'd never truly thought of Giles as anything but a liberal rank and file watcher. Now though leadership fitted him and made him seem more imposing. Wesley Windham Price bowed in response and turned and started walking away.

"I'll find a way to free you son."

His father's words rang out behind him. His mind registering them and storing them without emotion. As he passed the barricades on his way back he felt the call of his master. His physical essence dissipating at the magical pull of his employer.