CHAPTER TWELVE

"Where to now?" Graham asked. "We can't just keep flying without a destination."

"Or on autopilot," Red added as he walked back towards the cockpit.

"Can we track that car?" Sam questioned.

"It's got a plate," Carlos replied, "which, under the circumstances, seems sketchy."

"Find the registration," Sam stated, "but also track the car on the cameras, if you can."

"Will do," he replied.

"And then what?" Jenny asked. "If Faith is….."

"She's not dead," Graham stated confidently. "I think, with the new powers, if she were dead, he would know. And we'd all be in trouble."

"He would never purposely hurt anyone," Sam replied quickly.

"You didn't see him," Jenny stated. "You're right. He might not purposely hurt us. But, he has no idea what he can do."

"For now," Sam said, "we track Faith." She stopped and suddenly looked over at Graham. "There's another lead. If Nosferatus still exist, someone must know about them. If we find them….."

"Research time," Jenny said with understanding.

"I'm sure Xander has everyone working on that," Graham stated.

"Probably," Sam replied, "but we're not incapable. And, we'll check their progress." Suddenly, the plane lifted and fell violently. Glass, plates, books, and people hit the ceiling and fell to the floor.

"What the hell?" Carlos asked, cradling his computer to keep it safe.

"Red," Sam asked, "what was that? Turbulence."

"More like a shock wave," he replied.

"From what?" Graham questioned.

i*****

"What the hell was that?" Gunn asked fearfully after the explosion. The other's faces were full of fear.

They sped up their movement down the hallway. Alarms were blaring and security was no longer just carrying weapons, they were brandishing them. "If this is him," Giles started to say as he looked over at Willow. He didn't finish his sentence. She nodded anyhow.

As the group turned the corner, they saw a stunned Kennedy take a step backwards out of the office and into the hallway. She looked over at them, her face full of concern, and raised her outstretched hand telling them to stop. Giles continued moving forward. "Is Xander….?" He started to ask, suddenly fearful.

Buffy dragged a kicking and flailing Xander out of the room. His face and shirt were streaked with blood. "Stop it," Buffy shouted. "I don't want to hurt you and I REALLY don't want you to hurt me." As Xander relaxed, she released him.

"What's going on?" Gunn questioned.

Dawn appeared in the doorway. "YOU STUPID IDIOT!" she yelled as she ran at him and started pounding his chest. Buffy stepped in and pulled her away.

"Xander," Willow said sadly as she saw the blood.

"Please, join me," a very seductive and powerful, voice drifted from the room.

"Who is that?" Willow asked with intrigue.

"Yes," Rolph said as he and five armed guards joined the large group in the hallway. "Who is that?"

Xander ignored them all and pushed past Buffy to reenter his office. Buffy, Dawn, and Kennedy all followed protectively. Rolph quickly joined them. "That was quite a trick," the tux man stated.

"Wanna see another one?" Xander asked threateningly.

Dawn pulled a tazer from the back waistband of her jeans. Buffy grabbed Dawn's arm and shook her head. "I said it was a good trick," the man replied. "But I would not be here if I did not let you bring me. I am beyond your magicks."

"Should we test that statement?" Xander asked.

"Knock it off," Buffy said angrily. Xander glared.

"If you continue to use those kinds of magicks," the man stated, "you will die."

"You mean dark magick?" Willow asked.

"Your magicks are neither good nor evil," the man stated. "That is controlled by the will of the user. As you should know, witch."

"She has a name," Kennedy said protectively.

"I think everyone needs to calm down," Giles said as the voice of reason in the very crowded, nerve filled room.

"What do you mean, 'your' magicks?" Dawn questioned.

"She is very sharp," the man said. Dawn started to smile but stopped herself.

"The sharpest," Xander replied proudly. He coughed lightly, spraying some blood on his hand.

"Xander," Buffy said, her voice sad and broken.

"The magicks you are using were never meant for you," the man stated.

"I'm doing alright," Xander replied.

"They were never meant for man," the tux man corrected.

"Who are you?" Gunn asked. "And why are you here?"

"Your king brought me here," the man replied.

"Don't call him that," Buffy said under her breath.

"How did you bring him here?" Willow asked suspiciously.

"He got mad," Dawn said softly. "And the guy just appeared."

"You teleported someone?" Giles asked with disbelief.

"Where is Faith?" Xander questioned as his knees buckled slightly. He grabbed the desk to keep from falling.

"She is safe," the man replied plainly. "Now let us talk about a trade."

"That's probably a bad idea," Connor commented.

"Someone I care for has been trapped, separated from me for a very long time," the man stated. "You return my love to me, I will return yours."

"That's not going to happen," Buffy replied.

"I will get Faith back," Xander said strongly, "even if I have to go through you to do it."

"You cannot kill me," the man said calmly. "If you will not help, Faith will die. And so will you, all of you. I may even kill every member of the Council just for spite."

"Then you will never see your love again," Buffy said plainly.

"You need me," Xander stated.

"I Am Timeless," the man said slowly. "Yes, it would be simpler if you do what I ask. If you will not, another will come in two hundred and thirty six years. And another after that. And another."

"Timeless or not," Buffy commented, "if that's even true, it's a long time to wait. A very long time."

"It will not be long at all for your friend," the man barely veiled his threat.

"If you hurt her," Xander said as he stood taller.

"You can Not hurt me," the man replied calmly. "And if you try again using those magicks, you will die. You are near death now."

"No," Dawn said sadly as she looked from Xander to Buffy for help.

"Stop this," Giles said as he walked in between Xander and the man. "You need medical attention."

"I need Faith back," Xander replied.

"I need you," Dawn said very softly. Buffy looked at her sadly and suspiciously. Gunn noticed and immediately looked to Xander.

"You are afraid to help me," the man said. "I do understand. But my intentions are honorable."

"I doubt that," Kennedy replied.

"It is time for the others to be silent," the man said.

Buffy started to say something, but nothing came out. One by one, those present realized they couldn't speak. Xander glanced around. "If you hurt them," he started to say.

"Say these words," the man stated. "Genus in matus."

"I don't think so," Xander replied as he looked to Willow.

The man nodded to Willow. "It just means mend the broken," she said with surprise as her voice returned.

Xander looked at the man. "A gift," he replied. Dawn reached for him with wide eyes as tears poured down her face. She pleaded silently.

"Genus in matus," Xander said. He yelled in pain and dropped to his knees. Dawn fell beside him. Rolph raised his weapon. Buffy too dropped next to Xander. His head was down, his arms hanging limply at his sides. Dawn wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight.

"What did you do, you dummy?" she said, surprising everyone with her voice, even the tux man, who quickly covered his surprise as he allowed speech to return for everyone.