Dark Choices 22/?
Author: Dave Mycock
Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy or any of the other characters in this story they belong to Joss Whedon.
Pairing: Faith/Xander Romance, Xander/Amy friendship
Summary: Set around early season three. Xander suffers for lying to Buffy about the soul spell. After a nearly been beaten almost to death by her whilst Willow, Cordelia and Oz watch with no emotion, only Giles arrival saves his life. With no option but to leave Sunnydale he heads to Boston to stay with his cousin only to meet the new slayer and her watcher.
Angel found the library blocked by some unknown shield magic obviusly he patrol's last night had been bad and caused the gang to hold up inside the library protected by magic. He shook his head knowing he would have to wait until sun up and so headed to one of his secret hide outs which only he and Buffy knew the locations off.
He hoped the situation would not get any worse before he could give the information he had gatherd to the others.
Johnson sighed as he listened to Price rant as if he was someone who actually meant anything within the council. It was clear that the small but of power Travis had granted the man so he could be made field watcher to the lead slayer had gone to his head without him even realising that Travis would sacrafice him in a second if he wanted to.
"So what's the play?" the assault leader asked Johnson
"First I go and see if I can presude the group to remain loyal to the council and agree to work with us again" Johnson answered
"Under me" Price butted in with a superior tone which annoyed Johnson to no end
"Actually if they agree to the proposal a combined command will be made between Giles, Rine and youself Price as I managed to convince Travis it would be the best way to prevent any futhur trouble" Johnson told the man with a feeling of joy at the look of shock written across his fellow watcher's face
He had indeed managed to convice Travis to allow Giles to be reinstated if he agreed to co-operate and also to the formation of a joint command as well. But of course if they refused even once Travis had made it clear they were to be killed every last one of them which would of course be made to look like they had been killed by Vampires and demons.
However unknown to any of Travis's men or Travis himself a second council team were in Sunnydale waiting to take out Travis's team as soon as they attempted to kill the slayers and their respective teams. A few would be wounded only so they could be made to give evidence against Travis.
Johnson hoped that things would go to plan and not get any bloodier than nessacary.
"And if you're talks fail Johnson?" the assault leader asked
"Your orders are to take them out, all of them" Johnson him "And this order comes from Travis inself" he added
"My word is that nessacary" Price asked suddenly pale
"Travis thinks so" Johnson replied curious about the abrupt chance in Price maybe he was not as subservant to Travis as they had thought
Kakistos shook his head as Victoria gave her report on her encounter with Angelus, he was surprised the former elite of the master had not stayed to finish the fight. Even with all of Victoria's strengh Angelus should have been able to beat her, he knew all about Angelus and apart from himself, the master and his own sire Darla Angelus was one of the dangerous vampires ever.
His childe should be dead but it was clear over things were on the traitor's mind. But what, were the rumors he had heard about Angelus working with the slayer true he could barly belive it.
How did the elite of the master and childe of the great Darla sink so low, he shook his head again as he watched his childe walk away.
Xander woke to find not just Faith resting against him but somehow during the night both Janna and Amy had decided to use him as a pillow. He smiled at the sight of all three women resting against him, Janna and Faith had take a shoulder each and Amy was using his stomach.
He tried to look around and noticed Jessica and Giles were both already awake and while Jessica seemed to found his siutation amusing he noticed Giles looked somewhat cold due to Janna's presence next to him. It was his own fault as far as Xander was concerned, he had his chance with the beautiful gypsie but had turned his back to her during the Angelus crisis.
Plus one thing which was confusing Xander was whether or not Janna was actually alive after the ritual to bring her across so all people could see her. It was clear to him that the magic had an all together unexpected effect of the witch. He wondered just how far the trinity spell had gone, Janna was no ghost he had heard of. She could touch, fight, and he had felt her breathe, he decided to do some reseach in a bit.
The doors to the library suddenly opened to allow Angel to enter, he was looking somewhat relived to see them all alive. Xander also noticed the vampire was looking eager to say something and he guessed he had found what he had gone looking for which as far as he was concerned was a good thing.
He gently woke each of the girls who were resting against him, Faith gave him a wicked smile as she noticed the other two girls who had joined them during the night which he shook off whilst both Janna and Amy blushed althought Janna tried to hide the fact.
"Better wake the others" he told them "You got something deadboy?" he asked the vampire gaining a frown from his hated foe guessing he had come from the sewers down in the school basement
"Yes I have both important, one good one bad" the souled vampire replied
Xander nodded as went and sat next to Jessica as she bagan pouring some tea from everyone, Cordelia and Buffy were the last to join them both looking tired and cranky.
"So lets have it" Faith urged
"First the good news, I found Kakistos base" Angel told them
"Excellent I knew you could do it Angel" Buffy said hugging her boyfriend Xander and Faith shared a roll of the eyes
"And the bad news?" Janna asked frowing at the vampire who she held nothing but hate for
"The rumor about him turning a slayer is true" Angel replied gaining a grown of horror from the group
"How do you know?" Jessica asked
"I ended up fighting her last night, said her name was Victoria Jenkins" Angel answered "She told me she was turned after she tried to kill him and impressed him" he added
"Shit" Buffy cursed
"Double that B" Faith agreed not likeing the idea of fighting a vampire who used to be a slayer
"I'll have a look in the watcher diaries I still have and see if I can find anything on her" Giles said as he removed his glasses and rubbed them
Before anyone could say anything the doors opened again and Wesley walked in accompanied by another man who only Giles and Jessica seemed to regonise
"Charles Johnson what are you doing here?" Jessica asked suddenly worried who had some with the council man
"We need to have a long talk, all of us" Johnson replied hoping things would not escalate beyound anyone's control.
"About what?" came the cold voice of Rupert Giles reminding Johnson of just how dangerous the older man was
"I have come here to try and convince you to rejoin the council without any trouble" Johnson replied
"And if we do not?" Xander asked as he got up and walked towards the man
Johnson hesitated knowing things would not go smoothly as he hoped they would, luckily the assault team were not listening in and so he could give them a warming as to what Travis was planning especialy now that Price had sworn he would not support Travis's course of action.
"Travis has sent two assault teams with me if you do not agree he wants you all terminated" Johnson warned them "However" he said quickly hoping to cut off any angry retorts "I am not with Travis, I am part of a group within the watches who are trying to get rid of Travis and his group of power mongors" he continued
"You're with Sarah Ellinton?" Jessica asked beginning to feel relieved
"Yes, her group has grown as Travis has become more and more focused of extending his own power base" Johnson said with a nod "I have anoth team with me waiting in the wings to take out Travis's men as soon as they make their move on you" he added
"Why wait?" Amy inquired
"We need proof of what Travis was planning here, some will just be wounded so they can testify along with me and Wesley here who has seen how corrupt his boss is" Johnson informed them pointing to the sheepish looking man who seemed to have lost all of his bluster
"Giles, Jess?" Xander asked looking to the two watcher's
"I think we can trust him espeically if he works for Sarah Ellinton" Giles answered after a few minutes
"Then we better get this council sorted now, those vampires aren't gonna wait long to hit us again" Faith said shooting to her feet
"Agreed" Jessica nodded along with the others as they sat down to discuss everything that was going on
The mayor once again looked over his daily reports on the situation which was growing in Sunndale threatening his plans for accession. A third party had now shown up consisting council assault teams, he shook his head knowing he would have to act soon to elimante as many as he could before everything exploded destroying the hard work of almost a hundred years.