As Xander walked down the hall, his cell phone rang.
"The room." A voice said. Xander hung up the phone.
He started walking down the hall towards the elevator. A ride down and he went into the one room at the very bottom of the facility. It was a small room, with no furniture but for a small wooden table and a matching chair. An old rotary dial phone sat on the table. An overhead light with a single bulb was the only source of illumination. On the walls were painted symbols. Enochian protection runes. He flicked the switch to turn on the light and sat down on the chair. And waited.
The landline rung after a minute or so, and Xander answered it.
"Go." Xander said simply.
The voice on the other side whispered something in another language. A spell designed to hide the things that were not meant to be heard by others.
"One minute." The voice said in English. The speaker was seated in another room, halfway around the world. The room was nearly a twin to the one that Xander was in.
"What do you have?" Xander asked, keeping it short.
"What you asked for. It'll be in the usual place. Two days."
"Anything else?"
"A name. It'll be with the horn. I don't have anything else. The last two men that were sent failed. I'll have to find more."
"Okay. I'll wire the payment after I receive delivery." Xander hung up. He was a step closer.
Xander checked his watch. He had a call to make. He got up and turned off the light. He walked back to the elevator, headed towards his office. The room was set up for a single purpose. To make sure that certain communications stayed secret. From everyone and everything else. It was something he had come up with when the facility was set up. Their own personal Cone of Silence. Though, he had a secondary reason for its construction. Nobody else really knew. Not even the man on the other side of the phone.
It was a personal matter for him. As a principle, he held himself to a stricter code of conduct now. He'd seen what giving in to one's feelings could result in. But, this was something he couldn't let go of. One of the few personal grudges he let dictate his actions. For now though, it was time to get back to business.
Xander walked into his office, and closed the door. He sat at his desk and picked up his desk phone, making the call. He was back on the clock.
"Giles." Xander said, after the head of the watchers picked up the phone. "I have something for you to see. I'm coming in."
"What is it, Xander?" Giles asked. He was a bit surprised that the young rogue was asking him for help. From all recent actions, the man was dealing with things independently now. This may be the young man's attempt to reconnect with the leadership. The report of the inter-group mission in New York had been disseminated amongst the Council. Near and far. While some had reservations in dealing with the prodigal, they all understood how effective he was. Maybe he was wrong in letting the young man go astray, Giles thought. Andrew had turned out not to be as promising as he had previously believed. In fact, the newly trained watcher had requested to be pulled from field duty and moved to a more research based role.
"I'm sure that Eduard told you about it. It's old. Some writing I haven't identified yet." Xander said. "Get some people together. My feeling is that this could be big."
"Alright." Giles said simply. "I'll bring some people in. I think Willow could be some help with this. She'll be visiting Cleveland soon anyway."
Xander was a bit perturbed at that. He hadn't talked with the witch for a long while. Not after that fight with Kennedy. And she probably wouldn't feel the most amicable towards him after he showed up her girlfriend. But, he would have to stomach it if it meant figuring out what the cog meant.
"Okay." Xander said at last. "I'll bring by some pictures of the thing and all the information on it that we have. I'll be there in a couple of days."
He was about to hang up, but hesitated. "Giles. Thanks."
"Of course." Giles said, a bit taken aback. "Stay safe."
Xander put the phone down. His thoughts were on the future. Once the Epsilons were off the ground, he'd probably have to come out of the closet. The way of the world meant that sooner or latter the super soldier teams would run into the slayers. In fact, depending on how things went they might even become public. But, that was the future. Presently, he was working his way back into the Council. They might not have shown the best capability of late, but they had their moments. And a lot of potential that shouldn't be allowed to go to waste or be exploited. Not without a fight.
His mind wandered to the girl that had apparently developed a crush on him. She was definitely attractive, no doubt about that. But, in all the ways that he had become hard, she had not. She was an innocent, despite the blood shed. Xander didn't want to bring her down to his level. He shook his head, he couldn't think about that now.
He noticed a message on his computer, a new e-mail. It was from Fallon and marked urgent, so he opened it and read the note. It wasn't good news. No more slayers' families found yet. Instead the hacker had found a synopsis of the operation he had conducted in Cleveland. A bit too accurate for his liking. For sure it wasn't the cover story that the sweeper team had planted evidence for. Which meant that someone on the inside had leaked information out. Whether it was intentional or not only mattered in trying to find the one responsible.
The surveillance in place hadn't picked anything up, though it was rather limited. He'd have to figure out who it was without bringing things to his superiors. If they found out they might just call it quits and pillage the Watchers Council for anything of use. So he had to go outside. And a full press, even from independents, would only hurt them in the long run if it was found out. And he didn't have the resources to cover everyone. There was another way, Xander thought. Though it was hardly ideal. And he could only do it for one, the likeliest weak link. He just hoped that if it wasn't who he thought it was, that it would lead to whoever it really was.
Xander pulled out a cell phone. Not the one that he had been issued by Level 6. Not even the personal one that he had picked up. No, it was one that he had purchased secretly. For situations where he didn't even want the good people at Level 6 to know about. Plausible deniability was the phrase. He dialed the number. The call was picked up before too long. No one spoke.
"Barnes. I need a full team. Andrew Wells. He's not that observant, but there may be others watching, so keep them from getting too close. He might be a turncoat, or just an idiot. I need to know which, and who his contact is. I'll send you what I have."
"I do this, it'll cost you. I want access to a team."
"I know. You'll get it."
Xander hung up and put the phone. He busied himself with sending the promised e-mail to an anonymous account. He'd forward it on later to Barnes when he got the chance. As he finished, Field Director Lampkin walked in and sat down in the seat set in front of his desk. He placed a file folder onto the table.
"Good work on the Anderson op." Lampkin said, without greeting.
"Not good enough." Xander grumbled a bit. "But, we do have some leads."
"Yeah. Well, he was the target and he was taken out without any civilians finding out. The rest is frosting." Lampkin replied. He'd read the after action report. It had been hard on the kid, but he'd gotten the job down well. With no casualties on their side. All in all, a successful mission.
Xander picked up the folder and skimmed it.
"Sabir Fayed." Lampkin said, as Xander finished. "The brothers at Langley want him taken out. Special request."
"Because he has Wolfram and Hart on retainer." Xander said, referencing the dossier.
"Exactly. So they can't send in the CS to do it."
"Any particular reason why they want him gone?" Xander asked. "He funds training camps. He's no mastermind."
"He's the prodigal son of a rich man with many contacts. His father is rather progressive and could do quite a bit to direct matters to our interests. However, he isn't putting his not inconsiderable influence to use. He's been remarkably quiet in the Muslim community. And, not many know about what Fayed is doing. Including his father. I, and by I, I mean the people that call the shots, want this to change."
"So you want me to make it look like extremists went after his family. The family of a progressive, but nonpolitical Muslim. The martyred son spurring his father into action. Devious."
"He's going to die anyway. This way, at least he gets to do something good with his life." Lampkin explained. He didn't like the operation anymore than Xander did. It was politically motivated. And may not be in the best interests of the country. But, orders were orders. And it was hardly the worst thing he had been asked to do before. Ultimately, it may even end up doing some good, even if that wasn't the main objective to those that gave the order.
He continued. "Jack's going to be planning this and rigging the device, but I want you there to oversee it. Make sure that any of Wolfram and Hart's measures are dealt with. Some supplies have been set up. Explosives that can be traced back to a shipment that was stolen by Third Wave. He'll be with his family in New York in one day. An emergency trip so they don't have full security preparations in place. It's a perfect opportunity. You can make the strike there."
"Ain't this a little out of our ken? Terrorists aren't exactly our usual job." Xander asked. He wasn't exactly happy about what he was being asked. He'd done unsavory things before, many of them at the requests of his superiors. Cold-blooded murder wasn't the problem. Fayed was a financier of terrorism after all. But, the political machinations were troublesome. It was one thing to manipulate the guilty. How long until the puppetmasters started to manipulate the innocent? He was already on that path. How long until they stopped seeing the guilty and innocent as different?
"CIA is asking for a favor. That gives us all sorts of reasons to do it." Lampkin replied. He'd expected some complaints, but they still worked for the same agency. Which also meant that they were agents. It would have been better to have magical support, but of the active team members, only Jack and Xander had it in them to accomplish the mission without more than light grumbling.
"Okay. I'll get on it." Xander said. He watched as Lampkin left without another word.
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He walked into the House. A far different feeling than he had last time he went in. Different reaction too. He walked into the family room. A few of the slayers were in there watching TV. The news, surprisingly enough.
"Yesterday, the nation was rocked with another terrorist attack as a car bomb claimed the life of Sabir Fayed, noted businessman, and son of Habib Fayed. Officials have not confirmed the motive for the attack, but a video released on the Internet shows the extremist group, Third Wave claiming responsibility for the attack. The video goes on to explain that the attack was in response to the condemnation of their actions by more progressive Muslims." The pretty young reporter on the television said, getting it all wrong.
Xander watched from the back of the room, not yet announcing his presence. He'd just made the world safer for old white guys with oil interests in the Middle East. Or at least, that was the idea. Swell.
He walked forward, drawing the attention of the seated girls. "Hi, guys. Miss me?"
Vi, Monet and a few others turned to him. Vi looked at him with a smile on her face. Monet next to her. Xander watched as she nudged the redheaded slayer. He inwardly groaned at Vi's blush as she was caught. Covert was not her middle name.
"Hi Xander." Vi replied. The others echoed the greeting.
Faith watched the interplay from her own position on the other couch. There definitely was something there. It was like they weren't even trying to keep it hidden.
"Faith, you might want to come along." Xander said. He walked out of the room on his way to the stairs. He noticed that in addition to the head slayer, Vi also followed. No, that wasn't suspicious at all.
"Giles." He said, as he entered the room. He noticed that Willow was in there too. In the flesh this time. Kennedy was with her. "Willow. It's, good to see you."
"Xander." Willow said, without any real emotion.
Xander didn't make a move to hug her. Neither did Willow. All business. She hadn't gotten over it, but then again, neither had he.
"Right then. To business." Xander felt hurt, but he didn't let it show. He brought out the photos from his bag and a USB drive with the relevant files from the captured laptop. He walked to the main desk and put down the photos, spreading them out. The others in the room crowded around.
"This is what we found." Xander pointed at the first photo of the cog. It showed the whole thing. "Cog wheel, about a foot in length. Platinum and some unknown heavy metal alloy. A couple of hundred thousand years old."
Xander pointed to the next picture. A blowup, showing the etchings in detail. "My guys couldn't recognize the exact language. Best guess, African and Indian origins. Demonic in nature. Wild guess, could be Lemurian."
Giles scoffed at that. "Lemuria is a myth made up by overly imaginative geologists and occult writers."
Xander paused, staring at the older man. "Actually, it's real. Moving on, we don't have a translation. It's supposed to be part of a large machine, end of the world type device. An apocalypse engine of sorts. Files aren't clear on exactly what. Though it may have something to do with quantum computing."
"I'm sure I can translate it." Willow added. She barely looked at the photos. "I can dig up a translation spell."
"Which would translate the words." Xander stated. "Not the context."
Xander didn't like it. Magic could do all sorts of things, but intellect had its place. Magic wasn't the proverbial hammer to all the world's nails. Willow nearly turned red at that, but she simply glared at him. As did Kennedy, he noted.
"Good idea though." Xander continued, throwing the powerful witch a bone. "But we need something else. I know you got some of the texts from Wolfram and Hart LA Branch after it went down. There might be something in there."
"Good idea." Giles said, ignoring the little spat between his former charges. "I'll have Andrew get on it. He has the most experience with the source books."
"Okay." Xander didn't know exactly how to react. But, the man-boy had a decent handle on some of their more esoteric texts. "I'd check the Saitama Codex first."
Giles was startled. It was a good idea from the one-eyed man. And a reference to an obscure occult text. The former Sunnydale student had certainly come up in the world.
Xander smirked at the reaction. "Other thing. Quantum computing, I've sent word to the only guy I know that might be able to pull something together. Haven't heard from him yet."
"I'll take a look at it." Willow added again, boldly. Some of it hiding the anger and humiliation she felt from her former best friend's comment earlier. What did he know about magic anyway. It wasn't like he'd done any real magic.
"Alright." Xander nodded. "Maybe you can dig something up about what this is used for. Or what else is going to be needed. I don't think this shouldn't be an immediate concern. According to the laptop we grabbed, this piece won't easily be replaced. It's not like the world's going to end on Tuesday if we don't crack this thing. But, I wouldn't want to let it sit too long. Apparently it isn't the only one of these."
"Why didn't you bring it here?" Kennedy asked. She may have some support for the rogue now, but she still had her suspicions. And denouncing her girlfriend certainly got her hackles up.
Xander shrugged. He thought he had gotten through the headstrong slayer, but maybe not. Or the whole Willow thing was getting in the way. "Not allowed. My benefactors felt the piece would be best protected with them."
Xander phone rung, and he pulled it out. It was Richard. "I have to take this, I'd start going through the files on that drive."
He walked to the corner of the room, answering the phone.
"What's up?" He said.
"We need to talk. Set up a place." The faerie answered. He hung up the phone. The old warrior could always be a bit dramatic, it came with the territory.
Xander walked back to the group, they were reading through the files he had supplied. "Something's come up. I'll leave this here with you to work on. Let me know when you got something."
Xander hesitated, wondering if he should just leave. "Willow, it really is good to see you. Thanks for your help."
"I'm sure we'll have something for you soon." Willow said, responding to the affirmation of her worth. She'd show him just how good she could be, even without copious use of magic.