Watcher's Council Head Quarters, 1045 hours (US. Time)
Travers was seated behind his desk drinking scotch when he received a call on his private line. Taking a sip of the brown liquid and leaning back on his leather chair, the older man pick up the phone and connected the call.
"Mr. Travers, sir."
"Atwood" said Travers as he took another sip of the scotch, "I assume you have spoken to Miss Lehane?"
"Yes, sir."
"And what did she feel about our offer?"
"She, and her mother, rejected it out of hand, sir" said Atwood, "I even told her what may happen should she refused, but Miss Lehane still refused a Watcher, and to rejoin the Council."
I see" replied Travers, "then she doesn't give us any choice. I want preparations made for a Red Operation. In the meantime, watch over your Slayer, as usual. Report to me in regards to Miss Summers and her friends."
"Understood" said Atwood as he opened the door to the apartment next to Kennedy's as he disconnected the call. He looked in to find Kennedy having breakfast at his living room table, "Kennedy, you couldn't do this in your room?"
"How'd following Miss Trailer Trash go?" said Kennedy as she took a bite of a bagel while looking at Atwood.
"We spoke" he said as he poured himself a cup of coffee before sitting across from Kennedy, "Mr. Travers ordered a Red Operation."
Neat" said Kennedy when she drank a is of her coffee, and do I get t o do that now?"
" She's leaving the city with some friends" said Atwood at Kennedy scoffed at the thought of someone like Faith having any sort of friends, "which means the operation would have to be carried out at a time when she comes back to this city."
"One psycho gives us all a bad name" said Kennedy as Atwood frowned at here before reaching for some eggs, and toast.
In the meantime, Travers was looking at his phone while leaning back on his chair. He knew that the offer he gave Faith was fair, especially since the Council wouldn't be trying her for her murders, and her attempt to help Mayor Wilkins ascend and the take over the world. He thought that the young woman was being arrogant in believing that she could escape her destiny, as was her mother. Sighing, he picked up the phone again to start the next phase of his plan, he wanted Faith brought back to the Council to face punishment because if they didn't do anything about this rogue Slayer, then others down the line would see the Council as weak… which meant that Slayers could feel that it was u to them to do what they wanted to do; living their own lives instead of Slaying.
"What a waste of a calling" said Travers as he listened intently at the dial tone as the phone on the other side started to ring.
The phone was soon picked up as a man's voice came over the line.
"Dr. Reed" said Travers with a smile on his face, "I heard you're done with your latest assignment?"
"Yes, sir" said Dr. Payton Reed seated in a private Council jet that was in the air, "I'm on the way back to London, Sir."
"I want you to change your flight plan" said Travers, "I want you to go to our branch in Los Angeles; I have already had our allied Coven there create a facsimile for you to plant, as well as pictures of the adult that you will be taking the form of."
"I see" said Reed as he got off his seat in the private jet and walked up to the Cockpit. He pressed a few butting on the intercom and told the pilots that Travers wanted him to head to L.A, and then from there.. they were to go ahead to Colorado Springs. Reed then got back on the phone to Travers as he sat down on his seat while the plane banked to the left; telling the head of the Council that he'll have everything ready.
"Good" said Travers as he took a sip of his drink, "I can only assume that they'll be making their return trip to Colorado Springs following the trip to Sunnydale. Once you have the woman, you know what to do."
"Are our people in place, Sir?"
"Yes" said Travers, "there is a team outside her home. We have considered the fact that she may not head back there immediately as well. So you have a week of authorized surveillance. Once you've found her… you know what to do."
"Of course, sir" said Reed as he ran through what he and Travers had talked about earlier, a sure-fire way to get rid of two problems… Faith, the rogue Slayer; and Deep Space Telemetry.
Once Travers was off the phone with Reed, he dialled another number and told the man who picked up the phone to get a package ready; that they would be dealing with Faith once Reed was done with his part of the mission.
Washington D.C, 1700 hours.
Faith was looking at the simple dress she had on while looking at her reflection in the mirror. She looked over her shoulder at the Major who was in the rest room before looking at herself again. She pressed the creases out of the cloth as she recalled Betty showing her a few dresses she had gotten the girl she had believed dead for so many years. Smiling at herself as she looked at the dress, Faith flashed back to a memory of the Mayor before she shook her head and pushed that thought to the back of her mind.
'He was a father figure to me' thought Faith to herself, 'he really did care about me, about who I could be… but… but now, I've got a real mom who… who I hope I can make proud. Today.. damn… meeting the President, mom said she met the President before. There was an alien attack that she and the others stopped, and…. hah… my mother fights aliens. How wicked cool is that?'
Faith looked back at her bed as she imagined herself as a ten year old girl jumping up and down excitedly on the bed.
"Mommy!" Faith imagined herself as her imaginary version of the Major walked out and looked in surprised at the screaming, jumping, and laughing little girl. Faith could just give a small smile as she imagined Major Carter grabbing Faith mid-jump before spinning her around. The dark haired Slayer then closed her eyes and shook her head as she imagined holding on to her mother's hand, and walking out of the door to the great unknown. Faith then opened her eyes and looked at the closed rest room door before she turned around and looked at herself again in the mirror. She then noticed the reflection of the Major's dress blues hanging on a hook. Faith turned around and walked towards the blue uniform before gingerly brushing her fingers against the wings, and the ribbons of the blue jacket. Smiling, Faith looked at herself in the mirror and then at the jacket that was hanging, and then at herself once again.
She imagined her reflection telling her that she was a murderer, she was hopeless, that she tried to end the world.. and by extension she tried to kill her mother.
"You didn't know her then" mocked her reflection as Faith rolled her hands into fists, "but you'd still have killed her, genius. Oh, wait… you're not the genius… she is. You're just an idiot who got lucky."
"Yea" said Faith softly as she looked at the floor just as the door to her left opened and Major Carter walked out in her white uniform. Faith then shook her head and smiled at the Major who walked towards the Slayer and told her she looked beautiful, "thanks."
"You alright?" asked the Major as she noticed the Slayer's eyes getting wet, "Ellie?"
"Yeah" said Faith as she closed her eyes and shook her head, "just one of those things, ya know? Something got into my eye… this room must be really dusty and.."
Faith then turned to the Jacket that was hanging, before asking the Major to tell her what the ribbons and the wings represented.
"Ellie" said the Major as she gently turned Faith around again, "are you sure everything's alright?"
"Yea" replied Faith nodding her head while not wanting to bring up her insecurities about how she thought of herself when comparing herself to her mother, "really, I'm alright. Come on, tell me… we don't have much time, right?"
"Yea" said the Major as she put her arm around Faith's shoulder and gently guided her to the jacket before pointing out what each ribbon represented. Once she finished telling Faith about them, she took the jacket, and then put in on before buttoning it up.
"Tell her"
Faith turned around to see her imaginary, reflection self, mocking her, "tell her how wrong she is. That she needs to do another test to make sure that we're her daughter. I mean… have you seen ourselves? What have we done in our lives? She's done so…."
"Ellie?" said the Major as Faith snapped her head back at her, "you alright?"
"Huh?" replied Faith before shaking her head and waving her hand, "yea, I'm.. I'm alright. Was just thinking some stuff."
"Anything you want to talk about?" she asked.
"Nah" said Faith as she headed towards the door, "the others should be ready, right?"
"Yep" replied the Major as she noticed a worried look on the dark haired Slayers face. She was about to ask Faith if there was something bothering her when the look disappeared and she looked back at the blonde officer with a smile.
"Come on, mom" said Faith, "we should go."
"Ellie" said the Major as she placed her hand on Faith's shoulder, "are you sure everything's alright?"
"Yeah" she replied, "I'm five by five."
"Alright" said a smiling Major as she leaned in and kissed Faith on the forehead, "but you can come talk to me about anything."
"I know" said Faith smiling at the Major when she noticed a vision of herself with hands covered in fresh blood shaking her head, "I.. I know I can talk to you."
Faith then pulled the Major out of the room as they went down to the lobby where Colonel O'Neill, General Carter were waiting alongside Daniel and Teal'c who was holding on to two metal briefcases. General Carter smiled upon seeing Faith and hugged his granddaughter while Selmak mentally told the General that she felt Faith was worried about something.
Jacob: "I get that too, Selmak."
Deciding to talk to her, and the Major, later on; General Carter then led his granddaughter and the others to the car that was waiting to take them to the White House. Faith could only look out the window at the sights as the car passed the Washington Monument, the Smithsonian, and various other sights before finally making its way to a gate. She heard the General talking to the guards before showing them a piece of paper. The guards then looked at everyone in the car while another guard took a dog around the exterior of the entire car. Once everything was done, the gate was opened and the car let in.
White House, 1720 hours.
General Carter, Faith and SG-1 were brought to the reception area outside the Oval Office by the President's chief aide who asked them to wait outside while he walked into the office to tell the President his guests had arrived. Faith caught a glimpse of President Ryan talking on the phone before the door closed. She then took a seat next to Major Carter while the men were standing around; it was a few seconds after she sat down that Faith felt as if she was being watched.
There were three secretaries in the room, and Faith discretely looked at two of them who were just typing some documents, and making phone calls respectively. The third one, however, was looking back at Faith and then quickly went back to her computer and started to type. Faith then looked away, but she still sensed the woman, who seemed to be in her mid-forties, looking at her occasionally while typing. The Slayer also noticed that the woman, when compared to the other secretaries, looked confused at seeing her but tried her best to hide it. Faith noticed from her own occasional glances that the woman was now looking intently at her computer before she picked up her phone and started to make an appointment for someone to see the President next week.
Faith then shook her head discreetly as she glanced at the woman again who, this time, gave the dark haired Slayer a small smile and licked her lips before looking away and started to type again.
'Yea' thought Faith to herself as she turned back to the Major, 'she's probably playing for the other side… not really interested in that.'
Faith, and the others, then saw the woman stand up before walking around her table and knocking on the door to the Oval Office, before walking in. Closing the door behind her, she then walked out a few seconds later and headed back to her table where she picked up the phone again.
It was a few seconds after the secretary's return that the President's aide walked out of the Oval Office and told the group that he was ready to see them. With General Carter, and Colonel O'Neill leading the way, the group walked into the Oval Office while Faith looked at the secretary who looked back at her, the older woman's eyes travelling over the Slayer's body before looking back at her computer.
'I'm now officially skeezed out' thought Faith to herself as she entered the Oval office with the Major by her side. She saw the President stand up as they walked towards the man before watching her mother, General Carter and Colonel O'Neill saluting him. IN the meantime, Faith discretely looked around before noticing the President's aide walking out of the room, after which he closed the door behind him. Faith then looked at the President who told the military personnel to stand at ease after returning their salute.
"President Ryan" said the Major as the President walked around his desk, "this is my daughter, Ellie Carter."
"Miss Carter" said the President as he brought up his hand, which Faith held and then shook when she finally realized the situation she was in.
'I'm shaking hands with the freakin' President!' thought Faith to herself as she smiled at the man, 'damn!'
While the President was asking everyone to sit down, the secretary who had been glancing at Faith watched the aide walk out of the office with the door closing behind him. She then waited until the man was gone before she leaned down and reached for her bottom drawer. Feeling the top of the drawer, she felt a phone that was stuck there by herself since the day President Ryan took office, and pulled it out before putting it into her trousers pocket.
"Carol" said the woman as she swivelled around before standing up, "I' gonna go get some coffee, can I get you anything?"
"No" said the other woman who glanced up at her, and then continued typing on the computer, "thanks though."
"Kim?"
"Nothing for me."
The secretary then walked out of the reception area before looking back after she passed a few doors, including the pantry. She knew that there was a camera inside that recorded picture and sound, so she could do what she needed to do in there. Heading two more doors down, the secretary headed into the women's restroom and closed the door behind her. Checking see that there was no-one else inside, the secretary took out her phone and pressed the '2' on her key pad, and then the green connect button. Going into one of the stalls, the woman listened as the other side of the line kept on ringing.. she knew it was early morning in London, but she was told to call in an emergency; and having a Slayer in the White House, especially the infamous rogue Slayer, was an emergency.
"What?" said a groggy voice on the other end.
"Mr. Travers, this is Amy.. Amy Westfield. I'm assigned to the U.S. President."
"Ah, Amy" said Travers who was lying in his bed, "yes, what can I do for you?"
"Sir" whispered Amy, "the Slayer, Faith Lehane is here. With three military officers, and two civilians."
"What?" asked Travers as he sat up in bed, "when?"
"Just now, sir" said Amy, "what would you like for me to do?"
"They are going too far" said Travers, "I want you to change the President's memories once they leave. We have a plan in place to take care of the rogue Slayer, and her mother."
"I.. I understand, sir"
"You did good work, Amy" said Travers, "have him forget about the meet once they have left. Also, have him hand over all documents in regards to Miss Lehane in his possession. I then want you to have those destroyed."
"Understood" said Amy.
"Good girl" replied Travers, "you're going a good job in protecting the Council."
"Thank you, sir" she replied with a smile, "I'll get it done."
While Amy was putting the phone back into her pocket before heading into the pantry so that she could pour herself a cup of coffee while whistling to herself; General Carter and the others were seated on the two couches in the Oval office. Faith seated in between Major Carter and General Carter, and the President seated on a chair in-between them, and Colonel O'Neill, Teal'c and Daniel on the other couch.
"So" said the President after the Major told him about what Tara had told her while he was handling one of the bags that the blonde witch had made for protection, "I really was whammied?"
"Yes, sir" replied the Major, "and according to my source, that bag should protect you from any magic mind control. I've already activated it by saying the spell… which I still can't believe I managed to say without laughing or… yeah… but it's activated, sir."
"I see" said the President as he looked at the bag, and then at the Major, and finally at Faith, "Miss Carter, I am aware from the Major's, and General Hammond's report, that you've had a hard life before you became a Slayer. And I know that's personal for you… I mean I think you'd rather talk about that with your family in private."
"Yea" replied Faith as she nodded her head.
"What I'd like to know is the Slayer's perspective of the Council" said the President, "you see… I know about the Council from briefings by the previous administration, and meetings with Mr. Travers after I was sworn in. I know they've got their own agenda so they haven't told me everything… but that's to be expected. I'd like to know your side of the story, after you became a Slayer."
"I.. I've told mom most of it" said Faith as she looked at the President, and then at the others, "I mean what happened before becoming a Slayer. She.. she knows and it's as bad as you think it is. But… but after becoming a Slayer, I was found by Diana… my first watcher and trainer."
"Did the council train you?" asked the President as he sat back.
"Diana was sent to train me" said Faith, "Watchers are supposed to be the ones training, and giving Slayers an education. Before Buffy, I was told that Slayers were taken from their families and homeschooled with their Watcher. I was taken out of school and homeschooled with Diana… she took me to museums and stuff and….. anyway, she was murdered in front of me and I ran away."
"Didn't the Council send another Watcher after you?"
"I don't know" said Faith, "I just wanted to get away from Kakistos.. the basta… I mean, the vampire that killed Diana. Maybe they sent someone after me but couldn't find me or…."
"Or they did not send you a new watcher" said Teal'c as Faith looked at him, "they found you when you were activated, which means it would not be difficult to find you following the death of your first Watcher."
"I guess so" said Faith shrugging her shoulders, "maybe that's when they started throwing me to the side, ya know. Not worth it."
Colonel O'Neill was about say something when Faith started to talk again.
"At least I haven't done their version of Slayer Survivor yet" said Faith as she looked at the Presidential seal on the carpet, "Buffy told me what she had to go through… it was tough. I think if I had to go through that then…"
"Slayer Survivor?" asked General Carter as Faith shook her head.
"Sorry" she said, "they call it a Cruciamentum… at least that's what I remember Diana calling it. She said that it was a barbaric tradition, that she and the G-man, and a few others tried to get rid of it.. but the Council are sticklers for tradition."
"Cruciamentum?" asked Daniel as he leaned forward.
"Yea" replied Faith as she looked at the carpet before looking at the Major, "if I had to do it, then I don't think I'd have ever met you."
"Crucible" said Daniel as he leaned forward, "I think that's the main part of Cruciamentum. It refers to a place where you have to take part in a test, a challenge or something similar. Ellie?"
"Diana wasn't supposed to tell me" said Faith, "actually none of the Watchers are supposed to tell their Slayers. B… I mean Buffy told me that Giles secretly had to secretly prepare her for the Cruciamentum, but in the end he admitted what he did.. even helped her with her… challenge. He was fired from the Council because of that."
"Ellie" said General Carter, "what's this test?"
"A watcher is supposed to secretly dose his Slayer with muscle relaxants and adrenaline suppressors to take away our powers."
Faith continued speaking as a horrified Major looked at Faith, and then at the Colonel who was looking back at her in anger while the President leaned forward and asked the Slayer to repeat what she just told them.
"They'd pit us against a very powerful demon, or vampire when, or if, a Slayer turns eighteen" said Faith as she looked at the President, "Diana told me it was so that they could see how intelligent we were while powerless, and how resourceful… and if we weren't, then we were killed. Then the power would go to the next person."
Selmak: "Jacob, that is the cruellest thing I have heard; the only species that would do something even close to equal to that would be the Goa'uld. They want their Jaffa to be strong and dependent on them, so they implant them with a larval symbiote, making them dependant on the Goa'uld for their very lives; but even those monsters would not make their Jaffa weak and then conspire to murder them…. they would lose soldiers that way."
Jacob: "I'm still processing this, Selmak. She's just a kid, if she wasn't in Colorado Springs, then she'd have to go through that next year."
Selmak: "At least we can take pleasure at the fact that she is now protected, and with family."
Jacob: "Indeed, Selmak."
General Carter put his arm around the dark haired Slayer when Teal'c spoke up and broke the silence from the other shocked people in the room.
"That is a cruel state of affairs, Ellie Carter" said Teal'c as Faith looked at the man, "as a Jaffa, I have been trained since childhood to battle for the false gods. I was given my symbiote during the ritual of Prim'ta, but I have never had it taken out of me to prove my capability in battle."
"That's the Cruciamentum for you" said Faith as she looked at Teal'c, and then at the Major and General Carter, "a bunch of stuffy old guys sit around in a room, probably drinking hundred year old scotch or something, while Slayers do the fighting outside. That's the Council in a nutshell."
"I had no idea about that part of the Council" said the President as he got off his seat and walked to the window and looked outside before turning around and leaning on the window sill, "all that's in our agreement is that the Watcher's are supposed to be working with the Slayers, and they have carte-blance on any supernatural happenings in the U.S, and in other countries."
"The Slayers belong to the Watchers Council" said Faith as the President looked at her, "Diana told me that too."
"The man Teal'c and I interviewed" said the General as he highlighted the word 'Interviewed', "he admitted to being sent by the Council to either capture, or kill Ellie. He and his team were supposed to incapacitate her, and then take her body by private jet to London. Apparently they have contacts that would have gotten them through with no problems."
"Sir" said Colonel O'Neill as he looked at the President, "we're talking about protecting minors here, sir. First is with this whole cruccutina… or something."
"Cruciamentum" said Daniel.
"That's what I said" replied the Colonel as Major Carter held on to Faith's hand, "there's that, and then trying to kill her, trying to kidnap her, and…."
"She's protected" said the President as he looked at Faith and then at Major Carter, "Major, your daughter is protected as a National Security asset. I've personally had the paperwork pushed through and… well, since I wasn't aware of what name that Miss Carter…."
"Ellie" said Faith as she looked at the President, and then at the two Carter's sitting either side of her, "Ellie 'Faith' Carter."
"Alright" said the President as he picked up his phone and made a call while Faith looked at the Major who smiled back at her. While the president was making his calls, Faith asked the General how he got the man from the Council's Special Response Team to talk.
"Oh" he said as he nodded at Teal'c, "it wasn't me, or Selmak."
"Big guy?" asked Faith as the Jaffa looked at her and nodded.
"As you say on this world" he said, "it is a secret."
"Right" said Faith as the President put down the phone and smiled at Major Carter before telling her that Faith's name has been changed, but she still needs to file the official paper work.
"Thank you, Sir" said Major Carter as the President nodded at her, and then looked at Faith. He told the Slayer that she needn't worry about the Council, that with her being important for National Security; the Council would do well to stay away from her.
"Which means that they're no supposed to continue coming after you" said the President, "in teh meantime, I'd like for Major Carter, and Colonel O'Neill to accompany me to London tomorrow. We have an appointment with the Prime Minister, at which time I'll be talking to him about the existence of the Stargate Program. And we'll also find out who changed his memories as well."
The Major looked at Faith who nodded her head.
"Understood, sir" said the Major as Colonel O'Neill nodded his head.
"Good for me" said General Carter, "that would give me some time with Ellie."
"Indeed it would, General Carter" said Teal'c.
"Sorry to take you away from your daughter" said the President as he looked at the Major, "but I feel this is a more pressing matter that concerns Miss Carter's safety."
"I understand, sir" said the Major.
"Good" said the President, "so now, how about we see who played with my memories, huh?"
It was then that Major Carter got off the couch and walked to one side of the room, along with General Carter, to retrieve the two metallic cases. She placed one in between her and Faith on the couch, while the General placed the other one on top of the President's desk. He then asked the President to take a seat while he opened the case, and then pressed some buttons before looking back at the Major.
"Sam?" asked the General as she took out a small circular device, showed it to Faith, and then stood up and walked to the President.
"I have to put this behind the ear, Sir" said the Major, "it'll sting a little. This will amplify the neural activity in your mind so that you could remember events. But I have to warn you that the memories, and the sensations with those memories can powerful."
"It can't target specific memories, sir" said General Carter, "so you'd have to think about what happened a few days before General Hammond called you, the day you told him that you didn't remember him telling you the truth about Ellie."
"Everything you see will be displayed on a holographic display" said the Major as she pointed at the metal briefcase on the President's table.
"Of course, we don't need the display, sir" said the Colonel, "if you're not comfortable, then we won't use it."
"It's up to you, sir" said the Major, "like my dad said, it can't isolate specific memories."
"I'll have it without the display then" said the President, "just tell me what I'm looking for."
"Anyone using a crystal, or a bag like the one I gave you, or strange language" said the Major while Faith looked on as the General closed the metal briefcase, then place it on the carpet next to the couch and sat down next to her. Faith then turned to look at the Major who was pressing some buttons on the device before she leaned down and asked the President if he was ready.
"Yes" he said as the Major pressed the device on an area behind his ear. The President then yelped as he felt a small sting, which meant that the device was ready to be used. The Major told him that she dialled down the intensity and right now, all he needed to do was remember.
"Sir" said General Carter, "you need to recall what happened after General Hammond talked to you about Ellie."
"Yea" said the man as he flinched while memories started to flash through his mind rapidly, "fishing… my dad…"
"Sir" said Major Carter, "we need you to focus, I know its hard but…"
"I'm seeing Krystal" said the man as he flinched again as a memory of him walking towards his wife came to him, "this.. this was after my inauguration, I see Travers… National Security Meetings…"
"Who's Krystal?" whispered Faith to the General while the President continued to mumble.
"His wife" said the man as Faith nodded before looking back at the President who was mumbling with his eyes closed; suddenly, he opened his eyes.
"I talked to George about Miss Carter" said the President as he closed his eyes again, "I called the Prime Minister… I had more meetings… then… Amy."
"Amy?" asked Colonel O'Neill.
"Secretary.. outside" said the President as Faith looked up at the Major, and then at the General, "she.. walked in. She wore a necklace I've never seen her wear before."
"Was she with you for a long time, sir?" asked Colonel O'Neill as Daniel looked at Teal'c, and then at the door that led to the reception area outside the Oval Office.
"Since the first day" he replied, "I never saw that necklace.. and that pink crystal.. it reflected the sunlight… I…."
The President remembered the woman walking around his desk as he stared transfixed at the crystal before she leaned forward and whispered into his ear.
"You'll forget about the conversation you had about the Slayer" said Amy as she placed her hand on a side of his face, "you'll forget everything about who she is, who her mother is. Do you understand?"
'Yes" said the President in his memory, and in reality.
"Sir?" asked the General as he leaned forward.
"She's telling me to forget" said the President, "Amy's telling me to forget that conversation"
"You will forget everything" said Amy as the President looked transfixed at the crystal, before she brought his face up to look into her brown eyes and dark hair, "you've never heard of who the Slayer really is, or who her mother is. You will forget everything."
"Take it off" said the President as he looked at the Major, "take this damn thing off me now."
"Of course, sir" said the Major as the others stood up while she took off the device as Colonel O'Neill helped the man stand up. Without a word the President then hurriedly went to his phone and picked up the receiver.
"Amy" said the President into the phone, "in my office, now."
The President put the phone down as the door to the Oval Office opened.
Amy took a step inside while the President told her to close the door behind her.
"We have a lot of things to talk about" said the President as Amy looked around confused, and then she noticed the anger etched on the President's face.
And she gulped.
TBC.