Chapter 17: Gone

Somewhere in Sunnydale Warren Mears reached into a carboard box and produced a stolen diamond, the jewel sparkled almost unnaturally in the light. He inserted the diamond into an awkwardly constructed gun-like contraption resting in a cradle on the drafting table. "Okay. That's it. It's finally done," he said as Andrew Wells and Jonathon Levinson stepped up on either side of him. "Still needs a trial run, but it's—"

"Kind of clunky looking," Jonathon said.

"What?!" Warren asked.

"Yeah, I was picturing something cooler," Andrew said. "More ILM, less Ed Wood."

Warren picked up the gun and swung it around, waving it as he spoke making Jonathan and Andrew exceedingly nervous. "Want to see cool? I'll show you cool." He pointed the gun at a swivel chair and pulled the trigger. An energy blast hit the chair, seemingly vaporizing it.

"Mama," Jonathon said, obviously awestruck. Andrew moved over to where the chair was and touched it. "Did it-? Is it-?"

Andrew nodded as Jonathan jumped into the invisible chair and sat down, seemingly floating.

Jonathon swiveled, laughing giddily. "Hey, I'd call that a successful test."

"That was only half the test," Warren said. He flipped a switch and fired the gun again.

"Hey! Hey—" Jonathan cringed as the blast hit the chair and it became visible again. He felt himself to see he was okay, then glared at Warren. "You penis!"

"Oh, cheer up, Frodo. Thanks to my brains and our mystical gem, we got ourselves an invisibility ray," Warren said. "And I'd say that makes us pretty much unstoppable."

At that moment the Seer stepped out of the shadows smiling.

"Who are you?" Warren asked.

"I'm known in the Underworld as the Seer," the Seer said. "And I need your help in dealing with a problem in San Francisco."

"What, problem?"

"The Slayer," the Seer said.

"She's dead," Warren said.

"The Powers that Be to keep her from being resurrected placed in her in a new body, that of a power witch," the Seer said. "I need her out of my way so I can finish my work."

"Even if we were interested," Warren said. "We're in Sunnydale, not San Francisco."

"Not anymore," the Seer said.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

The next day in San Francisco Buffy sat at the kitchen table with Willow and Tara. In a high chair next to her sat Dawn. "C'mon, Dawn," she said as she held a bottle hoping that Dawn was hungry. "I miss hearing you in my head. Would make it easier knowing if you were actually hungry."

"I think I put too much milk in the eggs," Willow said. She was at the stove trying to fix herself, Buffy and Tara breakfast. "And was I supposed to cook the bacon before I diced it and threw it in? I wish I remember Piper's instructions better."

"So, what's on the agenda today?" Buffy asked.

"Willow and I were going to go and see about transferring to the University of San Francisco for next semester," Tara said. "What about you?"

"Piper is going to watch Dawn while I got get my hair done," Buffy said.

Later across from the Mane Street hair salon Warren, Andrew and Jonathon stood next to the seer.

"That her?" Andrew wondered as he saw Buffy enter the salon.

"That is her," the Seer said.

"And you only want it temporary," Warren said.

"To put her on edge," the Seer said. "Your part is to keep her attention on you while I do what I need to do."

"Alright," Warren said as the seer disappeared.

"I'm scared. What if we get caught?" Andrew asked.

"We won't," Warren said. "Remember. We're professionals."

They waited and watched for Buffy to come out of the Salon.

"Slayer," Andrew said having spotted Buffy exit the salon before the others.

Warren went to pull the gun out of the bag and found it missing.

"Gimme that—" Jonathon said as he and Andrew fought over the gun.

"No!" Andrew said. "I want to make the Slayer invisible."

"I want to do it more than you—" Jonathon said.

"Watch it! Don't push the—" Warren said as the gun began to malfunction. Jonathon and Andrew afraid it would explode in their hands hand it to Warren. "I don't want it."

The gun was passed around like a hot potato, when suddenly, it fired. The gun's beam hit not only Buffy but a fire hydrant, a tree and a nearby dumpster.

Warren, Andrew and Jonathon rush down the alley and hop into the van and drive off.

Buffy who was now invisible laid on the sidewalk quite dazed. "Wha- Huh-? Where... Oh. Wow," she said as she finally realized she was invisible.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"Piper!" Buffy called as she entered the Manor an hour later.

"In here, Buffy," Piper called back from the living room. She could hear footsteps approaching but she couldn't see anything. "Buffy?"

"Right in front of you."

Piper stood up and put out her hand and felt Buffy's arm. Or at least what she assume was Buffy's arm.

"I think you meant to aim for my arm and…"

"Sorry," Piper said as she realized what she had just touched. "New power?"

"If it is, I have no idea how to turn it off."

"How did this happen?" Piper wondered.

"I just came out of my hair appointment," Buffy said. "Was doing a little window shopping as I walked toward the car and bam the next thing I know, I was lying on the ground and invisible."

"Leo," Piper called out as Leo orbed in.

"Yeah, Piper?" Leo said.

"Where's Buffy?" Piper asked.

Leo closed his eyes for a moment and then almost immediately reopened them. He quickly looked at where is Whitelighter powers told him she should be and seeing nothing. "Buffy? New power?"

"As I told Piper, it's not one I know how to turn off," Buffy said. "Maybe ask the Elders?"

"Good idea," Leo said as he orbed out.

"In case this isn't a new power. That means someone or something did this to you," Piper said. "So let's go over everything. Did you see anyone or anything suspicious before you became invisible?"

"Nope. Didn't see nothing," Buffy said.

"That said why would anyone want to make you invisible," Piper said. "Doesn't make any sense. Invisible you would be a bigger threat than invisible."

"I just had an idea," Buffy said. "Remember Phoebe's wedding. What if this wasn't to make me a better witch but..."

"…to prevent you from doing something," Piper concluded for her sister. "The question is what?"

At that moment Leo orbed back in. "Not a new power," he said.

"That leaves who did this and why," Buffy said.

Across town in the trio's lair Warren examined the gun while Andrew and Jonathan pace nervously behind him. "A couple of circuits are burned out and wiring's fried..."

"But you can fix it, right?" Jonathan asked.

Warren turned and looked at Jonathan, soberly. "All we can do now is pray. And pick up replacement parts at Radio Shack."

"The seer said it was supposed to be temporary," Andrew said. He looked at Jonathan. "This is your fault. If you hadn't grabbed it from me—"

Warren examined the gun. "I know it was supposed to be temporary," he said. "And we may have a problem with that. She's going to fade away.

"What do you mean she's going to fade away?" Jonathan asked with concern.

Warren looked up from his work as he began replacing what parts they had spares for on hand. "The Slayer got slammed with a big ass dose of radiation when the gun overloaded. Her cells are mutating at an accelerated rate. Eventually her molecular makeup will start losing its integrity and... pfft."

"But... wouldn't that... kill her?" Andrew asked.

"Yeah!" Warren said.

"Wait a minute. We're not killing anybody," Jonathan said. "Especially not Buffy."

"Yeah, the seer said she wanted her to live at least for now," Andrew said.

"Geez, you guys are so immature. We're villains! When are you going to get that through your thick skulls?" Warren asked. "We don't have to listen to what she wants."

"We're talking about an upper level demon," Jonathan said. "She could kill us without batting an eye. Listen, Warren. You get that ray working and the first thing we're going to do is find Buffty and revisable her before it's too late. You got me?"

Warren slowly turned to face Jonathan, towering over him. Jonathan looked up at him, and swallowed, hard. "Fine. Whatever you guys say,' Warrem said.

Across town at the Manor Tara came home alone. When she and Willow had went to their meetings with the admission personnel, they had agreed to meet back at the car afterwards. Tara had waited for at least thirty minutes thinking Willow had just been held up. But when Willow still didn't show she rushed back to the Manor. "Buffy, Piper," she called out.

"In here, Tara," Buffy called back from the direction of the living room.

Tara walked into the living room. "Willow's missing," she said. She then noticed Buffy was missing. "Buffy?"

"I'm invisible," Buffy said. "Leo just checked with the Elders, not a new power."

"So, someone did this to you," Tara said.

"Looks like," Piper said, "like with Phoebe at her wedding."

"The Seer did that," Tara said. "Maybe she did it this time?"

"How do we prove that though?" Piper wondered.

"Hold on," Buffy said. "Tara you said Willow's missing?"

"Yeah we were going to meet back at the car after our meetings with the admission people," Tara explained. "She never came back."

"If it were the Seer why would she have kidnapped Willow also?" Buffy wondered. "Kidnapping Willow by itself would have forced me to do what ever she wanted just to get Willow back."

"Then who or what could it be?" Piper wondered.

It was at that moment the phone rang, Piper went and answered it. "Halliwell residence, Piper speaking."

"Put the Slayer on the phone."

"Buffy?" Piper called.

"I'm here, Piper," Buffy said. "Hold it out so we can both listen." Piper nodded and held out the phone. "Hello?"

"Don't talk, just listen, Slayer. You don't have a lot of time."

"Who is this? You sound familiar," Buffy said.

"I'm nobody. No one you know. We've got your friend Willow... And if you don't want anything nasty to happen to her, you better meet us. Alone."

"Where?" Buffy asked.

An hour later at Noah's arcade Buffy walked into the colorfully lit, not-so-crowded arcade. She walked through the turnstile. She walked through the arcade till she found Willow standing alone at a video game, on which rests the gun. "You okay, Will?" she asked.

"Buffy!" Willow said happy to know her lover was there. "How are you and Tara holding up?"

"We're okay, baby," Buffy answered. "Where're the bad guys?"

"All around you, Slayer. So, don't try anything."

"He's bluffing, Buffy. There's only three of them. I think," Willow said.

"More than enough to cause some serious carnage, right, guys?" he said but received no reply. "Guys? Guys!"

"Kick! Use the kick!" said a second guy.

"I tried that! He keeps blocking it with his drunken monkey fist," said a third guy.

"Hey! The Slayer's here," the first guy said.

The other two guys joined them from the video game they had stood in front of.

"Sorry. Didn't see her," said the third guy.

"Why don't we continue this in a less crowded area. Like, over there," the first guy said. "Follow me." He grabbed Willow's arm and moved over by an air hockey table

"I'm going to go out on a limb and guess you're the ones that did this to me," Buffy said.

"It was an accident," said the second guy.

"Who's that?" Buffy asked.

"Nobody you know."

"So, what are we doing?" Buffy asked.

"Save your life. Make you visible," the first guy said.

"Right. I'm supposed to believe that," Buffy said.

"He's telling the truth," said the third guy.

"They told me everything, Buffy. Something's happening to you. You're fading away," Willow said. "If it's not reverse you will cease to exist."

"I can fix that," Warren said.

"And you three will just go on your merry invisible way," Buffy said.

"That's the idea. Pick up that air hockey mallet on the table. It'll give me a target to aim at," the first guy said as Buffy picked up the mallet. "Okay, now hold still. And your troubles will soon be gone." He raised the gun and aimed it at the mallet.

Willow glanced at the gun and frowned. "You're on the wrong setting."

"What?" the first guy said.

"The gun. It's not set for reversing the particle ionization. It'll accelerate her molecular dissolution! I saw the plans!" Willow said.

"Mind your own business," the first guy said.

"What's she talking about?" the second guy asked.

"That's what I'd like to know," Buffy said.

"Buffy, he's trying to kill you—" Willow said as the first guy hit her with the butt of the gun knocking her to the floor.

Buffy threw the mallet and it bounced off the first guy. "Oww!" he said as the gun flew out of his hands and under a pinball machine.

"Okay, play time's over," Buffy said.

"You haven't won yet, Slayer," the first guy said.

"How do you guys even know I used to be the Slayer anyways," Buffy said. "After all only demons who figured out the truth, the Elders, my friends and my family know the truth."

"We just know," said the first guy. "We have a source. We may not have your powers, Slayer, but you'll find we're not so easy to—" Another air hockey mallet careened off his head. "Owww! Get her!"

Willow still on the ground, listened to the invisible sounds of fighting. Then she spotted the under the pinball machine and crawled toward it.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute! Who's biting my leg?" asked the second guy.

"Sorry. Where is she?" asked the third guy.

"Here," Buffy said.

"Whooooaaa!" said the third guy as he flew through the air and crashed down on top of a pinball machine, shattering the glass. Patrons started to scream and run for the exits. "Ouch."

"She can't find us if we split up," said the first guy. "You go that way."

"Which way?" asked the second guy.

"That way! Over ther- Oof!" the first guy said as he was kicked into the ball pit where he landed sprawling.

"Just keep talking, boys," Buffy said.

Willow grabbed the gun and changed its setting.

"Ow. Ow! Watch the chest hair!" said the second guy.

"I know that voice. You... You're—" Buffy said as Willow aimed the gun and fired. The blast hit Buffy and the second guy and they became visible. She looked at herself, then at him. "Jonathan?" Willow fired a blast at the ball pit and Warren appeared. "Warren?!"

Willow now fired a blast at the shattered pinball machine and Andrew became visible as he climbed off. Neither she nor Buffy recognized the third guy.

"Who are you?" Buffy asked.

"Andrew. I summoned the flying monkeys that attacked the high school," Andrew said as Buffy and Willow looked at him blankly. "During the play. You know..." Buffy looked at Willow and they both shrug. "Tucker's brother."

"Ohhh," Buffy and Willow said simultaneously.

"So, you three have... what, banded together to be pains in my ass?" Buffy asked.

"We're your arch nemeses. You may have beaten us this time, Slayer. But next time... Umm... next time..." Warren said.

"Maybe not," Jonathan said as he threw down a smokebomb.

Willow and Buffy wave away the smoke, coughing, and saw Warren, Jonathan and Andrew huddled at a door near the back, trying to open it.

"What do you mean it's locked?" Warren asked. "You were supposed to check it."

"I forgot!" Jonathan said as the trio turned turn and looked back at Buffy and Willow.

"I give you my arch nemeses," Buffy said.

"What's going on in here?" came a voice behind Buffy and Willow. They turned and saw a security guard at the entrance. "I got a bunch a scared kids saying this place is haunted."

Buffy looked back at the door and saw it open, its lock smoking. The trio were gone.

"Oh my God, Buffy..." Willow said as she looked at Buffy's hair.

"I know. They're gone," Buffy said.

"No, your hair. It is adorable," Willow said.

"I wish I knew exactly who told them about me," Buffy said with a sigh.