CROSS ROADS
Part 11
Lenox opened the water bottle, took a deep drink from it, and then he took notice of where the sun was in the sky. "Is there anything you want to tell me before I send you off with my friends?"
Buffy, Giles, Mulder and Scully noticed that the Hunter wasn't even looking at the man when he asked the question. Barrington and Stacy knew all about Lenox' methods of questioning. They knew what he was capable of and they were very much aware that the others might not take his methods too kindly. Stacy herself still did not like that part about her husband even though she had learned the hard way how that his methods were necessary from time to time.
The terrorist spat at Lenox. Then he cursed at him in his native tongue.
Lenox casually pulled out a 9-milimeter pistol, aimed it at the terrorists head, and he said, "I'm going to count to three. If you tell me something I need to know before I get to three, I won't pull the trigger."
Buffy stared at him in horror. She looked at Giles as if she expected him to stop Lenox. Giles couldn't bring himself to move. He was convinced that Lenox wouldn't pull the trigger, that the man was just trying to scare the terrorist.
Scully, however, had no qualms about interfering. "He has rights," she told Lenox, taking a cautious step forward. "You can't shoot him."
Lenox glanced at her. "A terrorist has only one right. He has the right to die." He looked at the terrorist, but to Scully, he said, "Now shut up and let me count. Did I get to three yet?"
"You haven't even said one," Barrington replied. "Are you cheating?"
"Oh, yeah...okay. Silly me."
Scully stared at Lenox. "Mulder! We can't let him do this!"
Lenox ignored them. "One..."
The terrorist glared up at him.
Scully drew her weapon and aimed it at Lenox. "Put the gun down!"
"Two..." Lenox continued.
Mulder stood beside Scully and put his hand on her arm. "C'mon, Scully. He knows what he's doing."
The terrorist found himself looking straight into the barrel. There was sweat on his brow and his eyes were wide.
Lenox shrugged as if it didn't matter to him. "Three." At point-blank range, he fired.
Buffy and Giles backed away, appalled at the atrocity, and Scully shouted, "No!!"
Lenox fired every round.
But even as he fired, the terrorist cried out with a loud voice, "I KNOW NOTHING!! PLEASE!! DEAR ALLAH!! NO!! I KNOW NOTHING!! I KNOW NOTHING!!" He said a lot of other things as well and he continued to speak even as Lenox casually stepped away from him to reload his gun. This time, he loaded it with real bullets.
Everyone stared at him except for Barrington and Stacy. The terrorist sat on the ground, quaking in fear. There was a dark stain on his pants.
Lenox looked at Barrington and Stacy, shrugged his shoulders, and put away his gun. "He doesn't know anything. I believe that Jhamel has a backup plan and I'm sure he was careful about who he shared that plan with."
Barrington nodded. "The other terrorist that Ace and Birdman picked up from Mulders' rental doesn't know anything either."
Scully approached Lenox angrily. "They were BLANKS?!" she demanded.
Lenox looked at her as if it should have been obvious. "Yes, Agent Scully. They were blanks."
"What right do you have--?"
"A terrorist with a nuclear device gives me that right. If we don't find him and take it from him, there won't be a Sunnydale, California."
Lenox dragged the terrorist to the chopper and he secured him to it. Giles and Buffy approached, but it was clear that the librarian had something on his mind.
"Mr. Lenox..." Giles began, "I was...h-hoping to avoid this contraption..." he indicated the helicopter. "...but I suppose it should be safer than Agent Mulder's erratic driving--"
"I heard that!" Mulder called as he stood by the hole.
"Time is growing short," Giles told Lenox. "It appears to me that s- something is about to take place...something awful. I must return to the library and look into this."
Lenox nodded his head. "Sure. My guys can get you there in no time."
Giles thanked him and then he turned to Buffy. "Try not to get into any trouble. Just find Willow and Xander, and bring them home. I'd like to know what it is that's coming before you face it."
"What a coincidence," Buffy said dryly. "Because I'd like to know, too."
"Then try to come back before dark. There may still be time."
She nodded. "I'll try."
Lenox and Barrington took some supplies from the chopper before LeBeua and Vogel took their prisoners and Giles into the air. Lenox and Barrington were equipped with new weapons. They not only had guns, they were also equipped with katana swords made from silver. Barrington had a pouch filled with throwing stars that were also made from silver.
Mulder picked up a sword and experimented a few swipes and jabs with it. "Hey, what do you intend to do with these?"
"The silver swords can kill a vampire," Barrington began, "as long as you swipe off it's head or stab it through the heart." He regarded him. "We have extra. Why don't you take it?"
Mulder grinned at Scully. "You want one, Scully? AD Skinner never let us play with toys like these."
"My only concern is for those two kids down there, Mulder," she told him. "I don't need any toys to find them."
Buffy looked at her. "Hey! Didn't you hear what Giles said? They are not kids! They have names. That's Xander and Willow to you. Is there a problem with your memory?"
Scully hesitated, "I assure you, I don't mean any disrespect."
"Then remember their names."
Barrington and Lenox set up ropes at the mouth of the hole. They knew they had to have their hands free so they had helmets on their heads that had flashlights made into the hard hats. Mulder and Stacy took a hat as well, but Scully was content with her little pocket light.
"Hey, would you like a sword or some other new fancy toy to kill vampires with, Slayer?" Mulder asked Buffy.
Buffy pulled out her trusty stake from within her jacket. She showed it to Mulder and smiled wryly. "I'm good."
"Then let's go," Lenox said. He was the first to enter into the hole. The others followed in after him.
As they were scaling the walls using the ropes and balancing with their feet, Mulder couldn't help but make a comment. "I don't know about any of you...but my spider sense is really tingling."
Buffy, who was climbing down the wall beside him, grinned.
Scully had to respond. "Mulder, if you don't shut up, I'm going to squash you like a bug."
Mulder winked at Buffy. "I think she likes me. What do you think? You think she likes me?"
"I didn't think she liked anybody."
"Oh, sure she does. She just likes to be rough."
They reached the bottom and their lights revealed that they were in a tunnel that branched off in two different directions. To the left, the tunnel went as far as they could see. To the right, the tunnel seemed to disappear around a bend after twenty feet.
"What do you think?" Barrington asked Lenox. "Left or right?"
Mulder came over to stand behind them. "I have discovered that when it comes time for making the really important decisions in life, Eany, Meany, Miny, and Moe have always worked best for me."
Stacy was facing toward the left tunnel. "There is great evil down this way," she said softly.
Everyone turned to look at her. Mulder went to stand beside her as he peered into the tunnel. Then he regarded her. Her face was a mask of concentration, concern, and fear. Even so, he could see that she was in control of that fear. "I guess your spider sense is stronger than mine," he told her.
She turned to look at him. "I-I don't have a spider sense, Mr. Mulder."
He smiled wryly at her. "I know you don't. But there is something different about you, isn't there?" He paused. "What exactly do you feel from this tunnel?"
She looked down the tunnel again. "I sense a presence of malice...of rage...I feel..." She hesitated.
"Go on."
She looked at Mulder. "There-there is a dark presence of hatred for all mankind."
Buffy took a deep breath. "That sounds really bad."
Stacy shook her head. "Michael..." she said to her husband. "We shouldn't go down this way."
"But maybe we should," Mulder objected. "We have got to know what's down there."
"We can't come this far and not continue on because you sense 'great evil'," Scully commented.
Mulder shot her a look. Then he looked at Stacy and he made it a point not to say "kids" when he said, "What if Xander and Willow are down there?"
Stacy looked at Mulder. She actually looked relieved. "Xander and Willow are not down this tunnel." She saw a hole in the tunnel floor and pointed at it. "They're down there."
Buffy looked into the hole. She wasn't sure, but she thought she saw a dim light, or was that from them. "How do you know that?"
"I just do."
Mulder paused in thought. "Like you're being guided."
Stacy nodded.
Barrington looked down the tunnel. "They may be down that hole, Stacy, but I think Mulder's right. We should check this out, too."
Lenox regarded Barrington. "We'll split up. Bear, you and I can remain in contact with our headsets. Stacy and I will take the hole."
"I'm coming with you, too, if you think my friends are in that hole," Buffy said.
Mulder pointed down the tunnel. "There could be vampires that way," he told her.
"Oh, I'm sure there's something down there. I'd advise not going. But if you have to, take a quick look and then get the hell out of there. My only priority right now is Xander and Willow."
"Let's move," Barrington said.
Barrington began to lead Mulder and Scully down the tunnel as Buffy and Stacy began to climb into the hole after Lenox.
Mulder, Scully, and Barrington walked side by side in the tunnel.
"Damn it," Mulder swore softly as he shook his head in disappointment.
Barrington glanced at him. "What is it?"
"I was hoping to have Buffy with us."
Scully looked at him as if he were crazy. "Why would you want Buffy to be with us, Mulder?"
He shrugged. "Well, c'mon, Scully! It's not every day that you get a chance to watch a sixteen year old girl kick some vampire ass!" He let out a weary sigh. "Another missed opportunity. And yet the world still turns."
"You need to get out more often," Scully told him.
Mulder frowned. "Well, I am on vacation. Doesn't that count?"
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"Willow, I have to get you out of here," Xander replied as he tilted his head to look at her face. "Can you walk? Are you hurt any where?"
Willow glanced at her hands. "M-my hands are a little numb...I'm...I-I guess I'm still a little shaky...but I can walk."
Xander smiled encouragingly. "Good, Will. Because I really want to get you out of this place and back home...where you can be safe."
Willow gazed up at him. "Oh, Xander! You want to take me away from it all. That's so sweet!" She smiled.
*God, she has a beautiful smile!* Xander thought. He got to his feet and then he helped her up. She stumbled once, but he caught her and held her to him. "You okay, Will?" he asked.
"J-just a little dizzy..." She looked puzzled. "I-I don't know what makes me so dizzy..."
"What do you mean?"
"Well...whether I-I'm dizzy because of...of what I've b-been going through...or..." she looked into his eyes, "...or whether I'm dizzy because of you."
He looked at her. "I make you dizzy?"
She nodded. "Sometimes you do." She smiled wryly. "I-it's that Xanderish affect you have on me...I'm defenseless against it."
"Well, I promise you, Will...if you get to dizzy, I'll just pick you up and carry you."
She looked at him closely. "Y-you will?" She pictured him doing just that in her mind and it made her smile. "That would be nice."
"Willow, you just hang onto me and I'll get you home." Xander reached down to pick up the lantern. That's when he felt her tense up, and a word escaped from her lips softly.
"Angel..."
Xander looked up and he saw Angel walking toward them. But Angel wasn't alone. He had Spike with him. He picked up the lantern as if it were the only weapon he had, and then he made certain that Willow was behind him.
"Just stay back!" Xander demanded menacingly at the approaching vampires. "I have a lantern! It's loaded, and I'm not afraid to use it!"
Angel stopped and he held up his hands. "Xander, it's me. Angel."
"I know it's you, Sunshine. Or should I say it's Mr. ICan'tStandTheLight since you..." he hesitated as he tried to think of a pun. He couldn't come up with one so he continued with, "..can't stand the light." Then he pointed at Spike who was standing beside Angel. "You're with Spike, Angel! And we know he's really bad...Don't we, Will?"
She nodded her head as she stayed behind Xander. "Uh-huh. Angel, it's true! S-Spike is bad."
Angel took a step closer. "Spike and I have a truce--"
Xander held up the lantern as if it were a cross. "I said STOP!!" He glared at Angel. "You want me to trust you with Willow's safety? I don't think so. You and Buffy may have something going on but I know what you are and I will never change my mind about that." He took a deep breath as he tried to reign in his anger. "You're no different than Spike, Angel. Even if you do have a soul. Now I'm telling you to keep your distance from us. I may not have a cross or holy water, but I have this lantern. I'll smash this over you, hotshot, if you come any closer. Not even you can survive fire."
Spike shook his head. "I don't bloody believe this! We have other problems. There are terrorists who want to blow up Sunnydale!" He looked at Xander. "I did not come down here to hurt either one of you! I came here to help rescue Willow."
"I believe I've got that pretty much covered, thank you." Xander moved his head toward the way the vampires had come from. "Now move along. Take a hike."
Angel was looking at Willow who was watching from behind Xander. He was astonished at the sight of her. She looked so frail, so scared. There was a look in her eyes when she looked at him that was never there before.
Fear.
Willow was afraid of Angel. It tore at his heart. He felt his heart aching as he realized that he was causing her pain. "Willow..." he said softly. "I'm not here to hurt you. You have to believe me."
She hesitated. Then, she nodded. "I-I do..."
"We came to bring you home. You have to trust me. There are other things down here that will come after you and Spike and I can handle them." He looked at her. "Please don't be afraid of me. You weren't before."
"Willow's been through a lot, Angel," Xander told him. "Maybe this experience has opened her eyes to what you truly are."
Angel didn't know what to say.
Spike let out a weary sigh. "If we don't get out of here, those terrorists will find you."
Angel nodded. "Spike is right. You have to follow us." He glanced at Willow.
"Lead the way!" Xander exclaimed. "Just remember...My lantern can go off at any time. I have a nervous lantern-finger...if that makes any kind of sense to you at all." He thought of something. "Where are you leading us anyway?"
"To the factory."
"Wait a minute...why there? Isn't there some other way out?" He pointed up to the hole they had fallen through. "Can't you get us back up that way? I'm sure you can handle a bunch of gun-toting, American-hating terrorists."
"Not in broad daylight, we can't," Spike told him. He rolled his eyes. "For the last time! Enough bloody talking! We can make it through the tunnels fast enough. Once we get to the factory, we'll let you out into the sunlight. Then you're on your own." He looked at Xander. "Would that satisfy you?"
"All right..." Xander said as he put his arm around Willow and gave her a reassuring squeeze. "Lead on."
The vampires turned around and they began to lead Xander and Willow through the tunnels. As they walked, Willow pressed herself as close to Xander as she could and she had her arms around him. She didn't intend to ever let him go.
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TO BE CONTINUED...
Part 11
Lenox opened the water bottle, took a deep drink from it, and then he took notice of where the sun was in the sky. "Is there anything you want to tell me before I send you off with my friends?"
Buffy, Giles, Mulder and Scully noticed that the Hunter wasn't even looking at the man when he asked the question. Barrington and Stacy knew all about Lenox' methods of questioning. They knew what he was capable of and they were very much aware that the others might not take his methods too kindly. Stacy herself still did not like that part about her husband even though she had learned the hard way how that his methods were necessary from time to time.
The terrorist spat at Lenox. Then he cursed at him in his native tongue.
Lenox casually pulled out a 9-milimeter pistol, aimed it at the terrorists head, and he said, "I'm going to count to three. If you tell me something I need to know before I get to three, I won't pull the trigger."
Buffy stared at him in horror. She looked at Giles as if she expected him to stop Lenox. Giles couldn't bring himself to move. He was convinced that Lenox wouldn't pull the trigger, that the man was just trying to scare the terrorist.
Scully, however, had no qualms about interfering. "He has rights," she told Lenox, taking a cautious step forward. "You can't shoot him."
Lenox glanced at her. "A terrorist has only one right. He has the right to die." He looked at the terrorist, but to Scully, he said, "Now shut up and let me count. Did I get to three yet?"
"You haven't even said one," Barrington replied. "Are you cheating?"
"Oh, yeah...okay. Silly me."
Scully stared at Lenox. "Mulder! We can't let him do this!"
Lenox ignored them. "One..."
The terrorist glared up at him.
Scully drew her weapon and aimed it at Lenox. "Put the gun down!"
"Two..." Lenox continued.
Mulder stood beside Scully and put his hand on her arm. "C'mon, Scully. He knows what he's doing."
The terrorist found himself looking straight into the barrel. There was sweat on his brow and his eyes were wide.
Lenox shrugged as if it didn't matter to him. "Three." At point-blank range, he fired.
Buffy and Giles backed away, appalled at the atrocity, and Scully shouted, "No!!"
Lenox fired every round.
But even as he fired, the terrorist cried out with a loud voice, "I KNOW NOTHING!! PLEASE!! DEAR ALLAH!! NO!! I KNOW NOTHING!! I KNOW NOTHING!!" He said a lot of other things as well and he continued to speak even as Lenox casually stepped away from him to reload his gun. This time, he loaded it with real bullets.
Everyone stared at him except for Barrington and Stacy. The terrorist sat on the ground, quaking in fear. There was a dark stain on his pants.
Lenox looked at Barrington and Stacy, shrugged his shoulders, and put away his gun. "He doesn't know anything. I believe that Jhamel has a backup plan and I'm sure he was careful about who he shared that plan with."
Barrington nodded. "The other terrorist that Ace and Birdman picked up from Mulders' rental doesn't know anything either."
Scully approached Lenox angrily. "They were BLANKS?!" she demanded.
Lenox looked at her as if it should have been obvious. "Yes, Agent Scully. They were blanks."
"What right do you have--?"
"A terrorist with a nuclear device gives me that right. If we don't find him and take it from him, there won't be a Sunnydale, California."
Lenox dragged the terrorist to the chopper and he secured him to it. Giles and Buffy approached, but it was clear that the librarian had something on his mind.
"Mr. Lenox..." Giles began, "I was...h-hoping to avoid this contraption..." he indicated the helicopter. "...but I suppose it should be safer than Agent Mulder's erratic driving--"
"I heard that!" Mulder called as he stood by the hole.
"Time is growing short," Giles told Lenox. "It appears to me that s- something is about to take place...something awful. I must return to the library and look into this."
Lenox nodded his head. "Sure. My guys can get you there in no time."
Giles thanked him and then he turned to Buffy. "Try not to get into any trouble. Just find Willow and Xander, and bring them home. I'd like to know what it is that's coming before you face it."
"What a coincidence," Buffy said dryly. "Because I'd like to know, too."
"Then try to come back before dark. There may still be time."
She nodded. "I'll try."
Lenox and Barrington took some supplies from the chopper before LeBeua and Vogel took their prisoners and Giles into the air. Lenox and Barrington were equipped with new weapons. They not only had guns, they were also equipped with katana swords made from silver. Barrington had a pouch filled with throwing stars that were also made from silver.
Mulder picked up a sword and experimented a few swipes and jabs with it. "Hey, what do you intend to do with these?"
"The silver swords can kill a vampire," Barrington began, "as long as you swipe off it's head or stab it through the heart." He regarded him. "We have extra. Why don't you take it?"
Mulder grinned at Scully. "You want one, Scully? AD Skinner never let us play with toys like these."
"My only concern is for those two kids down there, Mulder," she told him. "I don't need any toys to find them."
Buffy looked at her. "Hey! Didn't you hear what Giles said? They are not kids! They have names. That's Xander and Willow to you. Is there a problem with your memory?"
Scully hesitated, "I assure you, I don't mean any disrespect."
"Then remember their names."
Barrington and Lenox set up ropes at the mouth of the hole. They knew they had to have their hands free so they had helmets on their heads that had flashlights made into the hard hats. Mulder and Stacy took a hat as well, but Scully was content with her little pocket light.
"Hey, would you like a sword or some other new fancy toy to kill vampires with, Slayer?" Mulder asked Buffy.
Buffy pulled out her trusty stake from within her jacket. She showed it to Mulder and smiled wryly. "I'm good."
"Then let's go," Lenox said. He was the first to enter into the hole. The others followed in after him.
As they were scaling the walls using the ropes and balancing with their feet, Mulder couldn't help but make a comment. "I don't know about any of you...but my spider sense is really tingling."
Buffy, who was climbing down the wall beside him, grinned.
Scully had to respond. "Mulder, if you don't shut up, I'm going to squash you like a bug."
Mulder winked at Buffy. "I think she likes me. What do you think? You think she likes me?"
"I didn't think she liked anybody."
"Oh, sure she does. She just likes to be rough."
They reached the bottom and their lights revealed that they were in a tunnel that branched off in two different directions. To the left, the tunnel went as far as they could see. To the right, the tunnel seemed to disappear around a bend after twenty feet.
"What do you think?" Barrington asked Lenox. "Left or right?"
Mulder came over to stand behind them. "I have discovered that when it comes time for making the really important decisions in life, Eany, Meany, Miny, and Moe have always worked best for me."
Stacy was facing toward the left tunnel. "There is great evil down this way," she said softly.
Everyone turned to look at her. Mulder went to stand beside her as he peered into the tunnel. Then he regarded her. Her face was a mask of concentration, concern, and fear. Even so, he could see that she was in control of that fear. "I guess your spider sense is stronger than mine," he told her.
She turned to look at him. "I-I don't have a spider sense, Mr. Mulder."
He smiled wryly at her. "I know you don't. But there is something different about you, isn't there?" He paused. "What exactly do you feel from this tunnel?"
She looked down the tunnel again. "I sense a presence of malice...of rage...I feel..." She hesitated.
"Go on."
She looked at Mulder. "There-there is a dark presence of hatred for all mankind."
Buffy took a deep breath. "That sounds really bad."
Stacy shook her head. "Michael..." she said to her husband. "We shouldn't go down this way."
"But maybe we should," Mulder objected. "We have got to know what's down there."
"We can't come this far and not continue on because you sense 'great evil'," Scully commented.
Mulder shot her a look. Then he looked at Stacy and he made it a point not to say "kids" when he said, "What if Xander and Willow are down there?"
Stacy looked at Mulder. She actually looked relieved. "Xander and Willow are not down this tunnel." She saw a hole in the tunnel floor and pointed at it. "They're down there."
Buffy looked into the hole. She wasn't sure, but she thought she saw a dim light, or was that from them. "How do you know that?"
"I just do."
Mulder paused in thought. "Like you're being guided."
Stacy nodded.
Barrington looked down the tunnel. "They may be down that hole, Stacy, but I think Mulder's right. We should check this out, too."
Lenox regarded Barrington. "We'll split up. Bear, you and I can remain in contact with our headsets. Stacy and I will take the hole."
"I'm coming with you, too, if you think my friends are in that hole," Buffy said.
Mulder pointed down the tunnel. "There could be vampires that way," he told her.
"Oh, I'm sure there's something down there. I'd advise not going. But if you have to, take a quick look and then get the hell out of there. My only priority right now is Xander and Willow."
"Let's move," Barrington said.
Barrington began to lead Mulder and Scully down the tunnel as Buffy and Stacy began to climb into the hole after Lenox.
Mulder, Scully, and Barrington walked side by side in the tunnel.
"Damn it," Mulder swore softly as he shook his head in disappointment.
Barrington glanced at him. "What is it?"
"I was hoping to have Buffy with us."
Scully looked at him as if he were crazy. "Why would you want Buffy to be with us, Mulder?"
He shrugged. "Well, c'mon, Scully! It's not every day that you get a chance to watch a sixteen year old girl kick some vampire ass!" He let out a weary sigh. "Another missed opportunity. And yet the world still turns."
"You need to get out more often," Scully told him.
Mulder frowned. "Well, I am on vacation. Doesn't that count?"
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"Willow, I have to get you out of here," Xander replied as he tilted his head to look at her face. "Can you walk? Are you hurt any where?"
Willow glanced at her hands. "M-my hands are a little numb...I'm...I-I guess I'm still a little shaky...but I can walk."
Xander smiled encouragingly. "Good, Will. Because I really want to get you out of this place and back home...where you can be safe."
Willow gazed up at him. "Oh, Xander! You want to take me away from it all. That's so sweet!" She smiled.
*God, she has a beautiful smile!* Xander thought. He got to his feet and then he helped her up. She stumbled once, but he caught her and held her to him. "You okay, Will?" he asked.
"J-just a little dizzy..." She looked puzzled. "I-I don't know what makes me so dizzy..."
"What do you mean?"
"Well...whether I-I'm dizzy because of...of what I've b-been going through...or..." she looked into his eyes, "...or whether I'm dizzy because of you."
He looked at her. "I make you dizzy?"
She nodded. "Sometimes you do." She smiled wryly. "I-it's that Xanderish affect you have on me...I'm defenseless against it."
"Well, I promise you, Will...if you get to dizzy, I'll just pick you up and carry you."
She looked at him closely. "Y-you will?" She pictured him doing just that in her mind and it made her smile. "That would be nice."
"Willow, you just hang onto me and I'll get you home." Xander reached down to pick up the lantern. That's when he felt her tense up, and a word escaped from her lips softly.
"Angel..."
Xander looked up and he saw Angel walking toward them. But Angel wasn't alone. He had Spike with him. He picked up the lantern as if it were the only weapon he had, and then he made certain that Willow was behind him.
"Just stay back!" Xander demanded menacingly at the approaching vampires. "I have a lantern! It's loaded, and I'm not afraid to use it!"
Angel stopped and he held up his hands. "Xander, it's me. Angel."
"I know it's you, Sunshine. Or should I say it's Mr. ICan'tStandTheLight since you..." he hesitated as he tried to think of a pun. He couldn't come up with one so he continued with, "..can't stand the light." Then he pointed at Spike who was standing beside Angel. "You're with Spike, Angel! And we know he's really bad...Don't we, Will?"
She nodded her head as she stayed behind Xander. "Uh-huh. Angel, it's true! S-Spike is bad."
Angel took a step closer. "Spike and I have a truce--"
Xander held up the lantern as if it were a cross. "I said STOP!!" He glared at Angel. "You want me to trust you with Willow's safety? I don't think so. You and Buffy may have something going on but I know what you are and I will never change my mind about that." He took a deep breath as he tried to reign in his anger. "You're no different than Spike, Angel. Even if you do have a soul. Now I'm telling you to keep your distance from us. I may not have a cross or holy water, but I have this lantern. I'll smash this over you, hotshot, if you come any closer. Not even you can survive fire."
Spike shook his head. "I don't bloody believe this! We have other problems. There are terrorists who want to blow up Sunnydale!" He looked at Xander. "I did not come down here to hurt either one of you! I came here to help rescue Willow."
"I believe I've got that pretty much covered, thank you." Xander moved his head toward the way the vampires had come from. "Now move along. Take a hike."
Angel was looking at Willow who was watching from behind Xander. He was astonished at the sight of her. She looked so frail, so scared. There was a look in her eyes when she looked at him that was never there before.
Fear.
Willow was afraid of Angel. It tore at his heart. He felt his heart aching as he realized that he was causing her pain. "Willow..." he said softly. "I'm not here to hurt you. You have to believe me."
She hesitated. Then, she nodded. "I-I do..."
"We came to bring you home. You have to trust me. There are other things down here that will come after you and Spike and I can handle them." He looked at her. "Please don't be afraid of me. You weren't before."
"Willow's been through a lot, Angel," Xander told him. "Maybe this experience has opened her eyes to what you truly are."
Angel didn't know what to say.
Spike let out a weary sigh. "If we don't get out of here, those terrorists will find you."
Angel nodded. "Spike is right. You have to follow us." He glanced at Willow.
"Lead the way!" Xander exclaimed. "Just remember...My lantern can go off at any time. I have a nervous lantern-finger...if that makes any kind of sense to you at all." He thought of something. "Where are you leading us anyway?"
"To the factory."
"Wait a minute...why there? Isn't there some other way out?" He pointed up to the hole they had fallen through. "Can't you get us back up that way? I'm sure you can handle a bunch of gun-toting, American-hating terrorists."
"Not in broad daylight, we can't," Spike told him. He rolled his eyes. "For the last time! Enough bloody talking! We can make it through the tunnels fast enough. Once we get to the factory, we'll let you out into the sunlight. Then you're on your own." He looked at Xander. "Would that satisfy you?"
"All right..." Xander said as he put his arm around Willow and gave her a reassuring squeeze. "Lead on."
The vampires turned around and they began to lead Xander and Willow through the tunnels. As they walked, Willow pressed herself as close to Xander as she could and she had her arms around him. She didn't intend to ever let him go.
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TO BE CONTINUED...