Freedom Fighter
Author's Note: Oh the suspense! I nearly had a friend lean out the McDonald's drive-thru window where she works and strangle me for the last chapter. Heaven knows why. (*evil laugh*) Almost there, Amanda, you can do a few more chapters.....yeah, I know I can. I've never written a chapter story that I've loved writing like this one--I've fallen in love with the way the plot around Buffy can be twisted, and a sequel to this is in serious consideration. It wouldn't be right away because I have a short story series to complete, er, actually get past the first story, "Covet". That'll come first and then the sequel if I decided on it. Until then, I'm more than content to finish this story. I'm not going to give a schedule anymore-the way things are going, this will be completed before the end of August, but I can no longer try to predict when each chapter will be out. I'm having many problems in meeting the schedule I keep trying to set up, so each chapter will roughly be within two weeks of each other, and hopefully no later. Also, and I've said this a lot but it's a BIG deal-- I'M GONNA GO SEE AEROSMITH IN SEPTEMBER! Peace out.
Chapter 14--The Mists of Babylon (Second Day)
Dawn watched Spike's sleeping form in increasing worry. "He is going to be okay, isn't he?"
Jamal patted her shoulder comfortingly. "He'll be fine, he just needs to rest. Go back to bed." He watched her go back up the steps and then looked at Geia. "You sure he'll be okay?"
"Oh yeah. Just needs some rest. I'm gonna want to talk to him once he wakes up though, because I think he knows something about Myron's plan to destroy the world." Jamal could see the exhaustion written in her eyes and told her to get some rest. He and Davis would watch the house while everyone slept.
Geia looked in on Spike one more time in the small bedroom downstairs before making her way up to her own room. Dawn and Joyce had originally been using her room, but they were now sharing the next bedroom with Willow. Buffy was sleeping downstairs on the couch, despite Geia's protests. Buffy had said that she wanted to be downstairs in case anything happened, but Geia was far from blind. She was obviously concerned about Spike, although letting such on was not Buffy's strong suit. They always seemed to despise each other, but the Slayer and the Vampire were an odd couple, if not perfect for each other.
Letting her muscles grow lax, Geia sank gratefully into her bed. Tainted Ones rarely slept, and more rarely at night, but the darkness of the room and her lack of energy did her in. She wrapped the cool sheets around her and turned to face the other way but ran into a slight problem. Angel had found his way into her bed, knowing that she'd be alone with Dawn and Joyce in the next room.
Pretending to be annoyed, Geia pushed on his chest. "Move over," she grunted. When he didn't say anything, she pushed on him again, and one cool hand wrapped around her wrist to stop her. The other arm went around her waist, pulling her close to him.
"I thought vampires didn't sleep at night."
For the first time, he opened his eyes and looked at her. "Yes, well, I'm not any ordinary vampire. I figured this will be the only chance I have to rest before we go into full-battle mode against Myron."
"Don't say that name right now. I'd rather not think about him for a few hours."
Angel smiled slightly at her relaxed form, which pressed closer to him to gain some comfort. "Okay, not saying he-who-should-not-be-named for a while."
"Good. Now let go of my hand."
"Sorry, can't do that. You might push on me again."
"If you don't, you might get slapped upside the head."
Instead of releasing her hand, he intertwined his fingers with hers and was rewarded with a contented sigh. It was funny how when he first came back to Sunnydale, seeing Buffy had still been painful, but ever since he and Geia had become....destined, as Geia called it, his relationship with Buffy had been the furthest thing from his mind. Geia was it, he knew that as he watched her sleep. He never thought he could be anything more than a soul- nursing, broody vampire, much less feel so strongly about someone. True, he had loved Buffy, and a part of him always would, but Geia was a part of him, and he could feel her presence inside his soul. Angelus had killed her sister and now, a century later, Angel had become her soulmate.
"Stop thinking like that. It's giving me a headache."
His eyes flew open to see her smiling broadly. "What? You were reading my mind?"
She raised her arm, putting their intertwined hands into his view. "Kinda hard not to when we're connected." She grew serious and put her arm down. "Don't think like that. Angelus was a monster, you're not. And you'll never see Angelus again, not with me around. And even if something happens and I'm not around, you can't change ever again. Your soul is yours, locked to your body. It has been since your heart started beating again."
He looked at her incredulously. "I'm becoming human again?"
"In a few ways, yes. You'll never be fully mortal, like I can never be, but just like your heart coming back to life, your soul has been activated to its fullest potential. So in that way, yes, you're human. But your features will always be that of a vampire."
Angel was quiet for a few moments, taking in all that she had said. His eyes met with hers and his arm tightened around her waist. His hand made its way up her back and finally into her hair and around to caress her face. He dipped his head to meet her expecting lips, and he thought his heart would explode. He was feeling everything again, especially the power of the holy woman beside him.
But at the same time, he was reliving that dream again. He saw Geia go into battle with Myron, and neither of them come out alive. And that scared him more than anything. Losing her would do him in.
Geia pulled her head back to end the kiss. "You're thinking like that again. What happens happens, but I don't plan on going out and getting myself killed. I'm here now, Angel. Take it as it comes."
He started to object, to voice some worry of his, but the look on her face stopped him. Her hand ran over his face, and the light touch was driving him crazy. Their lips connected again, more passionately this time.
He-who-should-not-be-named wasn't thought of again until morning. **********************************************************************
"I won't take any less than eight for these. I'm not giving this stuff away." Aurora turned to her apprentice. "Bring me those beads over there, Jacob," she commanded in Arabic.
Ronaldo brought over the beads and Aurora showed them to her customer. "These are of fine quality and beautiful color. These I will take seven for."
The customer nodded, happy with her offer, and paid the price for the necklace. Aurora leaned out of the booth to make sure there were no customers. "Is it alright to speak English, Master?"
"Yes, we're fine. We need to close this up now so we don't miss our ship. Geia needs our help, and from what she and Davis have told me, Myron's relocated, but they don't know where."
Ronaldo finished packing one box and picked up another one to put the rest of their wares in. "Have you ever been to America, Aurora?"
She gave him an anxious smile. "No, I haven't. I must say it surprised Geia when I told her I'd never been to the Hellmouth."
A puzzled look passed over Ronaldo's tanned face. "But Master, why are we going to America if Myron has left the country?"
Aurora took one of the boxes from him as they began to walk away. "The more of us that are together, the stronger our power grows. Each Tainted One individually is powerful, but together, we are like a great machine." Her voice lowered. "I believe that Geia, according to the signs, is to be our righteous Leader and Master. But I don't think she knows what the prophecy says exactly." Ronaldo nodded, humbled and awed by such a possibility.
There was silence for a period of time while the two crossed the hot Iraq desert when Ronaldo saw a glimmer in the distance as they crossed a sand dune. As they came closer, a building appeared through the haze created by the heat. Despite the reflection off the sand, there was clearly a gigantic building in the middle of the desert.
"I don't think that's a mirage, Aurora."
Soon they stood only a short distance from a large, pyramid-type building. Rich gold and blue hues decorated each story, and chanting could be heard from a distance. Built from bronze sandstone, the building rose a few hundred feet, blocking the sun with its enormous shape.
"Ronaldo, send out a signal to alert our comrades. They need to know about this."
Ronaldo saw fear in his Master's eyes for the first time. "Is it that bad?" he asked, despite the feeling he couldn't doubt in the pit of his stomach.
"We will need everyone for this, but we must alert Geia and Davis in Sunnydale. They're close to the Hellmouth, and I need to make sure that this is what it appears to be. There would be some activity at the Hellmouth if it is."
"Do we still need to go to America?"
Aurora pulled on his arm and they took off, heading away from the building. Once they were a safe distance away, she answered him. "Let me contact Geia and see if she needs our assistance there." Aurora closed her eyes while Ronaldo kept a lookout in case they were followed. But a moment later, Aurora's eyes shot open and she sank to the ground.
Ronaldo leaned down to help her, but she shook him off and stood up. "I tried to send a telepathic message to her, but it was blocked. It was as if something intercepted the message, and then a bolt of blue light appeared, and it struck me."
"So that building...it really is what we believed it to be?"
"Yes, apparently so, though how I'm not sure. We must go to America and join with Geia and Davis. We'll send the signal once we get to town, and then we must leave." Aurora looked back to the building, now just a small shape on the sand. "I don't know what exactly Myron is doing in raising it, but his Evil plan now has a formation, both in the magikical and spiritual sense."
They didn't see the guards who came out seconds after they disappeared over the dunes, or the gold and blue turn to blood-red and black, or the hieroglyphics that now appeared on the building's walls. Nor could they have known the Evil that was being borne inside the once Holy structure. ********************************************************************** (later that day)
"He's gone."
Geia stared hard at Davis. "Gone?" She shook her head in disbelief. "Wonderful. Did you find any kind of evidence to give us some kind of hint at to where he is?"
Jasmina held out a charred piece of parchment, held together by a black string. "This was left just inside the door. Myron must have thought it had burned in the fire."
The parchment was a map of the Middle East, directions written in Latin on the side and arrows draw helter-skelter across several countries. But all the arrows led to Iraq.
Giles studied the map hard, but nothing came to mind as to why Iraq would be so important. Everyone was gathered around the living room table in hopes of providing some assistance, and as they sat in quiet thought, no one noticed Spike emerge from the adjacent bedroom.
Spike walked over to the huddled group and put a hand on Buffy's shoulder, gently pushing her down so he could see over her. "So I'm guessing the bloke's gone and we're stuck finding him."
Dawn jumped up from the couch and ran over to hug Spike, thankful that he was alright. Spike accepted the hug with wide eyes but a slight smile.
Spike wasn't the only one smiling, as Willow couldn't help but do so at the obvious surprise on Buffy's face at having Spike so close to her. He affected her, and she had a spell over him, but they were too stubborn to admit it. "Yeah, Myron's gone. Davis found this map in the ruins of the warehouse, and we're trying to figure out why he'd want to go to Iraq."
The room was quiet for a few moments before Dawn, back on the couch, spoke up. "Well, why don't we go from the beginning and go over everything that's happened since Myron got here. Maybe we're overlooking something." When she saw everyone staring at her, she snuggled closer to Joyce on the couch and mumbled, "It was just a suggestion."
"I say it's a good idea. I mean, who knows? Myron's been giving us the run-around since he got to Sunnydale, and we may have easily overlooked something."
Davis clapped Xander on the shoulder and grinned. "I do believe we've got a couple of sleuths among us. Let's try it and see what comes out of it. Plus, I haven't exactly been filled in on all the details of what has happened."
Anya, who was sitting on the floor beside Xander, leaned back on her arms and sighed. "Okay, well, these two came to town," she said, motioning to Jamal and Geia, "we found out that there was a bad guy in town and that he wants to turn Earth into Hell, Davis and Jasmina came and helped us escape from the Initiative, and now Myron's gone."
Giles took his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I think we need something a little more thorough than that, Anya, but thank you for that brief overview." He noticed how they were all sitting in a large circle and came up with an idea. "Perhaps we, excluding Davis and Jasmina because they were not here during the course of most of the events, should go around and name off every major event that's happened since Geia and Jamal's arrival in Sunnydale."
The idea caught on quickly, and they began their "round-robin" game with Buffy. "Well, the first one's easy, because Willow and I met Geia at the college while we were dealing with the protestor vamps at that time."
Giles nodded and pointed to Spike, who had sat down beside Buffy. He rolled his eyes but joined in reluctantly. "And then Geia was bit by a vampire and I had to stake the bloke and take her to the bloody hospital cause we thought she was human."
Angel was next. "I came to town, and we found out that Geia's friend Jamal had come to town to help her out now that Geia knew vampires existed."
Then Geia. "Then Angel and Spike stayed at my house to watch the nearby graveyard when the Zalkanas found us and we had to fight them on the front lawn."
Jamal followed. "That's when we told Angel and Spike that we obviously weren't mortal and why we were here."
Then Anya. "Then Geia and Jamal, after we failed to attack them when we thought they were the bad guys, explained who they were and why they were here to the rest of us. That's when we first found out about Myron."
It was then Xander's turn. "We all got dagonspheres, and Geia met Myron in a cemetery and then we ran into him at the Bronze when Buffy was dancing with him."
Dawn was next in line. "Buffy, Spike, Geia and Jamal staked out Myron's hideout when we found out where it was and Buffy and Spike were captured and then Geia used magik to get them out."
Giles skipped over Joyce at her plea to be kept out of it, so the game was now to him. "And then all hell broke lose." He saw the looks on everyone's faces and grinned sheepishly. "It's true though, but I'm thinking this is getting us nowhere."
Davis saw need to speak up. "Let's try getting it down to the basics. Myron is an Evil sorcerer, we're the Holy warriors sent to strike him and his plan down. He's left town after his place became a giant fireball. Where would you go if you were a great Evil sorcerer in need of a new hideout? I don't think you'd stay on this continent, and we know he's more than likely gone to Iraq."
"Didn't Iraq used to be Babylon?"
Geia stared at Spike, mortified, before her head sank down to hit the table. "I can't believe I didn't think of that. And instead of the Holy warrior figuring it out, it's the newly-souled vampire." Her head jerked up. "Iraq is where the land of Babylon used to be. And it's also where the Tower of Babel used to be." She saw the light of recognition on a few faces and winked at Spike. "Nice job, blondie. How'd you remember that?"
"I'm not the bloody big bad for nothin'. When I was that great poof of a poet, I was also a bleedin' Christian. I've been told any good Christian knows their Bible well."
Geia hid her smile in her hand at his cocky tone. "I thought you hated "William the Bloody Awful Poet", but yet you recall it so feverently it's almost as if you-"
"Don't even say it. You'll get Peaches all reminiscent, and then we'll all have a big cry fest over his poor, tortured soul."
Geia put her hand over Angel's mouth to keep him from starting an argument. "Nice way to change the topic, Spike." Spike stared at her in warning not to say anything else about his former mortal self, but stopped when Giles got up quickly and went to a stack of books on a nearby table.
After a few minutes of leafing through a book, he sat down, a confused look on his face. "But the Tower of Babel was consumed by the desert sands centuries ago. How could Myron use the temple and what for?"
The question went unanswered as a knock on the door turned all heads. Geia's hand went to her sword and she approached the door slowly before looking out the peephole. Seeing who it was, she slid the sword into its scabbard on her back and flung the door open. "Aurora, Ronaldo, welcome."
Ronaldo entered first and then Aurora, her crimson hair blowing behind her wildly. Aurora turned to Geia and embraced her. "We come with bad news, my friend. I know where Myron is."
Geia motioned for her and Ronaldo to sit down, and after introductions were made, the warrior stared hard at her comrade. "He is in Iraq, we know that. But what is his purpose in raising the Tower of Babel."
"We've seen it, Geia. Myron's raised the holy Tower."
Xander's hand slowly went up in the air. "I hate to interrupt, but I'd like to know what that means."
Geia's slate blue eyes turned black as she stared at Xander. "It means that Myron didn't need the Hellmouth to do the ritual. The Tower of Babel has a mass quantity of Holy energy that Myron needs to combine the souls of two cursed vampires, a gold medallion blessed by God, the blood of five Christian sacrifices, and his Evil powers to make this spell work. I believed that there were ten ingredients for this spell, but the energy that the Tower contains will make up for the lack of energy that the other ingredients would have given. He has cursed his two vampire minions to make up for losing Angel and Spike, the gold medallion he has had, and the sacrifices he now has."
Giles looked at her incredulously. "Just any Christians?"
Geia grabbed the morning paper off the table and handed it to him. "You tell me."
Five Priests Reported Missing from Local Churches; Police Baffled by Lack of Evidence!
Aurora broke the stunned silence that followed. "Our comrades are on their way. I've called the other seven; we will need them for this battle. Myron will have thousands of Zalkanas under his command to protect the Tower and himself so that his spell does not fail."
Geia nodded solemnly, looking at the faces that she had grown to know and care for. "I cannot ask any of you to go with us. I can only ask that you will all go about your lives like we never existed once we're gone. Do not fear; Myron is no match for all ten Tainted Ones."
Angel grabbed her hand as she stood. "And what am I supposed to do? Wait here and have only the possibility that you will come back? I'm going with you."
"No Angel. You will stay and protect the others, or return to L.A. If I make it, I will return to you."
"I don't think you'd try and stop us all, would you?"
Geia turned around to see everyone she had met in Sunnydale standing up, steel resolution across each of their faces. Buffy had spoken for them all, and wasn't about to be denied.
Geia tried to argue again. "I cannot ask all of you to risk your lives in a battle that is not yours. Nor do I believe that most of you could fight that battle. These will not be the same Zalkanas you faced here; they will be fierce assassins with no mercy."
Willow tossed Geia a small spell book. "Then those of us who can't fight will swords and axes will fight with magik."
Buffy spoke up from behind her. "You're not asking us to go; we want to. This is our world, and we'd like a part in saving it. It's not like we've never done it before."
Geia looked away, and Buffy knew they had won. "But I'm not giving my permission or allowing you to go. You're going on your own, knowing the dangers, but I am still responsible for you." She looked to Dawn and Joyce. "I'm assuming that neither one of you are going."
Joyce put a hand over her daughter's mouth to keep her from protesting. "Yes. Neither Dawn or me is really skilled at magik and certainly not at battle."
"Good." Geia looked at the rest. "But only do those who are skilled in battle will do so, and only Buffy, Spike, and Angel are. Although the rest of you have been in battle, you will be no match for Myron's warriors. You will concentrate on magiks that will help in defeating Myron. I will put Giles and Willow in charge of that, secure in the knowledge that they know what they are doing."
Davis then spoke up. "We are going blindly into this, not knowing what to expect. We will leave early tomorrow. Be ready by one a.m. This will give our brethren enough time to get here and prepare, along with the rest of you." He turned to the other Tainted Ones. "Let's get a plan together so that we don't go into this blindfolded and bound." *********************************************************************
Author's Note: Oh the suspense! I nearly had a friend lean out the McDonald's drive-thru window where she works and strangle me for the last chapter. Heaven knows why. (*evil laugh*) Almost there, Amanda, you can do a few more chapters.....yeah, I know I can. I've never written a chapter story that I've loved writing like this one--I've fallen in love with the way the plot around Buffy can be twisted, and a sequel to this is in serious consideration. It wouldn't be right away because I have a short story series to complete, er, actually get past the first story, "Covet". That'll come first and then the sequel if I decided on it. Until then, I'm more than content to finish this story. I'm not going to give a schedule anymore-the way things are going, this will be completed before the end of August, but I can no longer try to predict when each chapter will be out. I'm having many problems in meeting the schedule I keep trying to set up, so each chapter will roughly be within two weeks of each other, and hopefully no later. Also, and I've said this a lot but it's a BIG deal-- I'M GONNA GO SEE AEROSMITH IN SEPTEMBER! Peace out.
Chapter 14--The Mists of Babylon (Second Day)
Dawn watched Spike's sleeping form in increasing worry. "He is going to be okay, isn't he?"
Jamal patted her shoulder comfortingly. "He'll be fine, he just needs to rest. Go back to bed." He watched her go back up the steps and then looked at Geia. "You sure he'll be okay?"
"Oh yeah. Just needs some rest. I'm gonna want to talk to him once he wakes up though, because I think he knows something about Myron's plan to destroy the world." Jamal could see the exhaustion written in her eyes and told her to get some rest. He and Davis would watch the house while everyone slept.
Geia looked in on Spike one more time in the small bedroom downstairs before making her way up to her own room. Dawn and Joyce had originally been using her room, but they were now sharing the next bedroom with Willow. Buffy was sleeping downstairs on the couch, despite Geia's protests. Buffy had said that she wanted to be downstairs in case anything happened, but Geia was far from blind. She was obviously concerned about Spike, although letting such on was not Buffy's strong suit. They always seemed to despise each other, but the Slayer and the Vampire were an odd couple, if not perfect for each other.
Letting her muscles grow lax, Geia sank gratefully into her bed. Tainted Ones rarely slept, and more rarely at night, but the darkness of the room and her lack of energy did her in. She wrapped the cool sheets around her and turned to face the other way but ran into a slight problem. Angel had found his way into her bed, knowing that she'd be alone with Dawn and Joyce in the next room.
Pretending to be annoyed, Geia pushed on his chest. "Move over," she grunted. When he didn't say anything, she pushed on him again, and one cool hand wrapped around her wrist to stop her. The other arm went around her waist, pulling her close to him.
"I thought vampires didn't sleep at night."
For the first time, he opened his eyes and looked at her. "Yes, well, I'm not any ordinary vampire. I figured this will be the only chance I have to rest before we go into full-battle mode against Myron."
"Don't say that name right now. I'd rather not think about him for a few hours."
Angel smiled slightly at her relaxed form, which pressed closer to him to gain some comfort. "Okay, not saying he-who-should-not-be-named for a while."
"Good. Now let go of my hand."
"Sorry, can't do that. You might push on me again."
"If you don't, you might get slapped upside the head."
Instead of releasing her hand, he intertwined his fingers with hers and was rewarded with a contented sigh. It was funny how when he first came back to Sunnydale, seeing Buffy had still been painful, but ever since he and Geia had become....destined, as Geia called it, his relationship with Buffy had been the furthest thing from his mind. Geia was it, he knew that as he watched her sleep. He never thought he could be anything more than a soul- nursing, broody vampire, much less feel so strongly about someone. True, he had loved Buffy, and a part of him always would, but Geia was a part of him, and he could feel her presence inside his soul. Angelus had killed her sister and now, a century later, Angel had become her soulmate.
"Stop thinking like that. It's giving me a headache."
His eyes flew open to see her smiling broadly. "What? You were reading my mind?"
She raised her arm, putting their intertwined hands into his view. "Kinda hard not to when we're connected." She grew serious and put her arm down. "Don't think like that. Angelus was a monster, you're not. And you'll never see Angelus again, not with me around. And even if something happens and I'm not around, you can't change ever again. Your soul is yours, locked to your body. It has been since your heart started beating again."
He looked at her incredulously. "I'm becoming human again?"
"In a few ways, yes. You'll never be fully mortal, like I can never be, but just like your heart coming back to life, your soul has been activated to its fullest potential. So in that way, yes, you're human. But your features will always be that of a vampire."
Angel was quiet for a few moments, taking in all that she had said. His eyes met with hers and his arm tightened around her waist. His hand made its way up her back and finally into her hair and around to caress her face. He dipped his head to meet her expecting lips, and he thought his heart would explode. He was feeling everything again, especially the power of the holy woman beside him.
But at the same time, he was reliving that dream again. He saw Geia go into battle with Myron, and neither of them come out alive. And that scared him more than anything. Losing her would do him in.
Geia pulled her head back to end the kiss. "You're thinking like that again. What happens happens, but I don't plan on going out and getting myself killed. I'm here now, Angel. Take it as it comes."
He started to object, to voice some worry of his, but the look on her face stopped him. Her hand ran over his face, and the light touch was driving him crazy. Their lips connected again, more passionately this time.
He-who-should-not-be-named wasn't thought of again until morning. **********************************************************************
"I won't take any less than eight for these. I'm not giving this stuff away." Aurora turned to her apprentice. "Bring me those beads over there, Jacob," she commanded in Arabic.
Ronaldo brought over the beads and Aurora showed them to her customer. "These are of fine quality and beautiful color. These I will take seven for."
The customer nodded, happy with her offer, and paid the price for the necklace. Aurora leaned out of the booth to make sure there were no customers. "Is it alright to speak English, Master?"
"Yes, we're fine. We need to close this up now so we don't miss our ship. Geia needs our help, and from what she and Davis have told me, Myron's relocated, but they don't know where."
Ronaldo finished packing one box and picked up another one to put the rest of their wares in. "Have you ever been to America, Aurora?"
She gave him an anxious smile. "No, I haven't. I must say it surprised Geia when I told her I'd never been to the Hellmouth."
A puzzled look passed over Ronaldo's tanned face. "But Master, why are we going to America if Myron has left the country?"
Aurora took one of the boxes from him as they began to walk away. "The more of us that are together, the stronger our power grows. Each Tainted One individually is powerful, but together, we are like a great machine." Her voice lowered. "I believe that Geia, according to the signs, is to be our righteous Leader and Master. But I don't think she knows what the prophecy says exactly." Ronaldo nodded, humbled and awed by such a possibility.
There was silence for a period of time while the two crossed the hot Iraq desert when Ronaldo saw a glimmer in the distance as they crossed a sand dune. As they came closer, a building appeared through the haze created by the heat. Despite the reflection off the sand, there was clearly a gigantic building in the middle of the desert.
"I don't think that's a mirage, Aurora."
Soon they stood only a short distance from a large, pyramid-type building. Rich gold and blue hues decorated each story, and chanting could be heard from a distance. Built from bronze sandstone, the building rose a few hundred feet, blocking the sun with its enormous shape.
"Ronaldo, send out a signal to alert our comrades. They need to know about this."
Ronaldo saw fear in his Master's eyes for the first time. "Is it that bad?" he asked, despite the feeling he couldn't doubt in the pit of his stomach.
"We will need everyone for this, but we must alert Geia and Davis in Sunnydale. They're close to the Hellmouth, and I need to make sure that this is what it appears to be. There would be some activity at the Hellmouth if it is."
"Do we still need to go to America?"
Aurora pulled on his arm and they took off, heading away from the building. Once they were a safe distance away, she answered him. "Let me contact Geia and see if she needs our assistance there." Aurora closed her eyes while Ronaldo kept a lookout in case they were followed. But a moment later, Aurora's eyes shot open and she sank to the ground.
Ronaldo leaned down to help her, but she shook him off and stood up. "I tried to send a telepathic message to her, but it was blocked. It was as if something intercepted the message, and then a bolt of blue light appeared, and it struck me."
"So that building...it really is what we believed it to be?"
"Yes, apparently so, though how I'm not sure. We must go to America and join with Geia and Davis. We'll send the signal once we get to town, and then we must leave." Aurora looked back to the building, now just a small shape on the sand. "I don't know what exactly Myron is doing in raising it, but his Evil plan now has a formation, both in the magikical and spiritual sense."
They didn't see the guards who came out seconds after they disappeared over the dunes, or the gold and blue turn to blood-red and black, or the hieroglyphics that now appeared on the building's walls. Nor could they have known the Evil that was being borne inside the once Holy structure. ********************************************************************** (later that day)
"He's gone."
Geia stared hard at Davis. "Gone?" She shook her head in disbelief. "Wonderful. Did you find any kind of evidence to give us some kind of hint at to where he is?"
Jasmina held out a charred piece of parchment, held together by a black string. "This was left just inside the door. Myron must have thought it had burned in the fire."
The parchment was a map of the Middle East, directions written in Latin on the side and arrows draw helter-skelter across several countries. But all the arrows led to Iraq.
Giles studied the map hard, but nothing came to mind as to why Iraq would be so important. Everyone was gathered around the living room table in hopes of providing some assistance, and as they sat in quiet thought, no one noticed Spike emerge from the adjacent bedroom.
Spike walked over to the huddled group and put a hand on Buffy's shoulder, gently pushing her down so he could see over her. "So I'm guessing the bloke's gone and we're stuck finding him."
Dawn jumped up from the couch and ran over to hug Spike, thankful that he was alright. Spike accepted the hug with wide eyes but a slight smile.
Spike wasn't the only one smiling, as Willow couldn't help but do so at the obvious surprise on Buffy's face at having Spike so close to her. He affected her, and she had a spell over him, but they were too stubborn to admit it. "Yeah, Myron's gone. Davis found this map in the ruins of the warehouse, and we're trying to figure out why he'd want to go to Iraq."
The room was quiet for a few moments before Dawn, back on the couch, spoke up. "Well, why don't we go from the beginning and go over everything that's happened since Myron got here. Maybe we're overlooking something." When she saw everyone staring at her, she snuggled closer to Joyce on the couch and mumbled, "It was just a suggestion."
"I say it's a good idea. I mean, who knows? Myron's been giving us the run-around since he got to Sunnydale, and we may have easily overlooked something."
Davis clapped Xander on the shoulder and grinned. "I do believe we've got a couple of sleuths among us. Let's try it and see what comes out of it. Plus, I haven't exactly been filled in on all the details of what has happened."
Anya, who was sitting on the floor beside Xander, leaned back on her arms and sighed. "Okay, well, these two came to town," she said, motioning to Jamal and Geia, "we found out that there was a bad guy in town and that he wants to turn Earth into Hell, Davis and Jasmina came and helped us escape from the Initiative, and now Myron's gone."
Giles took his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I think we need something a little more thorough than that, Anya, but thank you for that brief overview." He noticed how they were all sitting in a large circle and came up with an idea. "Perhaps we, excluding Davis and Jasmina because they were not here during the course of most of the events, should go around and name off every major event that's happened since Geia and Jamal's arrival in Sunnydale."
The idea caught on quickly, and they began their "round-robin" game with Buffy. "Well, the first one's easy, because Willow and I met Geia at the college while we were dealing with the protestor vamps at that time."
Giles nodded and pointed to Spike, who had sat down beside Buffy. He rolled his eyes but joined in reluctantly. "And then Geia was bit by a vampire and I had to stake the bloke and take her to the bloody hospital cause we thought she was human."
Angel was next. "I came to town, and we found out that Geia's friend Jamal had come to town to help her out now that Geia knew vampires existed."
Then Geia. "Then Angel and Spike stayed at my house to watch the nearby graveyard when the Zalkanas found us and we had to fight them on the front lawn."
Jamal followed. "That's when we told Angel and Spike that we obviously weren't mortal and why we were here."
Then Anya. "Then Geia and Jamal, after we failed to attack them when we thought they were the bad guys, explained who they were and why they were here to the rest of us. That's when we first found out about Myron."
It was then Xander's turn. "We all got dagonspheres, and Geia met Myron in a cemetery and then we ran into him at the Bronze when Buffy was dancing with him."
Dawn was next in line. "Buffy, Spike, Geia and Jamal staked out Myron's hideout when we found out where it was and Buffy and Spike were captured and then Geia used magik to get them out."
Giles skipped over Joyce at her plea to be kept out of it, so the game was now to him. "And then all hell broke lose." He saw the looks on everyone's faces and grinned sheepishly. "It's true though, but I'm thinking this is getting us nowhere."
Davis saw need to speak up. "Let's try getting it down to the basics. Myron is an Evil sorcerer, we're the Holy warriors sent to strike him and his plan down. He's left town after his place became a giant fireball. Where would you go if you were a great Evil sorcerer in need of a new hideout? I don't think you'd stay on this continent, and we know he's more than likely gone to Iraq."
"Didn't Iraq used to be Babylon?"
Geia stared at Spike, mortified, before her head sank down to hit the table. "I can't believe I didn't think of that. And instead of the Holy warrior figuring it out, it's the newly-souled vampire." Her head jerked up. "Iraq is where the land of Babylon used to be. And it's also where the Tower of Babel used to be." She saw the light of recognition on a few faces and winked at Spike. "Nice job, blondie. How'd you remember that?"
"I'm not the bloody big bad for nothin'. When I was that great poof of a poet, I was also a bleedin' Christian. I've been told any good Christian knows their Bible well."
Geia hid her smile in her hand at his cocky tone. "I thought you hated "William the Bloody Awful Poet", but yet you recall it so feverently it's almost as if you-"
"Don't even say it. You'll get Peaches all reminiscent, and then we'll all have a big cry fest over his poor, tortured soul."
Geia put her hand over Angel's mouth to keep him from starting an argument. "Nice way to change the topic, Spike." Spike stared at her in warning not to say anything else about his former mortal self, but stopped when Giles got up quickly and went to a stack of books on a nearby table.
After a few minutes of leafing through a book, he sat down, a confused look on his face. "But the Tower of Babel was consumed by the desert sands centuries ago. How could Myron use the temple and what for?"
The question went unanswered as a knock on the door turned all heads. Geia's hand went to her sword and she approached the door slowly before looking out the peephole. Seeing who it was, she slid the sword into its scabbard on her back and flung the door open. "Aurora, Ronaldo, welcome."
Ronaldo entered first and then Aurora, her crimson hair blowing behind her wildly. Aurora turned to Geia and embraced her. "We come with bad news, my friend. I know where Myron is."
Geia motioned for her and Ronaldo to sit down, and after introductions were made, the warrior stared hard at her comrade. "He is in Iraq, we know that. But what is his purpose in raising the Tower of Babel."
"We've seen it, Geia. Myron's raised the holy Tower."
Xander's hand slowly went up in the air. "I hate to interrupt, but I'd like to know what that means."
Geia's slate blue eyes turned black as she stared at Xander. "It means that Myron didn't need the Hellmouth to do the ritual. The Tower of Babel has a mass quantity of Holy energy that Myron needs to combine the souls of two cursed vampires, a gold medallion blessed by God, the blood of five Christian sacrifices, and his Evil powers to make this spell work. I believed that there were ten ingredients for this spell, but the energy that the Tower contains will make up for the lack of energy that the other ingredients would have given. He has cursed his two vampire minions to make up for losing Angel and Spike, the gold medallion he has had, and the sacrifices he now has."
Giles looked at her incredulously. "Just any Christians?"
Geia grabbed the morning paper off the table and handed it to him. "You tell me."
Five Priests Reported Missing from Local Churches; Police Baffled by Lack of Evidence!
Aurora broke the stunned silence that followed. "Our comrades are on their way. I've called the other seven; we will need them for this battle. Myron will have thousands of Zalkanas under his command to protect the Tower and himself so that his spell does not fail."
Geia nodded solemnly, looking at the faces that she had grown to know and care for. "I cannot ask any of you to go with us. I can only ask that you will all go about your lives like we never existed once we're gone. Do not fear; Myron is no match for all ten Tainted Ones."
Angel grabbed her hand as she stood. "And what am I supposed to do? Wait here and have only the possibility that you will come back? I'm going with you."
"No Angel. You will stay and protect the others, or return to L.A. If I make it, I will return to you."
"I don't think you'd try and stop us all, would you?"
Geia turned around to see everyone she had met in Sunnydale standing up, steel resolution across each of their faces. Buffy had spoken for them all, and wasn't about to be denied.
Geia tried to argue again. "I cannot ask all of you to risk your lives in a battle that is not yours. Nor do I believe that most of you could fight that battle. These will not be the same Zalkanas you faced here; they will be fierce assassins with no mercy."
Willow tossed Geia a small spell book. "Then those of us who can't fight will swords and axes will fight with magik."
Buffy spoke up from behind her. "You're not asking us to go; we want to. This is our world, and we'd like a part in saving it. It's not like we've never done it before."
Geia looked away, and Buffy knew they had won. "But I'm not giving my permission or allowing you to go. You're going on your own, knowing the dangers, but I am still responsible for you." She looked to Dawn and Joyce. "I'm assuming that neither one of you are going."
Joyce put a hand over her daughter's mouth to keep her from protesting. "Yes. Neither Dawn or me is really skilled at magik and certainly not at battle."
"Good." Geia looked at the rest. "But only do those who are skilled in battle will do so, and only Buffy, Spike, and Angel are. Although the rest of you have been in battle, you will be no match for Myron's warriors. You will concentrate on magiks that will help in defeating Myron. I will put Giles and Willow in charge of that, secure in the knowledge that they know what they are doing."
Davis then spoke up. "We are going blindly into this, not knowing what to expect. We will leave early tomorrow. Be ready by one a.m. This will give our brethren enough time to get here and prepare, along with the rest of you." He turned to the other Tainted Ones. "Let's get a plan together so that we don't go into this blindfolded and bound." *********************************************************************