Buffy raised the blaster, realizing she had stopped breathing. She felt her body tense, every fiber of her alert at the approaching sound in the bushes. She felt the usual drum of adrenaline surging through her body.
Shooting a glance over her shoulder, she saw that Xander has a cross bow aimed at the rustling bushes. Even Spike and Oz had stopped their heated arguing and were now focused on the brush. She nodded approvingly as Spike vamped out, something she never thought she'd be glad to see.
***
Willow closed her eyes, concentrating hard on what she was trying to zero in on. She sensed....darkness...hate...death....
The usual demon feelings. But something was missing, something was gone...
Fear.
Her eyes flew open and she collapsed onto the ground, scattering her bowl of ingredients all over.
Giles and Anya quickly dropped their books and rushed over. Riley struggled to sit up but fell back onto the couch with a moan of pain.
"Willow! Are you okay?" Giles asked anxiously, helping her up.
"Y-yes..." she began slowly, "but the others aren't...there's something out there, it's disturbing the demons...they're different. They've changed...they don't fear anymore...it's terrible. Their confidence and hatred...it's just overwhelming..." she felt tears welling up in her eyes for some reason and her head felt heavy and it seemed like the room was spinning, "I know the spell that may be able to stop Adam...it's risky, but we have no choice..."
"You should call Tara to come and help you with this spell...it's quite a lot of work for just one-" Giles began, flipping through her spell book.
"There's no more time," Willow answered breathlessly, "the others...there's just something wrong with the demons I feel...they won't stop...I've got to warn them," she quickly pulled on her jacket and grabbed a bag of crosses and holy water. She paused and opened a box of spell supplies and pulled out several select items. She gave Giles and Anya a brave smile.
"See you if I live," she said.
"Now Willow, you can't possibly think of going out there by your-" Giles protested.
"Giles, those people are my friends...They've always been there for me. Buffy and Xander have stood by me....And one of them, okay, maybe two of them I love. I just don't know who's for me and who's not, but I'm not going to sit around and let them die before I can find out," she said, a fire burning in her eyes that Giles had never seen, "I've got to go...thanks Giles, you....you're almost like a dad," she added softly. Casting a small smile at Anya she said, "I'll make sure Xander doesn't do anything stupid." With that, she exited the house and quietly closed the door behind her. Giles and Anya looked at one another, fear for their friends apparent on their faces. Riley sighed heavily and gazed at both of them.
I should be out there...it's my fault if Buffy dies... he thought angrily.
***
Buffy whirled around, hearing panting behind her. The sound in the brush stopped abruptly.
"Will?" she said, hardly believing her eyes, "what the hell are you doing here?"
"I had to come...warn...you...the demons, they're not the same. Something's changed them all. Something-"
"Something called me," rumbled a deep voice to the right of them all.
They all whipped around and took in the vision. The tall, towering badly mutilated figure, pieces of metal and flesh-both demon and human-welded together. But worst of all, the wicked grinning mouth, positioned so smugly and firmly that they knew he feared nothing.
"Adam..." Buffy hissed.
Dammit! I should've known!
Tseewww!
Xander jerked as the blaster he shot kicked back into him. Adam easily dodged the badly aimed blast as Xander was given a zap of electricity from the gun.
"Ahhh!!!" he screamed, "well that was just dumb," he added, shaking the broken blaster. Adam brushed him out of the way with a ham sized fist and knocked him over.
Spike let out a growl and charged forward toward Adam, catching him by surprise in the stomach. Adam quickly recovered and knocked the vamp aside with an easy blow. Spike managed to turn and spin away, landing unceremoniously on the grass several yards away.
Oz rushed over but was easily deflected by the humanoid. He fell to the ground and rolled over, bringing himself back to a crouching position. Willow gasped and rushed to his side.
Buffy let out a cry and charged forward, her fists flying. Adam simply jerked back with an arm and caught the Slayer in the face, sending her sailing into a tree. She flipped onto her feet, a trickle of blood running down her face but her fists ready.
"You're a strong one. I'm almost sorry that I have to kill you," Adam snarled. She boldly advanced and caught him in the flesh of his midsection with a round house kick. He laughed and responded with a kick of his own, sending her flying nearly 10 feet across the dirt. She slammed her head into a rock and this time lay still.
"Buffy!" shrieked Willow, her face contorted in anguish. She ran over to her fallen friend.
Spike stood, brushing himself off and growled at Adam, ready to attack again.
"Stop," Adam commanded firmly. Spike was taken back by his firm tone.
"What?" snarled Spike, glaring.
"You. You are Hostile 17," Adam paused to insert a disk into his chest, "you've had a Aldf-45 brain chip implanted into you," he stopped letting it sink in, "I could take that chip out you know...if you'd join me."
Spike stopped, staring hard at Adam, "What do you mean?"
Adam leered, "join me and you'll be free.." he held out his mutilated hand toward Spike.
The vampire looked at it, then back at the beast and licked his lips, mind racing...
TBC