A prequel to "Until Sunrise", this takes place right after "Graduation:
Part 2". Angel and Wesley are long gone, Anya is still hiding away, and
Cordelia has just left Sunnydale as well.
DISCLAIMER: This story is put on this site with the consent of the writer. DO NOT use this material unless you have her consent. The "Buffy" and "Angel" characters and settings are property of Joss Wheadon and Mutant Enemy. This story is FAN FICTION; I am not profiting from their use. All new characters and settings have been born from my imagination.
COUNTDOWN: 9 hours till deadline
"How is it possible that it could take us this long to get here?" Bridgette wanted to know. "It's nearly sundown."
She, Oz and Xander were just pulling up near the entrance of Hammersmith Park.
"Well Oz's van breaking down didn't help." Xander noted.
"Still unaccounted time." Oz said.
"Definitely." Bridgette agreed thinking for a moment. "What if it's another spell?"
"Could be." Oz agreed.
"What? You mean now these vamps can speed up time?" Xander looked like he was about to panic.
"Could be." Oz repeated.
"But why? What's the point? And why don't we feel anymore…speedy?"
Bridgette shook her head. "Time spells are the weirdest. Maybe they're trying to keep us from making a plan to stop them. They might think we wouldn't be fast enough at this rate. And…maybe it has something to do with Buffy. Like… the longer she's enraged the better."
"So the sooner she gets to the longer, the better." Oz translated.
"Right!"
"So the sooner we get to the kicking of Evil's ass the better?" Xander asked.
"Right." Bridgette realized, setting herself to determination.
They crossed the street from where Oz had parked the van. Most likely, they should have left it where it had broken down before, and walked the rest of the way, but they all agreed a hasty exit might yet be needed.
Bridgette noted the huge locks and sign at the gate, stating the park was closed due to non-specific criminal activities that remained to be investigated.
"The Mayor lives on." Xander mumbled.
"At least his influence does." Bridgette said. She studied the height of the gate and the height of the stone wall that surrounded the rest of the park. The actual wall was shorter and less pointy at the top.
Plus there seemed to be more of a ledge on the wall. So stepping over to the stone and checking to be sure it was only the three of them around, Bridgette leapt up onto the wall.
"Neat trick." Oz allowed.
"Handy to have." Bridgette admitted. She knelt down and then shifted onto her stomach and reached down offering her hand to Oz. "Gotta move!"
Oz reached up and grabbed her hand and Bridgette pulled him up to where he could climb up the rest on his own. Oz then lay down like Bridgette and they both held out a hand for Xander.
But when Xander got within an inch of the ledge there was a flash of light and a shockwave that sent Bridgette and Oz falling into the park and Xander onto his back outside.
"What was that?" Xander moaned after a moment of profanity.
"Not sure." Bridgette said as she and Oz stumbled over to the gate where they could see him. "Need you to try something so we can find out."
"Huh? No. No way. Not looking to be riding the train of pain today." Xander stood and backed off from the gate.
"Xander, please. Just try reaching through the gate. Try even touching the gate."
"Forget it."
"Xander!" Bridgette took hold of the bars of the gate. "Hey! See? Musta just been some weird trick the vamps are trying to pull."
Xander's curiosity got the better of him, as well as the hatred of the possibility that the vamps were gonna get the best of him. He inched over and grabbed hold of the gate.
His hand was pushed away.
*Like the way two 'N' or two 'S' ends of a magnet coming together would repel each other.* Oz thought.
*Well at least this time it didn't hurt.* Xander thought to himself. He tried a few more times and every time he was repelled.
Bridgette and Oz both grabbed hold of the gate as well, but nothing happened.
"Okay…this is weird." Bridgette began. "Either Xander's a vampire and this is private property…or we just found ourselves another neat little spell."
"Honestly…I think I prefer the first option." Xander stated and added in a mumble, "Least in that one I'm not the regular useless type."
"I'm getting the impression that we're dealing with more then vampires here." Bridgette said, ignoring Xander as ideas started turning in her mind.
"Agreed." Oz said.
"Okay. Makes sense. But I'm still not understanding why I'm not invited in." Xander waved the two from their thoughts.
"Well…whoever----besides the vamps----we're dealing with must not want anymore human company then they already have. It looks as though anything supernatural can go in and out, but anyone strictly human is stuck outside." Bridgette explained. "I wonder if Willow and Giles would be allowed thr----"
"Wait! Why no supernatural restrictions?" Xander asked.
"Vampires." Oz replied.
"Oh God, which reminds, we have to move!" Bridgette turned to run.
"Wait! Again with the waiting, what about me?" Xander complained.
"You can keep watch here. You'll probably be safer here." Bridgette told him.
"Right. Good plan." Xander couldn't hide his sarcasm.
"Xander really. Stay hid in the van but keep look out. If you spot any of the vamps leave, follow them. CAREFULLY! Find out where they're headed."
Xander nodded and turned back to the van.
* * * * * * * * * *
"I think it's safe to say we chose the right place to stake out." Bridgette commented. "The vampires or whoever's pulling the strings wouldn't have put a barrier over the whole park if they weren't using it, even now."
Oz nodded.
"But now our problem is where in the park would the vamps be hiding?"
Oz thought a moment. "The Water Tower?"
"The Water Tower." Bridgette agreed.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Sunnydale's water tower was naturally part of the towns entire underground system. This, of course, would lead to vamps finding it during their days spent wandering, eagerly waiting for nightfall. Until recent years, all people would see was the actual tower, never the open space where maintenance workers moved about. But vampires (and teenagers) in their nature of destructiveness would vandalize the tower and even attack any workers found there. So the Mayor in his wisdom, added a small building he claimed was for computers that would do the more routine jobs people had to do before. This building had an access to the space under the tower and also to the tunnels under it.
What was useful to Bridgette and Oz were the surveillance cameras looking into the maintenance area.
But of course everything could not be perfect right off the bat.
"They shut down the cameras." Bridgette realized. She realized something else however. "Kristin once mentioned your career week," Bridgette lied. "And during that conversation she also mentioned the offer you and Willow got…"
Oz knew what skill of his she was hinting at. "Bringing them back online shouldn't be much hassle." Oz told her. "But it could take a few minutes."
"I'd say 'time we got' but…" Bridgette demonstrated by exposing the watch on her wrist. It was ticking away twice as fast.
Oz nodded.
"Although, if you need a hand, I think my techno skills are sufficient enough."
"Glad to be assisted."
Fifteen minutes later (sort of), they had a visual.
The first things they saw were the huddled hostages.
"I…I don't see Kristin…can you?"
Oz shook his head. "They must keep more valuable hostages elsewhere."
Bridgette wasn't sure she believed that, but she was glad he said it just the same. "Can the camera move at all?"
Oz hit a few more keys and the picture moved away from the hostages to another collection of moving bodies…the vampires.
"Jeez, there must be twenty of them."
They were speaking amongst themselves and seemed eager about something.
"Must want to be out in the night." Bridgette determined.
"Sun's already down." Oz pointed out.
Bridgette nodded. "So what are they waiting for?"
Her question was answered, as suddenly, the vampires stopped talking and turned to the same direction.
"What are they----?"
But Oz was already typing away and the picture shifted again.
The vampires were listening to two figures that Bridgette and Oz both thought to be either more vampires or humans. But then one turned to where Oz and Bridgette could see him better, and in a smile he revealed two seemingly endless rows of sharp teeth.
"I think it's safe to say we've found our practitioners." Bridgette said.
Oz spotted something. "Vamps are leaving."
They were indeed heading for a sewer access.
"I say we lower that twenty." Bridgette said heading for the door.
"Got supplies in the van." Oz told her.
Bridgette pulled a stake from her jacket. "I'm good. But you and Xander should stock up. Patrol around the outside of the park, together. I can flush a few out for you.
Does the computer say where the nearest manhole from the tunnels under the tower are?"
A few more keys and a map appeared on the computer monitor.
Bridgette studied it a moment and nodded.
"Trying to steal the Slayer spotlight?" Oz accused.
Bridgette smiled briefly. "Can you blame me? We'll meet back at the van in-- --" Bridgette glanced at her speeding watch. "Well…an hour…sort of."
DISCLAIMER: This story is put on this site with the consent of the writer. DO NOT use this material unless you have her consent. The "Buffy" and "Angel" characters and settings are property of Joss Wheadon and Mutant Enemy. This story is FAN FICTION; I am not profiting from their use. All new characters and settings have been born from my imagination.
COUNTDOWN: 9 hours till deadline
"How is it possible that it could take us this long to get here?" Bridgette wanted to know. "It's nearly sundown."
She, Oz and Xander were just pulling up near the entrance of Hammersmith Park.
"Well Oz's van breaking down didn't help." Xander noted.
"Still unaccounted time." Oz said.
"Definitely." Bridgette agreed thinking for a moment. "What if it's another spell?"
"Could be." Oz agreed.
"What? You mean now these vamps can speed up time?" Xander looked like he was about to panic.
"Could be." Oz repeated.
"But why? What's the point? And why don't we feel anymore…speedy?"
Bridgette shook her head. "Time spells are the weirdest. Maybe they're trying to keep us from making a plan to stop them. They might think we wouldn't be fast enough at this rate. And…maybe it has something to do with Buffy. Like… the longer she's enraged the better."
"So the sooner she gets to the longer, the better." Oz translated.
"Right!"
"So the sooner we get to the kicking of Evil's ass the better?" Xander asked.
"Right." Bridgette realized, setting herself to determination.
They crossed the street from where Oz had parked the van. Most likely, they should have left it where it had broken down before, and walked the rest of the way, but they all agreed a hasty exit might yet be needed.
Bridgette noted the huge locks and sign at the gate, stating the park was closed due to non-specific criminal activities that remained to be investigated.
"The Mayor lives on." Xander mumbled.
"At least his influence does." Bridgette said. She studied the height of the gate and the height of the stone wall that surrounded the rest of the park. The actual wall was shorter and less pointy at the top.
Plus there seemed to be more of a ledge on the wall. So stepping over to the stone and checking to be sure it was only the three of them around, Bridgette leapt up onto the wall.
"Neat trick." Oz allowed.
"Handy to have." Bridgette admitted. She knelt down and then shifted onto her stomach and reached down offering her hand to Oz. "Gotta move!"
Oz reached up and grabbed her hand and Bridgette pulled him up to where he could climb up the rest on his own. Oz then lay down like Bridgette and they both held out a hand for Xander.
But when Xander got within an inch of the ledge there was a flash of light and a shockwave that sent Bridgette and Oz falling into the park and Xander onto his back outside.
"What was that?" Xander moaned after a moment of profanity.
"Not sure." Bridgette said as she and Oz stumbled over to the gate where they could see him. "Need you to try something so we can find out."
"Huh? No. No way. Not looking to be riding the train of pain today." Xander stood and backed off from the gate.
"Xander, please. Just try reaching through the gate. Try even touching the gate."
"Forget it."
"Xander!" Bridgette took hold of the bars of the gate. "Hey! See? Musta just been some weird trick the vamps are trying to pull."
Xander's curiosity got the better of him, as well as the hatred of the possibility that the vamps were gonna get the best of him. He inched over and grabbed hold of the gate.
His hand was pushed away.
*Like the way two 'N' or two 'S' ends of a magnet coming together would repel each other.* Oz thought.
*Well at least this time it didn't hurt.* Xander thought to himself. He tried a few more times and every time he was repelled.
Bridgette and Oz both grabbed hold of the gate as well, but nothing happened.
"Okay…this is weird." Bridgette began. "Either Xander's a vampire and this is private property…or we just found ourselves another neat little spell."
"Honestly…I think I prefer the first option." Xander stated and added in a mumble, "Least in that one I'm not the regular useless type."
"I'm getting the impression that we're dealing with more then vampires here." Bridgette said, ignoring Xander as ideas started turning in her mind.
"Agreed." Oz said.
"Okay. Makes sense. But I'm still not understanding why I'm not invited in." Xander waved the two from their thoughts.
"Well…whoever----besides the vamps----we're dealing with must not want anymore human company then they already have. It looks as though anything supernatural can go in and out, but anyone strictly human is stuck outside." Bridgette explained. "I wonder if Willow and Giles would be allowed thr----"
"Wait! Why no supernatural restrictions?" Xander asked.
"Vampires." Oz replied.
"Oh God, which reminds, we have to move!" Bridgette turned to run.
"Wait! Again with the waiting, what about me?" Xander complained.
"You can keep watch here. You'll probably be safer here." Bridgette told him.
"Right. Good plan." Xander couldn't hide his sarcasm.
"Xander really. Stay hid in the van but keep look out. If you spot any of the vamps leave, follow them. CAREFULLY! Find out where they're headed."
Xander nodded and turned back to the van.
* * * * * * * * * *
"I think it's safe to say we chose the right place to stake out." Bridgette commented. "The vampires or whoever's pulling the strings wouldn't have put a barrier over the whole park if they weren't using it, even now."
Oz nodded.
"But now our problem is where in the park would the vamps be hiding?"
Oz thought a moment. "The Water Tower?"
"The Water Tower." Bridgette agreed.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Sunnydale's water tower was naturally part of the towns entire underground system. This, of course, would lead to vamps finding it during their days spent wandering, eagerly waiting for nightfall. Until recent years, all people would see was the actual tower, never the open space where maintenance workers moved about. But vampires (and teenagers) in their nature of destructiveness would vandalize the tower and even attack any workers found there. So the Mayor in his wisdom, added a small building he claimed was for computers that would do the more routine jobs people had to do before. This building had an access to the space under the tower and also to the tunnels under it.
What was useful to Bridgette and Oz were the surveillance cameras looking into the maintenance area.
But of course everything could not be perfect right off the bat.
"They shut down the cameras." Bridgette realized. She realized something else however. "Kristin once mentioned your career week," Bridgette lied. "And during that conversation she also mentioned the offer you and Willow got…"
Oz knew what skill of his she was hinting at. "Bringing them back online shouldn't be much hassle." Oz told her. "But it could take a few minutes."
"I'd say 'time we got' but…" Bridgette demonstrated by exposing the watch on her wrist. It was ticking away twice as fast.
Oz nodded.
"Although, if you need a hand, I think my techno skills are sufficient enough."
"Glad to be assisted."
Fifteen minutes later (sort of), they had a visual.
The first things they saw were the huddled hostages.
"I…I don't see Kristin…can you?"
Oz shook his head. "They must keep more valuable hostages elsewhere."
Bridgette wasn't sure she believed that, but she was glad he said it just the same. "Can the camera move at all?"
Oz hit a few more keys and the picture moved away from the hostages to another collection of moving bodies…the vampires.
"Jeez, there must be twenty of them."
They were speaking amongst themselves and seemed eager about something.
"Must want to be out in the night." Bridgette determined.
"Sun's already down." Oz pointed out.
Bridgette nodded. "So what are they waiting for?"
Her question was answered, as suddenly, the vampires stopped talking and turned to the same direction.
"What are they----?"
But Oz was already typing away and the picture shifted again.
The vampires were listening to two figures that Bridgette and Oz both thought to be either more vampires or humans. But then one turned to where Oz and Bridgette could see him better, and in a smile he revealed two seemingly endless rows of sharp teeth.
"I think it's safe to say we've found our practitioners." Bridgette said.
Oz spotted something. "Vamps are leaving."
They were indeed heading for a sewer access.
"I say we lower that twenty." Bridgette said heading for the door.
"Got supplies in the van." Oz told her.
Bridgette pulled a stake from her jacket. "I'm good. But you and Xander should stock up. Patrol around the outside of the park, together. I can flush a few out for you.
Does the computer say where the nearest manhole from the tunnels under the tower are?"
A few more keys and a map appeared on the computer monitor.
Bridgette studied it a moment and nodded.
"Trying to steal the Slayer spotlight?" Oz accused.
Bridgette smiled briefly. "Can you blame me? We'll meet back at the van in-- --" Bridgette glanced at her speeding watch. "Well…an hour…sort of."