1
2 Author's note: Hey! my Buffy is not stupid. She's just not herself (and its not like she's been a pillar of strength this season). Also, I have all the intentions of making William into our favorite bad-ass vamp before this thing is done. The question is will he survive or just go down in a blaze of glory? (my muse is deadlocked over that one)
**************
So what are we, helpless? Puppets? No. The big moments are gonna come. You can't help that. It's what you do afterwards that counts. That's when you find out who you are.
Whistler - Becoming I
3 Entry # 27
Without bothering to park I got out of my car and made my way towards the jeep. Two guards noticed my intentions and set out to block my path. I dispatched them with a quick shove. A third pulled a colt commando but was stopped from firing by Captain Riley Finn.
"Buffy, where do you think you are going?"
"What did you do to him?" I hissed ready to strike.
"Him? Oh, you mean our Jane Doe" As he said this he pulled off the blanket revealing a young woman with long blond hair and a torn-up throat.
I regained my ability to breathe. It wasn't him But then who?
"A civilian found her body as he was taking out his trash. We have to take her back to the lab to confirm it but it doesn't seem like she was killed here. Rather, she was placed here for a reason"
"A message" I said simply.
"A calling card if you will. Something to let us know that Sunnydale is not as safe as we thought"
"But it was for me. She was left on my street"
"Yes, can't miss that. This was definitely intended for you"
The way he said it made me search his face. His eyes had a strange look to them, like he wanted to say more.
"There is something you are not telling me"
"Actually its something you are not telling yourself. Look at her Buffy. Look at what they did to her"
I focused on the body. It was the first time that I've seen a vampire victim outside of research. She looked… used. Drained of life and blood for someone's pleasure. Someone who had not a care that she was someone's daughter, maybe someone's love.
"And after seeing this can you honestly tell me that they don't deserved to be put down like rabid animals?" Riley's words were laced with undeniable venom.
Something in me stirred. Something primeval and deep within me, like archetypal knowledge. I wanted to destroy whoever or whatever had done this. I wanted to slay.
"Whoever did this is going down"
Riley shook his head. "This isn't about one vampire. It's about all of them. You cannot discriminate between the lot of them. They're all evil"
"I don't agree with that. Vamps are just like humans, some are more nasty than others"
He laughed without any humor. "Next thing you are going to be telling me is that they are redeemable. Please, that sounds like the WB lineup. If you care to look through my study results you will realize that they will all succumb to their base behavior when the right stimulus is presented. There is nothing civilized or humane about them Buffy. If you have any doubts just ask her" he gestured to the body that was now in the back seat of the jeep.
"What are you going to do with her"
"We'll have her identified and try to determine where she was attacked and by whom. I'll ask for security to be beefed up especially around this area… I have a feeling that whoever did this is going to be watching you so just keep your feelers out. We'll notify you if we learn anything and expect you'll do the same"
I nodded. "I think I'm gonna take up patrolling. I'll ask Giles' to give me some pointers"
"You do that. With any luck, this is one lone vamp looking for some recognition and not another gang" as he said this he signaled to the driver of the jeep and moved towards the passenger side.
I stood there watching the jeeps drive-off uniformly. Riley hadn't said anything but this was going to change things. It was only a matter of time before the press got wind of it (if they hadn't already). In light of that "other" security breach the media was going to have a field day in Sunnydale. It just made things more difficult for me.
But most importantly. Where did I stand? Riley had all but broken it down for me and I had a feeling that soon I was going to have to make a decision. But not tonight.
*********
The house was quiet and dark. I kicked off my shoes before making my way up the stairs. Just as I suspected William was still fast asleep. His arm curled around my favorite pillow. Riley's words played in my head but I couldn't relate it to the vampire before me. I didn't want to. Whatever fate held for us I knew that I wouldn't betray my own heart.
TBC. Who could the mysterious vamp be? Who is fond of sending messages via bodies? Any guesses?
2 Author's note: Hey! my Buffy is not stupid. She's just not herself (and its not like she's been a pillar of strength this season). Also, I have all the intentions of making William into our favorite bad-ass vamp before this thing is done. The question is will he survive or just go down in a blaze of glory? (my muse is deadlocked over that one)
**************
So what are we, helpless? Puppets? No. The big moments are gonna come. You can't help that. It's what you do afterwards that counts. That's when you find out who you are.
Whistler - Becoming I
3 Entry # 27
Without bothering to park I got out of my car and made my way towards the jeep. Two guards noticed my intentions and set out to block my path. I dispatched them with a quick shove. A third pulled a colt commando but was stopped from firing by Captain Riley Finn.
"Buffy, where do you think you are going?"
"What did you do to him?" I hissed ready to strike.
"Him? Oh, you mean our Jane Doe" As he said this he pulled off the blanket revealing a young woman with long blond hair and a torn-up throat.
I regained my ability to breathe. It wasn't him But then who?
"A civilian found her body as he was taking out his trash. We have to take her back to the lab to confirm it but it doesn't seem like she was killed here. Rather, she was placed here for a reason"
"A message" I said simply.
"A calling card if you will. Something to let us know that Sunnydale is not as safe as we thought"
"But it was for me. She was left on my street"
"Yes, can't miss that. This was definitely intended for you"
The way he said it made me search his face. His eyes had a strange look to them, like he wanted to say more.
"There is something you are not telling me"
"Actually its something you are not telling yourself. Look at her Buffy. Look at what they did to her"
I focused on the body. It was the first time that I've seen a vampire victim outside of research. She looked… used. Drained of life and blood for someone's pleasure. Someone who had not a care that she was someone's daughter, maybe someone's love.
"And after seeing this can you honestly tell me that they don't deserved to be put down like rabid animals?" Riley's words were laced with undeniable venom.
Something in me stirred. Something primeval and deep within me, like archetypal knowledge. I wanted to destroy whoever or whatever had done this. I wanted to slay.
"Whoever did this is going down"
Riley shook his head. "This isn't about one vampire. It's about all of them. You cannot discriminate between the lot of them. They're all evil"
"I don't agree with that. Vamps are just like humans, some are more nasty than others"
He laughed without any humor. "Next thing you are going to be telling me is that they are redeemable. Please, that sounds like the WB lineup. If you care to look through my study results you will realize that they will all succumb to their base behavior when the right stimulus is presented. There is nothing civilized or humane about them Buffy. If you have any doubts just ask her" he gestured to the body that was now in the back seat of the jeep.
"What are you going to do with her"
"We'll have her identified and try to determine where she was attacked and by whom. I'll ask for security to be beefed up especially around this area… I have a feeling that whoever did this is going to be watching you so just keep your feelers out. We'll notify you if we learn anything and expect you'll do the same"
I nodded. "I think I'm gonna take up patrolling. I'll ask Giles' to give me some pointers"
"You do that. With any luck, this is one lone vamp looking for some recognition and not another gang" as he said this he signaled to the driver of the jeep and moved towards the passenger side.
I stood there watching the jeeps drive-off uniformly. Riley hadn't said anything but this was going to change things. It was only a matter of time before the press got wind of it (if they hadn't already). In light of that "other" security breach the media was going to have a field day in Sunnydale. It just made things more difficult for me.
But most importantly. Where did I stand? Riley had all but broken it down for me and I had a feeling that soon I was going to have to make a decision. But not tonight.
*********
The house was quiet and dark. I kicked off my shoes before making my way up the stairs. Just as I suspected William was still fast asleep. His arm curled around my favorite pillow. Riley's words played in my head but I couldn't relate it to the vampire before me. I didn't want to. Whatever fate held for us I knew that I wouldn't betray my own heart.
TBC. Who could the mysterious vamp be? Who is fond of sending messages via bodies? Any guesses?