Title: Of Magic and Machinations (19/20)
Author: Jeffrey Patrick
Type: B/X
Description: Buffy and Xander have been taken. Oz, Willow and the newest Slayer are hot on the trail of the missing children. Ethan Rayne has used magic to convince Giles to help him, and appears to have a sinister secret.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but a bottle of turpentine, and a carton of eggs. Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy own all things Buffy related. I just use them to further my own position in geekdom.
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Oz struggled to hail a cab, while Sarah helped Willow claim their luggage. By the time they reached their hotel, it was dark. Jet lag dug its talons deep into their bodies, but they all knew there was no time to rest. Buffy and Xander had gone incommunicado shortly after arriving in London. They had been searching for Giles, who had seemingly vanished from the planet. They all agreed to get a shower and a change of clothes. They hoped it would give Anya enough time to return to them with word of the children's location. They gathered in Willow and Oz's room to wait.
"I don't like this," Sarah said. "Buffy strikes me as a team player. You'd think she would try one of the cells."
"Agreed," Oz said. "I think whatever happened to Giles..."
"Don't even say it," Willow said.
"He's just being realistic," Sarah said. "We have to deal with the facts here. If the kids getting napped is tied to the Watcher's disappearance... as well as Buffy's... Well, let's just say Buffy was one up on me in the experience department. We're at a serious disadvantage here."
"You don't know the half of it," Anya said, appearing in the room. "I know where they've taken the children."
"What?" Willow asked. "Tell us where. Let's go."
"Wait," Anya said. "I managed to see part of a file that Angel was reading. It told where the kids had been taken, but it also told who took them."
"Angel's here?" Oz asked.
"Not anymore. They kinda... blew him up."
"That's... harsh," Oz said.
"You said it mentioned who's behind all this?" Sarah asked. "I thought we already knew it was Wolfram and Hart, or what's left of it."
"That's true," Anya said. "But you'll never guess WHO orchestrated all this."
"Lindsay?" Xander said. He could almost feel the poison coursing through his bloodstream. For a second, he thought he was hearing things. "We killed him. Giles put an arrow through him."
"I checked him myself," Buffy added. "He's worm food. Tell me another story."
"It's the truth," Giles said. "I didn't want to believe it either. Ethan performed a spell. It showed me clearly the truth of the situation."
"Right," Xander wheezed. "And there's no way Ethan Rayne would trick you, so hey... Let's all be bandwagon jumper-onners."
"You must believe me," Giles said. "Everything I have done, I've done of my own free will. The world is in great jeopardy. I had to resort to desperate measures to insure your help."
"Doing a bang up job," Xander mumbled.
"Give him the antidote," Buffy said. "Now."
"Not until you agree to do what must be done," Ethan said. "And I know you won't do that until I've explained myself."
"This should be good," Xander winced.
"When last you saw Lindsey, he had you right where he wanted you," Ethan said. "You were surrounded by vampires... supposedly the oldest in existence."
"Supposedly?" Buffy questioned.
"Buffy, please," Giles said. "Let him finish."
Buffy gave Giles a look that actually caused the Watcher to take a step back.
Ethan continued. "The truth is, you all played right into Lindsey's hands."
"Lindsey wanted us there that night," Anya said. "I don't mean the Scoobies in general. I mean the specific people who were present."
"Why?" Oz said. "Why us?"
"They needed something only we could provide," Anya said. "I just couldn't find out what it was because the car blew up. I DID see that is has something to do with the children."
"But if you killed this guy," Sarah asked, "how is he back?"
"He took a new body," Ethan said. "One that was weak and dying. It was all a part of the plan. He knew the Ripper here had killed an innocent to stop Glorificus. He counted on him to do the dirty work again. The vampires were fodder. They were all newly made as a sacrifice. Didn't you wonder how you succeeded against such overwhelming odds?"
"Of course," Buffy said. "But after everything... everyone we had lost..."
"We were distracted," Giles said, pulling a syringe from his pocket. He knelt and gave Xander an injection. "Lindsey wanted us that way. We were too busy reeling from our losses to notice what he had done."
"Which was?" Xander said, wincing as Giles removed the needle.
"He orchestrated everything. Whatever his plan was," Anya explained, "he needed us there to make it happen. We need to find Buffy and Xander. Whatever Lindsay is up to, he needs them present."
"He also apparently needed this Angel guy out of the way," Sarah said.
"But why?" Oz asked. "What could Angel do that Buffy couldn't?"
"I don't know," Willow said. "And I really don't care. I just wanna get the kids back safe and sound."
"Agreed," Oz said. "Where do we start?"
"I saw an address," Anya said. "Come with me!"
"Damn it!" Lilah burst through the door, causing Xander and Buffy to give each other a look of confusion.
"Lilah Morgan, ladies and gents," Ethan mocked. "She's here all week."
"Shut up, Rayne!" Lilah stared at Buffy. "This is her?"
"It is," Giles confirmed. "What's happened?"
"Oh, nothing. Lindsey blew up Angel... in the limousine that I sent for him. I needed him for the ritual. Now we have to move ahead with plan B."
"Which is me?" Buffy asked. "Because if I'm your only hope... you're screwed, lady."
"Not if you're smart." She turned to Ethan. "Didn't you and the Watcher fill her in?"
"We were getting there," Ethan said. "Ripper gave the boy the antidote as a gesture of good will."
"Good will my..." Buffy started.
"Buffy," Xander said, stopping her. "I think we should hear the rest of the story."
Less than half an hour later...
"Somehow, Lindsey survived," Anya explained. "And has been planning something with the kids since BEFORE I had Alex. I have a really bad feeling about this."
"Who doesn't?" Sarah asked. "I don't even know this guy, and it's got me all twitchy."
"Where should I park?" Oz asked.
"A few blocks away," Willow said. "This whole area looks deserted... even the storefronts. No sense in announcing our arrival."
"I agree," Sarah said. "We'll walk from here. It should only be a few blocks."
"You're telling me that those children..." Buffy couldn't bring herself to finish. Xander put his hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off as the tears came. "No. I won't believe it."
"Believe it or not, Buffy, it WILL happen," Giles said frankly. "We must act now, or it will be too late."
"I won't," Buffy said. "There has to be another way."
"Buffy... If there WERE a way," Xander said, "I would be all for it. But if what they are saying is right; time is up."
"No. There has to be something we can do."
"The only thing to be done is to kill those kids," Lilah said forcefully. "If Lindsay does what he is planning..."
"We mustn't think that way," Ethan said. "I am not going to die like this. Ripper has innocent blood on his hands. He can do it."
"We discussed that option." Lilah said. "You know it has to be her or Angel. Now that he is dead..."
"There IS no other option," Giles said. He looked at Buffy. "Our memories have been tampered with. You know it's true. You've been through it before with Dawn. We have been fooled, Buffy. Those children..."
"Are innocent," Buffy said. "I know that doesn't matter to you, but it does to me."
Before Giles could reply, one of Lilah's guards entered the room. He whispered to Lilah, before turning to go.
"The vamps are on the move. We only have minutes," she said.
"You said there were hundreds," Xander said. "If that's true, we'll be lucky to last seconds."
"Protect the kids," Buffy said. "Get them out of here. I'll handle the vamps."
"Right," Xander said. "I'll protect the kids. But you can't stay here."
"None of us can," Lilah said. "Those children have to die." She turned and ran out of the door. Buffy moved to stop her, but Ethan hit her from behind with a chair. Xander moved to stop him, but caught a fist from Giles that sent him to the floor.
Buffy recovered quickly and scrambled after Lilah. Giles and Ethan followed her, leaving Xander on the floor. Xander still felt weak, but he managed to stand and start after them. "Oh yeah," he mumbled. "This is gonna be fun."
"I see movement," Sarah whispered, motioning for the others to stick to the darkness, away from the few dim streetlights. "Ghost lady, move ahead. Find the other Slayer and her man. Tell 'em to hang on."
Anya glanced at Willow who nodded her approval. Anya disappeared beneath the street.
"Wolfboy?"
"Yeah?" Oz asked, leaning closer to hear.
"Any tricks up your furry sleeve?"
"Not so much, no."
"Then it's up to demon-gal."
Willow frowned. "I asked you to stop calling me that."
"I know. Can you see anything, Wolfie?"
"Vamps. A lot."
"Yeah, that's what I'm getting. You need a distraction. I'll handle that, while you guys find Buffy. Then, well... come running. I don't think I'll last too long."
Willow grabbed her arm. "That's suicide."
Sarah smiled. "For you, maybe. I'm a Slayer, doll. These guys were toast the minute I woke up this morning. You'll get Buffy. We'll kick some vampire ass. We'll all fly home first class. It's a plan, and I'm sticking with it."
Oz nodded at Willow and then grinned at Sarah. "We'll hurry."
Buffy tackled Lilah Morgan with a ferocity that didn't look like it could be housed in such a small frame. Her eyesight followed Lilah's previous direction. The children were bound and gagged in the center of the warehouse. "None of this makes sense. Of all the places to hide the children, you bring them to a hideout in vamp central with only a few spells to hold them back? Even if you did fool them into believing that Ethan is part of Lindsay's plan, why bring them here?"
"Ethan said the spells could only be broken if everyone was in proper range."
"What?" Giles said, catching up. "The children are here? I had no idea, Buffy. This is the worst possible..." Giles was cut off when a fire extinguisher held by Ethan Rayne hit him hard enough to knock him unconscious.
"Couldn't leave it alone, could you, Lilah?" Ethan Rayne's voice was different somehow. "We used to be on the same side. I didn't know you'd get all scared."
"Oh my God!" Lilah backed away. She knew. "How is it...?"
"Possible?" He finished for her. "Well, you had already contacted Rayne to help with your own schemes. It was a simple matter to lure him to the office the night I was killed. My accomplice possessed his body for me until "Ripper" did me in. It was close call, actually. I really needed Harris to die before me."
"Lindsay," Buffy said, understanding. "You're Lindsay."
"Score one for the Slayer."
Buffy saw Xander approaching Lindsay from behind. He had heard the shocking revelation. Quietly, he raised a crowbar to strike. Buffy stalled. "Why was it important to kill Xander?"
"The children had to be corrupt."
"So what happens now?"
"The plan will unfold. My partner will arrive. All hell will break loose."
"So the usual then?"
Lindsay whirled around and caught the crowbar mid-swing. He ripped it from Xander's grasp and swung it into his ribs. A sickening crunch was heard. Buffy moved quickly to catch Lindsay before he struck again, but he spun and avoided her kick.
That was when all hell broke loose. Vampires came from every shadow. Their feral yellow eyes glowed in the darkness. There were hundreds of them spilling into the warehouse. Like ants erupting from a hill, they brought a cold staleness to the air.
Lindsay smiled. "It has begun."
To Be Concluded....
Author: Jeffrey Patrick
Type: B/X
Description: Buffy and Xander have been taken. Oz, Willow and the newest Slayer are hot on the trail of the missing children. Ethan Rayne has used magic to convince Giles to help him, and appears to have a sinister secret.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but a bottle of turpentine, and a carton of eggs. Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy own all things Buffy related. I just use them to further my own position in geekdom.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Oz struggled to hail a cab, while Sarah helped Willow claim their luggage. By the time they reached their hotel, it was dark. Jet lag dug its talons deep into their bodies, but they all knew there was no time to rest. Buffy and Xander had gone incommunicado shortly after arriving in London. They had been searching for Giles, who had seemingly vanished from the planet. They all agreed to get a shower and a change of clothes. They hoped it would give Anya enough time to return to them with word of the children's location. They gathered in Willow and Oz's room to wait.
"I don't like this," Sarah said. "Buffy strikes me as a team player. You'd think she would try one of the cells."
"Agreed," Oz said. "I think whatever happened to Giles..."
"Don't even say it," Willow said.
"He's just being realistic," Sarah said. "We have to deal with the facts here. If the kids getting napped is tied to the Watcher's disappearance... as well as Buffy's... Well, let's just say Buffy was one up on me in the experience department. We're at a serious disadvantage here."
"You don't know the half of it," Anya said, appearing in the room. "I know where they've taken the children."
"What?" Willow asked. "Tell us where. Let's go."
"Wait," Anya said. "I managed to see part of a file that Angel was reading. It told where the kids had been taken, but it also told who took them."
"Angel's here?" Oz asked.
"Not anymore. They kinda... blew him up."
"That's... harsh," Oz said.
"You said it mentioned who's behind all this?" Sarah asked. "I thought we already knew it was Wolfram and Hart, or what's left of it."
"That's true," Anya said. "But you'll never guess WHO orchestrated all this."
"Lindsay?" Xander said. He could almost feel the poison coursing through his bloodstream. For a second, he thought he was hearing things. "We killed him. Giles put an arrow through him."
"I checked him myself," Buffy added. "He's worm food. Tell me another story."
"It's the truth," Giles said. "I didn't want to believe it either. Ethan performed a spell. It showed me clearly the truth of the situation."
"Right," Xander wheezed. "And there's no way Ethan Rayne would trick you, so hey... Let's all be bandwagon jumper-onners."
"You must believe me," Giles said. "Everything I have done, I've done of my own free will. The world is in great jeopardy. I had to resort to desperate measures to insure your help."
"Doing a bang up job," Xander mumbled.
"Give him the antidote," Buffy said. "Now."
"Not until you agree to do what must be done," Ethan said. "And I know you won't do that until I've explained myself."
"This should be good," Xander winced.
"When last you saw Lindsey, he had you right where he wanted you," Ethan said. "You were surrounded by vampires... supposedly the oldest in existence."
"Supposedly?" Buffy questioned.
"Buffy, please," Giles said. "Let him finish."
Buffy gave Giles a look that actually caused the Watcher to take a step back.
Ethan continued. "The truth is, you all played right into Lindsey's hands."
"Lindsey wanted us there that night," Anya said. "I don't mean the Scoobies in general. I mean the specific people who were present."
"Why?" Oz said. "Why us?"
"They needed something only we could provide," Anya said. "I just couldn't find out what it was because the car blew up. I DID see that is has something to do with the children."
"But if you killed this guy," Sarah asked, "how is he back?"
"He took a new body," Ethan said. "One that was weak and dying. It was all a part of the plan. He knew the Ripper here had killed an innocent to stop Glorificus. He counted on him to do the dirty work again. The vampires were fodder. They were all newly made as a sacrifice. Didn't you wonder how you succeeded against such overwhelming odds?"
"Of course," Buffy said. "But after everything... everyone we had lost..."
"We were distracted," Giles said, pulling a syringe from his pocket. He knelt and gave Xander an injection. "Lindsey wanted us that way. We were too busy reeling from our losses to notice what he had done."
"Which was?" Xander said, wincing as Giles removed the needle.
"He orchestrated everything. Whatever his plan was," Anya explained, "he needed us there to make it happen. We need to find Buffy and Xander. Whatever Lindsay is up to, he needs them present."
"He also apparently needed this Angel guy out of the way," Sarah said.
"But why?" Oz asked. "What could Angel do that Buffy couldn't?"
"I don't know," Willow said. "And I really don't care. I just wanna get the kids back safe and sound."
"Agreed," Oz said. "Where do we start?"
"I saw an address," Anya said. "Come with me!"
"Damn it!" Lilah burst through the door, causing Xander and Buffy to give each other a look of confusion.
"Lilah Morgan, ladies and gents," Ethan mocked. "She's here all week."
"Shut up, Rayne!" Lilah stared at Buffy. "This is her?"
"It is," Giles confirmed. "What's happened?"
"Oh, nothing. Lindsey blew up Angel... in the limousine that I sent for him. I needed him for the ritual. Now we have to move ahead with plan B."
"Which is me?" Buffy asked. "Because if I'm your only hope... you're screwed, lady."
"Not if you're smart." She turned to Ethan. "Didn't you and the Watcher fill her in?"
"We were getting there," Ethan said. "Ripper gave the boy the antidote as a gesture of good will."
"Good will my..." Buffy started.
"Buffy," Xander said, stopping her. "I think we should hear the rest of the story."
Less than half an hour later...
"Somehow, Lindsey survived," Anya explained. "And has been planning something with the kids since BEFORE I had Alex. I have a really bad feeling about this."
"Who doesn't?" Sarah asked. "I don't even know this guy, and it's got me all twitchy."
"Where should I park?" Oz asked.
"A few blocks away," Willow said. "This whole area looks deserted... even the storefronts. No sense in announcing our arrival."
"I agree," Sarah said. "We'll walk from here. It should only be a few blocks."
"You're telling me that those children..." Buffy couldn't bring herself to finish. Xander put his hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off as the tears came. "No. I won't believe it."
"Believe it or not, Buffy, it WILL happen," Giles said frankly. "We must act now, or it will be too late."
"I won't," Buffy said. "There has to be another way."
"Buffy... If there WERE a way," Xander said, "I would be all for it. But if what they are saying is right; time is up."
"No. There has to be something we can do."
"The only thing to be done is to kill those kids," Lilah said forcefully. "If Lindsay does what he is planning..."
"We mustn't think that way," Ethan said. "I am not going to die like this. Ripper has innocent blood on his hands. He can do it."
"We discussed that option." Lilah said. "You know it has to be her or Angel. Now that he is dead..."
"There IS no other option," Giles said. He looked at Buffy. "Our memories have been tampered with. You know it's true. You've been through it before with Dawn. We have been fooled, Buffy. Those children..."
"Are innocent," Buffy said. "I know that doesn't matter to you, but it does to me."
Before Giles could reply, one of Lilah's guards entered the room. He whispered to Lilah, before turning to go.
"The vamps are on the move. We only have minutes," she said.
"You said there were hundreds," Xander said. "If that's true, we'll be lucky to last seconds."
"Protect the kids," Buffy said. "Get them out of here. I'll handle the vamps."
"Right," Xander said. "I'll protect the kids. But you can't stay here."
"None of us can," Lilah said. "Those children have to die." She turned and ran out of the door. Buffy moved to stop her, but Ethan hit her from behind with a chair. Xander moved to stop him, but caught a fist from Giles that sent him to the floor.
Buffy recovered quickly and scrambled after Lilah. Giles and Ethan followed her, leaving Xander on the floor. Xander still felt weak, but he managed to stand and start after them. "Oh yeah," he mumbled. "This is gonna be fun."
"I see movement," Sarah whispered, motioning for the others to stick to the darkness, away from the few dim streetlights. "Ghost lady, move ahead. Find the other Slayer and her man. Tell 'em to hang on."
Anya glanced at Willow who nodded her approval. Anya disappeared beneath the street.
"Wolfboy?"
"Yeah?" Oz asked, leaning closer to hear.
"Any tricks up your furry sleeve?"
"Not so much, no."
"Then it's up to demon-gal."
Willow frowned. "I asked you to stop calling me that."
"I know. Can you see anything, Wolfie?"
"Vamps. A lot."
"Yeah, that's what I'm getting. You need a distraction. I'll handle that, while you guys find Buffy. Then, well... come running. I don't think I'll last too long."
Willow grabbed her arm. "That's suicide."
Sarah smiled. "For you, maybe. I'm a Slayer, doll. These guys were toast the minute I woke up this morning. You'll get Buffy. We'll kick some vampire ass. We'll all fly home first class. It's a plan, and I'm sticking with it."
Oz nodded at Willow and then grinned at Sarah. "We'll hurry."
Buffy tackled Lilah Morgan with a ferocity that didn't look like it could be housed in such a small frame. Her eyesight followed Lilah's previous direction. The children were bound and gagged in the center of the warehouse. "None of this makes sense. Of all the places to hide the children, you bring them to a hideout in vamp central with only a few spells to hold them back? Even if you did fool them into believing that Ethan is part of Lindsay's plan, why bring them here?"
"Ethan said the spells could only be broken if everyone was in proper range."
"What?" Giles said, catching up. "The children are here? I had no idea, Buffy. This is the worst possible..." Giles was cut off when a fire extinguisher held by Ethan Rayne hit him hard enough to knock him unconscious.
"Couldn't leave it alone, could you, Lilah?" Ethan Rayne's voice was different somehow. "We used to be on the same side. I didn't know you'd get all scared."
"Oh my God!" Lilah backed away. She knew. "How is it...?"
"Possible?" He finished for her. "Well, you had already contacted Rayne to help with your own schemes. It was a simple matter to lure him to the office the night I was killed. My accomplice possessed his body for me until "Ripper" did me in. It was close call, actually. I really needed Harris to die before me."
"Lindsay," Buffy said, understanding. "You're Lindsay."
"Score one for the Slayer."
Buffy saw Xander approaching Lindsay from behind. He had heard the shocking revelation. Quietly, he raised a crowbar to strike. Buffy stalled. "Why was it important to kill Xander?"
"The children had to be corrupt."
"So what happens now?"
"The plan will unfold. My partner will arrive. All hell will break loose."
"So the usual then?"
Lindsay whirled around and caught the crowbar mid-swing. He ripped it from Xander's grasp and swung it into his ribs. A sickening crunch was heard. Buffy moved quickly to catch Lindsay before he struck again, but he spun and avoided her kick.
That was when all hell broke loose. Vampires came from every shadow. Their feral yellow eyes glowed in the darkness. There were hundreds of them spilling into the warehouse. Like ants erupting from a hill, they brought a cold staleness to the air.
Lindsay smiled. "It has begun."
To Be Concluded....
